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
- 80
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My Daughter

Yumichika found slipping back into the role of a Shinigami, or at least the paperwork aspect of it, far too easy. Aizen had made sure that he�d been returned to the battlefront years ago, Ruri�iro Kujaku in hand. He�d had no reason to hide his Zanpakuto�s true nature after the decimation of the former 11th Division. There was no one left to ridicule him about his Kido-based Shikai. In fact, as far as he knew, he and the still-at-large Kenpachi and Yachiru were the only surviving members of that Division. Everyone else had gone down fighting. He should have perished with them, following his brother-in-arms Ikakku into death�but he hadn�t. He�d been unconscious when the real battle had begun, courtesy of his fight with that monstrosity, Charlotte Chuhlhourne. He�d also paid dearly for killing that affront to his sense of aesthetics, using too much of his power and blacking out as a result.

Ironically, he�d come to the conclusion that he was alive because he�d dared reach for his Shikai, throwing everything he had at his hideous opponent. Ikakku, on the other hand, had died because he hadn�t brought out his Bankai, remaining steadfast in his belief that doing so would be the kiss of death for his chance to continue serving under Zaraki Kenpachi. Sometimes Yumichika wondered which one of them had made the right decision. He simply couldn�t see Ikakku, for all of his friend�s strength, lasting long under the new regime.

There were a few silver linings to being one of the last of the old 11th Division still standing. They were miniscule in number compared to the drawbacks of living under Aizen�s thumb, but they were there nonetheless.

The first was that Ruri�iro Kujaku was thrilled that Yumichika no longer had to hide his Zanpakuto�s true nature, but his current situation tempered any elation he might have felt about it. When it came to battles, there was little to get his heart and blood pumping. The Swarm as a whole was too stupid to think of avoiding the vines cast by his Shikai. The insects blundered into the brightly-glowing, Kido-infused tendrils, drawn in by the same shimmering blue light that once defined the Defence Net. Once entangled, his Zanpakuto would dine, very briefly, on their meagre energy. The whole thing was about as exciting as watching paint dry, for both the Shinigami and his blade.

Because the attacks had ceased, they now faced a different problem: boredom. Since getting back to the Seireitei and the cessation of the Swarm�s attacks, Yumichika had no reason to draw Ruri�iro. His poor Zanpakuto sat idle on a stand, either here at the office or in his room. Barragan had no need for him to carry his blade about the mansion, so unless if he was going to and from work, his Zanpakuto was never at his hip where it belonged. That also served to rein in any happiness he might have felt about the ability to be open about his Shikai�s nature. If there was no reason to draw it, he concluded bitterly, why have one at all?

�Is all of this really necessary?� he heard Ggio grumble from a few feet away. He glanced over to see his co-Fukutaichou glaring at the large pile of papers that sat between them.

�I do wonder sometimes,� Yumichika agreed. It had been his least favourite part of being an officer as well. �But it is our job to complete them for processing, so we will handle them and smile while we do it. I will point out that this,� and here he swept his hand wide in a gesture meant to encompass the office, �is better than sitting at the Estate looking pretty while we wait to be summoned to serve our Master.�

Ggio�s scowl deepened and he shuddered at the reminder of what they had to look forward to when they returned �home.� It had been a hard blow to the fraccion to learn his Master�s true nature. If there was one good thing Yumichika could say about Chuhlhourne, it was that the other fraccion had probably worked to keep Ggio out from under Barragan.

That led to the second, wafer-thin silver lining.

Barragan had stripped Ggio of his white Arrancar�s uniform when he�d Claimed him. This meant, much to Yumichika�s delight, that he could finally pick and choose what his fellow inmate wore. While Ggio hadn�t been issued a shihakusho yet, Nanao had suggested that any black garb would do until she could requisition the appropriate garments. Yumichika had taken that as license to go to town, with what he considered excellent results. The black yukata he�d chosen, with its pattern of golden, hollow diamonds running the length of the fabric, looked absolutely devastating on Ggio. In addition, the Arrancar�s hair was unbound today, hanging just past his shoulders, a length that flattered him and did a great deal to mitigate his innate scruffiness. Barragan had forbidden Ggio to trim it after he�d Claimed the young Arrancar, not realizing that he�d only made his pet more attractive to others. Yumichika couldn�t wait until they had to deliver their reports to the 6th Division today. If they were very lucky, Tatsuki would be there visiting, thus giving them the perfect excuse to not only see Soi Fon but little Avispona as well.

Ggio had spent hours picking his brain, trying to glean as much as he could from Yumichika about his recent visit to the 4th Division. It was a good thing he had such a memory for beauty, or in Avispona�s case, cuteness. Barragan had yet to order either one of them to have nothing to do with the child. Any contact with her mother, at least for Ggio, was to be limited to business. This meant that Yumichika had to handle any tasks that involved the newly resurrected 6th Division, but he was still in the process of training Ggio and thus, the Arrancar had an excuse to shadow him.

�How are things going over here?� Nanao asked as she walked into the office carrying yet another stack of inventory forms, fresh from the quartermaster. Ggio made a pained noise when he saw what their new Taichou held, only to stifle it when his fellow Fukutaichou looked at him sharply.

�It�s almost as if I never left,� Yumichika sighed ruefully. �I had forgotten how much redundant paperwork a Division generated... even if the old 11th Division hardly ever filed on time.�

He shook his head in exasperation at the pile, which she placed on her own desk and Nanao smiled at his reaction. She even sounded sympathetic, which struck him as strange. He�d always assumed that she loved the stuff, given the reputation she�d had as a straight-laced, by-the-book Fukutaichou.

