Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory 2
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
Views: 56255 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story
Chapter List
- 71
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- 73
Claiming Birds and Bees

Nanao had never been to the house where Nnoitra had incarcerated Matsumoto Rangiku. She knew where it was of course. Those Shinigami who had survived the Winter War had spent the first year tracking one another down via reiatsu signatures, partly to find out who else had made it out of the conflict alive and partly to pinpoint their locations. Then again, she had never really desired to seek out the abode of the Fifth Espada. However, this morning she felt as if she desperately needed some �girl talk.� Aizen had trapped Karin, the one person she would have normally confided in about something this significant, away in the Palace. Nemu was gone, presumably with the Seventh Espada, into exile. That left Rangiku and Tatsuki as the only two Claimed women with whom she could discuss the rush of long-dormant emotions and urges that afflicted her, in response to what she and Starrk had done the night prior.

She arrived just as the two came out of the house, with the shy little thing from the 4^th Division wedged between them. The young woman looked physically fine, though terribly embarrassed. The sexually-charged euphoria that had enveloped Nanao from the moment she�d woken up this morning diminished somewhat and her enthusiasm dampened a bit. The girl�s presence served as a sharp reminder that, other than Toshiro and Unohana�s respective Fukutaichou, both of whom had blushed redder than Renji�s hair when chosen, she was the probably the only one that hadn�t been really apprehensive about the whole scenario. When Aizen had made his announcement, she had expected at least a few of the officers on that platform to step down from their positions and bolt, but they hadn�t. Every last one of them had walked up onto that platform.

�They have all lived with the threat of being Claimed over their heads for so long now that when the time actually came, they might have been prepared for it,� she considered.

The Academy even had a short course on Arrancar and Claims, instituted in the last five years and taught by one of the more patient Numeros. Every Shinigami risked a Claim, particularly after a battle, and save for the five year period in which the Defence Net kept the Swarm�s attacks at bay, battles had been frequent. While civilians weren�t entirely safe, they tended to be considerably less attractive targets than Shinigami with martial skills and larger amounts of reiatsu to their names.

�Oh Nanao, you�re alright!� Rangiku gasped in naked relief as they caught sight of her waiting by the little gate that separated the yard from the street. She hurried up to Nanao, her sky-blue eyes looking the shorter woman up and down, as if making certain she was in one piece. �We were so worried for you!�

�I�m no worse for wear,� she said, offering both women a faint smile, before her eyes flickered to the officer next to Tatsuki. �How did things go here?�

�Kamoka-chan did just fine,� Tatsuki said, giving the young woman�s shoulders a reassuring squeeze as she did so. �She�s all set to return to work and get on with her duties and life. In fact, we were on our way to the 4^th Division. Abisara-kun wanted to see the twins Rangiku-chan is carrying again. They haven�t been very cooperative and the thickening shells around them make it harder to get an accurate ultrasound. We received a message from Unohana-san that said Abisara re-calibrated the machine and that he wants us there this morning.�

Nanao nodded, secretly wishing that Szayel�s technology had been available to the 4^th Division when she�d carried Hana. Being able to see her child in the womb would have been amazing. �Where is Tesra? Doesn�t he usually accompany you?� she asked, stepping to the side so the three women could come through the gate and join her on the street.

�He and Nnoitra are on patrol this morning. Poor man. He was pretty exhausted last night,� Tatsuki replied somewhat resignedly and Rangiku favoured her housemate with a pointed look and a dryly-worded reply.

�Well, you didn�t have to get him to Claim you first before he Claimed Kamoka-chan!�

�It was merely a demonstration, though it was very nice demonstration!�

Tatsuki gave Nanao and Rangiku a significant look while she stretched her arms over her head. The healer, who had remained silent thus far, looked as if she wanted to sink beneath the street�s paving stones and Nanao didn�t really blame her.

�Maybe not the approach I would have chosen, but I don�t know this young lady�s circumstances either,� she told herself.

Just talking about Claiming rekindled some of the heat in Nanao�s loins, and she probably blushed as well, though she�d have to do a better job of the latter if she wanted to match the hue on Kamoka-chan�s face at the revelation. Tatsuki�s declaration of �nice� was a gross understatement. Claiming was unlike anything she�d ever experienced before. Now she knew what the other women were talking about when they said having been Claimed ruined sex with anyone else for the rest of one�s life and why Karin had such a �mink-in-heat� attitude when it came to her mate.

�And how was your evening?�

Rangiku�s question came with a sly wink and a smirk and Nanao wondered if the blonde would go so far as to waggle her eyebrows suggestively if she didn�t say something in the next few seconds.

