That same night, Kuchiki Estate...

"Fuck!" Ichigo exclaimed as he caught his fist in his own hand.

"Ichi..." Nel muttered in a comforting tone as she embraced him.

"It's just... I know that guy is behind everything, I just know it!" He protested. "That damn Tsunayashiro reeks of evil intent, and not content with blaming my dad of Mayuri's death, he now decides to make Kuukaku his bride?"

"It all seems too suspicious, I can't help but to agree with you"

"And I know... I could turn him into dust in an instant" He remembered how he had to contain the urge earlier that day. "If only I wasn't a King... If only the lives of so many didn't depend on me... Goddammit!"

"*sigh* It certainly is frustrating" Nelliel pouted. "Which makes me think... Is it truly your duty to remain King much longer?"

"You don't mean-"

"It's exactly what I'm thinking! You defeated Sorayama. You established an alliance with the Seireitei. You created the Hollow Society! Like... Is it fair for you to keep doing this after all you've done?"

"Heh... We can always dream, huh?" He thought about it for a moment. "But no. The decree that I forced Central 46 to sign stated that Hueco Mundo was of my sovereignty"

"Hm... Then is there a way for you to remain King while the Hollow Society still has a different leader?"

"The only option I can think of... Would be a Constitutional Monarchy. Though in that case, we would need a democratically elected leader, a Prime Minister of sorts"

"Ah, ah, I know! Let's make Ulquiorra the Prime Minister!" She quickly decided.

"Hm... He still lacks some self-esteem and leadership skills though, but I believe it's something we can sort out" He concluded. "I'll give it a shot sometime... But right now, I'm worried about the present situation"

"Yeah... Everything went black in a couple hours, and I was so looking forward to meet with Karin-chan again... At least she didn't see her dad in that state, in fact she might not even know yet"

"Probably, but if it takes too long, she will notice sooner than we expect" He ground his teeth. "It seems there really is no choice... But to let that devil marry Kuukaku"

"Just thinking about it gives me the shivers... Is there nothing we can do to avoid that? Maybe buy more time?"

"Sadly, I don't think there is" He sighed, defeated. "All we can do is hope at this point"

~~~~X~~~~

Next Morning, Kaiser Spa...

Candice and Bambietta were finishing a session of massage to welcome a seemingly perfect Sunday.

"~Ah~ That's the spot..." Catnipp groaned in pleasure as the female masseuse released all trouble off her body with her oiled hands.

"Yesh, right there..." Basterbine was the same. "This is almost perfect indeed"

"Almost?"

"I mean, if a hot muscular guy was the one with his hands on me, then it would be perfect"

"Maybe for you" Candi remarked. "I would be way too uncomfortable to enjoy it. The only one I've allowed to touch me is... Well, you know"

"Bitch, we get it, you've got a boyfriend" Bambi rolled her eyes.

"Actually... I've missed him a lot these couple days"

"It hasn't even been two days! Gimme a break..."

"I know! But... Can you blame me?"

"Well, I guess it's normal when you're in love" She sighed. "But try not to be so clingy, guys don't like that"

"Trust me, mine does" She remembered the way he pampered her back home.

"Still, try to act more composed. Every guy likes when girls play hard to get"

"Oof... I did that for way too long. I'm done with that bullshit" The Thunderbolt retorted. "For once I can be honest with my feelings and receive nothing but happiness in return"

"Will you tell the girls in that case?"

"You know what?" She looked at her. "Yes. I will. In fact, I already know how Imma do it"

"Now that's some fearsome determination"

"What kind of Thunderbolt would I be if I can't leave my Darling Thunderstruck every now and then?"

"Ooh... I like where this is going"

"So with this session I'll call it a day. Or well... Maybe after a special haircare treatment" She made a silly smile.

"You never change, do ya?" Bambietta giggled. "But it's cool. This is your reward, so enjoy it to the fullest"

"Will you be joining me?"

"Nah. If you don't mind, I'll hit the dry sauna one last time. My pores will appreciate it"

"Gotcha. I'll call you when I'm ready then"

~~~~X~~~~

Human World, Vizard Hideout...

"*yawn* To think I was glad to leave early from the Seireitei to work on this, but I still took all night" Hat and clogs complained. "Hiyori-saaan! Are you awake? I've got something for you!" He knocked on the hideout's gate.

The gate was abruptly opened by a small figure.

"It better be important for you to come this early in the morning on a SUNDAY!" Sarugaki yelled.

"Heh... Y'see, ever since I got some special food from your beloved Hikifune-taichou, I couldn't help but try to replicate the effect" He said as he passed her a box of donuts. "These ones are the prototype for Hollow-based powers. I needed a test subject before presenting them to Ichigo, and I don't really trust that mad scientist they have in Hueco Mundo, ahahaha..."

"So you want ME to be the lab rat now?" She protested.

"Well, you were my assistant back in the day, remember? And since this was based off Hikifune-san's cooking technique, I thought you'd be the perfect candidate!" He scratched his neck a bit.

"Tch... Look, I'll take it, but you're gonna owe me a couple favors" She conditioned. "And if you dare think for a second that you can copy the heavenly taste of her food, I'll make sure these end up inside your ass"

"Sure, sure, but please make sure to give me a clear description of the effects. Write them down to keep track, if possible"

"What am I supposed to experience, for starters?"

"Well, there should be a clear boost in your physical and spiritual capabilities, but anything else is unknown"

"Hm... Alright. I'll try them whenever I feel like it though, cause I don't plan to ruin my day of rest with dubious side-effects"

"Sure, no worries. Just try to do it in the next days if possible, ok?" He requested.

"I'll see what I can do" She averted her sight. "Now get lost"

"Sure, sure..." He turned around and started walking. "Oh, and by the way, you should check on your friends in the Gotei some time soon" He looked back at her with a smile. "Sayuri-san looked pretty disappointed about not seeing you yesterday"

"Y-You guys went to see her?! And no one told me?!" She became upset again.

"Well, Hirako-san said you were busy with your part-time job, and since it was a more professional kind of meeting he thought it wasn't worth it"

"That bald fuck is so dead! Just wait and see... I'll go pay her a visit some other day though, I'm beat right now"

"I thought as much. I was glad to meet her though, she seems pretty earnest with her duty as Captain of the Kidou Corps"

"She's always been that way. Unlike the lazy ass of Shinji, Sayuri's as hard-working as they come. Not really talented in any area other than Kidou, and yet she constantly strives to improve in those aspects"

"I see. Didn't you ever think of visiting her before though?"

