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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
- 96
- 97
- 98
NOTE: I did not write this chapter. This Chapter comes courtesy of my amazing Beta: Black Fox.

A Fair Trade

There was, she decided, something to be said for laying back on the grass and staring up at the fading daylight through the leaves. It was all she really had the energy to do and for once, there was no one around to disturb her. Her mate and Starrk had been sent out on patrol, while the First, Third and the Science Divisions wrestled the defence net�s pillars back into the necessary positions for Szayel�s design to function properly. A late training session would have Nanao working well into the evening; Hana was currently at her lessons, though she would be home soon enough. Jushiro, Lilinette and Ajuga were the only ones at the Estate at present, the latter two fussing over the older man as if afraid he might break like a twig in a strong breeze. When last she�d checked, Jushiro had been in the process of letting Lilinette win a game of shoji while Ajuga watched curiously.

She ought to be preparing dinner, or finishing the laundry, or something more productive than watching the sun set and the sky go red and gold while she dawdled. But she�d had so little time to deal with everything that had ended up in her lap in the last few days and she needed this little break to think.

Karin just wished that she�d been able to come up with a better plan. Or at least something that wouldn�t have Renji ready to rip her throat out.

It had been five days since Orihime had restored Renji�s missing soul to him along with his Zanpakuto and more than once in the last five days she wondered whether or not she�d made a mistake in suggesting the whole thing to her friend. She hated to think that the redhead might have been better off as a shuffling, unfeeling shell, but she hadn�t expected Szayel�s Claim to be so weak at the time that it would shatter under the force of Renji�s returning reiatsu.

If the Claim had naturally dissipated while Szayel was unable to refresh it, Renji would have neither known nor cared about it in his former state. He might have been considered completely harmless, lacking a will of his own and requiring instructions to move. Aizen might have even allowed him to remain as he was as long as he showed no sign of being trouble, though Karin had some doubts about that.

But a thinking, reasoning, completely-un-Claimed Taichou-class Shinigami with a deep-seated grudge against both Aizen and his former �owner?� There was no way in either the Seireitei or the Living World that Renji would escape notice, or be allowed to run free. In that, at least, Szayel had been correct. Given what she�d seen over the last few days, visiting with Renji after her long shift was over, the man wasn�t big on subterfuge. In fact, she doubted the man even knew what that word meant.

�Fat chance of that� he�s the kind that will keep fighting you, no matter what you throw at him and no matter the consequences,� she thought wearily. �I�m surprised that Szayel managed to Claim him at all the first time. Though I suppose Renji wasn�t exactly at full-strength at the time and Szayel, without the crack in his mask and wounds from Aizen, is a powerful Espada,� she mused.

Keeping Renji hidden was a short-term solution at best and one that she didn�t think would work for too much longer. When she�d gone to see him last night she could tell Renji was clearly restless, eager to leave the room that had become a de facto prison for him. Szayel, perhaps proving that he was neither suicidal nor a fan of tempting fate, hadn�t been back downstairs since his �pet�s� restoration. Instead, he was intent on making sure that the defence net was coming along quickly.

Karin didn�t blame him for dealing with that one issue to the exclusion of all else, with the exception of seeing to Nemu�s and his unborn children�s welfare. She could feel through her Claim on him how focused he was on fixing any problems that surfaced as they occurred, lest he suffer yet another �reprimand� from Aizen.

She found that she needn�t have worried about one of the Science Division�s staff members inadvertently letting Renji loose; Szayel had the majority of them out in the field with the other Divisions to assist with getting the pillars up properly and promptly. Only a few necessary Shinigami remained at the computers to handle any issues with the programming of the net and to keep an eye on the camera�s for any sign of attack.

Of course, that left Nemu to deal with the majority of the other day-to-day issues at the Division. This included the care and feeding of Renji once Szayel became convinced that he wasn�t a threat to his former colleague. Nemu, thankfully, had the sense to move a bed from one of the upper rooms into the sealed chamber, along with a few chairs so that they could sit on something other than the floor during visits.

A Western--style bureau replaced the monitoring equipment. It held several changes of clothing, most of it the usual black and white Shinigami hakama and underclothing, as well as an odd construction of pipes festooned with what Karin swore looked like a bath curtain from the Living World strung about it. It was, according to Nemu, a hastily-put-together portable shower, since they couldn�t risk sneaking Renji to the upper levels for a proper soak yet. She had to admit that the two large buckets, one above to hold the hot water and one to both stand in and catch it, were a nice, if rustic touch.

While it was a temporary fix, Karin could tell that Renji hated being caged. While she and Orihime visited with him each afternoon, he would glance frequently at the door or get up and pace around the large room�s perimeter, the way a large cat would stalk the outskirts of its territory. Karin found the comparison apt, considering how often she saw the same sort of behaviour from her mate. It was also worrisome, a reminder of just how bored and restless the former Fukutaichou really was and how easily he might fly off the handle if they didn�t resolve the situation quickly.

