Disclaimer: I do…NOT own Bleach.
I apologize for the long wait---writer's block just wouldn't leave me alone. And I was depressed with the 2 week without internet thing so I was hopeless and not inspired to write. Also because I'm still editing the past chapters. But now the chapter's finished…I guess. xD
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Chapter17: When You Thought You Got Passed It All
It's been two days since Soi had seen Yoruichi. As fate would have it, tomorrow was Christmas. Often, Soi Fong would go up to the calendar the stripper had bought and look at the pictures. She feels a bit weird since she now accepts the feeling she has towards Yoruichi and would laugh out loud at the thought of being a lesbian. No wonder she found no interest in guys.
A quirk of the lips slowly turned into a small, silly grin and she drummed her fingers on the table. Then realizing she had no reason to be grinning like she was, quickly reverted back to her own neutral self and darted her eyes left and right as if she had been caught doing something wrong.
Soi sighed. She still hasn't gotten anything for the goddess and she had only one day left---which was today. She groaned and thumped her head. "Crap," she muttered and thumped her head once more. "What the hell does the woman want?" A naughty image appeared in her head and she yelped out loud. Panicking, she tried shaking the image away but it stayed clear in her mind. "Can't I think about her without thinking like this?!" she groaned.
But Soi couldn't help but like what she saw, well technically thought, and maybe if she and Yoruichi spent some more alone time together… Soi Fong unconsciously licked her lips. But there were two problems she needed to crack and they were, one, Find Yoruichi, and two, Find Yoruichi a present. She didn't know which one was more difficult.
Shaking her head, she stood and grabbed her keys. "Might as well give Kuukaku a visit," she muttered, remembering the call an hour earlier about Christmas. Knowing the woman has something planned, Soi Fong took her time getting her coat and locking the door as she left. She started the car and headed her way towards the engineer's place.
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"Wait, why did she go to you in the first place?"
Urahara and Kuukaku were discussing something important. They were in the main house of Shiba's province. Urahara had come by with a look of urgency on his face and Kuukaku, clearly not liking that look, brought him in to talk.
"I'm not sure," he admitted, "but she told me she couldn't reach Soi without someone knowing."
"Well what the hell does that mean?!" Kuukaku demanded, angry for some unknown reason. "It's not like she's being watched---"
"She is, Kuukaku," Urahara interrupted grimly, the goofy smile and lighthearted gaze nowhere to be seen. "Since I own a shop, she could easily make it seem as if she's purchasing an item and not---"
"Looking for help?" Kuukaku finished, her arms crossed and her tone sarcastic. When Urahara sighed, she went up to defend herself. "Hey look," she told him fiercely, "I'm not saying I ain't gonna help her. I just got this feeling we shouldn't get mixed into this mess of hers."
"It's not her mess, though!" Urahara replied wearily, trying to convince his friend. "Yoruichi's father is practically holding her prisoner. She's been stripping for years, Kuukaku, and she doesn't like any of it. How can you say it's her mess?"
Kuukaku glared at him. When he denied to lower his gaze, she sighed and decided to be the one attacking. "Kisuke, are you sure you aren't acting this way because of your feelings towards her?" She saw him reel back in surprise but being the man he was, quickly regained his composure.
Clearing his throat and shoving a hand into a pocket, he paused briefly before choosing to talk. The usually goofy man fixed his signature hat lower before replying the same question, "Are you sure you aren't acting this way because of your feelings towards Soi?"
"I've known her for a longtime now," Kuukaku informed him, her eyes blazing, "But you on the other hand, just met Yoruichi because of Soi."
"That's not true," he muttered. He leveled his gaze head-on with Kuukaku. "I met her in our childhood. I never knew Soi, but Yoruichi had pictures of them together and she did show them to me once. We spent a month together but…I had to move." He hung his head, just a little. "It's okay that she doesn't remember. I didn't even remember until recently and I'm supposed to have perfect memory."
He blinked up when Kuukaku snorted. "You make it sound like a tragic tale, Kisuke. Not only that, but I think you got the words friendship and relationship switched." She smirked at his startled expression.
A part of himself reviving, an indignant look took over his features. "Well even so, she's our friend and I'm not about to abandon her. Soi would side with me and since she will, that means you have to too." He nodded, clearly pleased with his reasoning.
"There he goes, off to normal Kisuke," she sighed. And she thought this would be a serious conversation. "Yo, bum!" she called and grunted when she had the shopkeeper's attention. She told him gruffly, "I called Soi to come over earlier so she'll be here any minute. I'm not sure if she should know about this yet, but…" She shrugged.
Urahara, ignoring her question, decided to point out an observation he made. "Those two have something going on," he told her gloomily.
"What?" Blinking, Kuukaku looked up and saw that Kisuke had a sorrowful expression. Damn, if I didn't know him so well, I'd consider him bipolar! she thought irritably with a roll of the eyes. Not bothering to ask if Soi should know again, Kuukaku sighed exasperatedly. "C'mon drama queen, I'm beginning to think someone's brainwashed you." She got up. "Wouldn't be the first time anyways," she muttered, dusting her pants.
She exited through the shoji door and rolled her eyes when the man whined, "But I'm not a drama queen!" and hurried to follow.
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Soi Fong was waiting in one of the rooms for Kuukaku to come and talk to her about whatever she wanted. Sipping a cup of tea she was given, she closed her eyes and listened peacefully to the still and silent environment. That is until Kuukaku burst in and her cup of tea flew in the air.
"Soi Fong!" the engineer beamed with a wide grin. "I---"
"Hello there, Soi-chan!"
