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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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“I am still so nervous about this,” Orihime complained, the set of her shoulders betraying how tense she truly was.
“Relax, Karin-chan said there was nothing to worry about,” Tatsuki assured her.
“I wish Karin-chan could be here,” Orihime pouted, looking down at her still-flat stomach.
“She had to work,” Tatsuki answered. “Man, I can’t believe I just said that,” she muttered and gave her head a shake. “To think she landed a job and we are still living off of others charity.”
“Maybe,” Orihime smiled at her. “But let’s face it, Tatsuki-chan, you love living with Tesra-san.”
“My stomach definitely does,” Tatsuki agreed.
“Just your stomach?” Orihime questioned with a giggled.
“Unlike you and bat boy, we don’t spend all our time in bed.”
“I still can’t believe we are coming here to see Szayel-san though. I much prefer, and trust, Unohana-san,” Orihime said and sighed.
“Szay is fun though,” Ajuga interjected from her place ahead of them as they made their way towards the lab.
It was impossible to say no to Karin when she asked if they would be willing to watch the girls while she was at work and Grimmjow was out on missions. Orihime was more than happy to watch the children. Ulquiorra, on the other hand, had to be talked into it. When she’d informed him that caring for the two would help her take care of their own child later, he’d acquiesced however.
Hana was already at school, meaning they just had Ajuga to watch most of the day. She definitely was a handful. The child had so much energy Orihime wondered how on earth Karin kept up with it.
“Come on, come on,” Ajuga cried from her place in the lead.
“We’re coming,” Orihime called as they continued walking towards their destination.
It was a good thing they had Ajuga with them because in all honesty, neither woman had actually been to the Science and Research building. The child led them around a series of right turns along the corridor-like avenues of the Seireitei until they came to a large building that looked as if it was made entirely out of glass. It glittered like an ice sculpture, all reflections and refracted rainbows, in the pale winter sunshine. The sight nearly took both young women’s breaths away.
“Wow!!!” Orihime exclaimed, shading her eyes with one hand to better see the edifice.
“And here I was thinking of something looking like a factory or perhaps even a dark cave,” Tatsuki commented, a little awestruck herself.
“Hurry, hurry,” Ajuga begged, tugging on Orihime’s hand, bouncing in place. “Come on!” The child, in her eagerness, began to run toward the entrance.
“Slow down, Ajuga-chan,” Tatsuki ordered.
Ajuga pouted, but did come trotting back their way before bounding forward again. Orihime still wondered how the girl could look so graceful and cute running about on all fours.
“Ajuga-chan,” Nemu greeted the little girl as they came closer to the door.
“Neesan, Neesan,” Ajuga cheered happily, dancing about the woman’s feet.
Nemu just smiled softly down at the girl as Orihime and Tatsuki finished closing the distance to the entrance.
“Orihime-san, Tatsuki-san,” Nemu greeted them both with a bow, looking every inch the composed secretary. Tatsuki thought that she wouldn’t look out of place at any reception desk in the living world, medical or not. “This way please.”
They followed Nemu into the building, and both women gasped as they looked about the interior. It was very bright, especially with the sun filtering through the glass. The place felt surprisingly warm and welcoming.
“This place is amazing,” Orihime gasped. “Was this here before…?”
“SZAY!” Ajuga squealed and darted forward, and Orihime’s question went unanswered.
They turned their attention forward to watch Ajuga leap off of the ground and into Szayel’s arms.
“There’s my favourite experiment,” he greeted her warmly.
“Szay need more blood?” she asked.
“Not today. Today I need to see Orihime-chan.”
Ajuga pouted.
“Don’t worry, you are still my favourite experiment,” he assured her.
Ajuga was beaming happily almost instantly.
“Favourite experiment?” Tatsuki asked as they finished closing the distance to the scientist.
“It has become a bit of a nickname, you could say,” he explained as Ajuga crawled out of his arms to settle happily on a shoulder.
When Ajuga settled on his shoulder, her tail neatly curled around his bicep as an anchor, he turned his full attention to them.
“Now, now Orihime-chan, there is nothing to be nervous about. Come, come this way. We are going to use the same lab and equipment I used during Karin-sama’s pregnancy, and she is obviously quite all right.”
Orihime was too nervous to notice the suffix, but it didn’t slip by Tatsuki. Her creep radar was pinging, but it wasn’t giving a clear signal, almost as if it was confused as well. On one hand, Karin trusted him and Ajuga obviously liked him. On the other, there was something ‘off’ about him, something she couldn’t quite put a finger on.
“About how long have you been pregnant?” Szayel asked as he led them down the hall.
“Just over a month,” Orihime answered.