�It was...� she trailed off, unable to put it into words. She definitely understood how so many Claimed women and men could fall in love with their Masters. After experiencing what Starrk had done to and with her, she�d been ready to give the Primera the moon itself. If he continued what he�d started, if he took her up on her offer tonight�

�Seireitei to Nanao-chan� do you read me?� she heard Tatsuki say. While the phrase made little sense, from the way the human woman had said it, she�d drifted off again and needed to ground herself.

�I understand why you three always get that dreamy look in your eyes when you talk about it,� she confessed and hoped she didn�t sound as flustered as she thought she did. Rangiku�s smile got just a touch wider at the admission.

�Like just now�� Tatsuki snickered.

�For all of Nnoitra�s many, many faults, I can�t complain about his talent in bed, especially with that tongue!� The blonde closed her eyes and momentarily shivered in delight before catching herself and returning to the question that Nanao still hadn�t answered properly. �How was Starrk? I can�t picture someone that lazy finding the motivation to do much more than the bare minimum. Don�t tell me you had to do all of the work?�

�Oh, you�re so off the mark on that one, Rangiku,� the Taichou thought with a smirk of her own, which took her companions by surprise. Her sense of propriety, unfortunately, kept her from giving out any of the details in such a public space. She�d pictured this conversation happening in the privacy of a sitting room, not in the middle of the street.

�He was� concerned I wouldn�t be able to handle his power and his fears were, and still are, valid. I put a temporary Kido seal on his power and that helped somewhat. I wouldn�t want the full force of his reiatsu coming down upon me, at least not yet. He also hinted, rather strongly I might add, that I no longer have any excuse for not seeking and training to achieve Bankai.�

Rangiku�s expression morphed into one of satisfaction, though with a bitter edge to it.

�Good! Since a battlefield should �be left to real men,� I haven�t had much, if any, chance to train with Haineko. I hear about it to no end too,� she grouched. �Tatsuki and I have long since drained the well as far as what we could teach each other, so now we really only train together for the sake of exercise.�

�Moreover, I can�t use any of those fancy Shinigami moves of yours. My skills were fine enough for slicing Locusts to bits, but don�t ask me to take down even the lowest seated officer,� Tatsuki added, sounding somewhat frustrated. �Thankfully, Tesra doesn�t put the same restrictions on me, but my lack of Kido and a Zanpakuto limits what we can do.�

The walk was a little longer than normal thanks to running across Soi Fon on the way, compounded with the added weight both pregnant women had gained, especially Rangiku, but they arrived at the 4th Division in good time. While Nanao didn�t get the chance to talk to the two others the way she had wanted, it was enough for now.

Unohana waited just inside the entrance to the 4^th Division�s main building, standing like a sentinel whose rigid posture relaxed when she saw Kamoka. She gestured towards her pink-cheeked officer, who bowed to Tatsuki before she approached her Taichou. Unohana gave the girl a shrewd assessment before calmly murmuring something to her and motioning down one of the hallways. Kamoka nodded, bowed and then with one last, grateful look at Tatsuki, hurried off to complete whatever task her superior had assigned her. Now that yet another of her chicks had come back to the nest, the tension she could see in Unohana�s expression evaporated.

The scene reminded Nanao that she had her own flock to tend and she felt guilty that she was here instead of at the gates of the 5^th Division, especially since yesterday�s �auction� of officers was only the beginning.

�How many of the rank and file will resign or desert when I tell them the news,� she wondered. �Hopefully not too many. Active Shinigami or not, they will be open for the taking. Their location and job description won�t mean much,� she thought sadly. Before she could take her leave, Unohana favoured her fellow Taichou with an expectant look that Nanao knew from long experience meant that she needed to stay right where she was.

�Ise-Taichou, do you have a moment?�

�Of course.�

�Excellent. All but Iemura-san have checked in and my Fukutaichou sent a message saying he will arrive later this morning. As he is usually quite punctual, I believe I can let him linger a bit today, all things considered.�

Nanao couldn�t help but smile at the other woman�s phrasing. There had been more than just a spark between the Fukutaichou of the 4^th Division and Harribel�s fraccion at yesterday�s meeting. The two apparently knew one another and if there had been a nascent relationship between them before now, Aizen�s new edict had all but violently shoved it into high gear. She also suspected that she would no longer hear Iemura Yasochika talking absently to himself or writing in that silly notebook of his about whether or not he should lose the glasses to obtain a love life.

Reaching up to touch the frames of her spectacles, she thought again about Starrk and had to block a few recent memories before her knees grew too weak to carry her. Rangiku and Tatsuki sat down in the waiting area and Nanao heard the blond�s delighted squeal upon finding a fashion magazine from the Living World that she hadn�t read yet.

