Chapter 23: It's Easy, Just Let Me Hold You

Mike's fingers danced elegantly across the piano keys, his eyes closed, full of emotion as he played a slow and cool Jazz melody. He wore his usual Shinigami uniform, yet his Zanpakuto rested against the keyboard it's self, not too far from reach. The bridge of his nose was occupied by small rectangular rimmed sunglasses, obviously let down so he could see what he was playing, although, by the look of things he had the song memorized.

He had gone in search for this particular instrument and had found an old Bar and Grill that was abandoned, much to his delight. He had started playing, letting the over hanging dread of imminent war be dispelled by the sweet melodic sounds of hammers against tighten strings.

However, he was not expecting his new Captain, and the bodacious red head he brought with him, to come investigate the sounds he was making. He wasn't in trouble, no, for they had been out on the town after having dinner and decided to investigate. They motioned for him to proceed with his music, faces happy and kind, and he did so gladly. At first the just watched, but his Captain asked his date to dance, and that's what they were doing now.

"Tonight was wonderful Orihime," Meiyotou commented softly, a warm little smile plastered on his face. Her held her waist with one arm, and her hand with the other. She held his shoulder with the hand that was not already intertwined with his own as they moved elegantly around the open room.

Orihime blushed before replying, "Thank you Meiyotou, I may seem... ignorant, but I know not everyone likes my cooking."

"It was wonderful, I assure, even if it's an acquired taste." Meiyotou chuckled.

"Only you and Rangiku could possibly enjoy my cooking," Orihime commented.

"Well, you'll have to have both of us over for dinner some time then," Meiyotou said.

"Oh I think that would be wonderful." Orihime beamed.

Her smile made Meiyotou smile too, and he couldn't help but get lost in her Grey eyes. It was a few moments before he caught himself starring at her, and Orihime as well. They both looked away, the girl in his charge blushing. When Meiyotou looked back, her opened his mouth to say something, stumbling over the first syllable. "M...m... may I write you, Miss Inoue?" He asked.

Orihime raised an eyebrow, "Sorry?"

Meiyotou tried again, "When the war is over... Captain Commander has insured my position as a Captain... So, may I write you when I return to Soul Society?"

Orihime blushed again, moving her hands from Meiyotou and then wrapping them around his waist. She started to cry, and it's an understatement to say Meiyotou was worried, "Sorry... did I say something wrong?"

Orihime shook her head as it rested against Meiyotou's chest, she finally looked up at him and smiled, her eyes still watery, "I'd love you to yes... it would make me so happy."

Meiyotou smiles and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him, their bodies still moving as Mike played his slow melodic music. And a sniffle might be able to be heard from the rock star's direction as he continued to play the piano.

"Thank you so much, Meiyotou," Orihime started, "I've waited forever, and after I had been in love with Ichigo, I thought no one could ever love me. I didn't know how I could cure my lonesomeness."

Meiyotou smiled gently, his hand clasping the girls chin and bringing it up to face him. He then proceeded to leave a light kiss on the girls soft pouty lips. "It's easy, just let me hold you."

Ishida unlocked the door to his home, opening it slowly with a content sigh. Training Shinigami was hard, especially for a Quincy. Their fighting styles were so different that miss communication was an overstatement. However, having different powers then the dead souls that the fifth division had to offer had it's pros. It allowed the people he was training to adapt to a different kind of power, and a power equal to a Captains at any rate.

He just wished Kurosaki hadn't gone off and trained with Captain Kuchiki a few days ago and had stayed behind to help him

Not that that strong headed strawberry has any clue how to train those idiots either... He had no talent for controlling his spiritual pressure.

The Quincy sniffed the air that occupied his dwelling as he closed the door behind him and stepped in, finding an odd smell of chicken and other assortments of food, as well as a rustling noise coming from the kitchen.

Raising an eyebrow, Uryu made his way to the kitchen an peeked it. To his surprise he found Nemu standing over a pot of steaming liquid, humming to herself almost uncharacteristicly as she churned the heated food stuff with a ladle. She wore an apron over her usual Shinigami garb, which self admittedly, turned Uryu on. "Nemu? What are you d..."

