#keep this a fair clean match everyone (by which i mean no personal fouls do voter fraud all you want).

[mcytblrsexymen]

Reminder: this is a goofyfun, non-serious poll. If you are genuinely upset at any point, step back. If you are genuinely salty, step back. If you are attacking anyone’s character, we don’t want you here. Yes, even if they’re redditors or twitter users - we’re all the same fandom at the end of the day, people. Go take a drink and a snack and a time-out and come back in ten, yeah?

(And if you are one of those mythical off-site users, welcome! Please, while you’re here, check the propaganda for all the other guys, not just your vote! This is like r/place - there's a lot going on elsewhere on the canvas, so take a look! We hope you stick around!)

For everyone, just remember: the real joy of this event has absolutely nothing to do with who wins. It's all about the narrative we create, the community we're in, and the creativity that we make from it. Just make sure to always keep that in mind!

#faq #mcytblr sexyman #(for visbility elsewhere) #keep this a fair clean match everyone (by which i mean no personal fouls do voter fraud all you want). #we're all sexy here.

[tisfan]

I’ll Do

for @gilajames request: Doom/Tony happy ending, arranged marriage (could be historical setting, go nuts). Would love to see Pepper and Rhodey as supportive characters.

Summary: Tony Stark must marry for the good of the galaxy. He’s always known that, and he doesn’t resent it now. Love was never on the menu... 

But he expected more than a flippant “He’ll do” and to not meet his betrothed until after the ceremony.

Rating: Mature for language.  Warnings: None Tags: Arranged marriage, sci-fi AU, bargains and deals

I’ll Do

Finally, Tony thought.

He’d been awakened at dawn for a bath and a little bit of breakfast. He dressed in the ceremonial uniform and didn’t even mention how many fittings he’d been subjected to, in order to get to this point. His hair was freshly cut, perfectly styled and gelled within an inch of his life. Laser swords couldn’t get through the shellac on his head. God, it was giving him a headache. His hands had been scrubbed clean of grease, nails trimmed. 

And that was just today.

The last four months had been nothing but formality after formality, getting the arrangements and the contracts, preparing the building to welcome his royal highness, getting Tony ready to be worthy of the marriage.

It wasn’t like he didn’t know he was expected to marry for politics. He wasn’t blind or stupid. Love wasn’t anywhere on the menu for a Founder’s child.

But he wasn’t expecting to be married off to the sovereign of another planet.

When the alliances had been signed, Von Doom was given a packet on each of the eligible brides and grooms, had looked through them absently.

“He’ll do,” Von Doom had said, before departing again for months.

He’ll do.

Not exactly a stunning recommendation, but it didn’t matter. Tony was raised to be politically astute; he was a leader and an innovator and the son of one of the richest Founders in the Manhattan Nebula. He brought more than good looks to a marriage contract.

And Von Doom brought armies, which the Nebula’s people desperately needed. They were under attack by Titans, they needed alliances and soldiers, ships and weapons, if they were going to survive.

Doom had all of those in spades.

But now, all the waiting was over.

Tony was going to march down that aisle, make his vows, and take control of his life. Training was over, it was time to put it to use. He’d never even met his spouse-to-be, had no idea what the man looked like under the armor.

It didn’t matter.

Anything had to be better than the waiting.

“You look beautiful,” Pepper said. She was dressed in a similar dress that matched his uniform, somewhat less ornate and a darker color to indicate her position as his attendant.

“So do you,” Tony told her, because that was true. Rhodey grumbled behind them. Bodyguard and brother, friend and mentor.

It had been part of the arrangement. Tony would marry Von Doom and go home with him to the main planet in the Latverian System, but he was getting his entire staff to go with him, of whom these two were the most vital and important. They even had their own cabins on the wedding ship.

Tony tried not to think of the fact that Rhodey would be the next room over during the consummation; if the whole thing was a set up, murdering the new bride or groom on the wedding night was almost a cliche. 

He didn’t particularly want to get strangled on his wedding night, either before or after the consummation, but he was pretty sure that Rhodey listening in was going to be damn humiliating.

Well, maybe Rhodey would take it as a duty, as he did many things, and not give Tony grief about it later.

He glanced at Rhodey hopefully. Nah, probably not.

“Are they ready in there?” Tony wondered.

“You’re the one we were waiting on,” Rhodey said. “Are you ready?”

“Waiting on you now,” Tony said. 

Pepper signaled the musicians to start playing and the child -- Tony thought the kid might have been Rhodey’s niece or something, adorable little thing that she was -- started down the aisle, throwing flower petals with more enthusiasm than accuracy.

Pepper took Tony’s arm, patting his hand reassuringly. “I’m sure your husband will be a very nice man.”

“I hope not,” Tony said. “We need him to win a war. Soldiers are usually kind of assholish.”

Pepper scoffed. “Behave for once in your life.”

“No? I mean, what even kind of remark is that? To have and to hold, richer, poorer, as long as we both shall live, that’s the deal, right?”

“You are aware that the previous king had like eight wives, right?”

“It’s your job to make sure Von Doom doesn’t kill me until after the war is won, at least,” Tony said.

Finally, he got up the aisle with not too many flower petals sticking to his ankles.

Von Doom was wearing his armor. And a great, green cloak. And a mask.

“I didn’t know this was a masked occasion,” Tony said. “Are we sure it’s Von Doom under there?”

“As long as his seal is on the marriage forms, I don’t care if it’s one of his doombots under the cloak.” That was Rhodey, smoothing out Tony’s veil as they came up to the altar. 

“I care,” Tony shot back. “I don’t want to marry a stand in. Are you a stand in?”

Somehow, even masked and caped and armored, Von Doom managed to look affronted. All Tony could see of him were a pair of amber colored eyes behind the mask. “It is I, Victor Von Doom.”

“Great,” Tony said, running off at the mouth because that’s what he did when he was nervous. “Nice to meet you at last, Vickie.”

“Tony--” Rhodey hissed, kicking him in the shin.

“What? It’s too late to back out now,” Tony said. “I mean, the recommendation was never stellar or anything, but I’ll do.”

Von Doom turned his attention to the ceremonial officiant. “Begin.”

Tony was instructed to join hands with his husband-to-be -- who was wearing armored gauntlets. Tony scowled and summoned his nanobots. If his husband didn’t want to touch him, that was fine, but damned if he was going to be the vulnerable one in this situation. His own armor encased just his hand and wrist, enough to protect skin from Doom’s armor, and enough to demonstrate that he was entering this marriage as an equal, not a supplicant.

He didn’t bother to pay attention to what the officiant was saying; as Rhodey said, it was only Tony’s seal that mattered.

Not any vows they took here; all the actual enforceable rules had been put in place before they even walked in the door.

It didn’t take long, not really. But every second seemed to matter, and Tony was completely aware of his new husband watching him from behind that mask.

“I pronounce you wedded,” the officiant said.

“You gonna take that off and kiss me, or is this just a paper marriage?”

Doom snapped his fingers and the room went… fuzzy somehow.

Privacy tech. 

“No one may see Doom’s face,” Doom said. 

“That’s going to make it hard to kiss you.” He could hear it as the face-shield retracted, but all he could see was a pale blob. Von Doom was likely to be old, probably ugly. Maybe. Tony didn’t really know, and obviously would not be finding out.  Too bad. Not reall unexpected. Political marriage. Within a turn, both of them would have their personal lovers housed somewhere in the royal palace, just another service provided.

“Do you never cease speaking?”

“Rarely,” Tony confessed. “It’s not the only flaw I have, but I’ll do, I suppose.”

“You were never meant to hear that,” Doom said. “And if you keep talking, it is going to make this very difficult.”

“Wha--”

And Tony was kissed.

His husband, whose face he still didn’t know, whose name he’d just learned, leaned in and kissed him, sweet and achingly tender. Gentle lips pressed on his, and then a questing tongue pleaded for entry. Tony opened his mouth, more in shock than consent, but when Victor’s tongue slid in, he was entirely eager. The kiss was searingly hot, dangerously delicate. Desperate and needy and urgent, and for a moment, Tony was convinced that he was being kissed by someone who could -- and maybe even would -- love him.

It was everything he could have asked for in a kiss.

His knees were a little wobbly by the time Victor let him go. The mask slid into place and the privacy shield retreated.

No one in the audience hall acted like anything was amiss.

“We will go now.”

“No party?” Tony wondered.

“Wedding breakfast,” Rhodey reminded him. “Consummation now, before you leave the planet.”

Tony took a breath. Great. Fucking someone he couldn’t see. That was going to be exciting. Maybe he could just lay there and think of Manhattan.

“Look, this just isn’t going to work for me,” Tony said, as soon as the door closed behind them, trying desperately to ignore the reality of the bed in the exact center of the room (at least it didn’t have a headboard they were going to slam against the wall for everyone to hear).

“What is not?” Victor asked, pushing the hood of his cloak back. The mask was still on, but now Tony could at least see that he had dark grey hair, shot with white. That didn’t necessarily mean that he was old. Different races had different color schemes, he supposed. Half the people he’d met weren’t even human.

He wasn’t sure if Victor was or not.

“Not knowing what you look like.”

“Does it matter? If I am fair or foul, old or young. I am still your husband, and we are now bound together, by marriage as well as by treaty.”