Unohana didn�t lead her very far, just to the other side of the front desk. Nanao saw several very large boxes of sealed paper bags behind the counter, a number written prominently on the side of each box. There had to be hundreds of bags within them. Half-a-dozen bags packed into the front of each were tied with yellow ribbons. The rest sported either blue or pink ribbons. Unohana handed Nanao one of the boxes that featured the kanji for �5� and regarded her gravely.

�Please see to it that each of the members of your Division gets one of these. The packets with yellow ribbons are for those seated officers Claimed last night. The packets with the pink ribbons are for the un-Claimed women, blue for the un-Claimed men. I�ve included a number of condoms in each bag and several months� worth of birth control pills in the bags for your female troops, as well as pertinent information on their proper use. I assumed that, like most of our un-Claimed troops, they were not taking or carrying protection of any sort.�

Nanao almost dropped the box when she heard Unohana�s explanation, for she was one of those women. Her throat went dry and she balanced the box in one hand as the other shot down to her stomach, before she could think about what she was doing or what that gesture might reveal to her fellow Taichou.

She�d been so concerned about the risk that Starrk�s power might kill her while he performed the Claiming ritual that she hadn�t given a single thought to other potential consequences.

Nanao had to work up enough saliva to swallow and while she did, a number of different emotions warred with one another in the relative privacy of her brain, until she remembered another aspect of an active Claim. She chastised herself, for overlooking something as fundamental as birth control, as well as forgetting that Starrk could also feel what she felt now. She quickly clamped down on the worst of it, taking deep breaths until her heartbeat began to slow down. Still, a small amount of panic seemed appropriate.

It wasn�t that the idea of bearing a pup for Starrk was abhorrent, especially after their talk this morning. She simply wasn�t ready for another child yet, especially with a rebellion fomenting. If she became pregnant now, she might not be able to fight, if Szayel took his sweet time to work out a way to counter the Hogyoku, and there were too many things on her plate as it was.

Then she mentally backtracked and swallowed again when she realized she was far more worried about the plan to overthrow Aizen than she was about the possibility she might have conceived last night. In fact, the idea didn�t bother her at all, just the timing. That told her that she was either farther gone about the Arrancar she�d dared kiss goodbye this morning than she wanted to admit, or that at some point in the past, her subconscious had resigned itself to a hybrid pregnancy, much as it had resigned itself to an eventual Claim.

Maybe she was just suffering from �empty nest syndrome.� She loved Hana dearly, but her child was all but ready to strike out on her own. The week her daughter had lived at the barracks, while she�d sorted things out, had given Nanao a glimpse of the independent adult Hana would become. The thought of another infant in her arms, despite all of the things that came with it, such as labour pains, dirty diapers and the trials of pregnancy, held some real appeal. Starrk would make a fine father; he�d already shown her how deep his well of patience ran, considering what he�d put up with from Hana and Ajuga.

Someone waved a hand in front of her face and Nanao turned to see Tatsuki�s concerned face swim into view. She�d left Rangiku to sort through the magazines, apparently seeing Nanao�s shock and mistaking it for distress.

�Are you okay, Nanao-chan? That�s twice this morning!�

Tatsuki frowned at her. Blinking, Nanao took hold of the box with both hands and decided that with Unohana there, any dissembling would be a waste of time.

�I� yes, we never even thought about protection, and I most certainly haven�t been taking any pills since, well, ever. I had never been sexually active until that brief interlude with Shunsui, and that� well, that was a bit of an accident,� she conceded with a blush and muttered, �Too much sake on both our parts that evening.�

Unohana�s expression shifted to one of understanding.

�I don�t think you will have much to worry about, Ise-san. Starrk�s power far outweighs yours, and while you have been living with him for some time, you womb is not yet accustomed to directly receiving such powerful infusions of reiatsu. However, if you do not desire a child with him at this time, I would advise either using protection from here on out or staying abstinent, at least until we know if there was an unexpected success. Provided, of course, that he permits the use of birth control or abstinence. I would like not only you, but the other recently Claimed women in your Division to return in four days for testing,� Unohana all but commanded. Then she cautioned, �Do not start taking the pills until after the test, and then try and avoid unprotected sex for at least a month to give the hormones in the pills a chance to work properly.�

�Meaning that if I�m already pregnant, the first round of pills won�t disrupt things,� Nanao concluded silently and indicated that she would do so. It was no-nonsense, practical advice, for which she was thankful.

�Very good. I would also ask that you request the same of the other un-Claimed women in your Division. If they do not wish to become pregnant, they should start taking the oral contraceptives immediately, especially as my husband has seen fit to declare open season upon us. As for the condoms, well, we can only hope they can get the men to wear them,� Unohana sighed.

