A/N: Third chapter. Hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach and I am neither a robot nor a mermaid (nor am I Thomas Jefferson).
Orihime Inoue felt the familiar pangs of disappointment pulsing though her heart as she followed Yoruichi into the deeper reaches of the training grounds. She had just failed her training. Yoruichi was doing so much for her but she still couldn't do anything right. She had tried. She had tried her hardest. Never during her battle with the fake hollow had the image of a shimmering blade left her mind's eye; yet apparently her best efforts weren't enough. She had failed at becoming a shinigami.
As she pondered her failures, what could possibly be holding her back from having realized the goal of her training, Orihime recalled that Yoruichi had come to the decision that they were to take the rest of the day off. Orihime, as it was, didn't feel like relaxing.
"Yoruichi, don't you think we should do some more training today? I mean, we can relax when I'm a shinigami." Orihime said insistently, the disappointment she was feeling with herself clear in the sounds of her voice.
Yoruichi turned back to her and came to a stop, she gave a faint smile as she replied in a soft voice, "You may be saying that, Orihime but the truth is that I just forced you to exert yourself, your spiritual form no less, at levels far exceeding what you're used to. In all honesty the damages could be severe if I was to allow you to do more without resting."
"I don't care! I don't care if it's painful, if I hurt myself… I just want to become stronger! I want to be of use to everyone! I want… to become a… shinigami…" Orihime responded with passion trailing off into depression. As a tear ran across her cheek, she began to wonder if it was even possible for someone as weak as her to do this.
"I understand that, Orihime. I swear to you I'm going to try everything I can think of to make that happen." Yoruichi pledged, a fierce honesty burning in her eyes, as she extended her hand to quell the tears coming from Orihime's eyes. Orihime's lips formed a faint smile at how warm the touch of the woman's hand felt.
"Y-Yoruichi…" Orihime started, choking on the name of the other.
"But right now Orihime, we must rest. You were seconds away from death Orihime and it was all my fault. You might be able to do more today, but I don't think I'm prepared for any more risks." Yoruichi said somberly, Orihime's sad expression faded into a warm one as she remembered how hard the other woman was struggling all for her sake.
"Alright Yoruichi, we'll rest today. But tomorrow we gotta train twice as hard!" Orihime said with enthusiasm and a smile, Yoruichi gave a short laugh. She began to walk once more in the direction they had been headed.
"Whatever you say." Yoruichi gave a wide grin as she yielded without effort to the other's demands.
"Where are we going anyway?" Orihime found herself asking in an airy way as she examined the horizon. Yoruichi had told her they were going to relax the rest of the day but it seemed they were only heading further and further away from the exit.
"We should catch sight of our destination shortly." The dark-skinned woman answered with an amused smirk.
Yoruichi wasn't lying either. Within minutes of her comment the two came across their destination. There, in the middle of Kisuke Urahara's basement, settled nicely in a clearing between outcroppings of rock was a fully functioning natural looking hot spring.
"Wow! This is so cool! You didn't tell me this was where we were going, Yoruichi!" Orihime gave an excited jump as she cheered.
"Oh, you like it so much? That's nice; there are really few things more relaxing than bathing in one of these." Yoruichi gave yet another laugh at the human girl's overzealous reaction.
"Yeah it's awesome! I love hot springs; they feel so good! But… why is there one down here… underground… in Mr. Urahara's basement..." Orihime went from overjoyed to inquisitive as her thoughts went from the joys of hot springs to the peculiarity of this particular spring's location.
"This training ground down here is an exact replica of the one me and Kisuke used back in Seireitei. Believe me, this spring was one of the first things I made him transfer over for me." Yoruichi said in reflection, a jovial smile on her lips.
"Oh, I see." Orihime nodded.
"Anyways, enough just staring at it, I'm anxious to actually feel that water on my skin." Yoruichi said with noticeable excitement. Her hands searched out the hem of her shirt and within seconds she had it removed. Her pants followed closely behind.
Orihime's mind seemed to shut down as she gazed upon the beauty of the Shihoin goddess's unclothed form for a second time. Orihime had in actuality seen naked females on several occasions before; she enjoyed hot springs, and would visit the one nearest by on occasion. She would bathe with other woman, with Tatsuki, with her other friends, with women she didn't even know. None of those women had even registered as anything in Orihime's brain. Yoruichi, on the other hand, seemed to consume it.
