Sometimes is Never

Discoveries

She awoke to a blinding light, and at first, she thought she was on an examination table at a hospital. Once her senses came back to her, she glanced around the room. It was...definitely not a hospital. The events of yesterday flooded back to her, and realization set it. I was saved, she mused, annoyed. She didn't need saving or the pity of a savior for that matter. What she needed was to be by herself. And all this time, since she had ran away from home, she had been searching to fit in somewhere...somewhere with people, and now, the only thing she wanted was isolation.

The sound of water spraying directed her attention to the open door of her room, and her eyes locked with the closed bathroom door across the hall. She tried moving to get up and out of the almost too-comfortable bed, but found herself in paralysis. Contradicting that, she jumped slightly as the bathroom door opened.

A darkly tanned woman with purple hair walked out with a towel wrapped securely around her body, and she seemed not to notice the now-awake Soi Fon. Soi Fon tried to speak up and grab her attention, but the purple-haired woman had traveled down the hall, out of her sight before her weak voice could strain out a call. Who was this woman? Was she the one who saved her from those men in the alley? Unlikely. Most girls in today's world were prissy and clean-cut, the typical damsels in distress. And while she had been said damsel last night, if she hadn't have been injured, taking down those creeps would've been easy. Soi Fon was a social outcast from the girls when she had gone to school because she liked participating in sports. And God forbid a woman did anything physical.

So, she assumed that this woman must be the wife or sister--something--of the man who had rescued her. She waited for what seemed like an eternity before she heard a rustling from the other room. After a second, the dark woman stepped into the room. "How are you feeling?" She was dressed in pajama pants and a tank top, making Soi Fon wonder how long she'd been out.

"Fine," she lied through chattering teeth as the cold pain started setting in. Suddenly that numb feeling she'd had for so long seemed like a blessing. "Who are you?" Soi Fon's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

A small smirk played across the mysterious woman's lips. "My name is Yoruichi Shihoin." Walking over to the bed, she sat on the end and stared toward the injured girl with a penetrating gaze. "Tell me, what were you doing last night?" Only someone without a brain would travel down a dark alley ruled by ex-convicts.

Soi Fon shrugged, causing her to internally wince, and sat up with much effort. "I decided to take a short cut. What's it to you?"

The smile only widened on Yoruichi's face. This girl sure did have an attitude problem toward the one that saved her ass. "You don't remember who saved you, do you?" Her eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity, but certainly not vindictively.

Ashamed, Soi Fon shook her head. "I just remember a voice." A soft, warm voice. Much like the woman in front of her had. "Who was it?" she asked, still refusing to think this woman could be her knight in shining armor.

A brief pause filled the air with an awkward--at least for Soi Fon--silence. "I'm not sure."

Soi Fon eyed her dubiously. "You're lying." When she saw the purple-haired woman's eyebrows rose, she only sent a glare in her direction. Forcing herself to move, she threw the sheets off of her body and swung her feet off the bed. Taking in a silent breath, she stood up warily, wobbling slightly. Taking a staggering step forward, feet planted as firmly on the ground as she could manage, she walked forward.

Yoruichi only watched in slight amusement. Standing up, she walked over to the door way with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm not letting you leave."

Soi Fon's eyes instantly turned to slits, and she was prepared to get past the tanned female by any means necessary. "Move."

"Hungry?" She ignored the evil glares sent her way. As if on cue, the young girl's stomach growled, causing Yoruichi to chuckle slightly. "Follow me."

She didn't want to. She wanted to leave and go back to being under the rain, where at least she could trust the fact that nobody cared. But the thought of someone actually being nice to her scared her. Still, the empty feeling in her stomach made her timidly follow the taller woman. Her eyes jumped from wall to wall as she limped through the halls of the house. It was...different. It had a modern style, but everything was off. She felt like she was in a house only inhabited by females. And that couldn't be right, because the man who saved her had to have lived here.

Sitting on the floor in front of a table, she was presented with a large cauldron-like bowl of ramen. Her eyes widened. "I can't eat all of this..." Not even five grown men could!

"Who said this was for you?" Yoruichi asked, coming out of the kitchen and placing a cereal bowl of noodles in the raven-haired girl's hands. She sat on the opposite side of the table and began stuffing down the noodles from the humongous bowl, causing Soi Fon to stare in bewilderment. She'd never seen someone eat so much. Where did she put it all? Reluctantly drawing her eyes away from the astonishing site, she glanced at her bowl of ramen and began eating. Her lips curved into a smile against her will at the warmth and taste. It felt like she hadn't eaten in days. Oh wait, she hadn't.

