Chapter 8

A week later

Lisa

Another meeting.
Lisa was trying to plan the party, and she slowly realized that her comrades in arms hadn't really understood the game she planned yet.

'Look, it's simple. Imagine everyone in pairs, sitting in a circle. There are cards, numbered from one to fifteen. The first couple takes the card labeled one, and decides with a roll of dice which of three actions on the cards will be taken. They read that action aloud, for example 'Hold hands.' Then every couple in the circle has to hold hands, one after the other. If a couple doesn't want to hold hands they can decide to drop out, and lose.
The cards with higher numbers have more challenging actions, so more people drop out as the game goes on. In the end, only one couple is left, and they win. If there are still several couples after the first 15 actions, they just go through the cards again from the beginning.'

'And what's to stop everyone from just dropping out the first round?' Hitsugaya asked.
Nanao nodded to that.

Lisa grinned. 'Usually, competition. You have no idea what I saw some of the visored do, just because they didn't want to lose to the others. Of course, in our case the rule is that we are doing that for Kyouraku and Ukitake, so we have extra incentive to stay in longer then them. They'll think it's normal to stay in, and do lot's of fun stuff.'

Somehow, Nanao and Hitsugaya didn't look convinced, but Rangiku nodded enthusiastically, and Rukia was smiling hesitantly.

'So, I need an even number of male and an even number of female Shinigami. Girls first: Mashiro is coming, and you three of course. So we are five people. Rangiku, who else?' Lisa asked her because she knew the most Shinigami.

Rangiku considered. 'Well, since it's your party it will have to be someone you know. And everyone will be more comfortable with familiar faces really, so we should keep to high ranks.
My first idea would be Hisane, from division four. She's really shy, but she supports this. I'm sure I can get her do act along perfectly.' Rangiku gave a large grin, and Lisa noted in the back of her mind that she was another manipulative meddler, to beware of.
'Good.' Lisa said, noting it down.

'Now the males. Obviously Kyouraku and Ukitake. I will get Shinji, Rose and Kensei, they know the game. Maybe their lieutenants too, Hisagi and Kira? And we should get the couple from division twelve, Ikkaku and Yumichika, right?' She wrote
it down. 'Renji can come too, he's friends with all of them' Rangiku said, Rukia nodding along. Lisa wrote it down. 'And you of course, captain Hitsugaya.' she said
'Now we need only one more.'

'What? I'm not doing that.' Hitsugaya said immediately. She glared at him. 'It would be helpful if you did. Since you are so young, it will be the perfect cover. They wouldn't suspect we would play dirty games with a child there, and if you play along they will think it's harmless.'

She knew she was playing with her live here, intentionally provoking him. Luckily, it worked.

'I am not a child!' 'Then you won't mind playing.'
She saw the realization on his face, realization that he had been played. He glared at her. 'Fine.'

.

Nanao

She let herself relax again as the Reiatsu in the room diminished and Lisa wrote down his name. That had been pure manipulation, coldblooded, and it had been really impressive.
Nanao shook herself, and focused. 'If we are going that way… I suggest captain Kuchiki as the last guest.' she said. Rangiku gave a quiet uh-oh, and Rukia stared at her. 'Nii-sama?'
Hitsugaya just looked at her, waiting for her explanation, while Lisa asked directly. 'Oh? Your reasoning?'

'He too would not be expected to participate in something strange. Also, another captain that's not a visored will make it more balanced. Captain Ukitake was his mentor once, so they both know him well, and it might also add some more competition. And since he did agree to support this plan, generally, he might agree to participate. The final argument is that he can team up with Captain Hitsugaya, forming a team that might plausibly drop out soon, because they are both not known for participating in games, without that influencing the other players.'

.

And so they prepared invitations, two different kinds. One for those who were a part of their plan, asking for them to help in it's execution.
The other for Mashiro, Kyouraku and Ukitake, inviting them to a pride-celebration, a human tradition that Lisa had enjoyed. It said they would meet to talk, play games and have fun.

