Question List and Naked Cat Lady
Present day
Breaking from the clutches of her only memories the woman looks up at the moon. (Am I that little girl? Yoichi Fukashigi? Of course. Of course, I am. I have murdered people. Since I was almost seven? I am the monster here, though they were bad people. Barely human I would say. I have amnesia? Why do I have amnesia? How do I have some memories and not all of them?) Curiously she feels that she has all her fingers. (Do things go back to your original form when you die? I did die, didn't I?)
In the corner of her vision, she catches a pair of small golden eyes staring at her. She turns her head to the animal and sees that it is a cat sitting on a low cobblestone wall. It is revealed by the moonlight and appears to have lovely glossy black fur. Yoichi smiles at it and thinks to herself that despite what she cannot remember it feels as if she liked cats before she found herself in this situation. The feline blinks curiously back at her.
Yoichi looks at her attire. (My last memories consist of me being a child but looking at myself I obviously am no longer one. How can I age when I am dead? How old am I? 17? 19? Unbelievable that I remember my name and not how old I am.)
She is wearing all black with long pants and a sleeveless V-neck. (No wonder I am so cold. I wonder how long I was lying here for.) She rubs her bare arms with the escalating gust whipping through her and shudders. Even with her attempt at gathering warmth as soon as she stops the friction she is back to being as cold as before.
Despite being quite snug, her shirt does not flaunt her generous womanly charms and is rimmed with wine red along its' almost non-existent sleeves and neckline. Yoichi also sees that her pants are seemingly oversized, black and have around 10 long folds along each of the ends. While the size of her pants seems exaggerated they flair on the ends accentuating her waist. Yoichi guesses that the secure dark red belt around her abdomen is to keep the heavy dark-blue sheathed Katana and dagger steadily attached to her side.
She examines them further and sees that they are connected by a long clear glass chain. (How can a glass chain be useful in holding swords together? Is it a special kind of material?) Her hands flutter over the cool wooden sheaths. (Am I in such a dangerous environment that I still need swords? Do I still know Kendo to handle such exquisite pieces of weaponry? Words, I am thinking about so many things and somehow still can understand them, yet I know almost nothing about myself. Who am I?)
The hilt of her Katana has four red claws facing the sheath and a light green and dark blue cloth folded as her hilts grip and a short black split piece of cloth where the chain connects at its end. The Tanto is identical except it is a quarter size of its Katana counterpart and has no split cloth on the end of its hilt.
Before Yoichi has the chance to unsheathe her blades, she is surprised to hear a man's voice break the night's silence. "Why are you so intrigued to find you have a Zanpakutō?"
Looking in all directions, Yoichi sees no one around. "Who's there?" As she rises unsteadily to her cold feet, she subconsciously reaches across her waist with her left hand for her Katana. (Whoa, I am so much taller than I last remember. I am obviously missing something.)
"Hello, I am right here. Not like there is anyone else near you." (It's always amusing when a soul has never seen a talking animal before. To be fair though I don't know many who have.)
Seeing no humans, Yoichi almost snaps her neck back to the cat and takes a step backwards in alarm. "Cat, was it you who just spoke?"
"Yes, so I will ask again. Why are you surprised to find that you have a Zanpakutō?"
She sees the feline's short toothed mouth move but is confused on whether this is typical or not. "Umm... Ok then…" (Maybe I hit my head too hard. I do have amnesia after all.) "I don't even know what a Zanpakutō is. I have somehow lost my memories. Can you tell me what you are talking about and where I am? Also, is it normal for animals to talk in this place? It seems like I have never heard one talk before." (At least not from when I was alive. But then again, I don't have many memories from that either.)
The cat looks sympathetically at Yoichi for a moment but ignores her questions. "Follow me and you will know everything you wish to in time. You are a danger to all that live here, and I oversee helping you find safety." Before Yoichi can question him further, the cat turns around and leaps into the bushes.
Confused yet curious, Yoichi's desire to find out more about herself and the supposed 'danger' she poses to this place, out-weighs the doubt she harbours about trusting enigmatic talking animals. (Not like I have a clue about what I was going to do out here anyways.)
