Whew! Thank god for the little miracles in life. If Soi Fon had open that shoji a little later…I could probably be dead right now or we could be having a lot of fun. Either way, I'm already at my limit. Any longer and I'll change back to human. That loss of control for a split second actually caused her to wake up! She still reacts instinctively to my reiatsu. Just like in the old days.

A sudden blast of reiatsu coming from the Shrine of Penitence brought Yoruichi out of her musings.

That felt like…Ichigo! And the other one... oh no…this is so not happening. Of all the people he can run into, he ran into Zaraki Kenpachi. Run away you idiot! Gah! From where I am, it'll take a while to reach him. Besides, I'm still recovering from that encounter with Soi Fon. Totally in no condition to shunpo all the way there. How I wish I did not really fall asleep. A total waste of my time spent in her arms. Of all times I chose that time to fall into deep sleep. But I have to admit, the dream was…If only it was real.

Ah! Finally. Damn I'm… the words left her mind there and then at the sight of Ichigo's bleeding and battered body. Least he fought Kenpachi and survived. Not an easy thing to accomplish to defeat a guy with insane amount of reiatsu. Judging by Kenpachi's reiatsu, he did not fare any better. Probably even worse but he has the Retsu to take care of his wounds. Well, time to get his body out of the way before others come along.

Yoruichi returned to her human form, carried Ichigo and shunpoed to a cave she and Kisuke discovered while they were out training.

Not bad, Ichigo. Not bad at all. You're still an idiot for engaging Kenpachi in the fight when you should flee. Looks like Kisuke was right after all. He does have potential, defeating the captain of the eleventh squad all alone in a pure reiatsu combat. Insane amount of reiatsu, meet your match, more insane amount of reiatsu. It would have been a good battle to watch. Kuukaku would have enjoyed watching it as much as I do. Argh! I'm so not cut out for this. Soi Fon is the one that does this for me all the time. I don't even know how to do it properly. Oh well, he just have to deal with it being ugly or bleed to death. Pity I can't call him up and ask him to choose the option he wants.

Seeing that Ichigo's wound was bandaged up well and proper, Yoruichi transformed back to a cat and left the cave to check on the rest. Satisfied that they are all doing well, she went back for her much needed rest. (She did not get much sleep due to the very interesting dream she had about Soi Fon.)

--Five hours later--

Ahh!! That sure felt good. I haven't had a good sleep ever since we came here. Soi Fon…no. I have to focus on the task at hand. Hmmm…looks like his wounds are healing alright. Guess all that's left is to wait for him to wake up.

No sooner than she had that thought, Ichigo begin to stir.

"Yoruichi-san?" he asked, puzzled. Taking in his surroundings, he came to a conclusion that he wasn't dead yet.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" questions came tumbling out of his mouth.

"I carried you here of course" said Yoruichi as though it's the most obvious thing that happened.

"What?!" Ichigo could not believe his ears.

A cat being able to talk was something he thought only happens in children cartoons and the likes of it. Seeing it in real life was a shock to him. A cat capable of forming the cannonball was already pushing it. Carrying a male high school student weighing 61 kg is definitely not possible. Not in a million years.

"Ah, I can see that you don't believe me. It is a piece of cake for me if I was to return to my true form. Well then, let me show you" said Yoruichi smugly as she begins to transform.

"Now, you don't really think that your average cat could talk could you? What's with that face? You probably thought I was a male from my voice"

"PUT ON SOME FREAKING CLOTHES DAMN IT!" Ichigo yelled. His face was getting redder by the second as he hid it behind his hands. Yoruichi did have a very appealing figure for someone her age.

"Argh! I still find clothes very restricting" said Yoruichi, her voice muffled as she pulled the turtleneck she swiped from Kuukaku's wardrobe over her head.

"Wha-PUT ON YOUR FREAKING PANTS! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT BOTTOMS SHOULD BE PUT ON FIRST BEFORE THE TOP?!" Ichigo's voice only seem to get louder and the pitch, higher.

"Are you sure you don't want to see anymore of this young firm skin?" tease Yoruichi as she lifted the hem of her turtleneck up a little.

"PUT ON YOUR FREAKING PANTS!" yelled a red-faced Ichigo, covering his face with his hands as though his life depends on it.

"Aww…you may look so mature but you're still so innocent. There, all done. You can stop hiding now."

"So you brought me here by using this to fly?" asked Ichigo after Yoruichi was done telling her tale.

"Yeah. But you still need rest even if your body heals at such a quick rate. Don't-"

Before Yoruichi could even finish what she wanted to say, Ichigo took the cane out of her hand and was out of the entrance.

"Thank you Yoruichi-san" he yelled on his way out. "Fly!"

Stupid boy. Where does he think he is going with that wound of his? Argh! Now I have to waste time getting him back again. His wound is going to reopen and I have to patch it up again. Why can't he just be a good boy and just shut up and do as he's told for once. Looks like once again, I made it in time. Ah! A familiar face! Byakuya-yago. It's been a while since I last saw him. I wonder if he did change his quick temper. Wow. Not bad. Head of the clan.

