AN: First Bleach story! Be gentle! Sorry for any mistakes!
Disclaim?: I own no characters but Benjiro and Naoko.
Aizen really has no place here...in fact he doesn't even exist anymore. We'll get to that later! Just go with me, all will be explained!
Thought: '!!!!'
Speech: "!!!!"
Flash Back: !!!!
Flash back in flash back: !!!!
Machiko raised hell about the marriage. But seeing as Ebisu was the head of the house what he said went, and he supported Yoruichi and Soi. No one could go over his head, not many wanted to.
Machiko didn't talk to him for three months, Ebisu simply shrugged it off saying it wasn't something she didn't do on a daily basis anyways.
It was a very large event. Soi was surprised that even her family showed up. The smaller ones that had yet to join the militia waved at her happily. Soi smiled, knowing that some would have to face trauma of some kind.
Byakuya was actually quite happy, he had been the first choice for marriage. And now he wasn't. He was actually smiling a little. Ebisu said he liked someone.
'How do you know?' Yoruichi asked.
Ebisu smiled. 'Trust me, a man knows these things.'
'You can't just base it on a feeling!'
'Bet ya he'll have a wife to his name in zero time flat!'
'You're on old man!'
'Hahaha!'
There was a loud cheer when the ceremony was finished, flower petals of all different kinds were thrown by several different people, mostly the children.
It was a happy day.
Yoruichi sat back in her chair and grinned at Soi who now donned her old captains jacket. "That thing has seen a lot of abuse. Maybe I should get you a new one." She spoke thoughtfully.
"No, I like this one. It looks fine. I don't like the long sleeves." Soi plucked the robe for emphasis. Her 'official' ring to prove she was married glittered in the sunlight.
"Cut 'em." Yoruichi stated simply.
Soi rolled her eyes. "I was going to."
Yoruichi chuckled as her wife walked up to her. "So…finally a captain eh?" She slid her arms around Soi's hips.
"Mm hm."
"What ever am I to do?"
"What you've always done. Nothing."
Yoruichi pouted. "Heeeyyy…I do stuff."
"Like?"
"Um…kill hollows and…stuff."
"Wow! Nobody's ever done those things!" Soi scoffed with teasing sarcasm.
"Hey!" Yoruichi poked Soi in her side gently. Soi gave a small squeak. Yoruichi stared as Soi's face turned a deep shade of red. Yoruichi had never tickled or poked her, always touching the skin with flat palms.
An evil grin slid onto Yoruichi's face, a small fang protruding from her closed lips. Soi eyed her seriously. "Don't even think about it." She whispered.
"Oh I'm thinkin. And I like it." Yoruichi eyed the shorter woman greedily.
Soi took one step back and Yoruichi pounced. Soi bolted from the room. "No!"
"Haha! Yes!" Yoruichi chased after her.
Yoruichi stared down at a now caught Soi laying under her. Her hair had snapped from its band and was splayed out across the bedding. Her cheeks were tinged pink from laughing and embarrassment. Yoruichi had tugged open the robe top just below the bust line.
"Yoru-Chan…" Soi mumbled, chewing her bottom lip nervously. Yoruichi had her hands pinned above her as she tickled her until she couldn't breathe.
"Mm…you're so cute Soi-bee." Yoruichi planted a kiss on the still slightly panting Soi and went straight back to tickling her belly.
Soi tried to hold back her laughter.
It didn't work.
At night on almost a daily basis, Yoruichi would think about her brother. What could he be doing, what he'd done, how much he'd grown…she knew he'd be happy for Soi and herself. She wondered if Naoko had gotten any taller.
"Yoru-Chan." A hand fisted on the front of her night shirt. Yoruichi looked down at Soi. "Stop thinking so much, it's keeping me awake."
"Sorry." She smiled and toyed with a strand of long hair, it slipped from her fingers. "Hey I'm working on this new technique."
"Yeah?"
"Yep!"
"Will you show me when you're finished?"
"If I ever do." The goddess laughed. "Maybe I'll even teach it to you."
"That'd be nice."
"Maybe a little painful but yeah." Yoruichi nodded as she kissed Soi's temple and sighed as she lay back. "Hey Soi-bee?"
"Mm?"
"What do you think of getting a sun roof put in here?"
"It sounds very romantic for late evenings and midnights." Soi smirked.
"Does it? How so?" Yoruichi turned to face her wife.
"The late sun coming into the room, getting your skin in all the right places." The shorter mused as she ran a hand along the taller woman's toned arm. "Mm…I think the moon would be more sensual though."
"Sensual?"
"Mm hm."
Yoruichi gave a small amused scoff as she pulled Soi into a kiss.
Soi sighed as she sat out in the front courtyard of the Shihoin home. Ebisu's wife called it a house, but with all the cousins and uncles and aunts and small ones running around…it was definitely a home.
Her lieutenant was taking care of most of her paperwork. And half the squad was running drills, had been all day. She was actually a little bored.
Sighing again, Soi kicked up a plume of dust and dirt with her bare foot. It rose in a shaky line before settling again.