"It's... Complicated" She muttered. "There's just a... Topic, I know we need to solve together, but I doubt she even wants to touch it"

"Hm... Is it regarding the Hollowfication incident?"

"Yes and no" She tilted her head. "It's related but... Not precisely that"

"Oh, I see"

"Not like you'd be of help anyways"

"Ouch, that hurt" He teased. "But it's true in the end"

"So anyways... I'll give one of these a try and tell you about it sometime, but don't get used to asking me these favors!"

"Since I'm rewarding you l'd say it's more of an exchange though"

"Whatever. See ya" She closed the gate.

"Turns out she's the same old Hiyori even after all she's been through" He comfortably thought as he went back to the shop.

At the same time, Xcution Headquarters...

Tsukishima and Ginjou were having breakfast as usual, when they suddenly felt a dangerous presence.

"What the-" Kuugo got hold of his sword, Tsukishima followed.

A figure entered through the walls as if they didn't exist in the first place.

"Hello, sorry to interrupt your meal" Aura smiled.

"So you finally decide to show up" Ginjou frowned.

"My, so you were expecting me?" She pretended to be surprised.

"We heard from Sado-kun that you offered him to join that organization of ours" Tsukishima repried.

"Oh that..." She giggled "I hope you didn't mind"

"I don't think much of the act itself..." Kuugo said skeptical. "But I can't help but feel that you know way too much about us"

"No comment" She stared at them with her typical empty smile.

"Tch... So what's it about? Cause I hate to break it to you, but we don't wanna have anything to do with shady characters"

"I'm sorry if that's the idea you've gotten of me, but please hear me out: I've come with a very particular proposition" She kindly retorted.

"I think 'offer', is the word you're looking for" Shuukurou tried to change the terms.

"No, no... I'm afraid this isn't something I can simply give you, especially cause I know what you're looking for" She persuaded them.

"What would a kid like you know about our matters?" Ginjou mocked. "I bet you haven't finished high school yet"

"Well, I'm coursing my last year, but that's besides the point" Michibane accepted. "I work with someone who has eyes in many places, and thanks to that we've come to know about your plans"

"Enough with explanations then. What is it that you think we want?"

"The essence of a Fullbringer with Shinigami powers" She replied. "Is it not?"

The two men raised an eyebrow.

"Well... You've certainly done your research" Ginjou admitted.

"We are capable people, just like you" She smiled. "Which is why I went through the trouble of finding a way to help you"

"So, what do you have in mind?"

"First things first, you need to forget about Kurosaki Karin" She clarified. "I've found a better candidate"

"Bullshit" The leader cut her off.

"I won't go into detail, but if things go well, I'll show you it's true" She ensured.

"Ok... Then I'll decide whether we cooperate or not by that time" Kuugo conditioned.

"No problem. Now, it's my turn to ask something very simple of you" Aura requested. "Allow me to use the name of Xcution to gather followers"

"Followers? Like a cult?" Shuukurou wondered.

"I prefer the word Church, but yes, something like that" She corrected. "My idea is to create a religion centered around the truth. The truth about the Soul Society, the Hollows, Hell, Heaven, everything"

"Yeah? And why would you do that?" Ginjou asked, rather dumbfounded.

"Let's just say, my faction has this little experiment of sorts, and it's key to spread the word on these beliefs to see the result" Her answer was rather vague, but honest in essence.

"Hm..." Kuugo thought about it for a moment, wondering if accepting was the right call.

Tsukishima merely waited for his partner to make the decision, not losing sight of Aura for an instant, trying to identify any gesture that could show dark intent.

After a couple seconds, a decision was made:

"Very well then" The leader of Xcution accepted. "As long as you don't mess things up, I'll allow you to use our name"

"My lord will be very pleased to hear that" She bowed respectfully. "Also, if it's not an issue, I'd like to talk to Yukio Hans Vorarlberna to see if he could help me with funding"

"No need. I'll just pass on the message and tell you sometime later if he agrees, but I doubt he refuses"

"Wonderful. Now, I'll get going. Thank you for your trust, and don't worry, I will not disappoint you" She said as she disappeared through the wall.

With her gone, Shuukurou let a breath out.

"Are you sure you won't regret it?" He asked him doubtful. "She's rather dangerous, and you told Yasutora-kun tha-"

"I know what I said, but this was the best choice" Ginjou replied. "Now, we've got time to take measures just in case she's planning on using or betraying us, and I told you this could prove to be beneficial to us, all things considered..."

"I guess. Though there might be little room for us to do anything"

"Don't be so pessimistic. With your Fullbring alone, there's a fan of possibilities" He encouraged him. "By the way, that kid you told me about, you think he's got what it takes?"

"Ah, Moeh. I don't know. His power is way too unpredictable... And he's still quite immature"

"More than Riruka?" Ginjou chuckled.

"They might be on the same level, but at least we've known her for long" Tsukishima compared. "Still, the kid has his full trust in me"

"Then he might be a good asset to keep externally. There's not knowing whether that woman's group knows about him. They probably do, but if not, that's good enough to keep as an ace up the sleeve"

"You might be right about that"

