Not much for me to say this time, I just hope that you all really enjoy this chapter.
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!
Soifon looked up from her desk. There was Erza, a bright smile on her face, carrying two lunch boxes.
"What," Soifon said flatly, "are you up to?"
"Well, I figured you wouldn't want to go outside for lunch, so I thought I'd take lunch to you. It's dumplings. With this soy sauce that Yoruichi tells me you like?"
"Scarlet—"
"Come on, it's lunch time and you have to eat some time, don't you?" Erza said pleadingly. Without waiting for approval she set down the boxes on Soifon's desk and pulled up a chair.
"Erza Scarlet, what are you doing?" Soifon demanded. She was puzzled more than anything, but she did not take kindly to having her work flow interrupted, even if it was lunchtime and Yoruichi kept pestering her to eat more.
"Having lunch with a friend?" Erza said innocently.
"You're the most transparent liar ever to have existed. What are you up to?"
"Well, first of all, I really do like catching up with friends over lunch," Erza said, "and yes, maybe I have an ulterior motive, but I thought you'd be more… amenable once you've eaten."
Soifon rolled her eyes. "I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people I wouldn't have thrown out by now."
"And I'm so glad that I'm one of them," Erza shot back with surprising smoothness. Soifon sat back in her chair, hesitantly taking one of the boxes. It did smell good, and…
"Sauce," she muttered, staring down the dumpling box. "Of all the things to try to bribe a captain with…"
"Your favourite sauce," Erza said with a grin. Soifon gave her a hard stare, then her stomach had to ruin it by audibly rumbling.
"Fine," Soifon said, shrugging. "I'll listen. Out with it."
"After lunch."
"…You're going to insist, huh?"
"I am."
Lunch was a quick affair; Soifon was not one to draw out life's little pleasures, nor to use it as an opportunity to sit and talk. By the time Erza was halfway done she'd wolfed down her dumplings, using up most of the precious sauce in the process.
"…Huh," said Erza. "That was…"
"I don't dawdle," Soifon said sharply. "Go. Speak."
"Fine, fine," Erza muttered. "The whole idea was to butter you up a bit first…"
"This is me, buttered. Doesn't get much better," Soifon said, giving Erza her most stoic stare. Although she would not admit to it, she quite enjoyed shutting her down like this.
"Alright, alright. I need your help. My proposal…"
"You went to see my grandmother."
Erza sighed. "And the Shihoins."
"They both want something from you that only I can give you. Tell me, what did they demand? I believe I can guess, but I'd rather hear it from you."
Erza sighed again, deeper this time. "I need you to at least hear me out on this, okay? Everything rides on it. So… please don't shoot me down before I'm done speaking?"
"I'll listen," Soifon promised. It was as much as she would promise.
"The Shihoins want five qualified officers in your corps. I have their files with me—they all seem pretty well practiced. Five seated officers. Soifon, you know you need more, don't you? Every division took heavy casualties, and I know the corps fought as well."
"We did," Soifon admitted, "mostly flanking actions or surgical strikes, but those are still dangerous and deadly. We do need more, especially officers…"
"I feel a 'but' coming."
"But I put my entire career into curtailing their power. Into making the corps a true meritocracy, into making it live up to its values. Now Shihoin Yuushirou, that upstart pup I once beat into the ground, looks to undermine everything I've built. If I give them my hand, they'll take my arm."
"Are you not in control? Do they have leverage on you?"
"They don't. I made very sure of that," Soifon said sharply.
"So keep them in check. Nobody says they have to be placed somewhere important. Give them desk jobs, or something."
"You don't understand. If they perform well, I will have to promote them eventually. I'd be a hypocrite not to."
Erza groaned. "I can't get into a sparring match with you about office politics. You know it way better than I do, and I'd always lose that argument. So just stick to the basics: you're in power, you always have been, and you need capable officers. More than ever. You can handle the Shihoins. You've already done it once. So… please consider it."
"…What is the second demand?" Soifon said, leaning forward and clasping her hands, holding them over her mouth. She was not ready to answer anything yet—which was surprising; if there was anything she would have easily said no to, it would have been this.
She's not wrong, thought Soifon. That coldly rational part of her could not deny the merits of her arguments.
"That should be a bit easier. I would like you not to stand in the way of your family. They… they're reaching out to the Shihoin. Restoring what once was. Old family business, you know… just a sit-down. Nothing guaranteed, but…"
Soifon's face hardened.
Erza looked disappointed, and leaned back in her seat. "I was wrong to think this was the easier ask, huh?"
"I spent all this time giving them the freedom to be their own, just like I was, and they still insist on being somebody else's dogs," Soifon muttered through gritted teeth.
"Yua… she told me you actively stop them from doing this. Is that true?"
"I—yes. Why should I deny it? They're fools, and I am stopping them from throwing their lives away for nothing."
"Don't you think they deserve to make that choice themselves? Like you did?"
"Enough," Soifon said sharply, her voice louder than she had meant for it to be. "Don't you lecture me on family business you know nothing about, Scarlet!"
"I'm sorry," Erza said quietly. "Look—"
"Look at you, meddling in my personal business, and for what? Politics? For your own gain? I'm sure this friendship is really convenient to you now, huh?"
Erza stood up, slowly, and gave Soifon a hard look. "If that's what you think this was, then I guess there's not much left to say. I'll leave, before more than one of us says something they'll regret."
She hid it well, but there was hurt in her voice. She turned away, headed for the door, and Soifon burned with anger—at Erza, for putting her nose where it did not belong, but more than anything with herself. She'd lashed out in anger, and Erza had been right—she already regretted it.
"Wait," she said loudly, as Erza opened the door. The redhead turned around, staring Soifon in the eye.
"I'll—I'll think about it," Soifon murmured ashamedly. "That's all I can give you for now. I can't make a decision on… something like this here and now."
Erza nodded, and smiled.
"That's all I ask."
She gave Soifon a polite nod and walked out, leaving a confused and angry Soifon behind. What the hell did she have to go there for?
On her way back, a courier caught up to Erza. The note was from Sixth, apparently, and as the courier left Erza opened the message, eyeing it curiously.
Captain Scarlet,
Recent events have forced my hand, as you know. I write to you in confidence, expecting that you will properly dispose of this message once it has reached you.
