Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory 2
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
Views: 56251 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story
Chapter List
- 73
- 74
- 75
Promotion

Yumichika hurried back to the Estate, his packages tucked under one arm. He had a scant fifteen minutes before he would have to attend to Barragan�s needs and get him ready for the meeting. Making his way through the main courtyard, he leaned against the dog kennel set up in the shadow of the house, which only served to add to the gloom inside.

�Yo!� he called.

�What is it?� Ggio murmured in a depressed, broken tone.

�I brought you something to eat,� Yumichika declared, pulling out some meat kabobs and dangling them in front of the kennel�s opening.

When they remained hanging there, untouched, Yumichika�s mouth thinned out as he bent at the waist and peeked into the doorway. He had to hunch down so he could see the miserable creature curled up on a bed of straw.

�Tough love it is, then. Sorry, Ggio, you leave me no choice��

�Starving yourself isn�t going to fix anything Ggio, and it would only piss her off. Now eat, before I grab this chain attached to that ridiculous collar around your throat and drag your sorry ass out of there.�

After a moment, he saw Ggio�s body uncurl from its miserable, hunched position and reach for the kebobs. The meat disappeared inside the box of a shelter.

�That�s better.�

After a moment, the empty skewers came back out of the door.

�Yumichika?��

�Hmm?�

�Nothing.�

Yumichika sighed once more, this time letting some of the exasperation he felt leak into the sound and finally moved around to stand before the entrance to the kennel, his hands on his hips.

�I saw her today,� he informed the kennel�s inmate casually.

Golden eyes blinked back at him from the gloomy interior, silently begging him for more since that was all he could do. His face remained haggard and bleak, a fistful of straw in one clenched hand.

�Soi Fon looked healthy. Your daughter was happy to see me too, and gave my hand a few good kicks. She put on some much-needed weight and she even managed a few smiles. She also told me to tell you that she loves you and misses you.�

Then he stared intently at his fellow captive.

�She is doing well with Harribel, Ggio. Now I ask you, how do you think she would feel if she saw you moping like this?�

Ggio didn�t answer because he couldn�t, but his eyes spoke volumes. Hesitantly digging through the straw, he pulled out the only thing of hers he was able to keep, the scarf he had purchased for her on a long-ago afternoon.

�Umm, excuse me Yumichika-san, but His Majesty is waiting for you,� a voice tentatively spoke up behind him. He turned to see one of perpetually cowed maidservants as she bowed to him.

�Of course he is. I will be right there,� Yumichika told the nervous girl.

He watched her scurry away and turned his attention back to the poor, chained Arrancar quickly hiding the scarf again. Was Barragan mistaken when it came to the nature of his second pet�s base animal? One put dogs on leashes and confined them in kennels, not cats. The Arrancar�s current living conditions weren�t helping Ggio�s mental state, which Yumichika considered questionable at best after what his �Master� had done.

�I have to go. Look, on the bright side, you have a patrol tonight, so you�ll also have a little time out of that cage.�

Ggio�s haunted eyes darted away, into one of the darker corners of his pen.

�Yeah. I have been thinking about asking for extra patrols, just to get out of here.�

�I suppose it�s better than nothing,� he thought. �However, I have to find a way to put an end to this.�

�Now that is some positive thinking. I�ll come back later.�

Yumichika rose and waved quickly to a still-huddled Ggio before making his own way towards Barragan�s throne room. The Espada lounged on his throne, looking as if he�d just dozed off, but Yumichika knew better. He glided up to the Espada with a courtier�s grace and bowed, holding the position with an ease that many would envy. It was something of a show for the Second, as too long in this position would result in a backache, thanks to the hard riding he�d received the day prior. With his emotions and his facial expression in check, he did his best to keep his discomfort from showing.

�Who owns you?� Barragan asked after several minutes, not bothering to open his eyes.

�I am honoured to serve his Majesty, Barragan-sama, as one of his possessions,� he answered flawlessly.

Barragan grunted at this, shifting on his seat. Yumichika watched as his hoary gray eyebrows knit and a frown formed on the Espada�s grizzled face.

�Something seems to be bothering you today, your Majesty. Is there anything I can do to assist?�

He supposed that it was a good thing he�d learned exactly how much hesitation he needed to add to his voice to make it sound as if he were actually concerned. Pleasing tyrants had become second nature at this point. His first home in Soul Society had been full of them and he had learned the hard way to appease such men, and the odd woman.

�You do not like how I treat Ggio,� Barragan commented, settling his backside more comfortably on his seat cushion. Yumichika knew better than to dissemble, but he could pick and choose the way he phrased things.

