Chapter 1- The Grief of Neglect.
Disclaimer: I do not owe Bleach or any of its characters.
"Speech."
'Thoughts.'
"Past Speech."
"Echoing Speech."
'Echoing Thoughts.'
Forenote- to those who read this chapter earlier today, I must inform you that due to technical difficulties I was unable to edit it before uploading it, so it came out as the beta-file, without any Author Notes or further dialogue edits. I deeply apologize for that, as I have damaged your reading session by uploading a file without its original quality.
Anyways...let's begin.
Hello there, this is ForPain speaking. Most of you who currently read this story may not know me (well...author of only 1 Naruto Shippuden story...so it's kind of obvious), but I am an author who has a knack for Fixer Fics. During the previous weaks I found myself interested in Yoruichi and Soi-Fon's relationships, and my senses just tingled- THAT THING NEEDS A FIX. So...I have decided to write a fanfiction about the two.
This story holds a great importance to me, as even though there are many YoruSoi fanfictions here and many wonderful one-shots as well, this story is my own form of expression, and will be my idea of creativity. I hereby encourage readers who believe they also want to write their own story to ignore the barricades of "original" and "common".
A little background information- a Fixer Fic, as its name says, is a Fanfiction where things are "fixed" (depends on Author's definition of "fixed"). It is a fanfiction where certain countermeasures are taken to prevent or erase a specific moment or character in a fanfic. You can treat it more as a "what if" kind of version. The fix can either occur immediately or gradually, but in the end they lead to a certain change which affects many other scales and sources.
But I still intend on keeping my own fanfic Canon, and am mostly reluctant on adding OCs and new bad guys of my own. I will take what I have here and shape it to my desire, to show readers just how creative a work can look.
Most fanfictions concerning Yoruichi and Soi-Fon look at Yoruichi herself as an unbound, free-handed woman, and Soi-Fon as a complicated, nervous captain who is afraid or conflicted by her emotions towards Yoruichi. If you are looking for constant drama or angst...I'm afraid you won't find much here. I am going to focus on a different aspect of Yoruichi's personality, one which I think is more befitting of her, and even though the first chapters will be charged with negative emotions and hurt\comfort, I hope it will contribute much to your reading experience.
Now then...I will not overdo with words, as I know you must be very eager to read my story, so...without further notice...I present the FIRST CHAPTER in my SECOND fanfiction, a YoruSoi Fixer Fic- "Coming Back".
Warning: This chapter contains a redesign of an already existent scene in the Bleach Manga\Anime, and shores up my own perspective of the battle. It may be controversial to certain readers but...yeah...that's what I'm here for. Anyways, enjoy your reading experience.
The serene silence soothed over the forests of Seireitei, which peacefully covered the bases of Sokyoku hill, which towered over the area, overlooking the center of Soul Society. If one was to look by at the exact moment, they would notice nothing aside the radiating sun in the middle of the sky and the silent chirps of the birds stationed on the massive trees.
The place was peaceful indeed, not a single trace of disturbance, the soft breeze caressing everything in its path with such tenderness that it captivated even Captain Byakuya on his most nerve-wracking day. That is…until he looked up at one of the highest trees in the woodland.
It was deprived of leaves, completely exposed to the soft winds, all but one, fragile leaf clinging onto the massive branch, fluttering faintly, tenderly. It waved with the breeze, holding onto the branch with all its tiny might, until it could not take the burden any longer and detached itself, drifting downwards peacefully, contently.
Nothing could agonize its final moments as it found itself gliding down peacefully, not even Zaraki Kenpachi's sadistic laugh or Mayuri's masochistic grin. That is…until it was blindly squeezed and crashed between the forelegs of Yoruichi Shihoin and Soi-Fon, as the two elegant warriors brutally clashed in midair, trapping it between them.
The sound of kick meeting kick echoed through the forest, and suddenly it wasn't so quiet as one would suppose, not even by a far cry.
Soi-Fon shot an emotionless, cold grown at Yoruichi, lacking any sort of emotion as she gazed deeply into her irritated, golden irises. The eyes which used to melt and warm her when she was young, to supply her with such hope and love that no one else could grant, the eyes which took away her pain and suffering…but were now the only source of them.
And as Yoruichi returned a disappointed glare at her past subordinate, Soi-Fon couldn't think of anything aside from her sheer desire to see those eyes close, distant and blurred, a Shinigami's final glance at the world.
When Yoruichi dies, her agony would die along with her, and she will finally be free from a century of endless torture, a century of nothing but darkness, a century of despair.
But she couldn't let those thoughts occupy her mind, especially not in battle, especially not when facing her former mentor, her target. The two women used the momentum of their kicks to repel themselves from one another, revealing a severed leaf that was squeezed down between their legs, wounded and wrinkled.
It soon dissolved, torn apart by the vicious collision, like so many other things.
Soi-Fon and Yoruichi each found her way to specific branches of said tree, seeing as they were massive in size and could effortlessly support their weights. Soi-Fon allowed herself another glare at her opponent, observing the way she was cockily balanced on the opposite side, her arms crossed. The same arrogant, gloating grin was plastered on her face, the grin which was once her light, her happiness, the source only source of her pride…and was now the only source of her fury.
The mocha-skinned woman chuckled mockingly, like she always used to do, and Soi-Fon couldn't help but bring her own faint smirk. Oh, how she would love to see that grin wiped off her face, wiping away her spite and anger with it.
"You haven't gotten any stronger for someone who's spent so many years in hiding." She teased, her own grin finding its way up to her face, trying as best as she could to mirror her prey. She felt powerful, strong, seeing how she surely surpassed and could defeat her teacher, seeing how she was no longer a threat…
Just like the long-forgotten emotions which lay dormant inside her.
She never knew how wrong she was.
Yoruichi's grin only seemed to grow at her claim, the confidence overflowing from her body. "You, on the other hand…" She remarked, her voice all but tearing apart Soi-Fon's ears. She could feel the distant sensation of her blood boiling inside her, the same voice that used to comfort her when she was young, to caress her mind. "Looks like you've let your skills get rather dull."
It hurt her to say it…but she never felt it. The immense pain was overwhelmed by her captivation on Soi-Fon's cold, merciless glare, her eyes hardening at Yoruichi's words. It hurt…like so many other things.
"I noticed there was a Shihoin symbol on the Tentoken flying cloak that Ryoka kid was wearing."
She never caught up on how fast her mind wanted to drift away from that conversation.
"You gave it to him, didn't you?"
"That's right." Yoruichi answered simply, only angering her student further. "He had to be able to fly in order to save Rukia."
"As the appointed clan of Tenshiheisoban Defender of Soul Society, the Shihoin family sure has become corrupt." Soi-Fon gloated with her own mocking grin, tilting herself into a more confident position on the branch. "The clan will lose its place as one of the Four Great Noble Clans if they find out you are supporting the Ryoka. The fall of a great family is not a pretty sight, including the Shiba Clan."
