Yay! Chapter nine! and there is a GgioSoi moment for the fangirls xD
Chapter 9: You are Not My Enemy
"We are so dead if we're caught doing this…" Hugh adjusted his tie, uncomfortable with the thought of it, "So, who is this Yoruichi person, anyway? And why'd you have me change out of my beast form? This stupid thing in my chest is weird." He tapped his knuckles against the broken chain in his chest.
"Yoruichi-sama is my mentor, and because she can become a cat I'm not sure if she's fond of dogs," Soifon stared at the door before her, "And I don't want anyone mistaking you for a threat, so if no one knows that you're a Hollow—at least not right away—we're in the clear."
She quietly slid the door open, "Yoruichi-sama? Urahara? Tessai? Is anyone here?"
There was a moment of quiet. A black shadow moved across the darkness from deep within the shop. Hugh caught onto a faint trace of feline, but he remained silent.
"Soifon… Why are you here?" A voice rang out. "You shouldn't be here; I have no intentions on listening to you try to talk me onto Aizen's side."
"That's not why I'm here!" Soifon waved her hands wildly, "I came for information! You see, I had a mission to join Aizen's side and act as an inside spy. But there seems to be some confusion… I ran into Komamura, and he said Soul Society has classified me as a traitor. Do you know anything about that?"
A slim black cat appeared from the darkness; its ears twitched, "Soifon, have your assassin wheels stopped turning? You don't walk out in the open like that when you know someone may be watching."
"I know that full well."
"Then why would you—"
"Because I want to see you, and I need information whether you like it or not, Yoruichi-sama!" Soifon's temper was rising, "It's getting dangerous and I really need to know what is going on! So if you know anything I would appreciate it if you told me!"
Yoruichi sighed, "...Wait here, I'll be back in a few moments." She bounded off into the back room.
Hugh faced Soifon, "That's Yoruichi?"
"I know. Didn't expect a cat, did you?"
"Sort of, but I didn't think your mentor would be a cat…"
"She's not."
Hug arched an eyebrow just as the dark-skinned woman reappeared, adjusting her orange sweatshirt, "Soifon, you had better tell me everything. And who's your friend?"
Soifon gestured to the spirit, "This is Hugh, my body guard."
"Body guard?"
"Yes. It was his choice."
Yoruichi eyed the werewolf and he shrugged. "He smells like dog… Never mind, no time! We'll go down into the training world, and hopefully no one walks in on us." She lead Soifon off towards the back of the shop with Hugh tagging behind.
"So tell me, what did they say about me?" Soifon leaned back against the face of the rock, Yoruichi reclined against the one opposite her.
"Well, first things first… How can I trust you?" The words were like a dagger to Soifon's heart. "I mean… Ichigo stumbled upon Komamura half-dead yesterday, and he said you used your Ban Kai on him. Why would you do that?"
Soifon's eyes brightened faintly, "He's alive? That's a relief…" She stared up at the sky, "It's been a day already? I could've sworn I as only in Las Noches for a few minutes, nor more than an hour…"
"Time goes by slower in Hueco Mundo than in the Real World!" Hugh mentioned. He sniffed the boulder mass nearby and prowled around it.
"Yoruichi-sama… Aizen made me do it. He told me to prove my loyalty by killing Sajin… That was when I found out I was a traitor."
"How wouldn't you know? You're on Aizen's side!"
"No I'm not!" Soifon snapped, "It was a mission! The Head Captain gave it to me face-to-face! He said that I was to rendezvous with a captain once a week! But there was a problem. He didn't tell me what day… I should've asked, but I didn't want to question the Captain Commander's orders, especially if it came from the new Central 46. I guess I was too distracted thinking about how screwed over I was if the mission went wrong."