�Well, I have grown rather fond of the scraggly ally cat, and I did put a lot of work into making him presentable to polite society. It is a shame to see all of that work go to waste. He could be a lovely accessory for you, with a decent scrubbing.� Yumichika fluttered his eyelashes as he said this and allowed himself the luxury of feeling just enough disappointment for Barragan to feel it. �Kennels are for mutts and mongrels. Such places tend to make cats of all sorts just a little� crazy. I half expect to see him scratching at the walls and yowling at this rate.�

�Indeed. An apt assessment,� Barragan snorted, finding some amusement in the mental image Yumichika had painted before he moved one hand back and forth dismissively. �I give you permission to give him the scrubbing you suggest. Prepare yourself for this cursed �meeting� too.� He then rose slowly from his throne. �We shall see if he has learned his lesson and whether I should allow him to be seen at my side again.�

�As you command, Your Majesty.�

Yumichika bowed deeply once more before exiting the room in a swish of silks and all but flying back to Ggio�s prison. The Arrancar stared up at him in surprise when Yumichika unhooked him from the chain and dragged him to the bath in his private quarters.

�Yumichika, what are you doing?� he fearfully demanded. The former 5^th Seat made a very inelegant sound as he turned on the shower and threw Ggio under the spray, taking as little time as he could to remove the plain yukata from the other�s shoulders.

�Trying to get you back on your feet before Soi Fon flays me alive for allowing you fall into such disrepair. She used to be the head of the secret service you know. If she put her mind to it, she could probably peel all my skin off and make a handbag of it before I noticed. I would look simply wretched! Do you have any idea how long it takes to get skin like this?�

�Uhh�� Ggio began and then gave up as Yumichika rolled his sleeves up and began with his tangled hair, just getting started with his rant.

�Forever, that�s how long! I managed to convince Barragan-sama to give you another chance. Let�s get you cleaned up. It shouldn�t be hard for you to pretend to be a pretty shadow for an hour or two. The old bastard might finally relent and if you show enough remorse, whether it�s fake or not, he might move the stick he has wedged up his ass to the side long enough to let you see your daughter after she�s born. Now come on!� Yumichika snapped.

Ggio was speechless, and remained so as Yumichika all but yanked his victim from the shower, straight into a hot soaking bath and began the process of transforming him from a filthy stray to a pedigreed show cat. He had limited time, but he�d always prided himself on making do with what he had available. When he finished, Ggio was almost perfect. With his hair neatly braided, his mask fragments restored to their original glittering white and real clothing covering his frame, he looked quite respectable. There was little Yumichika could do about the weight and muscle loss Ggio had suffered from living every second of his down time curled up in a kennel with only one, small meal a day. Still, he could address that with time and some smuggled calories.

They both presented themselves to Barragan at the gates, ready to leave. The Second Espada gave Ggio a shrewd look, taking in the changes and then snapped his fingers at them. They quietly fell into step behind him as he led them to this meeting. All they usually had to do was sit next to Barragan and look like well-groomed bookends to the Aspect of Death by Old Age. Of course, that might change, considering what Aizen had hinted at during his visit. Maybe he could convince Barragan that it would be a fitting �punishment� to make Ggio join a Division, as if he were some sort of Shinigami. It would get him out of the house at least, and socializing.

This particular meeting wasn�t at the Palace. Instead, Aizen had seen fit to hold it in the very room the late Yamamoto used to hold all of the Taichou meetings. There were fewer people here than Yumichika thought there would be, but a lot of that might be because Aizen had sent most of the Shinigami back to the various Divisions at the beginning of the Swarm�s invasion. All of the acting Taichou were in attendance, Yumichika felt quite relieved to see that Nanao was none the worse for wear after someone as mind-numbingly strong as Starrk had Claimed her. In fact, she almost seemed perky. Jushiro appeared relieved about that too, which wasn�t particularly surprising to Yumichika. He suspected the two had a relationship similar to him and Ggio, minus the forced sexual performances. Yammy and Byakuya were also here, the first groping the second�s ass and whispering something lewd into his captive�s ear. Whatever it was, Yumichika had to hand it to the nobleman; nothing but cold stoicism showed on the man�s face.

Aizen arrived shortly after they did and everyone took their places, the Taichou lining up, as they would have in the old days, with the Arrancar finding a place in the line as well. The rest of those attending kneeled behind their masters. Aizen dropped a package next to the old Soutaichou�s seat, but didn�t sit down. He turned to face them instead.

�Good afternoon everyone,� he said pleasantly. �We have much work to do, so I will try to make this meeting brief. With so many Shinigami and to a lesser extent, Arrancar, expecting children within the next year, we find ourselves anticipating many women temporarily taking needed leave to both give birth and take care of their children. My wife tells me that we will continue to see more pregnancies between the Shinigami and Arrancar populations as the two groups adjust to one another�s� power. In addition, with the Swarm�s defeat, we can finally work on rebalancing the number of souls between the Realms.

�Thanks to the five years of peace the Defence Net gave us, many were inspired to join the Shinōreijutsuin and participate in the battles against the Swarm. We expected to lose a number of these new recruits to the Swarms continued attacks. However, thanks to my Espada and their fraccion, we find ourselves Swarm-free, with Divisions that have grown too large for their individual facilities to hold. As such, I have decided to thin each Division down by reinstating the 6th Division, effective immediately.�

There was some excited shifting, most of it amongst the gathered Shinigami. Yumichika was similarly intrigued. Maybe he would end up with the 6^th Division, or possibly one of the other Divisions about to take a cut in troops. Aizen had made it very clear to Barragan that his days of being the Espada�s private, duty-free catamite were done. The tyrant evidently expected anyone with a Zanpakuto to put it to use.

