97 Post-War Recovery
Shortly after Ohta separated from Kisuke and Ichigo, a chill ran up his spine when a familiar voice remarked, "I can't believe someone like you managed to defeat and seal away Aizen. You're one monstrous kid..."
Materializing from the interior of a building, Gin, wearing a black cloak, blocked Ohta's path with his inordinately short Zanpakuto hanging lazily from his right hand.
Opening his usually squinted eyes to reveal stark blue irises, Gin teased, "You look nervous..."
Furrowing his brows, Ohta responded with a firm, challenging, "Just get it over with..."
"Hmmmm..."
Bending his elbow, Gin maintained his creepy smile as he tapped his right shoulder with the back of his Zanpakuto, ostensibly considering whether or not to kill Ohta. When he didn't, even after several tens of seconds had passed, the latter snorted and began walking, strolling past Gin without a word.
Waiting until Ohta had taken several steps past him, Gin said, "After this, I'll be heading west. Do us both a favor by telling anyone who asks that I was betrayed by Aizen and used as a sacrifice to destroy the Kototsu..."
Before Ohta could retort or ask any questions, Gin abruptly disappeared, ending the conversation. His swift departure initially confused Ohta, but things became much clearer when nearly every officer-level Shinigami in the Gotei 13 showed up...
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[Thirty-Five Days Later, December 4th, 2001]
Standing at the edge of a koi pond, Ohta, wearing a loose black yukata, a lavender sash, and a haori that was white on the outside and lavender on the inside, remarked, "I could get used to this..." while tossing handfuls of feed to the oversized fish.
Though he had been vested a title and land as a reward for his services, Ohta entrusted the care of his comparably homely estate to the Shihouin Clan while he 'recovered' in Yoruichi's private compound, complete with a courtyard the size of a national park.
Interrupting Ohta's idle reverie, Soifon, wearing the ninja-like attire of a generic Onmitsukidō member, appeared next to him on one knee, head bowed in respect as she said, "Ohta-dono, you asked to be notified when Kurosaki Ichigo awoke. Shall I arrange for your journey to the world of the living...?"
As it had been over a month since Ichigo fell unconscious, Ohta couldn't help muttering, "It's about damn time..." before shifting his gaze to Soifon and asking, "Has Rukia been informed?"
Without raising her head, Soifon replied, "I sent a messenger to inform Captain Kuchiki before coming here. She should receive authorization to travel to the world of the living within the hour."
Nodding in approval, Ohta responded with a curt, "Go ahead and make the preparations..." before returning his attention to the koi pond. Soifon disappeared the moment he did so, once again leaving him 'alone' in the oversized courtyard. In reality, there were at least thirty members of the Onmitsukado's Special Escort Unit watching over and keeping tabs on him at any given moment. After all, while nothing had been made 'official,' he was almost universally regarded as Yoruichi's Consort...
A few minutes after Soifon's departure, a familiar warmth and softness pressed against Ohta's back as a pair of brown arms wrapped around his chest and shoulders.
"I just heard the news. When are we leaving?" asked Yoruichi, rubbing her cheek against Ohta's as she dangled from his back.
"What do you mean by we?" asked Ohta. "You know you can't travel to the Human World in your current state..."
"I'll just go without a Limiter," argued Yoruichi. "I'm good at suppressing my Reiatsu, so Old Man Yama shouldn't have any problems with it. Or are you worried about something happening to me during a day trip~?"
Licking the side of Ohta's face, Yoruichi huskily mused, "For someone who claims not to care about kids, you sure do fret a lot..."
"..."
Though he wanted to retort by pointing out he had only 'resonated' with her to expedite the removal of the seal hidden beneath his bangs, Ohta wisely remained silent. He needed to overcome four increasingly difficult trials to have it removed completely, and the first was facing one of his greatest fears by becoming a father. Rukia and Orihime weren't really in a position to become mothers, so by process of elimination and after much discussion, he put a bun in Yoruichi's oven...
"There you go, being all silent and mysterious..." mused Yoruichi, releasing her hold on Ohta's body so he could turn around to face her. When he did, he naturally slipped his hands into the openings in the side of her hakama, grasping her voluminous ass and planting a kiss on her lips before pulling away to say, "You and Rukia were the ones who told me I needed to start acting more dignified..."
"You say with your hands on my ass..." mused Yoruichi, snapping her teeth playfully as Ohta came in for another kiss. She didn't mind public displays of affection, but the Elders would nag her if their subordinates within the Special Escort Unit reported that she and Ohta were 'fooling around' while she was supposed to be on duty. She wouldn't have cared in the past, but the political climate of the Seireitei wasn't the best right now...
Releasing his hold on Yoruichi's ass, albeit after giving it a final squeeze, Ohta asserted, "I'll be fine. Momo and Lisa are bound to follow if Rukia travels to the Human World. With Beecat lurking in the shadows, that's three Captain-level Shinigami and a Lieutenant serving as my escort. Any would-be assassins would have to go through them to get to me..."
Furrowing her brows slightly, Yoruichi whispered, "Just remember, you're basically the lynchpin between three of the Great Noble Clans. Anyone outside our circle of trust should be regarded as an enemy. Never let your guard down..."
Without waiting for Ohta's response, Yoruichi half-turned, stretching her arms over her head as she said, "Well, guess I'll return to my post. Say hi to Rukia and Orihime for me. And be sure to message me if you decide to spend the night or stay at the hotel for an extended period. The old farts will complain if you aren't monitored."
