A.N.: This was commissioned by psychorabbitman. Please see my bio for information about commissions.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Warning: Lime!
Can a Strawberry Entice a Bee?
Chapter Two
The next day…
Squad Two; Captain's Private Training Chamber
Very few Soul Reapers knew of the secret training chamber in Squad Two. Even fewer had ever seen it. The room was quite large, hidden deep beneath the captain's quarters. Soi-Fon had not entered here for a while and quickly done her best to tidy up the place before her mentor arrived. The place had become quite dusty in her absence so she'd worked to make the place spotless. The last thing she wanted Yoruichi to do was to think she was sloppy.
She took off her Haori and tossed it on the nearby bench, showing off her Stealth Force Commander outfit. She stretched and then sat down in the middle of the sparring ring and waited. Despite always trying to act cool-headed and professional, she couldn't stop the slight thumping of her heart while she waited in anticipation. To be able to spar with Lady Yoruichi again after all these years felt like a dream come true. The only way this dream could have gotten better was if Yoruichi had brought Kisuke Urahara along to be used as her personal punching bag. The idea was so pleasing that Soi-Fon made a mental note to set up a new Kisuke Urahara dummy to hit later on. Her old one had been slashed to bits after Kisuke had been condemned as a criminal and made his escape from the Soul Society.
Her ears picked up the sound of the door to the training chamber and her heart skipped a beat as footsteps echoed down into the chamber. However, she soon became perplexed as the noise drew closer and closer. She could hear a second pair of footsteps coming down the stairs. She recognized Yoruichi's light step but who was the one behind her? As far as she knew, the only people who knew of this chamber was herself, Yoruichi and her lieutenant Omaeda and she knew the obese man would never dare intrude here, else risk his captain's wrath.
Still, when she saw Yoruichi emerge at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in her orange jacket and black pants, she couldn't deny the smile on her face. Standing up, she walked over to greet her mentor and old friend. "Lady Yoruichi, welcome! I've cleaned the place up a bit and- "She came to a dead stop when she saw the figure coming down the steps behind her.
Yoruichi smiled at Soi-Fon's startled reaction and gestured to her companion. "Hello, Soi-Fon. I hope you don't mind but I brought a friend along to help us train. I figured he could use the exercise after all he's been through."
Behind her was Ichigo Kurosaki. The teenager saw the short captain and gave her a kind smile. "Hi there. I guess this is the first time we've actually met." Ichigo remembered her as one of the captains who had been present when Rukia was about to executed. He'd been too caught up in fighting the lieutenants and Byakuya to really notice her though.
A wave of anger washed over Soi-Fon and she struggled to keep a straight face. 'How dare he?! This impudent brat! He's not even a real Soul Reaper and he dares intrude here, where only me and Yoruichi are supposed to know about?! I should finish what Kenpachi and Byakuya started!'
Yoruichi could tell that Soi-Fon was upset at Ichigo's presence and decided to step in before her old friend could rip the Substitute a new one. "Come on now, Soi-Fon. It'll be more fun with more people to spar with. And you know that Ichigo is more than capable of holding his own after you saw him fighting Byakuya. And besides," she crossed her arms and tilted her head back while smiling knowingly. "You should show Ichigo more gratitude."
"Gratitude?"
"Yeah. Think about it." Yoruichi put a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and gave her old protégé a knowing smile. "If Ichigo hadn't come to the Seireitei to save Rukia Kuchiki, I would never have come back to the Soul Society and we might never have met again. I'd still be in exile and you would have kept believing I was a criminal. The only reason we can even be in the same room together now is because of Ichigo."
Soi-Fon blinked as she let Yoruichi's words set in. She couldn't deny that the Flash Goddess had a point. Had Ichigo not come to stop Rukia's execution and revealed Aizen's plot, Soi-Fon would have continued to believe that Yoruichi was still a criminal and her grudge towards her would still be as strong as ever. So, in a way, Soi-Fon only got her personal goddess back because of the Substitute Soul Reaper. "I suppose you're right. And judging from the fact that he was able to hold his own against Captain Zaraki and Kuchiki that he at least has some skills when it comes to fighting."
The captain sized Ichigo up and figured that at the very least it should be interesting to see what this boy was capable of. His fit physique told her that he should be able to handle himself in hand-to-hand combat. 'He'd be a far more pleasant-looking sparring partner than Omaeda, that's for sure.'
"Tell me, Ichigo. Do you have any real training in hand-to-hand combat? We could use our zanpakuto but Lady Yoruichi and I always preferred to use our personal fighting skills."
To her surprise, Ichigo removed his zanpakuto from his back and set it against the wall. "Sure. I trained in karate when I was a kid and I got into fights all the time at school. I can hold my own."
Soi-Fon didn't bother to hide her skepticism. Karate wasn't exactly a match for the Hakuda of the Soul Reapers. 'Aw well. Maybe he'll give up after a few minutes and leave me alone with Yoruichi.'
Pleased to see that Soi-Fon was okay with the idea of sparring with Ichigo, Yoruichi moved to the center of the sparring ring and gestured for her two students to join her. "Now then, why don't you two get us started? I'm curious to see Ichigo's hand to hand combat after watching him fight his zanpakuto."
"Sure. Why not?" Soi-Fon figured.
"Okay."
The two Soul Reapers faced each other in the ring and took a stance. Soi-Fon considered Ichigo's stance to be a little amateurish and figured this wouldn't take very long. Smiling while crossing her arms, Yoruichi nodded at the both of them. "Alright. You may begin."
