Prize of Victory

Warnings: None, zip, zero, other than long winded explanations.


Karin completed her week of training with Nanao and Ukitake with a feeling of both accomplishment and sadness. She had learned a lot but she knew there was so much more the two could teach her if they had the time.

At this point she was even considering agreeing to be Grimmjow’s sex slave for life if he would permit her to continue the training. Then she questioned on how that would be any different from the relationship they shared now and settled on begging if need be.

She was surprised to find she had a hard time sleeping at night, and not just because she was so far away from Yuzu, but because she had grown so accustom to his touch at night that not having it was making her body horny as hell.

She use to scoff at sex driven teenagers, but now that she was one she could understand their moaning. It was like a drug her body had gotten addicted too and now that she wasn’t getting a nightly dose her body started to yearn for it.

When she had finally confessed her discomfort to Nanao, the woman had assured her it was a completely normal reaction.

That was another reason she didn’t want to leave. She had been without a female role model for so long that the motherly attention of Nanao was like an attention her soul had been craving that she never knew about until now.

She wished that Yuzu could have been here for she knew Nanao and her sister would have hit it off and she knew her sister was so desperate for female friendship, a friendship Karin could not give her as her tomboy sister.

She would be going home the next day and Nanao and Hana-chan were determined to prepare her a going away dinner. Karin had offered to help but the woman refused and instead she spent the time with Ukitake as they sat in his favourite garden practicing her Jinzen.

It was a most useful technique and while she still saw and heard nothing, if anything it brought her to a place of zen where here mind and soul were at peace and she found she could sense reiatsu even more strongly.

Tonight she was scanning the city, easily picking up the Espada and Aizen for they shone like their own moons against a field of infinite stars. Well, if the Espada and former Taichou were moons then Starrk was like a sun and Aizen was indescribable.

Even from this distance the power she could feel from the Kami was overwhelming, like the sun’s heat on a hot day tanning her skin. It was difficult to make out but she could see two Taichou feeling reiatsu’s nearby his.

She found Grimmjow’s easily enough as well and she had a feeling she would be able to find and recognize his now even if her memory was wiped clean. She found Ulquiorra’s and near it Orihime and Tatsuki.

She even found Toshiro’s and noticed that like Ukitake’s his had another reiatsu mingled with his. She found others as well but was unable to put names to them since she didn’t know who there were. She was pretty sure the reiatsu binding Toshiro’s was the same as the blond haired woman who had dug her and Yuzu out of their collapsed home.

“Food time, Food time, Food time.” Hana cheered as she bounded into the clearing.

Karin couldn’t help but to smile as the child ran around them, announcing it was time to eat.

“Are you going to eat it this time?” Ukitake asked with a soft smile.

“Of course.” Hana was quick to assure them. “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon.” She grabbed Ukitake’s hand and started pulling. “It’s food time, ‘take-ji.”

Ukitake let the little girl drag him to his feet. No sooner was he standing than the girl was behind him and pushing, trying to get him to go faster.

Karin followed them to the dinning room and smiled in pleasure at the meal before them. Starrk was already seated in his usual place, head resting in his hand and looking about ready to sleep.

Despite the overwhelming power radiating from Starrk, Ukitake was right about him. The Espada was rather laid back and most of the time when she did see him he was dozing in the nearest sunbeam.

Well, except for the one day Lilinette and Hana had attacked him with a bucket of water balloons that somehow ended up dragging the entire small household into a water fight. She hadn’t had that much fun in years and she regretted Yuzu had missed it, although Yuzu probably would have been chasing after them with towels the way Nanao had been.

Dinner passed pleasantly and as usual her help was refused with the clean up. She stood up and thanked them for the meal before getting ready to head to the bathroom for a shower before bed.

“Karin, a word.” Starrk’s voice took her completely by surprise.

He hadn’t spoken much at all during her stay here, so for him to want to talk to her was unexpected and confusing.

“Of course.”

He shared a look with Ukitake and the man nodded before also following them to one of the studies. She was confused, but her apprehension was held back a bit by the fact Ukitake clearly knew what was going on and didn‘t seem concerned.

The door closed and they all took a seat around one of the small tea tables. She waited for him to speak, sending uncertain glances to Ukitake who seemed just as intent on waiting for Starrk to speak as she was.

“You start.” Starrk finally broke the silence.

Ukitake nodded and turned to face her.

“I told you I would explain why Starrk-san’s reiatsu is overlapping my own when you noticed it when you arrived, and that Grimmjow-san also wanted me to talk about something with you.”