Unfortunately, all of the other options she could think of had inherent flaws as well. Smuggling Renji out of the Seireitei was risky. It wouldn�t take long for someone to notice the redhead wasn�t around and Karin had no doubt that Aizen would expect an explanation from Szayel if only one of his �pets� showed up at the next Claim Meeting. It would most likely prompt Aizen to start an investigation that could lead to the bastard discovering all sorts of things she�d rather not have him know about.

Reaching up, Karin rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands and massaged her forehead with her fingers. She�d had an off-and-on headache this past week that she attributed to too much stress and too few resources. Neither hiding nor releasing Renji seemed to be realistic options right now. That left convincing Renji to allow someone to Claim him. It was the only scenario that Karin thought had a chance of success. Once again, however, she found herself faced with a figurative brick wall: who could she not only trust to Claim him, but would be willing to do so?

Her first instinct had been to Claim Renji herself, much as she had Szayel and in the same way she was willing to Claim Jushiro if it became absolutely necessary. She also, regrettably, knew the limits of her own power. Managing Szayel�s Claim was hard enough and she didn�t think she had the strength to extend herself to provide coverage for both Szayel and someone as powerful as Renji on a regular basis. She�d do what she had to in order to hide Jushiro�s condition as well, at least until he could recover enough for Starrk to recast his Claim. That did not take into account her burning of the proverbial candle at both ends as far as her duties to her Division, watching over Jushiro, managing her mate�s insatiable needs, and keeping track of Ajuga. All in all, Karin felt she was dangerously close to her limit.

She chewed a little on her thumbnail, a bad habit from childhood she reverted to when confronted with a puzzle with no good solutions at hand. Szayel was simply out of the question as Renji had made it quite clear he would sooner die than let the scientist touch him again in such a way. Her mate was out of the question as well, since he�d used up his second Claim allowance by pretending to have Claimed Szayel to cover Karin�s own ability. That left the First Espada, and Starrk�s allotment of Claims was exhausted as well, even if he technically didn�t have an active Claim on Nanao. Then there was Renji�s adamant refusal to submit to a man ever again. She didn�t trust the Shinigami not to try to put a few holes into any male Arrancar that got near him and given Renji�s attitude, she could easily see Starrk refusing to get involved.

For one brief, mad moment she considered Lilinette, before thrusting that thought away with a grimace. Karin really had no idea exactly how old Lilinette was. She recalled that Starrk had explained to her the Lilinette was basically the physical manifestation of his Zanpakuto so there was no telling if Lilinette could even cast Claims, not to mention the girl was still very childish in both manner and appearance. The mere thought of the �young girl� sleeping with Renji was just so wrong on too many levels. No, Lilinette was absolutely out of the question.

There simply was no one else that Karin had confidence in to neither hurt Renji nor scurry back to Aizen with the truth behind his restoration. Ulquiorra now had a free slot since Tesra took Tatsuki from him, but Karin still wasn�t sure how far she trusted Ulquiorra, given his devotion to Aizen.

Tesra, while reliable and one Arrancar she would deem trustworthy, didn�t have enough strength to Claim someone like Renji for long periods of time, and his devotion to Nnoitra was as strong as Ulquiorra�s was to Aizen. She also didn�t doubt his love for Tatsuki and honestly didn�t believe Tesra would sleep with another soul as long as the two were together.

She wouldn�t even bother asking Nnoitra, considering what she knew of the Arrancar�s preferences and how he still occasionally treated Rangiku. There was the whole possessiveness issue with him as well. The Fifth disliked Karin as much as she disliked him, so she had no reason to think he�d step up to help her, especially if it meant bringing someone who so blatantly screamed �Alpha-male-in-training� into his house.

That summed up the Arrancar she thought might treat Renji with some small amount of respect. She didn�t even want to imagine what Yammy or Barragan might do to him. Karin vowed that she would do everything in her power to keep him out of their respective hands if at all possible.

There was still one Arrancar that might prove to be the key to solving her Renji problem, but there were far too many unknowns as far as Karin was concerned. Still, every potential option had to be considered carefully. She just wished that she had a better read on the woman in question.

Halibel� Karin let out a frustrated growl, low in her throat, an indicator of just how much time she spent around her mate. The Third Espada was an enigma. She rarely said anything at all during Claim meetings and kept her opinions on most subjects to herself, unless Aizen asked her a direct question. Even then, her answers were short and to the point, revealing nothing of her character or views.

In Halibel�s favour, Toshiro seemed healthy and mentally well-adjusted (if perpetually irritated but that seemed to be �normal� for him according to Rangiku), and didn�t seem to be the outright victim of the same kind of abuse that Byakuya, Rangiku, Yumichika and Soi Fon constantly endured.

She also had three female Fraccion, though Karin didn�t know all of their names. She�d only seen the slender one with the black, shoulder-length hair that had summoned Toshiro away from their training session up close; she�d seen the two others occasionally on the battlefield, but only at a distance. None of the women in the Third�s household seemed interested in any of the males around them either, Shinigami or Arrancar. Karin was aware that Toshiro was the only man in that household, but that seemed to be the extent of her knowledge about the lot of them. She could try to find an excuse to visit the Third tomorrow and discreetly ask its Captain about his circumstances and the Espada he served.