"And best case scenario, they might keep us as their allies for the rest of the ride" He comfortably laid on the couch. "I know the value of this team, and I'm sure we're worth more alive than dead"

~~~~X~~~~

Hueco Mundo, Main Palace...

Like every other morning, Ulquiorra went through the various rooms gathering different papers.

"Yin, Yang" He muttered.

After a couple seconds, the two sisters appeared before him, ready for duty.

"Ulquiorra-sama" The two responded.

Today... Was a special day!

"As I told you before, I'm taking the day off, so make sure to not make any mistakes. These are the forms you need to revise and then carry to the respective departments" He gave each a handful of papers. "And please organize them in properly separated folders"

"Understood. Have a nice day" Yin wished him.

"Understood. Take care" Yang did the same.

As their words clashed, Ulquiorra couldn't help but let a chuckle out.

"Have a nice day and take care, you two" He replied with a smile.

In a split second, the twins disappeared from sight, stopping outside the palace.

The two looked at each other for a couple seconds, only to blush and burst with joy.

"Ulquiorra-sama's smile!" The two yelled.

"I thought it was only a legend!" Yin told her sister.

"Same!" Yang agreed. "At first I was so embarrassed when our words got mixed up"

"Urgh, I wanted to kill you! That goodbye was too informal"

"I thought that would make him more at ease since it's his first free day"

"But well... Thanks to that, we finally caught a glimpse of such a wonderful sight"

"Indeed. You should be thanking me"

"Yeah... No. More importantly, do you think today's THE day?"

"You mean...?" Yang grinned, understanding the meaning of that. "Well, off to work we go. We can't afford to fail Ulquiorra-sama if that's the case"

"Precisely. If we meet his expectations, he'll definitely go through with it"

On a different end...

"~Hm hm hm~" The 9th Espada was humming nicely inside her home.

"There she is" Loly said as she crossed her arms. "You told us to be early so we came, but you took your sweet time"

"Sorry, sorry... I thought I knew perfectly what clothes I'd wear today, but in the end it was a tough decision" Orihime apologized.

She was wearing a strangely seductive attire for her usual taste, showing way more skin than normal.

"I see... So what's the occasion?" Loly inquired.

"Yeah, what has you so upbeat today, Orihime?" Menoly asked as well.

"I wonder, I wonder..." Hime rolled her eyes in an exciting manner. "It might be... My first date with Ulqui-kun in like forever!"

"No way!" The two were astonished.

"You mean... He took the day off?" Loly couldn't believe it. "Ulquiorra Cifer, 1st Espada and Royal Counselor did???"

"Is Ulquiorra-sama well? He isn't feeling sick or something, right?" Menoly became worried.

"Oh, cut it out, you two!" Inoue pouted. "I know he's been the definition of workaholic ever since the Hollow Society was declared, but he hasn't neglected our relationship. I know this must've been on his mind for long, and now the day has finally arrived"

"I see... Where are you going then?" Loly wondered.

"He said we'd go to the Human World, more precisely Tokyo, but I don't know anything else"

"So it is a surprise! How romantic indeed..." Menoly thought. "I didn't know Ulquiorra-sama had that in him"

"You can't even imagine how romantic he can be, in fact, I think he doesn't notice" She blushed as she remembered their most intimate moments. "~Ah~ I just can't wait!"

"But no, wait a sec" Loly interrupted. "If you're going to the Human World, isn't it irrelevant for you what you're currently wearing? I mean, you'll be using Gigai, won't you?"

"Urahara-san created a new type of Gigai that allows your current attire to be copied in that body as well, so it is of utmost importance to wear the definitive battle attire!"

"I don't think it's battle today though" Loly frowned.

"~Tee-hee~" Hime smiled cutely as she cutely pressed her fist against her cheek. "Oh, and since it's a Human-type Gigai, regardless of your race, the reflected image won't show non-human characteristics, like our masks or my horns, for example"

"That's really neat" Menoly was amazed.

"Like always, Urahara-san thinks about everything" She beamed.

"So, did he make those clothes as well?" Loly guessed.

"Ah... Yes! He said I needed to be a bit more... Aggressive" A drop of sweat appeared on her cheek. "Although, it's a bit... Too revealing"

"Isn't that the point?" Menoly looked dumbfounded.

"Ha..." Inoue simply blushed beet red.

20 minutes later...

A couple knocks were heard on the door.

"I'll g-" Loly said, but spinned like a whirlwind due to Orihime going instead, frenzy like the wind.

"~Ulqui-kuuuun~" She sang as she opened the door.

On the doorstep, an fine yet casual Ulquiorra was awaiting her, wearing a striped shirt with a black and green tie (check the White Day attire from BBS for reference).

"Hime-Hime" He called her in a cute manner as he presented a bouquet of black roses. "I hope you like them"

"Oh, they look lovely!" She received them and passed them to Menoly. "Put them in a vase, please"

"Right away"

"Woah, Ulquiorra-sama looks and acts surprisingly out of character" Loly commented.

Cifer simply looked away, pretending not to hear her.

"Loly...?" Orihime smiled at her in a menacing manner.

"B-But he's just great like that, certainly!" The Fracción complemented.

"Thanks" He politely accepted. "So... Are you ready to go?"

"Y-Yes!" Inoue happily accepted. "Please, you two take care of everything around the Healing Division while I'm gone"

"Yes, Hime-sama" The two agreed in a polite tone.

"We'll be back by the end of the day" Ulquiorra added, opening a Garganta.

As they passed through, Inoue could see her beloved's face painted with a hint of worry.

"Are you sure you wanna go today? After what happened the other day and all..." She inquired softly.

"A promise is a promise, Hime. It would hold no value if I just put up excuses to not fulfill it" He retorted seriously. "Besides, that faction's movements were way too careful to believe they were ready for an all-out war with us. Probably, they had a very different objective in our world, most likely connected to that irregular energy reading Cien detected"

"But even knowing all that, you can't get it out of your mind" She smiled sadly.

"Well, I can't help but feel responsible if anything happens" He accepted. "But even so, I'm sure only a couple minutes with you will help me relieve the mental load that supposes"

"Minutes?" She chuckled, taking him by the arm and wrapping her two melons around it. "Two seconds is all I need~"

Ulquiorra's white face became red in that instant, proving her right.

"Well, anyway..." He tried to distract himself. "Have you ever had Eggs Benedict for breakfast?"

"I've never even heard of that recipe! Do you want me to look into it?" She got surprisingly fired up by the idea.

"No need" He quickly denied, suddenly worried that she would try. "Today, it's on me"

He said as they came out of the Garganta in Paris nonetheless.

~~~~ X ~~~~

Back in Soul Society...

"*yawn* Yoru? Karin?" Kuukaku yelled as she woke up. "Looks like they left for the academy already"

"Nee-san" Her brother appeared.

"Ganju?" She said in a yawn. "Is there any chance that my idiot 'once head of the family' cousin was actually not imprisoned over the suspicion of assassination and it was all a bad dream?"

"Ehhh... I-"

"Guess not" She looked down as she sat in a lotus position. "*sigh* No choice then... We're running out of time"

"You don't say-"

"Yes. I'll marry that shady bastard" She concluded. "And please don't say anything. I'll be focusing on all the positive aspects of that matter as I head to the Tsunayashiro Estate"

"..." Ganju wanted to go against her once again. He wished so badly that such a thing didn't have to occur, and yet no words came out to fulfil thay goal.

However...

What his voice couldn't carry, his hand did as it grabbed onto her sister's forearm, just like a kid brother would do with her older sister.

"Dammit...!" A single tear escaped Kuukaku's eye. "Just promise me one thing"

Ganju stayed silent as he braced for her words.

"If I... If I'm not the same. If I happen to change who I currently am after this... I want you to act with this 'me' in mind. Got it?"

