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
- 81
- 82
- 83
Of Leaders and Loyalty

Iemura left the building that housed the 4th Division�s seated officers feeling like a completely new man, and not in the same way that surrendering his long-held virginity had shifted his outlook. He had kept his head down for over a decade and a half, trying to avoid attracting the attention of any Arrancar intent on adding a male toy to their harem. He had done his best to heal those that required his care, and bit his tongue whenever his thoughts drifted towards Aizen and the Hollow army he�d used to destroy the Gotei 13 and enslave the survivors. He�d hidden his bitterness, his hatred and his anger by diverting all of that energy into trying to fill the hole that Kotetsu Isane had left in both his Division and in the heart of his Taichou when she�d died. He did not expect his opinion about the occupiers to change.

Then he�d met Grimmjow, the first Hollow who had ever come barging into their Division radiating real concern about his �pet.� The Sixth Espada turned out to be the first of a slowly growing wave of transformation. Over the years, more and more of the Arrancar had begun to show traces of the humanity that had once been theirs as living beings. Over time, the ruthless savagery he saw in them tempered, whether due to the environment or from not having to fight with one another for scant resources, or even the few rules that bastard Aizen imposed on his forces in an effort to keep them under control, Iemura did not know.

How many, he wondered, had sat vigilantly beside their pets� beds when they had been injured on the battle field or on a mission? More of them had done so after Karin gave birth to Ajuga. The changes were gradual, and some of the Arrancar remained as bestial as the day they�d conquered the Soul Society, but one could say the same of many humans. Others had changed considerably, or had possessed some redeeming qualities before Aizen had �enhanced� them and broken their masks, like Grimmjow and Harribel.

The one who had really given him a change of heart had been Sung Sun, his new Mistress. When the fraccion had arrived with her two �sisters� to help out at the 4th Division, as penance for attacking the officer that had shown up at their den requesting blood samples, she had been the calmest and most reasonable of the trio. There was just something about her shy and soft demeanour that had called to him, though he�d tried to keep things �strictly business� between them, at least at first.

He told himself he didn�t need trouble, not with the Third Espada and certainly not with her fraccion, who seemed to come as a �set,� if he�d initially read their body language correctly.

Trouble had found him, despite his best efforts. Then it propositioned him

In many ways, Sung Sun reminded him of Isane, minus the late Fukutaichou�s constant tendency to second-guess her actions. It wasn�t that he�d ever had a thing for his late superior; dating a fellow officer or a member of one�s Division was strictly against policy. Then there was the whole �height� issue. Isane had been, well, too tall, at least in her own mind. While she hadn�t been unattractive, her self-consciousness about that particular feature was the real turn-off. He could relate, considering the hang-up he�d had for years about his eyewear. Ironically, his spectacles had served as a kind of camouflage, enabling him to stay un-Claimed, up until a week ago, so he couldn�t say they hadn�t come in handy.

He�d also learned that Arrancar girls had no qualms about making passes at boys who wore glasses. The first of those passes had gone completely over his head while he�d been showing her the system by which the Division stored and replenished field kits for the members assigned to combat units. He thought he detected the second while instructing her about the necessary supplies required in each standard operating room. However, her third attempt was hard to miss. She�d tentatively wrapped her arms around him from behind while he�d had his back to her and caught him off guard in the middle of listing the exact number and kind of linens each supply closet ought to contain.

Washing out an entire rack of white towels to rid them of the evidence of the sudden nosebleed that little manoeuvre on her part caused had been worth it. Oh yes, it had definitely been worth it, even if the loss of haemoglobin had left him light-headed for the rest of the day.

It floored him that a woman like Sung Sun, with her stunning looks, her carriage and her obvious intelligence, wanted to get to know him better. He was not used to being chased by someone like that. If Yasochika was honest, he wasn�t used to being chased, period. Only a man made of stone would have turned down her request for lunch together.

That didn�t mean he was willing to let her do all of the pursuing and he�d started small, doing little things like bringing her a bento box for lunch on the days she was at the Division and not on patrol, tucking a flower into the bag along with the food. He�d assigned her relatively easy tasks that made use of her talent for organization and her meticulous nature. He�d spent his rare breaks with her, explaining how necessary his Division was to the workings of the other, combat oriented Divisions while they shared tea. In turn, she�d been waiting for him in one of the staff break rooms with dinner one night when an operation had taken longer than he�d thought and had stayed to pitch in when a support team had come back from the Living World, dragging several Shinigami who needed immediate patching. She couldn�t help with anything medical, but she had impressed him when she�d taken him aside and informed him she�d prepped three rooms for the wounded, all on her own. When he�d inspected her work, he�d complimented her and earned a prolonged hug, accompanied by a kiss that had his face burning for days.