�I think Kami-sama created half of these forms just to keep us occupied,� she told him and then turned to the desk�s other occupant. �How are you adjusting, Vega-san?�

�I have never had to do any of this before. It is� different,� he said after a moment of hesitation. �It�s not something I would chose to do as a living, but I do not begrudge being able to get away from the His Majesty�s Estate.�

�You�ve read my mind,� Yumichika said, agreeing wholeheartedly with Ggio�s sentiments. �Anything interesting going on today? Please say yes� it�s been ages since I�ve heard any good news.�

�Well,� Nanao said, as her smile took on a conspiratorial air, �I did run into an interesting quartet on my way back from the 4th Division. I thought you would appreciate a respite and since they planned on coming here anyway, I invited them to have lunch in the office. They went to grab something to eat for everyone and should be here soon.�

Yumichika and Ggio looked at one another, not quite understanding what the woman was trying to tell them. Thankfully, they didn�t have to wait long for an explanation.

�We�re here! We�d have been here sooner, but this damn belly of mine keeps slowing me down,� a familiar, cranky voice said.

Yumichika and Ggio turned to face the door just in time for Matsumoto Rangiku to waddle through it, followed by Tesra. The fraccion had his arms loaded down with bags of food. It was the third visitor, carrying the fourth that made Yumichika�s eyes widen. Tatsuki stepped across the threshold, carrying a small bundle in her arms and wearing a triumphant smirk on her face.

Ggio became a blur as he moved to the human woman�s side and Yumichika swore his ears buzzed. As it was, the air displaced by the Arrancar�s movements ruffled everyone�s hair and sent a few forms flying around the office. Tesra barely had time to pivot on his heel before Tatsuki handed the sleeping infant over to her father. Ggio hesitated only briefly before taking his daughter into his arms and staring down at her, apparently dumbstruck.

�So far she has been feeding and sleeping just fine,� Tatsuki gently informed him when he didn�t say anything, eyes like round twin moons. �Aizen already came and inspected her. Then he all but threw us out of Soi Fon�s room. He escorted us home and dropped some blatant hints that he would be displeased if Soi Fon saw her daughter again before Harribel Claims her.�

The woman looked unhappy about that and Yumichika surmised she was reliving the experience. �He also �suggested� that Soi Fon not be permitted to take her back, even if Harribel�s household is safe. I�d say it�s even safer than ours, so I don�t understand his motives.�

Yumichika wondered about that too, but then considered what he knew of Soi Fon from the fifteen years he�d spent sharing a roof with her, as well as the woman she�d been before the Winter War. If there was one person he thought would stand a chance of making a break for it and fleeing the Soul Society, it would be her. Maybe Aizen was trying to put a different sort of leash on the former leader of the Onmitsukidō, by keeping mother and child apart, tethering one and thereby controlling the other.

Tatsuki just shrugged, not having an answer. No one else seemed to have one either, leaving Yumichika with his speculations and little else.

�Thank you, for taking her in,� Ggio whispered as he gazed down at his child. �She�s��

�Absolutely beautiful,� Yumichika declared when the choked-up Arrancar couldn�t finish his sentence.

�She almost makes me want to see my twins,� Rangiku spoke up. She�d made it to the couch and collapsed upon it, with a bit of help from Tesra. He hadn�t seen much of her of late but Yumichika could see she�d gained a great deal of mass along her midsection in the last month. She noticed where his eyes went and made a peevish face at her expanded belly.

�I can�t wait until these two monsters are out! Their development is in overdrive. At this rate, Abisara-kun and Unohana-Taichou think they might have to do a Caesarean to remove them.�

�Are they growing that quickly?� Nanao asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. There was also some worry in her voice. �It�s not getting dangerous, is it?�

�Yes to the first and I�m not entirely sure about the second,� Rangiku sighed before a forlorn look crossed her face. �I think they would have told me if they thought things were getting dicey. It�s just that I feel this whole thing is on �fast forward�, you know?�

Then she groaned and gestured melodramatically. �Tesra, food please. I am getting too big to be leaning forward to reach the containers.�

The display and the complaint made Tatsuki roll her eyes.

�Heaven forbid Nnoitra knocks you up again, you lazy thing.�

�He better not,� Rangiku muttered, a dark look creeping into her eyes that made Tesra take two steps back before he handed her a takeout container and a pair of disposable chopsticks. �Two insects fluttering around the house are going to be enough, thank you. Add your piglet and Avispona, and I think he�ll be more than willing to consider birth control.�

�It sounds kind of lovely,� Nanao commented as she compiled a plate of food for herself from the containers Tesra had brought in. Their current Taichou had an almost dreamy look in her eyes, which got the wheels in Yumichika�s head turning a full minute before Rangiku realized what the other Shinigami had said.

�It sounds like hell,� Rangiku snarked, then paused as she got a whiff of the same thing he had: impending juicy gossip. �Speaking of offspring, what did your test result say?�

Then she looked at the amount of food heaped on Nanao�s plate and smiled knowingly. �Are we eating for two today?� The blond leaned eagerly forward, or at least as far as her pregnant belly would let her, as if she was as hungry for information as she was for lunch. �Or more?� she added, glancing downward.

Trust Rangiku to go straight to the point, Yumichika thought and shook his head. The woman had no finesse, but all things considered, he supposed they could dispose of the social rules regarding such questions. Nanao, true to her pragmatic nature, gave Rangiku an �I can�t believe you just asked me that� look.

