Not a Mob: Psycho

In the wake of Ohta's explanation, Karin couldn't help feeling a little betrayed. She couldn't believe so many things had been kept from her, but before she could grouse outwardly, Ohta said, "Don't be too upset. Your dad may have a few screws loose, but no caring parent wants to burden their kids with this type of shit. The more you get pulled into this world, the more troubles you'll be forced to endure."
"So, what, I'm just supposed to continue living as if the world isn't on the brink of being destroyed?" asked Karin.
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta remarked, "There's a reason for the saying ignorance is bliss. Keep staring into the abyss, and it won't be long before you're consumed by it."
Before Karin could respond, Ohta took the wind out of her sails by saying, "Besides, even if you spent every moment from this point on training, you wouldn't be able to influence the outcome of coming events. You might be able to make a difference a few years from now, but if you got involved at your current level, you'd be like a toothless toddler trying to gum an entire army to death."
"..."
Hanging her head, Karin remained silent for nearly two full minutes, her expression halfway between a pout and indignation. The thought of just sitting by as the world's fate was decided made her uncomfortable, but she also understood there was little she could do against a group of foes capable of supplanting the 'god' holding their world together. If someone that only recently started training could make a substantial difference, far more experienced individuals should have no trouble dealing with it...
If Ohta had been able to hear Karin's thoughts, he might have burst out laughing. Instead, he said, "Well, that just about sums up everything you didn't need to know but wanted to. If there's nothing else, you should go home, have a good old heart-to-heart with your old man, and spend some time with your family. I don't have the time to split my focus and train you right now, so if you want to get more involved in the future, continue your current training and return in two to three years."
"..."
Dissatisfied with having to wait such a lengthy period, Karin asked, "What about Spring and Summer Break? My family doesn't go on vacation, so I'll have plenty of free time..."
"We'll see," replied Ohta. "I don't make promises that don't guarantee me some kind of benefit. And as much as I'm sure you've thought about it the past few months, there isn't anything you can offer to me."
Understanding precisely what Ohta was referring to, Karin's face became bright red. Ohta had left behind most of his and Rukia's old clothes when he abandoned his previous apartment, so she had appropriated a large portion for personal use. Even as she sat on his sofa, Karin was sporting a pair of panties pilfered from Rukia's underwear drawer, so it was difficult for her 'not' to have certain wayward thoughts and expectations...
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After seeing Karin off at the lobby, Ohta ordered Soifon to ensure she got home safely before heading to the gym. He suspected that Rangiku had returned by now, so he decided to give the underground chamber a wide berth and focus on the conditioning of his body.
Entering the gym, Ohta was drawn to the sound of a loud metallic clang, his head and eyes swiveling to a squat and powerlifting rack in the corner of the room. Ikkaku was casually squatting around 2000kg in nothing but a speedo, his toned body on full display while the flowery Yumichika sat nearby, gazing at him with a 'listless' look on his face.
("I should install a gym in my penthouse...") thought Ohta, diverting his gaze from the strength-obsessed duo until Ikkaku racked his weights and called out, shouting, "Hey, Ohta! Come and join us, man! Nothing like a bit of friendly competition to liven things up and get the blood pumping!"
Waving his left hand from side to side, Ohta responded with a curt "Pass." before making his way over to the dumbbells, picking up what looked like a fairly innocuous set of weights, but they had dials on the sides. Turning said dials could alter the weight from as little as 50kgs to 500kgs, so Ohta cranked it up to around 200kgs for a light warm-up before heading over to a beige, pillar-like punching bag made from Sekiseki and beating the shit out of it.
"Your control is insane," remarked Ikkaku, having donned a robe before walking over with Yumichika following close behind. "Not many people can leave an outline of their fist in Sekiseki."
Punctuating his words, Ikkaku punched the opposite side of the pillar with all his strength. However, while the impact caused a shockwave to ripple through the area, causing a prominent hum as his Reiatsu resonated with the surrounding equipment, retracting his fist revealed that his hand was the only thing he had damaged.
