Disclaimers, etc.: see chapter one
Opening Theme: Next Stage by AAA
Ending Theme: TBA

This chapter written 11/06/2022

Bleach: Cross
Fifth Division in the Red II:
Princess Division
by Eugena

Rated M

Chapter Three: Ground Rules, Part 1

天国的白雪公主

SOUL SOCIETY - FIRST DIVISION

Byakya Kuchiki ducked behind Sajin Komamura as Kosetsu huffed snow at him.

Sajin smiled (a bit of a startling sight) at the dragon's antics.

"Shihoin!" Yamamoto screamed again. "Get your zanpakuto under control!"

"Oh, please," Kenpachi Zaraki said. "Zanpakuto this, zanpakuto that. How long's it gonna take you all to get the princess here doesn't actually have any zanpakutos? You see, that right there is the princess' eldest. And Raiko is her daughter. So I'd better not hear that she's a zanpakuto or that she and Daichi are adopted. Oh, yes, and Nemu. Nemu's her kid now, too. Chew on that one."

"How dare you!" Yamamoto snapped.

"Is there a problem, Sou Taicho?" Sasakibe asked as he poked his head in the door.

"Yeah, you," Kenpachi said. "Get in here. There's something we'd like to get straight right now."

"Sou Taicho?" Sasakiba asked.

"You heard my brother-in-law here," Soi Fon said.

Kenpachi was a bit surprised to hear her say that. So was anyone else.

"Yeah, you heard right," Soi Fon said. "My sister makes the rules, so I thought I'd make one on her behalf. From here on out, I'll call any father of her children brother-in-law if I like, so you all don't forget."

"So that means Mayuri Kurotsuchi -," Shunsui Kyoraku interjected.

"Yeah, I think I might not call him that. Maybe. But anyway, I'm rather tired of all this disrepect for both my sister and her children. So, get in here, you."

"You're not the head around here," Sasakibe objected.

"Well, it concerns my sister, you know, Shinnouhi, also known as the person really in charge here, so get in here!

"Oh, you don't mind, I call you brother-in-law, do you, Kenpachi?"

"Sounds alright to me. Though, princess, I don't mind if we make that more official."

"This is a bit much for me right now," Yukihime said. "I'm overwhelmed."

"Could you call your zanpakuto off already!" Byakuya screamed.

"Oh, shut up, pretty boy!" Kenpachi yelled.

"Hey, you!" Kenapachi yelled to Sasakibe. "Are you deaf? Get your ass in here before I drag it in here!"

Sasakibe looked helplessly to Yamamoto.

Soi Fon narrowed her eyes.

"Sasakibe," Jushiro Ukitake said, "I suggest you get in here, before Shinnouhi's guards, you know from zero division, decide to drag you in here. I mean, we would, but I'd rather like to watch the part of zero division I'm fond of start teaching lessons."

"Sounds like fun," Jiang said. "Right, sister?"

"Oh, absolutely," Lin said. "I really could use a fight about now."

"You could always join my division," Kenpachi said. "We all love a good fight."

"We gods would simply kill you without trying," Lin said. "But thanks for offering."

"Our position is for life," Jiang added.

"By the way," Momo mused as an actor's aside (and Shirahime would love that one), "did she say gods? Why, oh, yes, she did! I do hope the mortals here all caught that. Especially those who are not cooperating."

"Momo, what's happened to you?" Toshiro Hitsugaya asked.

"I fell in love with a god," Momo answered.

"Haven't we all?" Jushiro asked.

"I'd say so," Shunsui agreed. He looked to Yamamoto. "Well, maybe not all of us."

"And in my case," Soi Fon added, "my sister is a god."

She looked at Sasakibe. "Why the hell are you just standing there?"

Prince Ichigo looked over to Yukihime. "Excuse me, my love. Please allow me."

Ichigo's reiatsu flared. Though nowhere near Kenpachi's, it was much higher than Sasakibe's. Unlike the others from the royal realm present, Ichigo was not a god.

Ichigo grabbed Sasakibe's arm and dragged him into the room.

"Now, shut up and listen you all!" Ichigo said. He gestured to Kenpachi. "Since this man's done a good job looking after my daughter, and I'll let the brother-in-law bit slide since he's not married to my wife -."

"Neither are you," Soi Fon interjected.

"Yes, I am. As I was saying," Ichigo continued, "I'm going to let this man talk. So shut up and show some respect to my wife and her children!"

