Ch. 9: A Business Vacation

A week later, the residents of Karakura town saw a pretty new stranger walking through their streets. She appeared to be fascinated by strange things, such as pens and pencils, and often over paid for whatever she was trying to buy.

Suiren spent a day trying to find the shop Kyoraku had told her about. It was in the outskirts of the town, a shop anyone could have passed by. It was still early in the morning when she slid open the door which appeared to be have been left open. A little girl with pigtails was sweeping and looked up when Suiren stepped in. The little girl opened her mouth to say something but a red-headed boy beat her to it, "Hey, grandma, we're not open yet."

Suiren glanced at him, but decided to ignore him–he was even more of a brat than Hitsugaya when she had first met him. She kneeled down next to the little girl, "Could you get me the shop owner please? This is sort of important."

"You are Mizujin Suiren-dono?" a gigantic man asked from behind her. He had strange rectangular glasses and small braids. However, Suiren nodded.

"I am Tessai," the giant spoke. "Please come this way. The store manager is waiting for you."

Urahara Kisuke had not changed at all from the pictures, except now, he was wearing a strange green hat and his clothes were different.

"Ah...Mizujin-san, so nice to meet you!" Urahara welcomed her. "It's nice to have captains of Seireitei visit once a while."

Suiren smiled warmly and reached out to shake his hand, "Doozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu...Kisuke jii-san. You...heard of my arrival?"

"Ah, I heard from no one," Urahara corrected. "I have no connections to Seireitei. I'm sure you read that from the records."

Suiren thanked Tessai for the tea, but did not touch it–it was not jasmine, "And how did you know I found out from records about your banishment?"

Urahara tugged the brim of his hat a little lower, "I would have to assume so," he murmured. "I don't remember you from my days as a taichou."

Suiren laughed, "You're too kind, Kisuke jii-san. To purposely give me a little clue like that."

"You were very clever to catch my little slip," Urahara demurred. "Now, Mizujin-taichou. What can a lowly handsome, kindly, and slightly perverted shopkeeper do for you today? Would you like some shinigami equipment? Perhaps some soma so you can manipulate that gigai a little easier? A new battery for your pager?"

"Or perhaps some information directly from you or Shihouin-san?" Suiren asked. "I am very interested in your special gigai and the...hougyoku"

Urahara's pause was slight, barely noticeable to some, but Suiren caught it, "Mizujin-san, I have noooo idea what you're talking about! Sorry about that!"

"Would you have no idea even if I told you I believe someone may be after it?" Suiren asked quietly. "Someone who should really have no interest in it at all?"

Urahara glanced at her from his tea cup and finally set it down, "How would you know someone's after it?"

Suiren rolled the cup in between her hands with a small laugh, "I'm a nosy girl, Kisuke jii-san. I saw an interesting record someone was reading the other day and I decided to look at it too. Of course, I regretted it a little after that, but what's done is done right? You should know that best, Kisuke jii-san."

Urahara had lost his playful facade, "Mizujin-san, do you know what this may mean if you try and meddle too far into this? Even if you are a captain...this potential enemy we're talking about is dangerous. Do you know the conditions that must be met before hougyoku? If what you're saying is true, then it will be a race against everything to protect it."

"Ah," Suiren's face lightened back to her usual look. She laughed wanly, "That's the problem. I'm not really sure whether it's true. This potential enemy we're talking about...he's had about forty years to prepare. You've supposedly been out of touch with Soul Society for about forty years, and I've been a captain for about five years. If this person really is planning something strange, I need solid proof. And, no matter how much I respect you, Kisuke jii-san, Seireitei probably won't find a rookie captain and an exile's words very convincing compared to who we're thinking of going up against."

"Speaking of which," Urahara interrupted, "do you mind telling me the name of who we're going up against?"

Suiren looked at Urahara before dipping her finger in the cup of tea and writing out a name. A second later she wiped it away, "I'd prefer not take any chances. I believe this person may already suspect me of suspecting him."

"Also," Urahara added. "I'd like some solid proof as well. If you yourself aren't fully sure, what am I supposed to believe?"

Suiren's lips twitched into a smile, "I'm willing to use my life as bait. That's as far as I can go, Kisuke jii-san. Is it good enough for you?"

Urahara tugged the brim of his hat, "I believe it will do."

"Now," Suiren's face lightened. "I believe you can also do me a favor."

"Oh? What's that?" Urahara watched her cautiously.

"You probably keep in touch with Shihouin-san right? I'd like to meet her," Suiren leaned closer in, her eyes shining. "It would be a great honor for me to meet the goddess of flash, and, if possible, I'd like to get some lessons too."