�Not yet, though it�s still really too early to tell for certain. Unohana-taichou wants to test me again in another few days just to be on the safe side. Sometimes spermatozoa can sit in the womb for up to three days before they fertilize an available egg.�

Tatsuki, in the middle of opening a carton of what smelled like a mix of cashews, chicken and snow peas, chuckled at the academic-sounding answer.

�Well, at least we learned an Arrancar can cast Claims through a condom. Maybe Nnoitra won�t be so against using them from now on... unless he wants more �squalling brats�.�

Tesra blushed, since he had been the one to �help� with that finding. That Tatsuki had ever so innocently asked her poor, naïve husband to participate in the experiment wasn�t lost on Yumichika, who decided to be extra careful around the human woman in the future. He suspected that Tesra hadn�t been fully informed about the purpose beforehand. Yumichika spared some sympathy for the man since the entire city now knew of both the results and the identity of the Arrancar who had helped with the discovery.

Tatsuki had joined the other two women at the table and Yumichika decided he�d best see to Ggio. The enraptured Arrancar sat at the desk, his chair pushed back to accommodate the baby in his arms. He also appeared entirely oblivious to everything around him.

�Come on you, time to eat,� Yumichika called to him, using the sort of sing-song voice one might use to entice a small child to eat his vegetables.

�Hmm? Eat? Oh, yeah, we should do that,� Ggio responded vaguely, a million miles away. Rising, he finally moved away from the desk to take a seat on one of the more comfortable chairs at the coffee table. Since his fellow Claimee�s hands were occupied, Yumichika offered to get a plate for his companion, and decided to forgo heckling him.

He also took a good look of what remained of the food. Eyeing the spread, he realized that perhaps Tesra hadn�t brought quite enough. The sandy-haired Arrancar must have thought the same thing, since his pensive sigh suggested that he�d already resigned himself to hunt down his own lunch.

�So, she�s a good girl?� Ggio asked worriedly, tearing his eyes away from the bundle in his arms. His gaze flickered back and forth between Tesra and his mate.

�Wonderful so far,� Tatsuki answered, digging into a container of fried rice and further depleting the supply of takeout. �I swear that�s the truth.�

�She�s up every three hours,� Rangiku griped, �and that�s the truth too.�

�Children don�t keep the same schedules as adults. Get used to it,� Tatsuki told her housemate out of the side of her mouth, then got a truly evil look on her face. �Just think� you have two of them on the way. Keep whining like that and I guarantee they�ll wake up every three hours, just to spite you, and they�ll take turns doing it.�

Rangiku threw her forearm across her eyes and murmured something that Yumichika was certain involved some barely audible profanity. Tatsuki�s warning, unfortunately, was something to consider seriously. With four cubs in the house at once, they might have at least one child squawking or fussing at all times. Yumichika was no expert in child-rearing and he had no idea if infants had the ability to pull off something like that. For Avispona�s sake, he hoped that Nnoitra was either a very deep sleeper, or had a heretofore-undiscovered well of patience hidden amongst the various souls within him.

Ggio�s thoughts must have run along similar lines to his, because he proceeded to ask if she�d disturbed Tesra�s Espada in the short time she�d been at the Fifth�s den.

�Nah. She�s a quiet fusser. He says he can�t hear her at night. We�re bottle-feeding her, so Tesra and I take turns getting up so we can both get a six-hour nap.� Tatsuki bit her lip and went on, concern in her voice as the next words slid past her lips. �While it has been done in the past, I didn�t think you would feel comfortable with me breastfeeding your daughter.�

Yumichika was taken aback by her admission, as well as her hesitancy. He came from one of the worst Districts in existence, where maternal care could be described as haphazard. Ggio seemed surprised and puzzled by that as well. In both the Rukongai and in Hueco Mundo, that is exactly what an adoptive mother would have had to do. In the case of Plus souls, it depended on whether or not the child needed to eat in the first place. With Hollows, the need for food was just a given. The idea that breastfeeding a child not one�s own was somehow presumptuous was strange to both men. Perhaps, Yumichika thought, it was an attitude with its origins in the Living World.

�I am just content that she is safe and has a chance to live. Thank you, for bringing her.� Ggio said after a few minutes. �I never considered how you would feed her. I� I don�t really mind either way.�

�Don�t worry, we�ll make sure she grows up big and strong,� Tatsuki assured him. �She won�t be alone either. Before long, she�ll have three more playmates and we�ll all be bonkers.�

�You have no idea what you are getting into,� Nanao interjected, the amusement on her face plain. Yumichika considered that she probably knew more about raising multiple children in a household than they did.

�We will not have Lilinette egging them on,� Tesra reminded the Taichou, �or corrupting them at such a young age� with all due respect to the First.�

�Touché.� Nanao laughed softly at the Arrancar�s assessment. �I am still surprised at just how much leniency Starrk showed towards those two girls,� she said wistfully. There was also a faraway look in her eyes, as if she�d taken a moment to peer into the past and compare it to the chaos about to the hit the Fifth�s household.

�Is there something going on between you two we don�t know about?� Rangiku inquired slyly, twirling her chopsticks in the air. �Something more than just a Claim? C�mon, you can tell us!�

�Of course not,� Nanao murmured, exiting her daydream and narrowing her eyes at her fellow Shinigami. At the same time, a trace of pink emerged on her cheeks, blowing any chance at having the denial taken seriously. Yumichika was the first to call her on it.

�I think the lady doth protest too much.�

�Seconded!� Rangiku immediately added and popped a sauce-coated bit of chicken in her mouth. That gave Tatsuki an opening to take a different, more round-about approach.