Licking the blood from his knuckles, Ikkaku sported a rather creepy smile as he remarked, "As you can see, I have more than enough power, but my control is shit. Let's exchange pointers."
"Which part of 'pass' confused you?" questioned Ohta, shaking his head as he added, "I have no interest in making friends-"
"I don't know," interrupted Ikkaku, grinning like a demon as he taunted, "You and Rangiku seem to be getting along well enough. Are those your weaknesses? Booze and women...?"
"It's the opposite," replied Ohta. "As irksome as they can be, having a good woman warm your bed can be a powerful motivator. Anyone who thinks they can leverage Rukia and the others against me is suing for a very slow and painful death. No compromises..."
Placing his palm against the surface of the Sekiseki pillar, Ohta pushed out a hand-shaped block of the incredibly durable material as if he were dislodging a middle piece in Jenga. Ikkaku responded with a whistle, but as Ohta had already turned to leave, he decided not to call out to him and instead turned in the opposite direction, returning to the squat rack and increasing the weight to 4000kg as he considered finding a good woman for himself...
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"I've been thinking..." muttered Soifon, who, as usual, was seated atop Ohta's lap as they watched period dramas in the living room.
"About Yoruichi...?" asked Ohta, causing the diminutive Captain to frown and puff her cheeks ever so slightly.
"I wanted to try manifesting my Zanpakuto Spirit with the Tenshintai..." replied Soifon, her tone notably huffy.
Raising his brows, Ohta questioned, "Why? Didn't you obtain Bankai a long time ago...?"
Catching Ohta a little off guard, Soifon turned around, straddling him as she stared into his eyes and said, "I want you to trust me, and I 'need' to get stronger. Observing the growth of Kuchiki-sama and Matsumoto-san has convinced me this is the quickest path to improve..."
Realizing what Soifon meant when she said she wanted him to trust her, Ohta asked, "You want me to subjugate your Zanpakuto Spirit...?"
"It would make you feel more at ease," contended Soifon. "I intend to continue serving as your Kagemusha until you, Yoruichi-sama, or Kuchiki-sama have children. After that, I will safeguard them for at least 150 years to ensure they reach full maturity without issue..."
With Soifon's reminder, the gears in Ohta's mind nearly ground to a halt at the realization his future children would need literal decades to transition from being infants to toddlers and then prepubescent little shits. Puberty was already an ordeal in the human world, but in the Soul Society, it was a nightmare that persisted for upwards of fifty years...
Noticing the 'existential dread' in Ohta's eyes, Soifon blinked a few times before remarking, "Forgive my impertinence, Ohta-dono, but I believe you might be misunderstanding something. Unless they experience something that promotes and subsequently stunts their growth, children in the Soul Society develop similarly to human children until Reiryoku condenses in their Hakusui around the age of ten. It is exceptionally rare, even among native-born Souls, for Reiryoku to condense prematurely."
Exhaling a sigh of relief, causing Soifon's nose to scrunch slightly, Ohta surprised the petite Shinigami by placing his hands on her butt, giving it a playful squeeze as he teased, "Sure, I'll subjugate your Zanpakuto Spirit. Just promise me you won't start behaving like a certain blonde-haired cat girl..."
Furrowing her brows, Soifon asserted, "I would 'never' behave in such a slovenly manner..."
Resisting the urge to point out he could see her behaving in such a way if Yoruichi 'demoted' her to the position of a pet, Ohta asked, "When should we do it? Now...?"
"I would prefer to do it when no one else is around..." replied Soifon. She could still vividly recollect the scene of Rangiku writhing about like a cat in heat as Ohta 'tamed' her feline Zanpakuto Spirit. She didn't believe her Suzumebachi would be subjugated similarly, largely because she was around 18cm tall, but it was better to be safe than sorry. If the Tenshintai gave Suzumebachi a full-sized human form, there was a good chance the hornet-like Spirit would let Ohta do her out of spite...
"Then we'll do it this evening," decided Ohta. "Once all the members of the Advance Attack Squad have gone out on patrol."