�First, of course, we will need an acting Taichou for the 6^th Division.� Aizen reached down into the bag and pulled out a folded, white bundle. �I have considered the options, read the review files, and in the end I have decided to permit you a chance to lead, despite your disability.�

Only one person in the room had anything approaching a serious disability and Ukitake�s missing eye didn�t count. Byakuya straightened as Aizen turned his attention towards the mute nobleman.

�Yes, Byakuya, I am returning this to you.�

Aizen held out the haori with the kanji for �6� embroidered in the diamond on its back, one that had possibly even belonged to the Kuchiki heir at one point in the past.

Byakuya rose and went to stand before Aizen, Yammy glowering at the decision but was unable to object to it. The dark-haired man knelt before the usurper, his face betraying nothing and Yumichika wished that he possessed the ability to hide emotions the way that the other Shinigami did. He was a rank amateur compared to Byakuya.

�Given your� issues, I have decided that your Division shall focus entirely on performing konso. You will send your troops out to the areas that are the most imbalanced as far as souls are concerned. The Science and Research Division will give your konso squads coordinates for those areas, and they will perform as many as possible. Your Division will regrettably be the smallest, but the task it must see to is of utmost importance. Do you accept this duty, Kuchiki Byakuya?�

Yumichika watched as Byakuya nodded immediately, the only answer the silent man could give.

�Very well.�

Aizen draped the haori over Byakuya�s shoulders and then indicated he should rejoin the line. �We also have several lesser positions to fill. Most of the acting Taichou should have received new rosters this morning. There are some additions I would like to make to those rosters, with regard to listed officers. The first addition addresses the obvious need for two Fukutaichou.�

Aizen took that opportunity to gaze at him in a cool, measuring manner and Yumichika couldn�t help swallowing nervously.

�Ayasegawa Yumichika�you performed such tasks while still assigned to the 11^th Division, did you not?� he inquired, though Yumichika knew he�d probably already read through what few files remained from that ill-fated bunch. The question was more of a formality, really.

�I did,� he confirmed. �Our Taichou, Fukutaichou and 3^rd Seat weren�t much for paperwork and the 4^th Seat remained unfilled.�

His heart fluttered with a mixture of excitement and fear� excitement at having the opportunity to have a job, and a real purpose again, and fear about Barragan�s potential reaction to it. Having experienced three superior officers dumping their work on his desk, he knew the hours required to process were just short of brutal.

�I see. You will join the 5th Division as its acting Fukutaichou.�

Yumichika felt torn about what he was about to do. Aizen did not like others questioning his decisions, especially publicly, and his skin was far too beautiful to be marred with a whip. Nevertheless, this would be worth it, for Ggio�s sake. Taking this risk might just spare both he and Ggio further torment in their �duties� to Barragan.

�I would be extremely honoured to accept such a position, Kami-sama. However, I worry about my ability to serve my Master in the way he desires should I accept. The hours expected of a Fukutaichou are often long, if one is to perform the job adequately.� He nibbled his lip nervously and dared to peek up just a little, hoping his performance was convincing to both Aizen and the Second Espada. �If I may be so bold, may Ggio share in my duties, so that I may accomplish them in a timelier manner? Since we share a roof, it would be a practical choice. We can communicate with one another far more easily, and between the two of us, we can make certain Barragan-sama is never without someone to see to his needs.�

Even without looking at Ggio, he knew the other �pet� had lifted his head to stare at him in surprise, and Barragan appeared to waver between being angry at having to cut short Ggio�s punishment and appeased at Yumichika�s obvious concern about being able to serve his Master. To Yumichika�s astonishment, assistance came from an unexpected source.

�With so many Shinigami females about to give birth, the children�s sires have started hovering around the Division, being nuisances and interfering with the mothers� workloads. It would seem prudent to give those Arrancar some kind of job.�

Toshiro stated this, and the annoyance with which he said it was unmistakable.

�I thought I was the only one having that issue,� Nanao muttered dryly. Unohana smiled at the other two Taichou, before offering a solution in her usual manner.

�With the Swarm finished, the Arrancar have no duties, other than their patrols and with no obvious threats, the need for those might lessen as well. Assisting in the work that each Division performs might give them an understanding, and appreciation, of what we do, as well as let those expecting cubs curb their instincts by remaining close to their chosen females,� she explained. Jushiro cleared his throat and picked up where his fellow Taichou left off.

�Once they realize that they�ll be able to watch over their families, they might even insist we provide them with positions, and allow their women to return to work sooner. They won�t want to leave their cubs unattended, even with an additional protector.�

Yumichika felt gratified the acting Taichou not only supported the idea, but that they�d expounded upon it, providing additional reasons to allow the participation of the Arrancar, and by association, Ggio. Aizen acted as if he was interested in the idea and Yumichika dared to hope that his back wouldn�t sport any cuts or stripes when he left. This was, technically, a meeting related to the Shinigami�s work and was the only time Aizen permitted them to do so, to a degree, but one never knew.