“Sure,” Tony said. “We’re married, that’s great. I mean, I know all the shit I’m supposed to know to be mannerly and a good diplomat. I probably won’t do any of it, but I’m well trained. I can be your husband. Without having a damn clue what you look like.”

“I sense a conundrum,” Victor said. He took the cloak off, and the matching green robe underneath it to reveal something that looked fairly similar to an earth suit. Jacket, slacks, vest. 

“I suppose it depends what you want out of a marriage,” Tony said. “You want just the political shit, sure, I’ll go on my knees and take it up the ass for god and country. Once.”

“All right?”

“But that’s it. One consummation. One time. Once. Never again. You don’t own my body any further than that treaty says you do.”

“Unless I show you my face,” Victor suggested.

“I’m not promising anything more if you do,” Tony said. “But it doesn’t seem fair, or equal, or anything like an actual relationship. You know what I look like.”

“That does not mean that I know you, Anthony Stark Von Doom,” Victor said. “I know you have dark hair and brown eyes and a somewhat crooked nose. With freckles. But it tells me nothing about you. Who you are as a man, a person, a soul.”

“My nose is just fine, thanks awfully,” Tony muttered.

“So, perhaps, we should make additional requirements,” Victor said. “You will know my face, and I will know your mind.”

“How do you propose doing that?”

“If it is a bargain we strike, not being nations, but between men,” Victor said, “then you will join me, every day we are able, for a meal. Alone. And we will talk. I will ask questions, and you will answer them. Or you can ask-- I will learn just as much about you from what is important for you to ask. And I will answer.”

“Take turns?”

“Indeed. No lies.”

“We have an accord,” Tony said.

“Very well, then, my husband,” Victor said. He reached up and pressed his fingers to the joins under the mask and it popped free of its mooring. The strange flittering cloud surrounded him, concealing him. “I agree. And when I feel that I know you--”

“You’ll show me your face.”

“And you may decide if you wish to come to my bed again,” Victor said. “But tonight--”

“No one may see Doom’s face,” Tony grumbled. “I know.”

Victor took Tony’s hand, brought it to his lips. “In darkness, everyone looks the same.”

#IronDoom #Tony Stark x Victor Von Doom #Tony Stark #Victor Von Doom #Tony Stark/Victor Von Doom #arranged marriage au #science fiction au

[suitofvibraniumarmor]

The Nearness of You [Part One]

Summary: While stationed overseas, Bucky Barnes meets a woman his very soul recognizes.  Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader Word Count: 3664 Warnings: Canon divergence and other creative liberties.  Square Filled/Rating: @buckybarnesbingo​ B5; Soul Bond. [T] A/N: This is part one of two, but could potentially be part one of three or four, depending on how much interest there is! As always, thank you to my personal Marvel expert, @captain-s-rogers​ for answering my million questions and encouraging me to get this done! You’re a mind stone. Enjoy reading, lovelies! 

The medical tent was calmer than Bucky would have expected it to be. Even the men who had sustained more serious injuries were sedated and relatively comfortable while they waited for a medical transport to move them safely out of the area. 

He found an open cot and hopped up, his legs dangling over the side while he waited for someone to attend to him. A scuffle with a fellow soldier in the 107th had landed him here with a bloody nose, a cut above his left eyebrow, and a fat lip. 

The doctor on duty approached a nurse, one Bucky easily recognized, and pointed in Bucky’s direction. She glanced over her shoulder and nodded, mumbling a few words to the doctor. She finished putting away the supplies that had been in front of her before approaching Bucky. 

“Sergeant Barnes,” she greeted, “I’m Lieutenant Y/L/N. The doctor has asked me to look after your wounds, if that’s all right with you.”

Every hair on the back of his neck stood up in her presence. Every fiber of his being tingled. While any other dame would have made his heart race and his lungs forget their function, simply seeing her across the camp had always given Bucky a wonderfully strange sense of calm. Even now, rather than feel nervous about potential stitches or concerned at the retribution he might receive from the scuffle, Bucky felt the same comfort he had felt back in Brooklyn when his mother would sing hymns quietly to herself while she put laundry out on the line to dry. While his father tinkered on radios and things in the garage. While his best friend, Steve Rogers, sat next to him at Coney Island, eating hot dogs they had spent their train money to buy. 

“Sergeant? Are you all right?”

She placed her cool hands on either side of his face, attempting to get him to focus. Her eyes searched his for a pupillary reaction, for mumbling — any sign of something more serious than his obvious scrapes. 

Bucky cleared his throat and pulled away from her hands. “Yes, ma’am, I’m sorry. Taking everything in, I suppose. If the doc trusts you, then so do I.”

Lt. Y/L/N smiled and surveyed his face first. “We’ll clean up that bloody nose, no problem. You’re out of luck on the lip, as ice is in short supply. I’m afraid your brow will likely need a few stitches. You took quite a few licks, seems like.”

“Yeah, well, you should see the other guy,” he smirked, cocky as ever. She smiled, and his ego calmed. “Are you going to do the stitches, or …?”

“Some Army Corps nurses do, some don’t,” she sighed, “but, lucky for you, we’ve got a doc who trusts his staff. Wait here, Sergeant Barnes, while I go get some supplies.”

She went across the tent, retrieved a tray, and began to load it with the necessary supplies to clean and treat his wounds. Bucky stared after her; he found it difficult to take his eyes off of her. 

When she returned, she set the tray on a makeshift table beside the cot. She dunked a washcloth into a basin filled with clean water and began to gently but thoroughly clean away the dried blood around his nose and his brow. Her eyes were on her work, and Bucky’s eyes were, still, on her. 

Numbing his brow was the least pleasant of the whole experience, though Lt. Y/L/N assured him the stitches themselves would have been far worse without it. So, he endured, waiting until the feeling was more or less gone in the area before letting her know it was okay to start the stitches. 

She began a discussion with him as she worked, perhaps as a means of distraction. “So, how did this fight start? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Bucky cleared his throat and didn’t answer her right away. She could ask any question other than that one, and he would happily and freely answer. After licking his lips, careful of the tender spot, he returned her question with another. 

“Do you have a first name?” he asked. 

“I do.”

Bucky couldn’t help but let the smirk return. “Are you going to tell me what it is?”

“Are you going to tell me what happened to land you here getting stitched up?”

“Fair play,” Bucky sighed. 

She raised one eyebrow. “You can concentrate on us talking or you can concentrate on this needle and thread going in and out of your forehead. Which is it gonna be? Because if it’s the latter and you’re as weak-stomached as some of these men, I’d like to get another basin.”

Vomiting in front of her wasn’t a thought Bucky even wanted to entertain. “Some of the guys were giving me a hard time about this girl — woman — who gets me distracted sometimes. Started out innocent enough, but some of them got foul-mouthed. Where I come from, you don’t speak like that about a woman, whether she’s present or not.”

“You got defensive for her,” the lieutenant summed up. 

“More or less,” Bucky sighed. He didn’t regret correcting the men, but he wasn’t proud of the fighting part — certainly not with men from his own unit. “I didn’t swing first but I pushed some buttons, I guess you could say.”

She was quiet then, as she finished off a couple more stitches. She announced she was on to what should be the last one, then asked, “Is it Agent Carter?”

“Excuse me, ma’am?” Bucky frowned. 

For the first time since he had entered the tent, she looked uncomfortable. “The woman who … distracts you. Is it Agent Carter?”

He heard the snip of the thread, and she set the tools on the tray. She excused herself to get a bandage, claiming to have forgotten, though Bucky could see a short stack of them on the tray. When she returned a minute later, her composure seemed to have returned. 

“I didn’t mean to pry,” she explained as she carefully placed the bandage over the stitched area, careful not to interfere with his eyesight. “A lot of the men who come through here talk about her. I believe she’s quite popular.”

“So I’ve heard,” Bucky agreed, then continued, “but no. She’s not the woman.”

Bucky took her wrist gently in his hand, guiding her hand away from his face. Her eyes floated to his. She licked her lips and blinked a couple of times before pulling her arm away. 

“Keep the area as clean as you can,” she instructed, “if you experience a fever, chills, excessive redness and swelling around the area, come back here immediately so we can treat you for an infection. Even the slightest sign of infection, Sergeant, you ought to come back. Many men are losing their lives fighting in the war, but some of them are losing it to infection in the trenches. Don’t be one of them.”

Bucky nodded his understanding and slid off the cot. She gathered a few of the stray supplies back onto the tray. He only made it a few steps before he turned back to her. 

“Can you meet me tonight?” he asked in a hushed voice. 

Lt. Y/L/N frowned. “Meet you? Listen, soldier, I don’t know what —”

“It’s you,” Bucky blurted out. “You’re the woman who distracts me. When I’m around you —” He paused while the doctor and a couple of other soldiers passed by. “I’d like a chance to explain myself, is all. We can meet out in the open, I don’t care. My intentions are honest, I swear. If you find out they’re not, I’ll let you poke me with that numbing stuff again.”

Her frown softened and a small smile emerged on her pink lips. “I’ll meet you dead in the center of camp. You’ll have exactly two minutes to explain yourself, and then I’m going back to my tent.”

Bucky smiled and walked backwards, holding her gaze until he was out of the medical tent. He tried to stamp down his grin, but he was looking forward too excitedly to meeting with her when only the night guard was anywhere nearby. 

“Sergeant Barnes! Wait!” 

He turned behind him to see the nurse jogging to catch up. She stopped in front of him, her smile nearly matching his. 