It was slow, sweet and he found he revelled in the little trappings of their budding relationship... a hooded smile here, a sly wink there, a brush of fingers when they passed in the hallway on separate errands.

Fifteen years ago, he would have argued up and down that it was impossible for an Arrancar, a creature he was bound by the old rules to purify at all costs, to make him feel as if he was walking on air. He�d never been happier in his life, and that included the day he�d been promoted to his position as Third Seat by Unohana herself.

Sung Sun could have chosen at any time to throw him down and Claim him. That was how most Arrancar had initially acquired their �pets.� She was certainly strong enough to try to do so, but she hadn�t. That only served to reinforce his theory regarding the slow civilizing of the invaders, that living side-by-side with the Shinigami population had instilled a burgeoning sense of morality in a number of them. He knew they had some sort of rudimentary �code� to which they adhered closely, and after talking with Sung Sun about it, conceded that in a brutal place like Hueco Mundo, where strength was often all that mattered, the fact that they even had those meant they weren�t entirely unsalvageable.

In fact, if not for Aizen�s law, he would not have a Claim on him now. She�d wanted to wait before proposing something so drastic, but the tyrant had forced Sung Sun to snatch him up that evening or risk losing him to another. The process of being Claimed had fried every last nerve he had, in a very good way, but he had to admit that it had been a bit much for a virgin. The feeling of her power wrapped around his, like the coils of a serpent, was strange and distracting, often at the least convenient times. The best analogy he could think of was trying to adjust to a new pair of glasses, until one grew accustomed to the sensation and forgot they were there.

That wasn�t easy when his new Mistress had moved in with him the next day. He hadn�t yet become inured to opening the door to his previously bachelor-oriented quarters to find his lavender-eyed mistress waiting for him, draped over his futon and sporting nothing but her stockings and the smile she normally hid behind her sleeve. Nevertheless, he thought as heat built up in his cheeks and regions farther south when he recalled what usually happened after he closed the door behind him, getting used to it was half the fun.

�Focus, lover boy!� a masculine voice hissed from the small of his back.

Iemura jumped, before adjusting his glasses and reining in his imagination. The cat was right. He had almost forgotten about his passenger and the role he needed to play in a dangerous endeavour he didn�t know existed until last night. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the scope of the conspiracy. There was a genuine plot to assassinate Aizen afoot, there were a lot of fed-up people in on it and it was slated to go down the day after tomorrow if they could get the necessary help. Just thinking about the whole thing gave him the jitters, so much so that he almost walked into one of the storage sheds instead of the main administrative wing.

He swore he thought he heard an exasperated sigh drift up from the bag he carried.

Thankfully, he made it to his small office without further incident and set about dealing with the usual morning paperwork, handing out assignments, reviewing the schedule and making his rounds to look in on hospitalized patients. Yoruichi, hidden in cat form and tucked into the zippered bag that made up a section of the green sash that all 4th Division Shinigami wore and which normally held a medical kit meant for field use, stayed quiet and kept from moving. There were a few times he questioned whether she was breathing and when no one was looking, pulled the zipper down to keep her from suffocating.

As lunchtime approached, Iemura felt his hands begin to sweat as he made his way towards Unohana�s office. Stopping at the threshold, he rubbed them on his hakama and took a deep breath to steady himself. Then he knocked politely.

Acknowledgement didn�t take long at all. He heard a muffled �Enter� and pushed open the door.

�Iemura-san,� Unohana said warmly, looking up from a stack of fresh lab reports.

�Taichou.�

He saluted in what he hoped was a brisk, professional, non-suspicious manner. Since he had nothing in his hands to deliver to her, he waited for her to place what she�d been reading on her desk.

�I was about to leave for one of the break rooms. Do you need to speak to me?�

�Yes, Taichou. May I come in?�

�Of course,� she assured him and laced her fingers together expectantly.

Iemura entered her office and closed the door behind him before activating the privacy wards. Unohana�s pleasant expression faded slightly, but she said nothing as he took his sash off of his shoulder and let the cat, literally, out of the bag. Yoruichi shook her small furry body and stretched. He supposed she would find that necessary after having spent the morning cooped up in a hiding place that smelled of antiseptic and bandages.

His superior�s face became a blank mask as the animal took a seat on her desk. Her voice was also just shy of �too calm� as she addressed her latest visitor.

�Shihoin Yoruichi. It�s been quite some time.�

The cat yawned, revealing sharp white fangs. Then she opened those unnerving golden eyes and regarded the woman behind the desk.

�Unohana Retsu, or should I call you Aizen Retsu now?� she inquired, sounding far too casual for the blond man�s liking.

�Unohana is fine,� his Taichou informed the stowaway. There was more than a hint of steel in her eyes and Iemura considered running for his life. If Yoruichi felt threatened, she didn�t show it. Instead, she appeared pleased with Unohana�s terse response.