�It�s an intriguing proposal,� the man in the Soutaichou�s seat mused aloud, before his eyes shifting to the few other Arrancar in attendance. �Ggio, would you be interested in learning what a Fukutaichou does, assisting Yumichika in his job?�

Ggio froze, caught between saying �yes� so that he would have something to do other languish in his prison and because Kami made the offer, and �no� because he was terrified of what Barragan might do to him if he swore to obey and serve someone other than the Second� namely, Aizen and Ise-Taichou.

�I would be happy� to do so,� Ggio finally managed to stutter out, �If... if it is alright with my Master?� While he might have looked the part of a fashionable bit of arm candy thanks to Yumichika�s efforts, his posture remained that of a pitiful supplicant, eyes down and hands clasped together.

That resulted in a short, non-verbal exchange between Aizen and Barragan, one that involved a great deal of glaring on Barragan�s part, and Yumichika felt the clash of wills from his vantage point the way one would feel the heat from a fully-stoked furnace when one opened the door. Finally, the old man backed down, his irritation about the situation plain, but he could make no good argument against it.

�Go ahead, make yourself useful. I�ll have a third pet soon anyway.�

�Then I humbly accept,� Ggio declared and bowed, while Yumichika spared a brief prayer for whoever Barragan would Claim as his third choice in slaves. As disgusted as he was with what it entailed, he and Ggio would have to show their �Master� an exceptionally good time tonight as a �thank you� for allowing them a chance to escape the manor and the kennel, respectively. Nothing was ever free when it came to the Second and his expectations.

Smirking, Aizen then turned to Harribel, and Yumichika felt a cold, dreadful finger slither across the back of his neck, which was the only warning he had about what was about to go down.

�As for the acting Fukutaichou of the 6^th Division� that Division�s duties will be limited and specific and therefore, its paperwork should be minimal. For now, it will require only a skeleton crew of officers. As such, despite the fact that she will soon give birth, I want you to allow Soi Fon to serve as the 6^th Division�s Fukutaichou.�

�Oh no, this is not going to sit well at all��

Barragan stiffened in outrage as what that order might mean sank in and Yumichika braced for the worst. Fukutaichou had to communicate with each other, and even held their own meetings. Barragan was going to have to rescind the order he�d given Ggio regarding his mate. Yumichika also guessed that Aizen had chosen Soi Fon specifically for this reason, though such an assignment was highly impractical. After all, neither Soi Fon nor Byakuya were capable of speech and it made little sense to set up a Division, even one with a limited focus, with two top officers with serious impediments. To Yumichika, the whole thing seemed like some sort of bizarre, private joke on Aizen�s part�

�or a lesson aimed at Barragan, to remind him who truly reigned over the Seireitei.

�As her soon-to-be-Mistress, I expect you to inform her of my decision.�

�I will, Kami-sama. When do you wish her to start?� Harribel asked and this time the Third smiled with no small amount of satisfaction, just as she had yesterday. She didn�t look in the Second�s direction, but the shift in her body language told Yumichika she was delighted with the decision.

�Anything to get under Barragan�s skin.�

�Next week, unless she goes into labour. Those assigned to the new Division will spend this week getting the old 6^th Division grounds into shape. My wife would be displeased with me if I were to order a pregnant woman to perform such physically taxing work and expose her to harmful dust, so those duties will fall to the Shinigami listed in your rosters.�

Aizen took that opportunity to smile at Unohana, and she returned it, though to Yumichika it seemed just a tad on the �thin� side. He wondered if she�d had to bargain with her husband in order to spare Soi Fon the dirtiest, hardest work. While he doubted that Aizen gave a damn about the former Taichou�s health or welfare, he did seem interested in her child, if only as a specimen.

�I will let her know she will have new priorities as of tomorrow morning. She�s running errands for me today,� Harribel promised, �but she should be home later this evening.�

�Very good. Is there anything else anyone wishes to discuss before I adjourn this meeting?�

No one said a word.

�Then you may return to work, or as the case may be, get to work.�

Aizen rose and left. The moment �Kami� was out the door, Yumichika felt a large hand land on his shoulder. He peeked up into the furious eyes of his Espada and felt his throat close as he realized that Barragan believed he had helped Aizen set this whole thing up. That hadn�t been his intent at all. He had no idea Aizen had planned on making use of Soi Fon, especially since she was nearly ready to give birth and he was still shocked that Aizen expected such out of her, given her condition. The Second glowered down at him menacingly for a few minutes. Yumichika hadn�t felt this sort of fear since Barragan had threatened to age him to a wrinkled old man fifteen years ago.

His terror must have been apparent through the Claim, for Barragan�s expression alternated between irritation and disgust. If Yumichika had planned this, he would have had a hard time concealing how smug such a victory would make him feel. He felt none of those emotions right now.