The Kuchiki clan will not publicly declare for your cause, but I have instructed the council members of my family to adopt a policy of open neutrality. If you are able to persuade them, or offer a sufficient incentive, you may approach them for support.
Know that I expect fully honourable conduct, as will my esteemed family members. The kind of low-brow barter conducted by lesser houses will offend them, as it would offend me.
It did not take much imagination to figure out which lesser houses he meant. Erza crumpled up the note, and burned it with a quick burst of kido energy. Energized, she turned around and headed toward the Gotei's main chambers. With any luck, the Kuchikis would be there, hard at work—hopefully not too hard at work to talk to her.
What little hope she had gained, though, was quickly dampened. Despite being relatively young, Kuchiki Shuichi and Kuchiki Souten had both turned out to be staunchly conservative, and suspicious of her overtures—no doubt she had offended some social custom or another, which had not helped her cause much. That left her with the much older Kuchiki Yoshikata as the last on her list, and she did not like her chances. It was as if every Kuchiki did their best to be as joylessly and needlessly formal as their leader, but without any of the grace or reason of their clan head.
God help me, I'm thinking of Byakuya as reasonable and moderate by comparison, Erza thought to herself as she approached Yoshikata's office in the main Gotei building. His age had granted him the privilege of facilities of his own, and as Erza sought entrance, she braced herself. If the younger two had been so dead set on changing nothing, what would he say?
You always try, even if the odds are one to the googol, she reminded herself.
She entered, and took care to give a long, deep bow. As she raised her head, she saw an old man, his hair entirely white. His shoulders were sunken, but he looked like he would have been tall once, strong—a warrior past his prime. Who knew how long he'd served?
"Honoured Kuchiki Yoshikata," Erza said in her most officious tone, "I am Captain Erza Scarlet. Allow me to express my heartfelt appreciation for sparing me but a moment of your time, as I know it is a precious commodity for one so thoroughly involved in the demanding business of state."
She was quietly proud of that last part, since it avoided implying that he was old and waning.
"Captain Scarlet," said the elder, giving her a nod. He remained seated behind his desk, although she was unsure if it was because he was old and frail or because it was beneath him to stand. "I have been informed of your… initiative. I presume you've already spoken to my two younger cousins?"
"I have," Erza admitted. No sense in denying it. "They were… not forthcoming."
"Far be it from me to disparage my own family," said the old man, standing up with some effort, his arms straining, "but they are… inexperienced in the world of politics. Inflexible, you might say. Honourable men, of course, but somewhat limited in their perspective."
He took a cane, leaning on it as he walked, and approached her.
"…Limited. I see." Whether that meant they were stupid and put there to be out of the way, or put there as easily controlled puppets, or both, she was not sure.
"I have heard much through the grapevine," said old Yoshikata, stopping before her and staring her in the eye. He was almost a head shorter than her, and he looked ancient up close, deep wrinkles and liver spots on his face. "But I've lived long enough to not put much stock in second-hand information. Tell me, captain, what is it you are about to ask me to support? In your own words."
Erza took in a deep breath. Should she just spin this, talk about securing the Gotei's interests? She remembered Byakuya's warning, about what they would expect—and what he'd said about honesty.
"I want to do some good," she started tentatively. "I was hesitant to even accept captaincy. I had to be coaxed into it, because… I did not believe the Gotei could be a force for good. But I accepted in the end, and now I have to prove that it can, or it's all for nothing. I've talked a big game about justice and freedom, and how I could do better, and… if I can't prove that's true, then I'm a fraud. A liar. A hypocrite. That's why I am doing this."
Yoshikata nodded slowly. "And, how does this change look?"
"It funnels resources from the nobility, in the form of household troops drafted as shinigami. It strengthens the Gotei at a crucial time. In exchange, there will be resources allocated to patrolling certain areas of the Rukon, to make it safer, stabler. To bring law and order. To make lives better."
"And to drive up recruitment in the long term, no doubt," Yoshikata said. His tone was even, but he looked amused. "This, Yamamoto has promised you? Don't look surprised, child—who else could make that promise? Who else would back such an initiative? It runs in line with his interests, without exposing him. You make a convenient scapegoat. They believe him a soldier, but the man is every bit the politician everyone else in the clans is."
He shook his head. Erza wondered if he disapproved or not, feeling increasingly uncertain.
"Elder Yoshikata…"
"You believe this will make the Gotei a better place?"
"It will make everyone better off," Erza said firmly. "The common people and the Gotei both."
"At the expense of the clans."
"I… yes. Why not? Why shouldn't they help?"
"You are perhaps too honest," Yoshikata chuckled. "Earnestness is laudable, but to withhold some sentiments or views is not dishonest. No, no, don't look distraught—I commend your character, if not your aptitude."
"I hate to be blunt, Elder Yoshikata, but I am too exhausted to beat around the bush. If you resent this proposal, intending to turn it down, then please let me know. Like you, I only have so much time to spend."
"You're too eager. You will have to learn patience in time, if you go down this path," said Yoshikata, chuckling. "But if you force an agreement here and now, I must say… no."
"Then I am sorry to have wasted your time, elder," said Erza, struggling to keep her tone civil. "If you don't mind—"
"Unless, of course, you could give me certain… assurances."
"Assurances?"
"As you have spoken plainly, so will I. The prospect of lessening clan power runs contrary to my common intuitions, but the situation is… dire. We are at a crossroads. Another conflict like this could break the Gotei, which would end in disaster for all of us. I have lived long enough to understand the merits of thinking further than the next little squabble between noble families. The Gotei is the bedrock we all depend upon for power. Without it, there is only anarchy. All comes undone, our power included. I am willing to concede the necessity of an emergency measure for all clans to contribute.
"However, I will need to know this is not some power play from Yamamoto's side. That this is not an attempt to undermine our power, a first step down a slippery slope that would have us all slide into irrelevance."
Wouldn't that be something? Erza thought. Composing herself, she replied, "This was my idea, Elder Yoshikata. I had to talk him into it, and he was hesitant to support it. He seems well aware of the problem you described, and the implications it carries with it. If he wanted to undermine you, does it seem like he would do it this way, through a drawn-out process by an outsider that is in no way sure to succeed? Yamamoto may be a capable enough hand in politics, but he was never that subtle. If Yamamoto wanted it, he would declare emergency and simply seize everything he wanted. Who could stop him? Certainly not the Central Forty-six. Things are as they are because he wants them that way."