"You sure are talkative today." Yoruichi pointed out sarcastically, her feline, teasing voice cutting off Soi-Fon's trail of thoughts. "Are you excited to see your mentor that you adored after so many years?"
And suddenly, Soi-Fon's grin was never actually there, her silver eyes narrowing into a frown, silent. Her words didn't faze her, the cruel truth she was oblivious to couldn't have fazed her. Not after she spent so many nights thinking about this moment.
"Or are you expressing your usual pent up anger?"
So many nights by herself…
"Well, Captain of the Onmitsukido?"
So many nights crying…
The breeze was silent, yet it didn't cease, and her glare hardened into an enraged snarl. She could feel now, feel old wounds brutally sewn and pressured throbbing inside of her, a feeling she had experienced so many time, a sensation her body became accustomed to.
"Was it too much of a burden for you, being my successor?"
Yet she didn't think, or else she would be taken away by her memories, drowned in the growing turmoil deep down in the trenches of the fragments, the fragments which were once her heart. And before she knew it, her hands drifted backwards and grabbed her Zanpakuto, her Suzumebachi, the blade which was destined only to protect her master would be the same blade to bring an end to her life.
She couldn't take it anymore.
"Don't flatter yourself." She spat, her voice glinting with hatred and anger, disgusted by how her former mentor was behaving. Her Zanpakuto felt foreign, cold, and she grabbed its hilt, tightening her clutch on Suzumebachi. "Acting like you're still above me. I'm the one who's in charge of the Onmitsukido now."
She could see Yoruichi frown, a look of disappointment in her eyes as if she was ashamed of her hostility, of how much she had changed. This only fueled Soi-Fon's desire to see her bleed further, disgusted at how her former master behaved towards her, how she mocked and stabbed her in her most severe wounds with no shame, as if their past together never held any importance to her…
"Your time has passed, Yoruichi Shihoin!"
And as she drew Suzumebachi, she could see Yoruichi's eyes widening in shock, in horror, in fear of her strength. Deep inside- she was satisfied to see her mentor like this, a sick tingle of delight chorusing through her body as she held it infront of her, the blade of her sword turned downwards.
And before even Soi-Fon could see, the horrified Yoruichi was standing among a hoard of Onmitsukido Shinigami, each of them occupying a branch of the tree, glaring at the former leader of the force with spiteful, hardened eyes, occupying the nearby trees and branches to no end. Yoruichi's shock just remained glued to her face, causing Soi-Fon to smirk even further.
"This is the difference between you and me now." She announced darkly, seeing that the presence of her subordinates affected her former mentor's mood greatly. She knew what was coming as Soi-Fon impaled the massive, thick branch with her Zanpakuto, driving the blade further in. "As you already know, when the leader of the Onmitsukido draws her sword, an execution battle is imminent."
Her smirk again succumbed into a serious frown, which she tried to fight as much as possible. "Any and all who opposes the leader must die." She continued professionally, talking to Yoruichi as if the latter wasn't even in charge of the same force ten decades ago. The same sinister smirk made its way into the protégé's face again, her eyes glinting with murderous intent.
"That includes even the former leader!"
She glared at Yoruichi as the feline lady folded her forelimb towards her and held onto her cream-colored scarf, her shocked, bewildered expression reduced into nothing but a distant, sorrowful frown. "You, who threw away the title, have no place to escape, Yoruichi!" Soi-Fon continued coldly, thinking that perhaps she could torment her teacher by mentioning the past.
A grin.
And before she even managed to blink, Soi-Fon could watch in terror as her subordinates were struck and sent into every direction, grunting and yelling in pain. She gazed at the sole image of Yoruichi, who was seemingly unmoved, standing there. Her eyes were widened, and she couldn't repress the shock of seeing her goddess- no, her enemy, dancing like this.
The breeze grew powerful, as if matching the storm inside the Captain of the Second Division, fluttering away Yoruichi's violet, smooth hair. "You sure are underestimating me." She noted, her gaze turned downwards, the purple locks of her hair hiding the golden eyes from Soi-Fon's view.
She could feel her body yearning, squeezed in by an invisible force.
"I did throw away the title, but…" She continued, lifting her face back up and brushing her ponytail aside. She tilted her face to the side, gazing at Soi-Fon with the same arrogant grin, proud of herself, of her abilities. "There's another title I don't remember relinquishing."
She could see the admiration in Soi-Fon's eyes for the faintest moment, but was thankfully spared as her student snarled, enraged. 'Goddess of Flash…Yoruichi…' Soi-Fon deadpanned mentally, her own thoughts louder than usual, farther than usual.
That title…that name…it brought so many painful memories.
Soi-Fon grabbed one of her haori's sleeves and tore it down viciously, the sound echoing through the inevitable battlefield. As she did so, Soi-Fon took pride in Yoruichi's ever changing expression, seeing that now she was gazing at her too seriously, something that was so out of character for the cocky woman.
She always used to smile when she was around her…
And the other sleeve soon came off as well, the wind brewing once again, warning of what is to come as Soi-Fon threw away the torn cloth, not even bothering to notice how it drifted away with the breeze, escaping. "I see." She retorted, holding down to the yellow sash wrapped around her waist, slowly undoing it as well. "Then I have no choice. With my own two hands…"
She grabbed her Captain's haori and threw it over herself with ease, exposing her Onmitsukido uniform, the same attire that was proudly donned by her master back in the day, the same one who is now her opponent, her next victim. She glared at her, the same despising scowl, the same eyes reinforced by nothing aside from hatred and pain.
"I will strip you of that other name, too!"
And so she let go of the insignificant cloak, letting it launch off from the forest with the growing, powerful gushes. She could only stand her, seeing Yoruichi's gaze as she observed her student. "The Onmitsukido Commander's combat attire…" Yoruichi gushed, a smirk on her face. It brought her great pride to see Soi-Fon wearing it over her body, and she tried to force her tempted mind away from the thought of how it complimented her toned, exposed features.
She had grown so much…she was so beautiful...
"That's a nostalgic outfit."
"Does it remind you of the old days?"
Those words…her question…she nearly hit home. With those simple words, she nearly caused the goddess' façade to crumble into itself. All she could manage to utter at that moment was only two, single words.
"A little."
She lied.
"Don't hold back." Soi-Fon deadpanned, glaring spitefully at Yoruichi's soft, saddened frown. "Remember it well."
She kneeled down, placing both of her palms on the branch, her muscles stiffening, her blood rushing through her, prepared to battle. "And carefully compare…" She smirked, a cold sense of sarcasm in her voice as her hair obscured her silver, deep irises, the same ones which used to hold so much love and compassion towards Yoruichi. "You and I…"
"Who is superior!"
To say that everything would look like a transparent ripple through the atmosphere to an unapparent bystander is an understatement, because as Yoruichi glared at her approaching apprentice, everything around them froze completely in accord to their unimaginable speed.