Soi-Fon moved quickly, her arm moving like a whip to punch Ichigo in the face and take him down with the first blow. Despite all his strengths, Ichigo was still only a child of fifteen and children were taken by surprise easily.
To her surprise, Ichigo ducked and delivered a solid elbow to her midsection. Ignoring the pain, the lithe captain spun around and kicked Ichigo in his side, sending him skidding a few feet backwards. 'Okay, so he's got fast reflexes. I suppose that would make sense if he was trained by Lady Yoruichi.'
Deciding to test him, Soi-Fon disappeared in a burst of Flashstep, reappearing behind him. She kicked him right in the same spot she'd landed before. However, Ichigo blocked her hit and spun around to strike her, forcing her to step back.
The exchange had only lasted barely a few seconds yet both left quite an impression upon the other. 'Wow! She's faster than Byakuya!' Ichigo marveled. He hadn't really had the chance to spar with anyone outside of Kisuke. All of his other encounters with Soul Reapers had been life and death struggles. Yoruichi had taught him how to use the Flashstep but this was the first time he'd actually gotten the opportunity to spar with another Soul Reaper. 'She seems pretty strong. I guess she's not a captain for nothing. But at least this captain isn't chasing me like a crazy person.'
Likewise, Soi-Fon was starting to think a little more highly of the young man. Sure, his fighting style was unsophisticated. But he could take a hit and seemed to be more than capable of hand-to-hand combat. 'Maybe this will be more interesting than I thought…'
The spar continued with Yoruichi watching. She was pleased that the two seemed to be getting along so well. True, Soi-Fon had over a hundred years of experience over Ichigo and her fighting style was much more polished whereas Ichigo's was a mixture of karate and street brawling. Neither of them was really giving it their all, both feeling out the other. But Yoruichi could tell that they both had a good measure of the other and was curious to see where this all led.
The spar continued. Soi-Fon was starting to see just how Ichigo was able to fare against Renji, Kenpachi and Byakuya. Still, she wasn't about to be shown up in front of her personal goddess by some boy, no matter how much she admired him. She disappeared with another burst of Flashstep and swept Ichigo's legs out from under him, sending him sprawling to the ground. The captain smirked and promptly sat down on his chest to keep him from getting back up. "That all you got, boy?"
Yoruichi's clapping made Soi-Fon's heart skip a beat. Her words, however, made it come to a dead stop. "Well, Soi-Fon. I'd no idea you'd become so bold after I left the Soul Society. You just met Ichigo and already you're going for the mount, eh?"
The captain and the Substitute she was sitting on looked at each other and blushed hard. "S-Sorry…" Soi-Fon scrambled to get off of Ichigo and helped him up.
"Thanks…you're pretty good, Soi-Fon," Ichigo said as he got up.
Although she was a little irked that Ichigo didn't call her by her proper title, she was still too embarrassed by Yoruichi's words to really think about it. "Thanks. You…you were adequate too."
"Adequate?" Yoruichi questioned her pupil's words and cocked her head to the side while crossing her arms. "I think he did a little more than hold his own."
Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "No, she got the better of me, Yoruichi. It's been a long time since I had to fight someone in hand to hand. I've gotten too used to fighting Hollows with a zanpakuto." He turned to Soi-Fon and gave her a cheerful smile. "That was fun. You should meet my friend, Tatsuki, in the World of the Living. She's a great fighter too. You two would get along great!" Ichigo's opinion of Soi-Fon had gone up a little during their sparring. She'd heard from Rukia and Renji about how harsh the woman was as a captain, Renji even told him that she was stricter and unforgiving than Byakuya. And yet, fighting her helped Ichigo get to know her a little and while she certainly could pack a punch, it was clear that she was a dedicated fighter and he respected that.
The sincerity surprised Soi-Fon. For the most part, whenever she and Omaeda or one of her men were training, her partner would often spout some excuse or try to pass off the loss. Ichigo was…more pleasant than she'd initially given him credit for and she couldn't help but give him a small smile.
"Well, do you want to go for round two? Or would you rather have me be your opponent this time? If you want, you could watch me and Soi-Fon fight it out." She gave her Substitute protégé a wink. "Give yourself a rest while you watch a little girl on girl action?"
It amused Yoruichi to no end to see how quickly she could get a rise out of Ichigo. His cheeks burned from the implication and he shook his head. "No, that's fine! I'm good! In fact, I should be going. I need to see how everyone is holding up."
"Suit yourself." Yoruichi shrugged her shoulders and looked over at Soi-Fon. "I'm sure Soi-Fon wouldn't mind if you wanted to come back later for another spar. Right, Soi-Fon?"
"I wouldn't be opposed," Soi-Fon said before she knew she'd said it, much to Ichigo's surprise.
"Okay. Maybe I'll come back if you want. Later, guys!" He headed back upstairs, giving the girls one last look before he ascended up the wooden steps.
The two ladies watched the Substitute leave before Yoruichi turned back to Soi-Fon. "So, what'd you think? You two seemed to be having a good time fighting each other."
"He was…" Soi-Fon crossed her arms and struggled to find a decent word that could describe the teenager. "…pleasant. Byakuya Kuchiki certainly painted quite a different picture when he told us about his encounters with him."
"Well, that's Byakuya for you. He doesn't think quite highly of Ichigo."
Soi-Fon could see a little from Byakuya's point of view. The Substitute Soul Reaper did seem very much like a free spirit. His fighting style told her enough that he was more of a rough and tumble kind of guy than someone who was extremely dedicated to their duty like she was. And yet, she couldn't deny she admired him a little for that. Maybe it was that free-spiritedness that helped him achieve Bankai so quickly when it took Soi-Fon decades to master hers.