Yoshikata nodded. "It is not his nature: in that, you are correct. I can't help but worry, though… you spend this much time balancing power, and you end up fearful of every little thing."
He sighed, and shrugged.
"I stand on the precipice of accepting. Can you grant me one boon, Captain Scarlet?"
"Name it," said Erza. This couldn't be too dirty, could it?
"Arrange for me to meet the captain-commander himself. If he will repeat your assurances, I will cast my vote in your favour when the time comes."
"I'll see to it," said Erza, feeling relieved. "Within a day or two, I hope."
"Then upon that condition, I accept. For the good of the Gotei, and its noble houses."
"Thank you most sincerely, Elder Yoshikata," said Erza, bowing again.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll come to regret this in one way or another," he said, a light tone of cheer in his voice. "This business is taxing, and if I could still lift a sword, I would not be here. Still, as it stands, you may well have my support."
After thanking him again, profusely, and saying her goodbyes, Erza left. She felt elated. She had one vote in the Kasumioujis, and one from the Kuchikis. That meant that if her deal with the Fengs and Shihoins worked out, she would have the six votes she needed to push this through. Quite a lot hinged on Soifon now, but…
All the same, it looked like there was light at the end of the tunnel
It was deep into the evening, and Erza was even deeper into the growing mound of paperwork accumulating on her desk. She ought to give her lower officers a bonus; they had picked up a lot of the slack she'd fallen behind on ever since her foray into the world of politics. Now more than ever, she saw the importance of delegating. How somebody like Soifon or Byakuya did this, hour after hour after hour, without getting fed up… it would forever be a mystery. In a moment of madness, she found herself missing the war—that had been simple, the moral lines had been clear, and nobody asked you to sit on your ass in an office from dusk till dawn.
She dismissed the thought as soon as it came to her. The death and misery it had brought… no, nothing was worth that, certainly not her personal inconvenience.
Her reverie was interrupted by a sharp knock to the door. Erza blinked, and it took her a moment to recover.
"Come in," she said, assuming her most official, dignified pose, back straight and her hands clasped together on the desk.
"Don't you look captainly," said Rod dryly, sauntering into the office quite casually. He shut the door behind him, and without being prompted he sat down opposite Erza. Without fanfare, he threw a file onto her desk.
"Good day to you, too," Erza said, her tone almost as dry as her old friend's. She softened a little; as familiar as Rod was being, she would never begrudge him that. She was no Kuchiki, and officiousness was not something she would impose on her friends.
"The boss sent me to hit you with an update on the investigation," he said, pulling the chair closer. "Old Kumoi is as dirty as they come. Like, the sheer amount of shit he's been tied to over the years… he makes the average noble look like a choir boy, you know?"
"Then tell me you have something on him," Erza said eagerly. "Tell me you've found a lead."
"Well…"
"Oh, come on," Erza groaned. "You still have the whole 'he covered his tracks too well and nothing directly proves it' thing going on?"
"Unfortunately, yeah," Rod said, shrugging. "He's been careful, which is why he's dangerous. Most nobles get cocky, a bit too arrogant, and slip up. He's different. He's gotten rid of a bunch of loose ends—you know, fixers who could testify, connections. Everyone who works with him long enough ends up dead eventually."
"Then why are you here?" Erza said frustratedly. "You didn't come all the way here to tell me we hit a dead end."
Rod nodded to the file he'd dropped on her desk. "Read."
Tentatively, Erza opened the file. It was a brief action plan, signed by Soifon. She rifled through it, and her eyes widened. A skim turned into a careful read.
"She can't be serious," said Erza, shaking her head.
"We've got to do something. Trust me, we've explored every other avenue. Bastard's too careful. Unless you want to straight up assassinate him or have him thrown into the maggot's nest—you know, taken without trial and all that—this is what we've got left."
"I… of course not. We can't just… kill people. Even bad people," Erza muttered. "But this?"
"It'll be perfectly safe. You'll be nearby, and more importantly, so will five teams of senior operatives and the boss herself."
"I… this is still risky."
"Do you trust her?"
"I mean… I wouldn't think Soifon would… but this is…"
"Not her. Momo. It's her neck on the line, right?"
"I mean, she can handle it, but it's… it's such a risk."
Rod shrugged. "Think on it. If you want him behind bars, this is what you're being offered right now."
Erza sat back. She didn't like the plan, but… could she afford to alienate Soifon at this juncture? Could she afford to let somebody like Kumoi run loose?
Could she afford to let Momo risk her life?
It was a strange thing to have a home to walk back to. Soifon had of course always had her own quarters, but for most of her life she had effectively lived at Second Division. She had slept there more often than not, the small apartment she had elsewhere often going unused. Sharing a house with Yoruichi now… it took some getting used to. Their new home was small and if not austere, then at least not ostentatious. It was furnished with practical, simple, well-made things, not too elaborate. Yoruichi had handled it, and had picked out just the right things—functional with a few hints of beauty.
And she insisted that Soifon sleep there. Every night, with the exception of emergencies. Very firmly, her lover had separated her work life and her personal life, even if one clearly dominated the other. She'd made it clear there would be no disagreement there—if they were to have a relationship, it would need to be more than just seeing each other on the odd day off. Soifon had scoffed at it at first, but although she was loath to admit it, time spent not working was alright if it was in her company.
Soifon closed the door behind her, hanging her coat off at the door. It was late at night, and she'd have an hour or two to spend with her, but it was hours she'd have spent at the office just a year or so ago. She slid out of her uniform, putting on a pale purple yukata, comfortable to wear. Yoruichi had made no ultimatums about that in particular, but she'd hinted—subtly at first, then more obviously—that it'd be nice to see her out of uniform sometimes. Soifon had adapted, and she had to admit it was… tolerable, at least.
"I'm home," she called out.
"Welcome home, love!" Yoruichi cried cheerily from the kitchen.
It was weird to be this domestic. After over a hundred years of going at it alone, with nothing more than the occasional fling with some likeminded officer, this whole thing was… new. But the more she had of it, the more it grew on her. She walked into the kitchen, where Yoruichi had prepared a nice stew with rice. She was setting the table as Soifon walked in.
"Go on, take a seat, dear,~" Yoruichi cooed, pulling out a chair for her.