"You never did tell me your name."

"Soi Fon."

"Hmm, Soi Fon. So what were you doing all by yourself last night? And how did you get so many injuries?" When she had brought the girl home, she had to wrap a broken arm, leg, and treat an ungodly amount of other wounds.

"I..." Soi Fon stammered and looked to the ground, avoiding Yoruichi's piercing stare at all costs. "I'm not sure," she mocked Yoruichi's earlier lie.

Moving her large, empty bowl out of the way, she now had a better view of the now-timid girl. "If I tell you about last night, will you answer some of my questions?" Her face was expressionless, as if the answer didn't matter, but her tone seemed otherwise. At the sight of Soi Fon's head nodding, she sighed. "I'd just gotten off of work when I'd heard those idiots around the corner. I planned to keep on walking, but when I was close enough to see into the alley, I saw you surrounded by them." She paused, as if carefully choosing her next words. "You were...planning on fighting them, which surprised me. I saw you get a good kick in, at the expense of injuring yourself further. So, I decided to step in." She could see the disbelieving eyes in the girl across from her. "They all went down pretty easy, and then you seemed to have already lost consciousness. So, I brought you back here, treated your wounds, and now here we are."

Despite the skepticism she held, she couldn't bring herself to call the woman a liar. "How could you so easily take them?"

A smile widened across Yoruichi's face. "I'm a good fighter." Her smile made Soi Fon feel like Yoruichi was remembering some inside joke. "Now, no more questions. It's my turn. First off, how old are you?"

"Seventeen." She'd be eighteen in a few weeks.

Yoruichi was slightly surprised. She had thought her to be younger. When she saw the girl's questioning stare, she smiled weakly. "Nineteen," she replied to the unspoken question. "Now, why were you out like that? Shouldn't you of been at home?"

"I don't have a home," Soi Fon bit out angrily.

"And why is that?"

It took a minute for her to respond. "I ran away."

Yoruichi's eyes were dull, as if unamused. "Explain." Not another 'my parents don't understand me so I decided to leave!' story, she hoped.

"My father...was...bad." She struggled with the words, not only because she didn't want to admit the truth, but because she didn't want her pity. She sighed at Yoruichi's probing expression, knowing she was expected to continue. She laughed a short, empty laugh. "I didn't break my arm and leg by falling," she grinned.

Yoruichi stared forward, her expression still vacant. How could she joke about being beaten? "What did he do?"

Soi Fon's grin immediately faded and she looked away, not wanting to answer. "Look, uhm, thanks for, you know...the food and everything. But I really should be going--"

"Where, home? Where do you plan to go?" Her questions were spoke as statements.

The pale girl involuntarily cringed. "No. Just away."

"Hm. I saved your life. The least you could do is take my advice."

"And what would that be?"

"Stay here until you're healed."

"No thanks."

Yoruich's jaw tightened. "I wasn't asking you. It's either that or I take you to a hospital."

A shudder rippled through her spine at the thought. "So, you're saying you refuse to let me go?" she challenged and stood up, hiding the pang of pain that struck her leg.

Yoruichi followed suit and walked around the table. "Do you plan to do something about it?" Once again, her question was not an inquiry, but more like a command.

Soi Fon's teeth rubbed together, grinding in irritation as her hands balled up into tight fists. A sudden head rush made her vision fill with a black blanket, and before she knew it, she fell backwards.

Yoruichi's arm jerked out and caught her by the front of her shirt, lifting her limp body up. Slinging the girl's arm over the back of her shoulders, she helped the weakened girl walk back toward the room. How did she plan to leave if she couldn't even walk?

As soon as Soi Fon felt her body hit the soft bed, sleep consumed her. Yoruichi stared down at the younger girl with her arms crossed over her chest, yet another stolid expression on her face. This girl...she was...different.


Author's Note: Alright, well I know this chapter had a different style than the prologue. This chapter and probably the next one or two will be slightly more casual, and not so dark/deep.

This chapter didn't meet my expectations, and I was a little angry how it turned out. My entire point wasn't made, but I didn't want to prolong the chapter and drag things out. So, I'll save it for the next chapter.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you all have no idea how much support and inspiration it gives me to continue. I'd love you all very much if you left me some feedback again.