“Is there any chance of knowing the conception date?”
“Yes,” she admitted, cheeks stained pink.
“Wonderful!” he exclaimed happily, Ajuga giving a cheer herself, even though it was clear the little girl didn’t understand what had him so happy. “This is the room. Here is a gown for you to change into. I will be back in two minutes to begin the diagnostics,” he promised, closing the door and leaving the two women alone. Ajuga, still clinging to Szayel, gave them a wave as the door closed.
“Should we have let Ajuga-chan out of our sights?” Tatsuki questioned uncertainly.
“I think it’s alright. Karin-chan trusts him and apparently he watches her on occasion anyway. Karin-chan did say Szayel-san was Ajuga-chan’s emergency contact if something were to happen to her and we couldn’t contact either her or Grimmjow.”
“Besides, did you see the way he looked at her? Clearly he cares for her” Orihime pointed out while she changed awkwardly into the gown. “I always hated these things. You can never do the back up properly and your butt always hangs out,” she grouched.
“Here, let me,” Tatsuki offered, doing up the ties in the back.
After precisely two minutes to the millisecond, Szayel walked back in with Ajuga by his side wearing a small lab coat with a stethoscope around her neck. For once the little girl was doing her best to walk on two legs. She was rather unsteady, but seemed alright.
“Test, test,” Ajuga cheered.
“If you wouldn’t mind lying on the table, we can begin with the basics,” he smiled warmly at them.
Orihime hopped up on the lab table and was joined a moment later by Ajuga, who was hoisted up by Szayel. He grabbed a clip board and pen and turned his full attention to her.
“If we can start with your date of conception that would be wonderful,” he requested.
Orihime answered automatically. “Around noon-ish,” she added, blush darkening.
“Wonderful. If only others could be so mindful of the details.”
“Hear heart,” Ajuga demanded, holding up the business end of the stethoscope.
“Go ahead,” he encouraged the child.
“Yay!”
Ajuga put the ends of the instrument into her ears before touching it to Orihime’s chest, a wide smile on her face. The effect was comical, as the length of the ear tubes and the place where they joined the chest piece was obviously meant for someone with ears on the side of one’s head. The result was that the bridge of the stethoscope just brushed Ajuga’s upper lip, while the ends vibrated from the twitching of her cat-like ears.
“Ba ba doom, ba ba doom” Ajuga started to hum softly.
Tatsuki had to suppress her laughter, while she could tell Orihime was having similar difficulties swallowing her own giggles. Szayel’s eyebrow twitched, a look of resignation briefly crossing his face before he returned to his list of questions.
“Any side effects so far? Morning sickness, loss or gain of appetite, hording, and nesting?” he questioned.
“Well, lately I have had strange hunger cravings,” she admitted reluctantly
“Strange in what way?” he probed, jolting her answers down.
“Well yesterday, all I wanted was a bowl of plain udon noodles. With nothing in them.”
“How is that strange?” he questioned, eyebrow raised.
“How is it not?” she questioned.
That seemed to leave him at a loss, until Tatsuki interrupted.
“Because normal people don’t put horseradish and chocolate in their udon noodles,” Tatsuki deadpanned “They also don’t top that off with marshmallows and dill pickles.”
Szayel looked positively horrified, not to mention a little green around the gills, while Ajuga continued her ‘ba ba doom’ chant.
“But it taste so good that way,” Orihime huffed, a little offended at the thought that such a concoction might not be palatable.
“I’ll take your word for it,” Szayel said faintly, a bit of his normal coloring returning as he adjusted his glasses. “So you are saying strange eating habits have become normal?”
“I suppose so,” Orihime frowned unhappily. “I can’t even handle the taste or smell of red bean paste right now,” she complained.
“Some would consider that a good thing. She treats it the way Westerners treat ketchup,” Tatsuki explained.
Szayel swallowed a few times. Tatsuki swore he was trying to suppress his gagging reflex.
“I see,” he composed himself. “And what is Ulquiorra-san’s base creature?”
“Bat,” Orihime and Tatsuki answered at the same time.
“Excellent! Some bat species have a gestation period of up to six months,” he practically squealed in delight.
“Yes, I know. I had this conversation with Karin-chan already,” Orihime groaned. “Her prediction is I will be eight or the full nine months.”
“A good prediction, indeed. Well, let’s load up the ultrasound and see how things are looking in there.”
He pulled a piece of equipment over and adjusted the view screen so Orihime could see it, whistling jauntily.
Ajuga finally stopped listened to her heart and sat excitedly beside her, eyes glued to the monitor.
Orihime flinched when the cold jelly touched her stomach shortly before the wand pressed down.