Tatsuki gave the box of bags a shrewd look, and then folded her arms across her chest, grinning at both officers.

�Tesra had no idea what those were,� she informed them with a laugh. �I assume most Arrancar are the same. They really don�t have much use for them and I doubt there are many companies making condoms in Hueco Mundo.�

Nanao had to suppress a snicker of her own at the image Tatsuki�s joke conjured. Rangiku, hearing the muffled merriment, got to her feet and caught the tail end of her housemate�s comment.

�I foresee some very awkward conversations taking place in the next few days.�

The blond sagely confirmed as she clutched a magazine whose cover promised articles on subjects like �ten new �must-have� shades of lipstick for spring,� and �what men really think of high heels.� �Although, the real question is, can a man cast a Claim through a condom, considering the whole point of casting one is to get the reiatsu into the body?� she mused. �If not, then no amount of begging will work.�

�I can find out tonight,� Tatsuki quickly offered. �I doubt that Tesra will mind giving it a go. The latex barrier only stops seminal fluid, and since the reiatsu goes into the body before ejaculation during a Claim, it should be fine. He won�t worry about his seed going to waste either, as I am already pregnant.�

Rangiku looked heavenward and folded her arms across her chest.

�He�s not going to have the energy to move tomorrow. You realize that, don�t you?�

�It would be useful knowledge to have. Please let me know the results, Lindocruz-san.�

Unohana offered Tatsuki a thankful smile, before the arrival of a much smaller, solemn presence with pink hair and green eyes stopped their explicit conversation in its tracks.

�Ah, Matsumoto-san, you are here. If you can follow me this way please,� Abisara directed, staring up at the gaggle of females.

Nanao scanned the child much as Unohana had examined Kamoka, pleased with what she saw. He seemed to be in perfect health, though she thought she could detect a few faint shadows beneath his eyes. They�d worried that Aizen would lock the twins in the equivalent of a cage, much as he�d done to Karin, but with so many hybrid pregnancies, Abisara had stepped in to take his father�s place. In Nanao�s opinion, he was far too young to have to shoulder that kind of responsibility, but there weren�t many others who could handle the machines Szayel had put together to monitor every expectant mother.

�Of course, Abisara-kun!� Rangiku replied, her voice taking on the old indulgent tone she�d use when she�d accosted her then-short Taichou with embarrassing hugs. Nanao hoped the kid, as adorable as he was, managed to stay one step ahead of the former Fukutaichou�s grasp during her exam.

Adjusting the box of paper bags filled with supplies for the members of her Division, she bade everyone farewell. Nanao paused only to send out messages to her seated officers, ordering them to assemble the unseated Shinigami in the cafeteria. It would be best to have the information session and bag handout in one large area. At this hour, the majority of her Division ought to be in the mess hall, eating breakfast, or dinner for those just coming in from an overnight patrol. Nanao also considered the box in her hands. With the 4^th Division�s top officers otherwise occupied, Unohana would have had to assemble something like this at least a day in advance of yesterday�s meeting. She supposed that she ought to be grateful that Aizen had allowed his �wife� to see to at least some of the potential health problems that another round of Claims would bring, but as glad as she was for Unohana�s foresight, she couldn�t help the anger that bubbled within her.

�Damn you, Aizen. I shouldn�t have to be handing these out to my people with their morning rations.�

By the time she arrived, a headcount showed everyone but the ones on patrol were in attendance, in the middle of their morning meal. She set the box down on one of the empty tables and proceeded to examine her newly-Claimed officers. To her great relief, all of them were present and other than a bit of discomfort, they appeared unharmed, though a few seemed more withdrawn than usual, quietly talking amongst themselves. The general chatter in the hall died down as they realized their leader had joined them. Nanao squared her shoulders and raised her voice as she addressed them.

�Good morning,� she called, and they returned her salutation smartly. She was glad she�d fought off the instinct to sleep in, taking the time to see to her appearance that morning. Her Division and her subordinates would need someone who appeared to have her act together.

Everyone rose and added the expected bow to a superior officer, before she indicated that they could sit. On a normal day, she conducted large-scale Division meetings with far more formality, lining up each squad in the large courtyard outside. Unfortunately, given the uncomfortable subject of her speech, she decided it would be best to try to put them at ease, and an informal setting would best serve her purpose.

�As you all know, Aizen-kami held a meeting last night involving the top ten seated officers of each Division as well as his Arrancar along with those they have already Claimed. I�m here to tell you the reason behind that meeting: from this day onward, all seated officers from the 10^th Seat up must be Claimed to hold the rank.�

She let the announcement sink in, and most of the Division shot startled looks at her officers. Thankfully, they remained quiet for now, but she had a feeling that it would not last for long, not after the next bit of news.