Easily slipping into the new height difference when compared to her memories, Yoichi dashes after the sleek blur and into the shrubs, eager for answers.
Yoichi runs for over half an hour with nothing but dense forest in looming darkness. The scattered moonlight between each tree catches the sheen on the feline's sleek back barely guiding Yoichi further into the woods.
Finally, they come to a clearing near the edge of a canyon. Feeling only somewhat out of breath Yoichi deeply inhales the fresh air. She can hear water crashing far away below and birds squawking after fish. (So, there are other animals here. Wonder if they can talk too.) Her flesh creates chicken skin with the salty breeze howling through the crevice and she rubs her arms some more.
The cat yells from across the other side from an edge leading to a well-lit cave. "Leap across."
She is baffled by the request. Getting another spread of chicken skin Yoichi rubs her bare arms harder with fruitless results. Thinking about gravity and how far she thinks she can jump, she shakes her head at the notion. "Are you crazy? I cannot make that jump. It is like, 10 meters away. Not to mention; how the hell did you get across?" (What is wrong with this cat? Maybe it is stupid enough to think I am also some kind of talking cat that can leap extreme distances. Would this even be an extreme distance?)
The cat gives an exasperated sigh and shakes his head. (I have seen what she can do but what can I expect if she has lost all recollection of her abilities? I guess she leaves me no choice.) In a cloud of white smoke, a very naked, tanned woman with long purple hair appears just where the cat had been and leaps towards her, easily breaching the large gap.
Too shocked to move Yoichi just stares as the nude woman soars towards her. Landing elegantly the woman's feet barely dig into the soft soil and she reaches for Yoichi's clothing. With a grip like steel, the shorter woman takes hold of the front of Yoichi's shirt and lower pants leg and throws her over her body.
Yoichi torpedos helplessly into the mouth of the cave and falls as gracefully as a sack of potatoes. She face-plants the floor and the momentum of the throw tumbles her into a rock wall. Landing upside-down, Yoichi then falls to the side and waits for her head to stop spinning.
With whirling vision, she sees a blurry stick figure version of purple hair and tanned skin sauntering towards her. Sitting up straight and backing away from the over powered, crazy, transforming cat, only causes rocks to dig further into Yoichi's back.
Yoichi holds one hand up in a stop motion and the other to her forehead in irritation. "You are either a cat which can change into a human or a human which can transform into a cat. Either way, you just threw me around 14 meters, with what I am pretty sure is in-human strength. So, mind telling me WHAT. THE. HELL. KITTY." Taking a breath Yoichi then continues with a growl, "Also what's up with your voice? I thought you were a dude."
Giving an amused smirk at Yoichi's dishevelled state and disbelief in her gender, the cat-thing revels in her discomfort. "How about we start over. My name is Yoruichi Shihōin, but just call me Yoruichi. I am originally human but can turn into a cat at will." She pauses and tries to see if the younger girl is catching up. "But enough about me what's your name cutie?" Winking as she said her last sentence Yoruichi squats to Yoichi's level with a sly grin.
Still angry at being treated as a rag doll by some psycho cat-person, Yoichi completely misses Yoruichi's flirting and glares predominantly at her face. "You can call me Fukashigi. Now for goodness sake turn back into a cat or put some clothes on and answer my questions- if you're even truly supposed to help me at all." Blushing furiously, Yoichi turns her head to the side to preserve what little modesty the other woman has left. Although with the glare she gave her, the image of Yoruichi's sculpted body is left burnt in her current memory. It really did not help that Yoruichi had squatted to be at her level either.
Thinking better than to push her luck with the death stare she had received, Yoruichi breathes out, expelling her ruefulness and, in a puff of thick white steam, turns back into a cat. She rolls her muscles as the other shape settles in and begins with her deep voiced explanation. "I am assuming you are quite confused at the moment so let's start with where you are." Fukashigi turns her head back to the cat and waits with an eager buzz. "You are in a place called the Soul Society. This, as you can guess, is where all souls go when people die. Unless the souls are corrupted or stay on earth too long then they have the potential to become what we call Hollows."
