CHAPTER 156-157: A Temporary Solution

Cirucci's gaze darted around the dark garage, chasing Kazuya as he meticulously stacked layer upon layer of force fields in every corner.

The moment they shared was ripe with possibilities, and Cirucci's mind leaned into the darker ones, wondering if she was being forced to join his harem, or if he might lead down a far darker path and experiment on her body.

The mere thought brought an involuntary shudder. 'It can't be sex…'

Her suspicions were further inflamed as Kazuya's hands went to his shirt, removing it from his torso.

Cirucci's heart slammed against her ribs. "Leader, you wouldn't... The Leader I know isn't a monster who forces his dick on women," she stepped back, her voice a mix of horror and defiance. "If you still won't listen, I-I'll bite your penis off."

He winced at her accusation. "Chill out, I'm not here for sex. This is just to save my shirt."

Cirucci's tension eased, but only marginally. "O-Okay…"

Kazuya drew his Zanpakutō, beginning the elaborate and somewhat harrowing ritual to invoke his Shikai — the act of self-stabbing terrorizing Cirucci. The web of glowing yellow force field imprisoned his Reiatsu within the garage.

Mesmerized, Cirucci held her breath, feeling the growing pressure of his Reiatsu for the first time since their first confrontation. "You've improved so much, Leader."

Kazuya's eyes took on a sinister gleam as he regarded her. "Cirucci, just stay there and…" His words trailed as he transmuted his Enmyaku into dual muskets, the barrels trained unflinchingly on her chest. "Let me shoot you."

"Wait a second!" Cirucci raised a hand. "Why does a Shinigami have guns in the first place?"

Spending half of her day before the television had informed her of many things, the guns being one of them.

"Because they're convenient to use."

A resignation settled over Cirucci, and she opened her arms in a gesture of surrender, a silent acknowledgment of his needs over her own existence. "If it makes you happy, then go ahead… shoot me dead."

"Thanks and goodbye, Cirucci," came his stoic reply.

He fired twice in quick succession, and the flaming bullets shot vanished into Cirucci's chest. The inferno engulfed Cirucci. His heart thumped as the flames flickered and grew to touch the ceiling.

{It'll work, Partner. You have my stamp of guarantee.}

As Nami's reassuring words fell, the flames vanished, and a massive pair of metallic black wings unfolded. Long, slender arms with claws reached out, their owner looking utterly confused.

"L-Leader, my… my Zanpakutō restored?"

"Can't you feel it?"

Violet eyes that were lacking hope until now — those eyes held a look of hesitation. Dying to know the truth, yet afraid of tasting disappointment. "I don't believe it. Your Zanpakutō — it must be manipulating my senses to show me visions."

"..."

"I'll forgive you if you come clean. Say it. Say that I'm under your Zanpakutō ability."

Narrowing his eyes, Kazuya responded not with words, but with a question conveyed through his steady gaze. "Cirucci, you're one of my own, my sweet little goth chick. Do you think I'll play such cruel tricks on you?"

"BUT it was impossible — that mad scientist himself said that the Arrancar's Zanpakutō loses its essence when it's damaged during the Resurrección form."

"Impossible, you say. Do you know who you're talking to?"

A look of realization dawned on her face. "Ah…"

She had completely forgotten that the man before her could transform into Quincy, Shinigami, and Hollow. His abilities were so incomprehensible that restoring her Zanpakutō seemed so trivial. More trivial than her tiny presence in the whole wide universe.

Recalling the size of the universe depicted in Sung-Sun's books, she suddenly lost all excitement. Letting out a deflating sigh, she deactivated her Release State, returning to a form she hadn't taken for months. She felt lighter, agile, and more comfortable in her base Arrancar form.

Her Zanpakutō, a whip ending in a massive disc, manifested in her hands, bringing along a rush of power. The feel of the whip's handle reminded her of the battles fought in the Hueco Mundo, of survival and ascension in Barragan's army. She also recalled the times she tortured her opponents for being weaker than her, the despair she carved into their hearts, and the exquisite pain they took to their graves.

'Back when I could let loose and enjoy whipping my enemies.'

The thrill of battle still coursed through her veins, as recent skirmishes with Grimmjow's crew had proven, yet none matched the intensity of her past glories.

"Leader, I'm grateful for everything. It really makes me happy to serve a caring man."

Her smile was more of a brittle facade than a reflection of joy, and it didn't escape his discerning eye. "You don't look happy to me."

She shook her head. "Can't see you this wide smile?"

"Lying doesn't suit you."

Caught red-handed, she rubbed the back of her head, a hint of red covering her cheeks. "I'm… yeah, I was lying. It's just, this Zanpakutō doesn't change anything."

Her original powers were restored along with her Zanpakutō, but they served no purpose in her current life. She hardly left the house, making her safer than a turtle hiding in its shell.

He simply acknowledged her confession with a nod. "I see."

"I'm sorry for killing the mood… after you went through so much to fix me. You even gave me the peaceful life I was dying for. Fuuuuck, I feel like I'm being a stuck up bitch for nothing. I want to slap myself right now."

"I can do it for you. You've the most punchable face for a woman."

