Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > Het - Male/Female Views: 87207 -:- Recommendations : 8 -:- Currently Reading : 8
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make profit from this snippet

Chapter List
- 87
- 88
- 89
When One Sees Too Much

Jushiro was feeling infinitely better. The new treatment regimen for his tuberculosis that Karin and Unohana had given him seemed to be working. The only downside was that his reiatsu was slow to recover. Physically he was more or less okay, but he continued to tire easily.

Aizen had declared he was fit enough to return to work and so return to work he did, sending Karin back to Nanao, although she had left a match schedule for him. Honestly, the thought of inter-division soccer games as a form of friendly competition and training was still a somewhat baffling thought. Morale among his Division members, however, was at an all-time high since their defeat.

Jushiro shook the thought aside and continued on his way, nodding to his subordinates as they bowed and expressed how happy they were that he was back and feeling better. He returned their smiles and greetings, doing his best not to let his weariness show through.

�It is a beautiful day outside, neh, Byakuya?� he greeted as he entered their shared office.

Aizen had been kind enough to let him keep Byakuya for now, until he could make a full recovery, and the resulting easing of his workload was greatly appreciated.

However, all appreciation was forgotten when he noticed the noble barely nodded his head in agreement and clearly had trouble sitting. He also wore one of the many too- feminine kimonos today with his hair down to conceal most of his face. His hands shook so slightly that had Jushiro not been so familiar with Byakuya�s flawless script he might not have noticed the fact they trembled at all.

�Byakuya-san?� Jushiro asked, concerned now.

�I am fine� he held up the pre-made sign with its message.

Jushiro closed the door completely and walked up to him. Byakuya continued to pretend to ignore him and didn�t stop working until Jushiro grabbed his chin and forced his head up before brushing some of the long, silken, black strands away from his face, revealing the noticeably finger-shaped discolorations along the back and sides of his neck.

His frown deepening, he pulled the back of the collar of the kimono out a bit and looked down the younger man�s back, noticing more bruises and small cuts adorning his back. Jushiro transferred his attention to his subordinate�s hands, grapping one of Byakuya�s wrists and pulling back the sleeves of the kimono to reveal both forearms matched his neck, bruise for purple bruise.

Jushiro let out a sharp breath as he considered the damage he had seen and the other likely additional injuries hidden beneath the layers of Byakuya�s kimono. Byakuya took his hands back, and averted his eyes as he picked up his brush and tried to return to the papers on his desk.

�This needs to stop,� Jushiro sighed.

This was hardly the first time Byakuya had come into the office after a beating from his so-called �master�. It tore him up to see the man he had known as a hyper young boy chasing after Yoruichi being treated like this.

Byakuya let out a sigh of resignation before pulling over an empty piece of paper.

�You and I both know that there is nothing that can be done but to endure,� Byakuya wrote out slowly. �I will not have the brute running free and destroying my family and home. If a little pain is all that is needed to keep my honour, then so be it.�

Jushiro shook his head, but reluctantly conceded that Byakuya was right. There really was nothing that could be done short of planning Yammy�s death, but even that they both understood was risky. As a former Taichou, Byakuya had to be Claimed to continue living. There was no guarantee a new Master would be any better than Yammy. Even if he could convince Starrk to accept the young man, his own �Master� was already at his limit as far as allowed Claims went.

As much as it pained him to do so, Jushiro left Byakuya alone and walked over to his own desk, pulling over the first piece of paper to begin his own work. After a moment, the sound of Byakuya�s brush running over the paper whispered in the room.

They worked in silence, but the noble�s situation continually worked its way back into his mind during the remainder of the day. He tried to think of any possible way he could help, anything at all that he could do or at least something he could set into motion to help the man.

In reality, there was depressingly little he could do, and from what he knew of the Kuchiki family and all Great Noble Families actually, he doubted Byakuya got much in the way of assistance from his kin.

He doubted he could talk to Yammy about being nicer. From what he knew of the Espada it would just make the situation worse. It was already lunchtime when he realized he hadn�t completed a single form, his mind lost in turmoil.

He came back to the present when Byakuya rose slowly to his feet. It was clear only to those that knew him that the other was in deep pain. But Byakuya didn�t even let out a whimper as he finished standing. He nodded to Jushiro, and then left, presumably leaving to get something to eat.

�Kami, this is painful. But what can I do? What can anyone do?� he tried to rationalize the situation with himself, with little success. �We knew losing the war was going to be costly, but did any of us truly understand how costly it was going to be? If we had, would we have fought harder? Could we have fought harder?� he wondered despairingly.