Yoichi's is about to speak when Yoruichi puts a padded paw to the girls mouth to silence her. "Questions later. First explanation;" Yoichi frowns at the contact but stays silent even when the soft mitt is removed. "Hollows are monsters created by the all-consuming feelings of despair and or hatred from the souls left behind or with those feelings already dormant. They search endlessly to devour the flesh and soul of other beings with power, including their own kind. Purely instinctive Hollows are the lowest kind of Hollow and are seen most commonly. Higher-powered Hollows have more of a consciousness although they mainly live in Hueco Mundo and can be just as brutal, if not more so. Hueco Mundo is the world where most Hollow kind live, heal and develop. A place between the World of the Living and here."
Yoruichi inclines her head as she thinks of the next topic then soon continues. "Right, now back to the Soul Society. Soul Reapers live, fight, collect data, train and socialise in the Seireitei. There are 13 court guard squads in the Seireitei and each represent an element of the Soul Reapers interests in keeping the balance of this universe equal, but more detail of that will be told later." After taking in a deep sigh Yoruichi tilts her head as she stares. "Any questions on this so far? You do look a little overwhelmed..."
Only just realising that her mouth has been half hanging open the whole time, Yoichi shuts it and swallows. From the gamy taste in her mouth she smacks her chops to test how parched she really is. The dusty brunette manages to croak, "First some water, then I have a lot more questions you better answer."
After a quick dash somewhere in the cave, Yoruichi comes back with a cup of delicious looking water balanced between her perfectly triangular ears. Snatching the glass, Yoichi gulps down the cool liquid and sighs in satisfaction as it refreshes her vitals.
Feeling rejuvenated Yoichi taps her fingers on the glass and pauses for a short moment with a troubled expression. "What was I doing lying in the middle of the road at night, what is the balance that the Soul Reapers must keep and why am I, of all people, a danger to the Soul Society?" (I don't feel very dangerous.)
Not expecting the girl's forwardness Yoruichi is a bit taken back. "Those are some good questions."
Fukashigi snaps, "What did you expect cat?"
(She must still be grumpy from me throwing her and because it's late. What a child.) A frown passes over the cat face, but Yoruichi brushes off Fukashigis' snarky comment and continues. "You were lying in the street because you fainted from your travels. You were hopelessly searching for some accommodation for the night and this lead you to exhaustion. Soul Reapers make sure that Hollows do not consume too many souls so that the balance of Hollows and pure souls is kept, more or less, even. And you aren't a danger to the Soul Society," (not yet, although with training maybe...) "just the souls which live in the area. You see, people with higher spiritual pressure, such as yourself, normally seek out the Seireitei or they seek you out to manage it and make you become an official Soul Reaper."
Pointy pebbles dig into Yoichi's back and arse as she shifts to a more comfortable position. Not finding one though, she thinks that no matter how tired she feels she would be better off standing. "What danger do I pose to the weaker souls? And so, you are from the Seireitei?" She drags a hand down her face as she struggles to absorb all the information.
"The spiritual pressure you possess would overwhelm them and ultimately kill them. I'm not exactly from the Seireitei," (Anymore.) "but I will explain that later. It's too long of a story to be told at this hour. Although I can say that it was no coincidence that I found you tonight." Following Yoichi's questioning look, Yoruichi briefly explains with a roll of her eyes, "This is because I have been following you for a while now. Before I approached you, I wanted to monitor how unstable your powers may be or become."
Almost interrupting, Yoichi in an alarmed tone asks, "You were stalking me? For how long?" (Couldn't she have just observed me in a safe place away from everyone without putting others in danger?)
"Hey hey hey. I would prefer to say I was monitoring you. Not stalking. Gosh, I am not some sort of pervert. And it was only for two weeks. But whatever, when monitoring you I found that you seemed to lose bits of your memory nearly every fourth day since the beginning of my observations. You would walk around trying to gather information from villagers on what memories you had lost during the last few days, but since you frequently moved around not many people had anything useful to say about yourself."
"How did you find me and why are you helping me?"