And this was with god reason. Yoruichi had a near flawless figure. Her skin was soft and smooth and the most beautiful dark color, her feline facial features lent to her a real exotic beauty. She was perfectly curved; her body taking the shape of that of the ideal woman, but she had a fairly toned musculature as well. This was her second time seeing it but it was somehow just as breathtaking, if not more so than the first. Orihime knew this time there was no chance she would be able to look away. She prayed Yoruichi didn't notice her stares.
Of course Orihime had to wonder why she was staring in the first place. Even if she was the most beautiful woman in the world, which to Orihime she surely was, Yoruichi was still a woman. Orihime was also a woman. Women were supposed to like men. It was then that Orihime remembered a classmate of hers, a girl named Chizuru. Chizuru was a normal girl just like any of Orihime's other friends except for one thing. Chizuru was hopelessly attracted to Orihime. Orihime began to wonder if what Yoruichi was making her fell was the same as what Chizuru felt towards her.
Orihime's stare never wavered from Yoruichi's body as the former dweller of Seireitei slowly eased into the steaming spring water. Yoruichi gave a deep sigh as she called out to Orihime with a soothing tone, "Care to join me? The water's really nice."
Orihime blushed furiously as she remembered what was supposed to happen next. She was supposed to strip herself and climb into the spring next to the other woman. Her mind now muddled with thoughts of whether she liked Yoruichi or not, the thought of presenting herself in such a fashion to the other left her feeling embarrassed and vulnerable. Still, part of her wanted Yoruichi to see everything, to see her at her most vulnerable, and it was this part that inevitably guided her hand, which shook in a fashion that was surely visible, as it removed her clothing.
"My, what a cute body you have Orihime. You must be a popular girl…" Yoruichi said with a sharp smirk as she cast some short glances at Orihime's naked body. Orihime's whole face went red at once.
"Not really… And I'm not as beautiful as you are… Yoruichi…" Orihime said in a very shy fashion as she quickly found her way into the water, hiding her body in its warmth.
"Well thank you, but I'm not sure it's true exactly. It probably really depends on someone's preferences but I'm sure a lot of people would find you more attractive than I am…" Yoruichi said in a light sigh as she leaned back in the water.
Orihime was nervous, she was apprehensive, she was confused. The heated water of the spring was so calming and soothing though. Maybe being attracted to Yoruichi was natural, just something that happened to be there but really didn't deserve so much thought. Ichigo was the one Orihime really loved after all, that's what she told herself at least. Ichigo was strong, dependable, and a good friend as well as a shinigami.
In short Ichigo was everything Orihime viewed as being good, everything she wanted to be. It shouldn't matter that Yoruichi was all these things as well plus incredibly, undeniably attractive to Orihime. No wait! Shouldn't that matter? If the only difference between how she felt about Ichigo and how she felt about Yoruichi was that she was easily more attracted to the latter, shouldn't Yoruichi rather be the target of her affections. No of course not, it was too strange, it wasn't like Orihime. She shouldn't even be thinking about this; all she came here for was to have Yoruichi show her how to become a shinigami, nothing more. She literally forced her mind to return to the day's daydream in order to ward off the confusing thoughts; it seemed the robot armies had taken several important mermaid officials hostage in a last ditch effort to halt the mermaid invasion of their nation.
"See, this is pretty relaxing after that hard day of training, isn't it?" Yoruichi's maddeningly sweet voice ripped Orihime instantly out of her dreams.
"Yeah. The water feels so good…" Orihime replied in a moan, the warmth of the water seemed to fog her brain.
"I know I failed you today Orihime, but I want you to know that I'm going to help you with this." Yoruichi said in a lingering tone, she was casting a slight stare on the other girl.
"What do you mean? I'm the one who failed you today!" Orihime started from a relaxed position to a more rigid one as she shouted defensively.
"No, I failed in constructing a working training method. You executed the method I gave you perfectly." Yoruichi asserted plainly.
"No, it has to be my fault. If you're the one who came up with that method, Yoruichi, I'm sure it would have worked if I was doing it right." Orihime refused to admit Yoruichi's failure.