He was cut off by the women as she turned her head to look over her shoulder at him, giving a fabulous smile. "I'm makin' you dinner." There was a giggle before she turned back to what she was doing. Uryu was about to make a statement when the door bell rang. His body turned as if to go answer it, but Nemu was ahead of the Quincy, "I got it, love." She said before hurrying to the door and opening it.

On the other side of the threshold was Mayuri, Nemu's father, in all his Pharaoh like glory. "For the soul king's sake Nemu, I've been waiting here for a millennium..." His eyes moved to Uryu as he continued his rant, both men staring at each other: Ishida with surprise, Mayuri with discontent, "I thought Quincy had better manners."

"Certainly more then you," Uryu replied smartly, earning a disdainful look from Mayuri.

"You should respect your elders, boy." Said the crazy clown like scientist.

"You should respect your daughter m..." Ishida started, but Nemu was quick to interject.

"Father... Uryu, please... I'm almost done making dinner, so please make yourselves comfortable." Said the the female Shinigami.

Both men glared at her as she left for the kitchen, leaving them to there own devices. Uryu sighed, walking over to the door and motioning for the Twelfth Division Captain to enter. Mayuri accepted the silent invitation and came in, allowing Uryu to close the door behind him.

The Evil Scientist continued to slowly inspect the house, top to bottom, Uryu following close behind him. "I have to say Quincy... this home is well in order. For human capabilities that is."

"I try," Uryu said through clench teeth. He escorted Mayuri back to the living room and sat down with him on the couch.

"I have a proposition for you Quincy," Mayuri started, "I'm willing to sell you Nemu if you let me experiment on you to figure out how you gained your powers back..."

"No..." Uryu said simply, "And Nemu is a person, you can't just sell her off like some piece of property."

"You don't understand Quincy. I created her. She was grown in a test tube. Everything in her is from me or synthetic. Can you fathom that she is just a complicated machine? Designed to do my bidding..." He frowned slightly, "I should have deprogrammed feelings during her brain development stage. Then she wouldn't be so defiant to follow my orders because of her love for you."

Uryu just couldn't come up with any smart interjections for once in his life. It was like dealing with his father, there was no smart way out of this conversation where he could possibly win. He just needed to keep Nemu away from this man as much as possible. "The only reason I'm not trying to rip a gigantic hole into you like the /last/ time I almost killed you is because of Nemu."

"The only reason your not on a table screaming in agony from experimentation is because of Nemu." Mayuri retorted.

Uryu was surprised to hear that kind of answer from the seemingly cold heated Captain, but he was even more surprised at the Captain's next few words.

"Listen Quincy..." Mayuri started, "you can have her... I can just make another one." He seemed disappointed.

Uryu's eyes went wide, "Are you serious?"

"When have I ever kidded you, Quincy?" Mayuri said in a goofy manor, almost as if recovering from a moment of weakness, "She's obviously defective since she's not obeying orders to stay away from the likes of you. I usually just disintegrate defective equipment, but I'll make an acceptance here." Mayuri turned his head to look out the window, seemingly ending the conversation.

Uryu stared at Mayuri a long moment, a realization coming to his mind. Mayuri was violent with Nemu not necessarily because he was crazy but because he was always afraid of losing her. And in Ishida, someone who was able to beat him, he saw something good enough to give his daughter too, even if he'd never admit it. Or, from what Ishida could tell, Mayuri cared about Nemu on at least some level. It is in the nature of humans, and even Shinigami, to hurt the things you love if you fear losing them. And since that didn't work with Nemu, he's giving up. Uryu had won, he won this battle, without having to kill Mayuri and so he simply nodded in agreement, accepting Mayuri's offer.

Though after a moment of silence there was another knock at the door, and Nemu's figure entered the living room with a tray of drinks, four of them to be exact. One of Uryu's eyebrows raised and he stood as Nemu entered, an old sign of respect. Mayuri however remained seated.

"Oh Uryu, could you get the door please?" Nemu asked sweetly, taking the seat Uryu had previously been in.

Uryu nodded, turning around for the door, but what he saw was something unexpected. Ryuken Ishida had already invited himself into the apartment, cold steal eyes looking over his son and then the two Shinigami on the couch. Nemu smiled at him, something she has been doing a lot lately, Mayuri scowled, and Uryu almost fainted on spot.

Ryuken cleared his throat and spoke in a very calm and cold manor, "Good evening..."