It was unlikely. Everyone had given it their all but Aizen had simply been too powerful, too well-prepared to counter even their best efforts with long-planned traps and weapons of his own devising. He had known everything about them while they knew nothing about his army. They had also, perhaps, relied too much on the strength of one Substitute Shinigami. When that hadn�t worked out�

� �take-ji, your medicine!�

Jushiro nearly leaped out of his skin as he looked down in shock at the little girl holding out a steaming cup with two pills in her hand.

�Ajuga-chan?� he gasped, surprised to find her right under his nose. �Shouldn�t you be with Orihime-san?� he questioned.

�She had her baby so it�s better to stay away for a while,� Ajuga answered. �But �tsuki-neechan said that �cora-san said we could visit soon,� she giggled happily.

�That is good,� he smiled at her.

She returned it briefly before a look of sadness crossed her face and she looked off in the direction Byakuya had retreated.

�Ajuga-chan?�

�He is dying,� she whispered. �Bya-san smells like blood and pain.�

He stared at her in shock. Her observation was too good, too precise and too deep for such a young child. She turned vivid blue, watery eyes up to him.

�Yammy no baka is killing him,� she hissed, nearly spitting out the other Arrancar�s name. �It hurts,� she complained. �Bya-san is so nice. He lets me play and hunt in his garden and sleep in his lap when I am tired. I don�t like seeing him hurt!�

�I don�t either,� he agreed softly, reaching out to ruffle her dark hair a little.

They sat in silence for several minutes until Ajuga broke it.

�You need to eat and drink, �take-ji,� Ajuga reminded him. �I don�t want to see you get sick again.�

�Oh!� He drank his medicine and took the pills under Ajuga�s scrutinizing gaze. When he was done she took the cup and smiled up at him.

�I got to get home. Lily-chan said she would spar with me. Come home safe, �take-ji,� Ajuga ordered.

�I will,� he assured her.

Byakuya returned after half-an-hour. The rest of the day passed in silence as they two of them finished up their respective paperwork. Jushiro sighed as he picked up the small stack that needed to be brought to the 1st Division.

Normally Byakuya would be the one to drop it off, using the longer walk as an excuse to delay returning home, but honestly Jushiro could tell the other was suffering from sitting all day behind a desk with his wounds.

�I�ll deliver them. You get some rest,� he ordered.

The other didn�t seem too pleased about being sent home so early, and Jushiro didn�t blame him.

�Ajuga-chan stopped by earlier. She said she missed you. Perhaps you could swing by on your way home to visit her,� he offered.

The suggestion seemed to take Byakuya by surprise, but he didn�t miss the nod of gratitude as they went their separate ways. He was most of the way to the 1st Division when he spotted Aizen just leaving. Apparently he was spotted as well for Aizen turned a soft smile his way and greeted him.

�Jushiro.�

�Aizen-Kami,� he offered the other a deep bow.

�Ah, the Division papers, I presume.�

�Hai,� he handed them over.

�Walk with me while I go over these,� Aizen requested.

�As you wish, Aizen-Kami,�

Jushiro fell into step beside him as they walked leisurely towards the palace.

�You appear to be recovering nicely,� Aizen commented. �Physically, at least, I sense your reiatsu is still debilitated.�

�Hai,� he agreed. �Unohana-san says it might be a side effect from the drugs they have me on, but she determined it is worth it because there are obvious signs of my tuberculosis weakening.�

�That is a pleasant thing to hear. You have been affected by that particular ailment for as long as I can recall,� he noted.

�I�ve had the illness since I was a child,� he admitted reluctantly.

They walked in silence for several minutes as Aizen flipped through the pages of the reports, given each a quick glance. While Jushiro was not opposed to long stretches of silence, this one made him uncomfortable, especially when Aizen paused to scrutinize several of the pages with a slight frown.

Jushiro knew the information was right, and he had made sure to look at each one before coming to hand them in, but something clearly had Aizen�s attention. He couldn�t tell, however, if the other was displeased or merely curious.

They arrived at the front gates of the palace and he hesitated, staring up at the beautifully crafted building of white walls and red tiled roofs. He had never been in the palace before and he felt his apprehension rise a bit.

The guards greeted them with a bow and a murmured, �welcome home, Kami-sama� as they passed through the gates. Aizen returned their greetings with a warm smile and a pleasant greeting of his own.

�My office is this way. Come,� Aizen ordered.

He followed Aizen into a beautifully done up office, tastefully decorated with several different doors opened to view various styles of gardens. A pot of tea and some snacks were waiting on the desk.

�Tell me, how well did Karin-chan do running your Division?� he asked, kneeling on the cushion behind the desk and indicating for Jushiro to do the same.

�She had some problems with the administrative stuff, but seemed to be fine coordinating the troops,� he answered as he also kneeled on one of the cushions across from Aizen. �She has little to no formal training, so it is hardly a surprise.�

�Continue,� Aizen bade when he paused.