“Let’s see how the little one is doing.”
A field of colours popped up on the screen. Ajuga let out an impressed ‘oooo’ while the two women remained silent, watching the odd, pulsating hues.
“And there it is,” Szayel smiled. “The fetus is definitely not nearly as far along as Ajuga-chan was at this point.”
“What are we looking at?” Tatsuki questioned, eyes trying to make sense of the image on the screen.
“This here,” he pointed to a small, black dot on the screen. “He or she is exactly as one would expect a human or Shinigami baby to look at this point.”
“So I have to go through the whole nine months?” Orihime asked, sounding dismayed.
“Indeed. Isn’t it wonderful? Karin-sama’s pregnancy went too quickly to gather any real significant data,” he said as if entranced. “If all goes well, we should be able to learn quite a bit from your child as it develops!”
“There is a baby in there?” Ajuga asked, looking at Orihime’s stomach.
“Yes. It’s very small right now, but soon it will grow bigger. When it is big enough to survive on its own, it will come out,” Szayel explained.
“So it’s hiding now?” Ajuga asked curiously.
“That’s right, and you did the same thing in your mother’s tummy,” Tatsuki answered while Szayel cleaned up the ultrasound.
“My stomach still feels sticky,” Orihime complained as Tatsuki helped her sit up.
“I will of course need some blood work done before you leave, and I will require you to wear one of these,” he stated as he handed her what looked like a silver bracelet.
“What is that?” Tatsuki demanded, looking at it suspiciously.
“It will measure Orihime-chan’s heart rate and reiatsu output. In fact, this is the same one Karin-sama wore when she was pregnant. If either of those readings exceed or stray from the acceptable ‘normal’ zone, it will trigger an alarm. That was how I knew she had gone into labour.”
“Oh, well if Karin-chan wore it,” Orihime held her hand out.
Szayel took it from her, touched a segment of it and the thing opened. He placed it carefully on her wrist, making sure the metal piece was over her pulse point. It was snug, but not tight or uncomfortable in any way.
“It’s like mine,” Ajuga chirped happily, showing them her bracelet. “Mine is from Szay too!”
“Yours is much prettier,” Orihime smiled at her.
Ajuga giggled happily and touched her own, more intricate band to Orihime’s with a small ‘clink’.
They ran through the rest of the tests and questions, and despite the fact Szayel was the one conducting most of the tests, neither woman picked up anything funny. When he declared the tests ‘finished’, he excused himself and Tatsuki helped Orihime clean off the gel and put her clothing back on.
“I will expect to see you in two weeks’ time. Tatsuki-san, is there any chance you might have conceived as well?” he asked, his tone a little too hopeful for the woman’s liking.

“Time to make my opinion on this as crystal clear as this building, Tatsuki decided. “I just finished my cycle two days ago, so no,” she said firmly, crossing her arms to glare at him. “And if you even THINK about ordering Tesra to try and get me pregnant, I will personally rip off those glasses of yours, tear out enough of your pretty pink hair to braid a rope, attach said rope to said glasses, shove the glasses so far down your throat they come out your ass, than use the rope to pull them back and forth through your body until you scream, beg, whine and moan like a little kicked puppy,” she threatened coldly.
Ajuga looked at her confused, Orihime was staring at her in utter shock, and Szayel looked positively mortified. In fact, Tatsuki swore she saw his knees shake a little.
“I would thank you to leave my hair as is, yes?” he responded, adjusting his glasses. “Such perfection should not be marred.”
“Right... just remember what I said,” Tatsuki continued to glare at him.
Honestly, both women found it slightly amusing it was the threat to his hair to which he took the most offence.
“Szayel-sama,” Nemu called from the door, “Yammy-sama and Byakuya-san are here again,” she called, worry apparent in her voice.
Szayel let out an exasperated groan and rubbed his forehead..
“Will that idiot just give up already,” he groaned in frustration, eyes going to the light fixtures overhead as if in silent prayer.
“What does he want?” Orihime asked curiously.
“Patient confidentiality,” he answered, with a ‘tsk, tsk’ and a finger wag.
“I am not sure I want to know anyway,” Tatsuki commented.
Ajuga suddenly hissed and ducked behind Szayel, shortly before the door was kicked open with a very loud ‘BANG!!’
“Szayel, where are you?” Yammy demanded as the large Espada strode uninvited into the room.
Tatsuki, acting on instinct, put herself in-between the brute and Orihime, partly to defend her if necessary and partly to shield her while she finished with the last two buttons. Yammy’s attention, however, didn’t seem to be on Orihime; rather, it was fixed on Szayel, who looked utterly disgusted at the huge intruder.