Nodding her head, Soifon felt compelled to 'express her gratitude' for Ohta's understanding. However, before she could consider how to go about it, Ohta made her genuinely grateful by caressing her head and saying, "Save it for tonight. For now, let's finish this episode and take a nap. I have a feeling it's going to be a long night..."
Recovering from her momentary stupor, Soifon adopted a faint smile, replying, "As you will..." before subsequently resting her head against Ohta's chest. He rolled his eyes in response, but instead of telling her to turn around and focus on the TV, he moved his hand from her head to her back, gently caressing it as he watched the remainder of the period piece in silence...
("I miss streaming...") thought Ohta, seriously considering whether or not he should invest in this world's versions of Youtube, Netflix, or Hulu to prevent things from getting out of hand as they had in his previous world. Hell, if the Shihouin Clan could build a luxury hotel in five days, he might even be able to finance a completely original platform. That sounded like more trouble than it was worth, but if he wanted to retain a foothold in the human world, it could prove fairly useful long-term...
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After being summoned by Soifon, Suzumebachi, resembling a pig-tailed fairy with a fondness for hornets, exclaimed, "I can't believe you actually went through with this! Gah! First Yoruichi, and now this guy! Why do you always let others dictate your decisions!?"
Furrowing her brows, Soifon contended, "There is no shame in being loyal toward one's Mistress or Master..."
"Don't make me sting you...!" exclaimed Suzumebachi, angrily flailing the stinger covering the entirety of her right arm. Then, like a child with ADD, she promptly shifted her attention to Ohta, lunging toward him with tears in her eyes as she screamed, "Let's just see you try and dominate me, you big stupid meanie head...!"
With Suzumebachi's stinger unable to penetrate the protective membrane encompassing his body, a frown marred Ohta's face as he scratched the back of his head. Haineko had been easy to deal with as she outright asked him to fuck her. Suzumebachi was small enough to sit in the palm of his hand, and, based on her ongoing endeavor to try and kill him, she wasn't particularly fond of him...
("So, this is how Soifon 'really' feels about me...") thought Ohta, glancing at the diminutive Shinigami, prompting her to look away with an awkward grimace. It was common knowledge that a Zanpakuto Spirit reflected the innermost qualities of their wielder, so seeing Suzumebachi lash out like a moody adolescent caused her to feel more than a little embarrassed...
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(A/N: The advent of the murderous Tsundere. Also, here's your ONCE daily reminder that Not a Mob: Psycho is NOT a harem novel (O,....,O)...)

"Rematch! Rematch! I want a re-re-rematch~!" screamed Suzumebachi, rolling in the air and flailing her arms and legs after Ohta caught her for the seventh time in a row.
"You're starting to annoy me," remarked Ohta. "Our original agreement was that you would submit if I managed to tag you within an hour. Now we're seven rounds in and down to ten minutes. From the next round on, I'll be smacking the shit out of you instead of poking you gently..."
"Kuh..."
While it was true she had increased the number of rounds and reduced the time Ohta had to catch her, Suzumebachi felt aggrieved hearing his words. She regarded herself as being the stealthiest, quickest, and most agile Zanpakuto, so she couldn't accept losing in the categories she was most proud of.
"You must be cheating..." asserted Suzumebachi, glaring at Ohta with teary eyes and an indignant pout.
"Says the person who hid outside the boundaries she set..." muttered Ohta, returning the Spirit's teary gaze with a deadpan expression of his own.
"Ah! I can't stand you...!" screamed Suzumebachi, reverting to throwing a tantrum. As she did, Ohta couldn't help looking at Soifon with the same dead-eyed expression, causing the petite Shinigami to avert her eyes in shame.
"Chance...!" exclaimed Suzumebachi, vanishing mid-fit. She intended to take advantage of Ohta's inattentiveness to flee and conceal herself, but the moment she reached her terminal point, a giant hand closed around her body, followed by the man she hated the most holding her up to his face and saying, "That makes eight..." with half-lidded eyes.