A cat that been sitting beside Urahara stood up and yawned before hopping onto the table. Suiren's eyes were fastened on it, and her brow was slightly furrowed. Urahara glanced at the cat and then at Suiren before taking off his black coat and dropping it around the cat. In a flash, an attractive dark-skinned woman sat there, pulling the robe shut.

"Impressive," the woman said with a wide grin. Suiren could not help but notice how her canines were slightly longer than normal. "Most people don't even notice that I'm a little different."

Suiren leapt up and bowed deeply, "It's an honor to meet you, Shihouin-san!"

Yoruichi sat down with a thump, rubbing her loose black hair, "You called Kisuke by his first name. You can just call me Yoruichi."

Suiren sat back down, "I never actually thought I would have the chance to meet you. I asked Byakuya about you but he never really says much."

Yoruichi laughed, "Little Byakuya? He's all grown up now. Isn't he a captain?"

Suiren smiled and nodded, "He was my captain for a while before he made me try for the promotion."

"Kisuke, I want some milk," Yoruichi grinned at him before turning back to Suiren. "So, you want lessons in shunpo?"

"I'd love them," Suiren replied earnestly. "I learned some zanjutsu from Jushiro jii-san and Shunsui jii-san and some kido from Retsu sempai. Bya-kun helped me a lot with shunpo, but I wanted to complete the entire cycle and learn shunpo and hakuda from the goddess herself."

"My my," Urahara returned with the milk. "You know who to go to. Those are the best in Seireitei."

Suiren grinned, "I know. But, there's a problem with where to learn. I'd prefer not damaging anything in the material world because of my practice."

Yoruichi laughed, "I'm willing to help you train a little, so the training center won't be a problem, right, Kisuke?"

Urahara smiled, "Not at all. But how long is your vacation here, Mizujin-san?"

"Five days," Suiren answered. "I believe it's enough time for me to improve a little."

Yoruichi got up, "It should be enough time. Let's get started."

And so, Suiren discovered the underground training center beneath Urahara shoten. Her gigai was left in the dust as Suiren and Yoruichi began their training. After the first half hour, Suiren was throughly exhausted as they both paused to take a break.

"You're not bad," Yoruichi had changed her outfit. "People usually can't keep up this long. Byakuya certainly couldn't when I played shunpo tag with him. But, it might be easier for you to leave your zanpakuto on the ground while we're doing this."

Suiren shook her head as she poured water over her head. She had stripped off her white haori and changed into a sleeveless kimono, "Better training...to keep Tsunami on," she straightened with a determined glint in her eye. "Let's keep going."

"You sure?" Yoruichi bent down beside her. "It's ok to rest a little longer."

"I've got a time limit. I'm making the most of my time," Suiren grinned. "Let's get going, Yoruichi nee-san."

Yoruichi grinned, "That's what I like to hear."

Vocab: None...I think.

Well, now that the vocab's done, an important request I have for my wonderful readers! For those who have read this entire fanfic so far, please leave a review of what you think the ending is! It would not only provide me with a lot of fun of what the theories are, but it will also provide me with a lot of information of my writing style and whether the ending it too predictable or not. Either way, it'll help a lot! Thank you!

Now, chapter commentary. Of all the characters I think Suiren is most similar to, I think it would be Yoruichi. Yoruichi is incredibly loyal, friendly, but also has that secret side in which no one, but Urahara perhaps, knows exactly what she's thinking. I believe Suiren is also the same, she's loyal to her friends and division, friendly (too friendly to some), and even Byakuya doesn't know exactly what she's thinking sometimes. In terms of slacking off, I suppose that's why Suiren and Matsumoto are friends. So I hope it makes sense for why Yoruichi and Suiren immediately "hit it off." Suiren also feels a great deal of respect for Yoruichi and almost idolizes her (not as much as Soi Fong does though!) which is why Suiren addressed Yoruichi by her surname before Yoruichi gave her permission to use her first name. Of course, this definitely does not mean that she did not respect all the other people she addresses on a first name bases. She most likely addressed Ukitake, Shunsui, and Unohana by their last names the first few times before slipping into a first name basis. Suiren addressed Urahara on a first name basis mainly because of his own personality. He appears playful, in a "cat and mouse" sort of way, so Suiren decided to "play" too.

And also, this is takes place about a week after she gave Hitsugaya his present. So far, this fic has spanned over...almost 5 years. Suiren was counting the upcoming days because the time she's in Karakura is almost around the new year which would have marked a five year capitancy...give or take :)