Soi-Fon's right leg lashed at Yoruichi's head, her foot about to collide it in the form of an experienced, flexible roundhouse kick. She swiftly blocked it with the back of her hand, snarling before she attempted to thrust her available hand forwards…slowly, clumsily.
She hesitated, of course she did. How couldn't she?
How could she strike down her little bee?
But she had to remain strong, and so her glare hardened in the heat of battle, a furious exchange of blows, an innumerable barrage of strikes which deflected each other as the two were "struggling" against each other.
They soon broke apart once again, each landing where they began, and time seem to gather up speed for the both of them. Soi-Fon stood up from her kneeling position, a blank gaze on her face, eying Yoruichi for any reaction. A soft bruise burned on her shoulder, shattering everything apart.
"I took one hit…" She informed disappointingly, her voice low and devoid of any emotion.
Her former mentor had hurt her.
It was more painful than it seemed, so brutal and vicious that she almost focused on the injury for the slightest second. But as she looked at Yoruichi, she couldn't help but smirk darkly, and suddenly the bruise didn't hurt so much.
"One hit each, so we can split the pain, Yoruichi!"
And as Yoruichi opened her eyes in reaction to her announcement, sneering at her, blood leaking down the side of her mouth, she couldn't keep herself from the agonizing revelation.
She had hurt her too.
"You're right."
The same sinister sneer was reflected on Soi-Fon's face as well, seeing that she managed to make her opponent bleed, her voice shaking no less. "Do you have some hidden tricks in that uniform?" Yoruichi mocked, grinning as she wiped away the blood leaking down her chin. Her right eye was half-lidded, almost unable to keep up with the pain tearing through her. "I didn't recognize your movements, Soi-Fon."
"Did you say…tricks?"
Yoruichi knew those were rhetorical questions…from the both of them. Yes- there were tricks...so many of them…but not in that uniform.
Soi-Fon closed her eyes, obviously irritated at Yoruichi's insult.
"Is that what you think? Really?"
She was behind her, the Zanpakuto hovering away from her throat, the tip of its blade softly held by Soi-Fon's left fingers, and Yoruichi couldn't help but widen her eyes again.
"Sting your enemies to death…"
Soi-Fon's Zanpakuto glowed brightly, turning pure white as it climbed up her forelimb and settled into her wrist, illuminating their eyes with its brilliant, chiming shimmer. Her voice was that of a stranger to Yoruichi's ears, so foreign and twisted, so penetrative…
So wounded.
"Suzumebachi."
So tainted…just like Suzumebachi's stinger…which used to be in the color of pure gold.
She blurred away from Soi-Fon's grasp, doing anything in her power to get away from that voice. She could feel the echo of her tone tearing through her heart, nearly bringing her over the edge. She was too distracted to notice Soi-Fon appearing behind her, everything around suddenly pure-white.
"You won't get away!"
She barely managed to notice Soi-Fon's Suzumebachi plunging itself into her chest, drawing out blood in a split second, its tip reaching right next to her beating heart but missing by a few inches. And as she gazed deeply into Soi-Fon's eyes, feeling herself breaking apart any second, her sole relief was that her student didn't know her calculation was wrong.
Yoruichi landed on the nearest branch and instantly crouched, placing her hand on the branch, inhaling and exhaling in a frantic pace. Sweat was running down her skin as she clutched the left side of her torso, feeling her pulse roaring in her chest. Her eyes trembled in exhaustion, barely able to keep up any longer.
"Why can't you…realize that I am superior!?" Soi-Fon exclaimed angrily, her voice shaking with frustration. Yoruichi's blood was leaking down her middle finger, specifically on the large, metallic sting.
The blood of them both.
"Why can't you realize that I was taking it easy on you until just now!?" She raged, her glare hardening into another snarl, widening Yoruichi's eyes even further, filling her with her own kind of anger. She knew she had to do something, she knew she had to stop her before it was too late. "The likes of me couldn't possibly take it easy fighting against you…is that what you thought, Yoruichi!?"
Her anger was growing every second, oozing down from her cracked barriers, her trembling voice embracing it contently. "I thought I told you not to be full of yourself. I am now stronger than you!" She raged, infuriated. "Know in death the cost of retreating from the front lines for one hundred years, Yoruichi! !"
"Know in death the cost of leaving me behind, Yoruichi-sama!"
Yoruichi's mouth opened, jolting up and gasping in shock, feeling a surge of heat and agony wrecking through her body. She could hear the echo of a young Soi-Fon's tormented, shattered voice as she stood, her eyes distant. It could not have been an hallucination...no...she had heard her voice so many times, wavering her own resolve, whispering of her bee's emotions to her...it was more vivid than before, not a distant thought this time...it was real.
She was speaking to her...
And so her visage nearly shattered as her beloved apprentice's Homonka spread across her chest. Her golden irises trembled, gazing deeply at the blurred image of Soi-Fon, seeing how her ominous grin contrasted the broken, twisted "telepathy" which always seemed to be between the two, how their body communicated by themselves...having been with one another for so many years...their bond was not something one would comprehend.
But looking at Soi-Fon's current grin, Yoruichi nearly thought her mind was deceiving her.
That voice was so familiar…it was occupying her nightmares for so long, yet it seemed so real and vivid to her ears at the moment…as if it squeezed through Soi-Fon's lips with her last words, right before her mouth closed, only for her to hear.
"Do you remember, Yoruichi…the power of my Suzumebachi?"
She was jolted back into reality, becoming aware of her surroundings yet again. Soi-Fon's question rang through her, and despite being distracted she could still answer it easily- yes…she did. She will never forget…the content, innocent grin Soi-Fon had on her face…when she showed her this Shikai.
"Homonka…the stamp of death carved in the target's body by my first attack." Soi-Fon explained arrogantly, smirking devilishly all the while. Yoruichi could only tremble from anger at the sight, trying not to succumb to her emotions, to her pain, from seeing her beloved hurting herself like this. Her voice was so different…she had imagined what her protégé said when she first showed her this form…claiming that with this power she could finally protect her…that her existence could finally be worthy of her care…
"This ability, which was still incomplete when you were here has been perfected in these last hundred years."
If she was training for one hundred years while her voice sounded like that…she couldn't have mastered her Suzumebachi's potential.
"Run around so at least you don't take a second hit, Yoruichi!"
As Yoruichi was trying to pull away from her emotions, which seemed to Soi-Fon as fear from her power, the current commander of the Onmitsukido held her Shikai's sting close to her own face, snarling in contempt. "Suzumebachi's power is the two-attack decisive kill!" She snapped angrily, tilting her right hand enough to hold the stinger parallel to her head, allowing the sunlight to be reflected upon its tainted, golden hue. "If I deal you two attacks in the same place, it will absolutely result in death!"
The sound of her leap jolted Yoruichi out of her emotional struggle, forcing her to look over the shoulder at her approaching student.
"Here's the second attack, Yoruichi!"