"You don't have to do this every night, you know," Soifon said tiredly, smiling all the same.
"But I like doing it. This deal is kinda fun, actually. I get to lounge around all day, then make dinner for you when you get home. Pretty sweet deal," she said, giving her a cheeky grin. Soifon sat down, and shook her head amusedly. This, she knew, was new to Yoruichi too. She'd spent most of her life on the run, never tied down… and here she was, acting like a housewife.
"So, did you have a hard day at work?"
"Same-same," Soifon muttered.
"You sound like it's less than same-same," Yoruichi observed, digging in to her stew.
"Why?"
"You're doing that thing with your eyebrow. Like, when you're annoyed about something. That little twitch."
"That's—that's BS," Soifon muttered. "I do not have a twitch. I worked that one out years ago. I have no tells."
"No tells people who aren't me can pick up on," Yoruichi snickered.
"You're full of it," Soifon muttered.
"Am I wrong?"
"…No," Soifon sighed. "I don't know how you know, but I'm ticked off."
"Who was it this time? Is it Yamamoto demanding this and that, or your subordinates failing to be perfect as usual?"
"I know they're not perfect," said Soifon, rolling her eyes. "I just expect them to be the best they can be."
"At all times, without mistakes."
"Look, you aim high or you don't try at all," Soifon fired back. With anyone else Soifon would have been mortally offended, but Yoruichi somehow took questioning the way Soifon ran her own agency and turned it into playful banter. "As for what's bothering me… it's neither of those things."
"Ooh, the plot thickens," Yoruichi said, leaning forward. "What is it, then? Don't keep me in suspense."
"I'm tempted to do that anyhow," Soifon muttered. "It's no less than you deserve."
"You wouldn't be so cruel," Yoruichi gasped mockingly.
Soifon shook her head. "It's me."
"What?"
"I…" Soifon grumbled, and sighed deeply. "I screwed up. Not at my job, but… personally."
"Is this about that cute officer, your seventh seat? I told you, it's okay to look. You can notice other girls—"
"Don't screw around now, okay?" Soifon said, and the playful look dropped from Yoruichi's face.
"It's… nothing like that. Erza came for a visit."
"Now, this I've got to hear. Did she step on your toes, or you on hers?"
"Both, sort of?" Soifon sighed. "She asked a favour of me. Two, actually. It's part of her whole political dealings. She needs me to okay five Shihoin officers, and… well, for my family to go back to being servants again."
"I can't imagine she put it like that."
"It's what it means. She wanted me to just… let them do what they want, which is to run right back into servitude. So, I took that personally, and said something I shouldn't have."
"How bad?"
Soifon groaned. "I may have implied she was exploiting our friendship for personal gain."
"I mean, sort of? She is coming to ask you a favour."
"In a bad way. Like we were friends just because it benefited her."
"Oh. Oh, yes, that… that's not her."
"I feel like an idiot," Soifon said plainly. "She was… the first real friend I've had in a long while, and I know she's nothing like that. I… I want to apologize, but that'd make me feel even stupider, and having to show weakness like that…"
"Don't be such a guy," Yoruichi said, rolling her eyes. "It's okay to be weak. You're being open with me, right now, aren't you?"
"I mean—you're you. And she's… not. I don't know. I've made a fool of myself and I don't know what to do about it. And it's messing with my ability to be objective about what she's asking me to do. How can I make a decision like that when I have this kind of personal guilt hanging over me?"
"All the more reason to apologize, then. Get that out of the way."
"Will she even hear it out?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Yoruichi scoffed. "Erza won't cut you off over something like this. Friendship is everything to her. And, you know what? Friends fight sometimes. You can set it right, even if it feels hard."
"I know," Soifon groaned. "I know that, really, but it's… hard."
"You're making it hard for yourself."
"I know!"
"Calm down, okay?" said Yoruichi softly. "It'll all be okay. It feels hard right now, but I promise you, it's not as big of a deal as you think."
Her hand crept across the table, and Soifon took it. She squeezed it, and everything felt a little better.
"What the hell would I do without you?" she muttered.
"Work all day?" Yoruichi smirked. Soifon laughed, and Yoruichi's smile widened.
"Come on, let's eat," Soifon said. They shared their meal, Yoruichi talking about this and that—mostly bragging about how she had embarrassed Byakuya, something Soifon didn't entirely approve of—and she found her spirits lifting. By the time they had washed their dishes and made ready to go to bed, Soifon felt… better.
They had a futon just large enough for the both of them in a small bedroom. As Soifon crawled into it, having donned her sleeping gown, she marvelled at the thought of it. That, too, had taken some getting used to: sharing a bed with somebody. Not just the sex aspect—although that was nice, too—but falling asleep and waking up next to somebody, every day…
That part was becoming absolutely vital. The rest of her domestic life was tolerable, or had some mild appeal, but being close to her in this way… she couldn't imagine not doing it. It was why she would walk all this way every night, to and from work.
As she lay there, head rested on Yoruichi's shoulder, the older woman having wrapped her arms around Soifon, she felt at peace.
"So, what are you going to do about the whole situation?" Yoruichi said. Soifon, who had been ready to start drifting into sleep, murmured her response.
"Mmm. I dunno. Probably bite the bullet and apologize?"
"I'm glad to hear you say that. But the other stuff, the politics?"
"I forget that you're involved with that stuff too."
"It's not about that. You know that."
Soifon sighed.
"I'm sorry. I… I dunno. My family business… aside from when you left, it's probably the sorest spot I have."
"I'm sorry about that."
"We agreed to stop apologizing, didn't we? It's a thing that happened. All is forgiven. No, my family… I dunno. How do you even handle that?"
"Well, I'm not going to tell you what to do. Noble families suck. They ask everything of you, and you get nothing but headaches in return."
"What if I asked you?"
"Well…" Yoruichi said thoughtfully. "The whole business with you… sabotaging your family, what's that about?"
"I've gotten in the way of them in the past. Driven the wedge deeper. Put down negotiations. They want back in, and I've said no?"
"Well, that is a clan head's right."
"I'm not, though."
"Come on, bee," Yoruichi said, and Soifon could hear her rolling her eyes. "You have all the power. Effectively you're the head, even if you don't meddle. Your grandmother is really more of a chancellor."
