Author's Note: Double update, yay! By the way, this fic will wind down after this. I had an idea for a sequel but I've got too many ideas on the go already. XD Enjoy!
Starrk sprawled on his father's throne and considered his limited future.
It was a hard thing, coming to grips with his own mortality. Resting his chin in his hand, Starrk thought of all the things he had experienced as a shinigami, good and bad. None of it seemed to matter very much anymore. The one thing he really regretted was that he'd never gotten to see Shunsui's bankai. Or Juushiro's, for that matter. What would they be like? His own was glorious.
Starrk smiled as he entertained himself with ideas of what their bankai's might be. Shunsui's shikai involved forcing his opponents to play childish games. Would his bankai follow the same theme or be quite the opposite? Starrk could imagine that his bankai might be the end of playing… and what of Juushiro? His shikai was the ability to redirect blasts of energy and send them back at the caster, but Starrk remembered the words of his incantation. Water and electricity… would those be involved in his bankai?
The last thing he was expecting was those two familiar, beloved reiatsu's to enter Los Noches. Even a week ago he would have been overjoyed. Now he felt nothing but a touch of idle curiosity and a melancholy sadness. Whatever they wanted, whatever outcome had been reached in Soul Society, it was too late for him.
Sighing, Starrk rested his chin on his hand and waited for them to find him. It wouldn't take long. He was right about that and soon Juushiro and Shunsui stood in front of him, in front of Aizen's old throne. Their eyes both widened as they took him in, wearing his full Espada uniform and sitting in his father's seat.
"Lupe?" Juushiro said hesitantly as Shunsui swallowed. Starrk wasn't sure if they were finally seeing the resemblance or just intimidated and worried by the display. Lifting his other hand he casually waved at them before closing his eyes.
"…Lupe, wake up!" Shunsui said in a commanding tone and Starrk involuntarily opened his eyes as Lilinette giggled. "We've come to return you to Soul Society. We told Yama-jii everything and he's agreed to support us against Central 46 and the nobles' council."
"Everything will be fine. Shunsui and I have decided to come forward." Juushiro said and Starrk sighed, closing his eyes again. This was just depressing. Why now, why like this?
"Although, you might want to change before you go back. We told Yama-jii about your history but it might be better not to rub it in." Shunsui said with a smile and Starrk finally moved. He sat upright before coming off the throne in a smooth, easy move. A strange impulse came to him and he smiled, gripping the hilt of his sword. Well, why not? And it would be a much better death than the one he'd been looking forward to. "Lupe?" They both sensed the sudden threat in the air and their hands rested on their swords as they separated slightly, moving with the ease of centuries of partnership. Starrk's smile warmed to see it.
"Ah, Shunsui, Juusiro… I love you both. Unfortunately, none of that matters anymore." He said with a laugh that carried just a trace of madness. "You see, I've been lying to you." He said candidly as he drew his sword. Against their will, still sensing that threat, they both drew their blades. Starrk almost enjoyed the shocked looks on their faces as he continued. "I'm not a purified soul. I never died. I'm actually a construct, created from the DNA of Aizen Sosuke, Hinamori Momo and a man named Shiba Kaien." To his surprise, Juushiro went a bit white at that. He'd known the man? "I was two years old when we fought. Just a child, hmm?" Starrk smiled at Shunsui, who swallowed at the expression. Was he looking like his father again? But then, he was in a very strange mood. "Aizen used his shikai to make everyone believe I was a hollow, including myself. He saved my life after you sliced me apart." Although now Starrk knew the true reason behind that. It still angered him. He was not a puppet, whatever Aizen might have thought.
"…Why are you telling us this?" Juushiro said softly, his voice full of a soft dread.
"Are you taking over Aizen's place?" Shunsui asked, his tone very serious. Starrk laughed. It was a strange, brittle sound.
"In all the time I have left? No, it would be a waste of effort." Starrk wasn't willing to spend the last few months of his life in some futile quest to save Aizen from the consequences of his ambition. Particularly after finding out his plans for him. He was still more than a little insulted. "You know, our fight was very fair. Shikai against shikai. But I still want to see your bankai." Starrk looked at Shunsui with a smile that actually made him take a step back. He couldn't know but his expression was nothing like Aizen's… his smile was wild, strange, hinting at the insanity that lay beneath. "Will you show me, Shunsui?"