"Well, we'll discuss that whole husband and wife bit later," Kenpachi said. "But I'll get on with it for now. So, I'll say this again. Shirahime doesn't have any zanpakutos. She called them that because that's what you expect. Kosetsu here she treats as her eldest. And that other zanpakuto you're all raving about, Aoi Raiko? Well, she's really Daichi's twin sister. Fooled you all, didn't she? Shirahime did that to protect her. So let's get that straight, Raiko's not a zanpakuto. Though I might permit you all to let people believe it. For her own protection. By that's the reason why.

"And Daichi and Raiko are actually her kids. Not adopted. But you can go on and say it. For the same reason. If the bad part of zero division thinks they are adopted, then they will leave them alone, right ladies?" he looked over to Jiang and Lin.

"They don't currently believe they are her children," Jiang confirmed. "They don't look at Kosetsu that way. I don't think they know about Nemu, and even so they wouldn't consider her Shinnouhi's child. So, they think the only one of Shinnouhi's children that is still alive is Princess Hikari, you all call her Yachiru. So, go ahead and call Prince Daichi and Princess Raiko adopted." She looked firmly to Yamamoto. "You owe her a blood debt, little mortal." She looked to Shunsui and Jushiro. "So do you two and the other one. So, you'd better not fail in keeping her remaining children alive."

Hinamori grimaced. Then she added, "Taicho may say otherwise, but if any more of her children die, I'll kill you myself."

"You're too weak," Hinamori Fukutaicho. "And you have no say here."

"Well, I and the entire fifth division will kill you." She looked to Kenpachi then Soi Fon. "I guess the two of you want in as well."

"Absolutely," Kenpachi agreed.

"You'd better believe it," Soi Fon said. "I'll have the entire punishment force join in. And Lady Yoruichi will no doubt join as well."

"Count me in," Ichigo added.

"We can't count anyone in," Lin said. "In the absence of the crown prince," she looked at Ichigo, "and I don't mean you, Senna will carry out those executions. And if the four of you are smart, you all will kill yourself before she - or any of us - gets our hands on you."

"What are you really saying?" Byakuya asked.

"For a man who insists on calling Shinnouhi's daughter a zanpakuto, I doubt you'd care," Jiang answered.

Sajin could guess already.

Toshiro looked at Yukihime. "Shirahime, what do they mean?"

"I doubt a boy like you could begin to understand."

"Shirahime, why are you angry at me?"

"Leave me be," Yukihime said.

"And speaking of zanpakuto," Lin began, "Kenpachi is a bit off. Kosetsu and Yukihime are both zanpakuto. But that's not their main function. Kosetsu is to be Kosetsu. And Yukihime is called the Sword of Execution. Which is why whenever that sword is truly drawn against an opponent, that opponent is going to die."

"And why haven't I seen it?" Yamamoto asked.

"Because Shinnouhi has special plans for it," Jiang answered.

Hinamori could still feel that zanpakuto. Tobiume didn't like hiding it, but it was what her beloved taicho requested of her. She would surrender her own life before allowing another to have that zanpakuto.

Yukihime thought its name amusing. Her old husband, Seigen Suzunami, could have never imagined a sword like that sharing her name. Then again, he'd mess himself if he ever met Shirahime. She wouldn't have tolerated that man, though Yukihime couldn't bring herself to hate him.

"Raiko is still my daughter," Yukihime said. It took a while to call her and Daichi her children. She still thought of Matsuri and Fujimaru and had a tough time thinking of others as her children. She did all this as a favor to her successor, but she was unsure if she could really mean it for herself.

"Raiko also functions as my son's zanpakuto, for now," Yukihime continued. "Aoi Raiko's power comes from Raiko's own. She and Daichi are young gods and have a long way to go to control their powers. When they can control them better, perhaps they'll have their own zanpakutos that act a bit 'normal' by your mortal standards."

"So," Soi Fon concluded, "no calling my niece a sword. I'll let it pass a little to fool certain people, but don't ever in your hearts think of my niece and nephew as adopted. Or I'll punish you."

"That leaves us with this contest again," Yukihime said. "We won't start it officially or take names until everyone has that 'talk'."

"I think those of us who already know how children come into the world can go ahead and volunteer," Jushiro said. "I'm in, and I'm letting my division in."

"Me, too," Shunsui agreed. "And my division. And Nanao's signing up personally."

"A woman?" Yamamoto asked.

"What's your point?" Kenpachi asked him.

"That should be obvious," Yamamoto answered.

"We do not care," Jiang said.

"That's right," Yukihime said. "I welcome everyone of age. So, yeah, that Kurosaki, if he came back, would not be invited."

"Good thing I'm here then," Ichigo said. "I'll win you back."

"I don't think so," Kenpachi said.