�I had no idea he would make such an appointment, Your Majesty,� he managed to say, his voice only a little shaky, despite the fright that gripped him. �Such a thing makes little sense, given how close she must be to having her child.�

Barragan sent an ugly look at the doorway through which Aizen had walked, and then appeared to weigh Yumichika�s words as well as the terror writ plain on Yumichika�s fine features.

�A last minute addition then, something designed to anger and belittle me,� the Espada grumbled in a low, menacing way. �If not this, then it would have been something else.�

His glare grew deeper, but Yumichika guessed that he was no longer its target, for which he was exceedingly grateful. Finally, Barragan scowled at both of his �accessories.�

�Get to work, both of you,� he grunted at them. �I will see you this evening.�

�Yes Your Majesty!�

They bowed, before hurrying over to Nanao, who patiently waited for her two new officers.

She welcomed them to her Division, and promised that she would see to it they got home at a reasonable time today, throwing a hooded look at Barragan for good measure. It was the last they both appreciated. It would take a lot of unpleasant work to soothe Barragan�s wounded pride and Yumichika predicted that tonight�s �session� would be a long one.

�We are definitely going to have to show him how pleased we are that he is letting us do this,� Yumichika thought in a mixture of disgust and despair. �Just the condition I wanted to exhibit on my first full day of work� limping and in need of a seat cushion.�

The heavy weight of the haori on his shoulders felt like a warm blanket on a frigid day. He had never expected to head a Division again, let alone lead his old Division. A wave of nostalgia enveloped him as he stood before the rundown, sealed gates of the 6th Division. Of course, Yammy�s fetid presence behind him ruined any sort of happiness he might have had at seeing the place once more. He had hoped the brute would have gone home after the meeting, not followed him to his new job.

�So this is where Aizen expects you to park your pretty ass, eh?� Yammy grunted, his piggish eyes darting here and there.

He held back his displeasure with some difficulty and nodded once. Not answering would have dire consequences, if not for him, then for Senbonzakura. So far, he had managed to appease Yammy enough that his Zanpakuto had suffered nothing more than the odd backhand. Byakuya did his best to try not to think about the details of that one horrendous night, but had to keep the threat of it in the back of his mind.

Placing a hand on the door, he pushed it open and stepped onto the deserted Division grounds. There was a time this place had been lively, when it wouldn�t be uncommon to have walked through these gates and seen his troops lined up doing drills, led by his officers or his various Fukutaichou, the last being Abarai Renji. The only thing that greeted him now was the echoes of his footsteps on the walls as they made their way across the paving stones.

�At least Renji is free now,� he couldn�t help but to think, �even if he is still Claimed. I hope he remains that way.�

�This place is a fucking dump.�

Yammy spat derisively, taking in the neglected, damaged buildings and large piles of dead leaves and broken twigs that littered the grounds.

In Byakuya�s opinion, it wasn�t that bad. It would take the entire week, but with some sweeping, some carpentry, some weeding and the application of soap and water, they�d make it serviceable. If anything, he welcomed the task. Anything to get away from Yammy and the never-ending disapproval from the family elders at his inability to convince the Espada to let him sleep with some woman, to their praise at keeping Yammy content enough that the brainless Espada wouldn�t rampage through the Estate, intent on devouring family members and servants alike. The second was somewhat difficult to manage� more a matter of �when� than of �if.� The last major assault had served as a reminder to the rest of the household that there was no fully taming a wild beast, especially one too stupid to housetrain.

They walked around the Division and he made a list in his head of tasks that needed doing and the order in which they would have to be completed. The barracks and mess hall would be the first he�d order fixed, so that those could serve as staging areas. Next, they could see to the bathing facilities and the storerooms. The offices and training grounds could wait until last, as he could work from his old quarters if necessary. Those rooms were the last place he stopped, in the section of the barracks reserved for the officers. For several moments, he just stood before the closed door. He�d had to leave a few possessions behind. Perhaps they were even still there. Yammy had destroyed everything else he�d owned.

�These were your rooms, eh?�

He nodded again before sliding the door open, stepping into the room and looking around. Everything remained exactly as he had left it before his failed mission to Hueco Mundo, save for the thick coating of dust. Yammy barged in behind him, forcing him to step further into the room to let the bulky Espada enter.

�Looks like your room back at the mansion, or at least, what it looked like before we destroyed it,� Yammy laughed. Then the monster sidled up behind him and rested a meaty palm on his shoulder. �Shall we christen this place too?�

The thought actually made Byakuya sick to his stomach and he hastily tried to hide the sudden nausea that roiled his gut. That was the last thing he wanted to do right now. Maybe he would take Renji�s quarters instead. No matter how much of a mess the redhead had left behind, it would be better than working in a room Yammy had managed to defile. The thug must have felt his displeasure at the notion, for the hand on his shoulder tightened painfully. With a jerk on his Claim, the Tenth forced him to summon Senbonzakura to stand next to him.

�Got something to say, Chicchai-Hime?� Yammy questioned with a growl.