The more she thought about it, the more she liked it, or at least thought it was better than any of the other questionable plans she�d mentally outlined thus far. Maybe she could convince Toshiro to get Halibel to Claim Renji. Karin did recall that Halibel had been one of the few who had seemed displeased with Aizen�s public punishment of Szayel. The blonde even showed disgust when she had learned of Szayel�s rape at Aizen�s hands. That, she told herself, had to be worth something.

There was very little risk in gathering information about Halibel, at least until she could determine if Renji would take being Claimed by a woman with better grace than he had the idea of another male �owner.�

Karin closed her eyes and stretched her arms over her head, hearing the vertebrae in her back pop one by one. She could hear the twittering of small birds in the branches far above her head and the occasional flutter of wings as one would take flight, as well as the rustle of the leaves left behind in their wake. Long ago, during her last year of �official� schooling, she�d learned that wild birds would gather together and chatter at sundown, pairing up and letting the other members of the flock know they were settling into their hiding places for the evening. They�d call and sing in the morning in the same way, to let the rest know they�d survived the night.

Her own �flock,� if one could call the odd grouping of Arrancar, Shinigami and one lone human that resided at the Estate as such, would soon do the same. She ought to at least start putting the evening meal together, she thought tiredly, if nothing else. Yet the grass beneath her was plush and the smell reminded her of the soccer fields she used to play upon back in Karakura after the groundskeepers had finished mowing: green and fresh with the lingering warmth of the sun. Her own fatigue got the best of her as she yawned hugely. It didn�t take much for her eyes to flutter closed and let some of the tension of the last few days drain away. Soon she felt herself begin to doze as the sun sank lower and lower�

It was only when the birds suddenly went silent that her instincts dragged her back to full wakefulness. She blinked for a second, the lack of noise setting her teeth on edge. Twilight loomed and for a second the larger garden seemed draped in purple shadows as her eyes adjusted. She was still safely within the borders of the Estate, and she could feel Jushiro, Ajuga and Lilinette in Jushiro�s set of rooms near the side garden. But if she extended her senses, she could feel something nearby, as if it was watching her and waiting. It wasn�t a reiatsu signature that she had originally detected, but rather, the complete lack of one, as if something should be there and yet wasn�t. Of course, she could still �see� it so she knew exactly �where� the intruder was, if not �who� or �what�. The fact it seemed to be trying to cloak itself was enough to help her make up her mind as far as dealing with it.

Carefully, so as not to tip off whatever lurked in the greenery, she began to gather her reiatsu into her hands and readied herself, intending to infuse it into her arms and legs if attacked. She kept her breathing steady and calm, and prepared to strike anything that came within range.

�I know you�re there. Best come out now before I come in and drag you out,� Karin ordered in a low, threatening voice. She got to her knees and moved into a crouch.

A few moments went by before she heard the faint sound of movement in the leaves and the small reiatsu signature slowly advanced towards her. Something small and dark slipped through the gloom beneath the flowering shrubs and for a second, Karin thought it was her daughter, practicing her �stalking�. That would account for the �dead feeling�, as her daughter was very adept at hiding her reiatsu. The shape of the thing, however, was too small to be Ajuga. When a pair of piercing yellow eyes opened and looked back into hers, Karin scowled, trying to figure out whether or not she was going to be attacked.

There was something about the animal that seemed familiar, however. She�d never laid eyes on the thing, but for some reason she thought she�d seen the creature�s reiatsu signature before.

�The name you�re looking for is Shihoin Yoruichi, if you please.�

Karin blinked as a coal-coloured cat materialized at the edge of the underbrush, an inky blot against the foliage, and sat back on its haunches.

The cat, Karin realized, had actually spoken to her in a gravely voice that suggested that the thing was either a heavy smoker with a preference for harsh sake, or wasn�t exactly a cat to begin with. Her suspicions were confirmed when the cat spoke up.

�I�m an old associate of Urahara Kisuke and a current associate of your brother and his friends. I was also Taichou of the 2nd Division and leader of the Stealth Force, long before your time.�

Shihoin� the name of the noble house was familiar, even if the person speaking was not. She�d have to ask Byakuya about it.

�I wasn�t aware that the Stealth Force employed cats,� Karin said carefully.

That earned her a laugh from the creature.

�My, and here I thought you lacked a sense of humour. These,� the cat said, waving a paw in the air, �are my traveling clothes. Much easier to get through customs this way, if you know what I mean. And before you ask me to change back to my �normal� shape, I have to warn you that when I did so in front of your brother, he lost about a pint of blood from the nosebleed. I didn�t realize the Kurosaki men were so susceptible to embarrassment.�

If her explanation was meant to put Karin at ease, it failed miserably. Woman and feline regarded one another, neither wanting to give any ground. They sat like that, Karin poised to strike, Yoruichi seemingly ignoring the threat Karin posed, for a few more minutes as the last of the light in the sky drained away and the sun disappeared below the horizon.