�Unfortunately, that was not his only decree.�

She looked at the gathered faces around her and ploughed ahead with her speech. �He also increased the number of Claims his Arrancar are permitted to hold. The Espada may now hold three Claims and he�s allowed the Numeros a second Claim. Starting this evening, those Arrancar he selected based on their good track records with regard to their current��pets�� will be permitted to choose another, if they did not do so last night. A week later, the next set will be permitted to choose, and so forth.�

The entire room rustled nervously and a large number of hands shot up, but at least there was no shouting and wailing yet, a testament to the discipline she�d instilled in them. Picking one of the Shinigami, Nanao let the older woman ask her question.

�Why is this happening? Is it because of Karin-Fukutaichou?�

�Partially,� Nanao replied, seeing no reason not to give them at least part of the truth about the tyrant�s motives. �Aizen-kami said it was mainly a reward for his Arrancar and to help settle their instincts since so many are expecting children now. The Arrancar�s second Claim slot, in theory, will serve to provide them with guards for their �dens,� for their pregnant women and their future offspring. This leads me to my next issue��

Nanao gestured towards the box of paper bags that everyone had eyed and whispered about when she�d walked in with it. She explained the meaning of the coloured ribbons before she dropped the next bombshell.

�Unohana gave me these to hand out to everyone in the Division. Each bag contains information on Claiming, several condoms and for the women not already on it, birth control pills. For those Claimed last night, please take a yellow bag. The pink and blue ribbons are for the un-Claimed among us, for women and men respectively. Please make sure you get one with a ribbon appropriate for your gender and Claim status before you leave the room and familiarize yourselves with its contents. That is a direct order.�

Sensing a break in her speech, more hands shot up. This time she picked one of the young men, a recent addition from the last batch of students from the Academy.

�Um, not saying I am going to or anything, but, uh, what if we decide to leave?� he asked hesitantly.

�You have the right to resign, of course,� she began, when her 4th Seat spoke up, drawing the assembly�s attention her way.

�The Arrancar won�t care whether you are a Shinigami or not. Resigning won�t really change anything, other than how much spare time you have and the fact that you�ll lose three square meals a day.�

Several Shinigami stared down at their plates, as if only now understanding that the food necessary to maintain reiatsu levels high enough to perform their jobs came with a price tag. Nanao wished that the woman could have softened her words, but that didn�t make them any less true. �They make their choices based on power, on how much reiatsu you have and how strong they think you are. A badge doesn�t mean anything.�

The young man paled as he took in his superior�s assessment of his chances and his options, but Nanao still felt the need to expound upon it.

�Kami-sama made it clear that any Shinigami Claimed were to be permitted to continue in their duties. He also made it clear that he would not put up with any physical abuse that would hinder their ability to perform those duties, which is why the least abusive Arrancar were permitted to pick first and why he started with the top officers. The balance between the Realms is on very shaky ground and we cannot have anything interfering with our primary purpose, which is performing konso.�

Fewer hands shot up as she declared this, though she sensed there were still unanswered questions out there. She picked another, nervous-looking young woman, one who joined her ranks two years ago.

�Umm, what is Claiming like? Does it hurt?�

�No,� Nanao told her, trying to alleviate that particular fear, before the image of Kuchiki Byakuya reared its ugly head. There was always the possibility that someone like Barragan, or worse, Yammy, might set their sights on someone in her Division. Unfortunately, she�d have to address that issue if and when it came up, rather than spook her already-anxious underlings with it.

�It�s the best sex you will ever have!� her pregnant 8^th Seat all but gushed with stars in her eyes. That declaration led to another question and answer session, only now the focus shifted from Nanao to her Claimed officers. She called a brief halt to it only to remind everyone to take a paper bag and that if they wished to resign to see her in her office before they did so, to avoid having them listed as traitors. Taking the bags with the yellow ribbons, she personally handed them out to those she�d had to lead to the �auction� the night prior. Most took them with a murmured �thank you, Taichou�. Tasking her 3^rd Seat with distributing the rest of the bags and informing the Division members not present when they checked back in, Nanao informed her Division that they could have an extra hour for breakfast before retreating to her office. She also fought off a blush when she tucked one of the bags with a yellow ribbon into her sleeve.

They were taking it better than she had expected, but as she had told Starrk last night, they had lived with the threat of it for fifteen years. Claiming was less of an �unknown� and thus there was less fear about it. If anything, she swore that many of the young women seemed positively intrigued with the idea, an interest that only grew as the discussion began to place more and more emphasis on how pleasurable having a Claim cast on one�s person could be. There was an awful lot of blushing going on out there.