"Soi-bee." A deep voice ground out behind her. The woman turned in alarm and jumped up.
A large black wolf stood behind her. "Aw, don't run Soi-bee." The wolf smirked, lips pulling back to reveal large jagged teeth.
"…Yoruichi?"
"Mm hm."
Soi stepped forward, curious. "This is what you were talking about?"
"Yep."
Soi brushed her fingers through the soft black fur. "You're so cute."
"I'm not a tiny pup, I'm a large black wolf. Be scared." Yoruichi growled.
"But you're not scary."
Yoruichi huffed. "Come on, I'll show you how it's done."
"I don't believe this." Soi mumbled as she lay across the edge of the bed. Yoruichi circled her bellybutton with a finger.
"I think it's interesting. Get to know our other selves ya know." She smirked and placed a kiss on Soi's bare shoulder.
Yamamoto was talking about opening other dimensions to get help for possible future problems. Yoruichi was eager to meet their other selves from the several other un-named places. Soi wasn't.
Maybe her other selves were weak or hopeless, or dead even.
"Don't be so negative Soi-bee. I think you're really scared that they'll be better than you." Yoruichi stated wisely.
"What!? I am not!"
"Just by saying that I know I'm right."
Soi sucked her teeth. She was right…she was scared her others would be better.
"Don't worry Soi-bee, you're the best to me." Yoruichi nuzzled Soi neck. The woman laughed and tried to pull away, nothing doing.
It was taking longer than expected to get a path open. Not that anyone besides the twelfth division captain really cared, but still.
Ebisu sat with Soi and Yoruichi in the 'main hall' where the Stealth Force waited for orders if there were any. Besides the occasional hollow everything was fine.
"You know they say if it's low it's a boy. Or was it a girl…" Ebisu scratched his head in confusion.
"I don't think it really helps if you don't know dad." Yoruichi smiled over at him.
Ebisu laughed and nodded. "Yeah but I think it'll be a boy.
"Isn't that impossible?" Soi asked curiously.
"Well with the pill I got…no." Yoruichi leaned on the arm of the chair and stared at Soi's belly. "You can hardly see it."
"That's good. People would make a fuss if they saw." Ebisu yawned and fell back, arms behind his head.
"I'm gunna talk to Yamamoto about taking your place for a while." Yoruichi looked up at her wife.
"Why?"
"Soi-bee, you can't fight while pregnant."
Ebisu lifted a hand. "Higher chance of miscarriage. Better if you just hand over the captains spot for the time being. You can always go back, doesn't mean you'll want to though." He mumbled as he let his arm drop across his eyes.
"Alright, alright I got it." Soi planted a kiss on Yoruichi's forehead. The woman was grinning like mad, she was very excited about this.
Standing in front of the mirror in the room she'd shared with Yoruichi for years later that night Soi removed her robe and stared at her reflection. There was no visible change from the front; however, when she turned to view herself from the side a small bump was just visible in her lower belly. It was either very small or would just taking its time to grow.
"Mm, it's amazing isn't it?" A voice whispered as dark arms slid around her sides, palms flat against her small belly.
"Yeah it is." She smiled at her visitor.
Yoruichi let her head rest against the shorter woman's shoulder. "Never saw this coming did you?"
"Nope. Never did. What about you?"
"I'd hoped."
"Well you got your wish didn't you?" Soi smiled as she turned to face the dark skinned goddess. Yoruichi smirked with pleasure as she returned her hands to the small bump. She nodded, choosing not to talk.
"Mm…" Soi pulled her down into a kiss.
She was already five months along.
"Red alert! Seireitei has been breached! All squads report to battle stations immediately!"
Yoruichi sat up, she'd been in the middle of a nice nap. "Shit!" She mumbled and tore off the blankets, bolting from the bed and pulling on her robes.
"Yoru-Chan?"
"Stay here with dad Soi-bee. I'm sure he'll be here soon. I'll be back!" She called as she ran from the room.
Soi sighed and straightened her robes and sleep mussed hair as Ebisu casually strolled in. "Yoruichi will handle whatever this is. You know that right?"
Soi nodded. "Yeah I know. Doesn't stop me from worrying. Even Yoruichi can get hurt."
Ebisu smirked. His daughter-in-law was right. To many Yoruichi was the invincible 'Flash Master', to quick to take a hit. But that was not always true. Even she could be taken by surprise. "Don't worry Soi-Chan. We got your back." He grinned as he released his rarely used Zanpakuto.
Yoruichi stared up at the invisible dome that surrounded the city. A small spot appeared and shots of electricity flew. That was definitely Kukaku's work. "Damn it…what the hell are you doing Kukaku?" She hissed to herself as the intruders successfully broke through.
She was curious if they were here about the whole Rukia problem. Yoruichi knew the whole thing was odd, but what could she do? These people would never listen.
She stopped when she felt a familiar trace of spiritual energy.
"It couldn't be…" She looked to her left, where the trace was coming from. "Benjiro?" She whispered.