"I mean… I guess," Soifon muttered. There was nobody else she could have been this honest with, but Yoruichi had a way of tearing down her walls. "I mean, sort of. I don't run any of the clan's business, but my status does help them, even if they don't like me much."
"There you go."
"You don't… have any thoughts about this? About me getting in their way?"
"Love, I've screwed up a lot in my life. I don't have any right to judge. But… it sounds like you have thoughts on your own."
"Just… well, maybe I want you to judge. I'm not exactly an objective observer."
"And the woman who goes down on you is?" Yoruichi laughed.
"Come on…"
Yoruichi sighed, and turned to look Soifon in the eye. Gently, she ran her fingers through Soifon's hair.
"I think people should be allowed to run free. That's the worst thing about this system, what I hated most, how little control you had. All this power and so little choice. Always constrained by politics, by work, by this whole system of honour… it was a cage. A gilded cage, but a cage still. Your family… they're not free to choose what they want, are they?"
"They would choose servitude. What kind of freedom is that?" Soifon said, her tone even. Just earlier today she had flared up in anger with Erza when it came up; here, in Yoruichi's arms, she felt calm despite the subject.
"I mean, people can't be forced to be free. If they want to choose that, shouldn't they be free to?"
"It's just… all this time spent serving a scheming clan of nobles who sacrifice them, over and over, and they want to go back to that?"
"So, be an official clan head. Lead them in a different direction."
"Didn't you just agree being clan head sucks?"
"It does." Yoruichi nodded. "Yeah, sure, it does. But, I don't think you can interfere directly with their business while being this powerful and at the same time avoid taking responsibility for what that does to them. That's eating your cake and having it, too. If you want to be consistent, pick one. Either lead them in a direction that suits you, or let them go."
"…"
Soifon fell silent, contemplating it.
"Bee?" said Yoruichi, sounding a little concerned. "Are you—I didn't go too far, did I?"
"…I hate it when you're right," Soifon grumbled at last. "I tried thinking of a counter-argument, but I'm drawing blanks. Just…"
"Yes?" said Yoruichi, seeming a little relieved. It was funny how tense she could be, how worried she could get about offending her little bee. If only she knew how much it would take…
"My parents died for them. My brothers, too. And, they want to go back into the meatgrinder. It's… it's kind of sick, isn't it?"
"Yeah. It is. What you have to decide is what you want to avoid more: clan leadership, or to let them go back into that."
"To have that on my back… I still have a hard time reconciling just being here in the evenings," Soifon grumbled. "No. Hell no."
"So…"
"You know what?" said Soifon animatedly. "Screw them. If they want to go die for this cause, let them. I've given them every opportunity to do better, but they won't, so what else can I do?"
"'Atta girl," said Yoruichi proudly.
"And those officers, while we're at it… hell, I need good people. Even if they're Shihoin. I've managed to handle worse than a handful of nobles in my time."
"Sounds like you talked yourself into supporting Erza, then."
"Congratulations," Soifon muttered.
"It's not—"
"It's not about that, yeah, yeah," Soifon said dismissively, before Yoruichi could launch into another set of reassurances. "Funny how I end up there, though. Ah, screw it. Fine…"
"You're okay with this?"
"Wouldn't be saying it if I weren't," Soifon muttered. "How about you? What'd she ask from you?"
"Nothing quite as big, but… also bigger, in a way."
Soifon shifted, rolling her eyes slightly. "Now who's being a bit vague, hmm?"
"Give me a second," Yoruichi said with mock exasperation. "You don't rush a lady, you know."
"You're not a lady. That's sort of the point, isn't it?"
"How did I end up dating such a smartass?" Yoruichi laughed. "Well… it's my family."
"She went right for both our jugulars, huh?"
"Oh, you have no idea," Yoruichi grumbled. "I got the full guilt trip about how much family matters and how my brother misses me."
"Rewind a bit. I feel like you skipped. What about your brother?"
Yoruichi muttered something inaudible, and shrugged. "My brother keeps trying to invite me to sink the family's claws right back into me. I keep dodging him. According to Erza, it's all sincere and stuff. Like, he actually misses me."
"So, go see him. Why's that hard?"
"You know the clan," Yoruichi said seriously. "How they try to get to you. How deep that control runs."
"I do. But…" Soifon hesitated. "It's not like you were raised with a servant mentality, like me. It's not like even one of them has an ounce of the strength needed to abduct or subdue you. They can't physically do anything to you, and it's not like you're bound to them emotionally, right?"
"See, this is why I didn't bring it up with you: because I knew you'd be all reasonable about it," Yoruichi grumbled.
"Don't wave it off with a joke. What's going on there?"
"Oh…" Yoruichi sighed, and when she resumed speaking her voice was little more than a whisper, dead serious. "Old memories. Old wounds, I guess. I… I don't have a servant mentality like you were raised, I guess, but you are taught from early on that the clan is everything. When I ran away I had a good excuse, but I had wanted to leave for some time. I don't want back in there for any reason. And, if I go…"
She disentangled herself from Soifon and rolled onto her side, propped up on her elbow. She looked Soifon in the eye.
"I dunno. Old… guilt, I guess. I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do. I've been told since before I could walk that it was my duty to lead, and I let that duty go. As independent as I was growing up, it was always with the understanding that those freedoms came along with duties. That I had one because of the other. And, if I'm honest, my brother isn't an idiot but he's not a brilliant leader, either. To be blunt, he's a midwit. He's not stupid and he's not smart. He's a hard worker, but it only takes you so far. I left the clan behind, in the hands of an inferior leader, and that's on me."
"Yoruichi, that is not your fault," Soifon said insistently, gently stroking her lover's cheek. "Who are they to take a child and force her to be what they want her to be? What right do they have? You owe them nothing."
"Hmm," Yoruichi said, leaning into Soifon's touch. She reached up and wrapped her lover's hand in her own, and there was a peaceful expression on her face. "Yes. I know that. I know it up here, at least," she said, pointing to her head.
"But," she continued, taking Soifon's hand with her as she placed it over her chest, "I don't know it in here. In here, I still feel like a teenager drowning in expectations, with all these duties to live up to, the fear of failure…"
"It's hard to imagine you being afraid of failing. I feel like you've never failed at anything you tried."
"Well, I…" she said, giving Soifon a look.
"Never mind that part. It's in the past," Soifon said firmly. "Still. You've always been exceptionally talented."
