CHAPTER 200: The Guests

A/N: Bonus chapters are back for a week. Top 30 for 1 chappie, 20 for 2, and 10 for 3...

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Apacci opened the door to an unexpected assembly: two former Shinigami and two Arrancars, accompanied by a coffin cloaked in a luminescent, emerald haze. The coffin pulsed with a strange, unfathomable aura, invoking goosebumps.

Ignoring the coffin entirely, her gaze drifted from Kisuke to his friendly Tessai to the Arrancars.First one was a girl of petite stature, with simply styled short hair and a confident, almost brash smile that revealed her personality.

She was a girl with a tomboyish nature — Apacci concluded at one glance.

The green-haired Arrancar's Hollow mask's remnants formed a helmet, with two horns on the top of her head. The left horn looked as if it had been cut off, and the left half of the mask extended down to cover her left eye, leaving her with one twinkling pink eye.

Apacci's glance went to the girl's Hollow hole, which was right in the center of her stomach. "Hi, fellow tomboy."

"Tomboy?" Lilynette's single eye widened as she turned to Starrk. "What does that mean, Starrk?"

Starrk shrugged. "No clue, Lilynette."

Starrk was a tall, lean man with deep blue-gray eyes, his dark brown hair cascading in unruly waves to the nape of his neck. The remnants of his Hollow mask, resembling a fanged jawline, rested along his neck. His Hollow hole was on his sternum, right above the edge of his mask.

"Coyote Starrk and Lilynette Gingerbuck," Apacci whispered. "Kazuya told me about you both. You guys were staying in Kisuke's basement."

They were the most unusual pairing that nobody would believe came from one being. Then again, it was hard to believe the unhinged psycho Izanami could come from her calm and often playful lover.

Tessai pushed his glasses. "We had to leave the shop, Apacci-dono."

"I see. What's in that coffin?"

Tessai briefly gave her a rundown on the coffin wrapped in Jikanteishi, a Kidō spell to temporarily suspend time. The spell stopped Yoruichi's condition from worsening until Kisuke used the Hōgyoku to help her. Any Kidō that manipulated space and time were forbidden in the Soul Society, but so was using the Hōgyoku.

They were no longer Shinigami to care about them.

Kisuke looked just as if not more serious than Tessai. "Apacci-san, can we stay at your place for some time? Our place got raided by our long-time enemy."

The Visored's base was also on his list for backup bases but Kazuya's spacious mansion remained his first choice. Shinji and the rest wouldn't bug him about the Hōgyoku here. He kept those thoughts to himself. It was neither the time nor was he in the mood to say that many words. Apacci tilted her head. "Long-time enemy? Did you mean that Shinigami Kazuya is currently fighting?"

"Yeah."

Lilynette suddenly punched Starrk's belly — a brutal punch that made him double over for a moment. "Starrk! We should be there, helping him fight that dumbass Shinigami."

Lilynette wanted to repay Kazuya for bringing them out of their 'lonely' life in Hueco Mundo. More importantly, she didn't want to see him fall to some Shinigami's schemes.

Starrk took a step away from his violent other half and rubbed his belly. He looked over his shoulder and revealed a solemn expression. "It's complicated, Lilynette… he doesn't need our help. You can feel his Reiatsu yourself."

"Excuses for your laziness!" Lilynette fumed. "Don't cry in regret if something happens to him."

Starrk cleared his throat. "I'm quite sure he isn't in any danger out there."

Apacci leaned forward and poked Lilynette's cheek. "Starrk is right. Kazuya doesn't rush into battles… unless anyone close to him is harmed. Then he becomes a force of destruction."

She had only seen this side of Kazuya a few times in Hueco Mundo, but he could be quite the menace when someone stepped on his reverse scale.

"Grimmjow said that too." Lilynette nodded in agreement. "It's good Kisuke sent that battle-crazy panther's group to Hueco Mundo, or else he'd start a fight with you or someone else."

"It's better he isn't here. Cirucci won't spare anyone who messes with her kittens."

Nobody messed with Cirucci's kittens, not even Apacci.

Lilynette placed her hands on her hip, frowning. "Apacci, right? Don't you have manners? Let us in already!"

Apacci blinked her eyes at Lilynette's ability to switch from serious to mischievous in the blink of an eye. "You're adorable but don't talk to me like you owe me anything. Got it?"

"Oh, come on!" Lilynette drew closer and wrapped Apacci in an impromptu hug. "Kazuya is friends with both of us. That makes you, his wife, as our friends too! Did you get my awesome reasoning?"

Apacci couldn't help but chuckle, disarmed by Lilynette's charming audacity. "You sure know how to please people. Alright, come in, all of you."

Stepping aside, she gestured them in. Tessai bowed before sternly walking into the lobby. Kisuke smiled dand dragged the coffin with the help of heavy chains.

Staring at the coffin, Apacci whispered, "Starrk, you know what's inside that container?"

Starrk shook his head. "He already had the coffin when he asked us to leave the shop."

"We'll see soon!" Lilynette winked at Apacci mischievously. "I only sense one Arrancar here. Where are the rest?"

She remembered Kisuke briefly telling them about the five powerful Arrancar ladies living in Kazuya's mansion.

"Probably working," Apacci said with a sigh. "I have no idea, honestly."

"I see. I see." Lilynette nodded curiously. Just as she was about to follow Kisuke, the doorbell rang again. "I sense another Arrancar on the other side."

Apacci's expression turned to a frown as she sensed an unfamiliar Reiatsu. "Who might this be?"

"I… I'm Menoly," a timid voice responded from the other side. "I-Is this where Kazuya lives?"

Apacci hurriedly opened the door, finding a blonde Arrancar on the other side. In terms of power levels, she was on par with Cirucci. Nothing spectacular. Her appearance, however, was quite the refreshing change from everyone around her. "That husband of mine sure has a diverse taste."

Lilynette peeked from behind Apacci, grinning. "Peek-a-boo!"

Menoly stared at the two in confusion. "Arrancars? Are you also Lord Aizen's subordinates?"

She mistook Kazuya for another one of Aizen's allies and the Arrancars in his mansion as Aizen's Arrancars. It was quite reasonable for Aizen to have hidden allies among Shinigami and even in the Living World.

"Lord Aizen?" Apacci's face contorted in disgust. "This is Kazuya's home. He is the Lord here. How do you even know him?"

"He… saved my life today," Menoly said, her raspy voice carrying a hint of gratitude. "He instructed me to wait at his mansion."

"Tell me more."

Apacci made Menoly confess the whole event of her invading the town, getting betrayed by Loly, and her fortuitous encounter with Kazuya. Apacci wouldn't have believed the story if the same thing didn't happen with Cirucci before.

'Just how many women does he want? This Aizen… why is a Shinigami like him ruling over Hueco Mundo?'

Apacci let out a sigh. "Fine, come inside. But any funny business, and I'll kick you out."

She didn't buy into Menoly's meek behavior as it was a very unfitting act for one of the strongest Arrancars under Aizen, the mysterious ruler of Hueco Mundo.

"I-I won't do anything," Menoly said in a hurry. "Thanks for having me here!"