"Well, at least you've found a new sparring partner," Yoruichi said, seeing through Soi-Fon's expression to know that Ichigo had left a good impression on her. She'd wished that Ichigo had stayed a little longer but hey, baby steps.
"I wouldn't oppose fighting him again. He's more of a better fighter than Omaeda will ever be." She looked over at Yoruichi and saw her smiling mischievously at her. "What?"
"Just make sure that the next time you decide to spar with Ichigo, you don't decide to settle things in a more intimate form of close quarters combat."
If riling up Ichigo was fun, riling up Soi-Fon was a hoot. Her face turned redder than Ichigo's had. "L-Lady Yoruichi! I…I would never do something so inappropriate with a lowly boy like that!"
Laughing at Soi-Fon's innocent reaction, Yoruichi turned away. "Lowly? What's the matter, Soi-Fon?" She turned her head and grinned, twisting the screws on her flustered old protégé. "You afraid he might manhandle you? Or maybe you wished I wasn't around so you can continue what you started after you mounted him?"
Soi-Fon's face turned so red that it was practically a miracle that steam didn't shoot out of her ears. "L-Lady Yoruichi! I-I-I-"she kept stammering, her tongue suddenly refusing to work properly. Suddenly her mind flashed some very devious images in her head that she never thought a woman of her position would dare entertain. "I would…I would never be so crass!"
"Relax, Soi-Fon. I'm only teasing. Geez, getting all flustered and steamed over one young man. You really do need to loosen up a bit. Still," Yoruichi stretched out her arm and walked to the center of the sparring ring. "Let's put the girl talk about boys to the side, shall we? Now that Ichigo's got you all warmed up, it's time I took a few swings."
Grateful for their conversation being over and done with, Soi-Fon joined her in the sparring ring. As they started to fight, Soi-Fon hoped that she wouldn't have to deal with the young Substitute again. At best, he was just a distraction keeping Soi-Fon focused on regaining her personal goddess's affections.
At worst, he was quite a fetching young man…
The next day…
Soi-Fon sat in the middle of the sparring ring in a meditative position, legs crossed and hands turned upwards on her knees. Everyone was still reeling from Aizen's betrayal and scrambling to figure out what his overall plan was. Soi-Fon didn't want to stay idle so she had returned to the hidden training chamber to help keep her focused.
It was a hot day so the room was warm, the air muggy and stifling. Sweat dripped down the woman's bare back while she focused and kept her breathing even. Her ears picked up the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs again. "Hmm?" She opened an eye and was surprised to see Ichigo coming down the stairs. "Ichigo Kurosaki? What are you doing here?"
The boy was panting hard, his face drenched in sweat and it wasn't from the heat. "Hide me! Kenpachi is freaking nuts! He keeps popping up demanding me to fight him!"
"So go and fight him. You're far stronger than you initially were when you first fought him," she pointed out, a little annoyed at having her meditation interrupted. "Surely you can defeat him much more easily now that you have achieved Bankai."
"Are you kidding me? The last time we fought, I barely made it out alive! He literally almost tore my guts out!" Wiping the sweat from his brow, he walked over to the captain. "Look, I really don't want to fight anyone if I don't have to and Kenpachi scares the crap out of me. Can I just hide here for a while?"
Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. Ichigo was sure acting cowardly for someone who had been brave enough to face the entire Soul Society mere days ago. 'But then again, anyone would be frightened of Kenpachi after fighting him so I guess it's excusable,' she reasoned to herself. 'And since he's completed his mission, I suppose it'd only make sense for him to be so carefree. He isn't a trained soldier, after all.'
Getting up, the sweaty Soi-Fon grabbed a nearby rag and wiped her forehead before she addressed Ichigo again. "Well, if you're going to stay here and hide like a mole afraid of the farmer, you might as well give me some entertainment. Care to spar with me again, Ichigo?"
"Sure. It beats getting stabbed by Kenpachi, that's for sure."
"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," she chided, crossing her arms and inevitably pushing up her sweaty boobs. "I may just decide to always grab my zanpakuto when you aren't looking and test your full might. I was keeping aware of your fight with Byakuya, you know." Her gray eyes narrowed. "Maybe I should see how I fair against the so-called Substitute Soul Reaper in real combat?"
The words made Ichigo tense, not knowing if Soi-Fon was joking. "If that's what you want, sure," he said, his expression hardening. The humid air became thick with tension as the two stared each other down.
Thankfully Soi-Fon simply waved her hand dismissively. "Perhaps another time. A battle with me," her eyes flashed dangerously at the young man, "A real battle with me would be to the death. And I haven't received orders to kill you. Besides, it's too hot in here for a real blade with our zanpakutos so why don't we pick up where we left off with hand-to-hand sparring."
Ichigo mentally breathed a sigh of relief. When Soi-Fon said that she would kill him if ordered, the look in her eyes told him that she meant it. She was as hardcore as they come; she was probably more intense than Byakuya for that matter. "That's fine with me." He looked down at himself and realized how sweaty his Shihakusho was after running in the hot heat. "Hang on. Let me take this off really quick."
Untying his sash, Ichigo took off the black top that covered him and tossed the sweaty shirt to the side, exposing his sweaty naked upper body to the woman.
And it was in that moment when Soi-Fon experienced something that she hadn't in the first time in forever: she felt her heart beat faster. Compared to her usual sparring partner and/or punching bag, Lieutenant Omaeda, her eyes were given a feast to behold.