"Patience. I am getting to that Fukashigi. Every time you lost a part of your memory, it would be after you had blacked out. Just as you had earlier this evening. When blacked-out your unconsciousness let loose some serious spirit energy. Well at least serious enough to start affecting the residential souls. Every time you would blackout, the release of spirit energy would become more powerful and irate. Most likely creating longer lengths of time where you would not remember anything..."
"Was anyone hurt?"
"Not permanently, no. Everyone who was effected recovered pretty quickly after you had left the area."
"This all doesn't explain how you found me." -_- (Come on explain already)
"Oh, right. Almost every Soul Reaper or spiritually gifted soul can sense spiritual energy without being negatively affected. I am very experienced, so your meagre energy does not affect me." (That offends me for some reason.) "You released some in the area that seemed unusual and out of control, so I went to investigate and help."
"If you are no longer with the Seireitei then why are you keeping them from dealing with me?" Folding her arms Yoichi feels suspicious of Yoruichi's true intentions of helping her.
"Because I want to unlock your memory and I know that the department of research will not do you any favours with Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi in charge. He'll most likely treat you as a guinea-pig and not care if you don't come out alive." (Perhaps we can use you if you are trained correctly instead.)
A chill runs through Yoichi though she knows not why and frowns at the possibility of Yoruichi's scenario. "Well… I guess a thanks is in order as I truly have no idea how to solve my memory loss problem and would not want to be used as a lab rat. But, I have to ask, how can I trust anything you say?"
Yoruichi huffs in amusement and smiles at the youth's scepticalness. "You really can't, but you don't have any other good choices." Her fangs glisten. (Wow it is creepy when cats smile. Or at least when they try to.) "Your condition will only worsen and get you taken to be experimented on by Mayuri-taichō. Which I would say, is not worth the risk at all. Let us get started with more questions in the morning." Yoruichi's jaws stretch open revealing her tiny sharp white teeth and rough pink tongue. "From what I have observed you must be tired from your journey."
Seeing Yoruichi's languid cat stretch, Yoichi's weary body is reluctantly encouraged to agree. "Yeh I guess..." Yawning as well, Yoichi's adrenaline depletes, and she feels heavy and in desperate need of a lengthy sleep. "Where should I sleep? Obviously not back in the village, but is it safe here?"
"Well this cave was designed by me and a friend of mine to conceal spiritual pressure from the outside, so you will be fine to stay here. Follow me." Yoruichi heads deeper into the candle-lit cave, pausing every so often to wait for Yoichi as she is sluggish due to her fatigue and is frequently observing the cave walls.
As Yoichi follows, she sees that the cave is of light brown dirt and, as they go not much further, there is an extremely long and steep white marble stairwell leading down into the earth. Once around 35 meters along the stairs, Yoichi is surprised to find a massive clearing. It is about the size of 6 football stadiums with an artificial, yet realistic, sun and cloud spotted sky. The large grounds are of rocky hills, minimal trees and some scattered shrubs.
Still with about 100 meters left on the stairwell Yoichi decides to ask, "How is it that there such a massive area underground without it collapsing?"
"It's the wonders of having a brilliant scientist for a best friend." (That didn't answer my question. Talk about avoidance. Maybe it is too complicated, or she simply doesn't know.) "We had the idea of creating this for a hideout and training arena before our situation led us into hiding. Don't worry about that though it's all too complicated for what you need to know right now." Reaching the floor Yoruichi beckons Yoichi with her tail towards a single roomed wooden shack. "Come in and get some sleep."
(All these secretive 'need to know basis' things as unnerving me.) To her right in the old hovel Yoichi, in complete relief of her worn out body, sees a bed. Dragging herself on to it she feels that it is slightly dusty but falls almost instantly asleep regardless.
Without Yoichi's blissful knowledge, Yoruichi jumps onto the windowsill, bites down on strings and closes the black roman curtains, completely blocking the fake suns' rays.
As Yoichi hears the door squeak open, she stirs in her sleep but does not fully awaken. Yoruichi, being the one who entered through the door, mercilessly opens the blinds, letting harsh light beam onto Yoichi's face.
Groaning in distaste for being woken in such a fashion, or at all, Yoichi turns away from the window and closes her eyes tighter in rebellion. "Whyyyyyyy..." She complains. Grumbling into her pillow she tosses and turns but does not get up. "Idonnowannagetuppp..."