Frowning deep enough that her chin formed wrinkles, a sour feeling built in Suzumebachi's nose until she began bawling as loud as her little lungs permitted. She 'really' hated losing. So much so that when Soifon initially beat her in a game of tag to earn her Bankai, Suzumebachi presented her with a giant missile arm that severely limited her mobility out of spite...
After observing the bawling Spirit for over a minute, Ohta loosened his grip slightly, using the index finger of his left hand to rub her head as he said, "You're a really poor loser..."
Instead of responding to Ohta with words, Suzumebachi abruptly tried biting the finger of the hand holding her. Instead, she bit the psychic membrane protecting it, causing her to tear up even more than before...
"Hmmm..."
As he was getting annoyed with chasing the diminutive Spirit around, Ohta sat down, maintaining his hold on Suzumebachi and continuing to caress her head with his finger. When she eventually demanded that he release her, he readily agreed. However, before doing so, he warned that if he managed to catch her ten times in a row, he would continue stroking her head until she submitted or became bald, whichever came first...
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Looking between the light-weight stinger covering her right arm, the kite-like shield hovering over her left, and the pointed metal greaves covering her lower legs and feet, Soifon couldn't help feeling indignant. For several decades, she had despised her Bankai as it was functionally useless in all but a few situations. Now that she knew the giant missile wasn't even her Bankai, she wished she could materialize Suzumebachi again, this time to strangle her personally...
"What's up with you?" asked Ohta. "Your face looks like you swallowed a fly."
"It's nothing..." responded Soifon, discarding her attitude as she looked to Ohta and bowed low, expressing, "Thank you for your assistance...even without testing it, I can state with certainty that my Bankai has become much easier to control..."
"You can thank me by never pointing it in my direction," replied Ohta. "I have confidence in my defense, but I can sense that the Reiyroku at the tip of your stinger has become much more potent. Is the effect the same as your Shikai...?"
Though it would be wiser to keep it a secret, Soifon eventually nodded, explaining, "The effect is similar, but I can fire a laser from the tip of my stinger to affect targets at a distance. Furthermore, I can leave marks using the tips of my toes and the stinger on my lower back. If the latter connects, it will leave a mark across the opponent's entire body..."
Imagining Soifon flying ass-first at an enemy like a genuine hornet, Ohta couldn't help smiling. She currently had crimson, wing-like attachments on the ends of her braids, seemingly permitting her to fly and dart about without the need to produce footholds, so it was certainly possible.
Misinterpreting the reason for Ohta's smile, especially when he began to caress her head, a faint blush involuntarily colored Soifon's cheeks. She presumed it was because he had used a similar method to subjugate her Zanpakuto, but her heart fluttered and started beating faster the moment he touched her head...
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As September transitioned into October, the days passing paradoxically slowly yet somehow appearing to fly by, Ohta was pleasantly surprised to receive a message from Yoruichi on his cell phone.
"Good news," said Ohta, caressing the head of the woman giving him a blowjob in the middle of the living room. "Yoruichi says the preparations for the assault are complete. The order to attack should come within the next few days, if not tonight."
Though she wanted to respond, Soifon continued sucking Ohta's cock like the dutiful servant she was molding herself into. It was only after she got him to cum, swallowing every last drop, that she pulled away, sitting with her legs tucked under her in a proper seiza as she affirmed, "That is good news. If things go well, you could be promoted to the position of a Lesser Noble and vested land within the central district of the Seireitei. Then you can start your own family or form a branch of an existing one, presumably the Kuchiki or Shihouin..."
"We'll see..." hummed Ohta, gesturing for Soifon to rise, climb onto his lap, and sheathe his cock inside her. It had become a part of his daily routine to fuck her at least once after dropping off the girls at school, so he gave her ass a light smack, prompting her to move as he picked up the remote and turned on the TV. He wasn't particularly bored, but he had a policy of only giving his full attention to Rukia unless he was on the offensive. This irritated Rangiku and Soifon tremendously, but Ohta viewed that as a net positive as it prevented them from getting too comfortable and compelled them to try harder to 'earn' his attention...