The Claim could force him to think the answers, but it could not force Senbonzakura to translate them. Yammy waited for a reply for half a minute before his fist lashed out. Byakuya couldn�t move, the Claim held him in place, but Senbonzakura could, and his Zanpakuto blocked as much of the blow as it could. The force still knocked him off balance, and Yammy moved quickly for his massive bulk. He snagged Byakuya�s Zanpakuto�s wrist and jerked him hard, causing the manifestation to lose his precarious balance. Yammy�s foot came down hard and pinned Senbonzakura to the ground, his heel squarely on the Zanpakuto�s neck.

Byakuya struggled against the Claim, wishing he could speak, but of course, he couldn�t.

�I told you before. You ain�t supposed to have anything from your old life! You serve me now! You are mine!� Yammy sneered. �I think you need another reminder of that. Kami-sama letting you come back to work has made you forget who owns you!�

He pleaded with his eyes, since it was all he could do. Yammy�s sneer grew wider, before he dragged Senbonzakura to his feet by his captured wrist. His Zanpakuto let out a hiss of pain as Yammy bent the wrist almost to the point of snapping. A gasp of fear followed as Yammy used his free hand to tear at his Zanpakuto�s clothing.

�I can�t allow this to happen again,� Byakuya thought with escalating alarm. Never again. Determined to stop Yammy before he could follow through with his threat, he fought against the Claim as hard as he could. Senbonzakura thrashed violently, his Zanpakuto frantic to get away, before Yammy shook him violently.

�Enough, little worm or you will take your Master�s place beneath me again!�

They froze, hearing the banked rage underlying Yammy�s warning. Senbonzakura ceased his struggles and their mutual tormentor finished stripping the materialized spirit and tossed him to land painfully against the wall.

�Stand up and stay still, or I�ll enjoying watching your Master fuck ya instead of cane ya,� Yammy all but shouted at Byakuya�s captive Zanpakuto.

The noble had just enough time to think �Cane him?� before the Claim propelled him towards Senbonzakura and forced him to draw his sheathed blade from his sash. He moved behind his Zanpkauto and drew his sword, but the hand holding the sheath was the one that rose into a striking position, his arm moving as if directed by a puppeteer�s string; Byakuya brought the sheath across Senbonzakura�s back, with enough force to �crack� sharply as it connected. Yammy compelled him to beat his Zanpakuto, over and over, until the flesh before him reddened with raised welts, then purpled into deep bruises. The samurai�s once flawless skin soon became nearly unrecognizable, blood trickling from flesh repeatedly struck until its layers gave way. Yammy finally called a stop to it and Byakuya immediately dropped the bloody sheath to tend to the wounded spirit before him.

Unfortunately, his body stopped short of reaching the manifestation, the brute preventing him from approaching or helping his damaged Zanpakuto.

�Well, pet?� Yammy demanded.

There was no pull on his Claim this time. Senbonzakura blearily looked over one blood-flecked shoulder at Byakuya. His agonized expression said one thing, but there was an equal amount of resolution in his counterpart�s eyes, silently telling his partner that he would be all right and that Byakuya should do what he felt he must. Reluctantly, knowing that he would have to �service� Yammy before the Espada would let him take care of Senbonzakura, Byakuya drew himself up and shed his clothing before moving over towards the futon that has once served as his bed when extra work or extra trouble necessitated an overnight stay. He pulled the dusty blanket off and got down on his hands and knees, waiting for the pain and humiliation to begin.

�Good choice,� Yammy laughed, adjusting his own clothes as he approached.

It hurt of course; it always did. Thankfully, once Yammy seated himself, he allowed Byakuya to release Senbonzakura. The beaten Zanpakuto disappeared and the Shinigami braced himself for more bloodletting. This time his blood splattered on the futon on which he knelt and he clenched his jaw to keep from making any noise, or giving Yammy any reason to draw out the torture.

The Tenth, blessedly, finished with him quickly, pulling away and adjusting his clothing before he slapped Byakuya�s left buttock, probably leaving a mark in the shape of a handprint if the recipient were any judge of the force behind the blow.

Sitting and moving tomorrow were going to be a problem, which would make putting this place back together that much harder. The creature that held his Claim was too stupid to remember he couldn�t speak, so Byakuya had little hope that Yammy would abide by the new rule that the tyrant had imposed on the Arrancar regarding the Shinigami and their duties.

�Better,� Yammy laughed heartily, sounding pleased with what he�d inflicted on his �pet.� �Now the place smells like us!�

Yes, the place reeked of the bastard�s disgusting body odour mingled with the lurid iron stink of semen and spilt blood. The smell would linger for weeks, if not months and Byakuya vowed to have someone scrub the room until it was gone. Byakuya pulled himself together, averting his gaze from the other blood that stained the floor, where Senbonzakura had hunched over, as he pulled his uniform back on. He did his best to ignore the stinking nastiness that ran down his legs, soaking into the fabric of his hakama and trickling into his tabi.