Underneath the loose-fitting Kosode, Ichigo was toned and well-built. Multiple scars littered his chest, including the one on his shoulder when Renji had hit him in their first encounter and one at the center of his chest, where Byakuya Kuchiki had stabbed him and robbed him of the initial Soul Reaper powers that he'd taken from his sister, Rukia Kuchiki. Ichigo's time as a Soul Reaper had been brief, yet he already had the body of a battle-hardened veteran.
As she stared at the half-naked Ichigo, Soi-Fon suddenly felt very self-conscious of her own body. The black Stealth Force Commander outfit that she wore only just covered her front, her entire back exposed. Her Hakama left the outside of her hips exposed and the sweat made the front of her outfit stick to her chest, making her breasts more noticeable than usual.
Instantly the words of her mentor came back to her and she had to turn her head away when she realized what Yoruichi might say if she were to see Ichigo and Soi-Fon alone together in the secret room, both covered in sweat and showing off so much more skin than usual.
"Ooooh! You two haven't done anything and you're already hot and sweaty. Maybe your sparring might be more intense with so much hot emotions!"
Soi-Fon was snapped out of her embarrassing thoughts when Ichigo set his large Zangetsu back against the wall again and took his position in the sparring ring. "Ready when you are." He was confused when he saw that she was turned away from him with her hands on her cheeks. "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing! I'm just...doing a mental exercise!" she said, slapping herself as if to physically beat the thoughts out of her head. 'Lady Yoruichi has gotten me all riled up. He's just a boy. I'd be a cradle robber if something did occur.' When she had that thought, her next realization was that she believed that something might happen between them. 'Just...just pummel him and those dirty thoughts will go away. My heart is for Yoruichi. I'm just agitated because of the heat. That's all.'
The pair faced off in the middle of the sparring ring. Soi-Fon held up a small coin and tossed it. Time slowed for the pair of them as they watched the shiny metal coin rise into the air and make its quick descent. The coin landed with hardly a sound, yet the moment it hit the hard floor the two Soul Reapers lunged forward.
With Yoruichi no longer present to embarrass either of them and having gotten a feel for the other's fighting style the day before, the two went at each other more intensely than their previous spar.
Ichigo blocked Soi-Fon's repeated jabs and elbows, amazed that the woman was moving faster than yesterday. This was definitely Yoruichi's apprentice, if what the Flash Goddess had told him earlier was true. He swept low, kicking her feet out from under her but the lithe captain spun backwards, performed a handstand and then swung her legs downward in an axe-kick aimed squarely at Ichigo's shoulder.
When the Substitute stepped back to dodge the strike, Soi-Fon took the opportunity to Flashstep behind the young man to kick his feet out from under him. To her surprise, Ichigo disappeared with a Flashstep of his own to avoid getting knocked to the floor. Her eyes were sharp enough to keep up with his movements and she spun around to roundhouse kick him, knowing he was trying to do the same move she had tried to use on him. She assumed as her body turned with her kick that he'd try to take her down by kicking out her leg. Ichigo once again surprised her by grabbing at the one thing she hadn't been expecting: her braids.
Grabbing both of her long black braids, Ichigo pulled hard, snapping Soi-Fon's head back and causing her to lose balance. The short woman landed on her back with a loud "Oomph!" and Ichigo elected to not give her the chance for payback, getting on top of her stomach to keep her pinned. Soi-Fon angrily threw her fists at his face to get him off but he grabbed her wrists and pushed them down next to her head.
Panting hard and sweating profusely, Ichigo looked down with a smirk on his face from having avenged his previous loss. Huffing, Soi-Fon turned her head slightly and raised an eyebrow suggestively at the young Substitute. "Expecting a kiss, are we?"
The realization of the position that they were in made Ichigo blushed. "N-no! I uh..." he stammered innocently.
Soi-Fon couldn't help but find Ichigo adorable when he was flustered. "Still, playing dirty to get one up on your opponent. Not bad, Ichigo. You might be a good fit for the Punishment Force if you ever decide to join the Thirteen Court Guard Squads proper. However, you've forgotten one thing."
"Oh? And what's that?"
"I can play dirty too."
The woman suddenly bucked with her hips. The woman's lower body was far stronger than Ichigo had realized and he was bucked off the captain like a cowboy was thrown from a bucking bronco. He hit the ground and rolled onto his back. Once again, Soi-Fon promptly sat down on his chest, grabbing his wrists and holding them above his head to keep him pinned. Her face neared Ichigo's, a smirk stretching across her face. "Looks like I win. Again."
Ichigo wanted to open his mouth and fire off a retort but decided against it. He thought he had Soi-Fon but she'd turned the tables on him fair and square. 'Heh, she's better than I thought. ' He merely gave the woman a small smile. "Okay. You beat me. Glad I didn't run into you when I was trying to save Rukia."
Soi-Fon laughed, sweat rolling down her back while she straddled Ichigo's naked chest. "Please, don't try to butter me up with flattery. But you're right." Her grey eyes narrowed while she stared down at him. "If you'd ran into me instead of Byakuya Kuchiki, things would have turned out a lot differently."
Ichigo tried to struggle out of her grasp, wanting to turn the tables on her. The two struggled but Soi-Fon kept the young teen's wrists firmly in her grasp. However, Ichigo's eyes were instead focused on her jiggling breasts. With her top completely soaked with sweat, the captain's ample bosom jiggled right in front of his face.
The boy's reddening face caught Soi-Fon's attention and her cheeks turned a bright shade of pink when she realized he was staring at her breasts. "Hey! My eyes are up here!" she seethed.