"…Yeah. Everything came easy. Which always made me think I wasn't really doing all that much. Like what I was doing wasn't really enough. I dunno… it's crazy how you can mislead yourself. And, I was afraid I'd screw up, lead our clan in the wrong direction… having that weight off my shoulders was a huge relief. And, now they're expecting me to do what, come back to the fold?"
"Yoruichi, you should go there," said Soifon, speaking without thinking, her opinion forming in the moment. "Go there and confront it. Don't let it stew. It's not like they can make you do anything. Get it over with, hear what they have to say, and tell them no if they want you back. No amount of rules or pressure can force you to do anything. You've already given up all your titles and wealth, and you're stronger than all of them put together. You have nothing to lose, and you'd be better off for it."
"You… think so?"
"I do," said Soifon, nodding. "Plus, maybe your brother really does want to see you. You have been away for a long time…"
"He… was always this little kid wobbling after me, trying to be as fast as his older sister," said Yoruichi, an oddly sentimental twang to her voice. "Always trying to be as good as I was, never quite managing. And now he's carried that weight for all this time, ever since I left. He must be doing something right. I guess… I guess I owe him at least a hello."
"There you go."
"In a little while, after the deal is confirmed," Yoruichi added. "If he wants to see me that badly, I should at least get something out of it."
Soifon laughed.
"What?"
"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. The unabashed selfishness of it might have been somewhat distasteful in others, but from her, it seemed a little charming. "Don't change, that's all."
"I don't know what you mean, but I'm definitely not about to change anything," Yoruichi grinned. "And if I did, which I definitely won't, they'd have to put up with a clan head involved with another woman, and from a servant family at that. Can you imagine how scandalized they would all be?" She grinned mischievously. "Come to think of it, it'd almost be worth it just to see the looks on their faces…"
"Nope," Soifon laughed, wrapping her arms around Yoruichi again. "That's where I draw the line. If you come home with a clan head outfit, you get the couch. For life."
"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Yoruichi grinned, and unexpectedly gave Soifon a chaste kiss.
"No…" Soifon said sheepishly. "No, we can't have that…"
Happiness was a funny thing. It seemed to actually exist, for one. Soifon had been so used to a life of duty and only duty, and here it was—happiness. Bickering with the love of her life, talking about everything and nothing well past her bedtime.
She hoped it would never end.
Rurichiyo walked through the park, Momo at her side. The route was carefully monitored, a Stealth Corps team never far away. Rurichiyo, still a child, had been going crazy locked up in that bunker. Erza couldn't blame her, and so she had allowed this after consulting with the Corps. It had been a good three days now of a daily walk through a local private park, jointly owned by a coalition of nobles. The fresh air had done wonders to lift her spirits. She restrained herself from running, but it was easy to tell she'd like nothing more. It would not do, of course; being too far off even by a little could literally mean the difference between life and death. It was an unnecessary risk, but they had been given assurances that a crack team would be only seconds away.
And so, they walked.
As they rounded a curve, it happened. They struck, concealed in the very ground. A dozen operatives, their faces concealed, wearing dark grey, all rushing toward the pair of them. Momo went for her blade, but a dart struck her in the neck and she staggered back. The wound was not fatal, but she already felt the poison working, her mind growing dull and dizzy.
"Momo!" Rurichiyo cried, reaching out for the vice-captain, but she was grabbed by strong hands before she could do anything. She was quickly gagged, her hands bound with some sort of enchanted rope moving with its own will, and slung over the shoulder of one of the attackers.
As they spoke, the Stealth Corps team were rushing into action, but this had been well planned. Five of the operatives rushed off, Rurichiyo in tow, while the rest of them engaged the Stealth Corps team. Just like that, she was gone.
It was dark, and they were all tired from running, but they'd finally reached their safe house. It had been carefully chosen, a small and well concealed shack deep in the forest, far from the Gotei. Koutan undid his mask, taking a deep breath.
"Report," he demanded.
"No sign of pursuit, commander," said Buri, his second-in-command. "The heiress is secured. Do we do it now?"
He nodded. It had cost him seven of his best operatives to execute this manoeuvre, although it was no less than expected when dealing with the professionals of the Stealth Corps. This had been a risky endeavour from day one, and it had already cost him dearly. If they hadn't been offered a mountain of money, and land to boot, he'd never have considered it. They would all have to disperse and hide in the most remote of the corners for years before even thinking about collecting their full reward. But, it would be worth it when they did, oh yes… what would the Gotei care, down the line, about some minor noble being killed off?
"We'll do it here and now, then disperse. I'll send the message to our benefactor that the deed is done. Then you know the protocols."
The four other operatives all nodded, eager to see this finished. They walked into the other room where the girl lay, bound and gagged. Koutan drew his knife, a short, sleek, and terrifyingly functional thing, and kneeled by her side.
"Nothing personal, princess," he said, pulling his arm back for the final thrust. That was when he realized something was wrong. The image of the princess flickered, and he instinctively took a step back. Kasumiouji Rurichiyo changed, her colourful clothes replaced by the dull black of a shinigami uniform. She grew taller, it seemed, and her face differed.
"I'll be damned," said Buri, and Koutan could hear him going pale. "It's—it's the vice-captain!"
Koutan quickly kneeled, placing a knife to her throat and removing the gag.
"One false move," he growled, "and I'll cut your throat, vice-captain or not. None of you are invulnerable; I know that as well as anybody."
"I was wondering if you'd fall for it," Momo said calmly, staring him in the eye. "Captain Soifon thought it would be obvious bait. But then again, she said, the kind of people who launch two assassination attempts in two days are kind of desperate. Might not look a gift horse in the mouth."
"Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" muttered Kabui, the third member of their team. "This is—this is a vice captain, sir, not some noble. Forget the power differential, if we kill her they'll hunt us to the ends of the earth!"
"Calm down," said Koutan sharply, his eyes never leaving the vice-captain. "If you lose your shit now, you're dead meat. We've got her with a knife to her throat. We'll work something out."
He was doing his best to sound confident, but truth be told, he felt little better than Kabui. She'd spoken the truth—the shinigami would not accept the murder of one of their leading members, and he'd heard dark rumours about what the Corps could do to you. He'd lived outside their sphere of influence and he had done well for himself by not getting in their way—and now he was right in front of them, irrevocably so.
"Talk," he demanded. She looked worryingly calm; something had to be wrong.