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[October 29th, 2001, 10:48 PM]
*beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep*
Hearing their alarms beeping incessantly, Ohta, Rukia, and Orihime woke immediately, the latter two practically leaping out of bed while the former grabbed his phone to read the alert.
"It says that six Arrancar have appeared and are presently engaging the Advance Attack Squad, the Substitute Shinigami, and an unidentified man in the vicinity. I'm guessing Ichigo's dad."
"We should hurry and provide reinforcement," replied Rukia, throwing Ohta his trousers. However, as he had been sleeping in his Gigai in preparation for this type of scenario, he simply transitioned into his spiritual form, fully clothed and ready to go.
"Get in here, Bumblecat," said Ohta, prompting Soifon to appear less than a second later. She had already yielded her position as the Captain of the 2nd Division, so the only two people that could order her to mobilize were Ohta and Yoruichi.
"Same as usual," said Ohta, surprising Orihime with a smack on her perky bottom as he added, "You're free to attack the enemy, but keep this one safe at all costs. If anything happens to her, it's your ass..."
"As you will," replied Soifon, cupping her hands and bowing respectfully before raising her head to stare at Orihime. The latter was seemingly able to heal 'any' injury, so even if Ohta hadn't instructed it, Soifon would have prioritized protecting her.
Turning his attention to Rukia, Ohta asked, "Should I go ahead, or do you want me to wait?"
"I appreciate your concern, but I do not need your protection," replied Rukia, adding, "Go. And be quick about it."
Emulating Soifon's usual response, Ohta mused, "As you will, Princess," before Shunpoing away. He disagreed with Rukia on the notion that she didn't need protection, but he didn't want to deprive her of her agency. She was actually fairly powerful after attaining and training to master her Bankai. It was just that, compared to the power he possessed, everyone else felt like they were fumbling about and 'needed' protection...
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Arriving in the sky outside the hotel, Ohta Shunpo'd in the direction of the closest battlefield when a familiar figure with messy brown hair appeared, blocking his path.
"It's you..." remarked Ohta, losing the faint smile on his face as he clapped his hands together and shouted, "Bankai...!"
Though his outfit didn't change from his Shikai release, Ohta manifested a bandage-wrapped spear with a black and gold khopesh blade on one end and what looked like a tuning fork on the other.
Adopting his distinctly jackal-like grin, Ohta's voice echoed through the surrounding space as he brandished his spear and growled, "Kuroinu-no-Anpu, Souten-no-Seigyo(Dominion over Heaven and Earth)...!"
Seeing Ohta whip out his Bankai, the Arrancar blocking his path used one of his two pistols to scratch his head, stating, "I'd rather not have to fight you..." in a lazy tone.
"Then save us both the trouble by shooting yourself in the face," retorted Ohta, swinging the khopesh end of his spear to create a massive, crimson energy blade in the form of a revolving crescent. The gunslinging Arrancar had no trouble evading it with his unique variant of Shunpo, called Sonido. However, as he hadn't moved very far, his sole visible eye widened when a powerful gravitational force acted upon him, attempting to draw him into the blade's path as it reversed direction.
Evading much further away this time, the gunslinging Arrancar observed Ohta with caution as he used the tuning fork end of his spear to intercept the crimson energy beam, ostensibly reabsorbing it and causing his spear to produce a high-pitched humming sound.
"You're pretty fast..." remarked Ohta, his smile nowhere to be seen. His Bankai had the power to emit and absorb energy to empower his strikes, but the stronger the resonance, the fast and more destructive it became. That would be a good thing in any other circumstance, but as they were in the middle of downtown Karakura Town, he needed to be careful to avoid causing collateral damage...
As if he could read Ohta's thoughts, the gunslinging Arrancar leveled his pistol at a nearby residential complex, warning, "My only objective is to stall you. If you insist on fighting or attempt to flee, I'll start attacking the surrounding structures..."
Punctuating his statement, the gunslinging Arrancar aimed his second pistol at the sky, unleashing a destructive beam of azure blue energy that could presumably cut through a building like a laser slicing tofu. Then, as if to demonstrate the futility of trying to stop him from firing his weapon as he pleased, he unleashed nearly a thousand weaker projectiles in less than a second...
