Ladies and Gentlemen, we are back to giving you yet another chapter. I hope that you all thoroughly enjoy it! No need to waste time, let's get onto it.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and Shounen jump. Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and Weekly Shounen Magazine. I own NOTHING. This is all just for fun!
"Yoruichi!" Erza cried, but the ex-commander was already moving, a dark blur across the room. She caught the Kasumiouji clan head by the waist, yanking her away at the last second, tumbling back onto the floor with her arms tightly wrapped around the child. Erza, running toward the both of them with Momo in tow, thought she saw a haze in the air just as Yoruichi grabbed Rurichiyo, a spark of some kind. She really had gotten there just in time.
"What—how dare you!" Rurichiyo cried out angrily. "Unhand me at once, commoner!"
"First of all," said Yoruichi, letting go of Rurichiyo, "I'm not actually a commoner, however much I wish I was. Second of all, I just saved your life. How about, 'Thank you very much, Miss Yoruichi'?"
"…What?" said Rurichiyo, confusion seeping into her angered tone.
"Clan head Kasumiouji Rurichiyo," said Erza, trying to weave some semblance of politeness into her urgent tone, "I am Captain Erza Scarlet, Fifth Division of the Gotei Thirteen. Somebody tried to have you assassinated just now."
"Erza Scarlet?" said Rurichiyo, her eyes widening. Quickly, she got to her feet. "The Erza Scarlet?"
"Er, yes?"
Rurichiyo looked at her in awe.
"You've got the shining armour and everything. And the long, beautiful red hair… I thought for sure some of the stories were made up, but you're… pretty cool."
She blinked, then looked toward her seat.
"Wait… did you just say somebody tried to kill me?"
"Momo?" said Erza.
"It's a specialized kido," said Momo. "A rune, set to trigger whenever pressure is exerted on it. Like say, the pressure of sitting down on a chair. Do you usually sit here?"
"…Every day," Rurichiyo replied. "It's like… it's not officially my seat, but it kind of is my seat. You know?"
Momo nodded. "Let me show you." She whispered an incantation under her breath, weaved her hands in a quick pattern, and suddenly there was a discharge of lightning from the chair. It was visible only for a couple seconds before burning out, and it left no visible trace when gone. The clan head's eyes widened.
"It would have discharged a lot of lightning energy very quickly, and fairly quietly. It would not have been noticed until somebody came to check on you. It… it probably couldn't kill a stronger shinigami, but it seems to have been more than enough to kill somebody with your level of spiritual energy."
"Oh my god," Rurichiyo said, her eyes going even wider. "Who—why—what is going on?"
"We're here to figure that out," said Erza firmly, trying to sound reassuring. "Yoruichi, go get the Stealth Corps. I want this to be under shinigami jurisdiction, the sooner the better."
"On it," Yoruichi said with a nod. There was a rush of air, papers fluttering through the air as she took off in a flash.
"Momo, find out as much as you can about the spell. I want you to get as much in detail as possible," Erza continued.
"Understood," Momo said, kneeling down and beginning some kind of arcane ritual—preserving the traces, Erza assumed.
"And you, Miss Kasumiouji," Erza said, kneeling down, "you're safe. I won't let anything happen to you. Okay?"
"Okay," Rurichiyo said nervously, nodding. "I just… I don't get who would want to kill me?"
Erza had some ideas, but it wasn't her place to start putting ideas in the child's mind. "That's what we're going to figure out," she said reassuringly, gently patting the young clan head on the shoulder. "Until then, I'm going to look after you. It'll be like an adventure."
"Don't condescend me," Rurichiyo muttered sullenly.
"Young lady, adventures are terrifying and likely to get you killed. Trust me, it's not condescending to be part of one. But maybe, years from now, it'll turn out to be a cool memory." Erza said firmly.
She hadn't been sure what to say exactly, but it seemed to do the trick. Rurichiyo's expression brightened a little, and she nodded.
"…So, if you're looking after me, could you tell me about some of your adventures?"
"I'm not sure if—" Erza started, but Rurichiyo put a hand to her head, and said,
"Goodness me, I'm just so terrified, I'm not sure I'll make it."
"That's manipulation," Erza grumbled.
"Is it working?" Rurichiyo said cheekily.
"…Until the corps gets here," Erza agreed, reluctantly. It couldn't hurt to get in her good graces, could it?
It did not take long for the Stealth Corps to arrive, Yoruichi in tow. To Erza's surprise, Soifon had come personally, leading what looked like a full platoon of masked operatives. Relieved to take a break from her war stories—children had such a vicious interest in violence, it seemed—Erza stood up as Soifon approached, her team falling out in smooth coordination, half of them starting a sweep of the building. Erza envied the discipline of it a little; all Soifon had had to do was point a few directions and give a few hand signs, and every single member of her team seemed to know what to do instantly. With a few securing the doors, and two kneeling by the chair—kido experts, Erza assumed—Soifon approached Erza and Rurichiyo. She gave the young clan head a curt bow, then righted herself.
"Lady Kasumiouji, are you well?" she said, her tone sternly neutral.
"Oh, yes," said Rurichiyo, nodding enthusiastically. "Erza swooped in at the last second to save me. I can call you Erza, right?"
"Sure, no problem," Erza replied. "Technically that was Yoruichi doing the swooping. We were just lucky to come in when we did. Another few seconds…"
"Lady Kasumiouji, we are taking this attempt very seriously," Soifon said. "At this time, we have to assume that somebody with close knowledge of your day-to-day habits, and with access to sophisticated kido, is attempting to have you killed. The Stealth Corps is formally opening an investigation into this matter. With respect, I suggest you surrender yourself into Gotei custody for the near future, until you can be safeguarded from further attempts on your life."
"…Can it be Fifth Division?" said Rurichiyo hopefully. Soifon gave Erza a look. Erza shrugged, giving a surprised look.
"…Yeah, sure. I'll see what I can do."
It put her in a bind. She had a lot on her plate on top of the constant, never ending workload; the political overtures were already taxing her. Babysitting a child on top of that…?
But, it was an important child. It wasn't like she would get nothing out of it.
"I'll provide a safe location," said Soifon. "No offence to Fifth, but we specialize in this kind of thing."
"That's great," said Erza, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'll make sure to have guards posted."
"I'll take care of it," said Momo, just now approaching the group. "We're just wrapping up the kido investigation. I'll be cooperating with the Corps on this. Once I'm done, I'll personally look after her."
"Yay!" Rurichiyo exclaimed, her fists punching the air with exuberance. "Finally! I've wanted to get out of the house since, like, forever. Will you come visit every day, Captain Scarlet?"
"I promise," Erza said, but behind her smile she felt a sinking feeling. It had been some time since she had looked after a child, and time was always a precious resource.
"Clan head, if you would follow these operatives?" said Soifon, and at the quick gesture of a hand, two imposing men in all black hurried up, standing to attention before their captain. "We will need to take a statement from you about this, but I need to confer with my colleague first."
