Turning the Tide
By SesshomaruFreak and Spunky0ne
(Sesh's a/n - Spunky absolutely did like 99% of this chap. I had a thought and she made gold.)
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In the aftermath of the quincy war, powerful mates are chosen to ensure the continuance of dominance of the great clans. Renji's dream comes true as he is somehow chosen to impregnate his beautiful, unreachable moon. But what will happen when his dreams for their future are shattered?...yaoi, mpregs…Renji/Byakuya, Kenpachi/Ichigo, Shunsui&Juushiro/Tetsuya.
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Chapter 1: To Protect What We Love
Byakuya knelt quietly in front of the opened shrine, gazing at his late wife's picture and feeling a deep ache in his heart at what he must do.
"I am sorry," he breathed softly, "Hisana, after today, I am no longer allowed to keep your shrine here, nor to mourn you. I will move your picture to the family shrine with the others."
He paused, breathing in the mingled scents of wax and fire.
"The war with the quincies has devastated the clans, to the point where we dare not delay in the making of heirs to the current leadership. And…there is concern that the current clans need an infusion of power from elsewhere. The powerful ones went to war, and a large number did not return. There is strength outside of the noble clans that the elders feel should be harnessed if we are to recover enough to keep the remaining quincies from feeling emboldened enough to attack us."
He paused again, looking into the flame of one of the burning candles.
"Rukia is to be mated, as are Tetsuya, Kenpachi and Renji," he went on, "The ones they scorned before are now the ones they turn to. I do not know, any more than they do, who will be mated with me, but…even as I submit my body to be used by them, I will not surrender my heart. I shall do what is required and no more. What else can I do? I have no choice. As unfair as it is to have to lie with someone I do not love, this is for my clan's future and for the noble families. I will do what I have to…then, I will raise my child, hoping that he or she will never have to do something like this."
I feel used.
I feel sickened.
I feel disgraced.
"Byakuya-sama?"
The clan leader's bowed head rose and turned to see his attendant standing beside his cousin.
"Torio? Tetsuya?"
"It is time," Torio said in a regretful tone.
"Arashi and Ikazuchi are waiting in the courtyard," Tetsuya added softly.
"Very well."
Byakuya climbed to his feet and joined the two at the garden doors.
"Torio," he said solemnly, "please remove Hisana's photograph to the family shrine and…"
He broke off, an ache in his throat stopping his words.
"After I leave, you will dismantle this shrine."
"Yes, Byakuya-sama," Torio said, bowing.
"Come, Tetsuya," Byakuya said, turning away.
The two men headed to the courtyard, where they found Rukia waiting beside the oddly quiet stallions. Tetsuya climbed onto the black Arabian and Byakuya helped Rukia up behind him. He looked up at his loved ones through regretful eyes.
"I hope that you both know how sorry I am that you are being forced to participate in this," he said penitently, "I did seek exclusions for you, however…"
"It's okay, Nii-sama," Rukia assured him, "We understand that you did all that you could."
"We are content to do what we can to support the continuance of the clans' strength and guidance," Tetsuya added somberly.
"Well, I believe they are misguided in thinking that this is necessary, but it is a matter of council determination, not any one person's opinion. There is nothing to be done, in any case, so we will bear what we must."
"Yes, Nii-sama."
"Of course, Byakuya-sama."
Byakuya mounted Ikazuchi and turned him in the direction of the front gates of Kuchiki Manor. Arashi moved to his stablemate's right shoulder, walking with his head slightly bowed.
Are you sure you're going to be all right, Master? the stallion said softly into Tetsuya's mind, You seemed very unsettled when the announcement came. Your reiatsu still feels riled.
Tetsuya sighed and laid a kind hand on Arashi's shoulder.
As long as the council sticks to their promise to Byakuya-sama that I will not be paired with Orochi, I will be calm about the rest.
Arashi blew a little breath out of his nose.
Well, whomever is paired with you had better be gentle with you or I will not be gentle with him!
Tetsuya yielded a small, sad smile.
I am reassured that with you and Byakuya-sama looking out for me, I will be okay.
"Hey Taicho," Renji's voice called out, making the two horses stop as the redhead turned from another street, onto the one they were following, "You mind if I join you?"
"Not at all," the noble said solemnly, "I am sorry that you have to be part of this."