"I would never want to hurt you… Lupe." The way Shunsui said his name made his heart ache. But it also angered him and he laughed, bitterly.
"You already have." The guilt that chased across Shunsui's face was amusing. He had no idea what Starrk was talking about, he only thought he did. But then, how could he know he'd accidentally sentenced the young construct to die? Or Juushiro had. He would never know for certain. "I think you will show me your bankai today…" Starrk paused, admiring the blade for a moment. He could see Lilinette in the surface, just for a moment. She was grinning at him, looking forward to finally having her rematch. Then he looked at the two taichou. "Loup garou." He said, his voice carrying easily through the throne room. "Bankai." The blade dissolved in blue sparkles.
Power swirled around him in a carefully controlled rush. When it finished, he was in his bankai. Starrk grinned at them, flashing his sharp fangs. Shunsui called out his shikai and Juushiro took his. The two shinigami with twin zanpakuto… that was one thing Starrk definitely did not have, not that he cared. Lilinette was just fine.
"You should probably use your bankai now. I have many unexpected and dangerous powers." Starrk warned them, hoping they would both use their bankai. That would be perfect. He would get to see them both and die in the way he wanted, a way that didn't seem quite so pathetic and useless.
"But there are two of us to one of you." Juushiro pointed out and that made Starrk laugh.
"Oh Juu! Weren't you the one who said there was two of me? Do you think that's changed?" He said mockingly before calling out. "Twin Wolf!" Lilinette materialized in a puff of dark smoke. She looked like a little girl werewolf, wearing her leathers and her body half covered in fur. Little wolf ears poked out of her light green hair and she grinned at the startled Juushiro, her fangs glinting in the bright light.
"Heya Shiro-chan! Long time no see! It's time for round two!" She extended her black claws and Starrk did the same. "Let's do this Starrk!"
"Go, Lilinette." He said easily and she launched herself forward, leaping like an animal. He did the exact same, flowing at Shunsui with tremendous grace and speed. Black claws clashed against black blades and Starrk grinned, savoring the joy of combat. The fact that it was against the man he loved didn't matter. He did not intend that Shunsui would be the one to die…
"Hey! Am I putting my legs into it now? Huh? Am I?" Lilinette taunted as she kicked out at Juushiro, balancing herself on her hands. Her feet were as wickedly clawed as her hands and he narrowly evaded them, letting them shred a piece of his uniform. "Not as easy like this, is it?"
Want me to pull that trick Starrk? Lilinette asked, her voice bouncing in his head. Starrk didn't divert a single ounce of his concentration from Shunsui. He knew what the man could do and he was no one to be taken lightly. Starrk didn't want to win but he did want to see a bankai. If he failed, bankai to shikai, that would just be embarrassing.
Go ahead. Lilinette had mentioned a very nasty thing that could be done with Juushiro's shikai, some time ago. They had just been talking about how they would have done that battle a second time, if they had a chance. Knowing the full capabilities of their opponents gave them a massive advantage. Juushiro tried to use a binding kido on the child he was facing, not knowing that she could exert the full force of Starrk's reiatsu. It was far too low powered a spell and she shattered it easily before leaping to the side.
"Eat this old fart!" She yelled at him before calling up a ball of reiatsu. It acted just like a cero, a ball of bright blue energy that was identical to Starrk's power. It was nothing like the green power she used outside of his bankai. No, this was a force to be reckoned with. Juushiro responded to it as a serious attack, using his zanpakuto to redirect it back at her.
That was a mistake, and very nearly fatal to Shunsui. Lilinette had deliberately positioned herself with Juushiro's shikai in mind and as she leapt out of the way, the deadly blast of power very nearly hit the other shinigami. He just managed to flash step back, his eyes wide as that blue power reduced the wall beside them to rubble. Starrk and Lilinette both laughed and Shunsui's eyes narrowed as he glared at his opponent. Juushiro was horrified at what had almost occurred.