"Oooh, exciting," said Rurichiyo. "It's so cloak and dagger. Do you guys have cloaks and daggers? I bet you do."
"They have daggers, at least," Erza said under her breath.
As Rurichiyo let herself get ushered away to be questioned, Soifon turned to Erza and Momo.
"Well, that's a fine mess you've gotten yourself into," she muttered.
"Yeah, I've got a talent for that. I'm surprised you took charge personally," said Erza.
"Let's make one thing clear," said Soifon sharply. "Even with a smaller clan like the Kasumioujis, this is inevitably going to get political. It will be a delicate situation. I have to be in charge of situations like this. To that end, I need you both to say not a single word about this to anyone outside this room—not to your colleagues, or your subordinates, and especially not to any snooping nobles or their agents. These kinds of situations can get very messy, and you were right to alert us—but I need you both to promise me you'll leave this to me and me alone."
"Alright… sure," said Erza, blinking. She had not expected her friend to get so intense—but then again, Soifon would know better. She had grown up noble, after all, even if as a member of a servant family. Maybe that gave her better perspective than anyone.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with your new initiative?" said Soifon suspiciously.
"You know, huh?" said Erza.
"I know what every captain ate for breakfast this morning," said Soifon dismissively. "I have eyes and ears everywhere. It's my job. So, yes, I know what you're doing. You do you, I guess, even if it is a pit of vipers."
"People keep telling me that," Erza muttered.
"Because it's true. Answer the question," Soifon said bluntly. After a pause, she added, "Please."
"…I don't think it is related," said Erza, wracking her brain. "It could be? But, not as far as I know."
Soifon nodded. "Good enough for me. We'll work out the details of the clan head's confinement later. I don't usually collaborate, but I'm honestly glad to foist her off on you: I never liked these people much, and I have a hard time faking it."
Erza nodded. "Don't worry. We'll take care of it."
"You know," said Soifon, her eyes narrowing, "if this had been planned, you could not have asked for a better result. A young, impressionable clan head, saved by the great war hero who just so happens to have a political agenda that involves her. She likes you now. Play your cards right, and you will have a guaranteed vote."
"Soifon, you know—you know I'd never do something like that," Erza said, appalled.
"No. Your lack of guile, as much of a handicap as it is in politics, serves you well here. Although, I would not put it past Yoruichi."
"You don't think…"
"No," Soifon sighed. "Spend enough time being a commander, and you see plots everywhere. But, although I believe you, the nobles around here might suspect that's what happened. Factor that into your operations going forward."
"…Noted," Erza said, a little shocked at the implications. Now that she thought about it, that made sense… if only she were the least bit conniving.
Settling things with the Stealth Corps happened in quick order. The Royal Library was locked down for hours and scoured for criminals, whereas the entire room where it had happened was gone over with a fine comb. Erza escorted Rurichiyo to a safe house outside the Gotei proper: a small, unassuming house that, on the inside, turned out to be a miniature fortress. Having left Momo there, are promised, Erza returned to her division. Just as she approached it, she saw Rukia moving through the streets—on some errand, no doubt.
"Oh, hello," said Rukia, stopping for a second. "Busy?"
"Always," Erza said, rolling her eyes. "How's vice-captaincy treating you?"
"…Busy," said Rukia with a small smile. "Very busy. But… I'm keeping afloat."
"That's all you can do most of the time, yeah," Erza said, nodding approvingly. "I kind of want to believe it will go back to normal eventually, because it was not this hectic before the war, but sometimes I wonder…"
Rukia shook her head. "You never really know until you're in charge, do you? The sheer amount of work you have to do… and I haven't even had to make any of those infamous hard calls yet."
"Yup," said Erza, nodding enthusiastically. "Yeah, consider yourself lucky on that last part, because it will come."
"I don't doubt it," Rukia sighed. "But, it's not like I hate it, you know? I feel exhausted all the time, but… it also feels kind of good. Having people look up to you. Being relied on."
"It's a burden, but sometimes it's a good burden to have," Erza agreed. "Responsibility isn't all doom and gloom."
Rukia nodded thoughtfully. "So… I hear you're trying your hand at politics."
"Who hasn't heard of my thing at this point?" Erza muttered. "It's been, what, two days? Not even that?"
"Well… in this case, my brother filled me in on the subject," Rukia replied. Erza raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't know he talked clan business with you. Look at you, moving up in the world."
"Well…" Rukia leaned in, her tone suddenly turning quiet and conspiratorial. "He's… he's going to name me heir soon. I'm um, sort of being groomed for that kind of thing now."
"Heir?" said Erza, genuinely surprised. "You? I mean—I think you're a great pick, but I figured your clan wouldn't…"
"My brother says he is the clan, and he's not entirely wrong there," said Rukia. Her expression was strange; excited and a little apprehensive at the same time. "He's making sure to build support for me, and…"
She trailed off.
"And I thought I had the bigger responsibility," Erza murmured. "I don't envy you, but… he's right to believe in you. You're a good officer, and you'll be a great leader one day."
"Thanks," said Rukia, smiling uncertainly.
"It's actually kind of a shame you're not clan head right now."
"Why's that?"
"Your brother turned me down for the proposal I'm working on," Erza sighed. "In this big world of favours and trades, his support would have counted for a lot."
"Well…" Rukia said, seeming to think for a second, "there is a reception for the clan this weekend. My brother is to announce my position then. I could get you an invitation, I'm sure. Delegates from all the other major clans will be there as well. If you try to make you case in a formal setting, maybe?"
"No offense, but your brother is not exactly the flexible type," Erza murmured. "He has changed, for the better, but I doubt me saying the same thing again would change his mind."
"Well, you always try, right? And if nothing else, I'd like to have you there. Renji will come, and even Ichigo is showing up."
Erza raised an eyebrow. Ichigo, at a formal event?
"Yeah, you're right: you always try," she sighed. "I'll be there. Can I bring Momo?"
"I'll make sure of it," Rukia said, nodding enthusiastically. "This could be a good opportunity for you. You could get to know the important people of the clans, maybe sweet talk them a little…"
"Yeah, because I'm such a sweet talker…" Erza grumbled. "No, don't worry—I'll be there. See you Saturday, then?"
"You'll get the invitation soon," Rukia promised.
Soifon walked unhurriedly toward the unassuming house where her family lived. Unassuming by noble standards, at least; it might not have had a wall around the property, a compound, or any ostentatious decorations outwardly, but compared to the barracks of the Stealth Corps it was still quite luxurious. Practical, of course, but wealth and privilege had reflected on her family for generations, servants or not. She took her time walking. She could have been there in less than a minute with her speed if she wanted to, but with the excuse of clan business, she took the time to walk, one step at a time, walk and think.
She hadn't been here for… months? No, years. At least two, now. Where did time go? She could easily blame work, and normally that would be true: Soifon worked harder and pulled longer hours than most captains; in fact, she had handled the current crisis better than almost anyone because of it. But, if she was honest with herself, which was still fairly new to her, it was because she hadn't wanted to come back. She wasn't welcome there, wasn't appreciated or liked, and the feeling was mutual. Her family resented her, and she resented it.