She had to know. Shifting to her animal form she left her clothes there for people to wonder as she chased after what could be the problem of her half serious thinking over the past hundred years of more.
A trickle of hope seeped through. She hoped it was him. She wanted to see him. Talk to him, remember him. His face was starting to fade from her memory banks. His smell, his laughter, his voice, his personality…it was all starting to fade. Becoming a blank face on a body she tried to hold on to. But it was like grasping at straws. The more she tried to cling to his memory, the more it started to fade. Bit by bit he began to disapear into the background over the years.
"Please be Ro." She whispered to herself.
Soi looked around before looking to Ebisu in question. "Was that…?"
He nodded. "Felt like it. Let's hope." He smiled ruefully. Why would his son be here? Why now? After all this time…was it for Rukia? It wouldn't surprise him if that was the case. But the real question was…what would he do if he saw him again?
"Punch him in the face." His Zanpakuto put in quietly from behind them. He stood quietly, short white locks fluttering in the lazy breeze. His long lock of hair tied together with an odd looking red clip was pushed behind his ear. His dull green eyes looking past his master and Soi.
Ebisu laughed. "Maybe." He most likely would. "If it is him." He sighed.
Yoruichi stopped outside of a small cave. This was where the trace led. She squeezed through the boards covering the hole with little difficulty, she wasn't that large of a beast. Inside she found a small pearl white cat and an orange haired boy.
The cat eyed her oddly. "And you are?" It asked in a deep grating voice.
Yoruichi sat down and stared at the small creature. "Asking you who you are." She shot back.
The cat grinned. The orange haired boy looked between them curiously. "Iro, who is this? Can all animals talk here?" He sounded tired.
The white cat glanced at him. "I don't know who this is Ichigo. Why don't you ask?"
"My name is Yoruichi." She eyed the cat suspiciously. She noted it tensed.
"Is it? Interesting. Pleased to meet you."
"Mm…you're the intruders…"
"Why yes, we are. Is that a problem?"
"See as I'm a captain yes it is." Yoruichi answered. "But I'm not one to attack injured opponents."
"I'm sure you're not." The cat smirked.
"Ah, it was you who saved me wasn't it Iro?" Ichigo asked quietly.
"Mm, your strong life force is to thank. Without it you'd most likely be dead."
The boy glared at him. "Gee thanks."
The cat laughed. "I tell it like I see it. That's how I work."
"I bet." Ichigo looked thoughtful then shot up. "Wait a minute! Ugh!"
Iro panicked. "What the hell are you doing!?"
"I gotta help Chad!"
Iro pounced on the boy's face, making him fall back. "Chad is fine. Relax. Everyone is fine. You were lucky, this thing absorbed most of the impact of your wounds." He pushed a mask to Ichigo's bedside.
Yoruichi sat silently and watched the scene play before her. She was looking for any clues that Iro was really her little brother. She was mostly sure of it, but she wanted to totally make sure.
Ichigo looked shocked. "That thing was on me?"
Iro looked at him curiously. "What's that mean?"
"Well I think it saved my life when I was fighting Renji. I figured it was kind of a good luck charm. So I held onto it, but…"
"But…" Iro pressed.
"It sank like a stone in the waterways." Ichigo shrugged and picked up the mask. "Could have sworn he got rid of it."
"Give it here. I'll take care of it." Iro demanded.
Ichigo looked at the cat as if he'd grown a second head. "What? No way. It's mine and I'm holding onto it."
Iro glared, his body was surrounded by golden light. "Hand it over! Now!"
"Eh…yes sir. Happy to hand it over." Ichigo placed the mask down beside the cat.
Yoruichi eyed the cat. That light, the personality…it had to be him. It had to be. But still she waited.
"How long are you going to stay here Yoruichi?" Iro asked as he looked over at her. "I'd prefer it if you left."
"I don't care what you prefer 'Iro'. I'm staying. Get over it."
Iro smirked. "Whatever."
"You know Iro, you sure are strong. It's kind of a shock."
The white cat looked back at him. "What's that mean?"
"You're so tiny, but you carried me all the way here." Ichigo smiled at the small creature.
Iro scoffed. "Are you that stupid?"
"Eh?"
"A little cat like me carry a lug like you all the way here? Come on, I pegged you as a little brighter than that." Iro chuckled.
"W-what do you mean?" Ichigo stared in confusion.
Yoruichi tensed. This was it.
"After coming all this way I'm sure it's no problem hiding it anymore." Iro sighed and turned to take a few steps away from the boy. "Close your eyes. Unless it's what you're into." He snickered as he glowed again.
Ichigo sat up as a burst of smoke emitted from the small white cat's body.
The smoke cleared and Yoruichi's assumption was correct.
Standing there in the tiny cat's place was a tall pale man with messy black hair, bangs pushed back from his face, gold eyes shining in amusement. His skin held a few scars now, but he was otherwise the same.
Benjiro Hiroshi Jomei Shihoin had returned to Soul Society.
AN: See...how different! Aizen won't really have anything to do with this story. In this version Rukia was just an accident and the choice to kill her really was made by Central 46!