“I remember.” She admitted slowly.

“As I told Grimmjow-san, my knowledge in the full matter is limited, and Starrk-san has agreed to fill in the gaps of my knowledge by explaining the whole thing to both of us. What he is going to explain to us is something Hollows call Claiming. Do you know anything about it?”

Karin frowned at the term.

“No.” She answered. “I have never heard of it before.”

Ukitake nodded and turned his attention back to Starrk, so she did the same.

“Hollow Claiming started out as a mating ritual. Essentially it boiled down to this; at the Adjuchas level and higher we regain more of our common sense and emotions. As with any sentient creature the need for companionship and family arise. Adjuchas class and higher hollow can actually produce offspring, rare though it is. Do you understand so far?” Starrk asked.

“Adjuchas? I am sorry. I don’t know much about the evolution of Hollows.” She admitted.

Starrk nodded and looked at Ukitake. Ukitake gave her a quick run down of the Hollow evolutionary tree and she nodded as she understood what they were talking about. Caught up on that Starrk continued.

“Because of the violent evolutionary scale very few women make it to the higher levels simply because, genetically speaking, females tend to be physically weaker than males and are consumed on the rise up. Most fresh Adjuchas are still on a feeding frenzy and they will eat anything in sight. As they progress and gain back more of their sense of self a need for companionship arises, as well as the fact that they need stronger hollow to consume to continue their evolution and there is strength in numbers. Packs, and even villages, begin to form.

“Once a territory has been staked the need to breed starts to settle in, but once again women are few and far between, and often weaker and thus unable to defend themselves well against stronger males.

“Males would fight over the few worthy females and once Victory was achieved the Victor would than Claim the female so no other could. Are you following so far?” He stopped to ask.

“I believe so. I have a feeling there is more to this ‘Claiming.’” She frowned.

“You are correct. Traditionally, the act of Claiming involved the male and female pumping their reiatsu into each other during intercourse and than drinking in the mingled reiatsu mixed with the others blood. Once one has been Claimed, no other can Claim them until the Claimer is dead or the Claim is left long enough it degrades.

“Females are then able to draw on their mate’s power to protect both herself and her young in the event their mate was not around.”

“Wait.” Karin held up a hand to stop the explanation. “Do you mean they could actually DRAW power from their partner to defend themselves?” She asked surprised.

“Indeed.” Starrk confirmed.

“So then you two…”

“No.” Ukitake actually blushed a bit embarrassed. “Although the mechanic are almost the same.”

“As stated before there are few females that make it higher up, and of course the need for companionship, even forced companionship, arises. The first example I gave you was a Mating Claiming. This one is the more known Hollow Claiming, and where only one Mating Claim can be active, the number of Hollow Claiming is restricted only by the reiatsu levels of those involved.

“Due to the lack of females same sex pairings are actually very common among Hollows. When a stronger Hollow defeats a weaker opponent he may decided not to consume it, but to enslave it or to take the prize and Claim the companion, or companions, of the one defeated. In that case they do a partial Claim.

“Now, during a Mating Claim because both have taken and given their reiatsu, both partners are equals. During a Hollow Claim, only the Master injects his reiatsu into the Servant and consumes the mix. The result is the one doing the Claim can now dominate the one Claimed.”

It was a lot to think about.

“What do you mean by dominate?” She asked nervously.

“If Starrk-san were to give me a direct order I would be forced to obey.” Ukitake answered the question.

“Wait, this Hollow Claiming is like a half complete Mating Claiming, right?” She asked, feeling that blush come on again.

“Yes, it is also one of the main reasons we have intercourse with our partners from behind. From behind they can not bite to complete the Claim instead of leaving it partial. Also due to the nature of partial Claims, unlike a Mating one, they need to be refreshed. How often is once again depending on reiatsu levels between Claimer and Claimed.”

“Then…..” She looked up at Ukitake.

He was looking to the side but gave a nod of his head.

“My own Claim needs to be refreshed yearly. Nanao-san does not know about this, and I would keep it that way. By Aizen-kami’s orders, all those of Taichou strength or higher MUST be Claimed or killed.” Ukitake answered softly.

“Any questions?” Starrk asked while Ukitake collected himself once more.

“You said Grimmjow wanted me to know about this?” She asked hesitantly.

Starrk nodded his head.

“Why?” She asked, although she had a feeling she already knew the answer. “So, Orihime, the reiatsu binding…..”

“Ulquiorra Claimed her the night before our Victory.” Starrk answered.

“So all the taichou still alive, and even Orihime….. have been raped” She thought silently in shock.