"Yes," Jushiro agreed. "I agree, no."

"Oh, please, this annoying prince won't shut up if I don't agree," Yukihime said. "But only if we count my sister and at least the prince here agrees to date her as well. I mean not everyone has to also date my sister, but I won't accept the prince if he doesn't."

"Sister Benihime?" Soi Fon asked. Benihime was Shirahime Thorne. Few had seen her since her second resurrection, and Soi Fon and most others that knew the truth knew little on her state right now.

"A good idea," Kenpachi said. "Why should she feel left out? In fact, I think we should call her a princess, too."

"I agree," Lin said.

"Me, too," Jiang said.

"What a good idea, Kenpachi. No wonder I love you so much," Yukihime said, "and since I'm the Shinnouhi, what I say goes. So from now on you can call her Princess Benihime. In fact, you all should call her that."

"As you wish, taicho," Momo agreed. If Thorne Taicho couldn't be her taicho anymore, she'd at least still be a princess. Momo loved Shirahime, and this way she could see her again. Even if she'd have to call her Benihime from now on.

"I love that idea," Jushiro said. "Do you?" he asked Shunsui.

"I'm in," Shunsui said.

"I will be joining," Sajin said. "I'll let my division members compete if they want."

"But you're a -," Toshiro began.

"Shinnouhi's already approved," Lin said.

"And Kuckiki," Sajin turned to him, "I'll pay for any of the fifth division members who want to join. And Shinnouhi's guard members as well."

"Pay?" Toshiro asked.

"Kuchiki objected to the fifth division members entering since the entry fee's going to that division."

"It's the American tradition," Momo volunteered. "Well, our version of it anyway."

"I will also help pay the entry fees," Jushiro added. "Didn't you say so as well, Shunsui?"

"Uh, yeah. So, I did," he answered. Bye, bye, sake budget. Oh, well, to date a princess - two princesses.

"Well, you know I'm joining," Kenpachi said. "Shirahime and I were getting married. Before some people from the lesser parts of zero division interfered. So, count me in. And my division. I won't kill whoever of them want to join. This time. Oh, yeah, thought it would be nice to go ahead and add two of my top people, Madarame and Ayasegawa."

"But Ayasegawa likes men," Yamamoto observed.

"So does Madarame," Kenpachi thought to himself. "But Ayasegawa's just a princess' man from now on."

"He also likes princesses," Kenpachi added aloud. "He can have fun with both of them."

"Dressing up for tea parties?" Yamamoto asked. "Isn't that more for her daughter?"

"Well, he does that, too. But there's other fun to be had with adult princesses. I'm sure he can play nice."

"I believe he can," Jushiro agreed.

Toshiro turned red. Yumichika could play nice in a way Toshiro really wanted to.

Sajin knew exactly what kind of playing. And he wondered how that man and Shinjiro were doing. Frankly, he couldn't wait to leave here to check on them and the children. He believed they would eventually be fine, but then his thoughts turned towards the princess, towards 'Benihime'.

"Do you play well?" Jushiro asked Toshiro.

"What?" he asked.

"Hold up," Yukihime interrupted. She walked over to Ichigo.

He smiled at her.

She brought a finger to his lips. "I still haven't discussed your entry fee."

He kissed her finger.

Lin and Jiang sighed in disgust.

"What shall it be, princess?" Ichigo asked.

Yukihime looked to Toshiro.

"I can think of a starting fee. Something special for you that your beloved Shinnouhi would love."

"And what would that be?" Ichigo asked.

"The boy there wants to play dress up. I suppose he's old enough, but he sure doesn't look it. You know how he should look?"

She leaned into his ear.

"We gods see it," she said. "I think you can, too. And it's insulted her for long enough."

He nodded and placed his hands on her arms to draw her closer.

"Just what are you doing?" Toshiro asked.

Ichigo shoved his palm towards Toshiro. A yellow energy jolt struck Toshiro. He fell back.

"Can you do it?" Yukihime asked Ichigo.

"Gladly," he answered. "One less insult to any princess."

Ichigo turned fully to Toshiro. He stode over to him. "Wanna play this game?" Ichigo asked him. "Well, you have a special price to pay."

Ichigo lifted him from the floor by his neck, careful not to break him. Ichigo's reiatsu eased the burden his grip on Toshiro's neck as he rose.

Toshiro's eyes widened in fear. He felt power biting at him.

Ichigo smirked as yellow energy burned around Toshiro's body.

Toshiro screamed.

As the smoke cleared, Toshiro stood taller than before.

His illusion was no more.

谢谢你们的阅读。