Karin's sweat trickled in beads down her forehead as she pointed a finger at Nanao Isa, lieutenant of the Eighth Division and resident Kido Expert. She seemed agitated and in a state of aggravation as she tried to summon a very complicated Kido maneuver without the incantation. "Hado 90, Kurohitsugi," The young Kurosaki girl breathed through clenched teeth. The black and purple outlined energy shot from her finger and the boxes outline formed around Nanao.

The Leutenant almost twitched nervously as it formed, but it was somewhat less powerful then she expected, and before she could be consumed in blackness and pierced a million times by the Demon Magic, the black and purple box flickered and disappeared into nothing.

Karin sighed and fell to her knees, "For fucks sake..." She looked up and around the park they had chosen to train in, the same park that carried the soccer field Toushiro and herself play on form time to time, when they do in fact even get the time. However things were increasingly difficult for the relatively new Shinigami. Sure she had achieved Bankai, but was hesitant to use it. It was important to get acquainted with your Shikai first and seeing as she had gotten Bankai through some sort of cheat, she felt obliged to handicap herself in order to show that she was plenty powerful without one.

Shunpo had been easy, seems there was a talent for it in the Kurosaki family... Ichigo's Bankai even gave him a boost, not to mention his hollow powers. Her father was adept in the art, probably all that time running around with Yoruichi. Meiyotou had gave her the knowledge of Itaikawa, the art of sharpening your spiritual pressure during a hand to hand fight and using it to increase the strength of a blow. Now it was time for Kido, and the stuff Rukia knew was easy to learn and release without even an incantation. Her Brother's girlfriend was obviously surprised by the aptitude Karin had for the way of the demon, yet she was used to the exponential growing rate of the Kurosaki blood line so she was certain the young raven haired Shinigami could handle a more difficult work load. That's where Nanao Isa came in.

She was a timid women, a book worm, and every hard to please. What she had to offer Karin was more difficult then anything she had tried before, and slowly but surely they worked there way through to number 99, sparing with each other, Hado countering Hado, Bakudo countering Hado. So on and so forth. It helped build an aptitude for calling the attack or defensive spell into play without so much as uttering a word. It was tough, leaving Karin so very tired at the end of the day, but what she did enjoy was Captain Kyoraku's occasional visits. The two high level Shinigami would argue and insinuate various sexual references about each other. How Nanao was a prude, or how Shunsui was a womanizer. Or how his precious Nanao was too busy with Karin to pay any attention to her poor old lonely Captain. Karin loved every minute of it to say the least, and it brought a break to her day, which would not have come if her and Nanao had not been interrupted from time to time.

"That was very close Miss Kurosaki," Nanao praised in her matter of fact tone, "We'll just have to keep tryin'."

"Yeah yeah, I know," Karin huffed as she cached her fleeting breath, "Just need a break." She then proceeded to lay flat on her belly and let out a rather large sigh of relief.

A sweat mark appeared on the back of Nanao's head as the younger Shinigami proceeded to give into her bodies exhaustion and she too sighed, knowing that a break was indeed necessary for once in their time training, yet equally disappointed in the way Karin carried herself. The girl was gifted yet she seemed to be working harder then she ever had. So Nanao nodded in agreement and found a nice patch of grass to sit in.

After a moment a wall of spirit power entered their minds, and the both looked to the same spot. There was Yoruichi with Soi Fon at her side. They both raised an eyebrow at the pair and greeted them as they were, "Afternoon ladies," Said the cat like women Yoruichi, followed by a comment from Soi Fon, "Working hard or hardly working?"

Karin clenched her teeth, moving to sit up so she could confront the two in a comical fashion, "Oi! We were just takin' a break so that I could regain some spiritual pressure. It's not like I've been sittin' around and doin' nothin'!"

Yoruichi smirked, "I know, you both have been working quite hard... and I see that like all other abilities you seem to have an exceptional talent for Kido." The women walked over to the pair, an ominous sort of glow about her. Soi Fon stayed where she was. "It seems to me," Yoruichi addressed Nanao first, "That you've gone as far as you can lieutenant. Tell me, if Karin was able to actually hold a stable Black Coffin without incantation, would you have died?"

Nanao paused a moment, remembering the anxiety she felt the minute the black and purple frame of the destructive spell surrounded her. She nodded slowly in agreement, perfectly convinced that if Karin had been able to boost more power into the attack that she would have possibly killed the Leutenant.