Ukitake seemed to notice her train of thought for he reached out a hand and gave her shoulder a soft squeeze.

“I chose my fate.” He assured her. “As I am sure you chose yours. You are a lot like Ichigo-kun. Had things turned out different I could easily see you achieving the abilities of a Fuku-taichou with time, which is probably why Grimmjow-san took an interest in the first place.”

“But there has to be far more women here more power than….” Ukitake shook his head, interrupting her.

“The only two female Taichou are both spoken for, as are the surviving Fuku-taichou. I can not speak of the Arrancar ranks, but for the Shinigami ranks you are the only one with any real potential un-Claimed by higher ranks.”

She turned to look at Starrk.

“The only three Numeros of any real power are Harribel’s fraccion, and she would tear him to pieces if he tried to pursue them that way, not to mention it is against the law to Claim another’s fraccion. None of them are very trusting of men.” Starrk confessed.

“So I am an only option.” She grumbled.

Ukitake actually laughed.

“I doubt that, Karin-chan. I am sure you have guessed that Grimmjow-san and your brother have past history.”

“Yeah. Something about bait.” She grumbled some more.

“It probably started as that, but you are a rather charming young woman.”

“Thanks.” She sighed. “It’s a lot to think of. When I entered this deal I never…”

“Deal?” Ukitake asked surprised.

She blinked before realizing what she had said.

“It started as a deal.” She admitted.

Reluctantly she told them how her relationship with Grimmjow had started. There was a look of understanding on Ukitake’s face. Unlike with Tatsuki, Karin knew Ukitake understood her sacrifice all too well.

Starrk seemed a bit surprised by her admission, but said nothing. In fact he got up and just left the room, leaving the two of them alone.


Ukitake had suspected Grimmjow was interesting in Claiming her, but to hear they were already carnally involved took him by complete surprise. After the rather interesting, yet rather uncomfortable, lesson on Claiming, he sought Nanao out.

He knew little of consoling teenage girls, and he was sure consoling was exactly what Karin was going to need after the conversation. He found Nanao in the kitchen brewing a pot of tea.

“Thank you.” He accepted the cup she handed him and sat down.

She joined him and they shared small talk about little Hana. When the cups were emptied and Nanao refilled them, he brought the topic to the one he wanted.

“It would seem Karin-chan has been carnal in her relationship with Grimmjow-san.” He started.

“Yes, I know.” Nanao commented.

He nearly spluttered over his tea, looking at her surprised.

“Karin and I already spoke about it a few days ago. I have a feeling what you want to speak about has something to do with what you and Starrk-san had to say to her tonight.”

“No matter how old I get, I will never understand a woman’s intuition.” He smiled softly. “It would seem Grimmjow-san might be interested in more than just casual intercourse.”

“He asked you to give her a pep talk about Hollow relationships?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Something to that effect. Karin-chan seemed surprised he would be interested in her that way.”

“I see.” Nanao finished her tea and stood up. “I will speak to her.” She promised.

“Thank you.” He smiled.

She headed out of the kitchen, leaving his line of sight.



Karin stared up at the stars, letting her mind compute everything Starrk and Ukitake had told her. Surprisingly it wasn’t herself she was worried about, but rather those few she knew.

It was painful to think about what Orihime and Toshiro had to go through. She had known that Orihime and Ulquiorra were ‘engaged,’ but she hadn’t really thought too much about what it meant. And Ukitake…. The thought of the fatherly man sleeping with Starrk was just plain weird.

Her thoughts revolved back around to her and the end of the conversation. The only reason she could think of for Grimmjow to want them to explain all this to her was because he was interested in Claiming her.

“But as a Mate or as a Slave? She couldn’t help but to wonder. “I don’t think he would want the Hollow Claim. If so he could have just done so. But as a Mate? We aren’t even technically of the same species!

“He is a Hollow. He should live for centuries where I would be lucky to see even one. I am still human. Or am I…….?” She frowned. “I apparently have a good amount of reiatsu, so does this mean I am a Shinigami like Niisan? Did Yuzu and I actually die when the house collapsed and since we were already here we just remained here?

“No, I am sure our bodies would have been there or something. I am sure I would remember dying.”

She convinced herself she was still human and focused back to the main topic. Her. Grimmjow. Mate.

“If he did offer and I accepted, Starrk-san mentioned I would be able to draw on his power. I would be able to protect Yuzu better, and that is all that really matters. But, would I be willing to be his mate?