"Are you angry? Use that against me!" Starrk taunted, uncaring of his own fate. Rather, he embraced it. "Show me what you have, Shunsui!" His purpose in life had narrowed to this one thing. He would see Kyoraku's bankai before he died. A sword slashed his arm, above the fur, and Starrk grinned. So, Shunsui was getting the measure of his bankai.
"I think I see. You're invulnerable anywhere you have fur." Shunsui commented as they dueled back and forth. "But everywhere else is completely normal."
"Indeed. Although all my physical abilities are enhanced." Starrk agreed. "Lilinette is the same." She was catching Juushiro's swords on her furry arms. It helped that even now, the taichou wasn't willing to go full out on a child. Had he treated his own manifested zanpakuto so gently? Probably.
"Why are you fighting, Lupe? Why are you doing this?" Shunsui asked as blades clashed against claws. He sounded so reasonable… the use of his false name suddenly angered him and Starrk bared his fangs.
"Because I want to! Because I can!" He snarled as Shunsui attempted to use his shadow against him. But he knew the trick and had come up with an interesting counter… the blade came out of the shadow his foot was standing on, but his foot was no longer there. He lashed out from the side, hitting the flat side of the blade with the pad of his foot. That used the shadow against Shunsui and his own sword was torn out of his grip. Starrk leapt forward, driving him away from the blade and gripping the hilt himself. Then he grinned at the shinigami before yanking it out of the shadow… and tossing it back. Shunsui caught the sword, his eyes wide at the bizarre action. "Because my life is a joke and my future is nothing!" Starrk finished his angry, half-crazed speech before he attacked again.
"It doesn't have to be that way!" Shunsui was trying desperately to get through to him. "It doesn't matter, we still love you!" That hurt. It really did. But Starrk only shook his head.
"Love can't fix this." He said softly as Shunsui made a familiar spinning motion.
"Bushogoma!" The tornado enveloped him but Starrk was more than ready for that attack. He grinned, a half-crazed, feral expression before he called on another power of his bankai.
"Doppleganger." Two copies of himself appeared and they were both outside the tornado. They attacked Shunsui, completely soundlessly and gave Starrk more than enough time to break free of the tornado. One of them managed to knick Shunsui slightly before they were slashed apart and he looked at the cut, surprised. "Yes, they're real. Vastly less powerful than the real me, but real." They made excellent decoys and distractions. Shunsui turned his attention to him, smiling slightly.
"Interesting. But tell me, Lupe. Can they speak?" He asked lightly and Starrk turned down the corners of his lips as though he was unhappy. Inwardly, he was laughing.
Yes, Shunsui, they can speak. But he would save that for the proper time. For now he would let Shunsui think he'd learned something.
On the other side of the room, the battle between Lilinette and Juushiro was far more equal than the first one. Of course, the taichou would eventually have won… but Lilinette was pushing him hard and emotional upset could trigger his attacks. Seeing the two men he loved fighting each other and knowing that one of them, at least, seemed inclined to kill was very hard on him.
His distraction proved fatal. His attention wandered at a bad moment, when Starrk managed to raise some blood. Lilinette's claws raked down his back, sending blood flying and Juushiro went down hard. Just in time to see Starrk narrowly avoid a blow that could have decapitated him. It wouldn't have, Shunsui still didn't want to kill him, but the battle looked vicious. He began to cough just as a clawed foot landed beside his head, doing nothing but ruffling his white hair.
"Well? Ain't you getting up Shiro-chan?" Lilinette demanded as the coughing began to increase. "Oi! Seriously? Right now? You kidding me?" She reached down to grip his hair and yank him up, then grimaced as she saw the blood starting to ooze between his fingers. "Geez, you have the worst possible timing! How do you survive?"
"I… sometimes… wonder…" He gasped out as she sniffed, letting go of his head and plopping down beside him, taking a cross legged position. "Wait… aren't you…?" Wasn't she going to finish him off? Lilinette glanced at him, very little expression in her eye and face.
"Nah. Why would I do that? Starrk doesn't want you dead." She said and he stared at her before coughing again. It hurt so much to talk but he needed to know.
"Then why…?" He croaked out, trying to concentrate on the little girl. She didn't look at him, keeping her attention on the battle between Starrk and Shunsui. It was still raging fiercely although Shunsui was still refusing to use his bankai.