Then the realization of the situation they were in hit them both. If anyone saw them, they'd see a sweaty Soi-Fon straddling a half-naked Ichigo's stomach while she kept hold of his wrists, her face and her breasts so close to him. The two looked at each other with red faces that were so close to each other, they could feel each other's hot breath on their faces.
'...I'm pretty sure this is how most of the porn Kon watches starts...' Ichigo couldn't help but think to himself, his blood running south.
Soi-Fon shifted her hips and scooted a little lower and felt something press against her backside. A very certain realization made her stiffen up and her brain started to fry itself while it struggled what to do. 'What the hell?! Is he getting aroused? Well, he is a teenager after all and the position we're in...' she thought, oddly justifying Ichigo's actions. 'Should I be mad? It's a sign he's clearly attracted to me so I can't get upset for thinking that. He's not a trained soldier so nobody has taught him how to discipline his emotions. I am on top of a half-naked boy who has a body better than most men. Should I act like it's nothing or should I... what should I do?'
Ichigo, for his part, was just as flustered as the captain. 'Crap! I can't believe I'm getting a boner! I'm worse than Kon! Dammit, she'll have notice it by now and Renji says that she's real mean when she gets angry. What the hell do I do now?'
The awkward silence lingered between them until they both heard something coming from the side of the room: crunching. Two heads turned to the left and two pairs of eyes widened when they saw Yoruichi sitting on a bench, eating from a bag of potato chips while watching the two. "YORUICHI!" they both gasped in horrified unison. "HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE?!"
'How cute. They're even yelling in stereo. This is becoming far more entertaining than I had imagined.' Setting the bag of chips to the side, Yoruichi crossed her legs and pouted. "Aww! Don't stop! Things were just getting interesting! Just pretend I'm not here and keep sparring."
Soi-Fon scrambled off of Ichigo faster than he could blink. Ichigo sat up and his ears burned hot with embarrassment. That was twice in one week he'd been caught in a compromising position with Yoruichi's former pupil while the Flash Goddess looked on. 'I'm really glad Uryu isn't here to see this. Because the last thing I need right now is for him to rub it in.'
"L-L-L-" Soi-Fon stammered hard, looking at the ground. None of her subordinates would recognize the red-face, sweaty, stammering woman that had taken their captain's place. "L-L-L-Lady Yoruic-chi! I swear that it wasn't what it looked like!"
If Soi-Fon had the power, she would have melted herself into a puddle to get out of the shame she was feeling. 'I must have looked like such a harlot to her. What was I thinking?'
Shuffling his feet awkwardly, Ichigo scowled at the werecat. It was getting annoying that she was getting so much fun at both his and Soi-Fon's expense. "What are you even doing here anyway? I thought you were working things out for the Soul Society to send us home."
"I was. But I came to see why Soi-Fon was in this stuffy room." She looked around and wiped her sweaty forehead. "Should really bring a fan in here, Soi-Fon, if you're going to spar in here. If you two actually continued, you'd both be liable to pass out from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Hmm?" She put a hand to her ear.
"What are you doing?"
"Hmm? Is that the sound of bells I hear?"
Panic surged through the hapless Substitute Soul Reaper like lightning. "What? Kenpachi is coming?! I gotta go!" He grabbed his top and pulled Zangetsu from the wall. "It was nice fighting with you again, Soi-Fon! Later!" He darted up the stairs as quickly as he entered.
"Wow. Look at him go. He could probably outpace both of us. All you'd need to do was have Kenpachi chasing him," laughed Yoruichi while getting up off the bench. "We should probably get out of here too. I'm sweating bullets in this stuffy room."
Nodding, Soi-Fon followed her mentor out of the training chamber, the fresh air outside a relief to the hot, sweaty captain. "L-Lady Yoruichi..." she mumbled. "F-forgive me. I was..."
"Forgive you? For what?" Yoruichi raised an eyebrow and stopped walking.
Staring at the ground, Soi-Fon struggled to find her words. Emotions were something she hadn't had to deal with for a long time and now she was dealing with a torrent of them coming down on her head like a waterfall. "I must have looked shameless back there. You must think I've become a lewd harlot in your absence..."
Yoruichi put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a comforting smile. "Nothing from the sort. I just saw two people get caught up in the moment. From the look on your face, I say you enjoyed sparring with Ichigo, even if it isn't serious."
"Well...yes, I did. Ichigo is...competent. He knows how to fight. A shame he's just a Substitute. He'd make a better lieutenant than Omaeda, that's for certain."
"Oh really? Is it because of his fighting style? Or because you prefer Ichigo with his shirt off since he's better looking?"
"Well, yes, he is very handsome and is more attractive than Omaeda will ever be but I-" Soi-Fon gasped and covered her mouth when she realized her slip of the tongue. "N-no! What I meant to say was-"
"Soi-Fon. Stop." The two started walking again for a few seconds before Yoruichi spoke again. "You don't have to hide your feelings from me or be embarrassed. I want you to speak freely and just be open, not just to me but to yourself. You think he's attractive, don't you?"
Soi-Fon waited a long minute before she answered. She wasn't comfortable with talking about her feelings but if she couldn't be honest with Yoruichi, then who can she be honest to?
"He's...quite attractive, yes. I won't lie. When I was on top of him, my thoughts...might have been starting to go down a lewd road. But..." Soi-Fon sighed and shook her head. "It's inappropriate of me to harbor such desires."
"Why? You're a woman too. And you just said the other day that you haven't been romantically involved with anyone since I've been gone. You deserve comfort and tenderness as much as the next woman."
A scowl darkened the short captain's face. Many things she wanted but comfort and tenderness weren't one of them. 'Or maybe I do?' The thought broke up her scowl and she looked over at Yoruichi with worried eyes. "True, but he's only a teenager. Even if something...more...were to come from our little sparring, he's only fifteen. I'd feel like a cradle robber."