"Yeah," Renji agreed, his expression troubled, "I mean, don't take offense, but, I was always a little bit happy that coming from the low Rukon meant that I would have some kinda control over my own future."
Byakuya frowned and shook his head.
"While that might have seemed to be the truth, the noble sages and judges have always had the last word about all of our fates. We just ignored that, because the possibility of our choices being taken away from us, actually seemed remote."
The group began to move forward again and Renji moved to walk on Byakuya's left side. He looked up at his quietly brooding taicho.
"You know, if you need me to, I can…"
Byakuya drew in a slow, shaky breath. He had expected this.
"To interfere would only earn you time in a council cell," he responded, "after your child's conception. There is really nothing to be done. I cannot even argue that this is unnecessary. The noble clans are on the brink of extinction."
"Yeah, I know…just…I wonder if that's really so bad a thing. I mean, things change. Maybe the power balance after a war like this one has to shift. I know a lot of people who think that the time for being ruled by the noble clans is over, and that we should run things more fairly."
Byakuya gave him a look of warning.
"And are you in full understanding that the current leadership would fight to the death of their last family member to keep that from happening?" he asked somberly, "Changes in the balance of power are extremely dangerous. It is safer for everyone to settle things, and to work for positive change slowly over time."
"Yeah, maybe," Renji said unhappily, "Still, if you change your mind…"
Byakuya's lips twitched and the corners of his mouth curved upward.
"Thank you, Renji," replied gratefully, "You…are a good friend."
He missed the sad, longing look that the words brought to the redhead's face.
I always wanted to be way more than a friend to you, but there's no way in hell that they're gonna give you to someone like me, and even if they did, I don't know if I could touch you if I knew you didn't want me to.
Renji sensed an increasing tension in the reiatsu around Byakuya as the Central 46 compound rose up in front of them. They found themselves in a noticeably larger crowd, all heading for the same place.
"Wow," Renji commented, noting the presence of more than a few of his somber-looking friends in the crowd, "they really mean business."
"There are so many," Tetsuya breathed anxiously.
Renji moved so that he could meet Tetsuya's unsettled blue eyes, and he gave him an encouraging smile.
"It's gonna be okay," the redhead said bracingly, "At least you know that bastard Orochi's not an option, right?"
"Mmhmm," Tetsuya managed, his body shivering involuntarily, "although even a match with a gentler person is little comfort. The truth is that after suffering Orochi's abuse, I have never desired a physical relationship with anyone."
He met Byakuya's eyes, as though for permission to continue and his cousin gave him a small nod of encouragement.
"Even in the prison, when my cellmate touched and caressed me to comfort me, and even though I willingly laid with him, I never derived pleasure from being touched sexually. I suppose I was just too broken. Still, I don't suppose any of our needs are what matters when the clans' very survival is threatened," Tetsuya concluded, "As much as I do not want to marry, I also do not want to see the great clans diminished. All things considered, the Kuchiki family is my family. I will not hold the sins of the basest family members against the family, itself, and I would not doom the family to destruction when my commitment can help us to survive."
"Except that since you're being given to another clan, it won't really be helping the Kuchiki clan, right?" Renji inquired.
Byakuya and Tetsuya exchanged a momentary glance.
"Actually," Byakuya answered, "As Tetsuya will be paired with a pureblood noble partner, it means that his children will be of sufficient blood to revive his father, Takao's, subfamily. The first child, of course, will be considered the child of the clan Tetsuya is given to, while the second and any others will be named Takao's heirs."
"I do feel happy that my subfamily will be revived, even if I cannot be named an official heir, because I am half-blooded," Tetsuya assured the scowling redhead.
Renji gave an agnostic grunt.
"I think that whole thing is ridiculous," he scoffed, "No one wants to say it, but I will. If the noble clans worried less about pure blood and more about the kinda people the mixed bloods are, they wouldn't be on the brink of dying out right now. Sorry, Taicho, I don't mean to offend you, but…"
"Your words are no offense," Byakuya assured him, "I too, think that more than the presence of pure blood should be taken into consideration when judging a family member's worth. All of the clans, and the great clans, especially, made a grave error in discounting the gifts possessed by those of mixed and peasant blood."
The noble let out a little troubled breath and went silent as they reached the front of the Central 46 compound. Council couriers and attendants stood, guiding the purebloods to one side and the mixed bloods and commoners to the other.