�She was a quick study from what I heard from my seated officers. Apparently she spent a large amount of time with Byakuya-san learning what was required while trusting my seated officers to do their jobs. She also checked up on them and learned what she could from them,� he answered honestly. �I believe she did better than expected.�

�Her request to �borrow Byakuya� was rather amusing. I am pleased she took full and appropriate use of the situation. I honestly expected her to dump the paperwork off on him, but a surprising number of the reports have come to me with her scrawl on them. She is an intriguing young woman,� Aizen noted, taking a sip of tea.

Jushiro could only nod in agreement.

�Byakuya is still working with you, is he not?� Aizen suddenly asked.

�Hai. He has been invaluable as an assistant since my Division is still short several seated officers, including a Fukutaichou. The 1^st and 5^th are the only two divisions right now with both top officers,� he noted.

Of course Aizen was aware of such details. He knew everything that went on within the Divisions. Aizen let a slight frown touch his lips as he pulled out a few of the forms and handed them over.

�This does not appear to be his writing.�

Jushiro took one of the forms and looked at it. It was still done in nice kanji but Aizen was right. The writing was hardly the firm and beautiful art that Byakuya was known for. Aizen, having been the former head of the Calligraphy Club, was well acquainted with Byakuya�s fluid style.

�I find it hard to believe that he would hand in anything that was less than perfect. It is not in his nature.�

Jushiro bit back the harsh words he wanted to say about how Aizen could know anything about any of them anymore. Most of them have suffered greatly since their defeat.

�He was injured today,� Jushiro forced himself to say this calmly.

�Injured?� Aizen scoffed. �I find that hard to believe. These bugs,� he said the word loathingly, �would hardly be a challenge for someone of Byakuya�s strength��

�It was Yammy who did it to him,� Jushiro snapped. �Every day he comes into the office covered in new and old bruises and cuts. Today he could barely sit and if nothing is done soon�� Jushiro trailed off, realizing he had stepped considerably over his bounds.

�I can�t stand to see him, or anyone, hurt like this. Day after day of endless pain and humiliation. Please, do something, anything to stop this needless torture�� he almost shouted. �We lost, we know that, but do we need to be constantly reminded of that loss when there are more important threats surrounding us?� he finished with a whisper.

The room was filled with a tense silence as he waited for the inevitable reaction his minor outburst was sure to bring about. Aizen did not like being talked to in such a disrespectful manor, but at least he felt slightly better for getting it off of his chest.

�You have been stressed lately, with your illness and running a Division,� Aizen finally said. �Come with me.�

Aizen stood up and Jushiro followed him. They walked through the halls and came out into a rather stunning garden.

�What do you think?� Aizen asked.

�It is beautiful,� he admitted truthfully with perhaps a touch of awe.

�It is my wife�s. For all of his faults, Gin does an impressive job maintaining it.�

The walked in silence until they reached the centre and Aizen turned to face him.

�Sometimes I think I have let you run too free, Jushiro. I must admit your words often hold invaluable and timely wisdom and as such I have been gentle with you in my reminders as to who is in charge, but I am beginning to think that perhaps I was too gentle and you now believe you are above reproach.�

�My apologies,� he bowed, clenching his hands tightly. �It was not my intent to question you.�

�Yes, I know. Your compassion for others is one of the many things I admire about you. It is simply in your nature to leap to the defence of those in need. I will do something now to ease your own sorrow.�

�there was a flash of light...

�I will give you less to see so that you may no longer be tormented with the sight of others� suffering.�

�followed by blinding agony as blood sprayed from his face.

Jushiro cried out in anguish and collapsed to his knees, clutching his face as blood flowed freely from the horizontal slash going across his eyes. The blood gushed through his fingers in a stream of red and pooled on the ground before him.

�What is going on?� he heard Unohana ask from the entrance to the garden.

�Nothing more than a lesson, my dear,� Aizen answered, walking away and past his wife. �I will see you shortly.�

Unohana was by his side in an instant.

�Jushiro, let me see,� she ordered, trying to pry his hands from his face.

Everything was a sea of red and black and pain.

�Gin!� she shouted, no longer trying to keep the fear and urgency out of her voice.

Jushiro reeled with the force of the blow that caused the wound and it was hard to maintain concentration and resist going into shock.

Gin arrived at Unohana�s frantic call to see her kneeling next to a white lump. Rushing to her side he was shocked to see the white lump was a whimpering Jushiro clutching his face with a large amount of blood dripping from his hands and already pooled on the grass.

�Wha� happened?� he demanded, taking the injured man�s other side.

�It looks like Aizen slashed his eyes out,� she responded in a horrified voice.