“Y/N. My first name is Y/N.” She ventured to kiss his cheek and added, “See you tonight.” 

Then she was rushing back to the medical tent and her duties. Bucky whispered her name as he strolled back to his unit, trying it out on his lips. No name had ever sounded so sweet to his ears or felt so natural rolling off of his tongue. 

When everyone else in the outfit, save for the night guard, was likely asleep or too close to sleeping to care what she was doing out of her tent, Y/N slipped out of her bunk and pushed her feet into her sturdy field boots. With a deep breath, she exited the tent and made way, as casual as possible, to the middle of the camp. 

When Sergeant Barnes had come into the medical tent, she knew it before she turned to look at the new patient. Every time she set eyes on the soldier, the hair on the back of her neck stood at attention, her whole body tingled with innocent excitement, and she felt unusually calm. The sergeant’s presence was the kind of comfort she had only known back home, sitting on the front porch swing with her grandmother as the sun set over the Kansas prairie. Riding horses down a dirt road with her grandfather. Laughing at her father’s silly jokes. 

Sure enough, when she spotted him sitting on a blanket on the ground, her nerves at being out at this hour to meet a man she hardly knew dwindled away. She could only smile as she walked up next to the blanket, putting her hands in her pockets. 

“Mind if I sit here?” 

He looked away from the stars and towards her, a smile taking over his face. She couldn’t help but chuckle at the disproportional expression; the swelling in his lip had reduced some, but not entirely. 

“Please do.”

She sat down and pulled her knees to her chest. “It occurred to me, you know, that I told you my first name, but you didn’t tell me yours.”

With a half-hearted salute, he introduced himself. “Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, at your service, Lieutenant. Everyone calls me Bucky.”

“Bucky,” she smiled. “I like it. Suits you.”

He smiled, too. “I’m glad you showed up. I’m not going to lie, I was a little worried you’d stand me up.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Oh, a pretty girl like you, coming out to meet a nothin’ soldier like myself? I’m the luckiest guy on the whole continent at the moment, I do believe.”

Y/N laughed. “You lay it on thick, Bucky Barnes.”

“I tend to do that sometimes,” he admitted. “I have something for you. Snuck it out of the colonel’s supplies.”

She raised her brow, anxious to see what he had for her. Bucky looked around to be sure they weren’t under anyone’s watch, then supplied two glass Coke bottles from beside him. Y/N’s mouth rounded to a perfect ‘o’ shape. 

“You sir, are a regular miracle worker,” she breathed, accepting the soda from him. She waited patiently while he worked the metal cap off of her bottle first, then his. Sipping down some of the bubbly liquid, she closed her eyes and let out a long, slow exhale. “That is good.”

Bucky nodded, wiping a bit away from his chin. “Wish they were colder, but, as you know, ice is in short supply.”

“That it is. Thank you for this, really. It’s not often we get anything to lift our spirits around here.”

She took another pull from the bottle, and looked up at the stars. In rainy, cloudy England, it wasn’t often they got to see the night sky. Her silly, romantic heart pretended that the skies had cleared and the stars were shining especially for herself and Bucky that night. She got so lost in the reverie, Bucky had to pull her attention back to him. He hooked a finger under her chin and guided her eyes his way. 

“My spirits are lifted every time I see you,” he told her, voice low and scratchy. “I told you I would explain myself, and I will, if you still want to hear it. But you’ve got to understand — it’s going to sound crazy.”

Y/N took another swig of the Coke, wishing with all her might that it was something stronger than soda. She had an idea of what was coming next, had been waiting for it, but even with Bucky’s comforting presence, she was anxious as hell to hear the words said out loud. Worried that her words would be incomprehensible, she nodded for him to continue. 

Bucky set his drink to the side and wiped his thumb over his lips. He looked out in front of him, took a deep breath, and took the plunge. 

“I don’t know you. I don’t know where you’re from or where you grew up or your birthday. I don’t know why you joined the Army or what made you decide to be a nurse. But — but when I’m anywhere near you, Y/N, if I can just see you, my whole world is all right. I mean, it’s like my nerves activate, from head to toe, but at the same time, I’m so calm, Satan himself could come at me and I would know everything was going to be all right. Does that make me sound crazy?”

Y/N shook her head. “N-no. You don’t sound crazy at all.”

He pulled his knees up too, setting his elbows on the and clasping his hands in front of him. “I went to church with my parents growing up and everything, you know, but I never really knew how I felt about all of that. I didn’t know how if I believed in Heaven or Hell or angels and all of that. The preacher would talk about our souls and I — I didn’t even know if I believed that was a real thing. But then I saw you and I knew it was. It’s like, when I see you, I can feel my soul.” With two fingers, he tapped the soft spot below his sternum. “It’s there and it’s connecting to something — to someone — you. My soul is connected to yours, I think.” 

Y/N stared at him. She had grown up in church too, had believed all of the things Bucky was unsure about, but she had always needed some sort of validation to keep her going. Then, she was stationed here, and she saw more unnecessary death and unjust war than she cared to think about. Doubts about the things she had been taught all growing up began to sprout up like weeds, until the first time she had seen the tall soldier with dark brown hair and blue eyes. In that moment, the only way she had been able to describe it to herself was that she had felt her soul reaching out; her soul had recognized Bucky’s and had made her desperate to connect with him. 

“Do you believe in soulmates, Bucky?” Y/N asked, looking to her left where he sat. 

Bucky’s eyes met hers once again. “I didn’t, before you. Before this.”

The calm and comfort enveloped both of them like never before. The wondering and curiosity was gone, leaving behind only the knowledge that they had been made for each other. Not a lot of good things were going to come out of this war, but at least they had found each other. 

The pair sat on the blanket in silence for a while after that, finishing their sodas and watching the stars. They didn’t speak; there was enough to process for one evening. Y/N leaned her head on Bucky’s shoulder, and he turned to kiss her forehead. 

“I’d kiss you proper, but we’re pushing the boundaries of getting caught as it is,” Bucky chuckled, leaning his head on hers. 

“Not to mention, you’ve got that busted lip,” Y/N reminded him with a mischievous smile. 

Bucky nodded. “Yeah. It was worth it, to get to you.”

Y/N smiled, wishing the night could go on forever. A few minutes before guard change, they stood. Bucky gathered up the blanket and the bottles, and walked her back to her tent. 

“I’ll see you in the morning, I guess.”

“I hope so,” she smiled. With another kiss on his cheek and a smile up at him, Y/N took one step into the tent. “Good night, Bucky.”

“Good night, pretty girl,” Bucky smiled back at her.

Y/N settled down for some sleep as quietly as possible, she found herself unable to stop the smile from tugging at her mouth, or thoughts of Bucky’s sweet blue eyes from tugging at her heart. They had found each other now, and long after the war, they would still have each other. 

As she drifted off to sleep, she added that fact to the list of her greatest comforts, right along with all the memories of home.

The news of the 107th going on a mission that involved this man at the head of Germany’s deep science unit, Hydra, spread quickly over the camp. Y/N rushed out of the medical tent and went to find Bucky; there were some others in his tent, packing up to head out. She cleared her throat and all of the men looked up at her, then glanced over to Bucky. He looked at all of them in turn, his eyes daring them to make a smart comment in front of Y/N. Not one of them did. 

“I heard about the mission,” she said, stepping back when Bucky came out of the tent. “I wanted to … I mean …”

Bucky showed her his signature smirk. “Worried I’m not gonna make it back, pretty girl?”

She blushed and looked away. “This isn’t a joke, Bucky. Doc talks about Schmidt and the things him and this - this Zola scientist guy are trying to do. They’re dangerous. Word is, even Hitler is weary of the man.”

Bucky took a careful glance around before putting his hands on her shoulders and pushing her behind the tent. Once they were more or less out of view, he pulled her to his chest and rested his cheek on her head. 

“You’ll know I’m okay,” he promised, the words muffling slightly against her hair, “because you’ll feel me. Right? Isn’t that how this soul thing works?”

Y/N sighed. “Not if I can’t see you.”

“Right. Listen, everything’s gonna be all right. This war is a mess, but we came over here to fight it. Even if I could stay behind, I wouldn’t. You know? Not just for me. My friend back home, Y/N, he wanted to fight. He wanted to be here. He’s — the point is, the Army wouldn’t take him. I’m not only fighting for me. I’m fighting for him, too.”

She could understand that. A sense of familial duty had led her to enlist; they all had their reasons. Leaning back, she gave him a sad smile. 

“Better kiss me while you can then, Sergeant.”

Bucky smiled, but the expression was short-lived. He dropped his arms from around her and stepped back. Y/N frowned, until she spotted the other soldiers walking by. 

“Can’t quite seem to catch the right moment,” she sighed. Other soldiers from the 107th were calling for Bucky. Y/N looked at him and shrugged. “Be safe out there. Don’t be a hero. Please.”

Bucky’s smirk returned as he stepped away from her. “Don’t worry, Lieutenant. We’ll get our moment.”

The portion of men who returned from the mission were in need of so many medical treatments, it didn’t register with her for a good couple of hours that Bucky had not been among them. The last soldier to clear the tent, she stopped him. 

“Where’s Sergeant Barnes?”

The corporal sighed. “Not a lot of us came back, ma’am. If he hasn’t been through here, he probably was captured or killed.”

Y/N nodded. “I see. Okay. Come back if you have any excessive pain, okay?”

