Now for the new chapter. And yes, I know in the manga, Barragan was the king, but I made him second in command just for this story. So deal with it. Now enjoy the new chapter!

Disclaimer: only Karugiri and Ichigo's baby. No one else belongs to me.

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Aizen was not happy in the least. Every time Stark returned from his days of following Ichigo and trying to bring him to their side, the Primera always said, "Not this time, but maybe soon." The 'maybe' part was what irked him to no end. His Primera was lazy, but once he was given a mission, he did it. Granted, he did argue at first, saying that it was too much effort, but as soon as he got going, he got it done. So why was this not done yet?!

Gin continuously watched on in amusement as Aizen grew more and more annoyed and angered. It was kind of funny watching the supposed 'God' pace back and forth, muttering about why Stark wasn't succeeding and such. He had yet to figure out Ichigo was loyal to his friends and would never betray them. Not like they themselves had done.

His normal grin slipped from his face slightly as he went back to his room. He had broken free of Aizen's control a couple weeks ago. He knew it was pointless to talk to Tousen since he was all about 'the road to justice with the least bloodshed' and he just knew that it would be suicide to go back to Seireitei, even if he said that Aizen controlled him. A seed of doubt planted itself into his mind then grew and grew. No one would believe him if he told them what happened.

Not even his Izuru. Izuru was always faithful to him, but when he left most likely destroyed any trust Izuru had in him. Gin sighed gently when he reached his room and dropped himself on his bed. "You wouldn't believe me now, would you, 'Zuru?" he asked out loud, almost hoping for an answer.

Tousen remained in his room, reading a book in brail to Wonderweiss. The child Arrancar sounded very interested in what he was reading, turning the pages for him whenever he saw that Tousen was done with one page and encouraging him to read more. Many believe Wonderweiss was dim-witted and knew nothing other than his own name, but Tousen knew otherwise. Wonderweiss was intelligent, but he gave it all up so he could be useful to Aizen or Aizen took it all away so the blonde Arrancar would be useful. He was forever moaning when trying to speak other than his name.

The blind Shinigami knew his charge well. The smaller Arrancar was so much like a certain pair that stayed with him through everything. Well, almost everything. Kumamora trusted him and believed in his path to true justice. Same with Hisagi. Was he still following that path?

The next words of the book froze on his lips, causing Wonderweiss to look up at him curiously. He reached a hand up and placed it on Tousen's shoulder, shaking it gently. "T-To-Tou," he tried to say, but fell silent when the Shinigami placed a hand on his.

"I'm fine," he told the Arrancar. "Just thinking. Don't strain yourself to talk if you don't want to, Wonderweiss. I won't hold it against you."

Wonderweiss placed his head on Tousen's shoulder before nodding his head once and guided the man's hand back to the book. If he said he was okay, then he was okay. Still, there was that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that Tousen wasn't being entirely truthful with him, but he would never lie. If he felt like telling him, he would. That was just the way Tousen was. He slipped from his thoughts as Tousen began to read once again.

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Shinji and Karugiri eventually left after an hour, saying that they needed to get back to the other Vaizards. Stark stayed where he was, laying on Ichigo's bed with the teen's head on his chest and his fingers running through the orange locks. Ichigo seemed content, breathing softly as he laid where he was.

He still didn't understand what Shinji and Karugiri meant by the 'Laws of Hueco Mundo'. He didn't even know the World of Hollows had laws. Stark had said that Aizen knew nothing about them, but all the Espada and Numeros knew the laws. After all, they had lived in Hueco Mundo for years and knew the laws by heart. If one was broken, trouble would ensue.

"So Hueco Mundo would be safer because of those laws?" he asked his lover, who just hummed positively in response. "Aizen can still find me, you know."

"I won't let him," Stark murmured.

"He could kill you."

"As if he could if I invoke the laws."

"He could kill our baby."

"Same thing. I'll invoke the right to the laws."

"You really think you can take on Aizen, Gin, and Tousen all by yourself?"

"Who said anything about me being alone?" Stark asked him, looking down at the teen. "Aizen may not know it, but if all the Espada turn on him and attack him at once, then he will easily fall. We're stronger than him when we're fighting as one. But he keeps us separated to ensure his own safety."

"Didn't you just say he may not know it?" Ichigo asked, tilting his head upwards slightly.