Soi Fong sweat dropped when she saw Urahara enter, his silly, carefree smile smack on his lips as always. Kuukaku was popping a vein anime style and her eye was beginning to twitch. When Soi Fong realized what Urahara had called her, she gritted her teeth and stomped towards the unsuspecting man.
"Oh? Soi-chan wants a hug?" Urahara then spread his arms, oblivious to the mad look in Soi's eyes. "Okay then---ow!" He was smacked by both women hard on each side of his head, Kuukaku on his left and Soi on his right. "Aw, you're all too cruel," he pouted. Kuukaku snickered while Soi glowered and gave him a look that said, 'Oh, you wanna see cruel, do you?' He whimpered and backed away a safe distance from the women.
"So, why'd you wanna see me?" Soi Fong asked Kuukaku curiously, already turning away from Urahara's slightly crouched form.
"Well since Urahara's b-day is coming up on the 31st, I figured we can postpone the Christmas bash until then. What do you think?" Kuukaku was slumped on a cushion while Urahara stayed in his little corner.
Soi, shrugging, took her seat and poured herself more tea. The topic being birthdays was tugging at her for some reason and it made her uncomfortable since she felt she had forgotten something. Then her mind clicked towards the past of her younger self giving a teenaged Yoruichi a present…on New Years day. Her eyes widened and, almost dropping her cup, accidentally spilled hot tea on her clothes. "Shit!" she cursed, wishing she hadn't taken off her jacket. She tried frantically to dry it with her hands but knew it was to no prevail. Her eyes immediately drew towards Kuukaku when she heard loud laughter.
Kuukaku was rolling on the floor laughing her ass off. The woman tried saying something but they all came out in gasps. The engineer had given up trying to say something embarrassing so she ended up just laughing on the floor and pointing.
Soi's right eye was twitching and she slowly looked at the wet spot on her shirt. A blush came on when she realized why it was so hilarious to Kuukaku. "Shut up!" she growled, glaring at the engineer but blushing at the same time. "I just spilled some tea and now you're laughing?!"
Urahara, wanting to see what was so funny, came over and saw the wet spot on Soi's chest. He blinked and proceeded to lightheartedly scold the fuming and embarrassed woman. "Now, now Soi-chan," he said while wagging a finger and didn't see Soi's other eye twitch. "It's not her fault you spilled tea on your, uh…," he stopped to think, "ah, chest, so you shouldn't take it out on---"
"Who asked your opinion, bum?!" Soi asked sharply and even though she was still sitting, kicked him in the shin and was satisfied when he fell to his knees with a yelp.
"Aw, Soi-chan---"
"Go look for someone else's pity," she told him with an irritated roll of the eyes. Turning away from Urahara, she sighed when she found Kuukaku covering her mouth but was still snickering. "Are you all done now?" she asked impatiently.
"Uh huh," Kuukaku snickered, "We're done."
Soi sighed. Sometimes she thinks she's the only one sane between these two. "Anyways," Soi started out, "Can we postpone the party to New Years? That's Yoruichi's birthday if I remember correctly." Soi Fong blinked when all became too quiet, as if a moment frozen, and then she saw Kuukaku looking towards Urahara's way. Frowning, Soi Fong turned her gaze from Kuukaku to Urahara, and to Kuukaku again. "What?" Soi asked suspiciously. "Is something wrong?"
Kuukaku held her hands out. "Hey, don't ask me. He's the one who told me everything." She pointed back at the shopkeeper.
Urahara didn't mind telling Soi. "Ah, well… I think we should sit down first." Soi rolled her eyes at this because they were sitting down; the only difference was that Urahara was sitting in his corner. When he finally got to sitting onto one of the cushions in the room, he cleared his throat and looked seriously into Soi's eyes. "Yoruichi has a problem," he told her and waited for it to sink in.
Soi Fong blinked and crossed her arms. "Okay. Yoruichi has a problem." She lifted an eyebrow skeptically. "Does it have something to do with why I haven't seen her for the last two days?"
"You've been counting?"
Soi gave a sharp glance towards Kuukaku who grinned sheepishly with an apologetic look and turned her attention back to the Urahara. "Well," Soi demanded, "What is it?"
"Well," he said twirling his hat with his hand, "It was hard to understand what was going on because she was talking real fast, so I was only able to get in a few questions answered." He stopped twirling his precious hat and placed it back on his head. "But I think I can get you to comprehend this situation of hers like she wanted."
Soi Fong frowned. Was Yoruichi in trouble? Her chest tightened and worry was beginning to show on her features. Please let her be safe, she hoped in her head. Taking in a deep breath, Soi ignored the shudder that ran through her body. Let's just hope this isn't too serious, she thought.
"Well, do you want to hear it now?" the man beside her asked. She nodded and she could feel Kuukaku's eyes boring into her. Clearly they presumed this information would affect her the most. Urahara took a moment to look over Soi and she could feel the remorse flowing around him. She didn't like it.
"Yoruichi," he told her hesitantly, "She… Soi, she's been sold to Aizen."
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Dun-dun-dun! Ha ha, im kinda cracking up here 'cause this chapter just came out on its own---I didn't really think about what I was doing! XD
Soi Fong: So it's that bastard Aizen… I'm going to---
Me: (covers ears)
Soi Fong: ---and make him pay!
Me: Soi Fong, you're not supposed to know who Aizen is in this story---you have to wait till Urahara explains.
Soi Fong: Who cares?! I'm hunting that man down! Yoruichi will not be sold to anyone, not unless she wants to! Which she doesn't!
Yoruichi: Aw, little bee! You make me wanna---
Me: (covers ears) O.O
Yoruichi: ---but it's all right, in real life I'm okay. XD
Me: Well, that was a bit detailed… O.o Soi Fong and Yoruichi r really scary sometimes.