The young soldier nodded and went on his way. Y/N cleaned up her area and asked the doctor if he needed anything else. 

“No, thank you, Lieutenant, not at the moment.” He sighed. “I know that was a lot, but you handled it quite gracefully. I appreciate you.”

She gave him a tight smile and excused herself from the tent. She went to her tent and sat on her cot, gripping the mattress harder and harder until her knuckles were white and her fingers began to tingle from a lack of blood flow. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to do what Bucky had said; feel him, even from afar. She pictured his clear, blue eyes, that little section of hair falling across his forehead the way it alway did. She pictured the way he had looked at her the night they sat under the stars, drinking the Cokes he had swiped from the colonel’s office. How he had promised her when he left that he would be back, that they would have their moment. 

The thought of never seeing him again, never having that moment, made Y/N’s stomach turn and flip. She thought of never feeling again the calm that she felt when Bucky was around. She rushed out of the tent with only a second to spare before the contents of her breakfast came up on her. 

Part Two

Tags: @captain-s-rogers​ @the-murder-strut-murdered-me​ @jackryanplz​ @xtina2191​ @shynara51​ @captain-rogers-beard​ @star-spangled-man-with-a-plan​ @pinknerdpanda​

#marvel #fanfiction #bucky barnes #reader insert #buckybarnesbingo2020 #bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #souldmates #soulbond #queue and i remember budapest very differently

[missstormcaller]

CAN’T FEAR YOUR OWN WORLD PART 5 Full Translation

TN -- This is the part that was released on the Bleach/Jump+ app a few weeks ago, it’s very long over 9000 words. Also be warned - Liltotto’s potty mouth, if that kind of thing bothers you...

Hueco Mundo. 6 months since the Protection of the Soul King Great War. Even in Hueco Mundo, the world of the Hollows headed by the Arrancar, a gradual change is occurring. After the Arrancar hunt by the Quincy of the Wandenreich came to an end, powerful Arrancar such as Harribel and Grimmjow had disappeared, a new period of civil unrest was about to be ushered in. However, as Nelliel, whose whereabouts had been unknown thus far, suddenly returned accompanied by Harribel, the ambitions of the Arrancar and Vasto Lorde class Menos Grande were instantly met with disappointment, and they retreated back to their respective colonies as a result. Several Arrancar launched surprise attacks on Nelliel and Harribel thinking "surely they're exhausted now", however most of them were beaten at their own game, and even those who had managed to escape were sent sinking to the ground unlucky enough to bump into Grimmjow who was in a foul mood. In a corner of Hueco Mundo which was in the gradual process of restoring its peace from such a 'return of the leader', a man wearing a mask resembling a bull's skull released a sigh.

"…That was a brief dream huh." Rudborrn Chelute. He is an Arrancar that was once the leader of the "Exequias" directly under Aizen, and he is the man that continued to manage Las Noches alone in Hueco Mundo after Aizen's departure. “After all, for a weak person like myself to dream of such things, wasn't the very idea itself presumptuous……?" He is also one of the Arrancar that tried to unify Hueco Mundo after Harribel's disappearance. Rudbornn still felt an obligation to Aizen and was attempting to defend the new order as much as possible in its original form, created after that leader seized control of Hueco Mundo from Baraggan. In addition to the likes of the Tres Bestias and the Espada, there are also several other Arrancars that are stronger than him. However, without having any interest in governance to begin with, they did not participate in a succession dispute. It could be said that it was Rudbornn alone that tried to fight for hegemony considering that very 'order' itself as the number one priority. It's​ not that he was without ambition. He could not deny that he had dreamed of a day where he would eventually develop Hueco Mundo himself, and be worthy of being acknowledged by Aizen as a being that was a cut above the rest like the Espada.

Although he had heard that Aizen had quite literally 'cut down and cast away' Harribel as well as leaving behind words of disappointment with the Espada, if Aizen had returned to this place at the time, he wished to communicate that he had accomplished something with the powers he had received from Aizen. Even if he would be astounded thinking the results were unfavorable, and then cut him down on the spot, it was no matter. And​ now, as before, for the sake of protecting Hueco Mundo's order ------ he was battling the Quincies. "Dear me, I didn't expect that there would still be Quincy survivors left." Half a year ago, the Quincy who captured Harribel later deployed a unit called "Jagdarmee" throughout Hueco Mundo to conduct Arrancar hunts in every place. After the executive captain of the Jagdarmee Quilge is defeated by Ichigo and Grimmjow's group, the majority of those separated units were left behind in Hueco Mundo. It was those Quincies that put up a do-or-die resistance which took various forms for each unit from desperate suicide attacks to guerrilla warfare, however most of them were annihilated at the hands of the "Exequias" led by Rudbornn. There had been no movement for several months since then, so just when he thought their extermination was complete, he received eyewitness reports of Quincies going on the offensive. "Truly disappointing indeed. The “Pikaro” are disobedient as usual, and I hear they frequently go to the Human World with Roca. And even now Grimmjow sama refuses to give his cooperation to establish rule in Hueco Mundo. If things continue like this, I wonder if order could genuinely​ be brought about someday…" (TN -- For those who are unfamiliar with Narita's previous works for Bleach - Spirits are Forever With You I and II - You can read about the 'Pikaro' and Roca there)

Rudbornn shakes his head at his own shortcomings, but as he uttered such things, coming towards his observation spot, a voice of protest is raised against him. "Hey! Don't sigh, you also have to fight for yourself once in a while! It's not just about pushing the job to us and the small fry you create every time!" "Forget it Loly, even talking about it is pointless." The Arrancar with the twin ponytails who was talking smack -- Loly Aivirrne -- is rebuked by an Arrancar with a short-cut hairstyle -- Menoly Mallia. When they were discovered on the verge of death after battling with Quilge, they were transported to Las Noches where they were left in the care of Rudbornn. Soon after that, they were dragged into acting as members of the "Exequias" to gradually match the fighting power of the Quincies, but because they are not under the direct supervision of Rudbornn, they failed to reach an understanding in any way whatsoever. "No, I will say it! Anyway, Rudbornn! Where were you when Harribel sama was kidnapped! You were not even there when that guy called Quilge came!" "Since the invasion began in various places at the same time, someone had to cause an obstruction in each location that's all. And while we're on the subject, when Aizen sama was defeated by Kurosaki Ichigo, we could not have rivaled anyone who was already at his side.” "…You have a comeback for every remark…" At Loly's complaint Rudbornn releases a sigh whilst shaking his head.

"You two are inexperienced, but because you still have respect for Aizen sama, in this way, you were able to join my troops. Because under normal circumstances, disturbing the existence of order with mere  presence like your own, is truly unbefitting of Hueco Mundo." "Huh, what am I 'disturbing' just with my presence?” "Forget about it." "Let go of me Menoly! That guy acts like he's better than everyone else, but what do you think he was doing when the Shinigami attacked this place? A passing Yammy socked him so hard he was practically on the verge of death, isn't that so?!" "Since that also happened to us……" Menoly tugs back Loly's arm to keep her at a distance from Rudbornn. Veins were visibly throbbing on her forehead, and even as she was released from Menoly's grip, she attempted to complain some more, However -- a single streak of light passed by before her eyes. That bullet of light pierced a boulder located a fair distance away from Rudbornn and the others, part of the large boulder is hollowed out as if it had been bitten off by something with a huge set of jaws. "Whaa!?" When Loly shifts her attention to the direction in which the streak of light had flown in from, as her eyes popped out in astonishment, there, a figure of a girl with a bow drawn out was standing atop a pile of a caved in building structure. Her garments closely resembled that of the Quincy lot that once tried to capture them. In the depths of that structure the figures of others also begin to stir, from there, it appears that a couple were launching an attack their way. A continuous stream of Quincy arrows that were just shot can be seen flying towards them at alarming speeds. When Menoly and the others scrambled to avoid it, skull wearing soldiers who are Rudbornn's subordinates were now engaged whilst numerous pillars of sand shot up in Hueco Mundo's desert. As she Looked at the sand craters that were left behind after that with shocked eyes, Loly yells in a cold sweat. "Just a minute! Those are not the usual small fry! Their kind still remains!?"

"…That group of arrancars, there's only a few of them gathered here. I'm of the impression that they're the ones that came to clean us up." Whilst clutching a small bow with a design that was reminiscent of shark teeth, the small girl spoke with a straight face.

In response to that, a figure that was in the darkness of the structure which was half reduced to rubble, spoke up. "So you mean, we only have to get rid of a few small fry? And you missed your target at this distance? Wow, you suck. It's because you haven't been practicing properly isn't it?" "You're such a nag. You'd better get to work too. This is a chance to increase our pawns you know, Gigi." Then, the Quincy that was known as "Gigi" - Giselle Gewelle - replied as she displayed a mechanical smile which made it impossible for others to read her emotions. "My power can only temporarily allow me to zombify Hollows, you're aware of this right? I thought it was common knowledge that Hollow Reishi is incompatible with us Quincies, or did you forget about that?" "Even if it's just temporary, it doesn't matter does it? Everyone other than Bambi is disposed of anyway, and even if they're able to undo zombification 'over there', the situation is practically the same." "You're tired I don't like it. Lil might as well become my zombie, how about it?" Lil tilted her head as she responded to Gigi -- remaining expressionless Liltotto Lamperd gave her companion a tongue-lashing. "Do you want me to eat you, dumbass? …No, never mind. If I eat Gigi I'd probably get diarrhoea." "Isn't that a bit harsh? I think it's a terrible insult to eat a girl and then get ‘digestive problems’. Hey, don't you think so too, Bambi chan?" Looking at the girl with dark red skin who was 'placed' like a doll in a corner of the wreckage, Gigi maintained her mechanical smile as she sought the girl's agreement. "Y-yes…just as Gigi…it's just as Gigi says. So, so Gigi…please…blood."