Yoruichi laughed again. "Soi-Fon, you worry far too much. Ichigo might be a young man but he's been through enough experiences to test even the strongest adult. I'm sure he is probably having thoughts similar to yours if the look on his face was anything to go by."
"What should I do then?"
"My advice? Sit down and talk with him. You two clearly like each other and even if things don't get romantic for you both, you could still agree to be sparring partners. I know Ichigo would appreciate it."
"I suppose..." Soi-Fon reached her quarters and bowed in thanks. "I will consider what you've said, Lady Yoruichi. Please excuse me. I am in dire need of a shower."
"Of course, Soi-Fon. I'll talk with you later." She moved to walk away but stopped for a moment. "Oh, and you should really put a fan in that chamber if you're going to keep sparring there." Her little Bee nodded and slipped inside her chambers. Turning away from the Squad Two barracks, Yoruichi walked away and smiled, already satisfied with how things were turning out.
"Well Soi-Fon...if it's a little heart to heart you and Ichigo are needing, then a heart to heart you'll get." Yoruichi's mind moved like clockwork and she started to make her plans. She'd have to move fast though; Ichigo and his friends would only be in the Soul Society for a few more days.
Walking down the steps leading out of Squad Two, Yoruichi started to plot her next move. An idea hit her and a smile stretched across her face. "Yes, that'll do just nicely."
The Next Evening...
Ichigo said goodbye to Renji as he walked out of Squad Six. He had been feeling restless so he decided to see how the redhead was doing. Byakuya was still recovering under Captain Unohana's care. Ichigo was fine with not having to talk to the man; he respected Byakuya Kuchiki but the man's arrogant attitude still got on his nerves.
He thought about what he should do for the evening. Orihime was busy spending time with Rukia before they went away and Uryu was hard at work making clothes for them all to wear back to their world. "Maybe I should go see what Chad's up to?" He thought about it for a moment. "Maybe Soi-Fon will be up for another spar since I leave tomorrow."
"Oh? Has our little Strawberry found a new fighting buddy?"
Whirling around, the Substitute almost jumped out of his skin when he saw Yoruichi standing behind him. "Yoruichi!"
"Goodness, Ichigo, you're jumpy," teased the purple-haired woman.
"What are you doing here?"
"I figured you'd want to do something nice for your last night in the Soul Society. I know of a good hot spring where you can get some peace and quiet. Figured you could use it after all the running around you've been doing trying to escape from Kenpachi."
Ichigo could appreciate the offer. The mad captain kept popping up, demanding a rematch with Ichigo and forcing him to run away like a bat out of hell. "Sure. Where is it?"
"It's in an old spot in the woods nearby. I used to use it all the time when I was a young girl after my training exercises. Figured the forest out there would be a little bit more scenic than the rocky underground training ground we did your Bankai training in," she said.
"True. When we get back, you should probably tell Kisuke he needs to work on his decorum for his underground bases."
That got a laugh out of Yoruichi. "I'll be sure to tell him when we get back tomorrow. Anyway," she reached behind her and pulled out a map of the Seireitei, unfolding it to show Ichigo the spot she was talking about. "Here, take this so you don't get lost."
"Thanks, Yoruichi." He bowed his head in thanks and walked away, following the map he'd been given. Yoruichi watched Ichigo leave until he was out of sight and then grinned, turning away and Flashstepping towards Squad Two where she knew that Soi-Fon was needing a break from the constant meeting with the captains over the upcoming battle with Aizen and his cohorts.
Perhaps a visit to a hot spring was what the woman needed to unwind?
An hour later...
"Ahhh..."
Ichigo sat in the large hot spring, the wind whistling through the trees around the heated ring of spring water. His clothes lay nearby, pinned underneath Zangetsu to make sure they didn't go flying off. "This is nice..." he said to himself as he sat back against the smooth rocky interior of the spring, stretching out his legs.
It'd taken a while to find the hot spring. It wasn't in a part of the Soul Society that held one of the squads' barracks. The forest was a change of scenery for Ichigo, who had been in too busy of a hurry to save Rukia to really take in his surroundings.
Sitting back, he looked up at the sky. The black tapestry that hung above the Soul Society was dotted with stars, a crescent moon making a slow climb across the dark sky. Closing his eyes and embracing the heat of the water, Ichigo thought back of his experience here in the Soul Society and his mission to save Rukia. He'd succeeded in saving her from her grim fate but now a new enemy had reared his face. A shiver ran down his spine as he remembered the crippling defeat Aizen handed him. Considering how he practically walked through Komamura and Renji, Aizen's strength seemed terrifyingly inhuman. Ichigo didn't know how they were going to take him down.
Shaking the dark thoughts out of his head, Ichigo turned his thoughts to the past few days. The spars he had with Captain Soi-Fon came back to him and a small smile graced his face. He had missed simple sparring; Soi-Fon reminded him of a more tense Tatsuki. And yet...
Ichigo looked down at the water and his smile dropped from his face. 'She seems so lonely.'
A rustling in the bushes drew Ichigo's attention and he looked up, fearful that Kenpachi had found him once again. A chill ran down his spine. The last thing he needed on the night before leaving was having to flee from the crazed captain in the buff.
To his surprise, it was Captain Soi-Fon who appeared, walking up to the edge of the hot spring. "Ichigo Kurosaki? What are you doing here?" It was clear from the shock on her face that she was just as surprised to see Ichigo as he was to see her."