"Chire, Senbonsakura" intoned Byakuya.

His eyes widen as his zanpakutou was prevented from scattering by a long strip of cloth that is wrapped around it. Holding the other end of the cloth is none other than the ex heir to the Shihouin clan, Shihouin Yoruichi.

"It's been a while, Byakuya-yago" said Yoruichi with ease as she landed in between Ichigo and Byakuya.

"You!" said Byakuya, eyes widening. Dislike and astonishment was evident in his eyes. "After disappearing for a hundred years, I thought you're long dead."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm still well and alive at the moment" said Yoruichi as she dart forward and slammed the medicine into Ichigo's body as he opened his mouth to speak.

"How crude. Slamming the medicine into his body like that. A hundred years and your methods are still as crude" said Byakuya with a hint of disgust as he lunged towards Yoruichi.

Shunpo-ing away, Yoruichi look over her shoulder, shocked was evident when she saw Byakuya there.

"You think you can avoid me with such sluggish shunpo?" he asked as he slashed at her.

"Wha-?!" he gasped as a piece of Yoruichi's orange jacket floated down in front of him and she landed on his outstretched arm.

"You think you can catch me with such sluggish shunpo? Shunshin Yoruichi is far from being caught by the likes of you" she said, grinning darkly.

Shunpo-ing to the roof of the nearest building in the direction of the cave, she said "As selfish as it is, we must take our leave from the battle from now. Three days. Give me three days and I'll make this boy stronger than you. Till then, Byakuya-yago" and she shunpoed away carrying Ichigo with her.

"Phew, I really must be getting rusty. Just using shunpo for a hundred or two times and I'm all winded." Yoruichi said to herself. All those years in the real world did me no good at all. It's even affecting my shunpo. Gah! Ichigo sure is heavy.

Shifting his weight a little, she continued her journey the huge training ground, which Kisuke made when they were younger, where she promptly fell asleep after re-bandaging Ichigo's wound.

--Second Division Headquarters--

"Eh?! Taichou! It wasn't me! I swear. I did not even go into the weapons store!!" tell Oomadea as he ran away from Soi Fon.

"They are at it again. You did think that the fukkutaichou would realize that the crumbs he drop everywhere would give him away. Lying to taichou like that, what a disgrace to our squad..." commented Mizumoto to Takada as they watched Soi Fon chase Oomadea.

"Yeah. I heard that of all things, he let taichou's katana got scratched. One long, prominent scratch down the centre. A katana. God, doesn't he know how much taichou values katanas, especially that one. It was said to be a very special katana of hers. Her very first katana, given to her by her taichou. No wonder taichou values it so much. Oh well, the fukutaichou never learns does he?"

"If he does, then he won't be him you see." said Mizumoto dryly.

"Hey look, it's about to get good. I wonder why taichou isn't using shunpo to chase him?"

"Use your head Takada, if taichou uses shunpo, it'll be over in a blink of an eye. Literally. She is so fast. Even without using shunpo, you can see that she is obviously giving him leeway. Fukkutaichou did be dead by now if it wasn't for the clause of killing only with a good reason. Who made him fukkutaichou in the first place? That person is definitely blind."

"Oh! They stopped. Looks like taichou is offering him a way out" said Takada excitedly.

Soi Fon walked up to her vice captain, not at all out of breath despite all the running she did.

"Look, Oomadea. I've decided to give you a way out."

"Oh, taichou. You really are merciful. What is it?" asked Oomadea, relief evident in his voice.

"If you can win me in unarmed combat, I'll not only let you off for eating in the weapons store and getting my katana scratched, I'll even get someone to do your paperwork for the entire month. However, if you lose" Soi Fon let loose a little of her reiatsu mixed with the signature killer intent of hers "you will gladly accept any punishment I meet out to you. You won't be killed. Definitely. I will not go against the laws of Soul Society. So how about it?"

It seems like this is the only option left. But taichou is famed for her skill in unarmed combat. That said, it's been years since taichou actually fights. Most people just run when they see her. I might just be able to win. A whole month without paperwork! Yes! Freedom, here I come! A smile spread across his face as Oomadea envision Soi Fon slaving over mountains of paperwork while he is sitting t his desk with his feet up.

That idiot. He thinks he can win. Oh! Right. Why not? I shall do just that…a grin spread over her face as she planned her fight with her vice captain.


AN: here's a new chap once again. it's faster this time cuz i decided to grab the opening and write it out as soon as it appears in my head. unlike the prev one, i totally lost the opening. learned from my mistake. anw, a rather dry chap this time. as usual, pls r&r. most imptly, i hope you ppl like it.

p.s. mizumoto is a senior member of the second squad while takada is the new kid on the block. Hence the qns he asks are kinda self explanatory.

shane.mc