�How did Lilinette handle the whole thing? Did she have anything to say about it?�

Yumichika immediately saw where she was going, but kept silent as Nanao walked right into the human woman�s verbal trap.

�She cornered me and interrogated me over whether or not I would be willing to consider pups,� Nanao answered, then realized what she�d said. It was, unfortunately, too late to take it back.

�Oh, do tell!� Yumichika gushed, forgetting she was now his superior and could assign him latrine duty if he pushed it. His Taichou, meanwhile, looked as if she wanted to sink through the floor.

�I told her �maybe later,� but I didn�t oppose the idea, nor did I oppose the possibility of a relationship with Starrk� if it�s based on mutual respect and affection.�

Her answer was crisp, succinct and delivered at the same time her blush deepened to a beautiful brick red. �For now, no children for me.�

�I believe, boys, that that is the cue for use to make ourselves scarce,� Yumichika announced, as Rangiku and Tatsuki geared themselves up for Round Two with Nanao. He did not envy his new Taichou. Neither of the ladies appeared ready to take such a dryly-worded explanation at face value and he guessed that the interrogation would begin the minute the men in the room beat a retreat. �Besides, I do not believe there is quite enough food for us left. I, for one, am starving.�

Tesra was quick to agree, considering Rangiku had wolfed down at least half of the food in the time it had taken to get through Round One and Ggio frowned, not wanting to give his little girl back to Tatsuki just yet.

�Did you want us to take Avispona?� Tesra asked his mate. Tatsuki smiled lovingly up at him.

�If you would. We�ll be here. Go get something for yourselves. No one�s going to try anything while we�re sitting in a Taichou�s office.�

�We should be back in an hour or so,� Yumichika promised. �That is, if it�s permissible to break for lunch, Taichou?�

�Go,� she told them and motioned towards the door with a resigned wave of one hand while rubbing her forehead with the other. �If I don�t let these two grill me now, they�ll just find a way to do it later and at least here I�ve some privacy. There�s no telling where they�ll choose to cross-examine me if I put this off any longer.�

�Don�t you know it,� Rangiku winked at them. �Now, shoo!�

Yumichika wasted no time pushing his fellow males out of the office. As curious as he was, there were limits to what he wanted to know about his Taichou�s love and/or sex life. Ggio cradled Avispona to him while Tesra had picked up the diaper and supply bag and hoisted it on his shoulder. Anything they�d need for her would be in there. He knew just the place to take them, and took the lead once they were off of the 5th Division�s grounds.

They went unnoticed by the midday throng around them until they reached the outskirts of the closest food market. Once there, the three men and their baby drew all kinds of attention. Ggio reluctantly permitted several of his fellow Arrancar a chance to see his daughter. Tesra stood close by, guarding Ggio as much as Avispona. Both remained vigilant, however. The majority of the Arrancar who wanted to see her were female, which Yumichika thought might explain why Tesra and Ggio were less hesitant about showing off the infant. The women certainly cooed over her and showered the little thing with compliments. The few males that approached them were expecting cubs of their own. They were curious, wanting to get a closer look at what might be in store for them. They also approached cautiously, not wanting to tangle with the Fifth�s fraccion.

Avispona woke up just as they arrived at the yakitori vendor he favoured. A few stalls down was an area set aside for people to eat, with wooden tables and benches, where Tesra and Ggio managed to find a spot for the four of them. Yumichika procured three generous meals while Tesra dug out a bottle to hand to Ggio so he could feed his daughter. The little girl was suckling away contently by the time the Shinigami came back with the skewers of meat and containers of miso soup.

�She certainly has an appetite,� Ggio murmured as his little girl eagerly guzzled the milk. �How much does she drink a day?�

�Ten to twelve bottles,� Tesra replied, accepting two of the meat kabobs and a bowl of soup from Yumichika as he did so. The fraccion tore into the meat quickly and Yumichika wondered if he�d been eating like this for a while, grabbing what he could while taking care of two pregnant women. The efficiency with which Tesra devoured his lunch made Yumichika think that was the case.

�Is she crawling yet?� he asked and Tesra answered after swallowing the last of his kebob.

�Not yet. She is a squirmy one though. She probably won�t start crawling for another month or so. Our cubs do grow faster than Shinigami babies, but that doesn�t mean they�re born running.�

Yumichika didn�t bother to offer Ggio his portion of their lunch. It was clear that the other wanted to do nothing more than bask in his daughter�s presence. Therefore, he chose to make short work of his own meal before asking if he could �have a turn with the young lady.� Her dance card would fill eventually and who knew when he�d have another chance?

Ggio didn�t hesitate for long. They were members of the same pack, however unwillingly and any reluctance to part with her stemmed from the understandable fear of not being able to see her on a regular basis. Yumichika gathered her up, taking the opportunity to not only to hold the adorable little darling but to make sure Ggio ate something substantial for a change. Barragan may have backed off on the �one bowl of rice� nonsense, but he was still limiting Ggio�s food intake.

Avispona stared up at him sleepily while she continued to work on the dregs of her bottle. He suspected she was sucking for comfort rather than a need to feed at this point. If she was uncomfortable being cuddled by a stranger, she didn�t show it. Maybe she still remembered him. It had only been a few days ago that he had held her. Her eyes began drooping about the same time her father finished eating and by the time he�d taken her back, she had fallen asleep with a full tummy.

�Well, should we get back to the Division?� Yumichika asked, rising to his feet as he did so, careful not to jostle Avispona.