"You know what fey means, Shiro-chan?" She said and he shook his head. "It means, the way a man gets when he's looking at his death. And that's what's wrong with Starrk. No matter where he looks, he can't see nothin' but death." She said sadly as Juushiro's attack got worse. The coughing didn't seem to bother her. In fact, Lilinette was hardly noticing it. "Hey, Shiro-chan… if Kimono-chan kills Starrk, make sure to tell him Starrk was looking at death before he came." Lilinette said before glancing at the white haired man and noticing he had passed out. "Oh. Hope you heard that." It would be kinder to Shunsui, although he wouldn't understand.
"How do you move like that?" Shunsui asked his opponent at one point in the battle. He'd noticed something strange was going on… Starrk seemed to see things he shouldn't even know were there. He'd nearly managed a strike at the other man's back, coming through his shadow but Starrk had avoided him with remarkable ease.
"It's simple really." Starrk said calmly, reaching up to ghost a finger over his leather eye patch. It matched Lilinette's one perfectly. "I don't have one eye. I have two. And the other is over there." He pointed to Lilinette, who was watching them with interest. Shunsui glanced at the little girl, surprised.
"Isn't that confusing?" He asked as blades and claws clashed again. Starrk laughed.
"Very! I've been practicing with it constantly." He had been enjoying it, reveling in his newfound power. "It's fun when you get the hang of it." He remarked, almost not noticing as a slash opened on his shoulder, blood dripping down his white clothing. The pain registered but it was distant, unimportant. All that mattered was this moment in time, the exhilaration he was experiencing as he utilized his bankai to its fullest against one of the most powerful taichou of the Gotei 13. "Stop holding back! Use your bankai!" If he didn't… but Kyoraku smiled at him.
"No." He said simply and Starrk growled in irritation. The look in Shunsui's eyes… it reminded him of the first time they had fought. Regret, sadness. He needed Shunsui to fight harder and the only way he had was to push the man. Well, he would do that then!
"Doppleganger!" Starrk called before moving at his very fastest. The copies moved with him as he attempted to generate confusion, cause Shunsui to lose his grip on which of them was real.
What happened next was done absolutely perfectly. One of the copies remained soundless but the other made a small gasp, as if Starrk had made a mistake. Shunsui eliminated the silent one with a low powered attack and launched something similar on him before attacking the 'real' Starrk full force. Through Lilinette's eyes, Starrk saw the shock on his face as the copy dissolved easily. He laughed as Shunsui turned. It was already too late. A wicked grin crossed his face and Starrk knew that if he called the right color, Shunsui would be dead. It would be so easy.
So of course, he didn't do it.
"Green!" Shunsui's eyes went wide at that call. Neither of them had a single speck of green in their clothing. It minimized any damage they could take and Starrk struck with full force, not holding a single thing back. He didn't need to hold back… or so he thought. That was almost a miscalculation, because even with Shunsui's shikai crippling his blow, his claws bit deep. The slash went from Shunsui's shoulder to his hip and blood sprayed as the shinigami went down. Starrk landed beside him, looking back. Shunsui was gasping, blood on his lips. That strike had damaged his lungs. Starrk just looked at him for a moment, as the adrenaline slowly flushed out of his system. Had this really happened? Had he just won?
"Oh Shunsui." Starrk whispered as he knelt beside one of the men he loved, heedless of the blood. Shunsui was very tough and he might survive without help, but he might not too. Cloudy grey eyes met his and a small smile tugged on bloody lips.
"You… lied to me. They… can talk." Shunsui managed to say and Starrk chuckled.
"I never said they couldn't." He said and Shunsui smiled again. His breathing was weaker, hitching with a bubbling sound at the end. "Why didn't you use your bankai? Why did you let me win?" Shunsui had let him win. Not intentionally, exactly – he'd fought as hard as he could with his shikai – but Starrk already knew that power. He'd needed to use his bankai if he'd wanted to win. Shunsui closed his eyes for a moment and Starrk was afraid he wouldn't answer.
"I couldn't… kill you again…" He whispered and opened his eyes again. The warmth there… it pierced his heart. Starrk blinked back tears before giving Shunsui a small, forgiving smile.