"We hit a dead end, because your employer was good at covering up his tracks. Fortunately, you just gave us everything we need."
"Like hell we did," Koutan snarled, pressing the knife closer to her skin. She lay perfectly still, but her expression remained serene.
"You have no idea, do you?" she said calmly.
"About what?"
"You'll know in a minute. It'll soon be over. Why don't you take this chance to take that knife away from me and surrender peacefully? It'll end up better for all of us."
"If we're fucked, shinigami, then I'll cut your throat on principle and take you down with me," he spat back.
She sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that. Tell me, do you know much about kidou?"
"Enlighten me."
"I thought so. Well, I do. Like the tracking spell in my clothes, for example. Or the one I engraved on my skin just this morning."
Koutan had always prided himself on his reaction speed. Any incantation or movement from her hands would have been met with an instant cut deep into her throat.
But, there was no movement, no anything. There was simply a flash of light, a discharge of power, and suddenly every member of his team were thrown around like rag dolls. He impacted a wall, quite painfully, and struggled up to his feet quickly. As the dancing lights in his eyes started to fade away, he saw the shinigami standing up. There was a sharp burst of power and the ropes around her wrists snapped. She brushed herself off, and stared them all down.
"I don't have my sword with me. But, I don't think I'll need it, either."
The team, recovering, all drew blades, circling around her. This was the worst case scenario—she was free, and able to work her magic. She had trashed a full team of eight veterans, in close quarters—what would she do to them?
"Indeed."
The voice was sharp and cold, and Koutan's heart skipped a beat. The door opened, and in stepped the short but imposing figure of Captain Soifon, head of the Stealth Corps and assassin-in-chief of the Gotei. The team members looked around themselves, uncertain, glancing to him. Koutan found he could not even issue an order.
This was when he knew he had fucked up.
"The place is surrounded," Soifon said authoritatively. "You could try to eat poison, if you have it. I did bring antidotes to most of the common ones, and all I need is one of you, but if you really want to go, now is the time."
Kabui raised her blade, pointing it at the captain.
"What are you going to do? Stab me?" said Soifon coldly, as if inviting her to try it. To do so, they both knew, would end poorly for the would-be killer.
The assassin trembled, staring wide-eyed. She raised her blade up and forward as if to strike, slowly and hesitantly. Then she dashed forward, aiming for a stab. Soifon caught her wrist easily, and squeezed. The blade dropped, and the assassin let out a pained whine.
"Enough," said Soifon, letting out a burst of spiritual pressure. Overwhelmed by the raw surge of power, the operatives dropped to their knees, to all fours. "Let me explain to you the deal you are getting. Drop your weapons and cooperate, and your lives will be spared. You are going nowhere. You took the bait, and now you are surrounded. I will have no patience for heroism. If you really want to die, I will grant it to all but one of you. Your lives are not important to me, and you are dependent on my good will to live. Lay down your arms and you will be taken into custody, and treated humanely. Fight, and you will die. Make your choice."
Koutan struggled to his feet, barely able to stand against the raw power she emanated. His fingers trembled, his face shifting in between despair and anger. Then, finally, he dropped his blade. After giving him a look, the rest of the team followed suit.
"Secure them," Soifon ordered, as a full team of her own operatives marched into the building. Before long, all five of them were put in shackles and marched out, each one of them gagged to make sure there would be no repeat of the poison capsules. As the house emptied, Erza walked in.
"Are you okay?" she said, embracing Momo.
"Just fine," Momo said quietly, happily leaning into the hug. "You didn't have to come. Soifon had this whole thing under control."
"They might have killed you. Of course I'd come."
"They couldn't. I made sure to bring backups. Like this," she said, her skin suddenly turning dark and hard. Erza blinked.
"That's new."
"It only lasts for a little while, but it's hard to cut through. Luckily, I didn't even need to use it. Plus, they had medics on hand."
The spell faded and Momo's skin returned to normal. Soifon cleared her throat.
"Well done, Vice-captain Hinamori," she said, nodding approvingly. "I will need you to produce a report on this special operation by tomorrow. However, this is a success. These are hired goons, not loyal clan members. Once they feel the pressure, they will break."
"And we'll finally get Kumoi?" said Erza.
"As soon as we have a confession, we'll arrest him. He's already being shadowed by our operatives," Soifon confirmed. "He is done. I am sure of it."
"That's great," said Erza elatedly. "Rurichiyo can finally go home."
"In time, yes," Soifon nodded. She paused, giving Erza a strange look. "If you are free, come see me in my office tomorrow. I have a matter I wish to discuss."
"…Yes, of course," said Erza, blinking. Was this it, then?
Well… even if she said no, she'd have put a terrible man behind bars, and freed a child. Some good would have come of this, no matter what.
It was afternoon, and Yuushirou had retired to his personal chambers to meditate. Well, he'd said meditate, and he would actually do that every so often, but in most cases it meant leaning back with a good book and a drink. Everyone had their ways of taking the edge off, and the business of politics could be exhausting. This recent deal had ruffled more than a few feathers, the conservatives of the clan calling it a pathetic half-measure and all but openly questioning his leadership. Their inability to grasp the realities of the situation grated on him. Were they not the clan supposedly dedicated to pragmatic rule, to practicality? Yet here they were, acting like spoiled children.
So, here he was to take the edge off. He walked over to his liquor cabinet to pour himself a drink, and smiled. It seemed today he would have some cause for happiness, at least—or misery, depending on how things went.
"Is that an assassin I see?" he said, putting up a second cup and filling both with fine saké. "Or just a spy, come to take our secrets?"
He turned around and his elder sister appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. She'd hidden in a corner, using some type of kidou enchantment to blend with his closet. It was a very good technique, hard to spot—unless one happened to specialize in it.
"You've grown," she said, swaggering into the centre of the room, hands on her hips. "I let you find me, of course."
"Of course. Just like old times, eh?"
"Kinda. Sorta. Not really. You used to never find me," Yoruichi mused. As children, they would play a very advanced game of hide and seek—and Yuushirou, young as he was, had never been able to match her tricks. At the time it had infuriated him; now it was one of his fondest memories.
"Drink?" he said, offering her one of the cups.
Yoruichi hesitated, then took the cup and downed it in one go.
"That is one way to do it," he said, in a mildly chiding tone. "Imagine what father would have said."
