Summary: Yoruichi learns a lesson: Sometimes, what you percieve to be weakness is really power in its rawest form.
A.N: Yo everyone! I know, I know. You haven't seen me in a minute, but Ima back for a quick second. I know by the time you read this, you'll be like "why is it so friggin' short?!" Well trust me, I know. But the reason is that this piece here was never meant to be a stand alone shot. Instead, it was a tibet featured in a string of dabbles that Ima currently working on, among other things. And it for that reason, the "among other things" I mean, that I had to hurry up and post this. Ima typing up a lot of angst right about now, and I needed to vent some lighter things at the moment. So enjoy! Cause my next few releases won't be so happy.
~Yoruosoi ^,^Y
So I don't have a beta, so please excuse the mistakes yo!
Disclaimer because I have to put this there: Ahem, I DON'T OWN BLEACH!!!! (This public service anoucement was brought to you today by the Yoru/Soi foundation. Thank you for your time.)
#2- True Strength (Soifon and Yoruichi)
Weakness, it was utter weakness.
And it made Yoruichi completely sick.
It disgusted her. Enraged her.
She would never understand it. How could someone humble themselves that much? Present themselves to be that weak? They were on their knees for crying out loud!
Where was their pride?
Their dignity?
She had scoffed when Ichigo did it. She figured that his youth is what made him bend to the point where he broke. She called him a stupid idiot.
When Byakuya did it, it blew her top in confusion. He was strength personified. Silent power. Yoruichi would have never thought that, out of all people that he would lower himself to a point where he would become bound.
Owned.
Yoruichi had shuttered at the thought. Of losing one's freedom.
There was no way in hell that she would ever let that happen to her. She was wild.
She was her own person.
She was free.
Yoruichi had gone to both the men's parties. Their last taste of freedom. And she felt completely sorry for them.
She had gone to the ceremonies too, and to watch it made her sick.
It was watching two strong beings fall into nothingness.
Yoruichi had asked each one of them later, at the reception, why had they done it. Why had they let themselves fall so low? To become so weak?
Both of them had smiled. A knowing grin, one that made them look all seeing. "It's not weakness, Yoruichi", they both had answered in their own way. "Sure, when you go down, you feel weak because you feel most vulnerable, but when you come back up, you'll never feel another strength like it."
Yoruichi had scoffed both times. It was impossible she thought. If you go down there weak, you stayed down there weak.
There was no getting back up.
And she vowed that she would never let that happen to her.
But here she was today, at the place that she promised that she'd never be. Doing what she said that she would never do.
Never say never huh?
Because here she was today, down on her knee. Her right knee, holding the hand of the one that she cherished the most in the world. Presenting her lover a diamond that represented all that was her.
Her strength.
Her pride.
Her dignity.
Her love.
She looked up into the greyest of eyes and battled the strongest of storms. Then she knew she had been right all of long. Doing this was weakness.
She knew that she was getting ready to lose herself by asking one question. "Soifon, will you marry me?"
There was about 2.5 seconds of silence after she had spoken.
Yoruichi had counted.
And during that 2.5 second wait, she had felt again that what she had thought about this situation was correct. It was weakness. It was putting your head on the chopping block. You could die doing this. With one word, the one you cared about the most in the world could destroy you.
With just one word.
How could she have done this? Yoruichi was stressing. Here she was getting ready to die and it was because she had allowed herself to get in this situation. Maybe she wasn't as strong as she has always thought she was. Maybe she really was wea-
"Yes."
Yoruichi snapped out of her thoughts and again focused on the storm of Soifon's eyes. They were filled with unshed tears preparing to spill over. "What?", Yoruichi stammered, not sure that she heard right.
Soifon smiled down at her new fiancé still on bended knee. Tears now running down her face. "I said 'yes' Yoruichi."
And just like that, all the air in Yoruichi's lungs escaped her.
She had lost herself, and she had never felt better.
With a grin, Yoruichi slid the three carat diamond solitaire ring on Soi's left hand ring finger and stood. She pulled her new fiancé closer until their bodies touched and captured her lips.
Those lips would forever be hers.
And Yoruichi finally understood. Yes she had lost herself, but the worst part of her self.
Sure she had gone down on one knee weak, because she realized that before hand that she already was weak.
Byakuya and Ichigo was right. She was vulnerable when she did it. She was weak, but when she stood and held Soifon, she had become it.
Yoruichi had become whole.
Then she felt, found it, when she deepened the kiss.
The power. Yoruichi felt as if she could take on the world, and she would to keep her wife-to-be safe.
Forever.
Forever she would possess this True Strength.