She could feel Suzumebachi tearing again, through her back, yet her numbed body couldn't feel the pain. She instantly leapt, summersaulting in midair to regain control of her momentum. The turmoil was still roaring inside her, and as she thrust her palm against one of the branches to gain further altitude, rotating in place, she realized she had to flee.
And so she found herself darting through the trees with blinding speed, gasping and panting. She did not dare to look over her shoulder, knowing that Soi-Fon was still pursuing her. She had to compose herself or else it would all be for nothing, or else her efforts would be in vain, or else she chooses to be killed by her little bee in that forest.
"You show your back to the enemy to run away and still look like that, Yoruichi!?"
She could hear Soi-Fon's mocking, teasing tone calling from behind her, tempting her to have at least one more glance, but as she felt Suzumebachi's sting tearing through her again and again, the Homonka blossoming on her skin and on her clothes, she knew that she won't be able to handle it.
"You're probably trying to buy time by running around like that, but it's pointless! My early Homonka disappeared in about an hour. But now they have no disappearing time restriction! Unless I erase them of my own will, they will never disappear! Just running around-"
She did it, she composed herself. Yoruichi could feel the turmoil inside her fading away, tucked into the bottom of her mind at Soi-Fon's words, her resolve reinforced- unless she erases her beloved's façade on her own will, it will never disappear. She had told herself for so many years…so many years…that Soi-Fon was suffering because of her, she struggled against the desire to see her again, hesitant.
She had abandoned Soi-Fon, who, without her guidance, embraced the hatred and suffering, the only emotions which decided to linger and remain after her reckless departure. They had built a protective prison of impenetrable denial and blindness, one that she realized Soi-Fon could not escape from without her assistance.
And with those thoughts she finally looked over her shoulder, her determined, hardened frown locking with Soi-Fon's eyes. 'I will help you…Soi-Fon…' She thought to herself, her golden irises holding a promise that caused Soi-Fon's dark grin to vaporize immediately. She could feel her reiatsu spiking uncontrollably, to heights she did not think existed inside her, such a burst that tore through her heart.
This reiatsu was warm, overflowing with despair and pain, scarred with utter agony and remorse. This reiatsu was familiar, fueling her heartbeats into frenzy before she managed to notice, this reiatsu was dusty and was so different than the one her little bee emitted all this time.
She could see her intentions. This reiatsu belonged to her little bee.
And it screamed, wailed and begged, cried and wrecked through Yoruichi's subconscious as it was dragged back, twisting and convulsing, right back inside. Her shrunk, distant pupils enlarged back to their normal size just in time for her to block the incoming pair of hidden blades, directly from Yoruichi's leg warmers.
Her smirk was back.
"Not good enough!"
Before Soi-Fon managed to process, Yoruichi's foot stomped directly against her Suzumebachi's forelimb-guard. Yoruichi could hear the aftershock and exhaustion in her voice, trying to deny the fact that her mentor had it all figured out, trying to repress the surge of emotions wrecking through her body.
"I know…"
Everything stood by at Yoruichi's disappointed confession echoed through Soi-Fon's ears, her eyes widening slowly as the words sunk down, heard yet far from processed. And as her mouth opened slightly, she couldn't help but ponder on her tone, which was filled with such sympathy and sorrow it only made the pain in her heart stronger.
She knew. They both knew.
Soi-Fon snapped back into reality just in time to retaliate, grabbing Yoruichi's foot with her left hand, making sure it stays there as she lashed her body upwards with the momentum, her left leg colliding with the back of Yoruichi's, completely stopping the momentum of her axe-kick in midair.
Soi-Fon's other leg soon followed, trapping Yoruichi's ankle between her petite feet as her hand grabbed onto her other foot, allowing her to pull down her right forelimb from her reach. The effort of her countermeasures caused the two combatants to rotate in midair, and Yoruichi once again found herself gazing deeply into Soi-Fon's smirk, causing her eyes to widen and her jaw to drop.
She could feel it, she could feel her bee's reiatsu crying from within for just a moment, and when Soi-Fon's smirk returned, it once again succumbed without any trace left. Soi-Fon was repressing it all inside.
All of those emotions…all this suffering…hidden behind a nearly-proof barrier for so many years…that sole thought nearly caused Yoruichi to space out. How much strain and exhaustion such a horrifying, brutal procedure involved? What had her little bee done to deserve such a punishment?
Surely she thought that she would suffer, that she would break, that she would cry after she had left without even saying goodbye. She thought she would never recover from such a trauma, that those feelings would eat her alive to the verge of her collapse…but even Yoruichi could never expect this.
This sinister grin plastered on Soi-Fon's face, this sinister grin which teased and mocked her futile attempts, this sinister grin which accompanied Suzumebachi's dive towards the center of her chest, jolting Yoruichi out of her torment, forcing her to cross both of her forelimbs infront of her.
She could barely feel the pain from Soi-Fon's Suzumebachi as Yoruichi landed on the rough ground, her blood raining down on it from a fresh gash across her cheek. She panted, her golden eyes distant, recalling Soi-Fon's expressions, recalling her words. She could feel everything around her blurring, her mind swarming with so many thoughts about her, the same thoughts which occupied almost every single one of her sleeping hours were returning with full force.
Her body was heavy, she trembled, gasping for air. Those thoughts brought her near the edge, and with her resistance to her own emotions came so much fatigue and exhaustion.
And then she realized, then she could ponder, ponder on the effects the denying procedure had on Soi-Fon's psyche, realize why it was so easy for her to do what she, herself, had to flee for, what she, herself, was now panting and nearly fainting because.
Her bee's body adjusted. She got used to it.
And Yoruichi never hated herself more.
"Do you understand yet…" Soi-Fon spoke cluelessly, her mocking demeanor forcing Yoruichi to look at her, to see that grin once again. As if it wasn't enough she was struggling, her apprentice had to punish her with this voice. "…that I am superior!?"
She could notice a faint, white hue gathering around Soi-Fon's body, her dark grin strengthening as the outlines of her body shimmered in reaction to the horrifying energy. She found her eyes widening completely in disbelief.
'No…it can't be…'
"If you understand, then…" Soi-Fon remarked, Yoruichi's expression giving her the answer that she needed, the answer she was waiting for. The energy around her burst in a roaring vortex of gusts, surrounding her. She held out her right arm to the side, allowing the winds to engulf it in a transparent, vicious swirl. "I'll end this!"
The winds grew in strength, fluttering Yoruichi's violet hair-locks, widening her eyes to full extent, both in horror and in fear. She could feel her body trembling at Soi-Fon's technique, in a form so much weaker and different than hers, yet there was no mistaking it- Shunko. The technique she had invented, the technique reserved to all but the strongest Shinigami, the technique she had kept secret from Soi-Fon all these years, afraid that she will go and experience the same living hell she had in order to achieve the smallest fragment of it.