�Is it safe to do so?� Tesra asked with a hint of amusement.

�Only one way to find out.�

Then his smile vanished as he felt a powerful, very familiar reiatsu approaching. Ggio stiffened as well and both men turned to face the direction from which it came. Tesra caught on quickly and snatched up the bag. Yumichika could see identical looks of panic on both Arrancar�s faces. Then Ggio opened his mouth and uttered one word to Tesra:

�Run.�

With trembling arms, Yumichika handed Avispona and her blanket back to the fraccion, then stood up and brushed out his kimono as he moved to stand beside Ggio. A second later, Barragan stormed around the corner, clipping the counter of a sushi stand as he approached. Both slaves offered the Espada a deep bow as the old man stopped before them.

�So this is where you were lollygagging,� Barragan grunted, his face twisted in anger.

�Nanao-Taichou dismissed us for lunch,� Yumichika said smoothly and put on the mask of a simpering, servile concubine. Anything, he thought, to keep the bastard�s eyes on the two of them and away from Tesra and Avispona. �Is there anything we can do for you before returning to work Barragan-sama?�

Yumichika let his breathless voice drop an octave or so and gave the Espada a sultry look that promised the Aspect of Death by Old Age immeasurable pleasure. He had to roll out everything he�d ever learned about seducing older, power-hungry men to do it, smothering his disgust as best he could in an effort to buy Tesra time to flee. He also noticed that the rest of the Numeros in this section of the market, male and female, had beaten a hasty retreat the moment the Second made an appearance. Frankly, he didn�t blame them for acting in self-preservation.

Thankfully, Tesra had taken Ggio�s warning to heart and vanished down a side row of food stalls, which left Yumichika to try to do what damage control he could. He wasn�t as afraid of Barragan doing something to the infant as he was afraid she would serve as an excuse for Barragan to resume abusing her captive father.

�Your daughter was here.� Barragan concluded after a few moments of heavy silence, his brow furrowed in deep frown. Yumichika slowly felt any hope of leniency for Ggio slipping away the longer his companion took to respond.

�Yes, Barragan-sama,�

With shoulders slouched and his head bowed, Ggio acknowledged the statement as fact.

�Return to your accursed duties, Yumichika,� Barragan ordered coldly. �I need to make a few things clear to Ggio.�

He did not like the sound of that, but knew better than to try to dissuade the old codger from whatever it was he was going to do.

�As you command, Your Majesty.�

Yumichika bowed before turning around and walking back in the direction of the 5th Division. There was nothing else to do in the situation. Any other action would only make things worse and pleading for mercy would avail them nothing.

Rangiku and Tatsuki were gone by the time he arrived. Nanao looked as if they�d put her on the rack for the hour he was gone, but had apparently survived the ordeal. Ggio returned ten minutes later, walking a bit gingerly, but otherwise no worse for wear. That relieved Yumichika, who drew the Arrancar back to his chair and the pile of forms waiting for him.

�It was nice to see Avispona. What did you think of your daughter?� he asked quietly, eager to hear what Ggio had to say now that he was no longer being distracted by his progeny. It wasn�t until he got a good look at his fellow Fukutaichou that he realized something was terribly wrong.

Ggio said nothing, his face pale and his eyes watery. The Arrancar hung his head and let a few tears slip free. Yumichika�s stared at his partner for a moment before moving over to pull the other into his embrace. Ggio quivered, as if it wanted to break down into a mass of sobs but couldn�t.

He didn�t bother asking what had happened, figuring out what Barragan had done in his absence. Ggio�s distress and his inability to make a sound was evidence enough. The tiger had been torn from his mate, and now their Master had forbidden him from interacting with his offspring, forbidding him even to speak of her.

Yumichika didn�t bother offering Ggio any false platitudes. There was nothing he could say that could make this any better. All he could do was hold him until he managed to stop weeping. Nanao pointedly kept her eyes on her own work and he assumed she was trying to give him some space to handle the problem, for which he was grateful. Eventually, he pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve and offered it to his fellow prisoner.

It was a small thing and he knew it wasn�t much in the way of help. Only Barragan�s death would make this right. If not for the Claim on his person, he would have gladly unleashed the full might of Ru�rin Kujaku on the bastard. At times he wondered which force was stronger, Barragan�s corrosive Respira or Ru�rin Kujaku�s regenerative capability. Perhaps one day, he would be able to find out, but it wouldn�t be anytime soon. Barragan�s Claim kept him from raising a hand, let alone a weapon, against the monster that held him captive. It was a nice dream and at this juncture, dreams were all the two �pets� had left.

Nanao felt wrung out as she dragged her exhausted body home. She could have lived without Rangiku and Tatsuki�s far-too-thorough questioning. Was it only a week ago that she�d wanted to confide in those two about Starrk�s recent Claim on her? Looking back, Nanao decided she had to have been completely addled that morning and vowed never to be alone with them again if she could help it.

There was a fine line between �inquisitive� and �prying� and Rangiku had blown past it within two minutes of Yumichika�s prudent retreat. Her ears burned with what they�d forced her to reveal and she hoped they could keep the majority of what she�d told them to themselves. Still, it was nice to know that neither woman thought that she was using Starrk as a way to rebound, not this long after losing Shunsui. It helped that they were on the outside looking in and therefore more objective about her situation.