"Ugh, Bambi chan is really greedy huh. If you want to speak selfishly to me…you get the picture right? Because Bambi chan is smart isn't she? She's clever right?" "…I, I understand…defeat…enemies… Like…to protect…Gigi…that's why, Blood…" Watching Bambietta Basterbine - the corpse with the reddish skin rise up, unsteady on her feet, Lil spoke as if she was somewhat amazed. "Why does it feel like her injuries aren't completely healed, and her speech has become more ambiguous than before? Is she Frankenstein's monster? It's as if she's become some freak that has just strayed out of a forest and into civilisation." "It's okay, if I give her blood I can 'fix' her up nicely. But, Bambi chan is cuter when she looks so pitiful like this, so I'm still keeping her this way for a while alright?" "You're a real piece of shit aren't you?" Although she disapproved of Gigi's preferences with her candid expression, Lil didn't try to stop Bambietta who began walking towards the enemy. Because she knew well. Even though her ability to think has degraded to such an extent, when it came to Bambietta's powers, there was no hindrance to defeating average strength Arrancars, hollows and the like. And as if to prove it ------ An infinite amount of Reishi mass emitting from Bambietta's surroundings were thrust towards the enemy camp, the white desert was blanketed by dazzling explosive flames. Liltotto Lamperd. Giselle Gewelle. Apart from Bambietta who has been transformed into a corpse puppet, why were those girls who rose in revolt against Yhwach in Soul Society and then supposedly had the tables turned on them, still alive and staying in Hueco Mundo? As for how this came to be, one must go back in time to the point immediately following the end of the war between the Shinigami and Quincies.

6 months ago - A certain place in the Human World. "……" When Lil awakens, she finds herself inside an unfamiliar room. A bandage is wrapped around her abdomen and a dull pain shoots through her when she touches it. It appears that she had undergone healing techniques unique to Quincies, however it seems it wasn't the case that she was completely recovered. ---- Of course. What remains in her memory is the fact that she had challenged Yhwach to a fight, after being unsuccessful in that regard she was cut down with ease, and just before she collapsed the Reiatsu of Bazz-B, who had been doing battle in another place, disappeared. ---- My abdomen was cut open with that kind of power. Ordinarily, the fatally wounded would have been left alone. ---- Why am I still alive? When she looked to her side there was the figure of Gigi who had not yet regained her consciousness, and laying down further back was a body that appeared to be Bambietta's, wrapped head to toe in bandages like a mummy. All three people including herself had been laid down to rest in simple beds, and had seemingly been given minimum medical treatment. Lil who noticed that the pillow placed under head was "Wandenreich" issued, speculated that this place is one of their bases in the Human World.

---- There are considerable signs of Quincies outside this room too…but most of them are already half dead.

When she got up to survey her surroundings, the door to the room opened and a woman appeared. "You're awake? Liltotto Lamperd." It was a female Quincy with a dignified look in her large-pupiled eyes that was standing there. "You're…” Lil puts herself on guard. "Aren't you the lackey of Yhwach's lackey? Did you mistakenly rescue the enemy?" - A member of the Sternritter who possesses the Schrift "B" and is said to essentially be Wandenreich's second in command - Jugram Haschwalth. It was Haschwalth's close aide that appeared in the room, and amongst the ordinary Soldat with no Schrift, this female Quincy was one of the most outstanding when it came to raw talent. Although it was rumoured that her handling of purely bows and arrows as well as her combat strength even surpassed some members of the Sternritter, she was not given a Schrift, it is said that this is because she herself wished to continue to serve as Haschwalth's subordinate rather than becoming equal to everyone who was a 'Schrift holder' - with the exception of Yhwach. Haschwalth, who is her superior, is a loyal subject to Yhwach. There should be no motive for her to help Lil's group who had raised a revolt against the Wandenreich. "Haschwalth that bastard, what is he thinking of doing? Even if he interrogated us, nothing will surface you know? We merely got sick of Yhwach so we betrayed him, that is all."

Judging from Haschwalth's cautious nature, is it not reasonable for him to speculate that those who betrayed the empire had the backing of the Shinigami, or some other organisation attached to them? In response to Lil who thought as such, the Quincy woman shakes her head a little. "…Haschwalth sama was killed in action after giving his strength to his majesty." "Huh?" At those unexpected words, Lil grimaced. However, the facts that were narrated after that, was the thing that caused the former Sternritter member Liltotto Lamperd to be surprised. "…His majesty also passed away by battling special war potential Kurosaki Ichigo, as well as Aizen Sōsuke." " ! " In a rare display, both of Lil's eyes widened and her mouth gaped open a few times, but after about ten seconds had passed, her usual calm demeanor returns. "…seriously? That Ichigo asshole, I thought he would be outrageously strong, but to that extent? He's pretty strong, for someone who's awfully naive huh." Recalling the orange haired Shinigami who yelled "you idiot, dodge it!" to a Quincy who tried to stop the huge slashing attack that Shinigami had fired himself, Lil smiled wryly with a touch of self mockery. "That reminds me, what happened to Candi and Meni?" Candice Catnipp, Meninas McAllon. They are her comrades who mobilised jointly with her during wartime, it was unusual for Lil, being recognised as a comrade amongst the Sternritter by each one of them. Although it was habitual for her companions to throw out blistering remarks to each other, it seemed to be the kind of relationship where they would bring up each others names first and foremost in situations like this, half resigned as she is, Lil quietly waited for her addressee's reply. "…I went to rescue them, but I didn't make it in time. It seems they were captured by the 12th division when they lost the power of their Vollständig in his majesty's 'Auswählen'. Najahkoop sama too, although it is unknown whether they are alive or dead, they appear to have been transported there." "I don't give a damn about that Peeping Tom bastard. The 12th division huh…? I see…in that case, perhaps it's better if they had died at once." What kind of department is the 12th division? What kind of man is Kurotsuchi Mayuri the captain of that division? Through advance intelligence, she was able to understand. "Be that as it may…there is a possibility that they're still alive, isn't there?" Lil cast a quick glance at Gigi who was lying down beside her.

If they have the power of Gigi's Schrift "Z" -- "The Zombie", the others can be recuperated even if they have a certain degree of physical impairment due to 'experiments' or 'autopsies' carried out by the 12th division. And even if they are dead, as long as the body and brains remain, it is possible to revive them as zombies like Bambietta in the worst case scenario. Although, as far as emotional scars are concerned, that cannot be healed. Taking everything so far into consideration, Lil then posed a question to the Quincy woman before her eyes, in a dispassionate manner. "…Returning to the subject at hand. Why did you help us?" "It is Haschwalth sama's will. When his majesty entered his final sleep, Haschwalth sama ordered the Soldat under his direct supervision to retrieve and provide medical treatment to you ladies and other wounded Soldat." "It doesn't make any sense at all to me. What happened to the Schutzstaffel bunch?" Despite knitting her eyebrows in bewilderment, Lil thought she should straighten out further details by continuing to enquire. Returning a shake of her head and with a sorrowful expression -- "…All members were killed in action. I received reports from the observation unit that his Majesty completely absorbed Gerard sama's power and he dissipated." "So even Nakk Le Vaar was done away with huh? Maybe it's true that guy is lethal." ---- Is it that we took those Shinigami guys too lightly? ---- Taking in the "Heart of the Soul King" until his own trusted minion Gerard dissipated, that Yhwach bastard was pushed to go that far? When he was done with me and Gigi, he was talking some nonsense about "being able to see into the future" or something…but what kind of future did that guy see with those creepy eyes? ---- wait a minute? "…You said Haschwalth ordered you to save us when Yhwach went to sleep right?" "That's right. Immediately after his Majesty had fallen asleep." Haschwalth was granted the "mask of the ruler" allowing him to exercise all powers as a substitute, only during the period where Yhwach falls asleep at night. "If that's the case, does that mean that Haschwalth bastard saw the 'future' too?" In response to Lil's query which was uttered as if she was half speaking to herself, the Quincy woman cast her eyes down whilst forming her words. "…When he handed down his instructions to me, he muttered something as if thinking aloud to himself. Seeing into the future is a cruel power he said." "That asshole, what did he see? Did he see a future where both he and Yhwach would die?" "This is something I am unable to comprehend." The female Quincy who was Haschwalth's trusted aide sorrowfully distorted her face, she spoke as her wise voice was enveloped in a slight sadness. "Haschwalth sama did not divulge his true feelings. Neither to us, nor the Sternritter…and in all likelihood, not even his Majesty. However, at the very end, “no matter what, preserve the future of the Quincies” was the only thing he said to me…."