�I haven�t changed my mind. I�m not going to�� Karin finally began.

�Abandon your �mate� and your child?� the deep voice of the Shihoin heir retorted. �I wouldn�t expect that you would. I certainly would think twice about abandoning a mate as �tasty� as yours seems to be.�

The response wasn�t what Karin expected. She blinked at the words, and then watched as Yoruichi began to lick a paw and proceeded to wash her ears, all the while keeping one eye on Karin. The cat yawned, white teeth showing and pink tongue extended, as if she was bored with the conversation before it had started.

�I wasn�t going to ask you to do so, since you seemed so adamant about remaining here the last several times we have spoken to you. Hiyori was very put out about your refusal during our last trip here.� A pause. �You look tired, Jaegerjaquez-san,� the cat added. �I trust that the Swarm is keeping you as busy as it�s keeping us in the Living World?�

�I wouldn�t know what�s your group has�� Karin began and then stopped in mid-sentence. �Wait. What did you just call me?�

Yoruichi turned both of her lantern-like eyes on Karin and she thought that the feline actually rolled them at how taken aback the young woman seemed at the use of Grimmjow�s name.

�After our last group incursion here, I made the mistake of asking why your reaction to Hachi�s use of the name �Kurosaki� seemed so negative. I thought that perhaps Hiyori blew it out of proportion in the retelling. As a result, I was treated to a two-hour lecture on the nature of Arrancar mating habits and customs. Thank you very much for instigating that, by the way.� Yoruichi sounded a little gleeful about this. �Really, Nel needs an editor, for the sake of her more prudish listeners if nothing else. We learned far more about the subject than I think anyone ever wanted to know and Kenpachi claims he has trouble sleeping because of it.�

Karin got the feeling that Yoruichi would have been grinning from ear to ear if cats could do so.

�That�s not my problem.� Karin hoped her voice sounded icy enough to get her point across. �You told me who you are. Now, why are you here? What do you want?�

Yoruichi finished with her ears and appeared to give her whiskers a cursory examination. Karin wasn�t fooled. She could tell the other was scanning the area around them, from the changing position of her ears and the way the �absence� that marked her reiatsu seemed to reach out in different directions, as if searching for something.

�Who�s with you�?�

�Don�t worry. I�m quite alone. As to my purpose, I�m delivering a report to one of my resources within the Gotei 13. Please forgive me, but have the core duties of the Divisions that remain changed at all since I left the Stealth Force?� Yoruichi interjected dryly and more than a little disapprovingly.

She couldn�t help it. Karin�s jaw dropped as she recognized her own words, tossed back at her from an unexpected source. When she could find her voice she had to clamp down hard on the urge to shriek in anger. Instead, her next words came out in a low-pitched snarl, forced out between gritted teeth.

�Excuse me?!�

�I thought I was being quite clear. You�re the head of a Division at present, no?�

�I�m presently seeing to Ukitake-Taichou�s Division. He�s� wait, why the hell do you want to know?�

The cat shook her head and sighed, her tail moving back and forth slowly across the grass.

�Because this information is important. What�s happening in the Seireitei is also happening in the Living World, only the effects are becoming far more dangerous the longer this goes on. As the realms become more and more unbalanced, the repercussions� well, you�ll read about what�s happened in the report,� she said ominously.

The slit pupils of her eyes had grown into large black circles, eclipsing the gold in them as the darkness in the garden grew deeper, until all Karin could see of them were the thin shining rims around Yoruichi�s pupils.

�If you choose not to fulfill your family�s obligation regarding the Throne, then you must shoulder the responsibility of the souls who find themselves prey for the Swarm or who are the unwitting victims of the events outlined in the report. You must use what power you do have to try to fix this unfortunate situation.�

There was no mistaking the authoritative ring in Yoruichi�s tone, considering how often Karin had adopted a similar �voice� when issuing orders to the squads within her Division. Despite herself, Karin felt her spine stiffen in response, and clenched her fists.

�Don�t you think we�re trying to deal with the Swarm? Don�t you think we�re trying to send as many of the �plusses� to the Seireitei as we can and cleanse the �minuses� we find? We can�t do the latter without leaving the city vulnerable and fighting the former and we barely get more than a few days between attacks!!� she spat, suddenly weary.

It didn�t matter how hard she�d tried, how many squads she trained to combat the flying menaces. More kept coming, without end and without any real gains as far as stopping them. �There aren�t enough of us left to keep up with both. There used to be 13 Divisions. We�ve only now just got a fifth up and running properly, not including Szayel�s Research Division. There simply aren�t enough troops to do everything that needs to be done and we are doing the best we bloody well can with the mess Aizen has left for us,� she snarled.

�I understand that. Whatever you may think of those of us who haven�t yet fallen to Aizen�s perfidy, we�ve tried to keep the vows we took when we became members of the Gotei 13. Despite being hunted, despite having to live hidden away from those we care for and those we once led, we�ve never stopped sending those souls that needed our help on to the Seireitei.�

Yoruichi�s low voice held barely-disguised pride at this admission, and Karin couldn�t really think of anything to say to refute that. The cat shook herself out and straightened up, looking up at Karin.