Something had obviously happened to Ggio and Yumichika during their lunch break, but it appeared that neither of them wanted to talk about it so she had respected their privacy and left them to comfort each other. If she had to hazard a guess, she suspected that Ggio had been emotionally compromised thanks to finally getting to see his daughter. Having to give her up again had to have been painful. She couldn�t imagine what it might have been like if she�d been forced into a similar situation with Hana. It was yet another thing for which she could thank the First Espada, that he�d never put her through something so terrible.

The main gate of the Ukitake Estate nearly defeated her, but she eventually wrestled the door open and managed to make it to her room before she collapsed in a boneless heap upon her bed. She didn�t bother removing her glasses or her Taichou�s haori. She also failed to notice that she had company until it spoke in a sardonic voice.

�Well, that was a glamorous entrance, if I do say so.�

Nanao would have leaped out of her skin in fright if she had the energy. Instead all she managed to do was shift her body as she rolled over to stare into her visitor�s small, furry face. Her vision was so blurry that, even with her glasses, it took several minutes before her brain registered who sat on her spare pillow.

�Yo�Yoruichi?� she stammered and propped her torso up on an elbow. The alarm she�d initially felt drained away, replaced by recognition.

�The one and onlMEROWWWW!!� Yoruichi yowled as a hand suddenly grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and hauled her from the bedding. The cat glared at her captor and Nanao stared up at a barefooted Starrk, clad in the lower half of his uniform, in surprise. It wasn�t like him to barge into her quarters. He�d never set foot in her room, until a week ago.

�My apologies, Nanao. I felt your reaction and came to see what happened.�

It was a polite way of saying that he had picked up on the stab of fear Nanao had experienced upon finding the interloper and had come rushing in to defend her. Her heart warmed at the idea that he would do something like that in the space of a few seconds, even if it hadn�t been necessary, and then pointed her chin at the cat dangling in his grip.

�That�s alright, Starrk. You�re always welcome in my quarters. Yoruichi, what brings you here?� Nanao asked as Starrk set the feline down. The animal huffed at the Espada and shook herself, trying to reclaim some of her former dignity. Then she sighed and her tail began to move back and forth.

�Gather the others� discreetly. I have important news.�

Her tone suggested she�d brook no argument and that she didn�t want to waste any time.

The noblewoman�s words triggered a reflex in Nanao, who shoved aside her fatigue with some difficulty. Starrk, for his part, stood up straighter. The Taichou summoned a few Hell butterflies and quickly sent them out, one to Ulquiorra, one to Toshiro and one to Soi Fon, in case she wasn�t at Harribel�s place. Jushiro arrived a few moments later as the messengers fluttered out of her window. He seemed terribly confused as he worked to secure the ties of his robe.

�I am sorry Jushiro, but we have company.�

�Starrk must have used the Claim to mobilize him,� Nanao realized. As Starrk was the poster boy for laziness, it shouldn�t have surprised her he would favour the easiest way he knew to get Jushiro in on the conference. �Although,� she mused, �he got here quicker than I would have expected. His bedroom is on the other side of the Estate after all.�

Jushiro�s confusion evaporated when he saw their guest, who was busy trying to get her fur resettled after Starrk�s manhandling with a few licks. As tired as she was, her sense of propriety reared its head and forced her to do the two things required of such a situation.

Her first act was to refrain from accusing Starrk of yanking Jushiro across the length of the manor to help defend her. While it was tempting to scold him about presuming she needed any sort of protection, she kept her mouth closed. The light flush of embarrassment on Starrk�s face from overreacting was punishment enough. Fifteen years of motherhood under her belt gave her some insight into where she stood with him.

Her second act was to try to act the part of a responsible host. Starrk didn�t have the training for it and Jushiro was her elder. It simply wouldn�t do to have him shoulder a responsibility normally reserved for a younger household member.

�Shall we adjourn to the kitchen? I will make us all some tea and something to eat,� Nanao rose from her futon and led the way back to the Estate�s main eating area, taking pride in not stumbling down the hall, though she failed to stifle two yawns. However, Starrk broke the momentum she had intended to use to see to the obligatory refreshments. When she picked up the kettle on the stove, a larger set of fingers reached around to stop her. The Espada had noiselessly moved in behind her and swept it completely out of her hands.

�Sit. You�re too tired for this. I can boil water without destroying anything,� he told her. Nanao stared up at him for a few seconds, stunned by his proximity and his gently-worded order, as well as his insistence that he knew how to prepare tea.

�Are you sure?�

�Yes. Sit and talk to our guest.�

She stepped away from the sink, still not quite believing what she was seeing, while he set about spooning tea leaves into the teapot and pulling tins and a few boxes from the cupboards. In a way, it was like watching one�s dog suddenly stand up on his or her hind legs in order to conduct a symphony. She had never seen him do anything resembling household chores, and yet he moved about the kitchen with ease, as if he had done this sort of thing for decades. He must have read her confusion through the Claim, for he answered her unspoken questions while he turned on the tap and filled the kettle with cold water.

�I have observed you, Karin, Jushiro, Hana and Ajuga making dinner and tea a million times. Lilinette is no stranger to this work either. One can learn many things simply by watching an expert.�

He smiled faintly at her as he set the kettle on the stove and turned on the burner. After a few seconds, she returned it. Perhaps this was his way of apologizing to them both for barging into her room and yanking on Jushiro�s Claim. Her housemate didn�t seem to have a problem with any of it. The other Taichou in the room had already taken a seat at the table and was doing his best to provide proper seating for the intruder. Yoruichi sat contentedly in Jushiro�s lap, purring loudly while he stroked the fur along her back and rubbed behind her ears.

