A/N: This was inspired by a few panels from volume 19, chapter 159 of the manga.

Disclaimer: "Bleach" is property of Tite Kubo, Shueisha, Viz Media, Studio Pierrot, TV Tokyo, Dentsu Inc., etc.


There were many responsibilities that came with being captain of one of the Gotei 13. These tasks were taken very seriously by the captain of 2nd Division; her duties, her honour… her paperwork.

She was seated at her desk in the office, posture proper as she scrawled across the parchment. Care was taken into each stroke of the ink. When she was finished, the sheet would be put aside into a pile across from the work which still required completion. Her movements were methodical, almost mechanic. Only when she felt a slight itch upon her cheek did her focus falter.

Soi Fon lifted a hand to brush aside the hair that tickled her. The hand lingered. A moment later her fingers weaved through the dark tresses. She slipped into reminiscence, memories of Shihouin Yoruichi.

She had worshipped her, and did still, even if part of her continued to resent being left behind when Yoruichi disappeared. There was so much to admire, and Soi Fon cherished all. Supplementing Yoruichi's charismatic personality were her intellect, grace, beauty…

One day Soi Fon had taken refuge somewhere private to look at herself in a mirror. The rectangular piece of glass was small enough to fit in the palm of her hand, and she self-consciously gazed at her reflection. Compared to Yoruichi's flared violet locks, her straight raven cuts were rather plain. She touched the hair rested against her left cheek, wondering what she might do to change it.

An abrupt tug of the back of her hair jerked Soi Fon out of her contemplative state. Startled, she clapped her hands at the nape of her neck and gasped, the mirror flying from her hand.

"Ohh? What's this? Plan on changing your hair?"

"Y-Yoruichi-sama!" Soi Fon slightly coloured at being caught by her venerable senpai. "N-No, not really. I… I was only thinking how it might look if I did…"

"I see…"

Vanity was not a trait Soi Fon was prone to care for. She was embarrassed that she might be coming off as such.

"If you want to do it, you should."

Soi Fon blinked. "Eh?"

"Yeah!" With a grin Yoruichi pinched at her own hair. "You can even make it like mine if you want."

Soi Fon didn't know what to say. So she didn't. She simply smiled.

That was so long ago. Time seemed simpler then. Soi Fon wondered if Yoruichi would even remember something that trifling. Well… it wasn't quite trivial to Soi Fon. She opened her eyes to awake to the present – an unsettling present.

Before her Omaeda stood staring at her, his hand frozen in mid-air as he was about to reach into his bag of rice crackers. This was something of another awkward moment for Soi Fon; awkward, because her oaf of a lieutenant had found her twirling her hair.

She curled her hand into a fist and slammed it on the desk, intent on saving face. "Omaeda… understand that you saw nothing."

"U-Understood, Captain."