�We never abandoned our duty to them, and we�ve dealt with the Swarm as well. The damage on both sides of the Senkaimon will get worse before it gets better, Jaegerjaquez-Fukutaichou. If the remains of the Gotei 13 can use this information to buy some time, then we think sharing it is worth the risk to us. Will you accept this report?�

Without waiting for an answer, the cat turned around and fished a small, folded packet of paper from under one of the bushes behind her. It turned out to be a sealed envelope. Resting one paw on it, Yoruichi looked up expectantly at the young woman. Karin, in turn, looked at the thing as if it might bite her. This sudden request and offering of information wasn�t at all what she was expecting and it was entirely surprising.

�Aizen will be suspicious about where it came from,� she pointed out and inwardly winced at how weak the excuse sounded to her own ears. She could only imagine how her refusal sounded to the former Taichou, no matter the real danger taking it from the cat represented. �I can�t put my people at risk � if he suspects that it came from anyone outside of the five Divisions, no matter how helpful it might be, he�ll destroy anyone whom he suspects of betraying him.�

This time Yoruichi snorted derisively and gave Karin a withering look that told the younger woman that she didn�t believe Karin for a second.

�Surely you can find a way of disguising it, to make it look as if your own people are responsible for gathering it,� the cat sniffed. �You�re a smart woman, you can think of some way around that��

�You know something? I�m damned sick and tired of �trying to figure out how to get around things�!� Karin snapped.

She knew the agitation she felt would summon Grimmjow and just as quickly clamped down on it before it could get the better of her. Her mate knew she�d been working to distraction of late and while not happy about it, wasn�t really in a position to prevent their �superior� from expecting results yesterday.

�It�s all I seem to do these days! And those obstacles just keep getting higher and multiplying!�

She also, to her chagrin, felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes and redoubled her efforts to remain calm. The last thing she needed right now was for Grimmjow to storm his way into the garden and cause a ruckus with Yoruichi. She was sure her mate could take on the woman, no matter what form she wore, but the attention the fight would garner wasn�t something she wanted to have to explain afterwards.

Now, according to Yoruichi, she needed to take on the additional responsibility of trying to at least help balance out the Realms as far as the souls that needed help, in addition to the rest of her duties. Was there no end to the number of things she had to keep under wraps? Szayel�s Claim, her, Ajuga and Hana�s Royal blood, the extent of her gifts and now, one un-Claimed Renji hidden in what was the equivalent of Szayel�s crawlspace�

�What was that about Abarai-kun?�

Jerking her attention back to Yoruichi, Karin was horrified to find she�d muttered that last part out loud and cursed softly. She had to be at the end of her rope if she�d let that slip. She turned away and hastily rubbed away the wetness on her cheeks with her sleeve.

�Shit. It�s nothing! It�s just another problem in my lap that I have to solve,� she said sharply and rubbed her eyes. �It has nothing to do��

�Abarai Renji was Kuchiki Byakuya�s second-in-command with the 6th Division. If something has happened to him, Byakuya-bo would be terribly hurt, and from what I have learned of how his �master�� Yoruichi spat the word with clear and utter distaste, �treats him I do not think he can take on any more sorrow.� The venom with which the cat mentioned Yammy and the familiarity she seemed to have with Byakuya kept Karin from turning around and marching off. �What happened to him, or rather, what�s left of him?�

Something in Yoruichi�s tone made her pause and she looked back at the cat, which resembled yet another shadow cast by the light of the thin sliver of moon that hung low in the evening sky. Karin suspected the former Taichou had chosen this evening for her little excursion into the Seireitei for just this reason.

�Please, if you could tell me, I would appreciate it, if only to be able to convey any bad news to your brother, Byakuya-bo and Kuchiki-san before they hear it from another source,� Yoruichi pleaded softly, changing her tone.

She was, Karin realized, asking if Renji was dead and the younger woman held both her hands up, shaking them to stop the cat from going any further.

�No� He�s fine, for now. Better than he has been for a long time, in fact,� she added quickly. �Orihime fixed him. She restored his Zanpakuto to him and mended his torn soul. Unfortunately, going from half a soul to a full soul doubled his reiatsu and it shattered what was left of Szayel�s Claim on him. If Aizen or any other Arrancar find out he�s unClaimed, he�s at risk for execution.� she explained.

Yoruichi�s serene posture slumped a little in what Karin suspected was relief. However, the cat�s next words sounded almost regretful.

�Let me guess� you weren�t expecting him to have his free will restored as well?�

Karin sighed and shook her head, resigned now to at least giving Yoruichi this much. She did remember the small, dark-haired, fierce Rukia-chan from the great deal of time she�d spent at the clinic, and knew that she and Renji had often arrived at the Kurosaki residence together. Of course she would want to know that her friend�s splintered soul had been pieced back together. She�d planned on telling Byakuya when she deemed it safe to do so, but as of now she had no idea when that would be.