"I'm really so perfect, am I? Blind admiration of that caliber vaguely reminds me of a lover of mine from a long time ago…" Yoruichi said reflectively, smiling at the human girl widely.
Orihime felt overjoyed at these words. She reminded Yoruichi of her lover. She was being compared to some guy Yoruichi had actually let into her heart! But wait did that mean Yoruichi was seeing through it all? Was Yoruichi noticing all the blushes, all the frantic, less than innocent stares; did Yoruichi know Orihime was looking in her direction? Orihime felt at once uncomfortable. She knew she had to change the subject.
"But the training you have me do tomorrow will actually work, right?' Orihime asked frantically needing something to fill the silence.
"Possibly, though then again possibly not. Either way I'll work with you on this, Orihime, until we get somewhere." Yoruichi promised in an even tone.
"I can't thank you enough for all this Yoruichi. It means so much to me." The human girl smiled as she spoke of her endless gratitude.
"Happy to help." Yoruichi said simply as she sunk deeper into the hot spring water.
The pair remained immersed in the spring for a great length of time. Orihime's apprehension faded as time went on. Whether Orihime was attracted to Yoruichi, in love with Yoruichi or what not, that didn't really change the fact that Orihime was thankful for what the woman was doing for her. She felt deep content as her mind's focus alternated between Yoruichi and the eventual fierce battle over the mermaid hostages.
Eventually the two decided to leave the hot spring. Dressing themselves they traveled back to where they had started, and found the door to the Urahara shop. They pulled the door open and proceeded back above ground. Shortly they were greeted by all the inhabitants of the small shop.
"So how'd it go? I take it Orihime here didn't become a Shinigami." Kisuke Urahara said with a noticeable grin and a slightly mocking laugh as he noticed his friend and the other girl emerge.
"No, but she made progress. I'm sure if she keeps to it, she'll be successful." Yoruichi insisted giving a healthy nod.
"Whatever you say, Yoruichi…" Urahara said with obvious doubt, a smug expression on his face as he let out another laugh.
"What? What's so funny? That expression… just what are you thinking about, Kisuke?" Yoruichi held a tinge of anger to her voice.
"Nothing. It's just I think I'm beginning to understand what all this is really about…" The ex shinigami captain answered while maintaining his smirk.
Orihime was confused at this comment. This wasn't about anything that someone should have to figure out like that. It was simple. Shortly she spoke in a cheerful way, "You mean how it's about me wanting to become shinigami so I'll be stronger and everyone will be able to depend on me!?"
"Right, Orihime. I'm sure that's exactly all you're teacher here is seeing in this as well." Urahara said in an overtly sarcastic fashion, so sarcastic that even Orihime picked up on the sarcasm.
"Kisuke you…. Just mind your own business. I'm the one Orihime came to for help and I'm going to do my best to fulfill her request of me. That's all there is to it and that's all you need to know." The dark-skinned female spoke in a defensive manner.
"Fine… whatever… just do you honestly think you can make this girl a shinigami?" Urahara seemed impossible to convince.
"I do! Everything Orihime has shown me, her determination, her spirit, her commitment, the effort she's willing to put into this, all of it lends to the view that Orihime will succeed." Yoruichi declared with dead certainty; Orihime felt as if her heart was melting, the beautiful girl she maybe sorta liked was standing up firmly for her dream, it felt good.
Nearby Urahara shop child laborer Jinta was busy neglecting whatever menial chore he had been assigned while he listened to his conversation, in a tone that was just loud enough so all could hear him he murmured, "I don't know Ururu, Sometimes I just don't understand adults… All I know is that girl has about as good a chance at becoming a shinigami as one of my shoes does."
"Such an attitude is inappropriate! Show respect to others, boy! And do not neglect your work!" the comments awarded Jinta a sudden reprimand from Tessai, the strange older guy who served as Urahara's partner in running the shop.
"Anything is possible… with love …and hard work…" Ururu gave a delayed response in her typical subdued, pre-occupied way.
The room fell silent for a moment before Yoruichi was reminded of her reason for returning to the surface, she spoke simply, "Ah yes, Kisuske. Orihime and I have been training hard all day and I'm sure she's real hungry. You got any food around here?"
"Of course, you're usual stuff's in the cabinet, Yoruichi, and I don't think Tessai would mind whipping up something for the girl." Urahara responded understandingly.