"So then, being honest to a fault, you went as far as to save us rebels, is that it? For your information, don't expect me or Gigi to feel like we have an obligation to you or something." "That's fine. It's not that we are seeking a reward, we are merely obeying Haschwalth sama's commands." In response to she who had answered  matter-of-factly, Lil opens her mouth to speak after lightly clicking her tongue. "Well, we survived thanks to you. I am grateful for that…just, don't expect even a word of gratitude from Gigi. When she wakes up she'll turn you lot into zombies, and she may even use your flesh to treat her own injuries." "……" "Don't give me that look…I think I understand enough to know how to take responsibility for this kind of thing. I can handle Gigi, as soon as she becomes able to move, we will take our leave." Leaving Lil who caught a glimpse of Gigi's condition, the Quincy woman exited the sickbay. That woman who was Haschwalth's trusted aide, told only one lie to Lil. Before confronting his final battle, there were other words Haschwalth had left behind too. ---- "Ishida Uryuu is perhaps the last test his Majesty bestowed upon me." ---- "I don't understand the reason why, but my emotions are so violently shaken at times, only by that man." ---- "If there is ever a time I am driven by passion and forget my role as the balance…in that moment, I will relinquish all power his Majesty has entrusted to me, as well as my life." The way in which he had spoken was as if he had seen a future where such a thing would come to be. But assuming this was visible to him, why could he not take action to avoid that future? If it's the case that even after he became aware of the future, he still couldn't suppress his emotions, what kind of words did he make Ishida Uryuu hear? Or what sort of conduct did he let him see? Although everything has been nothing but incomprehensible now that things have come to pass, that Quincy who was a trusted aide could only feel proud of her master. Even if his own destiny was in sight, she believed he carried complete resolution on his back, and chose his path of his own free will. It was the very next day when Liltotto, Giselle and Bambietta had disappeared from the hidden base in the Human World.

Currently, Liltotto's group continue their dispute with the Arrancars in Hueco Mundo. It took several months to regain their powers, but it was restored to all useable levels with the exception of their "Vollständig" ability which was snatched away by Yhwach. "If only we had Vollständig, we would be able to absorb all their Reishi." The Quincy's ultimate form is Vollständig, if they have the "Sklaverei" ability which is unleashed by the halo that is generated when one enters that state, it becomes possible for a Quincy to completely disintegrate the surrounding Reishi and forcibly enslave it. There was also the potential to capture even Hollow Reishi - whose Reishi matter is naturally poisonous for Quincies - as a harmless substance with a one time complete decomposition. However, there are no more Quincies who possess that ability. If there is a possibility, then that would only be Ishida Uryuu and his father who were spared from Yhwach's "Auswählen", but Lil shrugged her shoulders thinking "so what if men who are enemies were able to use it." Then, Gigi's voice could be heard from behind. "Eh? But Lil can do something similar can't she? If you wanted, you could just swallow those guys whole. or perhaps you're on a diet?" "There is nothing I can't eat, but poison is poison, my stomach will become awfully upset, so I refuse." Whilst replying in a detached manner, Lil watched intently as Bambietta trampled everything in her path, Gigi then spoke some more. "In the end, most of them have fallen huh? The survivors of the Jagdarmee that is." "Every last one of those guys are pitiful. As if marching through this desert for two months wasn’t annoying enough, none of those guys could become a decent fighting power." They were now mobilising with the purpose of reclaiming the independent Quincy units for themselves and drawing them in as "pawns". Their ultimate goal was to raid the 12th division in Soul Society and recover Candi and Meni. "Even though Lil tells us to leave her alone, sometimes she places great importance on things like frie~nd~ship~ huh? And then, helping the remnants of the Jagdarmee, half of the time it's not for the purpose of collecting pawns, is it that you want to repay those people in that sickbay?” "Whatever. I'm just pushing the guys who are likely to get in our way onto that bunch." "Lil is being sultry whilst having such a cold expression, I think it's really creepy, but I actually kinda like it?" "Are you praising me or dissing me, pick one, bitch." remaining expressionless, Lil spoke in an unconcerned manner. For some reason, the moment Gigi was called a "bitch", she smiled looking a little delighted at the thought, she then replied in a cheerful manner. (TN-- Forgot to mention that the word “bitch” actually means more along the lines of “slut” in Japanese) "Oh my, It's a joke, It's a joke. Lil is so cute when she's embarrassed. There's no way I can just ignore it. If Candi and Meni are both dead, does it mean they can be my zombies?" Then Gigi's expression fades away, she recalls the face of a certain man as she spoke with a voice that was full of resentment. "…Besides, I won't be satisfied unless I give that dazzling weirdo a little surprise you know?" "Forget it. That guy completely outranks you." At Lil's chiding, Gigi then spoke. "If I use my brains I can manage somehow. Hey, what if I zombify Kurosaki Ichigo?" "Stop right there. I have no interest in going along with your suicide mission, alright?" In all honesty, it's not the case that Lil hasn't considered that idea in her own mind. If they could turn Kurosaki Ichigo into one of their pawns with Gigi's abilities, she has considered the fact that he would become their strongest fighting power. However, as far as Lil could tell, around Kurosaki Ichigo, there were people such as his father who has experience as a captain in the Gotei 13, Ishida Uryuu who had defeated Haschwalth, and his father Ishida Ryūken who is an "Echt" Quincy, moreover she understood there is also the special war power Urahara Kisuke, Lil was neither hasty nor foolish enough to step into such a den of sinister forces. "Be that as it may, we will continue to crush Arrancars here like this…" The actions of the Quincies, eradicating Arrancars, is a prohibited act that will disturb the balance of the world from the Shinigamis viewpoint, if they overdo it, the shinigami will likely sense this and send in assassins to eliminate the threat. Considering the fact that they lent a hand to the Shinigami together with Bazz-B in the end, it's not impossible for them to reach an understanding, however -- even if they reconciled it did not appear likely that the 12th division captain will release Candi and the others, above all, formal reconciliation will probably be difficult when Gigi has zombified many Shinigami and then let them kill each other. "Well, first of all, after we're finished with these guys, we will return to the Human World to plan……" Lil suddenly stopped talking in the midst of her muttering. Before her line of sight, there were figures of Arrancars being ravaged by Bambietta's bombing raid. However, Lil had then realised that something felt wrong. "…it's still not over yet?" It's not that Bambietta was dealing with this at a leisurely pace. As much as her reasoning power has weakened, there is still a part of her that  maintains her ability to carry out a reckless bombing raid. But the number of Arrancar soldiers has not decreased in the slightest. Rather, it even felt as though their numbers were increasing with time. "Reinforcements? No, that's not it…" Furthermore, those countless number of skull masked soldiers that had newly appeared assembling on top of one another thus creating a wall, could it be that they were putting themselves in harm's way to continue to defend the troops at the centre? There was not a shred of hesitation, as if they were accepting of their own death. "What? …What's going on?" Going back in time to just a few minutes ago.

"Th, that was close! What the hell is that sickly looking girl?! Endlessly throwing bombs or something without warning huh!?" Whilst hidden in the shadow of the skull masked soldiers, Loly yells in a cold sweat. Menoly who she had directed the question at was also unable to stand and trembling as she responded.

"Th-this is bad, Loly…She's as strong as that guy with the glasses, Quilge or whatever…" Next to the two flustered 'Aizen bodyguards', there was a man who calmly analysed the progress of the battle alone. It is the leader of the Exequias, Rudbornn. "Hmm…apparently, her Reishi seems to have the power to convert anything it comes into contact with, into an explosive. The underlying Reishi itself doesn't have the ability to explode, so I guess it can only be rapidly fired to those extents but…it doesn't seem like a good plan to wait for our opponent's Reiryoku to become exhausted." "Just a minute! What are you talking about in such a carefree manner?! At this rate our situation will only get worse won't it?!" Hearing that complaint which was mixed with yelling, Rudbornn releases a sigh as he shakes his head. "You are not to expose such disgraceful behaviour as Aizen sama's former servants, not even for an instant. Always keep calm. Do not harbour despair in the face of death. Even if your lives end here, continue to think of what you can leave behind for Aizen sama's sake until the very last moment." "We don't have time for that Zommari like manner of speech! As things stand, we'll be charred to the tips of our nails let alone leave something behind!" "How truly awe-inspiring that I am being compared to someone like Zommari dono… it doesn't matter, there is no need to worry about anything. Because either way, I have no intention of dying here." As he said that, Rudbornn pulls out his Zanpakutō setting the blade level with the ground. "Let's show them. As someone who once fell behind the Shinigami, we've refined our abilities to shave away our shame…!"

"Grow… Árbol"

In an instant, Rudbornn's Zanpakutō transforms and spreads like tree vines, it coils around Rudbornn's arm and the lower half of his body, changing into a tree like shape. Additionally, from the 'branches' that grew on his back, skull soldiers were created one after the other, the intact soldiers once again became part of the wall, proceeding to defend the others from the enemy's bombing raid. "What's this, the same as always……" Stopping mid-sentence, Loly's eyes widened. When she looked carefully, a little further ahead the sand was swelling up, new skull wearing soldiers were starting to emerge out of the desert. It seems that bamboo like rhizomes were spreading underground, appearing to produce fresh soldiers in succession of one another. Árbol's ability "Calaveras" sucks up Hueco Mundo's Reishi from the roots and with that as its source, creates an infinite number of Rudbornn's loyal soldiers. Even though its nature hasn't changed since before, growing trees at the tip of the rhizomes and continuing to extend its range further, changes the speed of production to an astonishing one. Although this was originally a technique developed on reflection of the past when his branches were sealed because they were frozen over by Kuchiki Rukia, he attempted to produce them underground where an icy chill wouldn't reach, the extraordinary rate of the mass production of soldiers resulted in a great upsurge in Rudbornn's power acting as his new weapon. The several newly born skull soldiers eventually exceeds the numbers that have died out due to the enemy Quincy's bombing raid -- becoming a great army with no fear of death, they surrounded the deathly pale Quincy. "No…no way, these guys…don't fear death……" In Bambietta's broken mind, her past fears are resurrected. "…w-what? Why…." The captain with a dog's appearance who was called Komamura, sacrificed his own heart, she felt fear when he approached her as a dead warrior. Bambietta's biggest motive for fighting was "I don't want to die". In the Wandenreich, what is given to losers is a 'death penalty' called execution. That is why she keeps fighting. For her, battle was a process through which one could continue to evade death for an eternity, and for that reason she could not even begin to comprehend the act of abandoning one's own life.