�Crazy children.� Nanao shook her head in exasperation as she sat down at her desk with a cup of tea to start on the paperwork. �The way it sounded before I left, they would be the ones pestering the Arrancar to Claim them.�

An hour later, her 3rd Seat knocked on the door and entered. Everyone had returned to his or her duties and while there was some fear and apprehension, he reported to her that he didn�t think anyone would desert or resign because of the edict. Those with Claims had done a good job reassuring those without them that it would, more or less, be okay and that a few had even left themselves open to be approached throughout the day if anyone had more questions.

Nanao thanked him for his assessment, accepted the pile of papers from the First Division, and sat back in her chair as he left, looking out the window at the mid-morning sun. There were dozens of puffy clouds floating across the sky, looking almost like a herd of lost sheep. She hoped the other Divisions fared as well as hers and took the news without too much issue. There was little their Taichou could do for them at present.

Then she took one look at the paperwork piled on her desk and decided she�d spent enough time worrying. Instead, she gratefully lost herself in requisition forms, the budget for next month and the reports Aizen�s Division had sent her. Nanao hadn�t realized how much of the morning had passed until she heard a second knock on the door. A glance at the clock on the wall told her it was a few minutes to noon and her guest turned out to be the last person she expected to see.

�Lilinette! What brings you by?�

�Not much,� the girl answered with a shrug as she entered the room and plunked down on one of the cushions surrounding the tea table in the corner of the room, where she�d held planning sessions with Karin-chan �He was just too much of a chicken to come down alone. Well, actually, I had to grab him by the balls and drag him.� Lilinette jerked her thumb back towards the still-open door. �Sorry if he won�t get it up for a bit.�

Nanao turned her attention back to the door to see an embarrassed and somewhat uneasy Starrk awkwardly cradling what looked like a picnic basket in his arms. He was the very picture of a shy boy trying to make a good impression on the girl of his dreams. To Nanao it seemed so strange that such a powerful creature seemed so worried that she wouldn�t want to join him and that he�d be willing to let her make the choice whether to accept or reject the offer of a meal. It was certainly flattering, though she wasn�t certain whether the picnic had been his or Lilinette�s idea. She suspected the latter and the girl�s next words confirmed her suspicions.

�The weather is way too nice to be trapped in this stuffy old office, and I know you won�t leave unless I drag out, so here we are,� Lilinette announced smugly. �Shiro-chan is going to meet us at the park!�

Ah, so their �date� would have a chaperone of sorts, although she had a feeling Lilinette had dragged Jushiro into this more for Starrk�s sake than her own. Turning the outing into a �family affair� would make things less difficult with Jushiro and the little girl who stared up at her expectantly acting as a buffer.

�Well, it is a beautiful day,� she agreed, looking out the window once more, �and it would be a shame to waste it.�

Nanao set her brush down and rose from her seat and she swore she saw Starrk relax as she made her way around the desk. Several hours had passed since their talk this morning, and she had the feeling that he feared that she might have second thoughts about her invitation, the one she intended to hold him to later on this evening.

Contemplating another round with him resulted in an involuntary rush of what she could only describe as lust, one she couldn�t hope to keep him from feeling given their proximity to one another. Her glasses couldn�t hide her traitorous blush as she absently brushed the wrinkles in her haori away and attempted to recover some of her decorum. Starrk, probably feeling her lapse in discipline, tensed and for a second he wore an incredulous look before the corner of his mouth turned up in a sleepy, half-smile.

Lilinette either ignored the exchange or missed it entirely as she jumped to her feet and the three of them left for lunch, Nanao pausing to let her 3rd Seat know where she was going. Starrk drew the curious gaze of almost every person they encountered. She passed a few of the other Arrancar, who were either on their way to her Division or leaving it. Nanao recognized the ones who already held Claims, and stopped the ones she didn�t know in order to learn their names. Most seemed very cautious, even deferential, while talking with her, which she found ironic. Of course, their trepidation might have had to do with the presence of both halves of the Primera hovering behind her. She was at least happy to see that almost all of the Arrancar with whom she spoke showed an active interest in those they had Claimed. Then she pondered whether those who had yet to choose a second �pet� would be able to handle the rush of young women that might track them down, insisting that he or she Claim them.

�Perhaps it would do them some good to be the ones �hunted� for a change.�

Despite the delays, they still made it to the park, leaving enough time to eat without having to rush lunch. In fact, when they arrived, she saw that Jushiro had just finished putting down a blanket in a shady spot beneath a sakura tree. The light filtering through the pink and white blooms gave everything below a rosy, inviting aura. The older Taichou looked up, waved and Lilinette ran forward to help him straighten the fabric. They had passed a number of other couples with baskets and blankets too; with a day as nice as this on hand, everyone seemed to have had a similar idea.