She remembered…she recalled an onslaught the two of them experienced when battling a hoard of hollows, as one of them captured a young, struggling Soi-Fon in its grasp, Yoruichi knew that the only way to save her would be using Shunko. She was presented a dilemma, but never hesitated as she charged with all her speed, preferring to use herself as a human shield instead. Her injury triggered one of Soi-Fon's most common behaviors, one she found so captivating and horrifying at the same time- in the following months, she doubled her training schedule tenfold, trained herself to total exhaustion, pushed herself over her own limits until Yoruichi was forced to carry her straight from her secret training field to the center of the Fourth Division's quarters.
She was relieved, knowing that Soi-Fon's torment would be a far cry from the one she would go through had she found out about Shunko.
Even though it pained her to see her beloved like this, Yoruichi was always so flattered and content by the pure devotion Soi-Fon had displayed. She became the only person she could relax and rest around, the only person she could trust her life with, the only one who could ever understand her. Without knowing so, the child who thought herself to be so insignificant and expendable to Yoruichi became her entire world.
That sole thought caused tears to dwell up in Yoruichi's eyes, tears which were completely wiped away by the powerful gusts of Soi-Fon's Shunko. She looked at her student in horror, in awe, unable to forgive herself for what she had done.
Soi-Fon felt more and more proud of herself at Yoruichi's expression, a sight she only dreamed of when she was still weak and inferior. To see her former master cowering in fear before her, unable to contemplate such power, such strength.
"Surprised?"
That would be an understatement.
"Never seen this before, have you?"
No, she never thought she would end up gazing at such a dreadful sight.
"This is a combat technique combining Hakuda with Kido." Soi-Fon elaborated, the twisted, tainted glee striding with her tone into Yoruichi's ears. "It is something I created. Be proud. I just perfected this technique the other day…you'll be the first one I test it on in an actual battle."
Soi-Fon's words forced Yoruichi out of her shock once again, her awestruck eyes narrowing back into a serious frown, her golden irises locked with her silver ones. It was not time to dwell and weep in the corner, not while her little bee needed her the most. She was not going to let her battle with this technique.
"After all, it still does not even have a name."
Yoruichi stood there for a moment, gathering up the pieces which fell from her composure, from her soul, stiffing them back in as she closed her eyes. "No…" She muttered in despair, clenching both of her hands into fists at what she was about to do.
"It does have a name…"
Soi-Fon was left puzzled by her words, shooting a sharp, cold stare straight into Yoruichi's face. "What did you say?" She asked quizzically, her tone far too arrogant and foreign to match the true Soi-Fon's heartwarming, genuine shock.
Yoruichi's eyes remained closed, whispering thousand apologies in her mind, knowing that her denying façade had already been broken. She could not remain arrogant and calm any longer, her body and her emotions would not allow herself to disguise any longer. All it allowed her was to wait for Soi-Fon's breakdown…so she could break down as well.
"It's called Shunko…" She answered, trying to firm up her battle stance, feeling how heavy and numb her body was, as if it no longer followed the commands she gave it.
"What are you talking about?"
Her heart pumped viciously, her ears instantly catching the waver in Soi-Fon's disbelieved tone. The shock and defiance it held motivated her to go further. She lowered her heard, hiding her eyes from Soi-Fon's ruthless glare. "Do you know why that punitive combat uniform has no fabric on the back and shoulders?" She asked genuinely, lifting her right arm until it was stretched out completely to her side. She could feel her muscles stiffening and trembling in pain.
And it appeared, the resounding surge of energy from her core, the electrifying, nostalgic sensation of her own Shunko, roaring through her being, igniting her muscles and her soul on fire with its lightning. It began in the tip of her arm, and as she felt it spreading through, she opened her eyes and gazed at Soi-Fon's disbelieved expression blankly.
"Because there would be no meaning in having it." She answered professionally, her eyes catching on the sight of the yellow aura spreading from her arm and climbing up her body, as more of it faded into view in the form of vaporizing reiatsu. "In this technique's complete form, the user is covered in highly-compressed kido on her back and shoulders. Then by exploding that magic, she pounds it into her arms and legs to fight."
She was now glaring at her apprentice, her bewildered expression annoying her, irritating her. How her little bee had taken such a risk without even knowing those basic facts, without even realizing the dangers this technique had.
She was infuriated…enraged at herself.
"In other words, when the technique initializes, the back and shoulder fabric are simultaneously blown away."
She could feel the eruption, the lightning of her Shunko exploding in a vicious wave of radiating reiatsu, forcing her trembling, wobbling legs into a hardened, rough stance. The energy glowed around her, shooting off with wild screeches everywhere it could reach, shattering the rocky ground beneath her and nearly igniting the trees surrounding their newfound battlefield.
She could feel her orange, cherished top ripping into shreds, slowly vaporizing by the outburst of her Shunko. The orange over-shirt, the same attire that she had been wearing the first day she met Soi-Fon, had never left her routine, day-to-day wear even once since she was in exile. She kept it on herself, at first afraid she will forget about this fateful day, then afraid she will forget her torn, broken emotions, for a whole century...the last remainder she had to her days with Soi-Fon.
Nothing beside remained...
Soon enough, her opened hand clenched into a fist, pumping all the white lightning through her veins in a brutal stream. They burst out of her skin, screeching viciously towards the sky, carrying the remains of her over-shirt with them.
As she was engulfed with the pumping, stinging sensation of her Shunko, Yoruichi lowered her arm back to her side, standing elegantly in her place, her hair fluttered upwards by the gusts of energy her technique sent through the area.
She could only stare at Soi-Fon's horrified appearance, her widening eyes holding that same glint of admiration she had seen previously, but to such a greater extent. Soi-Fon's hair was fluttered backwards by Yoruichi's Shunko, its power easily overcoming her own. She was frozen in her place, caught completely off guard.
"Oh well…" She muttered sadly, trying to sound just like her laid-back, carefree side, but failed miserably, unable to even find it in herself to begin mustering the same amount of arrogance and insensitivity she had previously. "The truth is I didn't want to fight you with this technique. I didn't want to risk injuring you, Soi-Fon. But if you insist on using such a dangerous method against me then you leave me no choice."
She stretched her left hand infront of her, aiming her closed palm at Soi-Fon, her fighting stance prepared. She will tempt her, she will push her to her mental limits, she would make her break down so she could release all these pent up emotions as well. "Be careful, please." She muttered, her tone being one of a concerned request. For a moment there she could see Soi-Fon's eyes turning genuine, truly awestruck, and she marveled at her beautiful, silver irises, knowing that her protege was marvelling her just as much.
"I can't completely control this technique yet, either."
As if her body wanted to show Soi-Fon how correct she was, Yoruichi's Shunko erupted into every direction, widening both of their eyes as it ignited the forest with a tremendous vortex of blue electricity, the outcome of it colliding with Soi-Fon's wind Shunko.
It illuminated through the forest, radiating with blinding light and pitch that would surely annihilate every living thing in its path, but that was why Yoruichi had prepared herself, and completely ceased the technique the moment she felt it growing out of hand.
Her worsening mental condition was far too distracting for her to allow herself to use such a technique in the presence of her little bee.