"Well," Renji said sadly as they reached the separation point, "I guess this is it, Taicho."
"Yes," Byakuya agreed, not daring to allow himself to say any more.
"Tetsuya, Rukia, wanna come and stand with me?" the redhead asked.
The two shifted uncomfortably on Arashi's back.
"I am sorry, but the two of you must separate from me here, too," Byakuya urged them.
Renji looked up into Byakuya's smoky, distant eyes, his heart pounding.
"I'll take care of them," he promised.
"Idiot," Rukia snapped, barely holding back her tears, "Tetsuya and I can take care of ourselves! Who is going to look after Nii-sama? He's all alone!"
"I will be fine," Byakuya assured them.
Renji started to object, but lost the opportunity as a council attendant stepped in between them and bowed in front of Byakuya.
"Kuchiki taicho, if you will follow me, I will take you to the high lords' waiting area, away from the crowds, sir."
Byakuya gave the man a little nod, then refocused on Renji.
"You see, I will not be alone. I am comfortable with most of the other clan leaders, and we share in this situation, except for a few leaders whose spouses and children survived the conflict. You needn't worry about me. Go on, now."
"Okay, Taicho."
Byakuya watched as Tetsuya dismounted and helped Rukia down. Then the two followed Renji into the crowd, as Byakuya climbed down off of his stallion's back and Ikazuchi bowed his head to nuzzle the clan leader affectionately before moving out to wait under the shade of a tree, next to Arashi. Byakuya followed the attendant to the area set back from the crowd, where clan leaders and subfamily leaders waited together. He spotted the group of his fellow taichos a short distance away and sighed at the conflicted feeling it gave him to be apart from his colleagues.
"Byakuya?"
He turned to find Juushiro approaching, alongside Kyoraku Shunsui and some of the lonely feeling faded.
"Ukitake taicho, Sotaicho," he greeted them, "I would wish you a good morning, however…"
"It could still be good," Shunsui said, trying to lighten the moment, "After all, we could be matched with someone we like."
Byakuya didn't miss the little hopeful glance that passed between the two men.
"I suppose."
He looked around at the few noble daughters being matched, then studied a few of the men, but none gave him the warm, gentle feeling that Hisana had. He did feel something of a connection with Renji, but he was sure that it was just their camaraderie causing it.
When the grounds had nearly filled, a group of council elders walked up onto a raised platform in front of them, and the crowd quieted. The grand councilor of Central 46, Kuchiki Nori ran his solemn grey eyes over the crowd, then cleared his throat softly.
"I wish to thank all of you on behalf of Central 46 and the Noble's General Council. I assure you that the need for your presence and assistance here, today, is vital to the stability of our society. We have only required this of all of you at the behest of our king, who assures me that what we are doing is necessary if we wish to avoid greater harm than has already been done."
"Hmm," Shunsui said softly, "though he does leave out the fact that this was a general statement in preparation for such a disaster, made by the former king, when he was alive, before he was replaced by…"
"Stop," Byakuya cautioned him, "You know very well that we are not allowed to speak of that in a place like this."
"I'm sure he meant no harm," Juushiro interceded, "but Byakuya is right, Shunsui. All taichos are under orders to keep that in confidence."
"Sure, sure. I know. I just don't like this," Shunsui said disapprovingly.
"Do you think I do? Do you think anyone here does?"
"Heh, maybe a few bad seeds," Shunsui chuckled.
Byakuya scowled and turned his attention back to the grand councilor.
"The sages have met and formulated a strategy," Nori went on, "which was then ratified by the judges, to use soul resonance to match partners who are likely to bring forth strong children to carry on the legacy of the noble houses. All participants not of noble descent will also receive a one-time payment to compensate you for the inconvenience."
Out in the crowd, Renji heard a number of people around him make satisfied exclamations.
"I heard it's enough to buy something like ten homes and still live like a king!" a man's voice said.
"All that, just for getting to bed a stuffy noble princess," said another.
"Hey," Renji growled, laying a hand on his weapon, "Shut up and show some respect or I'll fucking beat some into you. Do you assholes realize what our fighters and noble families have already been through? Oh, wait a minute, you don't, because you were in the Rukongai, which was not directly attacked. Don't you dare put down the people who were here dying so that your fucking world wouldn't end!"