�Is there any word on my daughter?� she asked worriedly. To the best of her knowledge, Hana had not yet been assigned to a mission in the Living World. She was also without the usual limiters the Science Division placed on its officers who went there. There were a thousand and one things that could go wrong for an inexperienced Shinigami�

�She is doing quite well,� Yoruichi assured her. �Hana-chan has really hit it off with our boy Hachigen. She�s as good at Kido as you are, even though she still lacks the strength to make the most of it. She might very well surpass you with enough time and practice. Her skill with numbers is mind-boggling too and it�s because of her that Szayel made the progress he did.�

�What of the Vizard with whom she had� issues?�

Starrk turned around and leaned against the counter. Nanao didn�t exactly blame him for the concern she heard in his voice. Sarugaki Hiyori had always been a foul-mouthed git of a girl, and learning about the Vizard�s verbal assault on her daughter hadn�t improved Nanao�s opinion of her, even if she�d been a mere child the last time she�d seen Urahara�s Fukutaichou.

�We�ve kept them apart with different tasks. I will say this in her defence: Hiyori didn�t take the loss of the war easily, and Shunsui was one of the few people here she respected. It might be best, I think, not to let her know that the two of you,� and here Yoruichi�s voice took on the same sly tone as Rangiku�s earlier in the day �are obviously snogging. If she�s this appalled at Hana�s close relationship with you, Starrk, the knowledge that Shunsui�s woman is sleeping with you would really set her off.�

Nanao�s mouth popped open in shock, while Starrk let out a deep sigh and ran his fingers thorough his tousled hair. She thought she could detect a hint of exasperation at the accuracy of the cat�s deduction in it.

�How did you know?� Nanao demanded, and then glared suspiciously at Jushiro.

�I didn�t tell her a thing,� Jushiro declared, holding his hands up to indicate his innocence. �When would I have had the time?� he added for good measure.

Yoruichi made a pained noise in the back of her throat and gave all three of them a �you have got to be kidding me� look.

�It�s obvious to those that know what to look for,� Yoruichi scoffed. �So don�t blame Jushiro. But if you must really know, Starrk is practically hovering over you and his touch earlier when he took the kettle from your hand, though appearing quick, was still a fraction of a second longer than necessary. Then there was that little brush of his fingers over your hand. It still counts as a caress, even if it was short,� the cat informed them smugly. �The giveaway, however, was that our oh-so-prim-and-proper Ise Nanao bluntly told her lover that he was welcome into her room at any time. Don�t deny what I distinctly heard.�

�Oh.�

.

She should have guessed that Yoruichi would pick up on anything she tried to hide. The woman, like Soi Fon, had once run the Onmitsukidō and she was trained to look for weaknesses she could exploit. Unfortunately, the cat wasn�t content to leave well enough alone and if Rangiku had stepped over the line this afternoon with regard to her questions, Yoruichi disregarded it completely in favour of asking what had to the most mortifying thing she�d heard in a very long time.

�So, how do the threesomes work between the three of you?�

The fact that Yoruichi asked this with a twinkle in her eye made it that much worse.

Nanao temporarily lost her ability to speak, unable to respond and outraged that anyone would ask such a thing. Not even Rangiku had hinted at such an absurdity, although Nanao wouldn�t have been surprised if the thought occurred to the buxom Shinigami.

�Haven�t tried it yet, huh?� the demon in cat�s clothing mused. �You should get Starrk under you and Jushiro can come at you from behi��

�What about Ajuga and the others?� Jushiro broke in, looking more than a little horrified at the sudden turn the conversation had taken. He also sounded like he wanted to crawl from the room and bury his head in the sand of Lilinette�s Zen garden, to keep from hearing any more about it.

Then the cat in his lap snickered audibly and Nanao came to understand that she had been teasing� mostly. When she glanced at Starrk, she noticed his flushed cheeks matched hers, though his expression hadn�t changed. She forced herself to relax and let go of some of the agitation Yoruichi�s suggestion had caused. Before she booted the idea from her grey matter, Nanao briefly wondered if Starrk found the notion of �doing both of his pets� at the same time appealing. Then she remembered how little he enjoyed keeping Jushiro Claimed and tossed it away before it inspired her to give in to the urge to wring Yoruichi�s neck.

�They�re doing well. The only one truly having a hard time is Grimmjow. Still, I will say this for him: he�s chosen to stick with the plan and work out his frustrations on Ichigo and Kenpachi. It�s pretty obvious that all he wants to do is bust in with guns blazing to rescue his mate. Speaking of which, has there been any sign of Karin?� Yoruichi inquired. Nanao sighed, looking down at her clasped hands sadly.

�No, nothing.�

Starrk, having poured hot water over the leaves in the teapot, placed the steaming container on the woven pad of reeds in the center of the table, along with the full set of cups. Then he moved to stand behind her and gently massaged her shoulders. She guessed that he could also feel the knots of tension that had formed in her upper back over the course of the last few days. It helped somewhat, but Nanao needed more pressure to deal with the ache in her muscles. She therefore leaned back in her chair, using her weight and forcing his fingertips to dig into the source of the problem. He got the hint and Nanao�s eyes slid shut while Starrk elaborated.

�We dare not risk pressuring Abisara or Vindula into saying anything. So far Aizen has given the twins a good measure of freedom. We do not wish to jeopardize it, nor give him an excuse to punish them by coaxing them into revealing something they�ve no doubt been forced to help conceal. Being too inquisitive will draw Aizen�s attention, at a time we should strive to remain unseen.�

Soi Fon arrived before he could say anything else. Ulquiorra accompanied her, sans Orihime. It was probably for the best. Orihime wasn�t a warrior. She was also incapable of keeping a secret. The less the woman knew about what was going on the better. She was far too honest a person, inside and out and Nanao would rather she remain ignorant of what was afoot. As far as Nanao knew, Orihime still had no idea what had happened to Karin. Leaving her out of the rebellion was for the best.