"..."
Seeing the hate-filled glower on Ohta's face, the gunslinging Arrancar sighed, scratching his head again as he said, "Don't look at me like that. I'm honestly not a bad guy. If it were up to me, I wouldn't be involved in this conflict..."
Shaking his head, the man added, "Unfortunately, I have a duty to protect my comrades. If you attempt to go for mine, I'll have no choice but to go for yours. You would probably be able to stop me, eventually, but at what cost...?"
"What's your name...?" asked Ohta, his voice a low growl that caused the surrounding air to tremble as his Reiatsu continued to compound.
"Coyote Starrk..." replied the Arrancar, thereafter raising his left pistol and adding, "And this is Lilynette Gingerbuck..."
"Nice ta meetcha, asshole," appended the pistol, causing Starrk to smack her against his head. Then, for the better part of six minutes, the duo had
an argument with one another while Ohta watched on in silence, seething with fury...
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(A/N: Being the 'good guy' sucks sometimes...)

To avoid another mishap, Rangiku waited until Rukia and Orihime returned from school before attempting to release her Bankai for the first time, an event attended by Toshiro and the other members of the Advance Attack Squad.
After watching Ohta standing with his hand atop Rangiku's head for nearly twenty minutes, Toshiro, brows furrowed and arms crossed, couldn't help asking, "Are you certain that Matsumoto has obtained Bankai?"
Nodding her head, Rukia answered, "There's no doubt. Ohta is presently using his Zanpaktuo to stabilize the energy in Matsumoto-san's body so that she doesn't experience a rebound. Generally speaking, this process can take upwards of an hour."
"Speaking from experience?" asked Toshiro, having never watched Rukia's training directly. Bankai training was an extremely personal affair, and the release itself was regarded as the greatest secret of those who managed to achieve it. Most people, Toshiro included, elected to keep the specifics of their Bankai a secret, so if Rangiku hadn't asked them to attend, neither he nor the members of the Advanced Attack Squad would be present.
"Indeed," answered Rukia, her expression serious as she said, "My Bankai is exceptionally dangerous to both myself and my allies. With Ohta's help, my mastery is steadily improving. However, it will be some time before it's suitable to be used in battle..."
"That's common for Zanpakuto with elemental abilities. Fire and ice can be particularly difficult to master, but don't give up. You'll eventually get the hang of it," assured Toshiro, famous throughout the Soul Society for wielding the most powerful ice-type Zanpakuto. Rukia's Zanpakuto was also ice-related, so the youthful-looking Shinigami felt uniquely qualified to offer her advice.
Regaining her smile, Rukia replied, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you for your supportive words, Captain Hitsugaya."
Nodding his head, Toshiro was going to ask if Rukia had any questions for him but was preempted by a sudden change in the atmosphere, the result of a powerful yet stable Reiatsu erupting from Rangiku's body as she said, "Bankai..." in a faint tone, eyes closed.
Unlike Rukia's Bankai, which released a violent mist that instantaneously froze everything in its surroundings, there was no explosion of Reiryoku when Rangiku activated hers. Her outfit and appearance also remained fairly unchanged, the only notable difference being that two tufts of hair stuck out from the sides of her head, resembling the hairstyle of Yoruichi and Soifon. Other than that, her Zanpakuto had vanished, disintegrating into motes of grey ash before disappearing completely.
Opening her eyes, revealing distinctly cat-like pupils, Rangiku's voice sounded deeper, more sensual than usual, as she muttered, "Kyomu-no-Haineko(Void Ash Cat)..."
Guided by her instincts, Rangiku raised her right hand, directing it at a rock formation in the distance. The gesture seemed to produce a very faint breeze, but that was the only discernible effect for several tense moments. Then, all at once, every rock in the formation was cut at the same height, the severed sections promptly disintegrating.
Narrowing her now turquoise eyes, Rangiku looked to Ohta and mused, "Haineko demands your praise..."