When she battled that man named komamura, she was seized with a fear she had never experienced before. That Shinigami had told her, "I am not throwing away my life, I am merely staking it." In that moment she felt fear, as though she was truly dealing with a god who governs death. However, now, the skull masked swarm that had gathered around her were even more abnormal in nature. They were not staking their lives, nor were they throwing it away. Instead, this humanoid army was behaving as if they had no lives to begin with. Could it be that even dying was merely part of their system and nothing more, that this swarm of skulls have robotically embraced 'death' when they are engaged in an attack? They were not even Hollows, not even beasts, it's as if they were a huge swarm of insects that have transformed into a colony, and it seemed like they were trying to drag Bambietta into their cycle of 'death'. That frightened even Bambietta who has been reduced to a living corpse. The primordial fear that was engraved in her soul and brain momentarily stimulated her damaged mind. But, she could only raise her fearful voice. "No…no…don't, I don't like it, I'm scared, I'm scared…" Several hundreds, thousands of skull swarms transcend the explosive inferno, gushing forth from the the depths of the flames. Using the corpses of their own, even the bodies of those who were alive as stepping platforms, the skull swarm became one huge tentacle that tried to swallow up Bambietta who was fluttering about midair. The face of the young lady who had forgotten even the fact that she was already dead, distorts, and she trembles like a little girl. "Lil…Candi…Meni…Gigiii…! Save me…save me…everyone…!" Then in the very moment she was about to be captured by the huge wave of skull soldiers ------ That ominous, white heaving wave disappeared in the blink of an eye.

" ! "

Rudbornn and the others who were watching with a panoramic view from a spot in the distance, were shocked to see the new development in the course of events. "W…what happened just now…" As a cold sweat ran down her cheeks, what met Loly's eyes was the petite Quincy's mouth that came flying their way from the direction of the ruins, that mouth started to deform into an irregular shape -- in the next moment, the huge mouth appeared as if to chew up the heavens, it was a spectacle where nearly a thousand skull soldiers were swallowed with one mouthful. Where did all that mass disappear to? Under the night sky, there was only the few figures of those who were apparently Quincies, still left standing. "Uu…ua…L-Lil…?" Reflected in the eyes of that trembling zombie was the figure of Liltotto who was chewing something before gently swallowing it down. "How unpalatable…no, it doesn't have any flavour to begin with. What the heck is this?" Lil remarked dissatisfied with what she had eaten just a moment ago. Gigi suddenly appeared from behind her, with both hands she grabbed Bambietta's head. "Really, I don't know what to do with you! Bambi chan is truly useless huh!

……

What's wrong? Don't you want your reward? If you don't want it I can send you to sleep? I won't be troubled right?" "Ah…n-no, not that…I'm sorry…sorry, Gigi…" When Bambietta became teary eyed once more, Gigi looked at her displaying an expression full of ecstasy. Watching the scene between the other two with a cold look, Lil spoke to Gigi in a detached manner. "Yet you, of all people, being unashamedly able to make public that "I'm not an 'S' type" huh……?" (TN -- In Japan 'S' = Sadist ‘M’ = Masochist, I often hear young people using it - even though in terms of context, it's not usually used to the extremes of the English meaning, Gigi’s probably an exception though - if you're an S you're more aggressive/dominant if you're an M you're more submissive/passive.) "?   why?” After watching Gigi tilt her head in seriousness and giving a small shrug of her own shoulders, Lil turned her attention to enemy lines once again. "Good grief, they're still rapidly hatching out. Are these guys cockroaches?" "By the way are you alright? You said you'd get an upset stomach if you eat Hollows." "I have no choice but to forcibly digest them, after all, we are in this predicament." Although Lil who used her own ability "The Glutton" to absorb Reiryoku by devouring a huge quantity of enemies with her heteromorphic mouth, it was never an easy task.

Hollow Reiryoku is a poison to Quincies. It is naturally a suicidal act to absorb it, if Lil wasn't included as a member amongst the Schrift holders, she would probably have become immobilised by now. Continuing the digestion process whilst battling with the sensation of her entrails being eroded away, Lil nevertheless maintains her composure not revealing even a splinter of such a sensation on her face as she spoke to Gigi and Bambi. "I think I can eat another 2 or 3 more times, but those guys from just a moment ago were seriously lacking in both flavour and nutrition. That damned garbage won't satisfy my hunger." Then, they shifted their attention to the several 'trees' that continued to give birth to skull soldiers, and the Arrancar with the lower body that had transformed like a tree who was at the centre of it. "So then, you eat guys that seem flavoursome right away?…but that seems unsavoury.

"Nuu…!" Sensing the imminent threat drawing near, Rudbornn let out a groan. The Quincy who had 'devoured' skull soldiers earlier, danced through the air with hirenkyaku whilst making a beeline in their direction. The skull soldiers immediately rushed forward, but the Quincy who had manipulated explosions earlier began firing out her Reishi in a manner that would restrain them. Watching as the petite Quincy approached by weaving her way through the army that was confined in the blast from the explosions, Rudbornn built up his flesh wall of skull soldiers to carry out defence. "What an ugly layer of skin you're hiding behind." The mouth of the Quincy, who was whispering whilst expressionless, strains like slime that then immediately​ stretches out horizontally. With a 'single bite', she intended to consume what was on the inside, skin and all, so that the wall of skull soldiers would instantly disappear. However ------ "…There's nothing there." Apparently the wall was merely a diversion tactic, and Rudbornn and the others who were on the inside had already moved. Then, Loly sprang out from behind the Quincy whilst shouting her release command. "Poison! Escolopendra!" Her Zanpakutō which took the form of huge a centipede like creature entwined with her body, Loly brandished parts of it like a blade. " ! " The Quincy dodged it by a hair's breadth, but the desert sand that was struck down upon by that blow began to melt into pulp. "Dissolve!" Loly yells whilst trying to land a blow on the Quincy however ------ The tentacle that gave the impression of a centipede's body vanishes into thin air. "Whaa……" "…Rather pointlessly spicy. But, not bad I guess." "Y-you! Part of my Resurrección……!" ---- it's been eaten.

Realising that a clump of her own natural power sealed in her Zanpakutō had been eaten, Loly turned pale. Although it was far from a fatal injury, the feeling of losing part of her body reminds her of fear. But the thing that truly surprised her, was what happened immediately following this. "……huh." The Quincy scatters arrows all around the place, piercing the skull swarm and the splitting trees that were creating them. Consequently, the skull soldiers and the trees that were struck by those arrows, like the sand from just a moment ago, dissolved as if they were pulp. "My…poison?!" "It seems I can manage to digest it somehow. My stomach acid was stronger huh." As she watched the enemy army melt, Lil murmured in a relaxed manner. The ability of "The Glutton" is not just to consume enemies. It is possible to freely use the unique abilities possessed by a target who she had torn into "only up until the part that was eaten is digested", she also gained the secondary power to understand how to use said abilities instinctively. During the last war she 'consumed' a man named Pepe, but it seems there was no way she could demonstrate her true abilities because Pepe's power appeared unlikely to be effective on Yhwach who was her battle opponent. Nonetheless, according to what she told Gigi "do we really want to use such a disgusting bastard's powers?", It's possible to say that in the end, the man named Pepe was devoured only for retribution and replenishing Reiryoku. "So…where are they hiding?" ---- Although I don't want to act impulsively like Bambi…will scattering this 'poison' at random bring them out into the open? ---- No, I'll start by getting rid of that one who in all likelihood has the ability to counter the poison. Then, Lil turns her bow towards a single Arrancar. Towards the female Arrancar with the twin ponytails who had her 'poison' ability plundered just a moment ago. "eek……" Loly has never attempted to find out whether her own poison is effective on herself. But Loly had heard that Baraggan who was once the king of Hueco Mundo had died by his own curse, in a panic Loly tried to run away. However, because part of her body, after using Resurrección, had been eaten, she fell down unable to maintain her balance.