"Yeah" He sobbed.

Kuukaku looked back just to embrace him one last time before the event.

"You are strong Ganju, and I'm proud of you. All you gotta do is believe in yourself and that'll be enough for you to surpass Kaien or even me" She told him as she caressed his head. "See you around"

Kuukaku went out of the house without looking back. Even for a strong woman like her, this was a decision that felt like carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

A hint of doubt, a trace of nostalgia, would be all that took for her to step back.

And that's exactly why Shiba Kuukaku wouldn't dare look any direction other than forward.

A while later... (Tsunayashiro Estate, Manor).

"Are you sure this isn't a bit rash, Shiba-san?" Tokinada inquired. "There's still time, and I could arrange a wedding worthy of the occasion in the blink of an-"

"No. It's alright" She lifelessly groaned. "Let's get this over with, quick"

"Very well then... Good thing I brought a Shinto priest in advance" He chuckled. "And I also took the liberty of preparing your attire for the ceremony. It's in the room in front"

"I'll be right back then" She exited the room.

Tsunayashiro had to contain his urge to laugh maniacally as his machinations had finally paid off.

In a couple majestic moves, he had attained an opportunity otherwise impossible to achieve:

The chance to, at the very least, double his curent influence in the Soul Society.

Eager to fulfill his ambition, he quickly changed into a shihakusho he hadn't worn for more than a century.

"I never thought such a day would ever come..." He muttered to himself(?) "Did you know about this, Kakyou...?"

A couple minutes later, Kuukaku appeared, wearing an exquisitly beautiful shiromuku that was as white as the finest marble you could find in nature, and a wataboshi that covered her head like a pure swan's wings.

The way her black hair and tender features complemented the whole aesthetic surprised even the bride as she stared at a mirror, more in a state of shock than anything else.

"You look splendid, Shiba-san" Tokinada whispered, almost like a snake that's about to poison its prey. "At first I had my doubts, due to your tough attitude, but you can most certainly compare to the delicate flowers of high upbringing"

Kuukaku stood silent, but gave him a glare that was somewhere between hatred and disgust.

"Now, now... You shouldn't give me that kind of look" He took her by the arm. "The guests have already arrived".

Shiba's face turned pale and her eyes widened at such a comment.

"G-Guests?"

"Of course. Such an occasion can't be just swept under the rug. All higher status clans must be present to witness such a union" His tone suddenly sounded gentle, just like a Devil offering a deal you couldn't possibly deny.

"How...?"

"Shiba Isshin's situation is dire, truly speaking" He quickly retorted. "Let's just say, this was to be expected"

A pair of servants opened the sliding doors to a well-cared central garden.

In it, a stage was already set, as well as the seats for a handful of representatives from each Clan that was appraised by the Tsunayashiro.

Kuukaku was at the brink of puking as she had a look, imagining she'd see her best friend nonetheless.

However, in that seat was instead, her brother.

Shihouin Yuushirou, current head of the Shihouin Clan.

"So it is true..." He seriously thought to himself. "Kuukaku-nee actually married Tsunayashiro.

When I received the invitation, I thought it was just a joke of terrible taste. Being Tokinada, it was a more than plausible scenario, and the short notice in which I was informed of this event... It's baffling how it's actually true.

Kuukaku-nee... You look so beautiful... and yet so, sad"

Among other guests, were various members of Central 46, or at least relatives of them.

That gesture allowed the head of the Shiba to come back to her senses.

"This is only a political move... This was the only way" She repeated in her head.

"This is the only way"

The betrothed couple took their positions in the stage.

"And so... the Ceremony Commences" Tokinada thought as he smirked.

The priest started the wedding, calling forth the spirits and announcing the san-san-ku-do.

Tokinada received a cup of sake from the priest and drank a bit, offering the rest to Kuukaku.

"At least I get to drink..." She lousily thought, purposely trying to turn that moment into a meaningless memory.

The process was repeated with cups of different sizes, and when it was over, the next part came.

Tokinada started reading his vows, but Kuukaku couldn't hear anything at this point.

Instead, lots of memories started flashing through her head. Many of those, trivial, insignificant even, but not any less happy.

Be it moments spent with Yoruichi, Ganju, Kaien, Ichigo or even Kisuke, those were all far more precious than the nightmare she was currently living.

Soon, sound wasn't the only thing that escaped her senses, for little by little, everything turned black, to a point in which she could only see herself, standing there.

Suddenly, everything seemed like a terrible mistake, one that she couldn't take back no matter what.

She was afraid, disgusted, angry, shocked, paranoid... So many things at once and yet, her face couldn't show any of those emotions.

"If I can't bear with this... Isshin dies" She thought. "I must protect him. I must protect my family.

No matter what the cost!"

Just as she regained focus, Yamada Seinosuke, appointed as the nakodo, received the words of gratitude from the couple.

To enter the final section, the priest offered Sakaki to the altar. The Tsunayashiro head followed, offering a piece of jewelry that seemed very expensive (and yet insignificant). Finally, Kuukaku offered a firework in the shape of a ball, that was actually the specialty of the Shiba.

With that, the ceremony came to an end. Seinosuke presented the rings, and the couple wore them without further question.

This act was followed by a general applause, and yet nothing special could be transmitted by it.

This was certainly the definition of a 'political marriage', for nothing except what was previously discussed was gained, and yet Kuukaku couldn't shake away the feeling that she had somehow lost it all, while Tokinada grinned as cheerful as a if he had been proclaimed King of the Seireitei.

Once the ovations ceased, Tsunayashiro took Shiba by the arm, going back to the previous room.

By this point, her feet moved automatically, not caring about anything other than escaping that unbearable environment.

"And so it begins, Kuukaku-san..." He spoke like a spiteful snake. "Our married life that is.

I know it might be difficult to process at first, but worry not. You'll have plenty of time to get your head on straight as I negotiate the return of the Shiba Clan as one of the great Noble Houses"

"Huh?" She blinked a couple times, absently. "Th-Thanks... I mean"

"Very well" He said as he went back to the central garden.

As Tokinada spoke with the various guests that could make this possible, his head was still going around the fact that he had obtained one of the a keys of his grand scheme.

"I wonder... Why it never crossed her head.

In the history of the Seireitei, two Noble Clan leaders had never united in marriage.

Why is that? Well, for obvious reasons: it was forbidden.

The balance of powers would be swifted way too conveniently to one side, but then... Did I lie to her? Of course not.

This is a rule that was only known by the older generations, older than the Seireitei as we currently know it.