�We were hoping for it,� Karin corrected the cat. �We weren�t sure that Orihime could accomplish it in the first place, to be honest.� She told Yoruichi this matter-of-factly and then ran a hand through her hair, trying to sort out the tangles in it from where she�d laid her head on the grass, pulling a few green blades from the strands. �The other reason for it was that Szayel needs a�� she stopped herself before she could say ��a reliable protector for his twins and their mother� and swallowed the words before they could escape. There was only so much she felt was safe to share. Instead, she simply shrugged and said ��someone who can act of his own accord and doesn�t need an order to blink.�

Thankfully, Yoruichi seemed to take this at face value.

�Ah� I see. Knowing how the Divisions have been decimated, I can understand his motivations.� The cat seemed to give this some serious thought and then her yellow eyes narrowed. �Why can�t I feel his reiatsu? If he�s back in one piece, I should be able to detect him. He�s a hard man to miss and his control over his own energy is as abysmal as your brother�s control over his.�

Karin rubbed her forehead and tried to figure out how much Yoruichi needed to know.

�We�ve got him secreted away in a sealed chamber beneath the Science Division, behind one of Szayel�s barriers until we can figure out how to deal with his missing Claim. Aizen will kill him if he learns Renji isn�t Claimed. Worse, another Arrancar that hasn�t used up their Claims might attempt to drag him off and make him theirs.�

Karin thought of Barragan�s attempt on Ajuga and gritted her teeth.

�I honestly don�t know how long we can keep him hidden before someone notices he�s missing and starts snooping,� she sighed in frustration. Yoruichi appeared to nod in understanding.

�And let me guess, your only other option is to try to convince him to resubmit to Szayel, right? I doubt that will happen in this or any other lifetime, if Abarai-kun is back to full strength. He is a rather stubborn creature and if memory serves, he�s also exclusively into women.�

Karin took a deep breath, exhaled and nodded. �The few I would trust to Claim him have already used up their two allotted Claims. Szayel could cast the Claim, but as you noted, Renji would sooner die than submit to being Claimed by him. There are no others that I feel are either trustworthy enough or would treat him fairly. I�d hate to think of what would happen if Yammy or Barragan��

�Say no more. I don�t see such a scenario ending favourably either, especially if Yammy were to acquire him. It would give the brute another means to torment Byakuya as well. Yes, Jaegerjaquez-san, I see the gravity of the situation.�

The cat shuddered in distaste and shook her head, as if she wanted to dislodge the image that such an outcome generated in her brain. Then she hunkered down in the grass and closed her eyes. To Karin, it looked as if Yoruichi had decided to pause for a nap of all things, save for the fact her tail continued to move slowly back and forth as if she was meditating. After a few minutes, Karin found herself watching the outline of that black tail swishing like an eel through the shadows. The movement was oddly mesmerizing and she jumped a little when Yoruichi�s voice cut through the half-trance she�d inadvertently slipped into.

�You said that Abarai-kun must be Claimed in order to move about freely, yes?�

Puzzled, Karin nodded and then the cat closed her eyes again and then chuckled.

�Interesting. Your statement about seeing if anyone else would be willing to Claim Abarai-kun is telling, Jaegerjaquez-san. It informs me that while Aizen can detect if someone is Claimed, he cannot determine who holds the Claim, am I right? Otherwise,� and here Yoruichi let out another low-pitched laugh, ��you would simply have told him to wait until the one who had previously Claimed him could do so again. That�s very interesting.�

�Of course Aizen can�t see Claims, he isn�t a Hollow,� Karin pointed out dryly. �But yes, they can only tell that someone is Claimed, not who is holding it. I thought Nel would have told you that, being a Hollow herself. But Aizen might as well be able to see them. He�s got plenty of others around him who could easily rat Renji out for a reward.�

Karin swore the cat made a face.

�Nel simply gave us a far-too-detailed account of mating customs as they pertain to Hollow society in Hueco Mundo. I�m actually not even sure that the word �society� applies here. As far as Aizen is concerned�� and here Yoruichi paused, looking up at the moon, before shaking her head again, ��we simply cannot assume things about what he can and cannot do. If we hadn�t made assumptions about him in the first place, all those years ago, all of this,� she indicated with a paw, �might not have happened.�

Yoruichi�s last statement contained a great deal of regret, taking Karin aback for a moment. The younger woman couldn�t exactly argue with her logic, as she had no idea how long Aizen had been in the Soul Society before becoming what he was now, let alone what the Seireitei�s leaders at the time thought of him.

�I might have a solution for you, Jaegerjaquez-san.�

For a moment Karin thought she�d misheard Yoruichi as the woman, yet again, emphasized her last name. The young woman was also getting a little weary of the cat working it into every other sentence. While it was now technically her family name, Yoruichi said it with just a touch of mockery, enough to know that not only was she less than sincere about accepting Karin�s name change, but that she was getting a great deal of amusement out of doing so.

