Author's Note: As much as I try to make longer chapters, I just seem to be unable to. Well, I hope you're okay with reading short chapters like this! I'll try to make up for it by updating often.
General Note: Please excuse any grammar mistakes, I have proofread this chapter and attempted to fix up any mistakes. Also, please excuse any other mistakes you may find. I appreciate any comments. Thank you so much for reading this! Please enjoy!
"You say his headquarters are here, Tomomi?" Suì-Fēng interrogated a woman not much taller than herself, holding Suzumebachi to her throat. They were crouched down, hidden in thick shrubbery next to a huge cliff, where human influence on the cliff was only detectable through a set of doors, which looked much like the doors of a Senkaimon. Two guards stood on either side of the door.
"Yeah, here's the spot, Captain Suì-Fēng. Still, I don't know how you plan to get past the guards. After all, the guards are highly trained Shinigami." Tomomi whispered back.
"The guards shouldn't be a problem." Suì-Fēng brushed off Tomomi's cautions. "The problem is what to do afterwards. It won't be long before the guards change shifts, and that's when our cover will be blown. It would be far easier if I infiltrated the building by myself, Tomomi."
"No, Captain Suì-Fēng, I wish to come anyways. If it comes down to it, you may abandon me and save yourself." Tomomi demanded, her eyes full of determination, not wavering one bit under Suì-Fēng's stern gaze.
"Very well. But if you come, you must be prepared to throw your life away. I won't hesitate to kill you if you turn against me, or if you become dead weight. Anything that is not firmly planted in your beliefs is the enemy." Suì-Fēng warned Tomomi, but she seemed determined all the same.
"I can't risk anything going wrong on this mission. I'm going in, Captain Suì-Fēng." Tomomi explained, her voice brimming with conviction, leaving Suì-Fēng rather taken aback.
"I warned you." Suì-Fēng cautioned Tomomi for the final time. "Sting All Enemies to Death, Suzumebachi!" Suì-Fēng released Suzumebachi's Shikai before vanishing. A second later, both guards vanished into thin air, leaving only two hornet's crests in the air for a few seconds, before fading away. "Let's go, Tomomi." Tomomi seemed rather astonished, despite it being one of Suì-Fēng's favorite and possibly most famous moves, "Death in Two Steps".
"Eh? Right, coming!" Tomomi rose up from the bushes, albeit clumsily to the point that she tripped upon her rising as Suì-Fēng smashed open the doors with a well-placed kick.
"Hurry up, Tomomi. Time is of the essence!" Suì-Fēng commanded Tomomi as she stumbled towards the door.
"O-okay!" Tomomi stuttered as she ran towards the entrance. The hallway within was rather dark, lit up only by the occasional candle along the hallway. Suì-Fēng darted into the corridor at once, closely followed by Tomomi, though she seemed to have trouble keeping up with Suì-Fēng's incredible speed.
"This is an urgent matter, Tomomi! Hustle!" Suì-Fēng called back into the hallway, easily navigating the maze-like hallways even at her high speed.
"Captain Suì-Fēng! Don't worry about me! I'll catch up! Keep going!" Tomomi replied, her breathing heavy.
"Very well, To – Tomomi, turn around!" Suì-Fēng shrieked desperately at Tomomi, who had barely registered what Suì-Fēng had said before she felt a major impact from behind and everything went black.