"You both did well," asserted Ohta, caressing the buxom blonde's head, noting that the tufts above her ears twitched in response. He was a little disappointed she hadn't sprouted a tail. At least, that's what he assumed before noticing a bulge sticking out from above Rangiku's ass, squirming from side to side within her hakama...
Noticing Ohta's gaze, Rangiku looked over her shoulder in vain before reaching behind to feel what was brushing against her ass and right leg. When she realized what it was, her brows perked in surprise. Immediately after that, however, she adopted one of the most alluring smiles Ohta had seen on her face as she looked at him and asserted, "We're going to have a lot of fun later..."
"I don't doubt that..." replied Ohta, shaking his head with a slight smile on his face. "For now, stay focused. Your Reiryoku seems stable, but there is a chance it could run rampant if you get distracted."
Waving her hand dismissively, Rangiku assured, "You're overestimating both Haineko and me. We're certainly capable of 'going on the offensive,' if you know what I mean, but neither of us intends to rampage. Too much trouble."
Stretching her arms over her head in a way that intentionally emphasized her breasts, Rangiku added, "If anything, we feel like taking a nap. In fact, that's precisely what we're going to do."
Without waiting for Ohta's response, Rangiku walked off, moseying over to the mirror-like surfaces of the stone she had cut before sprawling atop them. Her behavior reminded Ohta of an actual cat, just more slovenly as Rangiku appeared human.
"She's scratching her tit..." remarked Ohta, staring in wonder as Rangiku reached into her Shihakusho to scratch an itch on her right breast. It was a very unladylike display, but if she was currently fused with Haineko as a part of her Bankai, it made sense. As 'voracious' as the maroon-haired cat girl had been, she was also incredibly lazy, leaving everything to him from start to finish...
Approaching Ohta instead of Rangiku, Toshiro asked, "What's going on...?" as his left eye twitched. He could tell Rangiku had succeeded in releasing her Bankai, but if it caused her to behave even lazier than usual, he would have an aneurism.
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta speculated, "I'm guessing her personality has overlapped with her Zanpakuto Spirit's. She kept using 'we' instead of 'I,' so it would make sense."
"I...see..." muttered Toshiro, running his fingers through his spiky white hair in an apparent attempt at self-comfort. It was unequivocally a 'good' thing that Rangiku had attained Bankai, but he knew his workload was bound to increase. He had known Rangiku for much of his time within the Soul Society, so he was certain she would slack off using the excuse of trying to 'master' her Bankai by maintaining the state as long as possible...
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Matching Toshiro's expectations, Rangiku became noticeably lazier as she maintained her Bankai state throughout the day. Her feline transformation placed little to no strain on her body when she wasn't actively utilizing her ability to cut and effectively 'atomize' things. Inversely, when she 'did' use her power, it consumed Reiryoku at a ludicrous rate. She would then need to rest to recuperate or receive a Reiryoku 'infusion' from Ohta, so she had plenty of excuses to laze about as much as she wanted.
Fortunately for Toshiro, he wasn't the most affected by Rangiku's change in behavior...
"Rub my belly..." demanded Rangiku, lying across Ohta's lap in an effort to get him to pay attention to her rather than focusing on watching Orihime's Kido training with Rukia. Her demeanor had truly become cat-like, so the more he tried to ignore her, the more she wanted his attention.
"This is why I'm a dog person..." muttered Ohta, abiding Rangiku's request to caress and rub her belly but keeping his eyes on Orihime.
Echoing a phrase commonly used by Yoruichi, Rangiku narrowed her eyes and mused, "You know you love the attention..."
"Says the woman fishing for 'my' attention..." retorted Ohta, moving his hand to Rangiku's hip and subsequently caressing her ass as she rolled onto her side, her cat-like tail, covered in blonde fur, whipping behind her.
"Most guys don't complain when beautiful women give them attention..." remarked Rangiku, briefly attempting to bite Ohta's zipper with her teeth before giving up when he gave her a firm smack on her rump.