The two men paled and shrank back warily.
"Oh, and just for your information," Renji sneered, "you are as likely to end up in bed with a man, as a woman, since so many noble women were killed. You might think about that."
"S-sorry, Abarai fukutaicho!" the men said, bowing and backing away.
Renji turned his attention to Tetsuya, who was holding his arms around his midsection and looking pale as a ghost.
"Hey," he said bracingly, laying a hand on his friend's arm, "it's gonna be okay. You're gonna be fine."
Tetsuya turned wordlessly and buried his face in the redhead's muscular shoulder.
"Sorry!" he apologized.
"You got nothin' to be sorry for," Renji said soothingly, rubbing his friend's back gently, "This is a hell of a lot to ask of anyone."
"I d-do want the noble clans to survive. As imperfect as Central 46 and the Noble's General Council are, there has been too much fighting, too much death to incite an internal war too."
"I think most of the people here understand that," Rukia added, moving in close to her cousin on his other side.
"Thank you, Rukia-chan," Tetsuya sighed, "I should be comforting you. You are as much caught up in this as I am."
"Yes, but you, Renji, Nii-sama, our friends and family and I are all going to pick up the pieces and move on after this. We'll get through."
"Yes," Tetsuya agreed half-heartedly, "I suppose we will."
Up on the podium, Nori paused for a moment to take a sip of water, before continuing.
"All of you called here today have been matched, using samples of your reiatsu, which was stored in the Central 46 compound records, upon your birth registrations or upon your entrance into the Shinigami academy or other service. If none was available, we sought and collected samples. Those have been fed into our system processor, which has measured the soul resonances, and determined who shall be partnered. You were each given a soul communicator as you entered, and you entered your identification numbers. When I initiate the matching sequence, your communicator will show you who you are matched with, who will bear the child, and where the conception will take place. All of the locations are restored inns and large lodgings as well as a few noble retreats. You will go immediately to the assigned location to meet with your given partners. You will be given a twenty-four hour period to see to the seeding, then all bearers will be examined to determine the success or failure and if there is a need to attempt the conception again. On your way out of this meeting area, all participants will be given a fertility enhancer to assure as many successes as possible. These injections are safe, and raise the likelihood of conception, and may result in multiple births, which should reduce the number of attempts needed to comply with the order. Now, with the approval of the sages and judges…"
Nori paused and glanced at the others, who nodded in assent.
"Very well," he continued, touching a button on his console.
Immediately, the communicators began to light up and buzz everywhere in the gathering area. Rukia looked down at the display and tilted her head, smiling faintly.
"What?" Renji asked, "Did you get someone you know?"
"Yeah," Rukia chuckled, blushing, "He's actually very sweet. He's Saito Jun. We've been friends for awhile."
She looked over at Tetsuya, who was working up the nerve to look at his match.
"Who were you given to, Tetsuya-san?" she asked.
Tetsuya took a steadying breath and looked at the display, then he made a sound of surprise and found he couldn't speak. Renji looked over his shoulder and his breath caught for a moment.
"What?" Rukia inquired worriedly, "They didn't go back on their word…"
"N-no," Tetsuya said softly, "I just…they gave me to Ukitake taicho…"
"They did?" Rukia said, beaming brightly, "Tetsuya, he's so kind! I know he's a little older, but he's a wonderful, wonderful man."
"And…" Tetsuya added, "Kyoraku Shunsui."
"Whoa!" his cousin and friend said together.
"I am to bear children for both?" Tetsuya mused, shaking his head.
"Who were you assigned to, Renji?" Rukia asked.
Renji looked down at the display and froze, as a short distance away, Byakuya did the same.
X
A loud exclamation of dismay came from where Ichigo stood. At the same time a surprised laugh of disbelief erupted from Kenpachi.
X
"We both have to impregnate Kuchiki Tetsuya?" Shunsui asked, "Is that even possible in one session?"
"Shunsui!" Juushiro scolded him, indicating Byakuya, who was still staring at his screen.
"Byakuya," Shunsui said, moving closer to him, "who were you assigned to?"
Byakuya's face looked as though the blood had drained completely out of his body. He started to answer, then stopped, working to force the words out.
"I am…I have to…bear Abarai Renji's child."