Finished with what she had to say, Yoruichi directed a parting wink at Ohta before disappearing with Shunpo. Ohta felt his power plummet as the distance between them increased, but at least he wasn't powerless like a few weeks prior. Rather, even with an approximated 2.7% of his total power, increasing as Yoruichi brought their child to term, he was still more powerful than most Lieutenants...
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Seeing Ohta enter the 12th Division's Interdimensional Transportation Terminal alongside Soifon, a smile blossomed across Rukia's face as she teased, "You look more like a 'Lord' each time I see you. That outfit suits you." in response to the former's traditional Shihouin Clan attire.
"I could say the same to you..." responded Ohta, referencing Rukia's stylish white haori, possessing a pale-turquoise inlay and the kanji for Go(5) on the back.
Shifting his gaze to the two women standing near the entrance to the fixed Senkaimon, Yadomaru Lisa and Hinamori Momo, Ohta avoided staring at the former's exposed midriff as he said, "I'll be in your girls' care during our trip to the Human World."
Though the bespectacled, ponytailed Lisa responded with a curt nod, Momo, having cut her usually bunned hair into a somewhat messy bob, bowed respectfully and replied, "It is our honor, Yamada-dono..."
"If you say so..." replied Ohta, returning his gaze to Rukia, suppressing the urge to heft her by her ass and kiss her as he asked, "How busy are things back at the Squad 5 barracks? I'm thinking of staying in the Human World until the end of Winter Break."
Nodding in approval, Rukia stated, "That's good. You know Orihime gets lonely easily, so you should spend more time together. As for my Squad, tensions have started to relax, but it will be some time before Lisa and I gain everyone's confidence. Momo has been a tremendous help in that regard, but we shouldn't be gone for more than a few days to avoid our subordinates thinking we are slacking off while they patrol and adhere to the Gotei's post-war training regimen."
"Right..." responded Ohta.
Though the Gotei had managed to fill every vacant Captain position thanks to the Visored, the ease at which Aizen had defeated even the Captain-Commander compelled the newly established Central 46 to implement post-war restructuring policies. This included having Captains actively groom their successors. Now, each Squad had two Lieutenants, one responsible for the usual administrative duties and the other charged with mastering their Bankais to revitalize the Gotei's war potential.
"Don't look so glum," said Rukia, lightly punching Ohta's left bicep as she added, "The stronger the Gotei becomes, the less likely you'll have to take action in the future. There's also talk about adapting some of the Human World's technologies and innovations for use in the Seireitei and the central Rukon Districts, so we might be able to watch movies from across dimensions in the future."
"That would certainly be an improvement..." replied Ohta. As much as he 'enjoyed' roaming around Yoruichi's courtyard and overfeeding koi fish, he missed modern conveniences. He was also seriously contemplating going to the US or popularizing MMA in Japan after failing to bestow Aizen the beatdown he so desperately deserved. Doing so wouldn't just improve his skills, but if he became recognized as the greatest fighter in the world, it would help him accumulate some of the 'faith' Anpu mentioned he would need to gain access to his full potential...
"That's enough chatter," said Rukia, grabbing Ohta's hand and pulling him along as she added, "Orihime is presumably waiting for us on the other side. I'm sure you also have matters to discuss with Ichigo, so let's get a move on."
"Yeah, yeah..." replied Ohta, allowing himself to be dragged over to the fixed Senkaimon, waiting for Momo to open it before stepping through with the otherwise all-female group. When they reached the exit on the other side, they found not just Orihime but Ichigo, Chad, Uryu, Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, and Karin waiting for them. Ohta was aware that Tatsuki, Keigo, and Mizuiro had fully awakened as High-Spec Humans after their brief stint in the Soul Society. Still, he didn't expect to encounter them in his living room. Fortunately, they at least had enough sense not to invite his Doppelganger...
Preempting even Orihime, Karin shouted, "It's about time you showed up!" before bouncing to her feet and nearly tripping since she was still getting used to her Gigai. It had only been around two weeks since she acquired it, so her synchronization rate was only around 70%.
Extending his hand, Ohta prevented Karin's tumble with a telekinetic hold, causing a smile to develop across her face as she said, "Nice catch. How close are you to regaining your powers?"
"I'm getting closer each day..." replied Ohta, fixing Karin's posture as he shifted his gaze to Ichigo, staring in their direction with a frown. The last vestiges of his Reiatsu had disappeared shortly after awakening from his month-long coma, so he was the only person among those gathered who couldn't see the group of Ohta, Rukia, Soifon, Lisa, and Momo.
Transitioning to his Gigai, prompting Rukia to do the same, Ohta raised his hand and teased, "Long time no see, Strawberry-kun. Did you get enough beauty sleep?"
Forcing a smile, Ichigo muttered, "Something like that..." before rising to his feet and asking, "Mind if we talk somewhere?"
"That's the reason I came," replied Ohta, adding, "Well, one of them..." as he shifted his gaze to Orihime, punctuating his statement with a wink. His actions earned him a slightly annoyed look from Tatsuki, but as she was presently dating his Doppelganger, she didn't have much room to speak about his and Orihime's relationship. Not in public, at least...
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(A/N: I've decided to extend this volume to around 120 chapters since I know the battle against Aizen left a bad taste in some people's mouths. Though, compared to the literal shit Aizen had to cough up, I imagine it wasn't too bad o3o...)