They even strolled by Sung Sun and a slightly-mussed Iemura, but she doubted the two lovebirds saw them. They were far too busy reclining on a blanket Nanao recognized as being the sort issued by the 4^th Division and staring, besotted, at one another, oblivious to everything going on around them. That included the still-packed basket next to the blanket. She suspected that the Swarm could invade at that moment and the two would hardly notice until a Locust landed on them.

�How did everything go with your Division this morning?� she asked Jushiro as she sat down on the blanket, arranging her clothing and taking in a deep breath of perfumed air, courtesy of the cherry blossoms overhead.

�Well enough,� he sighed, �considering what I had to tell them. Fortunately, several of those with current Claims were more than willing to provide information. I am not certain, but the younger ones actually seemed intrigued.�

Nanao snorted delicately and informed them she had noticed the same with her own troops, including her observation that, heaven forbid, some of the recent graduates might be the ones chasing down Arrancar, demanding that they Claim them immediately.

�I will never understand the younger generation.� Jushiro said ruefully as he watched the breeze shake a few of the pink petals loose, to fall to the ground nearby. �I fear that they�ll see only one side of it and not take into account the rest.�

�You ain�t that old, Shiro-chan,� Lilinette scoffed as she opened the basket and began rummaging around for bento boxes. �You worry too much as well. It isn�t good for you.�

�I have a thousand years to my name,� the white-haired Taichou informed Lilinette. �One can hardly call that �young�.�

�Well you�re not walking with a cane or stooped like an old granny, so I don�t wanna hear it!�

When the little Arrancar finished handing out containers and retrieved a sealed container of tea and four cups, she gave Nanao an intent, expectant look. �So, I hear you might actually like Starrk? And I don�t mean in the like sense, I mean in the like sense?�

Nanao�s eyebrows went up at the intensity that coloured the rushed, somewhat garbled question. She had never really thought about what Lilinette, or Hana for that matter, would think of the idea of her and Starrk as something more than a master and servant. Starrk and Hana had reconciled, so she didn�t think her daughter would resent any relationship that developed. Up until yesterday, Lilinette had treated her as a sort of surrogate aunt and the Primera as an annoying parent or neglectful uncle. Nanao decided to give her as honest an answer as she dared.

�I�m willing to see where this may go, if anywhere,� she replied, trying to keep her voice neutral in the hopes that she could maintain some sort of control of the conversation�s direction. Starrk�s Claim on her was less than twenty-four hours old and she was still trying to get used to the feel of the energy surrounding her. From the way Lilinette was going on about things, one would think that the Primera�s female side had already picked out Nanao�s wedding ensemble.

�So, you ain�t opposed to cubs?�

Jushiro promptly choked on his mouthful of tea.

�Lilinette,� Starrk sighed at his counterpart, but didn�t get any farther than that before the little Arrancar rounded on him with a snarl and a raised fist.

�Can it Starrk! You are too scared and lazy to get an answer for yourself, so instead of it taking fifty years for her to figure out what you want, leave it to me! Nanao, cubs?� Lilinette re-asked sharply.

She had a hard time not laughing at her interrogator�s childish enthusiasm, while disbelief warred with amusement, using Jushiro�s face as a battleground. She shouldn�t have been surprised at the query; Lilinette was a part of Starrk, the more talkative, emotional and outgoing side. It made perfect sense for Lilinette�s interest to mirror Starrk�s, though her pushiness about the issue rendered her speechless for the space of a few seconds. It took her almost a minute to find her tongue.

�I am not opposed to having more children, should a relationship based on mutual trust and affection form between us,� she said truthfully, looking at Starrk as she did so. He shifted at her answer and fixed half-lidded slate-blue eyes on her. Fortunately, her long years of dealing with Shunsui had taught her to interpret moods through a haze of sleepiness and she could see the keen interest lurking there.

�How long do you think that would take?� Lilinette asked a little too eagerly, leaning forward as she did so.

�That�s not something that one can order up, like a container of takeout food,� Nanao replied. �Such things take time to develop. That, and there are other issues we must address first. I�ll be hard-pressed to perform my duties as a Taichou,� she pointed out, hoping Lilinette understood her carefully worded answer, �or fight, if I�m pregnant.�

Lilinette�s face momentarily contorted in confusion, before she gave an �ah�, then checked to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Thankfully, she seemed to get the hint: no children until after they�d dealt with Aizen and secured the Seireitei for the rebels.

�Awesome! So there is a chance after all!� Lilinette crowed this in delight, literally throwing what little discretion she had to the wolves. �Hear that Starrk? We could have cubs of our own! And here we thought we would never see the day, especially since Harribel was never interested in us.�

Nanao bit into one of the mochi in her bento, the pickled plum within making her mouth water. She�d eaten more than her fair share of these while pregnant with Hana, since her craving for sour things had grown along with her belly.