*beep* *beep* *beep*
"Well, that's no fun..." groaned Rangiku, rising to a seated position while Ohta checked his phone. When he saw it was just a standard, everyday Hollow signal, he showed the screen to Rangiku and said, "Go do your job..." in a dull but authoritative tone that left little room for argument.
"Yeah, yeah, I know..." replied Rangiku, rising to her feet and fixing her clothes before Shunpoing away much faster than she used to be capable of. One of the 'justifications' she used to adhere to Ohta was that he could improve her mental energy while using his Zanpakuto to stabilize all three energy systems within her body. This 'balancing' not only allowed Rangiku to maintain her Bankai as long as she wanted, but as her mental, spiritual, and physical energies harmonized, they became much easier to control. For someone who hated strenuous physical exercise and dull meditation, growing more powerful by lazing about and having her body caressed by a handsome man was fairly close to Rangiku's 'ideal' training method. The only thing more convenient would be growing stronger by drinking alcohol or simply breathing...
Freed from his pseudo-feline companion, at least for a short while, Ohta spent a few minutes watching Rukia and Orihime before closing his eyes to meditate. He was already in his transformed state, complete with furry ears poking out from the top of his head, so he figured he might as well prolong the silence with training. At least, that's what he intended before Soifon appeared next to him, kneeling with her head lowered and right fist to the ground as she said, "I bring news, Master..." in a curt tone.
"Go ahead..." replied Ohta, opening his eyes to observe the increasingly 'loyal' Shinigami. He didn't believe anyone could experience a change of heart as quickly as Soifon projected, but he was willing to play along as it was exceptionally convenient to have a capable subordinate willing to do just about anything you ordered without question...
"The eldest of Kurosaki Ichigo's younger twin sisters has requested to see you," revealed Soifon, briefly causing the gears in Ohta's brain to stall. He wasn't too surprised that Karin had been able to pinpoint his location, but it wasn't exactly welcome news...
Noticing Ohta's reaction, Soifon asked, "Shall I send her away...?"
Shaking his head, Ohta replied, "No. I'll at least hear what she has to say," before rising to his feet and dusting himself off. Soifon would have gladly done it for him, but Ohta wasn't in the mood to tease his pocket assassin. At least, not right now...
...
..
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Feeling nervous after learning that the hotel she was in belonged to Ohta, Karin sat statuesque in the waiting area, hands atop her knees and back straight as she began to wonder if she was dealing with the same person whose old, dilapidated apartment served as her hangout...
("Was he just pretending to be poor?") wondered Karin, her eyes roaming about as her head remained fixed in a forward-facing position. Fortunately for her, it wouldn't be long before she received her answer as the elevator on the far side of the lobby chimed, opening to reveal Ohta's familiar face and figure.
Exhaling a sigh of relief, Karin descended from the comfortable chair she had been seated upon, grabbing her backpack before racing over to Ohta with an unintentional smile. The setting had certainly unsettled her, but it didn't actually matter so long as the place truly belonged to Ohta.
Seeing the sporty girl rush over to him, Ohta stopped in place, holding his position and allowing Karin to be the one to approach before interrupting her greeting with a curt, "What's up...?"
Though initially taken aback by how 'unruffled' Ohta seemed to be, Karin quickly recovered, adopting a serious expression as she said, "I want to know what's going on. Ichi-nii is rarely home these days, and he's been skipping classes for weeks. Yuzu is super worried about him..."
"Your dad still hasn't told you anything...?" asked Ohta.
Tilting her head to the side, Karin responded with an incredulous "Huh?" before questioning, "Why would my dad know what's going on...?"
"..."
Feeling a little sorry for his would-be protege, Ohta shook his head and said, "Come with me," before turning around and stepping back onto the elevator. Karin immediately followed him like a little duckling, so Ohta took her up to his penthouse and gave her something to drink before making a rare exception by revealing 'everything' to her, including the identities of her parents, her familial connection with one of the most ancient families in existence, and how much of a special snowflake her brother was...
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(A/N: Karin.exe has stopped working.)

Chapter 72: Sting