"That's not what I was told…" Yoruichi scratched her chin, "Yesterday, Hitsugaya—you know that pipsqueak of the tenth division?—he came and reported to us what Komamura said when he came too. The Head Captain orders where, and I quote, 'Soifon has disappeared. Her whereabouts are believed to be with Aizen and the other traitors of Seireitei. Her lieutenant reports that the last thing she said before heading out to the Real World was that she was going to see if she could join Aizen without loosing her head. It is unknown if she is still alive, but from this point on she is a traitor of Soul Society. If you see her attack-to-kill without hesitation!' Do you know when that speech was given? A week ago!"
Soifon counted on her fingers, "I only have at most three days of being in Las Noches… With that mission… Hugh… One night… One week after… Yeah, only three days at max!"
"Time is slower in Hueco Mundo!" Hugh remarked again, pawing a hole into the dirt.
Yoruichi scratched the back of her head, "This is really confusing… Do you think the old man is suffering from Alzheimer's?"
"If he is, we had better find a replacement. And fast…"
"Soifon… I'm sorry." Soifon quirked an eyebrow at her mentor. "I doubted you after hearing what had happened with you and Sajin. I knew it couldn't be true… I want to help you! I really, really, want to help you! But I don't know what I can do…" Her voice trailed off and tears welled in her eyes, "No one will listen to us. Once Soul Society had there mind's set, it's over. Soifon, please be safe for me until I can try to figure this out, OK?"
Soifon opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She merely nodded. "…Yeah… Yoruichi-sama, thank you—"
"Sush!" Hugh barked and reared to his feet, snarling at the stair case nearby.
The girls jumped to their feet. Yoruichi growled, "I feel Urahara's spirit energy… He's alone. No, Tessai is with him. Jinta and Ururu must be somewhere else." She grabbed Soifon's wrist, "Stay close. I know Urahara is an understanding guy, but I don't know if there is anyone besides them. They could be hiding their reiatsu."
"Alright."
Hugh's snarling was turning vicious, and his veins pulsed against his skin. "Hugh," Soifon touched his arm, "Calm down. It'll be fine. Try and hold off."
"My apologies," And his malicious figure relaxed.
The trio cautiously made it upstairs and into the room before the door. Kisuke and Tessai were no where to be seen, but only for the moment. Yoruichi could sense them, but she didn't have time to pinpoint where the energy was radiating from.
She dragged the assassin out of the shop and into the open—and suddenly there were various reiatsus crushing down in the atmosphere.
"Shit…" Soifon muttered, "Not Arrancar, so there's an up to this..."
"I think someone saw you coming in and got reinforcements," Yoruichi released her grip on Soifon's wrist and prepared to fight. Hitsugaya, Rangiku Matsumoto, and a handful of squad ten members landed in a ring circling around the trio and blocking them in.
Hugh crouched and bared his jagged fangs. Soifon reached for her Zanpakuto, "Hitsugaya! What is the meaning of this?"
"We are Sajin-Taiichou's replacements," Toshiro dead-panned, "And we're here to apprehend you, dead or alive."
Hugh let loose a powerful howl and turned werewolf, slamming his arms into the ground and snarling viciously. Soifon slowly unsheathed Suzumebachi, her heart racing. Shit! I came to see Yoruichi-sama, but I didn't think I'd get her into any trouble!
"Wait, Hitsugaya-san," Yoruichi held up her hands in defense, "Please let me explain! There was a slight confusion! Soifon came to me for help! She isn't on Aizen's side, but there was—"
"Save it," Toshiro interrupted and raised his blade, "These are orders. Soifon's head is wanted for Central 46, and I don't have a say in the matter."
"Says who?!" Hugh scolded.
"Stop it!" Soifon cried and everyone looked at her, "Stop for just a moment! Yoruichi-sama isn't in this! Don't you dare take anything out on her! I swear, Hitsugaya, if you so much as harm a hair on her head I'm going to slit your throat!"
Yoruichi faced her, "Soifon, don't say that… I know you would never go that far…"
"You obviously don't know me well enough," Soifon reached into her vest pocket, "I don't want to hurt anyone, but it's in my veins as an assassin. I was born into a clan with their hands soaked in blood. You know I'm a killer, so I'm not afraid to hurt when need be."