"Loly!" In response to Menoly who rushed over to try and help her, Loly yelled as her eyes widened. "Idiot! Run away……" Without waiting for the other two to finish their conversation, poison arrows were fired from the Quincy's bow ------ In the next moment, a large mass of water swept away the poison infused arrows together with the surrounding skull soldiers. "Eh……?” "No way……" A barrier of water that protected them. Watching the form of a large body of water which is out of place in a desert, dancing in mid air, Loly and Menoly embraced each other realising what had just happened. And then, before anyone could notice, Rudbornn reveals himself, he bowed his head deeply whilst uttering words of apology. "Oh…for you to go as far as to come to such a place in person. How should I express my humble apologies for causing you trouble……" The Arrancar that appeared on the scene opened her mouth to speak in a manner that interrupted Rudbornn's apology. "There's no need for you to apologise. I'm sorry for arriving so late." The Arrancars mouth was covered by a mask which was reminiscent of a set of fangs, and then concealed behind a long collar ---- Tier Harribel turns her eyes towards the Quincy in the sky whilst the water steered by her Zanpakutō was made to surround them as a river flowing through the air. "…You're leader is supposed to be dead. Why lay waste to our territory?" In contrast with Harribel who had posed that question, a man who appeared from behind flashed a villainous smile as he spoke. "Ha! Does it matter what kind of reason they may have? If they came here for a fight let's give them one." Looking at the Arrancar who had just made an appearance, Loly and Menoly who were once attacked by him shrieked. "G-Grimmjow!"

"eep……" Grimmjow looked at the pair and simply muttered to himself "huh? I feel like I've seen their mugs somewhere…", however, appearing to not take any particular interest, he removed his eyes from them right away. "It's been a while since I've felt such a flashy Reiatsu so I came to see, is this some sort of festival? And you're leaving me out in the cold, you have some nerve, don't you Rudbornn!" "…But I've requested your assistance for the subjugation of Quincies many times…" In response to a perplexed Rudbornn, Grimmjow replies without even a hint of shame. "I'm not interested in small fry. However, these guys look like they'll do just fine." Although he's not as irrational as he once used to be, there is still a part of Grimmjow that is typically battle hungry. As if to reprimand him, an Arrancar who was a little further behind him spoke. "It's no good if you just throw yourself at the enemy all of a sudden, Grimmjow. We have to probe into our opponent's goals and abilities first of all." "Huh? Back off Nelliel. Their goals ain't worth shit, it'll be over when I beat all of them to death." "You say that but, who was the one that was almost killed by the Quincy in Soul Society, I wonder?" "……Why you." Taking Nelliel's words as a provocation, Grimmjow turned his irritated gaze towards her. In a vast desert where the silence resembles nothingness, showy explosive flames and Reiatsu was enough to attract the attention of powerful Arrancar. Watching the current scene where practically all the top class powerhouses amongst the Arrancar were gathered, Rudbornn concealed his emotions, in his heart he was choked with tears. Menoly is relieved thinking "we're saved, for the time being", Loly experiences a sense of envy towards the stronger warriors and irritation towards her own helplessness, she ground her teeth seemingly vexed. Strangely, it just so happened to be the case that each of those three strong warriors were all present, and even though the battle seemed to intensify further -- they have not yet noticed. The fact that it was not only the inhabitants of Hueco Mundo who were being drawn in by the conflict of the desert. "Hey, some dangerous looking guys have turned up." Vigilant of the huge mass of water Lil kept her distance, Gigi addressed her from further behind. "That person over there, wasn't she a prisoner of war in Silbern?" "Yeah, she's the Arrancar boss that was captured by Yhwach personally. She's not an opponent you can be careless around." Whilst trying to predict the abilities of the newly arrived Arrancar, Lil tries to issue simple instructions to Gigi. "Gigi, use your blood on that water……" However, she was interrupted midway through her sentence. A sudden chill runs down the spines of Lil and the others. ---- What the heck? What's this creepy Reiatsu? Lil turned her attention to the three newly arrived Arrancar, but it seems not to belong to them. On the contrary, the Arrancars seemed to pick up the same feeling, shifting their cautious eyes back in Lil's direction. They have never felt such a thing before now, but despite that, when they probed around for the source of that Reiatsu that seemed as if it was familiar somehow ------ “It” suddenly appeared from the sky. A small gate that resembled a Garganta, opened up high in the night sky. The small figure that jumped out from it, dropped down to the ground with tremendous force as the Reiatsu of that figure in question dispersed, a cloud of sand was made to rise several hundred metres in height.

A few seconds later, the mass of dense Reiatsu that was at the centre of it swirled around resulting in a crater far more wider than that created by the Quincies' attack earlier. "What…? This Reiatsu…" "…It's a strange Reiatsu. It reeks of a Shinigami and Hollow mix…" Grimmjow responded by continuing Nelliel's words. ---- It's similar to that blonde masked asshole, the one who got in the way during my fight with that Ichigo bastard. Grimmjow did not know his name, but it's one of the "Visoreds" that appeared before him in the past -- it closely resembled Hirako Shinji, despite this, he felt the Reiatsu was even more sinister as he turned his guarded attention towards it. Then, Harribel who was silent up till then raised her voice. "…It's like the Quimera Parca that belongs to Apacci and the others…" Quimera Parca. Although they haven't arrived here yet, the three Arrancars who were Harribel's direct subordinates, are able to create a ferocious beast by sacrificing one arm each. "Ayon? It certainly has that sort of stench to it." An eerie Reiatsu, intermingled with a myriad of elements. What kind of monster has materialised from within that cloud of sand? As the Arrancars keep their guard up, that cloud soon clears away ------ "Aitatata……Sand becomes rock hard when you dive into it huh? I've learnt something new!" A voice resounded as if to shatter the tense atmosphere, a child wearing black garments similar in appearance to a Shihakushō became visible. The child is beautiful but with androgynous features whom one cannot distinguish as either a boy or a girl, looking at the group of Arrancars that were in the surroundings "It" nods with evident satisfaction -- next, “It” looked at the three Quincies and tilted its head. "Huh? Quincies? I haven't heard anything about how to deal with Quincies. What should I do?" Muttering that to itself whilst standing up, “It” turned in the direction of the Arrancars. "But, if I don't do what Tokinada sama told me to do first of all……" An out of place child without any indication of nervousness. Although, seen from the outside, the child made such an impression, there is no one who could laugh or drop their guard after watching that. The fact that they had maintained composure in a situation like this is an abnormality in itself -- because the sinister Reiatsu they had sensed earlier is without a doubt being emitted from the child in front of their eyes. "Stop right there…Who are you?" Harribel enquired, her Zanpakutō remaining in a readied state. Rudbornn has already produced countless new soldiers, enclosed in a horde of skull soldiers running in the thousands, “It” displayed an innocent smile and gave its name. "Right! I'm Hikone! Ubuginu Hikone!"

The child named Hikone, remained completely unperturbed by the fierce Arrancars. Observing that scene, Lil then spoke. "…I'm getting a sick feeling. That brat's smile doesn't reach its eyes at all." Whilst sensing an aura similar to Gigi's zombies, an expressionless Lil continued to speak some more. "Moreover, I also sense signs of familiar scum…what's going on?" In an atmosphere surrounded with confusion, Hikone quietly bowed before speaking of their own intentions. "Well err, to all the Arrancars, I have a gift from Tokinada sama." "Tokinada……?" The Arrancars are even more perplexed at the fact that a completely unfamiliar name had just been brought up. "I heard that the one called Baraggan san and the one called Aizen san are gone, and this world has no king now." When Hikone said as such in a cheerful manner, some degree of the Arrancars' bewilderment turns to hostility. Whether or not the child noticed the change in atmosphere, Hikone continued to speak unfazed. "Therefore -- it seems Tokinada sama himself is kind enough to let me be king of Hueco Mundo! Isn't that great?! He and I will do our very best so that I become a good king!" Hikone quickly bowed their head. The skull soldiers brandished their blades and advanced at Hikone's back. "Your disrespect knows no bounds. You even talk about replacing Aizen sama or something, surely you jest." Although Rudbornn speaks with a calm voice, he took those words from just a moment ago as an insult towards Aizen, a wave of fierce emotion overflowed within him. However, Hikone doesn't even try to avoid the attacks of the skull soldiers who came swooping down on them, Hikone took every hit with their whole body. Then, the sound of a violent collision could be heard ------ the shattered blades of the skull soldiers went flying into the air. "……Hierro!?"

Nelliel raised her voice in astonishment. Why does that Shinigami like child have hardening skin which is a special characteristic of Arrancars such as themselves? In front of Nelliel, who held some doubts, Hikone delightfully looked at the surrounding Arrancar and spoke. "Tokinada sama said it's likely no one would accept. As expected of Tokinada sama. It's become just as he said it would be." Accordingly, Hikone unsheathes the Zanpakutō that was being carried on their back. Looking at the blade that had just come into view, the Arrancars perceived the drop in the surrounding temperature. The child was clearly enshrouded in an aura that differed from that which ordinary Shinigami or their own employ. Before the Arrancars could even ascertain the true nature of that sense of discomfort, Hikone poetically recites the instructions of "Tokinada sama" aloud. "In that case… beat them to a bloody pulp, until they consent, until their hearts yield, that's what I was told!" As soon as that was said, Hikone grasped the Zanpakutō they were holding tightly, with a smile still on that face, Hikone chanted the name of the sword. "Orbit the stars ------ Ikomikidomoe!"

#CAN'T FEAR YOUR OWN WORLD #CFYOW #BLEACH #Bleach novel #mytranslationtag #Translation #Rudborrn #liltotto lamperd #giselle gewelle #bambietta basterbine #grimmjow jaegerjaquez #tier harribel #nelliel tu odelschwanck #loly aivirrne #Menoly Mallia #ishida uryuu #jugram haschwalth #Hikone Ubiginu #Tokinada Tsunayashiro