�That�s good to hear. I�d wondered.�

This time Unohana�s eyes narrowed just a fraction of an inch and her second-in-command began making plans to update his will as soon as he got out of arm�s reach of his Taichou.

�I take it that this is not a social visit?�

The cat�s tail curved into an �S� shape on the wooden surface of the desk, before she looked away. After a moment, Yoruichi hunkered down and smirked up at her former compatriot.

�No. Tell me, Unohana-san, how does widowhood sound?�

�I would consider it fortuitous,� Unohana replied, sitting back in a relaxed pose. �I am sure you would find few who would bother shedding tears for him. Still, why would you bring this to me? As much as I would love to see my husband divorced from more than just this farce of a marriage, I lack the capability to challenge him. If I had possessed such, I would have ended him long before now.�

�I believe you,� Yoruichi declared and blinked, before twitching her whiskers. �In fact, we�d like your assistance in such an undertaking.�

His Taichou shook her head.

�I am sorry, Yoruichi. As much as want Aizen to pay for the crimes he has committed, I cannot risk raising a hand against him. Should your plan fail, it wouldn�t just be my life that would be forfeit. He wouldn�t kill me outright, considering the use he makes of me in his pursuit of legitimacy. No, he would make others suffer in my stead, until he gains what he desires. Then and only then would he execute me.�

Unohana�s eyes then landed on Iemura. He expected her to ask why he was involved with one of Escapees and found his throat unwilling to work properly. Meanwhile, the cat pressed her case.

�We aren�t asking you to assault Aizen directly� though we�d be foolish to turn away one of the strongest warriors the Seireitei has ever known if she wanted to join our cause. What we really need you to do is help provide a distraction, keeping his eyes elsewhere.�

�If he thinks I�m involved in this, there will be hell to pay,� Unohana stated, her voice growing harder as the seconds ticked by. �He grows suspicious of his own shadow these days. Look elsewhere for your help, Shihoin-sama. I cannot offer mine.�

Yoruichi�s eyes turned to yellow slits, displeased with Unohana�s answer.

�Forgive me. I think I might have been delivered to the wrong office. You�re not the Kenpachi I expected to find.�

�I am no longer the Kenpachi. That title belongs to another. Seek his aid.�

�What threat could Aizen possibly hold over you to turn you into such a beaten, cowering thing?�

�The lives of those who answer to me.�

Iemura felt the blood rush from his face at finally hearing confirmation of what many in the 4th Division had long suspected. She�d bowed to Aizen�s demands to save her subordinates. The knowledge made his guts churn with shame and anger, which only grew greater when she went on to explain her reasoning.

�I will not permit my Division to be purged, like so many others. You know, as well as I that the few Divisions that remain cannot keep up with the damage if I allow Aizen to decimate my people. No building can stand for long if the foundation beneath it crumbles and the Soul Society is no exception. I�m sure you�ve seen the destruction that has taken place in the Living World. How much worse would it be if those who support the konso and combat units were put to death?�

It wasn�t the understanding of what his Taichou had given up that got to Yasochika as much as the hopelessness he could hear in her voice. She�d been pinned in place like a butterfly to a board, not only by Aizen but by the overarching task with which each Shinigami was charged upon entering the Gotei 13: protect the balance, at all costs, even one�s own life. The blonde healer felt his guilt double at the realization that he was one of the things that had kept his formidable Taichou trapped.

�I see.�

Yoruichi�s posture took on the air of one who was ready to throw in the towel.

�We should do it.�

It took him a few seconds before he recognized his own voice, not quite believing he�d just suggested such a thing. Unohana�s head turned sharply, surprised he�d spoken. Taking a deep breath and hoping what he had to say could resolve the mess her admission had made of his insides, Iemura Yasochika squared his shoulders and kept talking.

�We should help them, Taichou. We are healers and it�s our duty to see to the wounded and the ill and keep this place running smoothly. You�re right, in that we�re the Seireitei�s support system and that if we don�t do our jobs no one else can do theirs.�

He was probably going to be demoted for saying something as outrageous as this to her. However, his pride, as both a Shinigami and as a man with a mission to convince his Taichou to join them, dictated that he keep going, no matter what she might choose to do with him afterwards.

�However, I can assure you that every last one of us would be willing to lay down our lives, to repay everything you�ve done for us over the last fifteen years. You�ve shouldered this burden long enough. It�s time to let us free you.�

�Iemura,� Unohana breathed and if nothing else he thought he could take some satisfaction in the knowledge he�d finally thrown his unflappable superior for a loop, though she didn�t seem swayed by what he�d told her. �We�re talking about the lives of everyone in this Division! We�re bogged down as it is, plus, we have a ridiculous number of pregnant women carrying hybrid children on our hands. They�ve popped up like daisies after a spring rain!� she added, her patience finally gone.