She ripped a section of her uniform off and got Gin to restrain Jushiro�s hands away from his face so she could wrap the binding tightly around his eyes. It was quickly soaked through with blood.

�We need to get him to the 4th now,� she ordered, picking him up.

�I�ll take �im,� Gin offered, holding his arms out to relieve her of the burden.

�He needs immediate medical attention,� she pointed out and then fell silent as Gin gave her a look that quelled any protest.

�If you are not in Kami-sama�s bed in four minutes, then tha� situation will get worse for all of us. You an� I both know that we cannot treat this anyway. It was clearly a punishment an� ya know what Aizen does to those that try and fix that!� he pointed out softly but firmly.

She looked about ready to argue, but in the end a look of frustration and anguish settled on her face. She nodded her head before handing Jushiro over.

�He will know you are gone,� she pointed out.

�I know. It�s a good thing you ordered me to go, neh?� he questioned, adjusting his grip.

She nodded, than stood there and watched as Gin launched into a Shunpo, taking the fasted route he could to get to the 4th. It hurt, but she knew he was right. No one would be crazy enough to do any more than keep a compress over Jushiro�s eyes and hope for the best.

Aizen�s punishments were not to be trifled with, and the corpses of the few who had tried to circumvent his �justice� had been put on display for the entire Seireitei to see as a warning.

�At least at the 4^th the wound can be cleaned and wrapped properly,� he thought, taking what little encouragement he could find in the situation.

�Gin-san?� A familiar voice called out to him, nearly causing him to trip as his eyes darted to the caller.

Ajuga was racing his way with her mother and Hana hot on her heels. No doubt the Hollow child had caught the scent of blood and had come to investigate, bringing her mother and friend with her. When they saw the injured party their expressions changed from concerned to shocked and horrified.

�What happened?� Karin demanded sharply once the three of them reached him.

�Aizen-Kami slashed his eyes out,� Gin answered, trying to keep Ukitake upright.

�To the Research Building, now!� Karin snapped and the silver-haired man flinched at the force in her words.

�But the 4^th�� he protested.

�Will not be able or willing to do anything,� Karin quickly interrupted him. �Hurry, before he loses more blood or other fluids.�

The 4th Division or Szayel�s labs, either place was about as equally useful in this situation and Gin wasn�t going to get in a fight with her over where they took the injured man. Szayel met them at the entrance and Nemu stood ready with a stretcher.

�Do what you can,� Karin ordered.

�You do know that countering Aizen�s punishments results in a fate worse than death, right?� Szayel asked nervously.

�Then it is a good thing I am the one ordering you to do so and you have no choice in the matter,� she said firmly.

Nemu rolled the stretcher down the halls and into a room, followed in by Szayel. Karin prevented anyone else, even herself, from entering.

�Is �take-ji� going to be okay?� Hana asked worriedly.

�I don�t know,� Karin admitted softly.

�I should get back before I am missed,� Gin sighed softly.

�Thank you for bringing him here,� Karin thanked. �If you have the time, can you swing by the Estate and let the others know what is going on?�

�I think I can do that,� he agreed.

�Do you know where it is?�

�Yeah.�

Nanao was the first to arrive, Lilinette right behind her. No one really expected to see Grimmjow since Aizen had sent him out on a long-range scouting mission. He wasn�t due back for at least a week. Starrk was also away, but they expected him back later that evening. For now, Lilinette was the only part of the First Espada available and she didn�t look happy.

Time seemed to pass slowly and painfully as the two women sat beside each other on a bench in the hall with their respective daughters curled up beside them. Lilinette leaned against the wall, in a pose oddly reminiscent of Starrk, brooding and looking at the clock on the wall as if she wished she could speed up the movements of its hands.

�How long has it been?� the little Hollow asked, breaking the stifling silence that had settled around the group.

�Four hours,� Karin answered softly.

�How much longer should it be?�

Lilinette gave the clock a glare and Karin sent her a sympathetic look. Lilinette wasn�t known for her patience and this had to be a trying ordeal for her.

�I don�t know. Eyes are a complicated part of the body and the damage was pretty bad,� Karin replied.

The door to the lab opened and Szayel walked out, his uniform soaked in blood, a few other, unnameable fluids and a great deal of antiseptic. He looked completely exhausted and Karin didn�t blame him.

�Well?� Karin asked.

�I did what I could,� Szayel answered tiredly, peeling off his used surgical gloves and dropping them into a nearby metal pan. �The wound was deep. His right eye was completely destroyed, but I managed to reconstruct the left. Only time will tell if he will retain his sight.

�The wound is deeper on the right than the left. I predict he must have either tried to step back to avoid the strike, or instinctively flinched out of the way,� he reported. �Do you know why Aizen struck him like this?�

�I don�t know. It seems incredibly stupid to want to blind one of your top fighters. Granted, Jushiro-san hasn�t been able to fight much lately.� Karin said ruefully and sighed.