"'May' is the keyword," Stark yawned.

The teen groaned inwardly as Stark's hands continued running through his hair. "If I have to go to Hueco Mundo to protect our baby," he said in a low voice, "then I will. But how would I get there without everyone else knowing or suspecting something and coming after me?"

"I could always kidnap you," Stark replied with a small shrug of his shoulders. "Say it was Aizen's orders and then take you someplace other than Las Noches."

"And go where?" Ichigo asked in annoyance. "I don't know much about how Hollows and Arrancars live, but I doubt that there are residential areas."

"Do you think Las Noches is the only palace in Hueco Mundo?" the Primera Espada asked him. His Vaizard lover looked up at him in confusion. "Las Noches is where Barragan ruled over Hueco Mundo. Everyone who didn't know about the true king believed that he was the king and that Las Noches was his palace. It was, actually, but still. Aizen fought Barragan, believing that he was the true king to Hueco Mundo, until King Harugame came in and challenged Aizen.

"Now if Las Noches was the palace to the second in command of Hueco Mundo, then where is the king's palace?" Ichigo shrugged. "Exactly. Out of everyone in Las Noches, very few know. Barragan is a dead give away to that, but Aizen believes that Las Noches is the only palace, so he was never pressed for information."

"So you're going to?" Ichigo asked before Stark nodded. "Don't you need to ask Karugiri if you can?"

"Well he seems to like you and I'm sure he'll understand," the Arrancar chuckled.

"Wait a minute," Ichigo frowned. "If there's another secret palace there then why did Karugiri come here to the World of the Living instead of going back home?"

"He said a servant sent him here since he was too weak to do much after his fight with Aizen," Stark replied. "Maybe it was because this is the realm where his other parent is."

It made since in Ichigo's mind. Who else was there to trust with someone's safety when they lost one parent other than their other parent? Shinji sure as hell would never hurt Karugiri and seemed as though he would die before letting anyone hurt his son while he was with him.

"I better get back before Aizen throws another fit," Stark groaned as he sat up. "I'll try and find out where that other palace is. You can probably asked your friends while I'm gone. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Okay," Ichigo sighed, removing himself from Stark's chest before the Primera got up and yawned again. "You're such a lazy bastard."

Stark smirked at him. "Yet you love me," he stated.

"True," Ichigo replied with a smirk before giving Stark a peck on the lips. Neither was aware of a pair of green eyes watching them.

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Just like in a supermarket, when looking for someone in particular, they are never found until they are not needed. Stark sighed slightly. He could have sent Lilinette to do this since it was too much effort. She would know why he needed to talk to Barragan. After all, she was a part of his power as well as his Fraccion and she knew everything that went on with him. As soon as he returned, she came right up to him and asked him how Ichigo was, how far was he in his pregnancy, and when was the baby due. Part of his power yet so unlike him.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw someone that could lead him to who he wanted to talk to. "Hey! Coolhorn!" he called out before the Arrancar turn to look at him.

"Something I can help you with, Stark-sama?" he asked.

"I need to find Barragan," he simply stated. "Where is he?"

Coolhorn thought for a moment before snapping his fingers. "He's probably in the dining room for some late dinner," he stated. "Barragan-sama doesn't like eating with the other Arrancars, after all."

"Sure, thanks," Stark said before he walked away from the Fraccion. He's had little to no time at all to get used to the man, if he could even be called that. He was called a transvestite as much as Nnoitra called Ulquiorra 'Emo-car'.

Still, he was useful when it came to finding Barragan. Just as he said, the former ruler of Las Noches was indeed eating his late dinner with the other three of his Fraccion members. He went over to a cabinet and pulled out a box of pocky, which Ichigo gave to him one day and he was forever addicted. He didn't know if Barragan would give out information like what he wanted when he had his Fraccion with him. Then again, Barragan didn't trust anyone but his Fraccion.

"Barragan," Stark spoke before the elderly Arrancar looked at him.

"What is it, Stark?" he asked.

"I need to know something," he said. "And it's important that I know." He sighed gently. "I went to the World of the Living to coax that Shinigami over to our side, as Aizen-sama instructed me to, when I came across a Vaizard by the name of Hirako Shinji." He noticed Barragan flinched slightly. "And he had an unusual being with him by the name of Karugiri." He could feel the glare his direction more than see it. He noticed that the Fraccion was staring at him as well. "You're familiar with them?"