�Come along, Chicchai-Hime. I�m starving!�

Yammy turned on his heel and marched out of the room. Byakuya didn�t bother to put one foot in front of the other with his own power. His �Master�s� Claim did that for him, forcing him to leave the door to his old quarters open, the mess inside ripe for anyone to find. He was sure that his soon-to-be subordinates would know exactly what had happened and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

The walk back to the Kuchiki Estate was uncomfortable. He fervently wanted both a shower to wash Yammy�s filth and touch from his body and to be able to check in on Senbonzakura to see how his Zanpakuto was doing after the harsh beating. One of the family servants met them at the gate and opened the portal while delivering both a proper salutation and a message.

�Dinner will be ready shortly, Yammy-sama. The council wishes to speak to you, Kuchiki-sama,� he announced and lowered his eyes deferentially as they passed. Byakuya tried to keep the look of resignation that wanted to crawl across his face in check.

Of course they did. They had obviously heard about his �promotion.� If all went well, it would be a short meeting. He acknowledged the message and kept his displeasure from showing as the threat of more violence forced him to look at Yammy, seeking permission to attend to his family�s needs.

�Huh. Let�s see what those withered old prunes want this time. It better be important.�

�They summoned me, not you,� he fumed, but as he couldn�t protest. He had to follow in Yammy�s wake. If anything, the Espada�s presence would serve to keep the pontificating to a minimum.

The Tenth barged into the meeting room, slamming the sliding double doors hard into their casings and making the assembled Elders jump at his sudden and unexpected entrance but they recovered their poise quickly.

�I�m hungry, so let�s hurry this shit up. What do you bone bags want with my pet?� Yammy snapped irritably. Byakuya decided he was right; the word �hunger� served to motivate the venerable Elders to state their purposed quickly and in very simple terms, lest one of them end up as the Arrancar�s appetizer.

�We will be brief, Yammy-sama,� his great aunt assured the Espada before addressing Byakuya. �Kuchiki Byakuya, taking into account the events of the last several decades, the council has come to a regrettable conclusion. You have little time to see to the duties required of the Clan Leader of the Noble House of Kuchiki, thanks to your myriad duties at the 2^nd Division and now with the renewed 6^th Division. Moreover, in your current�state, you cannot provide the Clan with a much-needed heir. With these two limitations in mind, we�ve decided that you are no longer fit to lead the Kuchiki Clan.�

He�d suspected this might happen for some time, but knowing that it might be in the works did nothing to mitigate the sharp jab he felt with this final betrayal by his kin. After everything he had gone through for his family�s sake and the endless humiliations he suffered for the last decade and a half, they�d finally taken away the one thing he had left.

Yammy glanced down at him, getting his emotions through the Claim.

�You telling me my Chicchai-Hime ain�t worth nothing to you idiots because I don�t like to share and won�t let him screw some wench?� Yammy asked crudely, exhaling fetid breath in his great aunt�s face. She paled, but did not lose her composure.

�One of the greatest duties of a Clan Leader is to see to the continuation of the Clan, and that includes producing an Heir. Since we would never dream of asking you to share or give up that which you have rightfully earned and taken, it would thus be prudent to choose a Clan Leader who can give the Clan what it requires, as well as see to the duties that come with the position. If anything, Byakuya will have fewer duties, and as such, more time to see to your needs.�

Her words, couched in the politest of terms, sent a rush of what felt like ice water through Byakuya�s veins, especially when Yammy made an intrigued noise.

�He will no longer be required to attend council meetings, or deal with any other Clan business,� she further explained. �He would be free of any outside obligations, other than those assigned by Aizen-kami.�

For the first time since he was a boy, Byakuya stared into the face of a relative and saw nothing but a stranger, who spoke of him in the third person while he was still in the room and had all but written him off as anything worthy of respect.

Only through sheer force of will did he remain standing on legs that felt as if they�d turned to water.

They were going to throw him to the Espada like a piece of meat. All of the sacrifices he had made, all of the pain and humiliation he, and Senbonzakura, had suffered so that they could continue to live their rich, privileged lives� he�d done his best to shield them, to take the brunt of Yammy Llargo�s brutality and abuse and this was how the Elders repaid him?

If he had been capable of speech, he would have torn into them the way they deserved for their perfidy. The Clan business had been the only thing he could use at home to fend Yammy off for a few minutes. Now they were taking away what little protection that gave him. They may as well have covered him in blood and tossed him into a tank of sharks!

Yammy looked at him with growing interest, reading the back-and-forth of his turbulent emotions. Byakuya wasn�t certain if he ought to be furious or devastated or a mixture of both. How dare they? Yet, how could they not? As long as Yammy kept him a prisoner in his own body, the rest of the Clan would view him as unfit to lead them.

His �Master� had managed to destroy what little joy he�d felt at regaining his old position and his family had all but plunged a knife into what remained of his heart with this act. There was only one way that this could be worse and that would be if Rukia had been here to witness this.

