Another heavily edited chapter where all of the darker stuff was cut out. As such, I am posting it with the previous chapter, so you may need to jump back a chapter.
Warnings: mentions and innuendos of darker content.
Tea With Karin
As usual, Yammy told him nothing about what was going on, but something had definitely been going on. He had felt the battle and watched the flashes of kido and cero's from the main walls of his estate.
He had wanted to go personally, even without Senbonzakura he still had all his other natural abilities to fight, but Yammy's orders to remain here had been direct and Claim enforced.
The battle had lasted for quite some time and despite his hardest wishes he didn't feel Yammy's reiatsu waiver in the least to indicate the Espada might be close to being defeated.
Granted Yammy's death would only insure he would not have to face that particular Arrancar again. If he wanted to live he would have to be Claimed, so said Aizen-kami's law. There was no guarantee a new Master would be better, but Byakuya couldn't see how it could possibly be worse.
To his surprise when the battle had ended Yammy had not returned home right away. He had braced himself, mentally prepared himself, for being forced to serve his Master, but the demand had not come. In fact it was late afternoon two days later when he had finally seen the Espada.
Lunch was a surprisingly silent affair and Yammy seemed rather distracted about something, grumbling consistently under his breath. For the first time in years Yammy more or less ignored his presence.
A page arrived near the end of lunch to announce it was almost time for the meeting. Yammy grunted and stood up, only now seeming to pay attention to him.
Yammy grasped his chin between two massive fingers and forced him to look into his eyes.
"When I get home you will be in my bed," Yammy ordered and then leaned in to force his tongue down Byakuya's throat.
As unnerving as a silent Yammy was, Byakuya definitely preferred it to this. The kiss, if it could be called that, didn't last for long before Yammy let him go.
He traced Yammy's reiatsu to the 1st division and noticed that every Espada and the Taichou permitted to keep working were also either already there or soon to arrive. It would also seem a fair number of the fraccion and those acting as Fuku-taichou were also in attendance.
Clearly they were having another meeting and if the meeting was anything like the other meetings Aizen seemed to favour, they would last for several hours.
He would have plenty of time to return to Yammy's chambers to fulfill his order. During the battle a few days ago he had caught traces of Karin's reiatsu lashing out. This would probably be the only time he would get a chance to meet her and find out what she knew about the situation.
He headed to his chambers and changed into clothing more suitable for walking the streets before heading out to the Estate. He still kept one 'eye' on Yammy's reiatsu, for it would be just his luck that the meeting would be a surprisingly short one.
He made it to the estate and knocked on the door, waiting patiently for it to open. The young woman who answered it was not one he recognized.
"Who are you?" she asked gruffly, crossing her arms and eyeing him up and down.
He pulled out a pen and paper and wrote out his answer.
'Kuchiki Byakuya. I have come to see Kurosaki Karin.'
The woman frowned as she read the paper, looking at him out of the corner of her eye oddly.
"One moment."
The door closed and he heard the sound of it locking. He traced the unknown woman's reiatsu to where he knew Karin was, and in moments he felt her coming his way. The door opened and she invited him in politely.
"Byakuya-san, I was honestly expecting a visit from you. We just put on a pot of tea, can I interest you in a cup?" she offered politely.
He nodded his head and followed her to the dinning room of her suite.
"If only her brother could have even half of her politeness," He couldn't help thinking.
Orihime and the unknown woman were both there, as was Hana; who appeared to be concentrating on learning her numbers on a piece of paper. Ajuga was laying on her stomach on a blanket not far from Hana, watching the older girl's pen move across the paper in apparent interest.
"Byakuya-san," Orihime greeted him warmly with a smile.
He gave her a nod of his head in greeting. She was looking well since the last time he had seen her. Which, when he thought about it, wasn't actually that long ago.
He took a seat and nodded a thanks to Karin as she handed him the chalk board and chalk he had used last time, as well as a cup of piping hot tea, just the way he liked it.
"Byakuya-san, you already know Orihime. This is Tatsuki, a close friend of ours," Karin introduced.
He gave her the slightest nod of his head in greeting while she said she was pleased to meet him. They enjoyed a moment of silence before Karin broke it.
"Hana-chan, why don't you go play in the garden?" Karin suggested.
"Can I pick flowers for Okasan?" she asked innocently.
