CHAPTER 82: Apprehensions

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***

At Kazuya's mansion.

Cirucci emerged from the building and shielded her eyes from the dazzling sunlight. Around the glistening pool, Apacci, Harribel, and Sung-Sun sprawled across chairs, their bodies still as statues basking in the sun. On the other side, Mila Rose splashed clumsily through the pool like an eager child. She was in the middle of learning how to swim, a challenge that went against her nature as a lioness.

From Cirucci's perspective, all four women relaxed and enjoyed the lovely afternoon.

"Rose, where is Kazuya?"

Mila Rose poked her head out of the water. "He went to meet the Visored. It's the group Lisa is a part of."

"Alone?"

"He insisted on going alone."

Cirucci rubbed the back of her head. "One of you should have gone with him. He is our leader for fuck's sake. What type of impression will it leave on the other party?"

At that, Harribel stirred, removing her sunglasses. Sparks flew as they stared at each other, unyielding spirits fighting an imperceptible battle.

"He insisted on going alone," Harribel repeated Mila Rose's words in a steady, deliberate voice. "He didn't want to scare them with a group of Arrancars wielding fearsome powers… Try to understand the Visored's perspective."

"A group of powerful Arrancars hiding in the same town as them. I get it." Cirucci's sigh was audible, a mix of realization and resignation. She approached the pool, sitting at the edge and dipping her feet into the water, creating ripples that disturbed its tranquility. "When is he leaving?"

"Someone seems to be terribly lonely without our leader," Sung-Sun said with a chuckle. "We don't know yet. In a week or two I'd assume."

A thoughtful expression cast a shadow over Cirucci's features. Her anticipation for Kazuya's remedy of her broken Zanpakutō surpassed her initial expectations. After all, her Zanpakutō was the very reason she was rotting in the underground chamber while everyone else was having the tour of their lives. Left to her thoughts, she unknowingly sank deeper and deeper into the abyss of despair.

A hand rose from the pool and yanked her into the pool, disrupting her contemplation. She emerged, dripping wet, her wings heavy and sodden.

"Hahaha." Mila Rose's laughter echoed through the air, wild and unhinged, as if she was a maniac villain who had just cracked the code to end the world. "Stop being a sad bird. Chirp and open your wings like a happy bird!"

Cirucci glared at her for a few moments before she climbed out of the pool. "Don't bother me… I'm not in the mood."

Mila Rose's smile faltered, replaced by a concerned frown at her friend's dejected response. "Cheer up, let me tell you what happened today."

As Mila Rose related the conversation between Kazuya and Harribel about Hueco Mundo's future, surprise flickered across Cirucci's face.

"He actually took responsibility for killing Baraggan."

She took him for a leader but never the type to step up as a King after Baraggan's death. The fact that he cared about the future of the Hollow race made her hopeful for the future of Hueco Mundo.

'I'm still not leaving this place for Hueco Mundo.'

She looked at Harribel in a new light. "I'm all for Kazuya being a king and Harribel being the queen."

Harribel responded with a firm, "Thank you," gesturing for Apacci and Sung-Sun to sit up. "After Kazuya leaves, I'll go to Las Noches and talk to Baraggan's retainers… I'll try the peaceful method."

The idea of sitting on a throne, dictating terms, didn't align with her nature. Yet, for the sake of peace, for fewer sacrifices, she accepted this formidable role with an unwavering resolve. Leadership was not an exciting prospect, but a necessary compromise.

Mila Rose froze in surprise. Apacci and Cirucci weren't any different. Only Sung-Sun showed a look of mild surprise, clearly not expecting Harribel to take action so fast. Harribel's proposal clashed with the personal agendas they had for Hueco Mundo after Kazuya's leave.

Observing the silence, Harribel arched an eyebrow. "I take it you all had different plans. It's fine... I can manage alone."

While not optimal, she had no qualms against storming the Las Noches on her own. She was confident in her Resurrección being able to handle any number of Hollows. After all, the strongest Hollow, by her observation, had been dealt with by Kazuya already.

Mila Rose turned to Sung-Sun and Apacci. "Wait, what are you two cooking?"

Sung-Sun narrowed her eyes. "Apacci and I have plans to further explore the Forest of Menos."

"That underground location? Cirucci and I were going to visit Las Noches. A horrible scientist/Espada named Szayel lives there, performing inhumane experiments on Hollows and other races. I was going to kill him."

Cirucci nodded in tune with Mila Rose. "Yeah."