It blinded her eyesight with its light, forcing Yoruichi to close her eyes and shield them with her forelimb, waiting for the outburst to subdue. Her eyes suddenly snapped open, widening when she felt her little bee's reiatsu roaring through the battlefield, oozing into her mental wounds- so hysteric and shattered...begging for help. When the vicious storm ceased, so did that same reiatsu, and Yoruichi's heart once again cracked, feeling the same, horrifying repression dragging back the reiatsu back into the depths of Soi-Fon's heart.
She closed her eyes, composing herself. This time it was much more powerful, she was clearly close to her edge. She was nearing it, she could almost feel Soi-Fon's suffering in the air, she could almost hear her broken sobs in her mind, the same sobs which tortured her soul for so long.
When everything finally quelled, she came in contact with her opponent, who stood unharmed, surrounded by a scarred, wounded crater which was once the battlefield, a crater which looked like it spread from Yoruichi's position.
She gazed at her in disbelief, her eyes widened, her pupils and her body trembling in shock. "Do you…" She started, gazing deeply at Soi-Fon's eyes as she took a step backwards in astonishment, her arrogance and confidence disappearing altogether. Yoruichi was sure she was starting to crack, as even when she repressed her wounds and her scars, she was still not the same. "Do you know why I haven't shown you this technique until now?"
She could feel as if she was truly talking to her little bee now, her tone concerned and thoughtful, strict yet so tender and soft. As if to demonstrate her point, Yoruichi's body was once again surrounded in her traditional white lightning, the screeching burning through Soi-Fon's ears. Yoruichi had to prepare herself, she had to stand on guard for the moment in which Soi-Fon activates her own unstable Shunko.
She kept it as low as she could, the lightning diminishing in strength and in intensity, barely a trace of what it used to be at fool power. She looked at Soi-Fon, her body tensing up, ready to initiate the countdown.
She didn't bother to prepare herself emotionally…she could never do so.
"It is because this technique is far too dangerous."
She perked up, her heart pumping viciously in her chest as Soi-Fon was once again engulfed in her reiatsu. The winds swallowed her up as she charged with blinding speed at her mentor, an infuriated, vicious snarl plastered on her face. She opened her mouth and roared, a roar filled with such anger and hatred, a roar loaded with such murderous intent that even Kenpachi would be put to shame.
She leapt forwards, her roar lingering in her vocal cords, thrusting her Suzumebachi forwards at Yoruichi, enraged. "Stop it…please…" Yoruichi muttered lowly, her voice filled with sadness, her eyes overflowing with sorrow as she sent her left hand forwards to place it beneath Soi-Fon's palm as she approached.
Their reiatsu collided, struggling against one another, Soi-Fon's wind brewing roughly while Yoruichi's lightning tore through it, bursting out. Soon enough there was not a single trace of either, and Soi-Fon was frozen in her charging position, her expression paralyzed, in stasis.
'Soi-Fon…' Yoruichi thought in despair, lifting her hand up hesitatingly, her palm touching Soi-Fon's extended hand. She lifted both of their hands upwards, their palms entangled as Yoruichi held her close, her hands imprisoned in her own, right between them.
Her hand was so warm, so tense, and Yoruichi could feel her petite fingers. She was so skinny for her age, so thin yet so toned, so sculpted. She had grown to be such a beautiful woman, so elegant and gorgeous that it nearly tore her apart at that moment thinking about her smiling like she used to.
She recalled that the one she was currently holding was not Soi-Fon, was not her little bee, and thus Yoruichi all but allowed her expression and tone to waver, gazing deeply into her eyes, their faces so close to each other. She could feel the heat waves radiating from her little bee's body from the exhaustion and strain of the battle, her boiling breath from her high temperature, she could even feel the vicious quakes and vibration of her hand in hers, despite how they were physically restrained by her opponent.
Soi-Fon stood there, frozen, gazing at their hands, her eyes distant. Yoruichi was holding her hand, she was touching her, she was next to her. Her eyes widened completely, thinking how wonderful this touch felt, how warm and loving it was, displaying such a great desire to protect and scold at the same time.
She could feel herself cracking, her mouth dropping, her thoughts were soon clouded into a haze of darkness. She felt the pain tearing through her body, and soon enough she knew what Yoruichi was planning to do.
"You are not ready for this technique yet. I won't let you hurt yourself."
She repressed once again, her shocked expression molding into a vicious snarl. She could feel herself being torn but no longer cared- she would do anything to keep the pain away, she would do anything to make her master regret everything she had put her through in the past century.
"How!?" She asked, her voice shaking in anger and sorrow, unable to control herself. Yoruichi could feel the constant, small pumps of her little bee's reiatsu emitting from the cold, murderous energy surrounding Soi-Fon.
She was beginning to break. Yoruichi had never anticipated and feared something at the same time to such an extent.
"I AM STRONGER THAN YOU! !" Soi-Fon roared, with the same wild fury like before, tearing her hand out of Yoruichi's hold, her senses dulling to the point she couldn't notice her opponent willingly let go. She could feel everything spinning around her, but just like every other sensation- she forced it back as she viciously attempted to strike Yoruichi with her palms.
Her strikes were sloppy, slow and fragile, softening Yoruichi's cold frown as she effortlessly dodged them. "I know I have…" Soi-Fon continued, leaping into the air above Yoruichi, forcing her to look upwards at her. She summersaulted clumsily and dove downwards with the momentum, intending to plunge her leg against Yoruichi's head, but she sidestepped swiftly, avoiding it as well.
Before Soi-Fon knew it she was holding tightly onto the ground, sliding backwards from the impact of her landing, her feet leaving a trail of dust infront of them. Yoruichi noted how she couldn't even seem to land correctly.
"I know I have…surpassed you! !"
Yoruichi's eyes jolted as Soi-Fon was again engulfed in her Shunko, the winds swirling around her arms and legs. The gusts were weak, disoriented, and it was much weaker and much less concentrated than before, yet on instinct the feline ex-commander surrounded herself with her own screeching lightning, not hesitating for a second. She would not even dare taking chances.
"These one hundred years of separation were supposed to have brought you decay and me power! !" Soi-Fon raged, standing up and taking a step forwards. She could feel her anguished, sorrowful memories washing over her heart, quelling down her mental resistance.
She tried to repress them, but it was too much. She could feel her body squeezing out in reaction with every ounce she poured to resist the continued collapse of her barriers. "And yet, why…" She muttered, her voice shaken with sorrow and lack of control. "Why do you still stand ahead of me!?"
She charged at her in an act of desperation, Yoruichi's expression remaining composed. Her concern for the well-being of her little bee completely repressed and quelled any single distraction, allowing her to once again come to her senses, to once again notice every detail.
"Why do you still control me!?"
Yoruichi just remained silent, trying to block away her student's claims, trying to remain entirely focused on her reiatsu, which was slowly warming up and turning unstable. She could feel the vicious conflict between the cold, repressing reiatsu and her little bee's energy. That struggle was also reflected in her twitching, broken snarl.
