Don't own Bleach

Utsumi and Yoruichi had walked through the forest behind the Sokyoku for a few hours now, they made furtive glances at each other. They didn't know what to say to each other. They both had the urge to talk about the kiss but they had both said to wait until after this is over. Utsumi and Yoruichi had the same thought, Who knew how long that would be. Their knuckles had brushed as they walked through the forest and they both felt the electric pass through them.

Yoruichi wanted to talk about it. She knew he wanted to talk about as well but had to stay focused on the task at hand. He knew where she stood and she knew where he stood the rest was just details that could be sorted out later. She would be happy with the glances and the touches until this is over. She knew that he'd survive she just hoped she got to see him afterwards, whether it is here or in the Soul Society it doesn't matter.

His mind was clear. Clearer than it had been for a while. He'd wondered how long she'd felt this way. He couldn't put a specific time that he fell for Yoruichi. It doesn't matter when, it just matters that he did. Since arriving in the Soul Society, all he'd wanted was a friend. He'd found it in Old Lady Kameyo but she was taken from him. He'd met Yoruichi through misfortune feeling as if he could no longer stay at the Soul Society. It was the most fortunate misfortune he'd suffered. Siegi no Torento seemed okay with it unless her ocean is disrupted she had said. He just needed to get through this first.

The forest was dense. The trees were tall and blocked out the sky. It was dark and hard to navigate through. He'd been relying on Yoruichi to guide them through the forest. It's new territory for him, he'd never been here before and he doesn't want to come back either. He felt like he was forgetting something and then it clicked, he doesn't have a cat on his shoulder, "Yoruichi shouldn't you be in cat form seeing as we aren't in the training grounds?" he asked, oddly missing the weight on his shoulder.

She just wanted to walk with Utsumi as herself and as his pet cat. Was that too much to ask? Yoruichi paused before answering, she didn't want to be a cat anymore. She wanted to be able to fight by Utsumi's side but he was right. She sighed dramatically, "You're right. If things get too much I'm transforming and helping out." she said smirking.

Knowing that he had someone as talented and strong as Yoruichi watching his back made him feel a lot more secure and confident in going into battles and taking on the Soul Society. Utsumi nodded, "I expect nothing less." he said.

With one last look at Utsumi, in her human form, Yoruichi transformed and hopped up on Utsumi's shoulder and nuzzled his neck and face before getting comfortable and navigating for Utsumi to get them out of the forest. If she was honest with herself, she rather liked sitting Utsumi's shoulder. It was a nice change of pace from walking beside him. She'd preferred this way to get around in cat form.

The plan has been put together, the idea is simple. Persuade Tousen to sell Aizen out. Utsumi didn't know how trying to reason with Tousen was going to go, he expects to receive the same welcome he'd gotten from Tsukino, attack on sight. Those are the orders of Head Captain Yammomoto after all. He'd thought there must have been someone else who had suspected Aizen. Not everyone in this place could have been so blind as to fall for the stories that were told. It's things like this that make him wonder if the Soul Society is worth saving. The he thinks about the good that the majority of the Shinigami do, looking after the souls in the Rukongai, helping souls reach the Soul Society in the first place. The Soul Society was worth preserving if not for the Shinigami themselves then the souls that need them.

The silence may have been comfortable for some, it became too much as Yoruichi noticed Utsumi was walking almost on auto-pilot. He's been quiet again, he's getting lost in his mind again she mused. She nudged his face with hers as she was on his level. "Hey, talk to me, what's going on in that brain of yours?" she asked.

He could never understand how she could read him so well, She knows me too well he mused. Utsumi reached up and tickled Yoruichi behind the ears, "You're too smart for your own good. Just thinking about the Soul Society. If I succeed in helping to expose the real traitors, what am I actually changing? There will always be traitors. Am I saving the Soul Society or am I prolonging the inevitable?" he asked

Yoruichi knew where he was coming from but she couldn't understand what has caused this sudden lack of belief in his cause, "I guess we'll have to wait and see. There is no way to know the future, but I can say that I will always be here if you need me." She said nudging his face, "We should be nearly there. I think." she mentioned.

Utsumi frowned, "You think? I've followed you and you only 'think' we're nearly there? What if we're lost?" he said

Knowing that her plan worked and it distracted him from getting lost in his thoughts again, Yoruichi laughed, "We're fine, I know exactly where we are. We should be coming up to the edge of the forest shortly." she said confidently.

Her partner nodded, still unsure of where they were exactly. "Well lead the way." he said teasingly before growing serious, "Thank you for being here, Yoruichi." He didn't know how he would have done had she not arrived. Had it been as simple as finding Aizen and bringing him to justice he'd been fine, but with how complicated it's become with proving he's guilty or finding someone to verify Urahara's story, he's just glad she decided to follow him.

The fact that he'd felt like he had to thank her, bothered her. He should know that she wanted to be here for him, Yoruichi frowned, where did he think she'd be? She wanted to be here. "Nowhere I'd rather be." She said.

They saw beams of light through the trees and they knew that they were at the exit. Utsumi now had to prepare himself to meet Tousen. Utsumi didn't know much about Tousen except for the fact he was Aizen's puppet. Utsumi had seen Tousen a few times but had never had any interaction with him. Tousen thought he was better than most people, it's one reason Utsumi didn't like the man. Utsumi had heard stories of his Zanpakuto, the rumors were frightening. Utsumi just hopes the stories aren't true. He hoped that he could reason with him, however he prepared himself to have to fight him.

They exit the forest and find a storage room to hideout in. They need to find Tousen but they also need to avoid needless battles against low ranking Shinigami. Utsumi bundled into the storage room with Yoruichi, They'd made it to the Squad 9 area. He hopes that Tousen is here alone. He doesn't need any collateral damage on his conscience. He planned to confront Tousen, He'd try to lead the fight away but it's not really up to him. If Tousen attacks him there then he'd have no choice, however if he offers to move the fight then he'd do it.

Yoruichi knew the next battle was going to be key. If it could be kept to Utsumi reasoning with him to come clean, then things will go their way however if they end up fighting and Utsumi is forced to use Bankai, then the Reiatsu would raise alarms and the Captains will be brought into play. That was something that they wanted to avoid. She hopes that can continue to avoid doing battle with the Captains. She believed Utsumi could defeat them, however it would put him at risk and that is something that she couldn't live with. That was one the reasons she was here, to keep Utsumi safe and she won't fail him.