Excessively sweetly Yoruichi asks, "What was that Fukashigi~san?"
Yoichi lifts her head for a retort and Yoruichi gets a good look at her appearance. Her short hair is mousey, her face is pale, and she has dreary bags under her eyes.
The sloth speaks more clearly and with her eyes bolted shut. "I do not. Want. To. Get. UP." She collapses back in to bed and continues to ineffectually get comfortable again.
"I thought you had many, many questions to ask me?" She then jumps on top of Yoichi's still cocooned body. But since Yoichi is not moving a muscle her patience wears thin. "Well I am going upstairs. See you when you can bother getting up..." (I need to go back to the world of the living already. Kisuke might wonder where I am since had sent me on that little mission.)
Yoruichi silently hops off the bed, but before she can reach the door Yoichi gives in to wakefulness. "WAIT. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I'm up I'm up." She gradually rolls out of bed and shuffles like the elderly to join the golden eyed cat outside. Yoichi's brown hair is frizzled to be afro-like and because she slept in her dirty clothes from yesterday they are extremely rumpled.
Yoruichi chuckles at the fact that she could make a convincing zombie in this state. Yoichi hears the chuckle, but lets it pass as she is still half asleep even while standing. The black cat nudges her head to the right indicating for Yoichi to once again follow. Sleepy eyed, Yoichi trots along and sees that she is being led to a hot spring.
"This is where you will bathe for the morning and however long you have this condition. Also, the water has healing properties so perhaps it will make you recover even faster. Over there is a towel for you." The cat points at a folded fluffy blue square at the water's edge. "And your clothes are filthy, so I will have them ready for you once you are out. Just rap the towel around you if you're prudish and leave me with your clothes."
Yoichi grabs the plush towel and goes back to the shed to undress. (It will be excellent to be clean again.) She then folds her clothes in a compact bundle for Yoruichi to carry and wraps the towel around herself. When about to leave the shelter, Yoichi hesitates. She turns to her Zanpakutō, which rests beside her bed. Feeling uneasy at the thought of leaving her weapon behind she takes it with her. While Yoichi strides eagerly to bathe she drags her sheathed blades by their chain behind her.
(If she knew the significance of her Zanpakutō I doubt she would ever treat them like that again.)
Yoichi bends down and ties the cat-pack snugly around Yoruichi's lean upper body.
When the clothes become secure Yoruichi says, "See you in a couple hours or so."
"Hours?"
She sees Yoruichi briefly eye her Zanpakutō but begin to turn away with the little backpack of Yoichi's washing despite the urge inside of her to ponder on why Fukashigi would carry it everywhere even though she is safe.
Yoruichi stops and looks back at Fukashigi. "Yes. Trust me, once you get in, with the journey that you have been on, you will not want to leave. Many of those found in the Rukon districts don't have this luxury." Before Yoichi can voice questions on what the Rukon district is (She keeps interrupting me.), Yoruichi predicts her question and elaborates quickly. "There are different districts in Rukongai, numbered from 1 to 80 in each direction. This is where all souls who end up in the Soul Society first appear and then live. The lesser number your district the closer you are to the Soul Society's base, the Seireitei, and the safer it is."
Nodding groggily, Yoichi faces away from Yoruichi, gradually removes her towel and lowers herself into the steaming water. She sighs and enjoys the water so much that she almost forgets what Yoruichi has just said. Almost. She feels her muscles relax and wiggles happily knowing that she will be superbly clean by the end of the soak. (I did not realise I was so tense.) She dunks herself under the water and ruffles her hair free of the grime and revels in it slickness with the water surrounding her.
Satisfied with seeing Yoichi comfortable, Yoruichi scampers off to clean her clothes.
After nearly dosing off for the umpteenth time Yoichi decides that she has pruned enough in the translucent hot water. She does a quick scout of the shed and stairs to make sure Yoruichi has not come back and bounces out feeling refreshed and relaxed. She raps herself in the long light blue towel and grabs her Zanpakutō from the water's edge. She heads up the marble stairs that she has dubbed 'The Ever-Long Stairs' and is annoyed that her legs burn when reaching the top.