But, right now her sense of duty and her reason compelled her. She walked, and lost in thought, she remembered.
It had been twenty years since Yoruichi had left. Twenty hard years of deep anger, hurt, and rage. Soifon, already a hard worker, had thrown herself into her training with a deep seated hate burning in her chest. She had grown up and had gained a good bit of stature, both physically and metaphorically. She had taken one dangerous mission after another, and where others had died, she had survived. She had been beaten and injured many times, but she had always gotten up. Simply by surviving, she advanced herself; such was the nature of the Stealth Corps. But, merely advancing hadn't been enough for Soifon. She put her every waking hour not spent on mission into training, and she had excelled.
So, she had climbed the joint ranks of the Corps and Second Division, from seventeenth to twelfth to ninth seat, until she finally held the vaunted third seat position, in charge of the Gotei's greatest jail facility. The position was not in itself to her liking, being quieter and less intensive, but it was important for anyone looking to make a career. If one could handle such a responsibility, one was the kind of person who could be considered for higher leadership.
Twenty years older, taller, stronger and more focused than ever, she already had an illustrious career in the making. She had led missions, lost whole teams, and killed more targets than anyone else her age. There were whispers in the corps that she was a real go-getter, a hardass, a real bitch. It was half insult, half compliment, but Soifon never cared one way or the other. The corps was a meritocracy, and she had climbed toward the top the hard way. What anyone else thought was irrelevant.
Then political realities had caught up. The Shihoins always did have deep ties in the Stealth Corps, and Second Division was practically their property. It was a tradition that traced back to the very founding of the Gotei, and a hold on power that the clan was loath to give up. For twenty years, the division had gone without a captain—an almost unprecedented amount of time—while Omaeda Marenoshin, whose clan had always been a loyal ally, ran the division. The position of head of the corps had likewise been empty all this time, ruled over by a council of veterans. These crucial positions, left open so that a Shihoin could fill them.
Shihoin Yuushirou had been too young and inexperienced to be a qualified leader—at least that much credit had to be given; the Shihoins understood the subordinates would never respect a half-baked child of a captain—but with twenty years of intensive training, he had finally begun to approach something viable, at least in terms of strength.
It had not been welcomed when Soifon announced her intent to seek the position of Stealth Corps head. It had been considered—the council running the position had recommended her, and on paper she was a good fit. She was capable and strong, she had real experience, and her house was directly subordinate to the Shihoin. They would be giving up nothing.
But, in the end the idea of giving up any amount of power, after the tremendous loss of influence following Yoruichi's defection, was too much. When Soifon offered a duel for the position, an almost childishly simple solution to such an important matter, they had accepted. They assumed it would be her way of stepping back without losing face, their superior heir beating the upstart who overstepped.
How wrong they had been.
Soifon sized up her opponent. The duel was held in Second Division's training quarters, and hundreds of eyes were on them now. The nobility held the front rows, of course, but anyone not out on mission or on guard duty had found an excuse to be here. Why wouldn't they? This would be the introduction of their future captain. It might even feature an over-ambitious go-getter bitch getting humbled. Entertainment like that could not be missed.
Soifon would only think of that after the fact. There and then, she thought to herself that this had to mean they hadn't done their homework. They were confident, too confident, in the superiority of their candidate. They had not studied her, had not properly assessed her own capabilities. They had doubtless studied the fighting styles of her family, but Soifon had studied theirs harder.
Yuushiro took a stance. He looked the part at least, wearing the slim-fitting black of the corps, only his head unobscured. A wave of hate rushed over Soifon as she saw him; he looked so much like her—
She calmed herself. She put that aside. She had a goal, here and now, and she would not lose this one chance. Not for anything.
Both fighters ready, the judge made the call for the spar to begin. Yuushirou immediately lunged, a series of quick jabs putting Soifon on the defensive. The rules were simple: three rounds. Anyone who was taken out of commission lost immediately. Beyond that, anything went. This was meant to ape real combat, with as few restrictions as possible.
Soifon fluidly evaded his strikes, and she could hear the Shihoin delegation—and many of the common soldiers—cheering for him. She put it aside, like she did everything else. She patiently waited, making sure to always be where he was not, and then suddenly it was over. There was a collective gasp: one moment Yuushirou was on the offensive, and the next he was face down on one of the training mats. It had been so… simple. She had found an opening, kicked him in the knee to unbalance him, and struck him in the jaw to knock him down. Before he could recover, her foot had come down on his neck.
The judge called out, raising a hand.
"First round: Soifon!"
Yuushirou rubbed his face, making ready as they once again separated, taking their stances. This had been too easy. Any capable martial artist would understand what had happened, but the nobles, the soldiers? To them, this looked like a fluke. She had to show off. She had to demonstrate, beyond all doubt, that she was better. That made it harder—she preferred to just end things quickly and efficiently.
Well, nothing for it.
Yuushirou was more cautious the second round, dancing around, sending little testing jabs her way without committing. She waited, bided her time, until the men of his clan started jeering him for being too slow to act, cowardly.
The first jab caught him straight in the face, and he only barely recovered from the follow-up kick to his stomach, rolling up to his feet. Coughing, he assumed a stance again, half bent. Soifon lashed out in a rapid attack pattern, pressing her advantage, hammering it home.
Come on,she thought, take the bait. Counter.
Before long, her prayers were answered. Her rapid punches were answered by a hard kick, aimed at her head, sailing smoothly through her guard. It might have cost her the round, if she hadn't been completely ready for it. Angling her head back to minimize the blow, her arms shot up and grabbed him by the ankle. She twisted hard, and flipped him onto his back. Yuushirou cried out in surprise, losing his balance entirely. It would have been the easiest thing in the way to go for a brutal finishing kick, but…
Beyond all doubt.
Soifon took a step back, bowed, and allowed him to stand back up before taking a stance. Not only did it show proper defence and humility according to her clan's subordinate status, but it made him look weak. There were cries from the audience of 'get up', 'you can do it': all kinds of sentimental nonsense. If this were one of the old stories, this was where he would find it in himself to draw on some hidden strength, or pull out some secret technique to end it all in one strike.
But, this was reality, not a story, and things played out painfully predictably.
Yuushirou tried to take the offensive, but Soifon dodged with ease, landing strike after strike, slipping through his increasingly weak guard. When Yuushirou was staggering, barely standing, only then did Soifon land a violent roundhouse kick to his jaw, knocking him out instantly.
There was a moment of absolute silence. One could have heard a pin drop. Then, in absolute disbelief, the judge called out:
"Second round, Soifon. Victory, Soifon!"
His voice was shaky and weak, and immediately the crowd erupted into deafening noise, cheers and jeers mixing into a cacophony.