"Yoruichi told me about this place and said I should come here to relax before I went home tomorrow. Why're you here?"
The woman shrugged and removed her Haori. "Things have been rather tense. We're still reeling from Aizen and his betrayal. The other captains have been trying to piece together what his goal is. Lady Yoruichi told me that I should take tonight off and relax so I figured I'd come here to unwind a little." She gestured to the hot spring Ichigo was currently sitting in. "This place was where Lady Yoruichi and I would often come to after we trained together to unwind. It seemed like as good a place as any."
Ichigo would have apologized for intruding on such a place that must have meant a lot to her, considering just how much Soi-Fon adored Yoruichi. He opened his mouth, only to let it hang low when the woman unceremoniously removed her white sash and removed the top of her outfit, exposing her bare chest to the young teenager. "S-S-S-Soi-Fon?! What are you doing?" the prude asked as his face felt hotter than the spring.
"What's the matter? Surely, you've seen a woman unclothed before?" Soi-Fon rolled her eyes at Ichigo's innocent reaction while she dropped her Hakama, standing at the edge of the hot spring in a white fundoshi.
During their spars and their awkward moments, Ichigo had never really the time to appreciate just what a woman Soi-Fon was. While the short woman could never claim that she could equal Orihime or her mentor when it came to how big her breasts were, her small size complimented her perky C-cup breasts. Over a century of training had given the woman a fit, lithe figure that didn't have an ounce of body fat on her. Her slim legs led up to her toned thighs, Ichigo seeing Soi-Fon for the woman she was underneath the Haori.
"What's the matter? The cat got your tongue?" Soi-Fon raised an eyebrow at Ichigo's reaction, his hand going to his nose as if blood threatened to shoot out. "You should really learn to chill. You're quite high-strung for a fifteen-year-old, you know that?" As if stripping in front of a teenager was just natural, Soi-Fon removed her underwear and tossed it, showing Ichigo her bare womanhood, a trimmed patch of black hair crowning it. "What? You've had to have seen women naked before? Isn't it something most Human boys do when they hit puberty?"
Ichigo thought about it and while she had a point, it made him feel as big a pervert as Kon. "Well...yes, but the...um..." Ichigo scratched the back of his head while Soi-Fon waited for him to stop fumbling with his words. "You're the second woman I've seen nude?"
"Really?" Soi-Fon walked around the edge of the hot spring and dipped a toe into the warm water. She decided to enjoy making Ichigo squirm for all the embarrassment he caused her in front of Yoruichi by slipping into the hot spring and sitting right next to him, his expression priceless. "So, who was the first person you saw naked? Rukia Kuchiki show you the goods when she was living with you? Or did you have a fling with that orange-haired friend of yours?"
"Neither, actually. Um...it was Yoruichi."
The amusement was washed away from Soi-Fon's face and a look of searing anger replaced it. Ichigo was so startled by the quick one-eighty he fought he saw literal fire in her eyes. "WHAT?!"
Throwing his hands up in his defense, Ichigo scooted a foot away from her. "It-It was when she first showed me her human form! I didn't even know she was a woman! She always spoke with such a deep male voice that I mistook her for a guy!"
Taking deep breaths, Soi-Fon calmed down and sat back in the hot spring. "Hmph! I suppose that's acceptable. Most people mistook Lady Yoruichi for a man because of her insistence on going around in feline form."
"Not to mention Kisuke kept calling her Mr. Yoruichi. Kinda made us all assume..." Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief when it looked like Soi-Fon wasn't going to rip him a new one and sat back next to her, enjoying the hot water.
Just the name of Kisuke made Soi-Fon shiver. "That buffoon. Of course, he would say that..."
"Yeah, I have a bone or two to pick with him when I get back tomorrow..."
"That reminds me. Ikkaku Madarame said you mentioned he was your teacher when you two fought after you first invaded the Soul Society?" she asked out of curiosity. "I thought that it was Yoruichi who taught you to fight?"
"No. She taught Orihime and Chad how to use their powers. But she did teach me how to perform the Flashstep while I was trying to learn how to learn my Bankai. Kisuke was the one who trained me. Although I wouldn't say he was good at it," Ichigo considered, thinking about everything that Kisuke had neglected to tell him about. "I want to punch him for all the goofy crap he put me through."
Soi-Fon turned her head and smiled. "Give him one for me, please? I've got a whole century of beatdowns waiting for him."
Ichigo chuckled and smiled back. "I'll be sure to do more than just punch him..."
Meanwhile...
Urahara Shop
"Achoo!"
Tessai poked his head into Kisuke's bedroom as he passed by when he heard him sneeze. "You okay, Boss? You aren't catching a cold, are you?"
The shopkeeper shook his head and frowned. "No, Ichigo and Soi-Fon are talking bad about me after Yoruichi set them up together because she felt Soi-Fon needed a man in her life."
"...How do you know that?"
Back to Ichigo & Soi-Fon...
With the ice broken between them, the two started talking. Ichigo explained just how exactly his first meeting with Rukia went, making the captain realize just how wrong the Soul Society had been in condemning Rukia Kuchiki for her crimes. She in turn told her about how Yoruichi used to train her and all the hijinks her former captain got up to. And of course, they didn't miss an opportunity to bash Kisuke Urahara for all the goofy stuff he'd put them both through. But soon the conversation turned to the impending threat they all faced.
"So, you're going to head back home tomorrow? Be careful, Ichigo." Most of her men would have been astonished if they saw the concern in her eyes. "Aizen clearly has plans for you. Do not underestimate him."