.

Ukitake

He met Kyouraku at his office, and they walked together to the meeting room Lisa had managed to take over for the evening.

They entered the room, to find captains Hitsugaya and Byakuya already there. Both had apparently been overly punctual, and both looked like they didn't really want to have fun.

Lisa was putting food on a table near the wall, and Nanao was sitting with Rukia and Rangiku in a corner.

The next hour was spent talking. Both he and Kyouraku paid extra attention to Nanao and Lisa. Nanao could be put in a group with Hitsugaya and Byakuya, she also wasn't looking relaxed, while Lisa was spending a lot of energy organizing.

After Lisa declared everyone had arrived, the last being Shinji, Ukitake watched Hitsugaya walk over to Lisa, and talk to her for a short time, looking annoyed. Rangiku, sitting nearby, pouted at what he said.

Then Lisa got up, and announced that they would now play a game. 'Please form pairs.'

Ukitake naturally sat down next to Kyouraku in the circle that was forming, neither having to ask the other.

He noted that some people, namely Hitsugaya, Hisane and Kira, looked slightly uncomfortable, and he wondered if they knew the game. But they too settled down, Hitsugaya sitting beside Byakuya, Hisane being dragged down by Rangiku, and Rukia settling beside Mashiro, who was fidgeting and complaining that she couldn't play with Kensei.

.

Nanao

'Now, this is a game from the human world, that I often played with the other visored. We usually play with any pairs, but since I wanted to celebrate bride, today we are only playing with couples where both Shinigami have the same gender.' Lisa started explaining.
Hisane slowly raised her hand. 'What is pride? I mean, I know the word...' 'It's a human celebration for queer people and everyone who supports them. Basically, everyone says they are proud in what they are, and than includes their sexual orientation, whatever that might be.'

'If it's `whatever that might be´ then I don't see why we have to make same sex pairs.' Kensei said, frowning. They had agreed before that they could complain a little, as that would make it seem more natural.

'Afraid of losing again, like last time you teamed up with Shinji?' Love asked him from his place beside Renji. 'Not happening.' Kensei shot back.

'Settle down and let me explain.' Lisa complained. They did, surprisingly.

Nanao looked around the circle as Lisa continued her explanation. To her right were captain Hitsugaya and and captain Kuchiki, both frowning. They probably wouldn't play for long.
Then came Hisane and Rangiku, which was hard to guess. Rangiku had no shame, ever, and she was good at convincing people. So it was her convincing abilities against Hisane's shyness.

Kira and Hisagi had also teamed up. Nanao knew they fought well together, and were friends, but they both weren't that outgoing. Probably wouldn't stay long.
Kensei was still glaring, and Shinji sat beside him, grinning with teeth. Those two might get far. They had a strong determination to win, paired with Shinji's total lack of any shyness and Kensei, who just didn't care.

Next were Rukia and Mashiro, which was impossible to guess. She had never seen them interact before, which might make this easier or more difficult for Rukia. And Nanao didn't really know Mashiro.

Next to them sat Kyouraku and Ukitake, both relaxed and listening. They were the point of this whole game, but Nanao didn't expect them to go far. They had little ambition, and always did what they thought was right.
This was a stupid idea.

Then came Ikkaku and Yumichika, who actually were together, and not really shy about it. They were most likely to win. Last were Rose and Renji. She had no idea how those two had ended up paired up, but she knew Renji was proud, and would be determined to win.

And somehow Nanao had ended up sitting next to Lisa, and she wasn't sure how that happened. On the plus side, she did know and like the other woman, never mind that they had made out before, though without Nanao's specific agreement. But she had a feeling that Lisa would be determined to stay in the game as long as possible, and that Nanao would have been better off with someone shy like Hisane.

Lisa had said in her explanation that the tasks would get more and more difficult, and had hinted that this was normally a game for couples, and that there would be kissing. But Ukitake and Kyouraku still looked calm, so they had either not gotten that, or didn't care.

Or they had already decided to drop out right away.