�In for a penny, in for a pound,� he thought and folded his arms across his chest, mostly to hide how badly his hands were shaking. What he didn�t want was for the adrenaline rush he was currently experiencing to affect Sung Sun, so he steeled himself the way he would before a particularly tricky operation and prepared to deliver his conclusion.

�Precisely. It�s because of whom we are that we can make or break this plan. No other Division can do what we can, or has access to the places we do. We are indispensable and you, and Aizen, know it.�

�The Swarm has agreed to attack with us,� Yoruichi spoke up, drawing yet another flabbergasted look from Unohana. Her gaze shifted to the cat and Yasochika took the opportunity to keep his knees and his back straight, lest he fall over from the ordeal of standing up to his Taichou. �I doubt Aizen would risk destroying the medical Division once the invasion attempts resume, but that�s beside the point. We don�t want your people to fight.�

�Then what, pray tell, do you want us to do?�

�We want you to act as border collies for the pregnant Shinigami and Arrancar, keeping them and their mates confined here if possible. We�d also like you to send your Claimed officers who aren�t expecting children as far afield as possible, to keep them out of the way and prevent them from coming to Aizen�s aid, along with their Masters or Mistresses.�

Yoruichi snorted before continuing.

�From what I understand, those with pregnant mates won�t stray from their sides if there is even a HINT of a threat. When the Swarm invades, and if they receive no orders from Aizen, they will happily remain here where you and Harribel can keep an eye on them until after we succeed. If we do fail, at least you will have an excuse to have kept them all here in the safety of your Division while the Swarm runs rampant and Soi Fon�s �little distractions� run amok.�

�Distractions? Soi Fon? That woman shouldn�t be doing anything strenuous yet��

�Try telling her that. Good luck with that, by the way,� Yoruichi groused and Iemura thought that maybe he ought to step in and save their attempt to recruit his Taichou before it fizzled.

�We can help with that as well. I�d like your permission to access the sewers, Taichou. Our Division knows those underground paths like no one else.�

�The Science and Research Division members monitor those tunnels and systems.�

�Not for long.�

Despite his nervousness, Iemura met her gaze evenly, not backing down and refusing to give up. He hadn�t been lying. Every last one of her people would sacrifice themselves for her if it meant doing so would free her from the invisible chains Aizen used to keep her captive. He also knew his Taichou. Now that she knew of the attack, and despite her fears of retaliation, she would ensure that every pregnant and vulnerable female was within her Division�s walls on the day of the raid, to protect them.

The clock on the office wall ticked steadily as Unohana�s eyes went back and forth between himself and Yoruichi. He knew she was weighing her options and assessing the risks of committing the lives of the people she�d been sworn to lead against doing nothing. It made a certain amount of sense to her Fukutaichou, that she would weigh the costs before deciding what she would do.

�First, do no harm�� he remembered, thinking back to the oath that all of the healers who operated under this woman had to swear. Yasochika felt a few beads of sweat trickle from his temple to disappear below the collar of his kosode, until she placed her elbows on her desk. Lacing her fingers together, she drew her hands into a position he�d only seen on prayerful carvings of saints and rested her chin upon them.

�Tell me what you plan to do and how you intend to use the 4th Division,� she finally sighed, resigned to listening to them, if nothing else, �and don�t think that I won�t speak to you later about your involvement with this, Iemura-Fukutaichou.�

He wasn�t sure whether he ought to feel elated, grimly satisfied or frightened out of his wits, but at that point, he knew they�d made enough of a case to get her to consider taking action. Yoruichi gave her the condensed version of the same story the others had given him last night, and by the end of it, Yasochika could see a glimmer of hope in her eyes. He also swore he saw a brief flash of something unspeakably bloodthirsty, an undercurrent to her posture and her expression that sent a shiver of horror down his spine when Yoruichi announced Szayel had discovered how to destroy the Hogyoku

That, more than anything else, secured Unohana�s full assistance. Without the Hogyoku, Yasochika would bet every last yen he�d managed to scrape together over the last decade that Unohana would have no trouble dissecting her so-called �husband�� especially if she made full use of the two swords he knew she kept under lock and key beneath a loose floorboard in her office. Minazuki was a blade meant for healing. The ones she�d stored away, reminders of a not-so-distant grisly past, were not.

�Very well. At least you abandoned the idea of persuading my people to drug my patients.� She favoured them both with a menacing glare and Iemura immediately denied that he�d ever considered such a thing, until he realized her words were meant entirely for Yoruichi.

Then she stood up and walked to one of the two windows in her office, turning her back on the cat and her Fukutaichou. �However, I will speak to my Division before the assault. I will not have anyone here that does not want to be a part of this, if there is the slightest chance Aizen will spare them should your plan fall apart. I will find errands for my top officers, to keep their Masters from suspecting anything. In return, I expect something from you, Yoruichi.�

�Name it!� the noblewoman all but exclaimed and Unohana clasped her hands behind her back.