Soifon felt dazed when she stepped into the back room, like she had just gone through a dream. Only the distant calamity of the still shouting crowd reminded her that yes, she had just soundly beaten the Shihoin clan head in front of his entire family, the Stealth Corps, and most of Second Division.
It had been easy. Yuushirou was good; hand to hand, she'd rate him above almost any officer in second. He was of strong stock and had been trained well. He just wasn't good enough.
She had beaten Yoruichi's successor, and it had been easy.
"Soifon."
It was no mistaking the acidic tone. Her grandmother, pipe in hand and wearing the fineries of the Feng clan, had stepped inside to talk to her. No—to talk at her. Soifon knew that tone all too well. Her parents were long gone, it was her grandmother who had run the clan since, and Yua Feng had never failed to remind Soifon just how much rested upon her. Considering what had just happened, the clan head was quite well composed, but Soifon knew the little signs. The slight tremble of the fingers holding the pipe, the little bob of her head as she walked, the hint of sharpness in her tone…
She was furious.
"Grandmother," she replied, stone-faced.
"Explain yourself," she demanded. "You have ten seconds."
"I defeated an inferior opponent in order to claim the Stealth Corps, by right of skill, as is our way. The rest is self-evident."
Soifon was boiling with emotion inside, however much she composed herself outwardly. Her entire life she had lived in her grandmother's shadow, and never once had she dared defy her. Now she had done so, brazenly and openly.
Her grandmother took a step closer, and so quickly that only Soifon could have tracked it, she slapped her granddaughter across the face. Soifon took the hit quietly, fists balled.
"You have the nerve," she hissed, "to embarrass the Shihoins—our patrons!—in front of everyone, and that is all you have to say to me?"
"My entire life, you taught me only the way of the corps," said Soifon quietly. "That only strength matters. That only merit matters. That only the best, the fastest, the most cunning, and the strongest survive, and only those who earn it by blood may command. I have earned it by blood, grandmother. I have spent twenty years fighting, learning the hard way what mistakes feel like. I have trained myself to the utmost. I have earned this, and he hasn't. All my life, you told me only the best of the best deserve command—but with the Shihoins, suddenly those weaker than us are fit to command? Which is it, grandmother? You can only choose one. So, choose: the principles our clan is built upon, or the Shihoin."
Once again Yua's hand surged forward with the speed of a striking serpent to slap her, but this time Soifon's hand moved up with equal speed, grabbing her by the wrist.
"How dare you—" snarled her grandmother, trying to tug her hand free, but Soifon's grip was like a steel trap.
"I said choose," Soifon said firmly.
"Our purpose is to serve, you foolish little girl!" hissed Yua, trying in vain to pull herself free. "We exist to serve the Shihoin!"
"And, look where that got us. One Feng after another bled and killed, reaping no rewards but shared disgrace."
"Service is its own reward, you ungrateful bitch!"
"I lost my mother and father before I was old enough to walk," Soifon said, a quiet fury in her voice. "I lost three brothers. I can make my peace with that. Such is service to the corps. But, I cannot make my peace with serving a lesser man. You spit on their memories when you bow to them, grandmother."
"There are political considerations at play that you have no idea about!" Yua screeched, and there was a sadistic, angry part of Soifon that enjoyed watching her lose her composure. "I am your grandmother and clan head, and you will let go of me. That is an order!"
Not obeying just yet, Soifon held on. She squeezed hard, then let the hand go. Yua cradled her arm, giving Soifon a look in between outraged and fearful.
"I have surpassed you all," she said, her voice emotionless, cold. "I have surpassed every member of my clan, grandmother. Including you. I will take the seat of head of the Stealth Corps. How could they not grant it to me, after such a public disgrace? It is mine now."
"You will bring down the wrath of the whole Shihoin clan on us!" hissed Yua.
"You don't know the half of it," said Soifon darkly. "I have achieved bankai, grandmother. When I seek to become head of the corps, I will also seek to become captain of Second Division."
"You—" Yua gasped. "You can't be serious."
"You didn't realize that, did you?" said Soifon, a little triumphant glee leaking through her cold façade. "You always prided yourself on keeping tabs on our family's best talents, but even you underestimated me. I will be head and captain both, grandmother. I would like to see revered Yamamoto find a more qualified candidate."
"I—I forbid it!" Yua screamed, pointing angrily. "As your clan head, I forbid you!"
"Then try and stop me," said Soifon flatly. "I am sure the Shihoins will love the public scandal of suppressing a more capable candidate. And, believe me, I will not keep this under wraps. You can't stop me, grandmother. I will be captain, and when I am, I will not be beholden to you, or to the Shihoin. I will know no authority other than the Gotei itself."
"You would ruin everything our clan is built on, and for what?" snarled Yua, sounding desperate. "Because the one you were meant to protect defected? You would ruin both us and the Shihoins over one traitor?"
"I will only apply what you taught me, grandmother. I still believe in service, and in sacrifice. I believe in our laws, traditions, and customs. I believe that as shinigami, we stand for a greater justice and purpose. But, there will be no room for incompetence. Those fit for their station will remain. Those who are not will be demoted or fired. I will change this institution for the better. I will make it what it always should have been. If that means one family suffers a setback, who cares? It is a small price to pay."
"It is your own family, Soifon! What is wrong with you, child? You're ruining all we've ever lived for!"
"It's like you always taught me, grandmother. We live to sacrifice, and if we all die doing it, we can die happy, knowing we've fulfilled our purpose."
And just like that, Soifon walked away, heedless of the curses and pleas of her grandmother.
The shock and horror in her grandmother's face, having her own tenets, her own words thrown into her face, would stay with Soifon forever. She doubted, of course, but the satisfaction she gained from it had not been insignificant.
And that's how it had ended—or rather, that's how it had begun.
Once she had been duly appointed—as expected, Yamamoto had not objected; the seat had been vacant for too long and internal politics could not stop him—Soifon had consolidated her power and set to work. She had rewritten the rulebook for the Stealth Corps: literally, she wrote a set of regulations to be memorized and followed to the letter, with only as much leeway as one could reasonably expect a field operative to have. Those who could not recite it after two months had been dismissed.
Then she had set about purging the Shihoin. Not in terms of murdering them; even she had her limits in how far she was willing to go. But, any Shihoin within the corps, or the wider division itself, who fell short of their position even slightly was either demoted, re-assigned somewhere they could never advance themselves, transferred to another division, or simply fired. Within months, the dozens strong Shihoin presence in the corps had been cut down to a handful of people, too useful to be fired and too careful to antagonize her. Them, she let be. Those who could make themselves useful stayed. The meritocratic ethos of the corps had been implemented to its logical extreme; under her watch, there had been no political appointments.
It had hurt her. It cost her influence and ties with the noble clans that undoubtedly would have made her job easier. She had become an outsider to them, a potential enemy, and relations with the nobility had always been cold at best. She had rested her power wholly with the Gotei itself, with Yamamoto, the rock whose authority nobody dared question.