�What do you mean, you might have a solution? To which problem?� she asked. Her voice had a sharp edge to it, as if she were on the lookout for some deception on Yoruichi�s part. �How could you possibly have�?�

�I said I might have a solution. Actually, if what I�m thinking of works, it will solve not only your problem with Renji�s Claim, but�� and here Yoruichi�s voice grew hesitant, even a little pensive, ��it might also solve an issue� one that�s been simmering on our end as well.�

�I�m sorry, I�m confused here. What kind of solution do you propose?�

Yoruichi lifted her hindquarters up first and Karin watched as the cat stretched herself out, small white claws extended and ended with a very large yawn. Sitting up, she motioned with one paw for the other to come closer.

�Tell you what... let�s make a deal, here and now. If I can bring about a way for Abarai-kun to look as if he�s Claimed, will you accept this report and deal with the contents?�

�I� now wait, how do you propose to do that?� Karin put both hands on her hips and frowned, and Yoruichi rolled her eyes.

�Well, first, I have to get back and see if it�s even possible. If you have him behind that strong of a barrier, I think this might actually work, with no one the wiser. But if I take this burden from you, will you deal with the contents of this report? I think it is a fair trade, Jaegerjaquez-san.�

�Stop using my new family name to mock me and I�ll think about it.�

Woman and cat looked at one another for another long minute, the white envelope between them in the grass. When the cat rolled her yellow eyes and nodded at the addition to the deal, Karin reached down and took the thing, holding it between her fingers as if she expected it to explode in her hand. The cat�s expression went from hopeful to one of relief. Karin, however, looked down at Yoruichi with cold eyes.

�Wait!! You still haven�t told me how you propose to deal with Renji!�

Yoruichi opened her mouth, and then snapped it shut as she cast a glance at something behind Karin and backed up a little into the shrubbery, putting some space between them.

�Your daughter and her companion are at the gates. I�ll return here, to this spot, in two nights to either let you know if I can get an agreement about this, or to tell you the plan is no good. If the latter, you can tear that,� and here Yoruichi indicated the report in Karin�s hand with her paw, ��up in front of me while I watch. Until then, keep it hidden.�

Karin took a step forward, ready to demand that Yoruichi explain exactly how she planned to carry out such a miracle and then realized that the spot of grass before her was empty, the Shihoin heir having shunpo�ed away into the darkness. The only giveaway was a momentary whisper of leaves and the thin trail of quickly-dissipating reiatsu as the cat departed, leaving a bewildered Karin in her wake.

She stood for a few moments longer, �looking� for any trace of Yoruichi or her reiatsu farther a field, but it was no use. The intruder had gone and left her holding something she�d rather not have on her person, with only a �maybe� as far as a solution to her Renji problem. Karin looked down at the envelope in her hand and wanted to beat her head against the trunk of the nearest tree.

How had the woman managed it? Aggravation made her want to shred the thing then and there, but doing that would leave evidence that she didn�t want fluttering around. Tucking it into the inner fold of her hakama, she turned around and marched from the garden, formulating a plan as she made her way to one of the many empty rooms in the Estate with the intent of hiding the report until she could safely peruse it later. The paper, if held against her skin long enough, would have more of her scent on it than Yoruichi�s, and that would serve to keep her daughter, Grimmjow and possibly Starrk from knowing its origins if they did find it.

The only safe thing to do was to burn it once she�d read its contents and she had no intention of doing that until she got a proper explanation from that utterly irritating woman. Karin glanced around and finally tucked it away between the wall and the back of a small chest in one of the unused bedrooms, then made for the kitchen at top speed. Maybe she�d be able to get there before Hana and Ajuga decided to try to �cook� dinner and burned down half the Estate. She really didn�t need another mess to clean up, given the number on her plate already.

Tonight was one of those nights that she was glad she�d taken the long way home. She needed the time to put together her next plan.

Shihoin Yoruichi stepped through the gate and into one of Tokyo�s public parks a few minutes ahead of the Cleaner. She knew that getting through the Dangai just before it meant that anyone trying to track her through the chaotic tunnels that lay between the Seireitei and the Living World would have a difficult time tracing her. Then again, it sounded as if those on the other side of the Senkaimon had bigger things to worry about than one small furry intruder.

Ah, well, it was another thing to be grateful for. Her paws landed on the rough bark of a tree branch and she made her way to one of the larger ones before settling down for a second. A short rest and some self-congratulations were in order.

Her plan had worked perfectly. Karin had responded as planned to the change in tactics, just as she�d suspected the young woman would. Anyone who knew the Kurosaki family well enough understood that the direct approach almost never bore fruit with them. Reminding them that they had an obligation to use what powers they had for the good of others, however, seemed to grab them by that ever-present moral compass they all seemed to possess. The tricky part was leading them around by it.

And Karin had more obligations than most. Once Karin read the report, once the information in it began to sink in, she�d be forced to think about the price everyone else was busy paying for the lack of a real Ruler on the Throne of the Spirit King. It was one thing to talk about preserving the balance between the worlds as a theoretical concept. It was quite another to realize that that innocent people were dying of disasters in the Living World borne of the instabilities that Aizen had created when he�d parked his lousy, incompetent hallucination-creating ass in the Soutaichou�s chair. Yamamoto would never have let things go on this long, or let things get this bad. He�d have sacrificed himself first.