"ANSWER ME YORUICHI! !"
They began a hand to hand combat, an exchange of blows. Soi-Fon's enraged strikes were growing out of control, unlike Yoruichi's composed dodges and blocks. Soon enough the younger woman was repeatedly thrashing and lashing at her mentor with such speed and anger she never knew she had.
It had seemed like eternity, both of them locked in an endless vortex of blows and deflections, trying to overwhelm and intimidate the other.
"I was disappointed in you! !" Soi-Fon roared after a while, thrusting her Suzumebachi directly towards Yoruichi's face, only for her to tilt her head to the side, allowing it to brush her violet locks. She swiftly thrust both of her forelimbs downwards to block a knee kick to her midsection, and continued dodging a further barrage of strikes from a roaring Soi-Fon. "I hated you! I cursed you! ! I swore upon your seat that I would obtain the strength to surpass and capture you with my own two hands! !"
Her words were far more penetrative than before, Yoruichi could feel the traces of her little bee's voice in them. Everything was slowly pouring down, her anger and sorrow united as one against her, breaking down her own barriers with her accusations, with her words.
"To make you pay for leaving me to rot! To make you pay for leaving me to suffer! !"
Yoruichi could never prepare herself for such blows, for such words, for such emotions. Her expression wavered, and she could feel her body growing heavy and strained. It was difficult to dodge Soi-Fon's strikes, given the fact that each of them was now loaded with so many repressed emotions of her bee's heart, breaking down every defense she had prepared for such a situation.
She was crumbling as well, falling with her.
"I admired you! I worshipped you! !" Soi-Fon continued, infuriated, feeling everything inside her collapsing, her Shunko growing out of control, her everlasting snarl intensifying. Her voice was trembling, no longer furious but shrill and brutal, each word piercing Yoruichi like the thousand blades of Byakuya's Senbonzakura. She ceased striking, no longer having the strength to do so, instead taking a safe distance from Yoruichi, wanting to stay as far away as possible. Yoruichi was now standing on the other side of the battlefield, trembling, frozen, gazing deeply into Soi-Fon's irises. "I LOVED YOU! !"
Her own were obscured with tears. So scarred and traumatized by Soi-Fon's breakdown that she couldn't even move an inch, only gazing at her crumbling bee. Soi-Fon took an offensive stance, as if she tried to lash at her mentor with every scream, thinking that she might just strike her down with that.
Little did she know- she succeeded.
"I gave you my heart! !"
So did she.
"I gave you my life! !"
So did she.
"You made me happy! You made me content!"
So did she.
"You…You were...everything to me! Everything I...EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED! !"
So was she.
Soi-Fon's snarl was starting to convulse, twitching viciously, trying to resist her tears as much as possible. Nothing made sense to her any longer. She could feel her emotions demolishing everything inside, her pressured, stained wounds bursting open. "But...I was nothing...to you…" She muttered in despair, her body shaking and twitching viciously. Her Suzumebachi longed ago dissolved into thin air, her body no longer in condition in which it could maintain her Shikai. She was shattered into fragments, her erupting emotions threatening to consume her alive. "You…you left...without even...saying goodbye..."
Yoruichi's eyes jolted up in alarm, snapping back with a vicious surge from her soul, a surge of radiating essence that purged away everything around her. She could see a young Soi-Fon standing on the other side of the battlefield, her eyes overflown with broken, agonized tears. Her bloodshot, silver eyes were locked with her own, a shattered snarl plastered on her face.
And before she knew it, Soi-Fon's Shunko was becoming wrapped and distorted, the gusts of the wind around her bending and twisting. She could see the tears standing up in her eyes, the tears she had craved to see for so long. Her snarl was identical to the one she had just seen on her little bee's face, begging, pleading.
"Why did you…leave me…Yoruichi…sama?"
And a second later a ruthless, massive dome of blue lightning erupted in the center of the forest, sending quakes and tremors through Soul Society as it expanded outwards, consuming everything in its path with an unnatural, ear-splitting shriek. It erupted upwards, piercing through the clouds, towering above the Seireitei and above Sokyoku hill, roaring through the skies.
Yoruichi could see everything around her becoming white once again, time stopping by as she stood there, in the center of nothingness, her grief never leaving her eyes as she saw Soi-Fon right infront of her, trembling, heaving, sobbing.
She looked at her agonized, golden irises, her own eyes overflowing with so many tears. "Why…" She sobbed, her voice was hoarse, strained, torn. It was faint and stretched, barely a whisper, her tears finally rolling down her cheeks.
"Why…why…why didn't you…take me with you…Yoruichi-sama?"
Her wobbling legs failed her, causing her to collapse on the transparent, white surface of the never-ending realm, placing both of her hands on it and bending forwards, hiding her eyes from her mentor. Her tears rolled down her nose and dove towards the floor, each of them colliding with it individually, sending an echoing throb through Yoruichi's heart.
"Yoruichi…sama…" She sobbed, closing her eyes, allowing her body to break and convulse. She felt herself drowning in the massive flood of emotions, all the pent up, imprisoned grief, a century of repressed sorrow eating her apart. Yet she embraced it, she allowed herself to sink into the painful memories of her past, her resistance dissipated and her will succumbed.
"Yoruichi…sama…" She wept weakly again, devastating Yoruichi with her tortured tone. She could hear her own voice, her own sobs, no longer foreign, no longer tainted. There were no more lies, no more secrets and no more facades.
The illusions disappeared, and amidst the darkness covering the back of her eyelids, Soi-Fon could once again feel her heart beat, pumping in her chest wildly. She allowed herself to dwell on the mental portraits of Yoruichi, which flashed constantly through the fragments of her mind, the same smile which purged away her suffering so long ago…
In the middle of her despair, in the weakest, most vulnerable moment of her fall, of her collapse, she remembered how content her mentor made her, how happy she always felt around her goddess. Even then, back at Soukyoku Hill, when she appeared before her to drag her away from the center of attention, an enemy at first, as suddenly and swiftly as she had left one hundred years ago…it all came back to her. She had recognized her mentor long before she took off her cream-colored, soft scarf, when she had first stared at her golden irises...the same ones matching the most distant pictures in the back of her mind.
When she finally revealed her face to her...Soi-Fon could feel her heart exploding in her chest, her body overwhelmed by pleasure and warmth, everything around her melting down into nothingness...now...nothing of it remained, plunged down with her own emotions, which were now pouring out of her so mercilessly...punishing her...forcing her to subdue...
That was when Soi-Fon realized that she never really hated her goddess in the end…
That was when she felt her touch.
In the center of the battlefield, engulfed by a gigantic crater around a barely holding platform, the only trace left of the brutal, violent discharge of Yoruichi's and Soi-Fon's Shunko, the Goddess of Flash allowed herself to drop to her knees in defeat, a saddened smile on her face, realizing that she broke as well.