Worst of all, it had cost her family exactly what her grandmother had warned. The tie between the Feng and Shihoin had grown weaker and weaker, until barely any of her family had direct association with them. Soifon hated how they reacted, how this newfound freedom from such miserable servitude was met with screeching demands that they be returned to their cage. But, she had persisted, unwilling to bend.
Her grandmother had cut of all ties and resources the Feng had to the corps, which were considerable. This had only stopped when Soifon had threatened to dismiss every Feng member from service, which would have severed their one avenue of relevance. It would have violated her commitment to merit, but thankfully her grandmother had not called her bluff. She had given in, and from that moment on Soifon was effectively in charge of the family. When the clan head backs down to obey the command of a lesser member, what kind of head is she? Her power had effectively been broken, but Soifon had nevertheless left clan politics to her. Soifon had no desire to be saddled with the tedium of running a minor clan, and an ungrateful and servile one at that, and so her grandmother had kept her seat. It was a constant humiliation, to rule only by the consent of a lesser member, but Yua was too stubborn and too proud to let go of such a title. So, for over a century this had carried on, Soifon coming to visit only when necessity demanded it, never sparing a thought for her family.
She had become a clan of one, and found that she liked it better that way.
She had arrived at the house at last. It would have seemed grand and luxurious to any poor commoner, but the dark and practical outside largely mirrored the inside, a practical and deliberately far less ostentatious place than the Shihoin they served. To serve a greater family meant reflected and only reflected glory, and her grandmother had played that game carefully her entire life.
Soifon walked in without bothering to alert the house servants, who hurried ahead to notify her grandmother. Doubtless she already knew; she had an informal (strictly speaking, illegal) information network of her own. Soifon would have cracked down on it if it hadn't been useful to her on occasion. Even she knew when to be flexible.
"Granddaughter."
As Soifon marched into the main hall, only slightly larger than the other rooms and deliberately modest, she found her grandmother seated on a pillow. Her black kimono was laced with gold thread but had no other decorations, humble even in excess. The paradox of it had always irritated Soifon.
Yua looked much the same as when Soifon had last come to see her. Her white hair—it had been partly grey when Soifon was little; even Yua was not untouched by age—was kept up in a neat bun, and her wrinkly face was twisted into a sneer. She held a smoking pipe in her left hand, one of her few vices. Soifon bowed down to one knee, lowering her head slowly before raising it to face her. She kept up the pretence of subordination partly because it was a necessary fiction and partly because she knew it annoyed the old crone.
"Grandmother," Soifon replied, looking her in the eye. It was a small defiance to breach protocol in such a way; a subject was meant to keep one's gaze averted unless told not to.
"I assume you have come here on business?"
"I have," Soifon retorted.
"With how you have abandoned this family, what else could it be?"
Soifon fought the urge to roll her eyes.
"Grandmother—"
"You ruined this family over your personal hatred for Lady Yoruichi. Now, you share her bed. You have everything you wanted, and we have nothing. Isn't it strange how life works out?"
It did not surprise her that Yua knew. It was no secret. But, it was dangerous territory; if any one thing might make her lose her composure, it would be that.
"This bitterness is unbecoming of a clan head, grandmother," Soifon said irritably, unwilling to indulge the fantasy of subordination any further. "Compose yourself. I have not come to be lectured."
"So, you're willing to dispose of me as clan leader, then? At long last?"
"No. Our arrangement remains the same-"
"Then you will be silent while you clan head speaks!"
Soifon rolled her eyes this time, and sighed. She shrugged. Fine.
"We sit here near ruination, and you deign to visit us only when we are useful. Have you no shame?"
"Spare me. The Shihoin took us near ruination. How many of your children and grandchildren are dead because of them? You cheered for that."
"Service, as intended by our oaths of honour," said Yua.
Soifon took in a deep breath. She was not here to rehash this old debate. "I will not argue about this, grandmother."
"You cost us all we had."
Soifon bristled. The old crone had something about her that brought out a very old anger in the commander.
"You still have a house, a family, wealth, and members in service across the Gotei. You have good standing and more protection than most. You even have a seat in the new Central Forty-six. What this cost you, grandmother, was hurt feelings. You've had a century to recover, and still I have to listen to you whine."
"You dare—"
"Enough!" said Soifon firmly. "I will speak, and then I will leave."
Yua leaned back, staring at her with silent contempt.
"My friend and colleague, Captain Erza Scarlet of Fifth Division," Soifon continued, "has begun a new initiative. Reforms of one kind or another."
Yua's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "So, you have decided to command me at last. To play politics, for the sake of a friend. As a pawn for others, like we were always meant to be."
She was quiet and composed, but there was no hiding the triumphant glee in her voice.
"On the contrary," Soifon retorted, "I have come to command you nothing at all. I have come to advise my clan head that she ought to do nothing about the situation, unless you believe this cause of action is in our clan's interests. When she approaches you, you will act entirely without me. Whatever decision you make will fall on you alone. I will have no part in it."
The smile withered. "Deliberate non-action is still action, Soifon. You ought to know better."
"It is my choice, yes. I want to not be playing politics and making favours for friends. Do whatever you like, but know I have no preference in this matter one way or the other. That is my action."
"People will have seen you coming here," said Yua, unable to hide her satisfaction. "Either way I choose, people will assume it is your will."
"People have assumed about me ever since I rose up to lead," Soifon said dismissively. "Let them. I can't stop them."
Abruptly, she stood up.
"I am done here. Was there anything else, grandmother?"
Yua stared at her in silence, seeming surprised by the sudden shift. Soifon shrugged, and turned around.
"Wait."
Yua's voice was softer. Soifon stiffened; the matriarch was not above manipulation.
"Is there nothing that can be done?" Yua pleaded.
"You expect me to restore the golden age of Shihoin servitude? It's not happening," said Soifon, her voice hard. "Make what overtures you want, if they'll listen. It's none of my concern."
"I mean—about—about your family, Soifon."
"What about it?"
"I know you do not care about our traditions, but… we do. We do not hate you, Soifon, but you're keeping us from what we want. You have it all. Why can't we? Why can't we pursue what we want?"
"Ask the Shihoin," said Soifon coldly, before walking out.
Erza was in the middle of work when one of her attendants informed her that there was somebody there to see her.
One Kumoi Gyoukaku.
It was to be expected, she supposed. Sighing, she donned her coat; he ought to be reminded of her station. Putting her messy desk in order, she gave the word, and soon the old man strolled into her office. Erza sat behind her desk, not bothering to rise or bow.
"Captain Scarlet," said Kumoi, bowing respectfully, "a blessing upon you. I trust you are doing well this fine day?"
Cut the crap, she thought. We both know you're not here to make small talk.
"As well as can be. Noble retainer, if you do not mind, I would rather get down to business. My time is precious, and I have none to waste on idle phrases of formality."
Erza felt a little proud of herself. She had shown restraint, and used the same kind of flowery words his class would. She was playing the game.