�Can we see him?� Lilinette asked Szayel.

�Nemu is moving him to a recovery room now. His eyes are bound and will have to remain that way for some time to let his remaining eye heal�, Szayel answered. �Any visits should be short, about five minutes at most and we shouldn�t surprise him with loud noises or sudden shocks. I want to keep his remaining eye as stable as possible, even if it is bandaged.�

Karin nodded in understanding.

�Thank you Szayel. If he does retain his sight, it will truly be a testament to your incredible skills�� she complimented him and he held up his hands in mock protest.

�Please, Karin-sama, such praise is not necessary. Perhaps in time I could construct an artificial eye, if given enough time to study the patient. Regrettably, I am rather busy as it is and we all know the other reason my hands are tied.�

�Yeah, I know. Come on, let�s go check on Jushiro-san and then get the brats some food and into bed,� Karin suggested.

�A good idea,� Nanao agreed sleepily.

Karin turned her attention to her daughter, and then blinked in surprise.

�Ajuga?� Karin called, looking about the room.

There was no sign of her daughter. Concentrating quickly, Karin spotted Ajuga�s reiatsu just leaving the building.

�Where the hell is she going?� Karin hissed.

�Hana-chan, stay here with Lilinette,� Nanao ordered as both women raced after Ajuga.

The few people they passed during their mad sprint to the entrance way were quick enough to plaster themselves to the walls before the two women could bowl them over.

Ajuga was moving at a fast pace, but fortunately was far too young and inexperienced to learn Sonido yet. Both women launched into Shunpo as soon as they were clear of the doors.

�Ajuga!!� Karin shouted as they closed in on her daughter.

Ajuga completely ignored them and kept racing on all fours across the buildings at an impressive speed.

�I�ll tie her up, you grab her,� Nanao ordered.

�Got it,� Karin agreed.

�Bakudo Yon: Hainawa,� Nanao called out, aiming for the girl.

Golden chains tangled up around Ajuga, causing the child to trip. With another burst of Shunpo, Karin snagged her daughter before she could face plant and fall off of a tiled roof.

�LET ME GO!!! HE HURT �TAKE-JI!!!� Ajuga roared, fighting and struggling violently, claws lashing at anything that tried to hold her down.

�Ajuga-chan calm down,� Karin ordered, letting out a soft cry of pain as her daughter�s claws tore into her soft human flesh.

The shock and pain caused her to lose her grip as blood started to gush down her slashed arms, and she swore both wounds went to the bone. Ajuga managed to squirm free of her grip and the binding gave way as she landed on the roof.

�I am going to hurt him for hurting �take-ji!!!� Ajuga snarled, trying to resume her mad dash to the palace. Karin forced herself to ignore the pain emanating from her shredded arms and managed to snag Ajuga again before the girl could get too far. Nanao appeared in front of them and cut off Ajuga�s primary escape route should the girl manage to free herself a second time.

�Ajuga-chan, calm down!!!� Karin shouted out the order.

Her daughter either didn�t hear her, or chose to ignore her completely. This time she was wise enough to fuse reiatsu into her arms to prevent Ajuga�s claws from cutting into them, but the damage had already been done.

�Shit, she�s gone to the bone,� she noted as she saw a flash of pale yellow amongst the muscle of her arms as Ajuga fought desperately against her.

So sharp were her daughter�s claws that their tips left thin white scrape marks on the skin not already red with her blood as she struggled to get free.

�Let go Mama!� Ajuga cried.

�Calm down!� Karin ordered again.

�LET GO!!!!!� Ajuga roared.

�NO! Stop it NOW!!�

Her thrashing legs managed to catch Karin across the chest, slashing through the meagre cloth material of her uniform and into her unprotected skin and even scratching her ribs. Karin cried out in pain as blood began to gush down her chest and she subsequently lost her grip on her daughter.

Ajuga darted to the side, but didn�t make it far as she was scooped up from the ground and held tightly, like a frightened kitten, to her captor�s chest.

�Let me go. Let go. He has to pay. Let go!!!� Ajuga struggled fruitlessly against her new assailant.

�What is going on?� Starrk asked almost lazily.

�He hurt �take-ji! He attack pack. He pay!� Ajuga answered in a roar, her speech reverting to something more animalistic and childlike.

Starrk frowned in confusion and turned his attention to the two women, hoping for a better explanation than what he was likely to get from the child in his grip.

�Aizen-Kami attacked Jushiro-san,� Nanao answered as she ran to Karin�s side, quickly applying pressure to the any part of the damaged woman�s body she could reach.