Ha... How many times did I curse being born to such a pathetic lineage...

The Shihouin, unquestionable kings of stealth and protectors of one of the most powerful artifacts in the Seireitei.

The Kuchiki, unequaled in all kinds of art, and protectors of the Muramasa and Masamune.

The Shiba, undeniable rulers of strength and courage, as well as protectors of various tools that escape the fundamentals of the Gotei itself.

That other family, that well, is not even worth mentioning all things considered...

But even so, at the bottom of the chain, you find the Tsunayashiro:

Weak, cowardly and insidious...

Those were the characteristics that other nobles used to describe us.

Of course, we were never considered weak for the standards of the whole Seireitei, but to that of the Five Noble Clans.

And yet... That was enough to be considered a shame by not only me, but countless others who came before me.

It was a sentence, a cross to bear some would say, but even so, we still had three things that were important enough to maintain our distinct rank.

Two blades of unfathomable power, but most importantly...

Knowledge.

For we are the Tsunayashiro, unrivaled witholders of the history of the Seireitei, and even what existed before.

The Tsunayashiro were considered cowards for always acting behind the scenes and maintaining the status quo at any cost, but did anyone ever wonder why we did all that?

Obviously, because we know what came before, and hence, what is to come.

Rational Thinking, Logical Future.

Based on the history we have carefully collected and analyzed through ages, we have been able to predict the outcome of various events the Gotei can only dream of having counter-plans for.

As a matter of fact... Very difficult times are about to burst, but that's besides the point.

What matters is, that whenever something has been moved out of place, a disaster has been summoned.

Central 46 may be criticized constantly for its old views, but the truth is, they act accordingly to the teachings of the Tsunayashiro, long before me, my father or anyone close to our timeline.

Funny enough, they might not know it, but in their own way, they have been protecting the Soul Society.

So... Where does this bring us?

Am I possibly... Restoring balance by putting the Shiba back where they belong?

Haha.

Hahaha.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Please... That would be way too bland.

To put things back in order... That was my family's duty.

But I... I am not like any of them!

I am not interested in what's supposed to come.

Cause why...?

Why use past history to predict the future, when instead, you can use it to find innumerable possibilities?!

To try the most insane combinations, experiment with the unknown, risk it all for a future that instead of being in order is just...!

CHAOS.

PURE. ABSOLUTE. CHAOS.

That's my ultimate wish.

And thanks to Sousuke Aizen, Kurosaki Ichigo, Shiba Kuukaku and soon, Genryusai Yamamoto...