She continues past her discomfort and towards the mouth of the cave into a section on her right that she did not notice before. It is a small open apartment with a white tiled kitchen and three intricately carved hazel wooden doors embedded in the rock walls. (Maybe those doors lead to storage, but I swear this was not here yesterday.)
Not seeing Yoruichi anywhere, Yoichi looks to what might be behind the doors. The first one is a walk-in cupboard topped to the brim with canned and jarred goods, the second is cluttered with a large variety of weapons and the third a neat washing area which has something in its drier. As Yoichi enters the third doors room, curious with what is making the rumbling sound, the machine tumbles to a stop and she spots her much-needed clothes, washed, dry and folded on top of the washing machine. (Why the hell was this box making that noise for?)
Taking her clothes and swiftly changing, Yoichi feels they are a little stiff but after a bit of movement she knows they will completely loosen. She also feels safer with her weapons once again tied to her waist. Satisfied with the sensation of her softening clean clothes, she looks in the top loader drier and curiously takes out the finished clothes. Feeling that they are warm she chucks her damp towel in its place guessing that it will do something with it unaware that it needs to be turned on again.
Natural inquisitiveness takes her to look behind the plain door in the back of the room. (Maybe it's an inbuilt closet like the ones in the kitchen area?) She opens the thin white wooden door and is disappointed to find that it is simply a cramped bathroom. It has a plainly set out porcelain bathtub, glass encased shower and a sink. (Good to know… People here probably do not need toilets by using all their energy through spiritual stuff. Strange that I even remember what a toilet is. Though I wonder, what is this big clear rectangle tube? I will have to remember to ask Yoruichi when she comes back.) She quickly opens the draws and finds a brush. She combs through her wet hair and admires how she looks vibrant in the mirror on the wall. (Bet I look much better than yesterday. I was so tired.) Her eyes are no longer as pandered, and she has a soft glow about her sun kissed skin instead of its pale complexion earlier today.
After looking around in the kitchens facilities and what food they have, she decides to look outside the cave. It is a warm, blue-skied day. (I must say this view beats that dank old cave any day.) Taking in deep breaths of fresh air (It is so stuffy in there too.) Yoichi can still hear the birds and the rough waters below, except now she can see a lot more of her surroundings. She can see the low forest at the top of the crevice, that she ran through yesterday and the scarce shrubs that cling to the cliffs edge.
Thinking to last night, Yoichi still cannot fathom how Yoruichi instantly transformed from being a cat into a human, leapt across the extreme gap and threw her like a toy crashing into the cave. Yoichi may be fit but she knows she is no light weighted lady. She finds it incredible, especially for one as skinny and short as Yoruichi, to have been able to throw her so easily.
(Maybe I have greatly underestimated the possibilities and depth in the powers of a Shinigami.)
Shaking her head Yoichi turns to go back inside but pauses as she hears Yoruichi shout. "Good you are finally done. You took so long I went to visit Urahara's shop in the world of the living." (Good thing I gave him an update. His inventions have been slowing down. Now he has a new interest.)
With this, Yoichi turns to face her new acquaintances voice. "I won't even ask about where that is yet as my head is filled with more urgent questions at the moment. Come down here so you can answer them. I think I have waited long enough."
"Fine, fine, you're no fun. Besides it is not my fault you took so long to get ready." Disappearing with a vwoosh sound, then reappearing right at the base of Yoichi's feet, Yoruichi acts as if she had not just teleported and strolls past Yoichi into the kitchen.
"Wha..?" Yoichi gapes like a fish but then straightens her expression, rolls her eyes and puts another question on her mentally kept 'ask later list'; A list which is getting unreasonably long for her tastes.
Yoruichi leaps onto the counter of the kitchen with her tail lightly twitching in delight to what she knows Yoichi oh-so-badly wishes to ask. "Before questions, first breakfast and tea. Oh oops," Yoruichi teases, "I mean lunch. Gosh you sure did take your sweet time."
Yoichi pouts the cat's antics and Yoruichi gives a light-hearted chuckle.