"I won't. Um..." Ichigo looked down at the water for a moment before looking back up. "Hey, when this is all over and I come back to the Soul Society to see Rukia again...can I come spar with you?"
The question made Soi-Fon blink for a moment. She couldn't help fight the blush on her cheeks. "S-sure..." she stammered, her heart starting to beat just a little faster from the look in her eyes. "I enjoy sparring with you." She noticed something in his eyes as he looked at her. There was a glint of sadness in his eyes. Pity perhaps? "What is it?"
Realizing that his thoughts were visible on his face, Ichigo mentally kicked himself but decided that it was okay to talk open with Soi-Fon. "I... enjoy sparring with you, Soi-Fon. But...are you lonely? When I was fighting you...you seemed to be so happy to have someone to do something you liked with."
"I..." Soi-Fon turned away, her heart at war with itself. She moved her hand underwater and when it touched Ichigo's, her heart thumped harder as she tried to control her emotions. Part of her wanted to tell off this impudent boy, that he should mind his own business. But Ichigo had hit the nail on the head and somewhere deep inside of her the dam holding her feelings started to crack. "I am..." she simply said, sadness etched into her face as she looked down at the water.
Underneath the hot spring water, Ichigo took hold of Soi-Fon's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, the look in his eyes kind and understanding, coaxing the woman to continue. "When Yoruichi left, I had to toughen up. I took up the title of captain in Yoruichi's place and I maintained a strict Squad. But...I must admit, I have felt alone for a hundred years." Her eyes showed Ichigo the soul of a woman who had lived those hundred lonely years. "Is that all you think of me, Ichigo? That I'm just a lonely woman who deserves pity?"
Ichigo gave her hand another squeeze and kindness sparkled in his eyes. "No, I can tell you're a strong person. You seemed to be very happy when you were sparring with me and whenever you're talking with Yoruichi."
Soi-Fon nodded. "Yes. Seeing Lady Yoruichi again, knowing she hadn't betrayed us...makes me feel happy."
Perhaps it was the heat of the hot spring sapping her strength or her opening up and talking about her emotions, whatever the reason Soi-Fon felt relaxed. So relaxed, in fact, that she laid her head on Ichigo's shoulder. "And... I feel peaceful when I'm around you." She turned her head, her lips so close to his face. "Whenever I'm with you...I don't think like a captain. I just..." She let go of Ichigo's hand and raised it, touching his chest and feeling the beat of his heart. "I just feel like me."
The heart in Ichigo's chest was pounding hard, especially with Soi-Fon touching him. Staring into her gray eyes, his thoughts became a jumbled mess as he locked eyes with her. He was alone with this woman, this woman who was naked, leaning against him in a hot spring. "What...do you think...of me?" he asked, taking hold of her hand once again.
Something inside of Soi-Fon told her to give in to the emotions that boiled inside her and for once, she gave in to temptation. "I think you're a boy...but you've certainly grown the qualities of a man. You're brave, strong, daring..." Her face leaned ever closer to his. "Kind, sweet and compassionate too. When I first saw you, I dismissed you as some arrogant child. But I..." Her lips were just inches from Ichigo's. "I see you for the man you truly are."
Ichigo closed the gap and pressed his lips against hers, giving the captain his first kiss. As soon as their lips touched, the young teenager felt his mind go blank. He was taken aback from how soft the woman's lips were. The kiss ended as quickly as it came but Soi-Fon blessed him with a kiss of her own. Her wet hand reached up and ran through Ichigo's orange hair. The teen shivered from her soft touch as her fingers sifted through his hair.
Strong arms wrapped around Soi-Fon and for the first time in her life, she allowed another man to hold her. The kisses kept on coming, each one deeper and more passionate than the last. Their embrace tightened. Ichigo's blood ran hot feeling the woman's bare breasts push against his hard chest. As for Soi-Fon, she felt something hard and very big brush against her leg. It would have been the simplest thing for her to get on Ichigo's lap, raise her hips and then-
Before things could get even hotter between the pair, Soi-Fon pulled her lips away from Ichigo's, giving herself a moment to breathe. With that moment came a certain clarity that lanced through her brain, spiking through the heat that threatened to cloud her judgement and she knew she had to fight the urge to let Ichigo take her here and now. "Wait..." she panted, putting a hand to Ichigo's chest to stop him from leaning in for another kiss.
Ichigo stiffened and fear started to gnaw at his gut. "What's wrong?" He feared he'd acted too rashly and her answer would be a knuckle sandwich.
"I won't lie. This is...great. I haven't felt like this in so long, if ever. But..." Soi-Fon took a deep breath. "Not now..." Calming herself, she knew she had to let the captain inside her win out over the woman. "We're about to go to war. And this..." she gestured to the both of them, "This would be distracting for the both of us. When this is over and Aizen is defeated, we can pick up where we left off," she said with a reassuring smile. "If you'll have me, Ichigo."
Though he was a little disappointed that things had stopped before they got to the good part, Ichigo couldn't fault the woman's thinking. She was a captain, after all, and had to be pragmatic. Deep down, he knew that she was right. Until Aizen was defeated, romance would have to wait. "Okay. I can be patient," he said with a smile.
Grateful that the Substitute was so understanding, Soi-Fon leaned back against the side of the hot spring and sighed. "But...just for tonight...could you hold me?"
Ichigo didn't have to be told twice. His strong arms embraced the woman and he held her tightly, her head resting on his shoulder while she closed her eyes. Neither of them knew how things would turn out in the future; they didn't even know if they even had a future at all, let alone a future together. But all of that could wait until tomorrow.
Tonight, Ichigo and Soi-Fon simply wanted to enjoy the moment...
To be continued...