Her tears flowed down her eyes like rivers, happy and content from the deep pain piercing through her soul, welcoming it, desiring it, knowing it could be the only thing to remind her that what she's about to do now wasn't the dream she thought it was.
She sent both of her arms forwards, slowly, not even noticing how they shook and twitched as she wrapped them around the collapsed Soi-Fon's exposed upper back. She could feel it, what was nothing more than a distant sensation carved into piercing memories, clouded and hazed within her for more than a hundred years, the feeling of her little bee's warm, smooth skin coming in contact with her palms.
And her body was overflown by delightful, warm shivers as she pressed harder into the embrace, locking both of her forelimbs behind Soi-Fon, pressing her vibrating, sobbing student against her own body. She was so tense, so stiff, yet her slender, small body felt just as fragile and delicate just like a century ago.
She rested her chin on her dark hair, her right hand drifting upwards, tenderly resting itself against her strands. Her raven locks felt so smooth, so soft, and as she brushed through her bee's hair she was intoxicated by her captivating scent, the same scent which was once nothing but a numb trace of reminiscence.
She could hear Soi-Fon's sobs strengthening, knowing how she was so broken and disoriented that she couldn't even regain her awareness. She could feel her face pressing against her neck, burrowing into it, her tears wetting her exposed collarbone. Soi-Fon's arms still lay limp on her sides- lifeless, trembling like the rest of her being.
"Yoruichi…sama…"
Her voice was muffled, hesitant, a strained, choked sob against Yoruichi's body, absorbed by her goddess's being. In the midst of her turmoil, she could feel it again, denying it with every inch of her that she was still aware of. She could feel Yoruichi's palm on her back, radiating with such delightful heat which spread through her body, only fueling her emotions further.
Yet when she felt herself nearing the edge of her sanity, clinging to the last remains of what was left, a wall rose, a gigantic blockade, another barrier, the biggest one she ever had. She could feel it clutching down on her hand, preventing her from letting go, squeezing her up with so much force. The incoming flood was separated from her, trapped behind it, the flood that was supposed to push her into the dark abyss beneath.
It had happened before, her body unwillingly recalled- in those same moments when she could feel Yoruichi's embrace, in the darkness of what was previously Yoruichi's bedroom, but was now the center of so much grief. She could feel it then, when she was in the same condition, toying with her mind, crushing down her body, forcing her to bleed and sob until she could not take it anymore.
Yet when she finally gathered the strength to try and embrace that feeling, pushing her collapsed will over the limits to reach out for the darkness infront of her, it disappeared, as quickly and suddenly as she did, stomping on the burnt traces of her sanity, torturing her into oblivion.
This time…it felt so real, so vivid, so lucid, that same touch she felt in her weakest moments, which were all trapped in the back of her mind, imprisoned with every single shard. The remains of her betrayed soul, the ones she could still hold onto.
Her greatest fears once again surfaced, the fear of that same moment in which she tries to pull through, only to be left alone- shattered, abolished. The pure horror following that memory thundered down her emptied, hollow mind, making her hands twitch, freeze in their place, inches away from Yoruichi's lower back. They clenched, turning inhumanly stiff.
The doubt took over, causing Soi-Fon's tears to choke down her throat, her sobs becoming cut-off and distorted, buzzing Yoruichi back into awareness. The sound she made was so heartbreaking and terrifying, one of a caged, injured beast, trying her best to keep away the pain, tucking itself into the edge of its prison, away from her owner.
"Yoruichi…sama…"
Her suffocating whispers were oozing with pure fear, hesitation, remorse, her vocals so stretched and strained that Yoruichi thought they were about to tear any moment now. She could feel Soi-Fon's forelimbs pressing against her waist, convulsing in the same rhythm as the rest of her body, yet the feeling of her hands remained nothing but a numb anticipation.
The Goddess of Flash, as wounded and shattered as she was, allowed herself to smile sadly, her tears still flowing down her cheeks as she buried the rest of her face in Soi-Fon's head.
Her student was waiting, begging for an answer…the answer which would free them both, which will put a century of pain into memory.
The answer which will make everything inside them both burst out in a violent eruption, the emotions which were still left unattended.
"You've grown up so much…You're...so strong now..."
Yoruichi heard herself sobbing, her voice warm, loving and soft. It was so nostalgic yet distant, so unfamiliar to her- hearing her own voice was suddenly so comforting. She could feel Soi-Fon's eyes snapping in reaction as the petite woman widened them completely. Her tears erupted, flowing down with such intense sobbing, repressed, pent up cries.
The barrier infront of her vaporized into the void, the flood of emotions charging at her, a gigantic stream of countless waves, so many memories, so much pain. It absorbed her, the collision against her body shattering her last resorts, her resistances.
Yet one still held, a last blockade- herself.
"Soi-Fon…"
For the first time in a century, Soi-Fon could feel her broken heart filling with tremendous, heated content, snarling viciously as she closed her eyes shut, as tightly as she could. A jolt wrecked through her body, pulsing her arms apart, forcing them to latch onto Yoruichi's lower back, clutching it, clinging into it with all the strength she had left.
She was there…she was real…
And so Soi-Fon choked on her tears, her mouth opening wide to release a shrill, agonized wail , which erupted from her systems, carrying out the long-lived burden, the shattered emotions, and everything in between. Her lungs squeezed down, her vocals thickening in reaction to the immense effort to maintain it.
Yoruichi could only hold her collapsed, beloved bee tightly in her embrace, smiling sadly as her hands caressed her petite body, delighting on how it felt, allowing her tears to flow freely down onto her hair.
This time, however…she didn't intend on letting go.
'My little bee…'
Yup, and so we arrive to the ending of the first chapter "The Grief of Neglect". With this first little "prologue" I desired to shore up more on Yoruichi's and Soi-Fon's connection, and I hoped you enjoyed it. As you have already seen, I am going to focus more on Yoruichi's serious, contributive side, the one who was mostly seen when she was around Soi-Fon. Soi-Fon's personality will be...oh damn it why am I spoiling everything!? No, we will not talk about it now!
Now then, I would like to notify you that as any other author, I am not perfect. I may have not left every stone turned and may skipped or made certain mistakes which I am not aware of. As such, I hereby turn your attention to the mythical REVIEW TEXTBOX, a magical realm where readers and authors alike can express their opinions, critisize, and just evaluate another author's work. I like to hear my readers' opinions, but will not force you to review as sometimes they are not necessary...I just wish to improve, like any other, and need your help to do so.
I must emphasize that the continuation of my story will NOT be dependant on whether or not I get reviews, as I mostly see them as a gift rather than ransom, unlike many others. Nevertheless, they are still important.
Anyways, I hope that many of you will remain tuned for "Chapter 2-A Few More Minutes.", and will keep up with me as I continue writing my second fanfiction.
I will see you at the second chapter.
Sincerely,
ForPain (Or should it be ForSoi? Maybe ForYoru? ...I really don't know.)