Kumoi nodded. "As the captain wishes. In fact, it suits me to dispose of the formalities today. I would like to speak frankly, as one player to another. Pretense is often necessary, but I would like to leave it behind for our meeting."
"Then speak, and speak plainly."
Kumoi's mild-mannered expression shifted into something hard. His eyes narrowed, and his mouth tightened.
"I admire your courage, captain. I underestimated you. I did not expect you to take such direct, forceful action. You really are a wild card. And, now you hold the cards. Really, I can respect that. It's audacious, although such plays will make you seem unreliable to most."
Erza frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Let's not play coy. You've seized our clan head, and you keep her for your own purposes."
"We saved her from assassination," Erza corrected. "She has willingly consented to be kept under safe watch by Fifth Division at a secure location."
"And for that, we are eternally grateful," Kumoi said with a shrug. "Now, what is your price?"
"What?"
Kumoi grunted irritably.
"What's your price? You have our clan head secure in your hands. I doubt you even need coercion. She's an impressionable child, and you're a great hero. Dazzling her would take no effort at all. Return her to us, and you can name your price."
"I…"
"You want your vote?" Kumoi snapped. "You'll have it. Guaranteed, with any security you wish to ensure it. You want money? We could even cede land, if you need it."
"…Money? Land?" Erza said, baffled. "Kumoi, we are keeping her safe until the investigation is concluded. She was nearly killed. No offense to your clan, but if an assassin was able to set up such a sophisticated trap right under your nose, she will definitely be safer with us."
"And here I thought we did away with pretense," Kumoi scoffed. "Name your price. The vote, plus… two million kan?"
"Retainer, this is outrageous!" Erza snapped.
"Four million, and that's pushing it."
"Kumoi," said Erza darkly, standing up behind your desk, "you may think you have read me right, but you are severely mistaken. I am not here to make money, or to extort people, or twist their hands. I genuinely care for her safety. She's a little girl, and somebody tried to kill her for… god knows why. As a courtesy I will disregard your last few remarks—having the clan retainer arrested for attempted bribery really would look bad, wouldn't it?"
A look of anger passed Kumoi's features. He took a deep breath, then said, "You cannot keep her forever. And, until she is back, I control this clan. You will have nothing until she is returned. This, I swear."
"I believe you know the way out, retainer," said Erza coldly.
As Kumoi left in a huff, Erza sat back down. The man had been… ice cold, enough to send shivers down her spine. He had really thought she was like him, a cold, cynical creature purely out to benefit herself. Was this the mindset nobility gave a body in the long run, or was it just him? Was it both in tandem? Was this where that road would take her?
No. No, that last part could not be true. She had a creeping suspicion about who was behind this, and she would never be the one trying to take out a child for her own selfish ends.
The safehouse was an unassuming building outside the Gotei, quite a ways from the noble district. The front made it look like one of myriad run-down houses, the kind where servants and labourers would live. Inside, though, it was a fortress. Kido wards were set up to warn of intruders, and Momo had taken the liberty of adding to them with an extra perimeter, sensitive to any reiatsu strong enough to be a threat. The walls were thick and sturdy, and there were caches of weapons spread out around the place, as well as a panic room in the basement, built to withstand anything short of a captain. This was mixed with a surprisingly well furnished apartment, modest by any noble standard but still plenty comfortable to live in. It was not very spacious, but one could only ask for so much.
Momo was not sure what to make of Kasumiouji Rurichiyo. She had been alright the last day, Momo supposed. Erza had stopped by in the afternoon, which had excited her. Now, having watched her almost a full day…
At times she seemed quite mature, but every so often her childish side would poke through the façade to remind that she still had quite a lot of growing to do.
"I'm bored," the young clan head pouted, her legs dangling off of a tall kitchen chair. "When's Erza coming to visit?"
"Well, we've been extremely busy as of late," Momo explained, keeping her voice soft. Children could be hard to handle, and children with the entitlement of a high-ranking noble could be an absolute terror—or so she imagined, at least. "With the recovery from the war still ongoing… I wonder where she finds the energy to even get involved in politics."
"I hate politics," Rurichiyo muttered. "But old Kumoi tells me I just have to learn them. No getting around it. Why would you get involved if you don't have to?"
"Well," said Momo, sitting down opposite Rurichiyo, "there are a lot of people out there, poor people who can't really afford things they need… you know, things like food, clothes, people who could get attacked, robbed or even killed at any time. My Erza, she cares a lot about these people. Politics are boring, but you can't change things for the better without them. Because political influence gives you power, and you need power to change things."
"I wish we could just say that these people could get what they needed," grumbled Rurichiyo. "Then we wouldn't have to sit around arguing with other people, and Erza could come visit. Like, I know it's not that easy: I just don't see why it wouldn't be."
"We all wish the world were simpler," Momo nodded. "But we have to deal with the world as it is, not as we wish it were."
"You're smart," said Rurichiyo, cocking her head. "I mean, you sound like a lot of my clan advisors, except they're really boring. They talk to me like I'm a child, which I am, and whenever I tell them off they shrink down and beg forgiveness. You don't do that. And I kind of like that."
"Well, I try," Momo said with a smile. It made sense: a lot of people condescended children, and when a child was clan head, her servants were bound to be afraid of what she might do if they displeased her.
"What's she like?" asked Rurichiyo.
A little taken aback, Momo replied, "Er, who?"
"Erza, of course. I know she's a great hero. I had the clan bring me accounts of the entire story of the Great Battle of Karakura as soon as they could. She was the one who defeated Tier Halibel, convincing her to switch sides. And, she was the one who faced down Aizen and killed him. Anybody who can do that is a great hero. But I want to know what she's like. Like, there's got to be a real person behind all that bravery and strength, you know?"
Momo felt impressed. It would have been easy, especially for a child, to be completely taken in by the growing legend around Erza. Many of the soldiers she met, even in their own division—especially in their own division, actually—treated her with awed reverence, like she had some sort of godlike power. To see Rurichiyo show some curiosity beyond that…
"Well… she's very gentle," Momo started. Seeming enchanted, Rurichiyo nodded encouragingly. "I don't know where to start, really," said Momo, taking a moment to think.
"She's the strongest person I know, but she's not harsh or cold. Well, she can be those things as a captain when it's necessary, but underneath it all she's very gentle. Every time she holds me, it's like she's afraid I'd break if she put too much effort into it. She really cares about people. It's not just a gimmick or a way to look good to others. She loves her friends and family, and… she really needs them to be whole. She gives her all to everything she tries. She's not perfect, but… well, she feels that way to me, sometimes. She's not as good as they say: she's better."
She had to have sounded a little too emotional, because the clan head made a face.
"I forgot you were girlfriends," she said, sounding mildly disgusted. "Eugh, I hate it when adults get all mushy about that kind of thing."
"Well, who knows, maybe one day you'll find a boy who makes you feel all mushy, and you'll understand. Or a girl," said Momo, with a mischievous smile.