The Future Is Black"

~~~~X~~~~

Wandenreich, Sanitarium.

"*sigh* So here we find ourselves again..." Candice sighed as she entered the institution.

The mental health institute seemed rather peaceful at a first glance.

A modern building with a clean white finish all over, green areas for the patients to spend their time and a general sense of harmony.

But despite what first impressions could show, at least for Catnipp, the sole fact of knowing her mother was there, just as crazy as always, was enough to give her an uneasy feeling.

This time, however, before those worries started, a different kind of unpleasantness appeared in the form of a person.

"Who did you come to visit?" The lady in the reception asked a young latin woman.

"Miranda Vásquez" She told her.

"No... No fucking way!" Candice raged inside. "Of all the people I could find here, it had to be this BIIITCH?! You gotta be shittin' me!"

She was so bent on keeping it together to not ruin her hair that she didn't notice the lady at the desk was already calling her.

"...Miss Catnipp!" She repeated, for what seemed to be the third time.

"Ah! Sorry, I was just... Out of it"

"I could see, but anyways, it's a great time for you to visit, your mother is just taking a stroll at the park"

"Is that so? Well, I'm already here, I guess I can go and say hi" She spoke in a stoic tone.

"I know it's tough for you, but you're doing the right thing" She encouraged her. "By the way, your hair looks lovely today! And so does your skin!"

"Oh, really? Are you sure it's not just because it's been a while since you last saw me?" She grinned.

"Definitely not! I'm used to you looking good, but today's just above the norm" She insisted.

"Ok, maybeee I had a little stay at the Kaiser Spa, so what can I say? 10/10 recommend"

"You surely deserve it. A young Sternritter isn't a common sight, let alone a girl, so I'm glad you enjoyed it" She told her.

"Thank you, Marlene. I'll be going now"

"Sure! Take care"

Candice passed through the doors into a world of madness... Or so it would be called, but it actually seemed much more peaceful.

This is because most of the patients were rather functional, and didn't show major complications regarding their behavior.

Of course, there were more dangerous patients who would endanger the lives of others or even their own if left unattended, but these were on a different section.

Candice's mother, on the other hand, was currently at the most peaceful area of the Sanitarium.

The Femritter took a couple deep breaths as she saw the silhouette of the blonde woman, walking slowly but determined as she approached her.

"...And as you know, my boy is the example of a model soldier, nothing can ever faze him if he's on duty" The middle-aged woman was saying as she sat on a bench with her nurse.

"Is that so?" The other woman followed the game, although she clearly had heard that at least 10,000 times.

"Of course! And... Wait, who might you be?" She asked Candice.

"I-I..." She mumbled. "I'm Can...dace. Candace! Candace Arctopus, a pleasure to meet you!"

"Oh, excuse me for speaking to you out of the blue, it's just that you don't see girls as beautiful as you around this place" She carelessly told her.

"No way! Hahahaha" She giggled nervously as she thought: "She didn't recognize me today, guess I really look stunning after the Spa"

"So what's the occassion? You know someone around here?" She asked, although it was a rather obvious inquiry.

"I'm visiting... A relative, yes. I was told she was around here, but I don't see her. Maybe she went back inside"

"Hm... Maybe I know her, what's her name?"

The nurse, who of course knew Candice, suddenly became alarmed as the situation became more complex.

"I... I forgot!" She quickly lied. "You see, I work a lot on a daily basis, I'm a... Baker! So, I've been really busy and my brain is a bit messy by this time of the day!"

"A workaholic, huh? I know many of those, they all ended up here! So if I were you I'd take care of myself" She gave her advice. "Still, I can't help but admire a hard-working young lady. What do you like to bake the most?"

"Mostly pies, I'd say, but I also do other sorts of pastries like strudel and some types of kuchen" She merrily replied.

"Really? I love all those things!" Her mother laughed. "You know what? I like you. You should meet my son! I bet you'd make a good couple. He likes to eat all those things and he's a pretty hard-worker too, a Sternritter nonetheless!"

"Oh, is he?" Candice rolled her eyes.

"Yes! He is the letter S - The Shockwave, fast as lightning, strong like a storm and... Oh, well, I shouldn't bore you with all that" She concluded. "I've already rambled about him all day to Gertrude here, but it's her job to listen to me anyways"

"Pfft! Hahahahaha... I see" The Thunderbolt bursted with laughter. "Well, not to break your illusion, but I already have a boyfriend"

"Really? That's too bad... But I bet he's a real lucky guy"

"Oof, you wouldn't believe me..." She crossed her arms. "But anyways, good chat! I'll go look for my relative whose name I don't remember but I'm sure I'll recognize when I see her! Byeee!"

"Bye, Candace, take care!" She waved her goodbye. "Hm... That's odd"

"What is it?" Gertrude asked, wanting to see how far she'd get.

"I feel like I've met her somewhere before... But I can't remember where..." She frowned. "Guess it was just my idea"

Candice went back inside with a strange sense of happiness in her.

For a moment, she felt really good about her mother seeing her as a girl, and very pretty nonetheless, as well as the fact that she was having a good time in the center.

However, this also triggered a nostalgic feeling of when her mother was truly well and knew who she was without any complication.

"So this is what being sappy means..." She muttered to herself.

Just as she was passing by, she saw L'Via L'Viaquez leaving through a door she recognized.

"Hm? So the skank's mother is where the real nutheads are put... 'Wonder how long she's been there" She thought. "Mom was there too when she first came, but after a while she started recovering a bit, though she's really damn far from being sane either"

L'Via stopped by the cafeteria and got a coffee.

"Ehem... Odd finding you here, wouldn't you say?" Candice approached her.

"M-Miss Catnipp!" She hadn't seen her. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I have nothing to do, so I just thought I could make your day more miserable by appearing when you less expected" She sarcastically said.

"You have someone to visit?"

"That's exactly it! How did you know? Maybe I should give you a reward... Should I buy you a muffin to go along with that?" She annoyed her. "Or are you too worried about keeping that curvy and toned figure of yours?"

"Argh, Señorita, I'm really not in the mood for this, so if you're just gonna pick on me and ruin my coffee I'd rather leave"

"Look at you acting so mature, with that perfect façade you put. If you only acted that way when we first met I would've left you alone"

"But what did I do? What are you even talking about???"

"You know what you did" Candice coldly muttered. "You... You... You were right"

"Eh?"

"I like Atticus. Atticus Arctopus" She pouted. "We're actually dating now. But at the time I didn't want others to know"

"O...kay? So, we're good then?"

"I don't know" She crossed her arms. "I still don't like you. You still blushed back when we were at the desert. I don't trust you"

"You still remember that? Dios, that is... Just... Wow" L'Via couldn't believe. "So... If I tell you the truth you'll leave me alone?"

"Only if it is what I wanna hear"

"Fine by me" L'Via crossed her arms as well. "I blushed back then... Cause I was worried that you liked Dârstor"

"What? Why would I? I had just met him!"

"That's what I told you of Mr. Arctopus back then!"

"Dammit... Now I feel dumb as fuck" She facepalmed. "So... You like that Dârstor guy, and him alone"

"Yes. Now please, stop picking on me"

"Alright, but first" She sighed loudly. "I'm sorry. I misjudged you, and was really shitty because of it"

"Ok. Thank you"

"I don't need your gratitude, I just wanted to say I'm sorry, geez"

"Miss Catnipp, I get it. You made a big effort to say that, and I'm glad you did, but you're still making it really hard for me to like you"

"Well get used to it, cause this is me" She crossed her arms. "Changing the topic, I heard your mother is here"

"Yes, she's been here for a while"

"I see. Look, I haven't told many people, actually almost no one knows about this but, since you're here... I thought I could tell you I'm the same" She confessed. "I came to see my mom"

"Interesting. I never thought that we were so alike" She looked really surprised.

"Yeah, me too"

"Let's see, do you happen to have a brother too?"

"No... Not anymore, at least" Candi looked a bit sad.

"Oh. But wait, I haven't finished"

"Now what?"

"Is that brother, in some way, the reason your mom is here?"

"Actually... Yes!"

"Then that's another point we have in common" L'Via continued. "My brother's alive though"

"Great, so you just go ahead and rub that in my face"

"Trust me, if you were in my place, you wouldn't be feeling so great about it"

"What? Why?"

"He has some sort of... Personality disorder. I don't wanna go into detail, but he is not well, and his illness is what slowly turned my mother into the lunatic she is"

"Shit... Sorry about that"

"You know, Miss Catnipp, you wouldn't need to be sorry so often if you cared to ask people about things before jumping to conclusions" L'Via adviced.

"Maybe... But it's just that getting to know people takes time. I've got none of that"

"Then you'll probably keep apologizing countless more times"

"Maybe, but I think I'm quicker doing that"

"It's an odd way of looking at it, but it's valid I guess" She sighed. "Anyways, I finished my coffee, so I'll be going back to my home"

"Yeah, I should be going too, maybe I've still got time to bake something special for that fool. That glutton must've finished what I left him the other day"

"You cook a lot?"

"I bake more than anything, Atticus is the one who cooks normally, and he's great at it so I can't complain"

"Would you mind... Teaching me sometime?"

"For real?" Candice was surprised at the request, but finally said: "Hmph, no choice then"

"I-I didn't really expect you to agree so easily"

"Neither did I, but here we are..." She smirked then. "And that way, whenever that Dârstor guy praises your cooking you'll owe me big time!"

"Argh... Of course it had to be that" L'Via sighed.

~~~~X~~~~

Human world, night...

"Ahhh... It was so delicious Ulqui-kun!" Orihime smiled innocently after finishing the multi-coursed meal that had been served.

"I must admit, I never expected humans could be capable of creating something worthy of my time... But now I see how wrong I was"

"But how can you say that? You've tried my cooking, haven't you? That should be enough proof" Hime proudly stated.

"Ehhh... Right"

"Just kidding" She sadly smiled. "I know I'm terrible at cooking"

"Terrible... I think that might be a harsh word, although quite accurate"

"You still can't help but be brutally honest, can you?" She kept smiling. "But it's okay, you wouldn't really be you otherwise"

"I'm sorry, I've tried to learn to be more... Tactful, I believe it's said, but yes, it is difficult for me"

"And you keep trying. That's more than enough for me"

"Is that so? Then I can say the same about your cooking" He assertively replied.