�Let me go,� Ajuga continued to fight against his hold; biting, clawing and scratching and while her sharpened claws did leave marks on Starrk, they hardly pierced his strengthened Heirro.

�Ajuga, enough,� Starrk ordered firmly, and gave her a small shake to reinforce the command.

�He hurt �take-ji!!� she protested angrily.

�And you just hurt your mother,� Starrk snapped, his patience with the child at an end.

Ajuga froze as the scent of her mother�s blood finally got through her rage and her eyes widened in horror as her gaze darted to where Nanao was doing her best to help Karin bind the large gashes in her arms and the lines in her chest. Any and all struggle on her part ceased.

�Mama!� Ajuga gasped.

Her squirming resumed, this time as she tried to free herself to go to her mother, but Starrk held on to her tightly as he approached the two women.

�Shit, shit, shit, shit,� Karin hissed in pain, trying to use her good hand to stop the bleeding.

�Oh Mama, I am so sorry,� Ajuga started sobbing.

�It�s okay, you were just upset,� Karin tried to assure her with a smile, but it was weak and full of pain.

Ajuga had done a thorough job of tearing up her arms and chest and she was starting to feel light-headed from both shock and blood loss. There was no use hiding the damage now.

�I need to get her to the 4th,� Nanao told him, urgency in her voice.

�Take her and go. I will take care of this�� Starrk moved his arms slightly to indicate the girl still in his grasp. Then he frowned, as if remembering something. �Where is Jushiro now?�

�He�s at the Research Building. Szayel did what he could for him�� Nanao answered him. �Lilinette and Hana-chan are already there.�

�Mama, I am so sorry,� Ajuga sobbed. �I shouldn�t have hurt you. I didn�t mean to hurt you!�

Karin gave another hiss as Nanao tore a strip from her shredded uniform and quickly bound up one of the wounds on her arm in a makeshift field dressing.

�I�m okay, Ajuga-chan. Go with Starrk-ji and make sure �take-ji is alright. Nanao-san and I are just going to get these scratches cleaned up and we will be right there. Okay?�

�Okay,� she sniffed.

Starrk disappeared with Ajuga in hand, launching into a Sonido so quickly that Karin couldn�t follow it.

�Nanao.�

�Yes?�

�Get me to the 4th, I am losing a lot of blood and I am starting to feel faint��

�Right.�

Ajuga remained quiet as Starrk made his way to the Research Building. He had of course noticed something was up when he had felt a faint, almost negligible flash of panic earlier from Jushiro but he had been out on assignment and thus was unable to return quickly.

In all honesty, he hadn�t thought too much of it since the rush of emotion had not lasted too long and hadn�t been that strong. He listened unhappily as Ajuga informed him what had happened after he felt the girl had calmed down enough to give him an informative answer.

�Starrk-ji?�

�Hmm?�

�Why didn�t you protect �take-ji? He is yours, isn�t he?� she sniffled unhappily. �You are suppose to protect the pack right, you are the primary Alpha, so why were you gone?�

Why indeed? He groaned while trying to come up with an answer she would understand. Instead, he settled for something simple and the closest version of the truth that he thought the child could handle.

�Look, you can�t protect everyone all the time. Sometimes, you have to trust them to protect themselves.�

�Oh,� There was silence for a minute and then she asked �Are you going to hurt Aizen then, for hurting �take-ji?� she questioned hopefully.

That earned her a deeper sigh.

�Aizen-Kami is a lot stronger than I am,� he pointed out. �I don�t think I could hurt him. Or at least, not enough to count.�

Ajuga ground her teeth in frustration, but when Starrk didn�t say �I was just kidding�, only giving her a �There�s not much I can do about it� look, she knew it was true. In the world of Hollows, the strong did what they wanted to the weak. The Hollow part of her understood and even accepted that fact, while the human part of her screamed for any kind of justice. It left her poor little conflicted mind and emotions reeling about in confusion.

�We are almost there. If I set you down will you walk and promise not to try and run off again? It would make everyone unhappy if you got hurt or killed.� he pointed out.

�I won�t run. I want to make sure �take-ji is okay!� she assured him.

Neither one of them needed directions to Jushiro�s room, Ajuga following his scent while Starrk merely followed the Claim.

Jushiro seemed to be sleeping when they walked into the room. His wrists were loosely restrained to the bed railing so that he wouldn�t accidentally disturb the clean white bandages wrapped around his head.

�Why is he tied up?� Ajuga asked worriedly, biting her lip and reaching out as if she wanted to untie them.

�Szayel said it�s so he won�t try and touch his eyes, since he will wake up not being able to see and might panic,� Lilinette answered angrily. �It�s an instinct.�

�Oh,� Ajuga crawled up onto the bed and took the side of Jushiro not already claimed by Hana.