"Father is not around to tell either of us what to do, and you know how well he did trying to make me do anything," Yoruichi snickered.
"Too true," Yuushirou conceded. It had been clear Yoruichi was talented from an early age, and when it came to sneaking out undetected, she had turned out to be a prodigy. "Father, may he rest in peace, would rant and rave about it to no end. I never dared tell him, but I always admired your ability to slip away no matter how many magical seals and professional operatives he kept guarding you."
"It became a game," Yoruichi said, shrugging and shooting him a casual smile. "He shouldn't have encouraged me if he didn't want me doing it."
Yuushirou laughed. "I don't think he saw it like that. And, in the end all it did was make you better at what you were supposed to be good at in the first place. If I didn't know better, I'd have suspected reverse psychology."
"He never had the wits for it," Yoruichi said dismissively. "But, they broke me in, in the end, no matter how many times I snuck out."
Her expression dampened, and Yuushirou realized he would have to tread carefully.
"You haven't asked me why I wanted to see you," he said at last.
"I figured you'd bring it up. You're the one who reached out to me."
"I… how do I say this?" Yuushirou sighed. "Are you happy these days?"
"…Happy?"
"Well, you have a new home and a new lover. I hope that at least brought you something like happiness. If you have that much, it will be something at least, even if you want nothing to do with me."
"Yuushirou, no…" She looked confused, lost, as if trying to figure out what to say. "Yes. Yes, I am… happy. It's a strange thing. I was never miserable in exile. It suited me well. It lifted a great many burdens I never wanted. In truth, I was glad to have the excuse. But it came with… baggage. With abandoning her. And… you too, I suppose. Now I'm back, and for the first time in my life I don't really need to feel like something's eating at me. But it still does, somehow. I feel guilty for how I treated her, and I feel guilty for leaving my clan behind, even if I want nothing to do with it. I'm… happy, but I still have all these things clawing at me. It's weird. Maybe this is how it is for everyone. Maybe nobody is every truly at peace. But… I am happier now than before. I've chosen this course. It's not some burden of leadership forced on me by my birth, or an exile forced on me by the law. I'm back on my own terms, and I have a girlfriend to boot… yes, I'm happy. I could be happier, but who couldn't?"
Yuushirou nodded. He hadn't expected her to open up like that, and more than anything, what stood out was even if I want nothing to do with it. It, his clan.
"I see. I… am glad to hear it. It's been a long road, but at least some good came of it." He cleared his throat. "I am obligated to let you know the council of elders considers you fully redeemed in their eyes, following the criminal charges being cleared and your heroic participation in the great war. They desire to see you returned to the fold of our clan."
"And, what, lead again?" Yoruichi said, shaking her head. "That'd put you in an awkward spot."
"None of them dare suggest it, but I believe if you came back, I'd be informally asked to resign in your favour. Publicly, it would be framed as my decision. Which… it honestly might be. It's no small thing, to be shackled to a clan, to have to lead it. But, even if you refused, merely having you officially returned to us would bring glory and status to our family."
Yoruichi shook her head. "Sorry, little brother, but I'm not going back. I did not free myself of all this just to be drawn into it again. I do not need the clan's protection or power, and I do not want to do what it would demand of me."
"You still carry the name."
"So, denounce it officially. I'll take a new one."
"They would never. It would make waves they're not willing to make."
"Can't have waves, can we?" Yoruichi sighed. "Was that it, then? You ask me what they demand you ask of me, I say no as you expected. The formality is over." Her voice was even, but he could feel the disappointment.
Yuushirou shook his head.
"It is a formality. I owe the clan to ask it. But… to me it's all the same what you choose to do. When they called you a traitor, I refused to believe it for years. When you were exonerated, my heart jumped. I missed you, Yoruichi. You lit this place up when you lived here. When things were hard, I looked to you. So, when you were found innocent, I… hoped to be part of your life again. Somehow. But, you've made it clear you do not want it. I'll… I'll see to it you are left alone, henceforth. No Shihoin will bother you."
His heart broke saying it, but what else was there to do? Tarnish the last time they spoke one to one with bitterness and anger?
Yoruichi grumbled. "You reached out to me as clan head, kid," she muttered. "That's a lot different, and it means something different to me. I… of course I don't want to never see you again. It's—it's complicated. I hated having to do it, Yuushirou. All that weight resting on me, all the people that had to die because of my decisions."
"You liked some of it, too, though. Didn't you?"
"Like what?"
"I remember the way you did politics. You loved playing people against each other, using their personal weaknesses against them. You enjoyed manipulating people. You loved to gossip and to use it to your own ends. I think a certain Kuchiki event speaks to that not having gone away."
"Great. Does everyone know?"
"Well, it was a very public event. Nobody needs spies to know what's on the lips of every noble in the Gotei."
"So what?"
"So, you did like some parts of it. You had a knack for it. It wasn't all bad, was it? It's easy to focus on what was bad, sure—but don't forget that there were things you liked about this life. Would you have done so well if you were so miserable? Was every smile you gave the world a lie?"
"I… no," Yoruichi muttered, "but that's not admirable. I was good at some pretty bad things. Yes, I… I had fun with it at times. There… was a time when I thought I'd be content to be captain and clan leader for life. It was only after I was free that I realized how much I'd been missing out, and just how much of the things I took for granted were actually not good. Your clan loathes Soifon for taking the Corps from them, but you have no idea what a favour she did you there."
Yuushirou nodded. "That's fair, I suppose. Will… will I see you again? If I come, not as clan head but as your brother?"
"Maybe if you show up for tea in less ostentatious clothing," Yoruichi said with a smirk. "Family. I… I can do that, yes. Just leave the politics at the door."
"I swear," Yuushirou said hastily.
"Good. How's next Saturday?"
"I…" He had a million things lined up, a schedule full of things he really shouldn't miss, no matter what.
"It'll be just fine," he said at last. He'd make the time. What good was having all this power if he couldn't even have tea with his sister?
"Then I'll see you next Saturday. Five o'clock, our place. Bring cake. Oh, and if Soifon gives you a mean stare, don't take it personally."
"I'll be there—"
And just like that she was gone, without even saying goodbye. Yuushirou smiled wide, and downed his drink. It was so like her.
Things seem to finally be heading to a conclusion, but are thing's really that simple? Tune in next time to find out!