The Shady Good-Luck Merchant

"I apologize, Miss," a muscle bound man with glasses and a distinguished mustache told Yoruichi as she slid open the door to the tiny shop. "But, we are regretfully closed."

Yoruichi said nothing.

"Miss..."

"It's alright, Tessai," a familiar voice said from behind the counter. "Could you give us a moment?"

"Of course, sir." The man called Tessai lifted a pile of boxes and took them into the back room.

Urahara Kisuke approached Yoruichi slowly.

"Yoruichi, I..."

Without a word, Yoruichi punched him as hard as she could across the face. He reeled backward, knocking over a shelf of trinkets.

"Well," Kisuke said as he stood up and wiped a trickle of blood from his lip. "I suppose that was no less than I deserved."

"Not even close."

"Yoruichi, I'm sorry, but you must understand..."

"Urahra Kisuke," Yoruichi said in an official-sounding voice. "I, Shihouin Yoruichi, 2nd Division Captain and Commander of the Keigun and Onimitsu Kidou, am here on direct orders from the Central 46. Specifically, I am to confiscate your Zanpakutou. In the event that you resist, I am...I am..." Tears began to run down her face. She wiped them away and breathed deep.

"I am to...execute you...in the name of Soul Society for the crimes of dissent, endangering activities, and the illegal passage between worlds."

Yoruichi took another deep breath and continued, still victim of her welling tears. "So...please, hand over your Zanpakutou; registered name, Benihime, Blood-Type. By relin...by relinquishing it, you acknowledge your guilt of the aforementioned crimes...and your permanent...and your permanent expulsion from Soul Society and the Gotei 13." By now she was openly sobbing.

"I do acknowledge them. My crimes and my banishment."

"Then hand over..."

"I can't do that."

"Kisuke..."

"I know that I was a disgrace to Soul Society even before I left, but to keep what I have created from getting out into the open and to find a way to destroy it, I need my Zanpakutou."

"Kisuke...please...I'm begging you..." Yoruichi placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Yoruichi, you and I both know that you can't fight me in the state you're in."

She drew her sword, raised it, then dropped it to the floor. She ran into Kisuke's arms and began sobbing hysterically.

"Why couldn't you have told me?" She asked him, already knowing what his answer would be. "Why did you leave without saying goodbye?"

Kisuke didn't answer.

"Kisuke, don't you see it? I loved you! Nothing you could have said or done would have ever changed that! But I can't forgive you for leaving me with nothing more than a letter! That's why I'm begging you: If you do, or ever did, love me, please just give me your Zanpakutou! I don't care if it means I'll never see you again, knowing that you're alive will be enough! Please, Kisuke!"

"I can't. This is serious Yoruichi. If what I think is true, then the Hogyouku must be either sealed away or destroyed. I can't do either without my Zanpakutou, and you know it."

Yoruichi lowered her head and stayed silent for several minutes.

"Then I'll stay," she finally whispered.

"What?" Kisuke asked, astonished.

"I'll stay," she said a little louder, moving away slightly so she could look him in the eye.

"Nobody knows I'm here..."

"Yoruichi..."

"...We can conceal our reiatsu..."

"I will not have you..."

"No one will know. If you can't hand over your Zanpakutou...if that thing you created really needs to be sealed up or destroyed...then I will stand by you and help see it done. If it's for the good of Soul Society, even if it just means I can be near you, I will stand by you even if it costs me my life."

Kisuke put his hands on Yoruichi's shoulders.

"Yoruichi. I do love you. Which is why I left and why I cannot let you stay."

"I don't recall asking for your permission," she replied, still misty from crying.

"Per...mission..."

"I'm officially labeling myself a dissenter and taking voluntary exile. Just like you. So if you think about it, there really can't be any more harm done by sticking around." Kisuke pondered this for a moment.

"And here I thought I was supposed to be the clever one."

"Everything I know about being clever I learned from you. Does that bother you?"

"No, I still have a few more tricks up my sleeve."

Yoruichi chuckled, then looked him in the eye.

"You're so shady, Kisuke."