�Soi Fon� you� when��

Now it was Yoruichi�s turn to be shocked. The animal leaped from Jushiro�s lap and landed in front of an equally surprised Soi Fon. The cat�s wide eyes took in her former underling�s lack of a belly and Nanao saw the new mother bow her head, unwilling to let Yoruichi see the pain in her eyes. She also appeared overly tired, her face abnormally pale. Nanao was surprised that Unohana had discharged her; when Nanao had given birth to Hana, the 4th Division had kept them for four days, if memory served. Then again, Soi Fon was the sort to push herself past the point of exhaustion if she had a goal in sight, insisting she felt fine. After seeing the bundle of adorableness that was her and Ggio�s child, she could guess at least one of those.

�About a week ago,� Nanao informed their visitor, before Soi Fon could draw out her chalkboard. While she knew it was rude, what she had to say was for Soi Fon as well. �I saw little Avispona today.�

Soi Fon was by her side, with a desperate expression on her face, Yoruichi forgotten in a bid to hear anything she could about her child and about Ggio. Nanao related what little she could of the visit, wondering if it was wise for her to say anything about the aftermath of that meeting and how badly it had affected her Fukutaichou.

�Interesting. So that was the Fifty-Ninth and the Eighty-Third talking about.�

Everyone looked at Ulquiorra as the Fourth frowned and stuck his hands in his pocket.

�I overheard two of the Numeros today. They mentioned that the Second had to �discipline his pet� in public for some infraction, and that they left before Barragan could lash out at anyone else. He still has a free Claim spot, after all.�

�Ulquiorra�� she heard Starrk say disapprovingly behind her and the green-eyed Espada fell silent, realizing he�d made a mistake.

Soi Fon�s face had gone completely white and Nanao knew she looked no better. Starrk�s hands felt like the only source of warmth in the room as she recalled Ggio�s wretched posture when he and Yumichika returned. Tesra had come back earlier than expected, holding Avispona and she�d wondered why he was alone. He�d gathered up his wife and Rangiku with all of the purpose of a man who really wanted to get home, but hadn�t said much. At the time, she�d been relieved.

What had Barragan done to her subordinate? Ggio had been mobile when he�d made it back to the office, but this revelation meant that she�d been way off about the cause of his earlier sorrow. What followed was blistering rage, that the Second had hurt one of her own, over something so unbelievably petty as wanting to see his only child.

Jushiro, bless him, had risen from his chair and given it to Soi Fon. The moment she sat down Yoruichi jumped into her lap. The small Shinigami proceeded to bury her face in the cat�s fur, her body reeking of misery, though she didn�t cry out loud.

Toshiro, Harribel, her fraccion and their pets arrived shortly after, towing a thoroughly-confused Iemura with them. One of Nanao�s eyebrows went up, but as they couldn�t risk involving Unohana just yet, her Fukutaichou would have to do. They�d need an �in� with the 4th Division and as Sung Sun held his Claim, Nanao considered him a reasonable substitution. They would have to bring him up to speed as far as their conspiracy went though.

Lilinette slipped through the door behind Harribel�s pack, easing around the women only to find a conference going on. The girl scowled as she marched to the refrigerator, pausing long enough to kick Starrk in the shins on the way over. She complained about the lack of notification as she rummaged around for something to eat and chose to hop up onto the counter while she munched on the remainder of last night�s roast chicken.

Toshiro was the first to break the silence once everyone had a cup of tea to occupy their hands, or in Iemura�s case, a lapful of Sung Sun.

�We came as soon as we got the message. What news do you have?�

Yoruichi�s earlier smugness was gone, thanks to Ulquiorra and the need to provide some kind of support for Soi Fon. The cat brushed her cheek against that of the former Taichou, in one last gesture of comfort, before her low, grating voice delivered her news.

�Ajuga has secured the Swarm�s assistance in targeting Aizen. But more importantly, Szayel has discovered the information we need to neutralize the Hogyoku, negate Kyoka Suigetsu, and kill Aizen. We need two more things and we�re in business.�

The pair of hands soothing the ache in her back stilled.

On impulse, Nanao�s fingers crept up to find Starrk�s, their fingers twining as they listened to Yoruichi explain the details.

It is looking like the daily update will happen when I reach that part of the story, which is coming up quickly from what I can see. In fact, it should be two weeks from now I believe. Remember though, it will only be for this particular part of the story.

Okay, I can now tell you all why I have been feeling so damn sick for the last month. Had my Ultrasound today and it looks like I am about 11-12weeks pregnant. Hopefully, I will have finished posting by the time this one pops out, otherwise I�d have had two kids during this journey, lol.

Kain: I honestly suspect he doesn�t have one and used his Shikai to pretend he did. He didn�t really seem to care about his Zanpakuto much. I got more theories surrounding him too, but only time will tell if they are true or not. Starrk and Ulquiorra are the back up if Ichigo and Grimmjow fail, providing there is still a good chance to pull it off. Grimmjow deserves a punch or twenty thrown Aizen�s way and nothing will stop him from getting in the fight, so it�s just best to plan for him to be involved.

Next Chapter: Unohana gets a surprise visit, and an even surprising lecture.
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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