"Of course. Just don't trample them and be careful not to damage the main plant. You know how hard Ukitake-san works to keep the gardens in shape."
"Hai. Can 'juga-chan come too?" she begged.
"Maybe when she is older and can walk on her own," Karin answered.
" 'kay."
Hana put down her pen and skipped out the dinning room door to the garden on the other side. Tatsuki picked up Ajuga while Karin turned her attention to him.
"It would seem the Locust things that Ukitake-san mentioned have penetrated here as well. They seemed pretty mindless, like a normal Locust just a million times larger. Their carapace was pretty strong, but not impenetrable.
"Grimmjow's Hierro was easily as strong as that armour. In fact, I had an easier time getting through their carapace than I do getting through Grimmjow's Hierro. They didn't seem to have any special abilities outside of sheer numbers."
He took in the information. As expected he had never heard of these creatures and there was no record of them that he could find in the Kuchiki records. Of course, now that he had more data he could set the staff to assist in his research.
If there was anywhere in Soul Society information on these things might exist it would be in the science division. Somehow he doubted he would be able to get information out of them.
However, if he recalled correctly, Karin was frequently there with Ajuga. Perhaps she could get some information from the scientist. He wrote his question out and passed her the board.
'Is there a chance Szayel might be able to find something in the former 12th divisions archives?'
"I have no doubt he's been looking. I can ask tomorrow when I see him. Ajuga-chan is overdue for a check up," she smiled warmly at her daughter.
He nodded his head in thanks and took a sip of his tea. It was more than he could hope for. They spent the rest of the afternoon in surprisingly pleasant conversation. It was somewhat relieving to be away from the estate and his so called family.
What few fond memories he had of the place had been tainted over the last six years by Yammy's influence. Thinking of the Espada reminded him that he had his orders, and he had already tempted fate long enough with his extended visit.
Byakuya didn't want to think about what Yammy would do to him if he wasn't waiting for his master as directed. With great reluctance, he excused himself. Karin escorted him to the front door with a promise to see what information Szayel had learned of the creatures, if any at all.
After hesitating for a brief moment, he wrote out two letters, handing them both to her. She read them both over, looking up at him in surprise. One invited her to bring any information she might learn to him at the Kuchiki Estate, the other was orders to his staff to permit her to see him.
They wished each other farewell and he headed home, even though the estate hadn't really felt like home in years.
"Kuchiki-sama, a bath is ready for you," One of the servants bowed as he walked through the main gates of the compound.
He hadn't been expecting that, but made no protest as he followed the servant to the large bathing chambers attached to his Master's suite. On the way he passed one of his uncles that seemed relieved to see him.
"No doubt Yammy has left orders for his return," he thought sourly.
He was thoroughly cleaned and dressed in a simple yukata to keep warm in while awaiting Yammy's return. He had no desire to wait in his Masters room like a trained dog, and instead retreated to one of the many gardens.
The sun was long since set when he noticed Yammy's reiatsu heading back to the estate. His movements showed none of his reluctance as he returned to his Master's suite. He kneeled on the edge of the large futon and waited.
He didn't have long to wait. Yammy stormed into the room, and while he didn't necessarily seem furious, he was clearly displeased about something.
"Bloody Aizen-kami. Ulquiorra is his better bitch. He should send that flying rat to deal with the problem," Yammy sneered in frustration while stripping and disappearing into the near by bathroom. "When I get back out I expect you to be wearing a lot less than that, Hime," Yammy's voice barked from out of sight.
The sound of running water reached his ears as he undressed and set the yukuta and his scarf neatly aside.
"At least the brute should be clean," he thought with forced optimism.
It didn't make him feel any better as he returned to kneeling on the edge of the large futon. He could still hear Yammy cursing, even though he couldn't quite make out the words.
When the Espada returned to the room his hair was down from its usual ponytail and soaking wet. He was completely naked and his body glistened slightly in the candle light.
"Aizen-kami has assigned me a mission," Yammy grunted as the larger male approached him. "I should be gone for a week or so. You know what that means, my Chicchai Hime?" Yammy asked.
"Somehow I doubt I am going to enjoy the answer," Byakuya thought coldly.
"It means we have to get a weeks worth of pleasure in one night," Yammy smirked at him.
Byakuya was right. This was most definitely not going to be a pleasant night.