She wrenched her thoughts away from what her old superior would have done and contemplated the deal she�d just made with Karin while she cleaned her whiskers of the dust they usually picked up on trips through the Dangai. It was as if Christmas had come early when Karin had let slip that not only was Renji back to his normal, abrasive, over-enthusiastic, sarcastic self, but that his Claim was gone as well. She�d had to abandon her first impulse, which was to drag Renji back to the Living World by his hair. Right now wasn�t the time to do that and she�d been trained to think at least five steps ahead of everyone else when it came to planning. She wasn�t about to capture Renji, a rook, for her side and endanger Karin, the queen, in the process.

Then again, Yoruichi wasn�t one to pass up the perfect opportunity to sneak a potential bomb underneath Aizen�s pillow while he wasn�t looking either. Which led to the �by-the-seat-of-her-pants-had-she-been-wearing-any� plan she�d come up with once Karin�s dilemma became clear. It was a good thing that she�d trained since childhood to think on her feet. Karin had unwittingly handed her a solution to what might be a serious problem. Kami, the girl had practically gift-wrapped it for her!

Sometimes, she thought as she leaped down from the tree, she wished she wasn�t the second-oldest of their little group and didn�t have the life experience to know when there was a potential for trouble in the ranks. It must be nice to be Rukia or Ichigo�s age, or Kami-forbid, Yachiru�s, to still see the patterns in people�s interpersonal relations as something innocuous, to be taken at face value. Unfortunately, she didn�t have that luxury and ever since Hachi had finished with his latest, long-term healing project, Yoruichi had noticed a few things between three of their motley little band that made her very nervous. Every member of their group had duties that had to be done and they needed to trust one another to do those things, despite personal feelings and individual wants.

She�d initially taken her concerns about the things she saw to Hachi, thinking he�d be a good sounding board and hoping he�d simply tell her she was imagining things. Her heart sank when he�d agreed with her, discovering he�d not only considered the possibility of a problem when his project was completed, but had had to deal with a couple of identical issues over the long century of hiding out with rest of the Vizard. One didn�t simply throw a mixed group of eight, Hollow-stricken refugees together in a small space and expect things to remain calm at all times. Or platonic, for that matter. She went so far as to ask what his own Hollow thought about things and Hachi had simply shrugged and replied that there was nothing to do about it but deal with it when and if it occurred.

Yoruichi didn�t bother asking Hiyori what her take was, since any solution the little spitfire might devise would probably involve stuffing the one to land the first blow in a sack, tying it and tossing it into Yokohama Bay. The Shihoin heir also wouldn�t put it past the Vizard to ask Kenpachi for help doing so.

As practical as both approaches sounded, Yoruichi wasn�t the sort to simply wait around and react when she could pull strings in the hope of mitigating a problem before it could take root.

On the lookout for stray dogs, trucks, bicycles and other hazards of the Living World, Yoruichi took a zigzagging, meandering route down the back streets and alleyways of some of Tokyo�s more boring residential districts, weaving her way home. Hachi had learned from some of the past mistakes he might have made as far as creating a safe house. Their current hideaway was far harder to spot than the old one in Karakura�s warehouse district, harder to get into, and was far more mobile than she expected. Sometimes she had a difficult time remembering where the access was, since Hachi had upped his game as far as security was concerned.

She leaped to the top of a wooden fence and nimbly followed it for its block-long length, jumping the vines that occasionally blocked her path.

Yoruichi considered the best way to let the rest of the group know about Renji and used the remainder of her commute to decide on the best way of �spinning� the information so that her three potential troublemakers followed the path she wanted each to take. The key to that was to waylay the one most likely to create trouble, using Renji as a distraction. She�d have to use all of the skills she�d learned about emotional manipulation from her time with the Stealth Force and the Second Division. If necessary, she�d dip into the brand of shameless exploitation that her late friend Urahara specialized in. The sooner the situation was diffused the better. The last damned thing she needed was to come home from a scouting mission to find that someone�s instincts had gotten out of hand.

But, she reminded herself, first things first, which was seeing to the hardest part of her sketchy strategy. There was no sense putting the cart before the horse in this case. She�d have to talk to Hachi privately about logistics and a little over forty-eight hours wasn�t much time to come up with a way to prevent prying eyes from knowing exactly what was going on. She�d worry about getting consent once the rotund Vizard let her know if he�d come up with a feasible solution.

Oh, yes, she thought smugly. It finally felt as if things were starting to go their way for a change, if only a little. If she could pull this off she�d solve two problems at once and give the refugees another weapon to use against the arrogant bastard who dared to consider himself a �god� while wrecking the Realms with his negligence.

I have no idea when I will be able to write more. We just bought a place and I have been busy renovating, unpacking, and caring for my son. Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews and congrats. As much as I would love to share my son�s name, I an very weary of putting out that kind of information on the web.

Part 1 of POV is almost complete and I haven�t had time to start on part 2 yet. There are only 5 maybe 6 chapters left. Until later.
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Prize of Victory