Karin had a look of surprise on her face, "I ah... didn't know that."

Nanao glanced towards Karin before explaining, "You have a tremendous amount of spiritual pressure. A lot of your attacks are increasingly powerful with every use, and I'm having trouble keeping up... It's almost out of my hands now."

Karin narrowed her eyes, "I thought you were just gettin' tired. I didn't think I was doin' any better."

Nanao closed her eyes, "You've almost surpassed me... even being a Kido master, I can't even get as far as you have with Hado 90 without an incantation."

Karin frowned, "You should have told me I was pushin' you as well."

Nanao chuckled, "That's the thing, I wanted to get you as far along in development as possible, even if it was dangerous to my own life."

Yoruichi laughed before commenting, "Well that's why I'm here... Karin, Meiyotou went over his Itaikawa technique with you correct?"

Karin nodded simply

"Well let me and Soi Fon show you what can be done with it if you add a little Kido." Yoruichi smirked, "It's a little something called Shunko..."

Uryu Ishida blinked once, twice, three times just to make sure that his father was really standing there... especially with two Shinigami in the room. To be honest, the young Quincy honestly thought that his father would have gone for his bow by now. However, the elder Ishida stood his ground, unarmed, and simply pushed his glasses further up his nose, much like his son dose.

"Mind explaining why there are two Shinigami in the building I rent for you?" Ryuken Ishida asked his son, "And by that embarrassing look on your face, Uryu, I take it that it wasn't you on the phone inviting me to dinner to discuss something of the 'utmost importance'."

Uryu again, for the second time this evening, found it impossible to find the right words that might appease his father, "Er, no I suppose it wasn't..." He looked over towards his Shinigami girlfriend who promptly got up and walked over to Uryu's father.

Nemu grabbed the eldest Ishida's hands and placed them in her own, his eyes simply staring down coldly into the Lieutenant's own. "Mr. Ishida, It was me who called. I used a special machine my father invented to mask my voice with Uryu's..."

In the corner, Mayuri's voice barely audible, said... "That's my girl..." And Uryu's face was in that of bewilderment and surprise.

Nemu smiled at Ryuken, continuing "My Name is Nemu Kurotsuchi... I am the Leutenant of Division Twelve, Over on the couch is my father, the Captain of the Twelfth Division Mayuri Kurotsuchi... and I am also Uryu's... his... um..." Nemu's face became beat red as she tried to stammer off rest of her thought.

Thankfully Uryu had regained himself from the thought of Nemu using one of her fathers clever machines to impersonate him, physically or auditory. At that point in time, watching Nemu confront his father much in the same way Uryu previously confronted her own, he felt a surge of resolve. Nemu knew damn well what his father supposedly thought of Shinigami and she wasn't afraid, with her new confidence, to confront a man who supposedly loathed her entire species, give him a warm and welcoming smile and try to let him into her heart. And it occurred to him, that maybe this is what Nemu wanted him to do with Mayuri. Instead of threatening him, why not help him! Why not show him kindness, compassion, and respect? Maybe, it would make the difference. So Uryu stepped forward and wrapped a free arm around Nemu's waist. "Girlfriend," He stated, while staring down his own flesh and blood, "She is my Girlfriend... yes she is a Shinigami... and you know what, I don't give a fuck." Yes, it's a miracle. Uryu Ishida used a dirty word, and at that thought of what could only be reckless abandon, the young Quincy smirked lent down to kiss his beloved's neck.

Nemu was even more crimson than before.

Ryuken simply watched his son, "Alright... just modest yourself up some. Quincy don't have moments of reckless abandon. However, you're still young, so I'll allow it."

Uryu seemed angry and started to retort, "If you don't like the idea of me with a Shinigami, get out. I love her and that's that. She is a person and that's all that matters. And I should be grateful for you restorin' my powers but... Wait a second... did you say... alright?" Uryu, blinked a couple times.

"Are you deaf already?" Asked Ryuken in his usual mood, "Perhaps battling hollows have made your hearing drop a notch..." He left his son speechless and walked over to Mayuri, sticking out his hand for Mayuri to shake.