"You little...!" She giggled. "Oh, Ulquiorra, I didn't realize until now but... I really needed this"

"Me too" He held her hands. "It's been hectic ever since we fought the Oni. Not a second to rest or breathe, let alone holding each other"

"At least in my sleep I can feel you in my arms, even if it's only for a little while"

"No way... Does that mean I've woken you up after all?"

"Not at all... It's just that my dreams became sweeter from a moment to another, and in that same way, that feeling disappeared without notice" She spoke in a kostalgic manner. "And that's when I realized, that I wasn't sleeping alone, at least not the whole night..."

"Well, Ichigo said it'd be a pity to leave such a magnificent bed unattended, even for a creature of the night such as me" He chuckled a bit. "But what's simply unforgivable, is to neglect the princess that sleeps in that mattress every night"

"Ulquiorra!" She held his hands tightly. "You can be so romantic at times, it's unbelievable..."

"Unbelievable as in... Good?"

"More than wonderful" She corrected, enamored. "It's those things that always end up surprising me, and make me feel like I'm falling in love with you over and over again"

"Is that for real? Heh..." He smiled broadly, something only achievable by his beloved. "Then I hope I can do if just one more thing you're not expecting"

With a hand gesture, he indicated a waiter to bring him a peculiar case.

Ulquiorra opened it without delay, taking out a violin and its arch.

He sighed for a moment, nervous, but concentrating and started playing a beautiful piece composed by him.

Orihime's smile quickly disappeared, for his playing captivated her far beyond anything she imagined.

Ulquiorra, meanwhile, was far too concentrated on playing the piece perfectly to even look at her.

In spite of all this, both could feel the exact emotions their loved one was transmitting at the moment, sparking an immense joy in the two, and particularly, bringing Orihime to tears as he finished the piece.

The people present were of course not indifferent to the demonstration, quickly showing their support with applause and cheers.

"U-Ulquiorra *sob* that was simply... It was just... Argh, I can't even find a word to describe it truly but- *sob* I guess the closest would be, Heavenly...!" Orihime cried.

"I hope I didn't screw it up. With work and all, it was hard finding a time to practice the piece, let alone composing it but, it looks like it fulfilled its purpose" He smiled warmly. "I called it 'Fallen Princess'. Although it might sound a bit dark at first, what I wanted to express, was how you fell into the darkness to become my ray of light.

Like a beacon you... Guide me, Orihime. Without you, my soul would be lost somewhere, long consumed by the void. But thanks to you, each day seems to become brighter and brighter, and my once hopeless existence becomes full of meaning" He put the violin back in the case, and knelt down.

"You, are my love... My life, Hime. And that's why, I want to ask you...

Will you keep being my light through the rest of our lives?"

Out of his pocket, he presented her a ring made of a carefully carved white material as base, decorated on top with a black prism.

"Oh my god! OmygoshomygoshomyaaaAAAHHH!!!" She yelled with uncontrollable happiness. "Yes! Of course I will! I love you, I love you, I love you!"

Ulquiorra smiled as he placed the ring on her finger.

The people from the other tables once again cheered for them and rght away, a champagne bottle of the highest quality was brought, along with two cups for the occasion.

"Kanpai!" Orihime said with tears in her eyes as she giggled just imagining their future together.

"Kanpai" Ulquiorra followed, hoping the same future.

