"No, I don't get it." Shihouin Yoruichi folded her arms and cocked her head at her best friend and lover skeptically. "Explain."

"Well." Kisuke folded his arms as well, but in a matter-of-fact way. "I was trying to see what would happen if Shinigami DNA was mixed with human DNA, and what would happen if either was mixed with Hollow DNA. Obviously these three species don't interbreed very often, you see."

"Yes, I get that part. I donated DNA for the experiment, remember?"

"Yes, so did Tessai. So did a number of our acquaintances."

"So... you mixed the DNA."

"Yes, I mixed the DNA."

"Go on."

"And well... kidou never was my strongest point, you know. It didn't go exactly as planned."

"'Didn't go exactly as planned.' That's how you're putting it?" Yoruichi looked pointedly at his large and obviously pregnant belly. It was quite visible under the sweatshirt he'd dug up, since none of his own clothes would fit.

"Well I don't know what else to say. Obviously I screwed the magic up somehow. Tessai was most ashamed of me."

"And you managed to get yourself nine months pregnant with one misspoken incantation?"

"It appears to be more like, seven months, although I am no expert in these matters."

"Why?"

"I already told you, dearest, it was an accident. I only wanted to have a look, not give it the means to develop into a..."

"Fetus. The word is fetus."

"Right."

Yoruichi got up. This was bad. Okay, not bad in the same was that being exiled from Soul Society was bad, or having 8 of your good friends partially Hollowfied was bad, but it was, in fact, pretty crappy nonetheless. They already had 8 people to look after, who were blessedly back in their right minds and working hard to regain control of their lives. They had to worry about keeping their operation extremely covert, and the Vizard's hideout extremely well hidden, which of course were Yoruichi's specialty. But shit like this complicated things greatly.

She had a sudden mad fantasy about setting Kisuke's laboratory on fire and dancing naked in the cheerful flames.

"So, abort it."

"I considered that." Kisuke broke eye contact with her and looked up at the ceiling, his face flushing bright red. "... and I've decided that it would be highly unethical."

"Unethical? Right, because playing with DNA is very ethical."

Kisuke looked down guiltily. The sudden weight gain made him look very round and innocent, and Yoruichi fought the urge to feel sorry for him. He doesn't deserve sympathy right at this moment, she told herself.

"Yoruichi, I'm not saying it's a bad idea. But do we really need to go around creating things just to be destroyed? Look at the mod soul fiasco, look at that story about the Bounts that's cropped up in the news. Mayuri's fault, no doubt. Obviously destroying it would prevent a lot of problems, but I don't want to associate myself with that sort of injustice." He got up, leaning heavily (and somewhat comically) on the back of the chair for balance. "As it is, I think my name has been slandered quite enough without my actually doing anything unsavory."

Well, that was a pretty good point. Part of the reason Yoruichi had run away from Soul Society was because the 46 had ignored her evidence that Kisuke was innocent in light of the fact that she hadn't had any evidence of who'd actually committed the crimes for which he was exiled. It was understandable that they wanted to appear to be doing something, punishing someone, but to Yoruichi it was such a heinous miscarriage of justice that she could no longer make herself support the system. She'd have sprung Kisuke and Tessai from prison even if they hadn't grown up in each others' back yards.

"Okay so, supposing you can safely give birth to it somehow, what will you do with it? It's got half a dozen's people's DNA, and Hollow DNA. You and I aren't exactly cut out to be parents, and we can't rightfully set such a creature up for adoption while not knowing what sort of powers it may or may not turn out to have."

"Well, I'll think of something. I'd just prefer not to go around killing my accidental experiments. Besides, who knows? It may turn out to be quite powerful! I'd love to be involved in that sort of long-term experiment!"

He had that look in his eye again. Fucking fantastic.

"Right, because that's so very ethical, too."

"Well it's better than the other option. Do you think if we could ask it, it would want us to kill it or let it live?"

"You're being irrational, just like any typical pregnant woman, idiot."

Kisuke grinned bashfully. "Well, what can I say?"

Yoruichi sighed again. Well, she had made a promise long ago to stick by him, and stick by him she would. Baby or no. Although truth be told, a part of her was kind of jealous. If they were going to have a baby, she ought to damn well be the one giving birth to it!

"Okay, you do whatever you think is right and just and all that. I've got some spying to do involving Aizen's new lieutenant, this Hinamori girl. She seems to be pretty dedicated, I just want to find out if she's under his spell or in on their plot."

"Very well, we'll be eagerly awaiting your return, as always."

"And look after yourself, don't die of anything before I get back."

"I'll put forth my very best effort, love."

"Fine. Ciao!"