The Clown like Shinigami looked at the hand and instead of shaking it, he went about inspecting it tediously. "Ah... So you're the son that Soken kept whining about when he let me experiment on him."

Uryu turned around and stood agape, "He let you?"

Mayuri looked over at Ishida and stared at him like he was some dumb founded idiot, "Why yes... he was almost dead. I expressed my wishes to conduct some research on him re-guarding his powers."

Uryu blinked yet again, "But.. you said you..."

"Of course I did, you insolent adolescent," Mayuri retorted, "I had to get you to fight to explore the full power of that glove you were wearing. I had never got to experiment with one of those, and your Grandfather was much too weak to explain the concept to me."

Ryuken seemed not to be surprised about this, although he did pull his hand away at the ministrations from the mad scientist. "Seems like my father, some cockamamie skeem to dedicate his dying body to the Shinigami for research."

Uryu couldn't believe it, "Mayuri Kurotsuchi. I can't get a grasp on you what so ever."

"Well of course not," The Shinigami Captain replied, "Otherwise I'd lose all advantage in a battle. You know, egging on an opponent is something that must be done if they're agitated. It's a simple rule of war. I just miscalculated the power of you're glove." He paused a moment, looking to Ryuken, "Which I assure you hardly ever happens."

Uryu shook the thought out of his head, the confusion running through it. This man here was more then just a physical scientist. He knew how to manipulate the mind and Uryu realized just how much that glove saved his ass. However, he had some questions for his father. "I don't understand you either father... you hate Shinigami. You made me promise never to interact with them again... but I don't quite understand your lenience here."

Ryuken sighed, "Much like the fine Captain here... I was simply testing your loyalties to your friends. I let a women screw that up once. Isshin's late wife strayed me away from that loyalty I found with his group. But now I know, that what I did was rather selfish and very unchivalrous, but only recently after observing your interactions with the Shinigami and reuniting with Urahara and Isshin. I tried to plant a seed of doubt in your head, but nothing made you doubt you devotion to your Nakama."

Uryu gulped. Never since his battle with Szayel Aporro Granz, the Eighth Espada, did he feel so used. So much like an object... so tested, yet relieved at the same time. His grandfather wasn't an unwilling experimental test subject after all. His father was more lenient, yet still a stern hard ass. Yet all this trickery was pissing him off. "I hate you both."

"Son," Ryuken said flatly, "It was for your own good. You're destine for great things... and I won't be around forever you know."

That had to be the first nice thing Uryu's father had said to him in a long time. Perhaps he acted so distant because he wanted Uryu to be opposite, to have a strong will to defend people. Ryuken had provided an example of everything Uryu shouldn't be, and had let Soken be his role model. He closed his eyes and sighed, Nemu coming to his side to comfort him with a kiss to the cheek. "I'm sorry... It's just so impossible to understand."

"Maybe I can make things clearer for you over dinner." Ryuken said, smiling ever so slightly at Nemu and Uryu.

His son nodded, "Alright..."

About a week Later...

In the far off world of Hueco Mundo, Lord Sosuke Aizen of the Arrancar stood and watched as Kaname Tousen opened up a portal via Gargantua to the Human world with his famous smirk. Net to him stood Gin, his face as fox like as ever.

Behind him stood the few remaining Espada and their Fraccion. A Blond women with large breasts, her mouth covered by her shirt's collar. A tall, thin, long haired man who looked a lot like some Spanish desperado or mariachi. A large and older looking geezer, with the haughty attitude about him much like a king. And a large yet powerful looking tanned male, who seemed more then enough to fit within a stereotype of a street urchin. A blond boy sat next to Kaname as he went to work, staring intently as the unzipping of the Gargantua as if it was some beautiful piece of artwork.

Aizen broke the silence with the simple commands, "Lets go... and become the new gods my Friends."

To Be Continued...

A/N: Alright, there we go. How was that one? Seems like next chapter will be filled with Epic battles and stuff. Any ways, until next time r and r... and if you have any questions feel free to PM me. I enjoy hearing from my fans and answering your questions. So We'll get back to fighting with the last few chapters. And then have an Epilog. I'll tell you now that I plan on making this into a three part Saga and already have Ideas floating around in my head... especially about Captain Kyoraku's Bankai... His Shikai is so Hax that it is unbelievable. Can't imagine how crazy his Bankai is, but I can only speculate. :)