Soi Fong is a shadow again. She follows with quiet steps the strides of Yoruichi-sama through the Fourth Division's hospital wards. Soi Fong doesn't want to be here. The quiet whiteness of the sheets, the rooms, the people, the scents and sounds of illness and weakness and pain.
Slender, strong Yoruichi-sama stops at a particular door. Gold eyes catch Soi Fong's gaze, and then swing into the room. They walk in. The sound of the respirator rasps against Soi Fong's nerves, softly, steadily. She looks at the pale face of Hinamori-chan. She looks up at Yoruichi-sama, who is simply watching the girl breathe. The butterflies of Suzumebachi's kiss are still patterned on her body, fading, but still delicate swirls against the dark skin. For a while Soi Fong simply waits.
The respirator gets to her, though. Soi Fong finally says, "Why are we here..." the pause is automatic, still, "Yoruichi-sama?"
Yoruichi's head tilts to the side, eyes slitting half closed, "It's part of my answer, Soi Fong-taichou."
Soi Fong blinks at the words and her title. "This is why you left... without...?" She cannot finish the sentence in front of another, even if the other is unconscious. "You didn't want me in a hospital?" she asks, incredulously, "How is this like us? How would... doing as I asked have done this?"
Yoruichi swings about, suddenly almost chest to chest with Soi Fong. Soi Fong breathes Yoruichi's breath and it makes her heart flutter, but she stands firm, not giving way to the sudden incursion into her space.
Yoruichi smiles, all the way to her eyes. "You are stronger."
Soi Fong's chin goes up on reflex, "I had to be."
"Exactly." Yoruichi nods and slips past Soi Fong to exit the room. Soi Fong's eyes widen and she stands there for a few moments, hearing Yoruichi's steps pad off.
For a moment, she thinks about running after Yoruichi again, and then Yoruichi's voice saying "Soi Fong-taichou," sounds in her memory. Soi Fong-taichou. I am taichou now. I have responsibilities.
Soi Fong squares her shoulders and walks the other way, in the direction of her office.
Yoruichi, in the shadows, nods again and flashes away.