"You already have." He said softly before gently taking Shunsui's hand and resting his other against the shinigami's chest. Healing power filled his hand as he began to mend the wound he had dealt. Without help it was touch and go, but with his power Shunsui would certainly recover. "But since you are a great fool I suppose we'll both have to live a bit longer." There was a weak chuckle and Starrk looked down at his lover.
"I knew… you wouldn't… let me die…" Shunsui said and Starrk curled his lip, pulling it away from sharp fangs.
"Stop trying to talk me out of it." He muttered and there was a pained laugh. "Just pass out, it would be easier." There was no reason for Shunsui to stay awake and suffering. It took a while but as Starrk healed him, breathing gradually evened out and became deeper. Glancing up, Starrk saw that Shunsui had lapsed into sleep. Or was it unconsciousness? It didn't really matter.
Shunsui and Juushiro would both survive. At the moment, that was all that mattered.
Starrk sipped a cup of tea, his guns sitting on the table beside him as he waited for Shunsui and Juushiro to wake up.
He was more worried about Juushiro than Shunsui. Kyoraku's wounds were mending nicely, with his healing to bolster his natural durability. Juushiro was quite another matter. Starrk had no idea how to treat one of his attacks and suspected there wasn't much to be done anyway. He'd just tried to keep the taichou warm, get him to eat and given him gentle healing infusions. Also, whenever Juushiro woke up he had to spend time assuring him that everything was fine, that he and Shunsui were both alive and would stay that way. Juushiro was always worried about them when he woke.
There was a loud, jaw cracking yawn and Starrk glanced over to see that Shunsui's eyes were open. He looked very comfortable for a moment, just savoring the warmth of the little nest of cushions Starrk had put together for them. Then his eyes flared wide as he remembered.
"Juu?" Shunsui pulled himself up, grimacing as the half-healed wounds pulled on him. He checked Juushiro over, waking the other shinigami. There was a soft murmur of voices and Starrk didn't bother trying to make it out, just sipping his tea. Then Lilinette walked into the room, carrying a plate of food.
"Hey, are they awake yet? They really should eat – oh yeah! Welcome back Kimono-chan." Lilinette said cheerfully and Starrk smiled. "I have some food but it really sucks! So do you want canned baked beans, canned creamed corn or biscuits with bugs in?" She tossed one of those biscuits to him and he caught it before looking at it in revulsion. "Oi, just eat it Starrk! Nothing will make you happy anyway."
"Not unless you have pickled garlic and rice." Starrk agreed before biting into the biscuit. The weevils were slightly crunchy. His lovers both looked a bit grossed out.
"I think I'll pass… Lupe, would you care to explain why you attacked us?" Shunsui asked and Starrk sighed, scratching his head for a moment as he tried to think of where to start. Then Lilinette took it out of his hands.
"Starrk's going potty in the head. I guess that's what happens when a guy finds out he's knocked up." Lilinette said cheerfully and Starrk stopped his scratching to stare at her.
"Lilinette! What the hell?" He protested as Shunsui smiled like he'd just heard a joke. Juushiro just looked confused. "Why did you just tell them like that?!"
"Well weren't you gonna tell them anyway? What's the problem?" She asked and he snarled at her.
"I was going to do it in my own time!" He'd planned to lead up to it, not just dump it right on them. Lilinette rolled her eyes before waving a hand dismissively.
"Oh geez, like we could wait for that. There's an ice age coming any minute now – hey!" She protested as he tried to dematerialize her. He actually fumbled it, he was so angry. "I'll blow your eardrums out Starrk! Don't you dare!"
"Get back in my head!" He roared before forcing her back into his mind. Then, true to her threat, she started to yell at him. "I have a gun and I know how to use it!" He threatened, picking it up and putting the business end of it to his temple. As he felt the cold metal against his skin, though, the little fight with Lilinette seemed to recede to unimportance. Her voice dimmed, becoming nothing but a background buzz as his hand tightened on the was only himself and this moment in time. The temptation towards self-destruction was suddenly overwhelming. It would be so easy…
"Lupe. Please put the gun down." Juushiro's soft voice penetrated the haze and Starrk blinked, turning his attention back outward to see they were both staring at him. Shunsui's eyes were wide and from the bit of sweat on his face, he'd realized how incredibly serious the situation was. Starrk blinked as he suddenly realized how selfish he was being. It was one thing to end his life, but right in front of them? What could be more cruel?