“How many times must I tell you to keep your voice down and to stop barging in before your feeble brain understands?” Szayel asked in exasperation.
“What?” Yammy asked confused and for the first time, seemed to notice the other people in the room.
“Point proven,” Szayel elegantly face palmed.
“Huh…Motion seconded,” Tatsuki agreed with a snort.
Behind Szayel, Ajuga gave another hiss of annoyance, at least until Yammy finally moved aside and permitted Byakuya to enter the room. Ajuga perked up once she spotted him.
“Bya,” Ajuga chirped happily, giving Yammy a wide berth as she made her way to the silent noble. “Can Hana-chan and I come play in the garden again?” she asked innocently. “It was so pretty,” she said wistfully.
“I got the samples. Make it work this time!” Yammy ignored the girl and marched up to Szayel, handing him two vials of what looked like milk.
Szayel’s look of revulsion seemed to double as he eyed the stopper vials and then looked back up at Yammy, golden eyes narrowed.
“I told you already, the chances of success were very limited. If what you want was so easy to do, do you not think I would have succeeded for myself by now?” Szayel pointed out. “Trying to create a viable specimen using two ‘Y’ donors just won’t work!”
“Succeeded in what?” Orihime asked clueless.
“Maybe you just need some more motivation,” Yammy threatened, clenching his fists and advancing on the scientist.
Suddenly, Tatsuki had the urge to grab Orihime and Ajuga and make a run for it before something truly bad could happen.
“What is wrong with you? Threats do not make science work, Yammy. Even a dimwit like you should know that. You might as well threaten the sky to make it rain on a sunny day.”
“Szay can make it rain on a sunny day,” Ajuga piped up helpfully.
“Indeed,” he smiled at her affectionately, and then sneered as he turned back to Yammy. “But not even I can make the sky rain by shouting at it like an imbecile.”
“Oh,” she looked crestfallen before turning her attention back to Byakuya. “So can we play in the garden?” she questioned hopefully, tugging on his hand.
“Why not?” Yammy was the one who surprisingly answered. “Walks in gardens are good for pregnant women, aren’t they?”
“I am not pwagant,” Ajuga looked up at him confused, fur still bristling and ears flattened back.
Yammy wasn’t looking at Ajuga though, but rather, Orihime. Tatsuki moved one foot back into a defensive stance and bent her knees. Maybe she might get a couple of good hits in to buy Orihime time to make a bid for the open door…
“Oh, you mean me?” the red-head questioned, grey eyes going wide. “Well yes, I am pregnant, but we don’t have a garden,”
She looked at Yammy, apparently perplexed. Yammy gave an irritated grunt at that.
“And you call me stupid.”
“Hey,” Tatsuki hissed. Yammy ignored that and hitched a large thumb over his shoulder.
“Go on, Chicchai-hime. Why don’t you take the girls here for a little stroll through the gardens while I have a ‘chat’ with Szayel?”
“Yay,” Ajuga cheered, in contrast to Szayel, who looked as if someone had spat on the clean floor tiles of his laboratory.
Orihime and Tatsuki looked to Byakuya, who merely inclined his head in agreement and stepped to the side, indicating the door with one hand.
“Remember, I’ll see you in two weeks, Orihime-chan,” Szayel reminded, setting his clipboard on the far desk, presumably out of Yammy’s reach.
“Of course,” Orihime answered.
They followed Byakuya out of the science division and towards what they guessed was his Estate, leaving Szayel to deal with Yammy.
“How have you been doing, Kuchiki-san?” Orihime asked pleasantly.
He pulled out a chalkboard and a piece of chalk from somewhere hidden in his sleeves and wrote a response.
‘Well enough.’
“That is good,” Orihime smiled at him. “I see you still have your Zanpakuto as well,” she indicated the katana that was on his hip.
He gave a nod of his head.
“Something is bothering me,” Tatsuki frowned.
“What is it?” Orihime asked concerned.
“Why would that brute suggest we go for a walk in the garden?” Tatsuki questioned. Byakuya seemed hesitant to answer that, but it was Orihime who piped up instead.
“Well, he was right about me getting exercise and fresh air, and I do know he looks up to Ulquiorra. Maybe he is being nice because I am carrying Ulquiorra’s baby,” she suggested.
“Maybe,” Tatsuki conceded, but she didn’t sound the least bit convinced.
Judging by the look on Byakuya’s face, he had a similarly conclusion.
“Oh wow,” Orihime breathed as they turned up the street that lead to the Kuchiki manor.
“It’s impressive alright,” Tatsuki agreed.