"Yes," Barragan replied. "Why are you asking? Or should I say what are you looking for?"

"Can I confide in you and your Fraccion, Barragan?" Stark asked. "What I am about to tell you is very important, and if I can't trust you, then I can't ask."

The Segunda Espada looked at him hard before glancing at his Fraccion and nodding once. "If you are asking if we are able to keep this from Aizen, then yes," he stated.

"Good," Stark sighed. "Kurosaki Ichigo is my mate and carries my child." Three pairs of eyes went wide, but Barragan handled it as if Stark was saying that he just discovered what shampoo was.

"When did this happen?" he asked.

"About a month after I started my mission that Aizen gave me," the Primera responded, sticking another piece of pocky in his mouth. He chewed on it for a moment before the end disappeared into his mouth and he swallowed. "He's in danger, Barragan. He would be safer here in Hueco Mundo than in his world or in Soul Society. Soul Society would brand him as a traitor and kill both him and the babe. Here he has a higher chance of surviving.

"It's Aizen that's bothering me. If I bring Ichigo to Hueco Mundo, then I would be disappearing more often and Aizen would have me tracked because I cannot bring him to Las Noches. This may be your former palace to reign over, Barragan, but I need to know where the king resided."

"I cannot tell you that," Barragan stiffly stated.

"Barragan, Shinji is a friend of Ichigo's and the child growing in my mate would be the second hybrid born of a Vaizard and Arrancar, just like Karugiri is," Stark pointed out. "I can not let him stay where he is. They are in danger. Shinigami roam all over the World of the Living. They would find out about us soon enough and then about the child. Once they find out, Soul Society would as well and they would have Ichigo killed on sight."

"You would still be tracked for constant disappearances and that would lead Aizen to Harugame's palace," Barragan argued.

"Barragan, I need to know where it is!" Stark yelled, slamming his fist onto the table. "It's the only safe place for Ichigo to go! If it'll make you feel better, I can go ask Karugiri if it's alright with him!"

Barragan glared at him for a moment before sighing harshly. "It is hidden by a special barrier," he stated. "A camouflage barrier that makes it look as though it is just nothing more than desert and night sky, as if it is not even there. Anyone who tries to go through without going through an opening would just go to the other side and not notice a thing."

"Where is it?" Stark pressed.

"Why should I tell you?" Barragan growled. "The palace is only for royalty and those they trust."

"Shinji and Karugiri trust Ichigo," Stark stated. "Barragan, I need to know where it is so I can protect my mate and not draw suspicion. If he's in a hidden palace, then Aizen and the Soul Society would never find him."

"I still cannot tell you," Barragan stated. "You must ask the Prince for entrance. He's the one tied to the barriers that protect the palace. If he does trust your mate as you say he does, then he would lead him there and offer his protection. It would be better if he came back to Hueco Mundo anyway. Maybe he can get rid of Aizen before this pointless war begins."

Stark nodded once. "Alright," he said. "I won't press you anymore. Thanks, though, for the information you gave me."

"I only ask for you to tell me if Prince Karugiri will be returning to Hueco Mundo or not in return," the elder Espada said. "Also, don't tell anyone what I've told you."

"Sỉ," Stark replied before leaving with his box of pocky.

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The others suspected something was wrong with Ichigo, but whenever someone asked him, he just said he was tired. He noticed Shinji was keeping an eye on him as well, probably wondering what he's planning to do about his safety because of the baby, but he kind of kept his distance.

Around lunch, Ichigo didn't join the others, though. He went to search out Shinji, who seemed as though he disappeared. He found him after a few minutes talking with Karugiri near the soccer field. "Hey," he greeted, approaching the two.

Both turned and looked at him before greeting him back. "Something wrong, Ichigo?" Shinji asked. "Go ahead and have a seat."

"Thanks," Ichigo said, sitting down next to Shinji. "I think I know what I'm going to do. But it was more like Stark's idea than mine since I don't want to intrude or anything."

"You wish to know where the True Palace is, don't you?" Karugiri asked him, already knowing what it is Ichigo was about to ask about.

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-evil laugh- another cliffy! Don't worry, I will update soon, or try to at least. Hope u liked it and plz, do review. They make me happy and make me update sooner.