�If the Swarm is in on this, as you say, I want them to leave off attacking the 4th Division, its grounds and my people. In addition, they are to leave anyone wearing a green sash alone. Are we clear, Shihoin Yoruichi?�

�Crystal. I�ll inform the General in charge of the operation of your terms.�

�You won�t be disappointed Taichou,� Iemura told her and immediately snapped his mouth shut when she gave him a hard look that promised a thorough grilling at a later date. Thankfully, he had one more stop to make and could postpone telling her how he�d ended up roped into helping the Escapees and the rebels.

�There is one more thing we need to know, Unohana-Taichou, before I head to my next appointment,� Yoruichi said quietly. �You�re the only one who can give us the information.�

The dark-haired Shinigami pressed her fingertips against her forehead, but nodded.

�What would that be?�

�Is Aizen holding Karin in the Royal Suite, and if so, what sort of condition is she in?�

Unohana�s face fell, putting both of her visitors on guard, but she responded honestly, even if he truly hadn�t wanted to know the ugly answer. Yoruichi slumped, her worry and unhappiness at the revelation evident, but in the end thanked Unohana for the news before crawling back into Iemura�s empty medical kit. His Taichou handed him a stack of reports that �had to get to the Science Division as soon as possible.� Taking his sanctioned excuse for a quick visit to Szayel�s people, he bowed deeply, turned on his heel and left the office to deliver his �packages�.

Once he�d done that, he needed to revise the sewer�s cleaning schedule, to ensure that the grates covering a few of the larger egress points to the system were loosened. It would mean more work for his Division later on, but what was a few days swabbing out the ducts when it meant their freedom?

Tsubokura Rin was, by any definition, nothing special. Like many others, he was a member of the former 12th Division and thus qualified as a Shinigami. He had a forgettable face, a body that observers might charitably describe as �scrawny� and the only things that feared him were the live cultures growing in the sample dishes in Laboratory 15� and then only if he had a bottle of disinfectant with him. He�d been cursed with klutziness and a rampant sweet tooth, but those seemed to be the only memorable things about him.

He was well beneath almost everyone�s notice� with one exception.

Abarai Renji was not someone who forgot people, especially people he considered underdogs. Yoruichi considered it a case of �like remembering like.� Therefore, when asked who he would choose from among Szayel�s Division to approach, he�d dredged up Rin�s name. The boy was surprisingly loyal to Szayel and despite what they�d done to terrify Rin during infrequent sessions of babysitting, he adored the Espada�s twins. He was not a seated officer either, so there was no need to worry about a �Master� interrogating him.

In short, he was exactly the sort of person Yoruichi needed to carry out the next phase of the plan, which was just as well, as she was quickly running out of daylight and time. She had places to be and things to do in the Living World and those, like these, could not wait.

For someone who had all the charisma of a potted plant, Rin wasn�t hard to find. She discovered him conveniently sitting at the receptionist�s desk, an expression of boredom plastered on his face as he stared at an empty waiting room. When Iemura handed Unohana�s papers over to him, she snuck out of the bag he carried, dropped to the floor unnoticed and found a hiding place, to wait for an opportune moment to approach her quarry. If the information she�d received from Renji was accurate, the youth ought to be finishing up his shift soon.

Sure enough, after roughly fifteen minutes, a young woman with green eyes behind a pair of glasses, chain-wrapped pigtails and a lab coat approached. Yoruichi assumed she was his replacement for the second shift. Rin immediately stood up and bowed.

�Anything to report Rin-kun?� she asked politely, sliding around him and taking up the seat he�d just vacated. There was just a hint of affection to her voice, which told Yoruichi that the two were at least on good terms. Rin pulled a face and scratched the back of his neck.

�No, Tanaka-san. Without Szayel-sama and Nemu-sama, it�s been pretty quiet,� he glumly reported. �Most of the pregnant women are being diverted to the 4th Division, instead of coming here. Iemura-Fukutaichou just showed up to drop off some reports for our 3rd Seat, but that�s been it for the last four hours.�

�Tell me about it,� the woman groaned, eyeing the stack of papers on the desk. �This place is so dead these days! I miss little Vindula-chan running in with bouquets of flowers, with Abarai in pursuit. It�s just not that lively without the children underfoot.�

That lament made both Division members smile sadly at one another, until Rin bit his lip and lowered his voice. From her hiding spot, Yoruichi had to strain to hear him. His hesitant question told her that this might just be a conversation worth overhearing.

