AN: Surprise, surprise. I wanted to freak myself out by doing two stories simultaneously; plus I like setting up my own plot, Soul Society is kind of over done and what not. Characters will not be OOC or any of that crap; I like to challenge myself by keeping them the way they were meant to be. I expect this to also be rated M as it will contain scenes of the graphic nature such as violence, drugs, abuse, no sex, references to sex, but no sex… yet.

Rated: T, stretching it on the language.


Picture Perfect

Chapter 1, Mornin' Sunshine

She never understood today's society- the obsession of interest over these ordinary nobody who had turned into somebody overnight. The way they lived and who gave a damn if they wiped their ass. Apparently it was imperative to know where they ate or shopped at 12:15 pm on a weekend, or how slowly they drank an expensive alcoholic beverage at a local bar. How they looked trying to actually buy groceries or what position they were in just getting out of the car. It was all so stupid, what person would pay for a picture like that?

Then again it would probably be best if she never questioned where her salary came from as long as she was being paid. After all it was an easy job, the cash was handsome, and frankly she didn't give a shit about ruining the lives of those physically swamped with attention in the public media. Step on who you can to stay alive, a rule she lived by.

Another puff of smoke dissolved in the heat of her room, the temperature outside was deadly, again, and she took another drag before extinguishing the cigarette in the side table next to her, scared with many other burn marks. This morning she was supposed to get a new assignment. Apparently some new singer had just scored a huge contract with the most famous recording company in California, and she was supposed to get this person in a horrible photo to ruin their reputation before any CDs were sold. Just another day in glamorous Ca.

Her hand slapped the sleep timer on her alarm just before it went off and swung her legs over the side of her bed, resting her face in her palms and rubbing as if she would wipe off the sleep she never had. A buzz had echoed throughout the apartment indicating someone was outside waiting for her. Dragging her feet to the box she held down the button, annoyed at how early it was. "Hn?"

"Hurry up." The voice held a mechanical accent through the oval speaker. She just snorted in response and taped the button down, entering the bathroom to brush her teeth. "You wake up too late." Spitting into the sink she dried her mouth off and exited looking for some clothes to throw on.

"Nanao stop bitching, it's too early."

"Well if it weren't for me you'd never get out of the house." She knew it was true, it was one of the reasons her and Nanao worked together. The woman always seemed to keep her from quitting. After throwing on something loose clothes to hide her small figure, Soi rustled her short hair and grabbed her camera before removing the tape on the intercom and exiting the small room.

"Good morning." Soi slammed the door to the apartment building shut and watched her feet as she climbed down the steps completely ignoring the younger woman. Nanao caught up and they walked in silence down the street.

"Why am I doing this again?" The shorter woman finally said breaking the silence, her friend pushing up her glasses and frowned.

"If you're that upset with it then quit. No one's forcing you to work." They both knew Soi had no intention of quitting, but she at least liked to complain about it every morning, it was their normal routine.

Pounding footsteps collided against the walls as a young woman wearing a black sweater and matching fedora rounded the corner and raced towards them, both friends sidestepped to allow her passage between them and Soi caught the woman's smile just as she ran past, her hat masking her eyes. Two overweight police soon followed shouting at the already retreating figure to stop. Soi just blinked, a bit annoyed at the interruption of peace. "Some city we live in."

"You expected them to catch her?"

"Not a chance in hell, I honestly hope she gets away. Government is so corrupt these days even the cops are stealing shit."

"You really need to take classes in hospitality."

"I'll get on that when you crack a smile."

They arrived at work, on time as usual, thanks to Nanao and sat in the waiting room for their boss to get out of a "meeting". Bull. Soi's eyes remained on the white corporate wall in front of them lined with framed shots of celebrities, the same shots that ruined their careers. Finally a young girl stepped out of the main office and sat down at her desk, straightening out her skirt and smiled at them. "Aizen will see you now." Soi scoffed and threw the door open stalking down the hall to her boss's room.

"Ladies, sit down please." They complied watching him carefully. He pulled off his glasses and pushed his hair straight back, finally reaching into the drawer next to him. "As you know a young woman has just arrived on the public scene. Her name is Yoruichi Shihouin." He threw a small photograph on the desk in front of them. "Apparently she has quite the reputation for being a trouble maker. It will be a bit difficult, but I trust you can handle this Nanao."

"Yes, Sir." She reached out and lifted it, studying the features and storing them in her photographic memory. Aizen nodded and turned towards the other woman.

"Recently she's been spotted with a man. Urahara Kisuke." Another photo was thrown at Soi, which she caught with no problem and studied the profile of this new face. "Soi since you did so well on the last case; I'm giving you an easy one. This man practically lives in a nightmare. It shouldn't take more than a week to get the shot." She folded it up and shoved it in her back pocket, bored at this point. "If you need any help, which I doubt, don't be afraid to call Gin or Kaname, they'll be around." Nanao sat stoic with her hands now crossed in her lap, Soi just looking out the window behind him, noticing the very large billboard of some insurance company that was probably scamming their clients to death. "Good, you have your assignments. Don't let me down." He left them with a smug grin placing on his glasses and standing up to get the door for them.

Soi stood up to leave and paused in front of him. "Aizen, you know how I feel about waiting, if you want to get laid make sure to do it on your own time." The smug never left his face as he watched her leave the room. Apparently he only kept her around because she had the guts to actually tell him off, he liked her attitude. Well besides the fact that she was an amazing photographer, which was a bunch of crap to Soi, it didn't take much to be a Paparazzi, you just need to hate the world enough, which she had plenty of to spare. Nanao bowed before chasing Soi out of the building and resting to catch her breath.

"Soi you're lucky to still have a job."

"It's a cut throat business; if you don't piss off a few people you aren't doing it right."

"But sometimes I feel you go too far. He is your boss after all."

"I don't really care. If he's going to keep me waiting for no reason I'm not going to respect him." Nanao sighed and pulled out the photograph of her prey, Soi curiously glanced over, her eyes lighting up. "That's woman who ran by us earlier."

"Are you sure?" Soi pointed at the face.

"She has the same smile."

"I highly doubt such a celebrity would be running down the sidewalk from the cops, perhaps it was someone else."

"No this is her, I'm positive." The younger woman's nose scrunched up in thought.

"Well then I suppose this will be a hard assignment." Soi grabbed the picture out of her hands and flipped it over reading the black permanent marker.

"Yoruichi, Shihouin." She snorted and gave back the picture before grabbing another cigarette and lighting it up on the crowded city street.


Well, that's just a teaser; I kind of want some feedback as to whether or not I should continue. Of course I'm not going to bother writing a new story if no one will read it. Especially considering how lazy I am- just wanted to try something different.

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