“We already share a bed, hell the bedroom. It‘s not like I will ever get the chance to find a boy and get married as long as Aizen is in command, and that is not likely to change anytime soon. Truthfully, our relationship really wouldn’t change much.

“But does he want me for me or because I am the only thing with a pussy that isn’t already Claimed with a half decent reiatsu level? Or because I am Ichigo’s sister? Does that even matter to me? Should it matter?”

A soft knock on the door broke her spiralling thoughts before they could go too far out of control. A quick brush confirmed it was Nanao and she quickly called out for the older woman to enter.

Nanao was wearing a bright pink kimono that Karin swore she lived in. It was far too big for her but she almost never took it off. What more, Karin had spotted the blood stains on it and wondered who it had originally belonged to.

“Hana-chan’s Otousan perhaps.” She guessed correctly. “Another casualty of the war.”

“What can I do for you?” Karin asked politely, sitting up as Nanao sat down beside her.

“I am here for you, actually.” Nanao smiled warmly at her. “I understand that those two insensitive men dropped quite the bombshell on you earlier.”

“That doesn’t even begin to cover it.” She sighed.

“Well, I have two good ears, and they are all yours.”

Karin offered the woman a smile and launched into her problems. Nanao didn’t say a word the whole time, just listened as Karin worked over her issues. It made her feel better and she was going to miss the motherly figure as much as she was going to miss Ukitake’s fatherly figure.

She hadn’t really thought about what the absence of these two role models had on her growing up, but having experienced them now she wished that she and Yuzu hadn’t spent the last 5 years without such strong, emotional support.

It was enough to almost send her into tears. She had grown up far too quickly because she had to in order to survive. Her childhood had never been as normal as the other kids. Seeing ghost, no matter how much you denied their existence, still affected you.

And now she wasn’t even seventeen yet and was already considering marriage, or the Hollow equivalent, to a guy she’s been sleeping with for the last several months that wasn’t even Human! She had entered the agreement to keep Yuzu safe, but somewhere along the line something had shifted.

What had started as an obligation had slowly turned into something else. She now craved his touch and the things he could do to her body. She wanted his approval and when he told her she preformed a move right during training it felt good.

“Everyone wants to be acknowledged and praised.” Nanao smiled softly at her. “You have had very little of that growing up. I can understand your desire to protect your sister, but ask yourself this. Who is protecting you?”

Karin looked at her confused.

“Everyone needs protecting, Karin-chan. You have already reached the conclusion that Yuzu is very safe, that Grimmjow-san has no interest in her anymore. So the only reason to keep this ‘deal’ of yours going is because you want to, not because you need to.

“Is this relationship, or whatever it is, one you want? Do not think about what he is, but who he is.”

Karin nodded. She always felt better after talking to Nanao.

“There is one last thing I want to give you.” Nanao smiled and pulled a rather large book from her sleeves, smiling at it fondly. “This was my first study book, and I want you to have it.” She handed the book over.

Karin accepted it and flipped open a few pages. It was a tomb of Kido spells from one to 50 of each type with the full description of their chants, usages, and pretty much every bit of info on them.

“I can’t take this?” She tried to hand the book back.

“No, I think it would be better in your hands. I don’t think I need it anymore.”

Karin nodded and set the book aside. A yawn tried to fight its way past and she did her best to hide it. All that inner seeking had left her exhausted.

“It is long past time for bed I think. Good night, Karin-chan.”

“Night, Nanao-san.”

The woman left and Karin took the new book to her futon. She flipped open the cover and stared at the inscription.


To my lovely, lovely Nanao-chan, whose eyes shine brighter than the stars even when the clouds obscure my vision.

Shunsui Kyoraku

“Hana’s father.” Karin guessed aloud. “Part of life is moving on. I guess she is done grieving.” Karin murmured.

She set the book reverently aside. More than ever she felt like she could not accept this gift, but to refuse it would be very rude.



/HUG my reviewers. I love em :) I was a little worried if the last chapter wasn't a little corny.

This was one of those annoying yet necessary explanation chapters.

The thing I used in Binge Drinking and Its Side Affects (which was indeed Grimmjow/Starrk) was different from Claiming, although the idea of Claiming had already been twitching in my brain. In that one Starrk was permanently giving Grimmjow some of his power and formed no link between them. It's also one of those one shots I might go back and add to once I finish this monster. This monster is now pre-written over 450 pages so there is a large slew of updates still assured.

Next chapter is an interesting one. We learn Toshiro's fate. In fact, the next chapter was actually a challenge from my Boyfriend to make sure I challenged myself in as many aspects of writing as possible in this story.