"People keep telling me that, and it keeps not happening. At some point, people have to get tired of just being wrong," said Rurichiyo stubbornly. The sheer determination on her face made Momo burst out laughing.
"Maybe they are wrong. Who knows? There's nothing wrong with not having a partner either."
"Are you two having sex?"
Momo's laugh turned into a sudden choking noise, and she coughed violently. "That… that is…"
"I'm not stupid because I'm a child, you know. I know about this kind of thing. How does that work with two girls, though?"
"That—listen," said Momo, taking a deep breath, hating how this was making her blush even now. "First of all, that is a very private question, and it's not polite to ask people about that unless you know them very well. Second of all, you're a bit too young to start thinking about that yet."
Rurichiyo sniggered, and Momo groaned.
"Are you just trying to get a rise out of me?" Momo said, exasperated.
"It was so easy," the clan head laughed.
"Look, why don't we focus more on, you know… heroics?" said Momo embarrassedly. "I can tell you all kinds of stories about that."
"Okay, sure," said Rurichiyo, nodding. "Did you see it happen, when she killed Aizen?"
"Well, actually—" Momo started.
She froze mid-sentence. Her body tensed up and she reached for the blade at her side.
"What's wrong?" said Rurichiyo, suddenly alarmed.
"Get to the safe room, now," Momo said firmly, standing up and drawing her blade. "Somebody disturbed the wards."
"M-maybe it was an accident?"
"No way," said Momo, walking around the table and grabbing Rurichiyo by the wrist, dragging her toward the cellar stairs. "Nobody is supposed to. The only visits we get are from Erza and from the Stealth Corps, and those are announced ahead of time."
Reaching out, she sensed for potential enemies. It was possible the network had failed on its own, or been tripped by accident, but the chances were minimal, and this was not something one wanted to be wrong about. As she sensed, she spotted, one, two, three… eight powerful signatures, approximating at least an 8th seat—higher, perhaps, if they were suppressing their power. She had only seconds to act, she knew. Dragging Rurichiyo toward the safe room, she whispered "Snap, Tobiume!" under her breath. Her zanpakutou responded, the pronged form taking shape.
"I'm—I'm scared," said Rurichiyo, sounding nervous. There was no pretense now, only naked fear. Momo could not blame her. It all rested on her now. If she failed, the girl would die—and quite possibly Momo would, too.
Already she heard movement. Hastening her step, she approached the stairs. She ran power through her arm and into the zanpakutou, readying a blast. There were the stairs, there was the front door; if only she could get them down the stairs—
The front door burst open, shattering into a hundred pieces. The shrapnel might have blinded or at least staggered a lesser shinigami, but they bounced harmlessly off a simple protective ward emanating from Momo's spellcraft, the runes on her body coming alive with a golden glow. Instead of staggering back she aimed her blade right at the intruder, firing off a blast. Before it connected, she got a brief look at the attacker—masked, wearing dark fatigues, almost like a less sleek and impressive corpsman from Soifon's division.
Before they could react, the attacker was struck head on. Sent flying, he let out a pained yelp. A blast that close was sure to have killed or at least maimed him; he would not be a problem any time soon. Momo spun around, her blade parrying an attack from behind just in time. She expended another rune's worth of energy, channelling lightning through the blade, passing over to the assassin in an instant. The man staggered back, letting out the pained grunts of a man electrocuted from head to toe. Momo looked around, taking in the scene in an instant.
Another assassin was coming at her—no, two; the one she'd shocked had brought company. At the edge of her vision she saw movement in the doorway; evidently the first one had not been alone, either.
"Go!" she urged, shoving Rurichiyo down. This would be tricky: Momo excelled at mid- to long ranged combat, not this dirty, cramped close-quarters fighting. Then again, they had just challenged a vice-captain.
Rurichiyo scurried down the stairs, and Momo could only hope there was nobody waiting for her down there. She hadn't sensed anyone there, and if they could hide somebody there…
Too late to worry about. She had to focus on the here and now. The fight had momentarily come to a lull; the assassins seemed to have hesitated for a second. Momo's eyes darted back and forth quickly, counting seven standing combatants. Good—that meant they were all here, at once. She was standing just by the doorway leading to the cellar, meaning she could not be flanked or attacked from the rear. Even without the power disparity, she would like this position.
"Listen to me," she said, holding up her blade in a defensive position. "You came here to do one thing. You lost your opportunity. Attack me and you attack the Gotei itself. This is your one chance to walk back. Go home. Your target is safe, and you will find nothing here."
For a moment, it almost appeared as if it had worked. The assassins hesitated, shooting looks at each other. Then one of them, presumably the leader, gave a firm nod and the first of them charged.
Their coordination was impressive. One of them bull-rushed her while two in the background started preparing some sort of kido-inscribed chain, another two moving up behind the charger. Momo perceived all of it in an instant, and she knew what to do. She parried the first strike, holding firm. She stomped her foot and a blast of kido—based on Shou—slammed into her attacker, with such force that he barrelled into his companions, knocking them back and almost off their feet. In the same instant she raised her free hand. A surge of energy burned as a contained kido charge was consumed, and a set of golden chains surged out to wrap around the men preparing the chains. It could have bound a menos, and seriously inconvenienced a captain; the two assassins were simply crushed together in an inescapable grip. Three down.
She raised her blade, charging power into it before the three who had come at her could recover. At this range, against the likes of them, the blast would be fatal. Momo breathed in, and brought the blade down. The explosion rocked the entire house, the three attackers instantly broken. Momo herself was nearly thrown off her feet; only her own wards kept her from taking any real damage by the strike. It paid to be prepared, evidently.
The one who had rushed her had been shoved halfway through a wall, his corpse a charred wreck. Two others lay broken and twitching on each side.
Six down.
That left only the leader and one more, both of them looking shaken as they got to their feet. Feeling confident, Momo stepped forward, a dark expression on her face.
"I did give you an out," she said, her voice low. "I tried to warn you. You chose to be loyal, and this is what it looks like. But, you're able to live with that, aren't you?"
As she spoke she approached the apparent leader, who raised his blade. He nodded at his companion, who rushed forward and deftly rolled under Momo's strike, dashing for the stairs. There was a spark, a circle of blue light sparking on the ground as the kido trap sprung, a web of blue wrapping around the assassin and holding him in place. Seven down.
"You didn't think I'd leave that exposed, did you?" said Momo, pointing her blade at the assassin. "Give it up. It's just you left now."
The leader seemed to contemplate this failure only for a moment, before lunging at Momo. The narrowness of the hallway would have been a disadvantage to most, but Momo was short and so was her blade. She easily parried the first strike, catching his blade in one of the prongs and twisting it aside. Without blinking, the leader slammed a palm into her cheek, throwing her off her balance. Before she could recover he'd dashed past the webbed assassin, down the stairs. Cursing under her breath, Momo followed after him. Be safe be safe be safe—
Halfway down the stairs, she realized she needn't have worried. The door was firmly closed, impenetrable to anything but overwhelming force. The assassin was fiddling with the locks, to no avail; she'd set the key to it herself.