His jest made her laugh. "In my humble opinion, Sung-Sun's teasing face is the most punchable among us."

"Fuck you for insulting my wife," he said with a chuckle. "Anyway, can you clear things for me? What makes you unhappy?"

"Nothing." She firmly shook her head, her vulnerability surfacing once more. "I have this… giant gaping emptiness in my chest that gives me the feeling, 'Nothing I ever do will have meaning.'"

"I'll help you get through this."

Cirucci smiled at his eagerness to help her. "It's fine, Leader. You don't have to waste your time on me."

"Cirucci, I won't say that I think of you as my world. I'm physically attracted to you, but I don't care about you as much as Tier or even Rose."

"...I know."

"But I do care about you," he said with a smile. "Since you're Rose's best friend and a member of my squad. That's why let me spend a day looking after you."

"I'll look like an asshole if I deny you," she whispered. "I promised you a day before anyway."

"Then let's go. OUTSIDE."

…

Kazuya had a day to find a way to fill the hole of emptiness in Cirucci's heart. He approached the quest quite casually, deciding to watch a movie with her. The Frankenstein inspired horror flick seemed tailor-made for Cirucci and her love for gothic culture.

During the movie, the monster's face covered the whole screen, accompanied by a loud noise — a typical jumpscare he was prepared for. But Cirucci wasn't.

She clutched his arm and leaned in, genuinely terrified. "Blast… What a frightening sound… That monster looks seriously cool."

{Who could've thought dead people can be scared of ghosts?} Nami giggled. {She became like Frankenstein at Mayuri's hands when he revived her.}

Cirucci was prepared for jumpscares, yet they managed to terrify every single time. He genuinely wondered if it had something to do with Cirucci's Hollow resembling a bird.

As they walked out from the theater, Cirucci was all smiles until she wasn't. The pattern repeated several times, as if there was a voice in her head constantly reminding her of the meaninglessness of life.

{She is too deep in her own head.}

'You noticed that too. This idiot is just overthinking everything, dissecting the meaning behind every action.'

Living with Mila Rose and the rest gave her a sense of belonging as well as happiness. At the same time, it allowed her so much idle time that her inner demons only grew stronger.

{Do we just hypnotize and make her forget?}

'I've a better idea. We fill her head with something else.'

{Sex?}

'Nothing horny.'

Taking Cirucci's hand, he changed direction. "Change of plans."

"Huh? Where are we—"

"Come with me."

The confusion that flitted across her features was met with a mysterious smile, as he steered them towards an unexpected detour.

Cirucci was under suspense for fifteen minutes. The 'Neko Zoo' carved in English above the door revealed his 'Change of Plans'. They were here to meet cats — the thought alone made her smile. "Very considerate of you to remember my adoration for cats."

"You have a predatory look every time you see Yoruichi. Besides, making girls smile is my second profession."

She giggled. "Cats are cute creatures. Maybe that's why I get along well with Franceska. She is like a cat in human form."

"Minus the fluffy ears and tail."

"Right."

{Mila Rose's tiddies make up for it.}

'They do.'

As Cirucci reached for the door, he held her back. "Wait here."

"Why?"

He quickly went inside and returned with a box. She took a curious look inside, meeting two pairs of innocent golden and green eyes. "Congratulations, Cirucci. You're a mom of two now."

Her face morphed from shock to a wide-eyed expression. "Leader, you can't just shove kitties on me."

She loved cats, but she wasn't cut out for the whole nurturing like Harribel.

"Then kill them. Should be an easy task for the former Espada."

His nonchalance instilled her with horror. "You can't be serious…"

Just the thought of hurting the innocent creatures made her tense. Facing her greatest foe Szayelaporro was easier than harming the kittens.

"I'm dead serious," Kazuya spoke softly, bringing her attention back to him. "You said nothing you do seems to have meaning. Their death shouldn't have any meaning either."

For a moment, they simply stood there, Cirucci gazing at the kittens, grappling with her emotions. "Leader…"

"It's an order from the man who spared your life and offered you a place in his family. Either take them or end them."

"Blast…" she grumbled. "I'll take them."

He watched as she tentatively reached out to the box. The kittens, curious and unphased by Cirucci, poked their heads further out, their mewls soft but insistent. Her stoic expression crumbled entirely at the sight, replaced by a softness that rarely saw the light of day. It was as if the presence of the kittens had momentarily filled her emptiness.

"You cute little things," she finally said, the words a whisper against the backdrop of purring and the gentle rustle of black and gray kittens. "It'll be fucking weird to look after you."

Watching her act tsundere toward kittens was quite amusing for Kazuya. Forcing Cirucci into an uncomfortable position was necessary to bring her out of her comfort zone. As long as she remained in her zone, she'd sink back to despair.

{It should have a positive impact on her.}

'It won't be enough.'

{That's where sex comes in. You fuck her until her head craves for your dick every minute.}

'Nami, sex addiction isn't good.'

{Big words from you, who bangs a girl every day. Partner, aren't you addicted to sex too?}

'No.' He shook his head. 'It's about making wholesome relationships for me. Sex is just an added benefit.'

{Lies.}

...

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