Future...

~~~~ X ~~~~

Silbern, Throne Room

"It's time" Yhwach said. "After a thousand years... It's time to repay Soul Society for what they did to us"

Present were a select number of Sternritter, lead by Driscoll Berci.

"But before an all out war, we must of course make a declaration worthy of our enemies:

I want to see the First Division reduced to nothing, not even ashes. Only Shigekuni Yamamoto must survive, so that he may get a taste of despair worthy of all he delivered back then.

And that's why... I called you two"

Everyone looked towards a pair of soldiers standing on the sidelines.

"Sternritter J - Daxx Dârstor, and Sternritter Ω - Atticus Arctopus"

"Yes, Majesty" Atticus cheerfully responded.

"Yes, your Majesty" Daxx did the same in a more polite manner.

"This is your first job as a Sternritter, Daxx Dârstor, do not disappoint me"

"Of course not!" The newcomer exclaimed.

"Very well then, as soon as Kurosaki Ichigo leaves the Seireitei, we attack. That's all, dismissed!"

"YES!" Was heard throughout the room.

The soldiers left quickly, each going their own way.

"Well, Daxx, that'd be all for today it seems" Atticus told the tall grey haired man.

"Yeah. Not gonna lie, I can't wait to use this power in real combat... But I'm worried that I might not be strong enough"

"Relax, man, a thousand years of chillin' and stuff surely have made the current Gotei weaker than what you've read in history books" He gave him a few pats on the shoulder. "You'll be just fine"

"Probably... I hope you're right"

"Welp, be seeing ya" He yawned as he walked away. "I'm beat"

As Atticus arrived at the house, a familiar scent caught his attention.

"*sniff* *sniff* Could it be...?" He opened the door and went to the kitchen in a flash. "Candi?"

"I knew you'd smile like a dumb kid if I surprised you like this" She had just finished cleaning the kitchen. "So... Happy to- Mnphhh"

Atticus cut her off with a long wet kiss, not letting go of her tongue for even a second.

Of course, there was something different this time, but she couldn't tell what it was, and his touch was far too addictive to let go.

Instead, her arms were wrapped around his neck as she continued panting and moaning.

"*click* Ah, how I missed that" He panted after biting her tongue a bit.

"Hmph... Should've known it'd be like this" She blushed. "So, what was that...?"

"Oh, you noticed?"

"It was impossible not to" She lowered her arms at the height of his waist. "It was a bit odd at first, but I kinda liked it"

"Ta~da~" He showed her his tongue, now pierced in the middle with a shining steel ball. "I told you I wanted to get this at some point"

"So that's what it was. I thought you had some sort of candy in your mouth"

"What are you talking about? I definitely had some Candi just now" He grinned and licked her cheek a bit. "As sweet as I remember"

"Stahp!" She protested and buried her face in his chest.

"And with that hint of sour at the end. Yes, definitely my favorite kind" He caressed her mane. "Looks like the spa did you good, Kitten, your hair looks stupendous"

"Thank you. So anyways... How did everything go while I was away?"

"Pretty well. Majesty was content with my work, and now I was assigned a new mission"

"That's great. Is it soon?"

"More or less, probably in the next few days. It all depends on whether the King of Hueco Mundo leaves the Seireitei and stuff"

"The King... You mean that 0 Espada who beat the King of the Underworld?"

"The one and only" He chuckled. "Kurosaki Ichigo"

"I see, so you don't have to fight him" She breathed out, more at ease.

"At least for a while, but if Majesty continues to keep me in high regard, it might be a matter of time"

"Do you... Think you could manage?" She looked slightly worried again.

"Hm... I don't know. There are some real monsters out there, and the special threat list of Majesty shows he's one of the most dangerous too" He replied honestly. "But who knows? I might just be able to survive"

"That doesn't really put me at ease"

"I know, but I don't see a point in lying to ya"

"Maybe... You should create a Skill for yourself. One that you can master and make use of without any sort of link to his Majesty"

"That would at least be a surprise factor" He agreed. "I'll see what I can do"

"More importantly... When we first met, you told me there was a way to go even beyond my improved Thunderbolt, but there had to be trust or something between us"

"Oh, that! I had completely forgotten" He scratched the back of his hair. "It's done already"

"E-EH?! What do you mean?"

"We already did it" He clowed her face a bit. "And it was after I regained my powers as the Archétype, so you're all set"

"So all we had to do was just... THAT?!" She blushed red as a tomato.

"Think of it as the only way to come in direct contact with the source of my Fragment" He blushed a bit as well. "It's a bit embarrassing, but yeah, it's the only way. Now your Thunderbolt has gone above its previous cap. Who knows how strong you can become indeed...?"

"Wow... If I had heard that back then, I don't think I would've been nearly as open to the idea of becoming close with you"

"Yeah, I figured it could make things even more awkward between us, so I preferred to keep that info to myself" He smiled innocently. "So anyways, is that pie what I think it is?"

"Heh, there's no fooling you, is there?" She sighed. "Yes, it is your beloved Quince-y pie"

"Ooh, I can't wait to have a taste!" He started drooling. "But you have it wrong"

"What do you mean? I followed the recipe you described"

"Yes, for a quince pie, that is" He corrected. "But my Quincey pie, on the other hand, is right here in my arms"

"Atticus..." She blushed again, dumbfounded.

"So I'm wondering... Could I taste the two?"

Candice smirked, perfectly understanding what he meant.

"Sure thing" She grabbed him by the collar of his t-shirt, going for a naughty kiss. "Darling"


Me again, I'm not dead, I swear! But I am in fact finishing Uni. With only this year left, I don't know how things wi be turning on from here, but like always, I'll keep writing for as long as I have the time and feel the spark in there.

This chapter was particularly slow because of the many faces of the story I wanted to dive into. Mostly, hints of what's to come as well as some rather important lore as well, but in the next chapters we're surely entering the Thousand Year Blood War everyone's waiting for, so I hope you're ready.

So anyways, my best wishes to all of you who keep reading, and I hope next time comes sooner than this one.

Till next one, Evhron.


And here we are! Back for what is possibly the last episode of...

Sternritter A, B, C!

"That's right! from the next one on, who knows what this segment will become, but at least for today, we have some sick riffs to represent the last 4 letters I had prepared" Atticus sayd as he drops a dive bomb with the whammy bar. "So without further ado, here we go:

B - The Balance: "Balance Of Creators" by DispersE.

"Of course, Jugram can only be represented by a Prog Metal masterpiece like this one. A perfectly balanced song with ambient sections, jazzy passages and powerful riffs and solos to add that ever present Metal taste"

"You love that band don't you? I always hear you practice stuff from them" Candice notes.

"They have songs that are both sick and complex, so, what can I do?"

A - The Antithesis: "Antinømia" by WHITEFISTS.

"Not gonna lie, while there is a sick ass song named 'Antithesis' by Origin, I didn't feel that would connect to Ishida's character you know?

Instead, this Artcore masterpiece, could perfectly be played in a battle with this resilient friend of Ichigo and co."

"It sounds a lot like videogame music" Candi adds.

"Does it really? Maybe it does. Well, videogame music tends to be quite amusing nonetheless"

Σ - The Sigma: "Regenerate" by Born Of Osiris.

"Wait, we're not done at the A?" Candi wonders surprised.

"Most certainly not, but it's not strange that you didn't know of him. After all, this is a Sternritter that mostly went unnoticed in the Manga, but really shined in the illustrated novel 'Beginning of the Revive of Tomorrow'.

Shaz Domino was his name, and this skill, originally named 'the Viability' by his creator, Gremmy Thoumeaux-"

"Wait, Gremmy created that guy?! He can even create people?!"

"There are no limits to what imagination can do, Kitten, but we'll see that in the future.

Going back to Shaz, 'the Sigma' made his body constantly regenerate by using the Reishi that surrounded him, making him almost unkillable through more conventional or average means.

Which is why, I thought this song was the most befitting, and I just love to play the last riffs of this as well, haha!"

"So... We're done now?"

"Not quite yet, for we still have..."

sempiternal drumrolls *

"Just get this over with!" Candi demands.

A - The Almighty: "The Blind Idiot God" by Seth Angerer.

"To put an end to this series once and for all, I've chosen one of my absolute favorites.

Not only does this song express its concern about a blind God regaining its strength, but it also has an interlude in German! Isn't that the best for Yhwach?

I gotta admit, at first I thought of the songs 'Majesty' by Blind Guardian, or 'The Ytse Jam' by Dream Theater, but through and through, this was by far the best choice" He concludes as he plays the brutally complex riff.

"You just wanted to show off that custom made 9-string, didn't you?" Candi smirks.

"Ok, that was another important reason, but I really thought this was the best, I swear!"

"Heh... Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this little segment of my Darling out here, who's always trying to show everybody his skills with the guitars and whatnot" Candi bows a little. "Eternal gratitude for putting up with him"

"Don't say that, Candi, you're making it sound like the readers pity me!" Atticus protests.

"See you all soon next segment! On Cooking with Candi" She winks seductively.

"Wait, is that the next segment? Was that approved by the author?"

"Well, he'll just HAVE to approve it cause I'm tired of being all extra here throughout all those chapters" She complains. "But wait a second..."

"Hm?"

"Aren't you a Sternritter as well?"

"Yes, why?" He looks at her dumbstruck.

"Where is your song, then? You're Sternritter Ω - The End!"

"Well, busters, looks like we'll see each other at some other time, as Candi will be taking the torch for next one!" He quickly avoids her inquiry. "Hope you have a grand good time in... Cooking with Candi!"

"And why can YOU do the italics?!"

"See ya!"