"Soifon… That's not true…"
"Shut up," She hissed, and her hand retracted from her pocket, "The sound of your voice is getting on my nerves. Hugh!" The werewolf jumped back towards her as her arm came up into the air, "I'm sorry, Yoruichi-sama!" And chucked the small objects in her hand to the ground.
Gray clouds swirled about and blinded everyone. Yoruichi blinked into the smoke and heard Hitsugaya exclaim, "Hold you ground! It's just a couple of smoke bombs! It will clear!"
But when it did, the squad members—except for the captain and his lieutenant—were scattered around, their necks torn or slit open and still leaking blood. "Shit!" Matsumoto uttered under her breath with disbelief.
"A silent massacre, nothing too surprising for someone like Soifon~!" Urahara appeared with Tessai Tsukabishi beside him, "Wouldn't you agree, Yoruichi-san~?"
"She has been raised well…" The woman admitted, lowering her topaz-glazed eyes to the ground.
Hitsugaya gyrated around and tapped his finger against the intercom in his ear, "This is Hitsugaya, Toshiro, and Captain of the tenth division. We failed to capture the convict Soifon, and she killed my team… Alright, I understand." He switched it off, "Matsumoto! We are to return to Soul Society."
"Hai!" And she sheathed her Zanpakuto.
"…She's not a traitor…" Yoruichi uttered to herself, her soft voice carried on the wind, "I know she isn't… She can't be…"
"DAMMIT!" Bang. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Bang. Soifon punched the wall again and again like a never ending sparring match, her fist leaving gaping craters with every blow.
Hugh's ear folded back against his head. He busied himself with licking the crimson from his lips, his stomach churning with each repulsive lap of tangy blood. Soifon continued to take her fury out on the wall, unaware of the presence lurking down the hall.
The Werewolf ignored the familiar figure and licked the small splatter of red from Soifon's cheek, quickly backing away when her raging came to an abrupt halt. "Um…" The voice cleared his throat, "Hey, Soifon… Is… everything alright?"
"Go away, Ggio."
"It doesn't help if you won't tell me what's going on that's making you so upset."
"It's nothing," She managed past her swelling throat. Tears slid down her face and dripped off her chin; her body quivered as she tried not to scream with the frustration and hate built up inside her heart.
"…If it's about what happened before, I'm—"
"It's not that!" She was at her breaking point, "It's never been about you! You did nothing wrong, Ggio!" You saved me, bastard. I found a friend in you, an ARRANCAR! You did EVERYTHING wrong…
He approached her and his hand came up to her shoulder. "Soifon, I…" His voice faltered and he expected her to pull away like she had done a few times before. Instead, she buried her face in his chest and screamed, his shirt muffling her voice.
His arms came up around her petite body, holding her close. "…If there's anything you need, just tell me… I'm your partner, so I have your back no matter what…"
Her legs collapsed and they slid to the floor, her crying silently dying with the stillness of the room. After a few minutes Hugh crept around and curled up behind them, letting Ggio lean back against his bulky body. "Don't get too comfortable," Hugh growled, "I'm only doing this for the woman."
"Yeah," Ggio chuckled, "I know."
Soifon's sobbing turned into heavy breathing, and after a short while it slowed to a steady beat. Ggio, despite himself, pressed a small kiss on her brow.
Barragan-sama had better not find me like this...
As an hour came and went, Findor noticed his King was starting to get agitated with the little evidence his Fraccion were finding pointing towards Redder's disappearance. "Where could he have possibly gone?" Carias muttered and pressed his hand to the wall, hoping to find some trace of Avirama's reiatsu.
There was a faint flicker. Oh, shit! Right behind him! He spun, but Redder's hand was already grasped around Findor's neck, "Sorry, pal, but you're in my way!"
And tossed him clear across the hall and through the opposite wall.