Lilinette was more than happy with the idea of a relationship between them. Somehow, having the little Arrancar�s support made Nanao breathe easier, as well as consider the prospect of children with more enthusiasm. Hana was one of the best things that had ever happened to her. If not for her daughter, she probably would have wasted away from solitude and despair. Jushiro had become somewhat reclusive for a time, after Shunsui�s death. The two had been friends for more centuries than Nanao had even been alive and doting on Hana had helped bring him around as well.

If anything could counteract loneliness, it was a child. Moreover, as she glanced at Starrk, she felt a resonance in her own soul, especially when he made the effort to reach up and brush away a few stray sakura flowers that had landed on her haori without her noticing. The Espada let his hand linger a few seconds against her cloth-covered thigh before pulling it away and reaching for his chopsticks. Again, she felt a tiny thrill at the physical contact, to her chagrin. She usually had exemplary control of her faculties too. At this rate, she�d be no better than the girls in her Division about whom she�d had such reservations.

Lilinette chortled something along the lines of ��bout damned time,� while Jushiro pretended to be very interested in the decoratively cut slices of hard-boiled egg in his bento.

�Birds of a feather indeed,� Nanao thought, and then paused when that idea led to another, interesting consideration. What would happen if an Aspect of Death were �cured� of the very thing that had driven that soul to become a Hollow in the first place? Harribel appeared to have gone through some significant changes in the last six months and she suspected that while the Third�s pregnancy might be part of it, it wasn�t the only reason.

Looking down at the uneaten bento in her lap, Nanao concluded that she wasn�t going to discover the answer to that question any time soon. Taking the lid from the box, she tucked into her lunch and set aside all other thoughts in favour of refuelling before she had to go back to the office. Parenthood was never lonely, but then, the little gathering beneath the sakura tree wasn�t bad either, especially with Lilinette badgering �shiro-chan about eating more, lest he become �too weak to deal with stacks of stupid paperwork.� Jushiro�s mild, patient replies that �yes he would take his medicinal tea, once he got back to his desk, if Lilinette made it for him� served to blunt the young Arrancar�s bossy orders.

Still�giving in to her curiosity, she tried to picture Starrk, as he inched back to slouch against the trunk of the sakura tree, with two, equally droopy toddlers sprawled on either side of him, the three snoozing together in a puppy pile.

Nanao firmly clamped down on her imagination before it could create anything else so ridiculously sentimental. What really bothered her was that she could see that particular scenario far too clearly for comfort.

�You said it yourself. A solid relationship, based on trust and affection, first. We�ll see where that leads, after we�ve overthrown the enemy.�

Then again, there was that unopened paper bag on her desk, with its yellow ribbons serving as a warning of what might already be. Nanao sipped at her tea thoughtfully and vowed that her conversation with Starrk this evening, regarding �preparation,� encompassed that word�s full meaning.

A more light hearted chapter after the last one, granted, almost anything is more light-hearted than the last one.

Kain: Sorry about the target, good thing you are such a good acrobat. I got a seat right here in the bunker for ya. It wasn�t so much the specific events of this chapter I meant by saying it was something I know you were waiting for, but rather for everything to stop going so smoothly for her.

As for those wondering why she didn�t try to Claim Aizen or Gin at this point, she simply can�t. She no longer has access to her own Reiatsu. Even before hand, the amount of power it would take to chain Aizen for even ten seconds would weaken her own Claim on Szayel to the point of non existence, reducing him once more to a child. She needs him to remain an adult, for he is the only one who stands a chance of discovering how to kill Aizen. She is playing for the long game, not the short. Claiming Aizen would gain her no ground and, in fact, rip hundreds of acres from what she has.

This scene was planned from the start of the story. NO ONE is going to get out of this scar free, wars simply do not end that way and, as I am sure most of you know by this point, I am not afraid to go to the dark places others shy away from. The strong reactions the last chapter inflicted honestly honour me, for it is a true sign of how much my writing has effected all of you. As for Aizen�s death, I will say Karin does play a part in it, but that is all I will say. It has been written, it is out for editing even as we speak, or type in this case. Things will be dark, but the ending should be all the more satisfying for it.

Next Chapter: We see things from Soi Fon and Toshiro�s POV.

This Weeks Question: So who had all seen How To Train Your Dragon 2? Damn was it good. I think one reviewer pretty much has it right, the first was Harry Potter, the second was Lord of the Ring. You can�t really compare them, only enjoy 1 and 2 for what they are, both epic movies in their own right.
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Prize of Victory 2	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > General Views: 56255 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story

Prize of Victory 2