�Ano� Saeki-chan, have you seen either of them?�

�Just Abisara-kun,� she said and shook her head. �He was by earlier to grab some parts for the machines they moved over to the 4th Division�s exam rooms a few days ago.�

�How was he?� Rin asked softly, concern for Szayel�s son in his youthful voice.

�Depressed,� the woman immediately replied, �and I don�t blame him a bit. Poor kid�s too young for any of this.�

The new arrival looked about the lobby to make sure they were alone before leaning forward. Rin did the same, until they were nearly nose-to-nose. Saeki, if Yoruichi had heard her name correctly, began to whisper.

�Look Rin, none of us like this. Szayel-sama was good to us. Sure, he was eccentric and fussy about his clothes and maybe he was a little crazy to boot, but he was nothing like Kurotsuchi! I mean, when was the last time any of us were strapped to a table, hmm? There have been far fewer dissections since he took over, and no one�s been made into a bomb in a long time.�

Yoruichi decided that when she got back, she was going to have to have a chat with Szayel concerning his staff and the incredibly low expectations they seemed to have when it came to leadership. If she�d been in her two-legged form, the technician�s words would have turned her face a vivid shade of green at the idea of experimenting on one�s own subordinates. Saeki certainly didn�t seem to hold any nostalgia for her old Taichou.

�You remember what it was like! I once saw Nemu-chan in one of the labs, trying to patch her body up after� whatever it was that Kurotsuchi had done. It wasn�t until Szayel-sama showed up that she started smiling� really smiling, I mean. Between you and me, Rin-kun, if I�m on duty and I do see them trying to sneak back in through one of the Senkaimon, I might just forget to report it.�

Rin looked at her in surprise, tempered with a great deal of fear.

�Kami goes over all of logs and data we generate, every day. He looks at the records! How would you hide something like that? He�s watching everything we do, like a hawk with an extra set of eyes!� the youth exclaimed. His replacement for the evening made a face and regarded Rin solemnly.

�It wouldn�t be easy, but it�s not impossible. The upper level officers aren�t paying any more attention than they have to right now, or they�re like our 5th Seat, Hiyosu, wandering around in a daze and going on and on about �so that�s what all the fuss is about,� Ugh. You should see poor Akeal-kun!�

�I already have,� Rin said dejectedly. �I think the female Arrancar that Claimed him did something to him. He�s been wearing that creepy smile for the last week and today I heard he checked out a set of electrodes and clamps� to take to her den.�

Both of the Shinigami shuddered and Yoruichi prayed that Rin would stop right there. Saeki made a face that showed pity, whether for their 3rd Seat or the Arrancar who had picked him the cat wasn�t certain.

�We all want things to go back to the way they were. Personally, I wouldn�t mind it if Szayel-sama or Nemu-san managed to commandeer a Senkaimon��

She reached up and pushed her glasses back up to the bridge of her nose, from having fallen forward when she�d leaned towards Rin, expressing her frustration.

��and I know that goes for the rest of the rank and file too.�

�And that,� the cat decided, �is my cue.�

�I�m glad to hear that Grantz-san has your stamp of approval!�

Yoruichi watched two very startled Shinigami almost jump out of their skins, before scrambling to face her� or rather, face the direction from which her voice came. Neither one seemed to realize the inky-coloured ball of fur, sitting in the shadow cast by one of the waiting room chairs, had been the one to speak. After watching them flail about, searching for someone taller and bipedal, the noblewoman sighed.

�Over here,� Yoruichi called and shifted. The movement helped them find her location and two pairs of eyes grew wide as she leapt up onto the reception desk. While the young woman seemed to fumble about for something intelligent to say in the presence of a talking cat, Rin cleared his throat and began to twist the hem of his lab coat in his hands.

�Oh, Yoruichi-san,� he gasped, once he figured out her identity and goggled over the fact he had one of the �most wanted criminals� in the Seireitei only a foot away from his face.

The suddenly-nervous girl bowed deeply once she managed to find her voice. �Why are you here? Isn�t it a little dangerous for you to be walking around a Division with so much monitoring equipment?�

�I�m here because Abarai Renji told me that you, Rin, were the one I needed to find,� she replied in a rough, yet amused voice. �As for your cameras, I trust you�ll be able to edit the footage. That should be child�s play for you scientific sorts!�

The young man blushed at having been singled out by someone he considered a superior and seemed oddly pleased, which she hoped would work in her favour. She needed their help, maybe more than she�d needed Unohana�s support.

�You�ve come from Szayel-sama? Does he have any messages for us?� Saeki whispered, trying not to bounce in her seat as she asked this. �We thought they might have joined you� but we didn�t know��

�Yes,� Yoruichi confirmed and she could just imagine the shrill, unspoken �SQUEE!� going on in the technician�s brain. She decided that her luck today had been more than adequate, since it had delivered not one, but two willing accomplices into her grasp.