"I told you," said Momo, slowly descending the stairs, "it's over for you."
The leader flipped around, blade raised, stubbornly refusing to yield. Momo was out of patience. They had come here intending to murder a child. They'd been given a chance to give up, twice, and still he refused. Fine. Have it your way.
She leaped down the stairs, coming in with a powerful swing from above. As she expected, he dodged under it and went for a vicious counter-thrust, but her free hand was ready: a shou slammed into his blade before it could connect. Between letting go of his blade or losing his balance the assassin chose the latter, rolling onto the floor. Before he could get to his feet, Momo hammered down with another strike. Lightning coursed through her blade, and as he parried it carried over. Momo pushed down, every moment pouring more and more lightning into the blade, into the assassin. She saw his eyes widening, heard him grunt, holding firm in the face of death.
Momo declined to show mercy this time. Within seconds his clothes were smoking, and with one final burst of lightning he fell to the ground, quite dead. Momo took a moment to look down on him, breathing in deeply. Before she could stop to think of what had just happened, she hurried over to the door.
"Rurichiyo, are you okay?" she called.
"…Yeah," Rurichiyo said, her voice muffled. She sounded scared. "I got inside and locked the door like you showed me. Is it over? Can I come out?"
"You stay inside for now," said Momo. "I've taken care of them, but it's… ugly. I'm calling for help, but I'm not leaving you. Just stay put, okay?"
"Okay," said Rurichiyo meekly.
Momo rushed up the stairs. She'd managed to take some of them alive, at least. Maybe they could find a lead—
Her heart dropped when she got up. All three of the trapped assassins had white foam running down their mouths, lying still. Dead. Had they just taken poison? This was insane.
Well, at least they hadn't succeeded. At least Rurichiyo was safe. Trying not to look at the dead bodies, Momo started crafting two hell butterflies, one for Erza and one for Soifon.
Erza was shocked to see the scene she walked in to. Once Momo's message had reached her, she had dashed off at full speed. Not unexpectedly, Soifon and her corps were already on the scene, going through the place with a careful sweep for anything useful the attackers might have left.
Eight assassins lying dead, strewn about the place with the unmistakable marks of kido-inflicted wounds. Momo was sitting outside, legs crossed with her head down, just breathing. The shock of it seemed to get to her, and although Erza wanted nothing more than to comfort her, there were pressing matters to attend to.
"That's two attempts in two days," Erza said sharply as she approached Soifon. "These people are beyond bold. The sheer audacity… you'd think whoever was behind it would lie low."
"Bold or desperate," Soifon said, her tone neutral. She was standing just outside, watching her corpsmen work, organizing the effort. "It's lucky we had a vice-captain guarding the girl. Anything short of that, and we might be looking at a dead heiress."
"Lucky!" Erza bristled, thinking of the terrible things Momo had just gone through. "Yes—I guess that's right. Hell… whoever is working on it really wants her dead. You ought to know, who has access to eight trained killers? Even if you don't value their lives, their skills have to be considered valuable resources."
"They are," Soifon nodded. "To answer your first question, most houses of any significance have their own set of professional bodyguards and trained killers. The Stealth Corps' methods was developed out of these clan traditions. Whoever attacked was not quite up to par with my operatives, but close. Likely, they were the cream of the crop of their house."
"Any indication as to what house they came from?"
"They wouldn't be very good killers if they carried a clan crest tattooed to them," Soifon said, shrugging. "The traditions include deniability, obscurity… they're usually not even registered to the house they belong to. We may be able to find some things out, but they seem to have been thorough enough. Well trained, though."
"Do you have any ideas on who is behind it?"
"No proof, and nothing I would make arrests over," Soifon said quietly, "but… well, forget anything you've read in mystery books. When it comes to crime, the most likely suspect is almost always the guilty one. With crimes like these, you only need to look at who benefits most."
"Some other clan?"
Soifon shook her head. "They're a secondary house. They would want to be the ones doing the sabotage, not being sabotaged."
"Then whoever stands to inherit the title of Kasumiouji clan head is at the top of our list."
"Exactly," Soifon nodded. "I've looked into them since yesterday. Young Rurichiyo is the only surviving heir of the main Kasumiouji family. The second most powerful person is, of course, Kumoi Gyoukaku."
"I thought he was a creep," Erza muttered. "But he's not a Kasumiouji, is he?"
"There's precedent of adopting capable members into a clan and such individuals coming to rule. If you are sufficiently important and powerful…"
"Then he's free to sweep in and take over."
"Or, at least he thinks so."
"You know, he more or less asked me to sell her back the other day," Erza said, frowning. "He asked me my price. Nothing incriminating, but…"
"I'm not surprised. We have our work cut out for us, though. He was implicated in several murders in the past, but nothing ever stuck. He was suspected of ordering or orchestrating these things, but never involved himself directly. I believe I will be reopening those investigations in the coming days."
Erza sighed. "We're only lucky we came in when we did, then. I just wonder… how did they find them? How? This was supposed to be a secure location, Soifon."
She could not keep the accusatory tone out of her voice. The thought of Momo being hurt, or worse… it had worked out, but what if it hadn't?
"We're working on that," Soifon said, a hard edge to her voice. "It was not a leak. Only a small team of trusted, apolitical operatives even knew this operation existed. We're wondering if perhaps it was some kind of sophisticated tracking spell based on Lady Rurichiyo's spiritual signature, although it seems unlikely."
"I think I can help," said Momo, having hobbled over to them. "I stayed with Rurichiyo until you got here, and I found this."
She held up the young clan head's jacket, a silken and flowery thing. Soifon's eyes narrowed.
"What about it?"
"It is sophisticated alright," said Momo. There was a small glow, a little bit of energy channelled into the garment. Suddenly, a small rune came aglow inside it. "A tracking spell," Momo explained. "Invisible to the naked eye, but not hard to spot if you know what you're looking for. They could probably sense where she was from a mile away."
"It seems our protocols had a gap," said Soifon, sounding quietly displeased. "I would like you to examine Lady Rurichiyo from head to toe, to ensure that was the only one, along with all her possessions. No—we'll get her new clothes, but please examine her."
"I'll take care of it," Momo said with a nod. "I'll see you tonight, Erza?"
"Tonight," Erza promised. "Even if we're sleeping in the safehouse."
"We'll be setting up a new location," Soifon assured her. "No leaks this time. Can I continue to depend on Fifth for this?"
"I'll take care of it personally if I have to," Erza said, steel in her voice. There was a child murderer on the loose, and she'd be damned if she let him have his way.
Hope that you all enjoyed the chapter. We know surprisingly little about Soifon's clan, so me and Greatkingrat thought it would be fun to delve into her past and clan for a bit. Also hope that you all enjoyed the action. Can't have it all just be political talk after all.
Anyways, I look forward to seeing your reviews.