Lilinette turned her attention away from the Shinigami and kids to share a look with Starrk. He wasn�t surprised to see rage smouldering in her eyes. She had a poor way of showing it, but he knew she liked Jushiro a lot. This situation was clearly upsetting her. He wasn�t too pleased about it himself, he had to admit. The two of them moved over to the other side of the door so they could speak in private without the girls overhearing them.

�This is wrong Starrk, and you know it!!� she hissed, finally expressing a tiny portion of the anger inside of her to him.

�What do you want me to do about it?� he retorted, holding up both hands as if to fend her off. It did nothing to mollify her.

�Do something, anything! I don�t care what you do. But. Do. Something! Aizen had no right to do this to him. He is ours, not his!� she spat indignantly. �He might never be able to see again,� she added in a depressed whisper, anger suddenly turning to anguish, enough to actually surprise Starrk. He knew she was attached to his pet, but still....

�I can�t imagine what that would be like, going through life completely blind, not being able to see again,� she sniffed. �Why did he do this? What could Shiro-chan have possibly done to warrant this kind of assault?� she demanded.

Her question was a more rhetorical one and she obviously didn�t expect him to answer it. Starrk opened his mouth to offer some form of comfort, but his other, smaller half didn�t give him a chance to speak.

�I mean sure, he�s come home with whip marks before for speaking during meetings, but even Aizen admits there was reason behind �Shiro�s suggestions. He has never gone this far before. This goes beyond snapping at an Omega to remind him of his place in the hierarchy of the pack. This is downright attacking one of our pups!� she seethed.

He couldn�t argue with that logic. Aizen really had gone too far this time. This was not something that a few days or weeks would heal. This was something that was debilitating, not only to Jushiro but to his Division and the fight against the Swarm. At the same time, while Starrk completely agreed with her, the more practical and less optimistic side of him figured that his odds in any potential match between himself and Aizen weren�t all that great. He might get a few lucky shots in before Aizen dispatched him with that mind-altering sword of his, or overwhelmed him with that never-ending font of reiatsu of his.

While he wasn�t sure that his own death would necessarily mean that Lilinette would also die, it wasn�t a theory he wanted to try to disprove any time soon, no matter how egregiously Aizen broke his own rules. Then again, Lilinette was part and parcel of most of his stronger attacks, so keeping her out of such a conflict was probably impossible.

�Again, what do you want me to do about it?� he asked her, rubbing the back of his neck in irritation at the whole mess. This time, even though it was more of a bother, he added a little force to his words. �We both know I don�t stand much of a chance against Aizen,� he pointed out.

She seemed to deflate completely, for they both knew he was right.

�I don�t know. All I do know is that this is wrong,� she said miserably as she looked back into the room where Hana and Ajuga were curled up on either side of Jushiro. Wetness gathered in the corner of her one eye and a lone tear trickled down her cheek before she wiped it away with the heel of her hand. �We finally have a pack, a real family. I don�t want to lose that,� she whispered brokenly. �We can�t go back to being so alone��

Starrk was not one for showing much in the way of affection, or any other emotion for that matter, but Lilinette was one of the few trusted recipients when he chose to do so. Wordlessly, he pulled her into a firm embrace and simply held her as her much smaller frame trembled against his and she sniffled for a while against the front of his uniform.

He gazed back into the room and upon the three figures now sleeping together, one of them still covered in her mother�s blood.

�In the name of good sport, can I ask the Victors for a favour?�

�And what might that be?� the wolves demanded.

Shunsui ignored them and looked at the still silent Espada.

�I don�t want my Fukutaichou hurt in the expected aftermath. Could you Claim her for me please?� he asked. �You have achieved Victory, so it is you right. Please. I care about my Nanao-chan a great deal.�

His voice was starting to fade and gurgle.

�Like hell,� Lilinette growled.

�I will.�

�Nani?!�

�Nanao you said?� he asked.

Shunsui gave his head a small nod. �Ise Nanao,� he confirmed. �I know I am being greedy, but can I have one last request please?� At this point Shunsui�s voice was nothing more than a strained whisper.

He had to lean in close to hear what the dying Shinigami Taichou had wanted.

�If possible, Claim Jushiro-kun as well and keep him safe. Don�t let him foolishly follow me in death.�

It had been a strange request (he could understand wanting to protect mate and child, but another male?) but one he had honoured. Jushiro had had many chances to kill Lilinette during that battle, but he had done nothing more than embarrass her and even encouraged her to do her best.

It had not been hard to agree and despite the fact Jushiro had been upset that he had lived while Shunsui had died, he had never resented either of them for what had happened that day. He had done his best to make them feel welcomed at his Estate even while he grieved for the loss of so many of his companions.