“Yay, we almost there!” Ajuga cheered. “Come on, come on!” she crowed with delight.
“Slow down, Ajuga-chan,” Orihime called after her.
“But we are almost there,” She pouted. “And the gardens are so pretty.”
“The gardens aren’t going anywhere,” Tatsuki assured her. “And you haven’t even thanked Kuchiki-san for letting us visit.”
Ajuga looked suitably horrified, and hurried back to them, stopping before Byakuya.
“Thank you Bya-san for letting me come play in the garden again,” she said awkwardly and bowed.
He gave her a gentle smile and nod of his head. Perking up happily, she once more raced ahead of them down the road.
“How does Karin-chan put up with her? She has so much energy,” Orihime complained good-naturedly. “I hope my baby isn’t that busy. I could never keep up with it.”
“Ulquiorra is rather laid back and as flighty as you can be at times…”
“Oi,” Orihime protested.
“…you aren’t that energetic either,” Tatsuki finished as if Orihime had never interrupted her.
The main gates came into view and the guards didn’t spare them a second glance as they were escorted through. Ajuga finally calmed down slightly, whether because she had finally run out of energy and needed a nap or because the Estate had such a calming atmosphere, was up for debate.
Byakuya led them to one of the many courtyards. Within it was a patterned planting of waist-high juniper hedges. The silvery gray evergreens, with their thick branches and tiny bluish-gray hedges gave off a fragrant scent. Ajuga was quick to disappear into one of the hedge rows.
“Ajuga-chan, don’t get dirty,” Orihime called worriedly.
“Let her be,” Tatsuki commented. “It’s natural for kids to get dirty. You’ll have to get used to it”
Someone had set a traditional table for them with teacups for three. There were also seasonal meat and fruit filled mochi, small pastries and a delicate evergreen bonsai arrangement, set just so.
“Oh, this looks wonderful,” Orihime exclaimed happily, taking her seat on one of the cushions.
“Indeed,” Tatsuki agreed, taking the other cushion.
Byakuya sat across from them and poured them all cups of piping hot, strongly-flavoured chrysanthemum tea. All thoughts of Ajuga and dirty clothing were long out of Orihime’s head as she tucked into her food.
“Karin-chan was right, your garden is wonderful, even in the dead of winter” Tatsuki said, looking about.
Byakuya gave a nod of his head in thanks and looked into the garden. Tatsuki followed his gaze and caught the faintest trace of movement as Ajuga moved from one hiding spot to another.
‘She will be an amazing hunter when she is older.’
“I agree,” Tatsuki agreed after reading the message. “Karin-chan says Grimmjow started training her a few weeks ago. She is still uncomfortable on two legs though.”
He gave a nod of his head in agreement and wrote out his reply.
‘It will come with time. Her high energy is already tempered with a patience I have not seen in many children.’
“True enough,” Tatsuki agreed.
“She gets that from Karin-chan,” Orihime paused eating long enough to comment. “I mean, to put up with Grimmjow and a brother like Ichigo, you would need a world of patience, don’t you think?”
Tatsuki laughed and Byakuya gave the slightest hint of a smile and a nod of his head to that assessment. They shared pleasant conversation, the subjects running from food to the flowers. Eventually Ajuga grew tired of stalking about in the garden and came to the table.
She ate a few of the chicken-stuffed mochi before promptly passing out on Byakuya’s lap. He gave her a small smile and ran his fingers through her hair. Ajuga’s ear twitched every time the fur was tickled by his passing hand.
“Sometimes, it is hard to remember she is a Hollow and her claws are sharp enough to slice through steel,” Orihime sighed as they looked at the sleeping girl.
“Sometimes,” Tatsuki reluctantly agreed. “But then, she is also still the little, human girl we see curled up,” she added.
“Yeah,” Orihime agreed. “I wonder what my baby will be like. Do you think it well resemble Ulquiorra’s resurreccion the way Ajuga-chan resembles Grimmjow’s?”
“We will just have to wait and see,” Tatsuki answered. “It’s possible”
Ajuga’s ears suddenly perked up and she awoke with a start. Byakuya winced as her claws dug into his skin before he tapped her head in admonishment. She looked up at him sheepishly before her blue eyes narrowed and went back to the bush, as if seeking something.
Without a word, she launched herself out of his lap and disappeared into the hedge. The adults looked after her in silent astonishment, an astonishment that turned to alarm as the familiar sound of a frightened cat’s squeal reached their ears.
　
　
　
Love the reviews, got to run, sorry I can’t talk longer but I am really, really, busy and almost didn’t have time to update this, or edit it either so their might be some mistakes that we missed. Love you all, chow.
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Prize of Victory