�What does Szayel-sama need us to do?� Rin demanded, and then clapped his hands over his mouth when he realized that he�d spoken a bit louder than was safe. �We�ll do anything to get the boss back!�

�Can you get someone else to handle this desk?� she asked and the bespectacled woman nodded. She proceeded to tap out a code on a few buttons and spoke quickly into the intercom, summoning a third person to take over for her. A few minutes later, a wrung-out, harried-looking member of Szayel�s nerd squad stalked through the double doors. He brought with him an air of desperation and the smell of someone who had consumed too much break room coffee in an effort to stay awake and productive.

�What is it, Saeki-chan? Don�t you know I�m in the middle of doing something?�

He was taller than Rin and glowered at the two hunched over the reception desk.

�This is more important, Tsuna-kun� the woman interjected before the sleep-deprived man could lay into Rin as well.

�What could possibly be more important than trying to find out what Aizen did to Szayel-sama and Nemu-sama?� he growled and folded his arms across his chest, dialling up his grumpiness.

Yoruichi had to hand it to Saeki... she wasn�t easily intimidated. Neither was Rin, who straightened and glared right back at the man.

�Taking orders from them,� the boy snapped, pointing his finger straight at the other�s nose. Shock scampered like a rabbit let out of a trap, right across the man�s face, followed quickly by excitement.

�Wait� what? We have orders?�

The researcher�s demeanour turned completely around when he heard this and then reached over to grab Rin by both arms. The little Shinigami squeaked. Saeki rolled up the first twelve sheets of paperwork on the desk and used them to whack the man she�d just summoned on the back of the head. He dropped Rin, who barely managed to stay on his feet.

�Yes. Can you watch the desk while we implement them?�

�Ow! How do you know they really come from Szayel-sama?�

Rin and Saeki looked at one another and then at the shadow where Yoruichi had retreated. The boy cleared his throat and began the time-honoured ritual of pleading.

�We know. Please trust us, Tsuna-san. Tanaka-san will be back when we�re finished.�

The second reason as to why Renji had recommended the boy became immediately apparent: Rin�s big, wobbly eyes and his air of untarnished innocence were a sight to behold. It also had an immediate effect on Tsuna. Muttering something to Rin about �need to put a lid on that shit before you he hurt someone with it, or end up engaged,� the larger Shinigami strode around to the back of the desk and sat down.

�Fine, do what you have to do. I�ll try to think of an excuse as to why I�m here and not at my station.�

�Thanks, Tsuna-kun!� Rin beamed, grabbed Saeki�s arm and fled into the bowels of the Science Division. Yoruichi counted a few seconds and followed them, her small body sliding through the doors on the two Shinigami�s heels.

Taken as a whole, the responses of all three impressed her. Szayel hadn�t been exaggerating when he said he had won over Kurotsuchi�s people. In fact, as they made a beeline for the Senkaimon control room, Saeki was all too pleased to inform her that the entire Division, minus those officers now Claimed thanks to Aizen�s last minute addendum to the law, had been working tirelessly to try and find out what had happened to their leaders. The officers, while knowing about their subordinate�s frantic search, had voluntarily stepped away on the assumption that they couldn�t reveal what they didn�t know to their new Masters. Instead, they�d buried themselves in other things, partly to throw off any inquiries and partly to make it look as if the Science Division was up to its eyebrows in work. No one who served under Szayel had believed Aizen�s story about a betrayal on the Espada�s part and being the intellectuals they were, had attempted to sniff out the truth.

Mayuri, for all his brilliance, had never managed to earn this much loyalty from his underlings without resorting to fear. Yoruichi could see the difference between the two scientists based on their sense of aesthetics alone. While leaving most of the utilitarian features intact, Szayel had done away with the dark, moody atmosphere Kurotsuchi had favoured and those changes had included a transformation in the staff�s outlook.

Descending several levels below the main dome, the two small Shinigami and the cat eventually arrived at the central Senkaimon screening room, where at least a dozen men and women monitored the comings and goings of various teams of Shinigami to and from the Living World. Others were keeping tabs on the stability of the paths through the Dangai. As she watched them move to shore up weak spots in the passageways and track the Cleaner as it made its way through the Dangai, Yoruichi considered heaping an extra helping of praise on Hachi when she got back. The man had created a Kido spell that effectively did the work of everyone in this room, albeit for a limited time and for one person only, the fruits of which would culminate this evening.

Now, if only she could ensure no violence erupted during the proceedings�

�Attention everyone,� Rin called out, his voice cutting through the workaday murmur that filled the room. The bustle immediately died as all eyes in the room turned his way and just like that, the youth�s confidence disappeared, leaving him stammering nervously in front of his peers.

�I� um� ah��

Sighing, Yoruichi leaped up from behind Saeki�s hakama to land on top of one of the computer consoles and got to the point as quickly as she could.