"I'm sorry." He said, lowering the gun. Then he became aware of Lilinette's terrified sobbing. "Oh Lilinette, I frightened you. I'm sorry." He murmured, cradling the gun in his arms like the child he would never hold. Shunsui cleared his throat and Starrk looked up as his love gave him a small smile.
"Perhaps you could tell us why you seem to be suicidal?" He asked and Starrk sighed, setting the gun on the table. Then he picked up his teacup, sitting back and taking a sip.
"It started with Shiba Kaien…" He carefully explained the royal blood and how it had enabled a conception. That got Juushiro to thinking, though.
"Wait. You fought us like that when you're pregnant with one of our's child? Lupe!" The look the white haired taichou gave him was severe and Starrk couldn't help but smile. It was a sad smile, though, befitting his frame of mind.
"That doesn't matter, Juushiro. You will never see it. It will never be born. Let me continue…" Then he explained the difficulties surrounding the birth and his own conclusions. Juushiro bit his lip as Shunsui frowned. "I have only a few months left to live." He said, resigned. He'd come to terms with his fate. It would have been nicer to see Shunsui's bankai and die in combat, but if he had to die slowly from reiatsu poisoning, that was life. "At least I have my guns." If it all became too painful he would end it. Juushiro swallowed but Shunsui's mind was still far away.
"What about Urahara Kisuke? Have you considered taking this to him?" He said and Starrk gave him a strange look.
"The man who owns the candy shop? What about him?" That was as far as his knowledge of Kisuke went. Shunsui stared at him as Juushiro choked, then snorted.
"Y-You managed to stay in the Living World and you never spoke to Kisuke?!" He said as Shunsui started to grin. Starrk frowned, wondering why that was important. "And… Aizen must have mentioned him! He created half the hogyoku! How could you not know about him?"
"Uh…" Starrk flushed at that, before speaking a touch defensively. "When I thought I was a hollow I didn't really listen to Aizen at all, expect when he ordered me to do things. If he mentioned this Urahara, I wasn't listening." That was actually quite likely. The number of meetings he'd slept through had been legion. "And Lilinette didn't mention him." He sent her a questioning feeling and she sent back a mental shrug.
I remember Aizen mentioning him a few times but he wasn't for us, so I didn't pay much attention. She said and Starrk frowned, turning his attention outwards. Juushiro was smiling now and Shunsui was grinning.
"Ah, well! Let us tell you a bit about Urahara…" Shunsui said before giving him a quick rundown of Kisuke's checkered history, with Juushiro helping. Starrk felt hope kindle in his heart for the first time in over a week. "If anyone other than Unohana can help you deliver your child, he's the one. And he can keep a secret, he's done it before for centuries."
"And you think he will?" Starrk mused. But if Shunsui and Juushiro both asked, likely he would. "I… you really think I might live?" Tears suddenly pricked his eyes and Shunsui tried to move, but his wound defeated him. It was Juushiro who gently took him in his arms, letting him quietly cry.
"We'll help you. Trust in us." He murmured and Starrk nodded, closing his eyes. Then there was a cough from the cushions.
"By the way, I have a question." Starrk looked up questioningly and Shunsui tilted his head at him. "Green?"
"Oh." Starrk smiled as he remembered and lifted a hand, palm up. "It was a joke." He said and Shunsui stared at him for a moment before laughing. The laughter rocked his body and made him wince a little, but he didn't stop.
"You are a sick man, Coyote Starrk." He said severely when the laughter was done and Starrk's smile warmed.
"You've been sleeping with me for months and you just now noticed this?" He said and Juushiro's laughter joined Shunsui's. "Do you need to go to the washroom? I can help you." Surely Shunsui did need it. He nodded, trying to sit up and wincing.
"I could use that..." Starrk smiled as he put an arm around one of the most important men in his life and helped him towards the bathroom.
Maybe there really was some hope for them.