�What happens if I let my Chicchai-Hime fuck some chick to give you the brat you want?�

The guttural question took the entire room, including him, by surprise. In fact, the Elders were unable to hide their shock at first, but they recovered quickly, although none of them looked like they wanted to answer or make a target of themselves. It was clear Yammy was getting impatient and upset, and his mood could deteriorate enough to make violence a guaranteed outcome.

�Well, if Byakuya-san can act as a true leader, we would have no reason to replace him,� one of his distant, older cousins finally dared to say. Yammy�s lip curled in the man�s direction, but crossed his massive arms and spat a glob of saliva onto the tatami mat floor.

�Fine. Hear that, Chicchai-Hime, you can pork whatever bitch these old goats dig up for you. Are we fucking done here?� he demanded, growling to the rest of the council.

All of them bowed at once, indicating that they were indeed finished. Yammy promptly led him to the formal dining room, where the servants were busy setting out the evening meal. Byakuya took his place, kneeling beside his Master, at a bit of a loss as to what had just happened. If anything, he thought Yammy would have enjoyed the idea of having Byakuya all to himself once he came home, especially with today�s assignment from Aizen.

It made no sense to him, considering how proprietary was when it came to anything related to his �pet.�

�Senile old goats. They�re as fucked up as Barragan sometimes,� Yammy snorted. �I should just eat them, but then, they would probably taste like stringy old goats anyhow and you would just whine about it, wouldn�t you?�

�Right now I wouldn�t care if you picked your teeth with their bones.�

He allowed himself to indulge in the fantasy for a few more moments, before he reluctantly set those selfish, and yet entirely justified, wishes aside. While he hated them for what they�d nearly done, the Kuchiki Elders were right when it came to the Clan�s needs.

He and Hisana had never managed to have children and with Yammy�s hair-trigger temper, there was always a chance the family might lose him to the Espada�s violence at some point. Yammy had put him in the 4^th Division before and had nearly killed him a few times over the years out of sheer stupidity. Now that the Swarm was no longer an issue, his �Master� might pose an even bigger threat to Byakuya�s life. Aizen had less need for any of the captive pets to remain in fighting condition and again, he doubted the usurper would lift much of a finger to help if the brute took a beating too far again.

�Well, you can show me your appreciation after dinner,� Yammy informed him and grinned, before focusing on the feast spread out before him.

Byakuya, on the other hand, found that his appetite, a casualty of the meeting with the Elders, had died as he dreaded a repeat performance of the act that had sullied his old quarters.

Later that night, with his rear and back still stinging from Yammy�s extended use of his body, Byakuya sought out his Zanpakuto. He closed his eyes on his darkened bedroom and finally managed to make it to his inner world. Senbonzakura was easy to find, thanks to the trail of bloodstains on the grass that led to the half-dead sakura.

�I am sorry,� he said aloud, sinking to his knees and wanting to weep at the sight of his weapon�s injuries.

�It was not your fault,� Senbonzakura replied with a grimace. �Your hand was the instrument, but the will belonged entirely to that ogre.�

They left it at that. Without another word, he peeled the layers of the kimono back, wincing at the dark bruises and crusted blood that covered Senbonzakura�s back. He spent the next hour tending to the wounds, and the hour after that in companionable silence as they lay side by side under the wilted tree.

Today had been an emotional roller coaster, and he couldn�t help but think about which Clan the Elders might mine for a broodmare. All of the Yamamoto women had died by their own hand or by the hand of their mothers and he wasn�t certain if anyone from the Kyoraku line had survived. Ukitake had hidden his many sisters far away from both the Arrancar and Aizen, or at least Byakuya hoped he�d done so. The Shihoin were a possibility; there were so many sub-families and vassal Cans to the House of Godly Gears that it would take a year and a dedicated archivist to assemble that family tree. Then again, it wasn�t as if the Kuchiki Elders had anything better to do.

Yammy had told them to pick a woman for him and he would have to sleep with her, regardless of his own personal feelings, or hers for that matter. He did not relish the thought of taking some noblewoman he didn�t know to bed, but then, Yammy had forced himself on Byakuya for years. Some half-mad portion of his worn-down psyche asked if he wasn�t used to having to �put out� in the face of unwanted demands by now. Would it really matter whether the order came from the Kuchiki Elders or from Yammy? Lying on the half-dead grass, in the ruins of his inner world, Byakuya wasn�t certain that it did. He only knew that both entities had him bound by unseen ropes, and used them to force him to dance to the measure of their choosing.

He also felt a great deal of pity for whomever the Elders chose for him. No woman, commoner or noble-born, deserved to have to take part in such an unhappy venture.

Sicker than a dog, this sucks. Thanks for the reviews. I am almost finished the pre written stuff. It�s getting really close to the end. All the battles have been pre written and finished, and no I won�t tell you what happens to who. All we basically got left at this point is the cleanups and epilogue. If all goes well, you may see a week with daily updates, but no promises.

Next Week: we switch back to Grimmjow�s POV and Yachiru makes a discovery.
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Prize of Victory 2	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > General Views: 56251 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story

Prize of Victory 2