�Look, I have a wedding at which I need to appear tonight and I don�t want to be late. Doing so is bad form, so pipe down and listen up. I have orders from Szayel Apporo Grantz that need to be carried out with precision, and he informed me that you lot were the ones that would do it properly.�

Her announcement had the effect of touching two live wires together, and her audience as one shuffled forward in one lab coat-wearing mass to hear what she had to say. She found it a bit unnerving.

�Are Szayel-sama and Nemu- sama alright?�

�Where are they? What happened?�

�Tell us everything!�

�Why is that cat talking?�

�That�s Shihoin Yoruichi, you idiot! Shut up and listen to her!�

Was this really the same Division that Kisuke founded all those years ago? It seemed strange to her that an Arrancar had proven to be the best leader this motley collection of data jockeys and geeks had ever known. They might even be more loyal to Szayel than Kisuke�s handful of subordinates had been to him, though she�d never really know the extent of that. Aizen had cut Kisuke�s time as a Taichou tragically short. This crew looked as if they would fight their way through the old 11th Division to help the Espada, his mate and their children.

She quickly outlined what they needed to do, gave them the necessary coordinates and thanked her stars that they let her speak without interruption. The only questions asked were pertinent things required for the operation, at least until she�d conveyed Szayel�s instructions.

She�d abandoned the console as soon as she�d finished addressing Szayel�s minions, and rejoined Rin. Fortune had truly smiled on her today, since Tanaka Saeki turned out to be the Shinigami that Aizen had pulled aside and put in charge of locking down the Seireitei to Garganta travel once he�d returned from the north. Yoruichi couldn�t help grinning when the young woman casually commented that it might be in �Szayel-sama�s best interests� if that particular system were to �reboot itself� at precisely the wrong time� for Aizen.� While their initial plans hadn�t called for the use of a Garganta, it would serve as a backup in case something went wrong with the Senkaimon. She�d also told them to leave off recording anything via the cameras set up in the sewer system, and to shut down all of the sensors there for a few days.

No one bothered to ask why, such was their trust in the absent Espada. The noblewoman swore that if she had commanded such devotion when she had been in charge of the Onmitsukidō, she never would have had to flee with Kisuke in the first place. It was a surprisingly bitter observation to have in the midst of securing the last piece they needed to succeed in the coming days.

�Ano� Yoruichi-sama? If it�s not too much trouble� can I ask you something?�

As the other scientists set to work programming and discussing the best way to carry out their orders undetected, Yoruichi realized the young man next to her had spoken. She also knew she didn�t have much time to get to her embarkation point, and hoped that every one of Szayel�s people remembered what they were supposed to do and when. Many people�s lives would depend on them performing as Szayel had promised.

�What is it Rin?� Yoruichi inquired, ready to leave them to handle this last, necessary thing.

�You� ah� you said �wedding.� Who�s getting married?�

�Abarai Renji and Nel are officially tying the knot tonight, if everything goes the way it ought to go,� she announced, twitching her whiskers in amusement, �and if the priest does what we paid him to do.�

That�s how she learned that the Science and Research Division�s geeks could multi-task on more levels than she�d initially thought. Evidently, they�d perfected the art of eavesdropping while coding and modifying reports. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she was taken aback by a loud round of enthusiastic cheers and exclamations of �Congratulations!�, �Kampai!� and �Atta boy, Abarai.�

She also wondered if Szayel knew his people were in the habit of stashing booze in odd places. One of the technicians reached into a cupboard with a �hazardous materials� warning stencilled on the front and pulled out several ceramic containers labelled �sake� and some clean glass beakers to pass around.

At least, she hoped it was sake. Considering where she was, she decided that she didn�t want to know what was in the bottles they were using to toast the good fortune of their former cleaning boy and moving grunt. In her experience, sake didn�t have a chartreuse hue. It also didn�t bubble.

Then Rin, who had paused in bringing his beaker to his lips after the tech next to him passed him the cup, looked down at her with a puzzled frown.

�Uh, Yoruichi-sama...�

�What, Rin?�

�Who�s �Nel�?�

Thank you to those who took the time to review, but especially thank you to Scorpinac and Aviari for your congratulations. I suppose it just goes to show how many people actually read the author notes. In fact, you two are the only two to offer it.

Two things:

One: as mentioned this chapter, Renji and Nel well be having a wedding, written by Blackfox, so look out for that to be posted as a separate short story. I believe she will be entitling it Kitsune Wedding, probably with Prize of Victory mentioned in there somewhere.

Two: all is looking good story wise, so expect the next update, should all go well, to be on Saturday for the start of what I am calling �The Day Before Tomorrow� chapters, where one will be posted every day all week, but only for that week. After those we launch into the final battle.
- 81
- 82
- 83
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

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