For the first time since joining forces with Aizen, Starrk felt that he was somehow on the wrong side of the whole deal. It was also the first time he�d really regretted his allegiance to Aizen. True, if he hadn�t initially given the ex-Shinigami captain his loyalty, he and Lilinette wouldn�t have what they did now. But after gaining the companionship and the pack that he and Lilinette so desperately craved for longer than he could remember, he had failed one of them. That didn�t sit right, not at all.

He understood Ajuga-chan�s feelings all too well.

�Why do you smell like Karin�s blood?� Lilinette suddenly asked, her trembling having stopped.

She looked up at him and he loosened his embrace. Looking down at his uniform, he noticed it was speckled with small droplets of blood from Ajuga�s struggles.

�Ajuga�s claws cut Karin while Ajuga was trying to escape from her,� he answered. �Kid decided to try to take revenge on Aizen. Luckily, Karin got to her before she could find him. Or, maybe not so lucky for Karin, but still��

�Oh, is Karin alright? Grimmjow will be really upset if she is hurt,� Lilinette asked worriedly. Starrk noticed she didn�t say anything about Ajuga being wrong in her thwarted attempt at revenge against Aizen.

�She�s fine. Nanao took her to the 4^th to get the wounds cleaned,� he assured her.

�Okay.�

Lilinette pushed away from him and seemed to have regained her composure. She wiped her eye to make sure it was dry before returning to the room to curl up in the lone chair by the bed. With a sigh, Starrk retreated as well, deciding to hunt down Szayel in his living quarters. While he normally wouldn�t bother intruding on another Hollow�s territory, Szayel was the one with the information he really needed.

It didn�t take too long to track Szayel down by asking his subordinates for directions.

�Good evening Starrk,� Szayel greeted him, pushing away from the desk in the corner as Starrk casually walked into the scientist�s living room. �I assume you�re here for Jushiro?�

�How long?� Starrk asked bluntly, taking the other by surprise.

�How long for what? I need to know what it is you are asking for before answering. Someone as intelligent as you should know that.�

The First Espada�s mouth thinned a little, but he rephrased the question.

�How long will it be until he wakes up? When will we know if he retained any of his sight?�

�Oh, yes. It is difficult to calculate, but I would give him until morning to mid-afternoon to wake up and unfortunately at least a week, if not longer, to learn if I was able to salvage his eye. The longer we wait, barring any infection, the better. Kami-sama will not be pleased that I intervened�� Szayel tried to say it flippantly, but Starrk easily caught the tremor of terror in the Espada�s voice.

�Than it is a good thing I twisted your arm to do so,� Starrk said, with a deadpan expression.

Szayel shot a startled gaze his way, surprised by the offer of an excuse.

�A blind pet is of little use to me,� he explained

That made perfect sense and Starrk watched as the other Arrancar grasped the convenient out he offered as if it were a lifeline.

�Of course,� Szayel agreed with a weak laugh tinged heavily with relief. �If you will excuse me, I was just about to retire for the evening. It was a very long and intricate surgery and I require rest to recover my strength.�

Starrk nodded at that, yawned, and left without another word. He walked right out of the building and stared up at the stars just starting to twinkle in the night sky. It almost reminded him of the vast black firmament of Hueco Mundo, but for the stars and a moon that actually changed its shape from night to night.

For a moment, he almost wished he was back there, where the rules were simpler and there were far fewer complications than there were here. Aizen was Kami; there was no doubting or challenging that fact, but this time� Lilinette was right. He could think of nothing Jushiro could have done to warrant this kind of punishment. This was a no-holds barred assault on something that was his, an outrage that no Hollow would ever stand for.

With a deep sigh, followed by a groan as he ran his fingers through his hair, he chose a direction and started walking. It was either going to be a very long night, or a very short one. Neither option made him very happy.

Funny thing, two weeks after I originally wrote this chapter (since I like to keep a stock pile of chapters ahead for a steady update, although with the baby sapping me I am quickly running out as I haven�t been able to write for months!!) the Manga chapter had Ginjo attack Ichigo in a similar manner.

A long chapter I know, but I just couldn�t find a good spot to divide it up. Welcome new readers. I am so pleased to hear you are enjoying this story of insanity. As usual, I love the reviews, for those of you that took the time take a huge hug.

Baby is still kicking away and my energy pool is quickly depleting. Stay tuned for the Next Chapter: Where we learn how bad the injury truly is.

This Weeks Question: Anyone else hopping someone else came with Nel so we can get an explanation of what�s going on without pages of deciphering her lisps? Don�t get me wrong I love Nel, both as a child and as an adult, but reading and listening to her baby accent gets very aggravating very quickly.
- 87
- 88
- 89
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