"Harribel-sama, could we..." Mila Rose faltered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can you delay your plan by a couple of weeks?"

"Yeah, please," Sung-Sun chimed in for Apacci's. "We need some weeks at most."

Harribel's mind was swayed by their sincere requests. "Fine… take care of your business after Kazuya leaves. Until then, you all will spend as much time with him as you can."

"Consider it done," Sung-Sun said with a teasing smile. "Harribel-sama, we're grateful to have a lovable mommy like you."

Caught off guard by Sung-Sun's sudden shift in tone, Harribel could only stare, taken aback. "I'm not anyone's mommy… stop talking nonsense."

Getting up, she manifested her spiritual clothes and left the pool. "I'm gonna be in the town."

Being identical to humans in her base Arrancar form, she could go out anytime without needing a disguise. A Gigai was all she needed to blend in with the humans.

"I'll convey that to Kazuya."

Apacci and Mila Rose exchanged bewildered looks, their gazes returning to Sung-Sun, pondering where she found the courage to tease Harribel of all people.

…

A few minutes later, Sung-Sun slapped Apacci's thigh. "Wake up."

"I'm awake, bitch. What—"

"Remember the favor you owe me?"

A shiver of dread danced along Apacci's spine. She could feel a troublesome request coming her way. A very troublesome one. "Oh that? What do you want?"

"I know you've been sleeping with Kazuya lately, going at it all night like rabbits in heat."

Heat rushed to Apacci's face, her fierce demeanor dissolving into a flustered mess. "W-W-What are you talking about? I'm sleeping in my room. Just sleeping!"

Mila Rose casually kicked Apacci's shin. "When did you make your move on him?"

It was no secret amongst the three women how thirsty Apacci was for Kazuya. It was only a matter of time before she made her move, although they hadn't expected it to happen so soon after her Arrancarification.

"I did not!" Apacci refused to admit anything about her intimacy in front of them. "You guys are delusional as fuck."

"Stop bullshitting," Sung-Sun said in a sharp voice. "Open up your ears and listen. Tonight, you will…"

Mila Rose and Cirucci exchanged stunned glances as they listened to Sung-Sun's devious plan that heavily involved Kazuya.

She pointed an accusatory finger at Sung-Sun. "That's going too far, Snake."

"Shut up, Coward Rose. I'm not gonna deny my womanhood for some random excuse."

The words pierced Mila Rose's chest. "I'm not making excuses!"

"Don't come crying to me when he loses interest in you. The Seireitei is as big as the Living World. He will find plenty of women there. Women who he used to work with and admire. I'll do everything I can to make sure he has a reason to come back. Hell, he might get together with Yoruichi and make a noble family there."

Her words served as a harsh reminder of Kazuya's background as a Shinigami and how easily he could be swayed to leave their side. Even though they trusted him with their hearts, there was still a lingering concern that he would leave them forever.

To her surprise, Mila Rose threw her head back and laughed like a maniac. "Fuck off. He is Skull. My Skull. I'm gonna storm the gates of Soul Society to bring him back here if I need to."

"Oh, you care so much about me?"

"Of course I do, you dummy. He is a precious friend and a potential mate."

"I'm flattered."

Mila Rose paused, her head slowly moving to where the voice came from. She came face to face with a grinning Kazuya, her expression frozen in time as if he was the embodiment of her nightmares.

Cirucci burst into laughter. "How can someone be so clueless and cute?"

"Mila Rose is a natural," Sung-Sun said. "How did things go with the Visored?"

"Good. I'm gonna train with them starting tomorrow."

"That's good but will you be spending less time with us?"

"Nope, because we'll all be training there."

"Wow." Mila Rose exclaimed. "I'm gonna beat them to pulp and show 'em the powers of a true Arrancar."

"I'd love to see you try."

He settled by Cirucci's side and laid his head on her wet thighs, feeling a surprising amount of plush beneath his head. "Will you join us, Cirucci?"

Cirucci didn't reject his initiative, leaning back with a sigh. "Training won't help me in my current form."

"It's fine. I just want you to be there as a part of our group. By the way, our group has a name now. The Inverse. El Inverso."

Kazuya had already approached Kisuke for a solution for Cirucci's Zanpakutō after his meeting with Visored. The shady shopkeeper had agreed to help but made no promises.

"It's not bad…" she said with a slow nod and looked down at him. "Kazuya, I support your decision to become the King."

"Does that mean we can finally fuck?"

"..."