Yoruichi looked at choosing her drink the way she looked at choosing her friends. While most of them were strong, she kept the most divers ones closest to her. Kisuke was the most intelligent with a hint of strength; thus, she always thought of him when she drank wine. Jushiro was wise and strong with a hint of wildness, but not so much that you could see it on the surface; she compared him to fresh, unaltered tea. Kyoraku was wild and had as much strength as her other friends. She did not hang around with him just for the sake of having someone to be around. She dealt with him because he was what every man was, but not afraid to show himself. So, she easily identified his character to the drink he loved so much: sake. It was her youngest friend who reminded her of the drink she loved so much. Soi Fong reminded her of water. Like water, Soi was pure and strong without reeking havoc on people who came into contact with her.
It was her water that she thought about the moment her third in command told her Urahara Kisuke had been judged and exiled from Seireitei. She had remained seated for a few minutes thinking about the girl when she felt Urahara's reiatsu approaching. Usually, he walked around with his reiatsu hidden. Her body went rigid at the defeated look her best friend wore as he trudged into her office. He dropped into a sitting position in front of her with his lips pressed together.
"I ruin everything. My life was great here." His voice was filled with emotion.
Yoruichi motioned for the man outside her room to close the door and leave. She turned her eyes back to her friend. "Kisuke does what he believes is best. He works to help others and achieve unimaginable things. It not a ruined life when one has dreams."
He smiled. "Like your father said, I was reaching for stars. All I got instead was clouds."
"Still a great feat." She wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Where exactly are you going?"
"I'm going to the human world. There, I could be of use."
Yoruichi frowned. "Ahh. Well, good luck." She chewed on her lower lip in response to the great disappointment she saw in his eyes. "I have things to do here, Kisuke."
He nodded. He kissed her on the cheek before leaving. Yoruichi stretched out on the floor with her eyes on the ceiling. She did not look at the girl coming into the room. Soi stood attentive in front of the door with her eyes narrowed at the woman lying immobile on the floor. Had Urahara killed her? She breathed a sigh of relief when Yoruichi moved back to her seat. Perhaps Urahara had killed, she thought, but not in the physical sense. She could tell from the tension on her senpai's face that she was struggling against whatever it was he had said to her.
"Soi, could you go tell number three to come to my office?" Yoruichi looked at the girl with a forced smile. She pressed her lips together when the girl disappeared out of the room. Soi would not find the third in command until the following morning; Yoruichi had sent the man to rukongai to wake Kuuaku the moment he'd told her about Kisuke's punishment. She pulled on her orange jacket and glanced at her office one last time.
Kisuke sat at the table dressed in a green shirt and green pants with a hideous hat on he'd bought from a woman selling things on the street. He clicked open the fan in his hand and covered his face as he told Yoruichi all he knew of the recent events in Seireitei. Soi Fong had taken her place as Commander in Special Corps. He strange lieutenant had succeeded him. Byakuya had finally become a captain. He stared longing at the dark woman sitting across from him with her arms crossed her chest and her eyebrows furrowed. He poured her a drink and pushed the cup towards her. She smiled gingerly at the water shimmering up at her. She chuckled and lifted the cup to her mouth. It was wine.