"Right!" Tessai took this as an order and headed to a small kitchen in the back.
"And I'll go supervise!" Orihime declared as she skipped off to follow the bizarre man to prepare her food.
A length of time passed before Orihime sat down at the kitchen table with her plate of food, a fish taco garnished with cinnamon, oregano and artichoke hearts served with a fresh salad which was topped with mangos, bell peppers, and balsamic vinegar. Yoruichi sat at he table across from her, she said with a laugh, "That certainly looks interesting Orihime. Is that the sort of thing you normally eat?"
"Oh yes. Mr. Tessai showed me where everything was but I pretty much came up with this combination all on my own. I like cooking." Orihime said enthusiastically as she took her first bite, smiling at the taste.
"Seems pretty strange to me." Yoruichi said causally as she poured some dry food from a box she had placed on the table into a bowl and poured a glass of milk. Orihime noticed that the box had the pictures of two smiling cats on it and read Happy Kitty brand cat food across the top.
"Are you… eating cat food…Yoruichi?" Orihime was at a loss for words as the woman across form her began to eat the dehydrated food from her bowl with a spoon as if it were cereal.
"Yeah, you're point?" Yoruichi gave a short laugh at the girl's reaction.
"But you're not even in cat form!" Orihime protested fiercely.
"It really tastes the same no mater which form I'm in." Yoruichi responded indifferently, taking a healthy sip of milk.
"But you're not even really a cat! You shouldn't have to eat that!" Orihime just couldn't believe what she was witnessing, it was so strange.
"I don't have to eat anything. But this stuff's really not all that bad. It grows on you after a few years. It's cheap and plentiful and there are so many varieties available." Yoruichi seemed enthusiastic; Orihime acquiesced to the completely sound logic of the other.
"But you still eat normal food, right?" Orihime asked with hints of concern.
"Of course, I'm really not a picky eater. That fish you're eating now for example, I'm the one who caught that and ate most of it." Yoruichi explained with a smile.
"Oh really? It's good." Orihime said with a smile as she continued to eat.
Yoruichi took a few more bites of her own food as she watched the other girl eat. She commented in a relaxed voice, "I'd still say what you're eating's a lot weirder than this stuff."
"But this is good! Try it!' Orihime offered graciously with a wide-brimmed smile.
"Eh, alright.." Yoruichi accepted the offer. Orihime lent her her fork which she used to skewer some of Orihime's salad. She took the bite into her mouth and chewed it.
"That's certainly… certainly an interesting … taste combination you got there… Orihime. I think I probably prefer the cat food…" Yoruichi found the bizarre combination less than appealing.
"Alright, then let me compare!" Orihime decided to take judgment into her own hands, scooping up a spoon of Yoruichi's cat food. She brought it to her mouth and ate it slowly.
"So, what did you think?" Yoruichi asked with a light laugh.
Orihime took a moment to let the taste sit in before analyzing, "That's actually not too bad. It kinda tastes like smoked salmon."
"It's supposed to; it's smoked salmon flavor." Yoruichi smiled. They both laughed.
Yoruichi and Orihime finished their meal in relative silence. They cleared and washed their plates before returning to the main room of the Urahara shop. It was then that Orihime began to feel the wear on her body from the intense training session set in. She smiled as she turned to Yoruichi and was happy to see that other smiling back.
"Well I think I'll go back home now, Yoruichi. Thanks for everything today. It was great!" Orihime declared in a serene way, her eyes found their focus in those of the other.
"Yeah, Orihime, it was fun. And tomorrow I'm sure you'll be able to become a shinigami." Yoruichi said in a sweet voice.
"I'll make sure to get here nice and early then!" Orihime declared enthusiastically.
"I'll be waiting..." Yoruichi sighed with a longing air in her voice as the other made her way for the door.
Walking away form the Urahara shop Orihime turned her attention to the sky. It was a truly beautiful sky and staring at it seemed to bring all of Orihime's thoughts of the day to the surface at once. Being a shinigami, the fate of the mermaids and robots, Yoruichi, every thought elicited in her such a warm feeling. This warmth made her feel as if all her dreams were in her grasp.
A/N: This chapter is a bit of a step-back. I backed away from the basic shinigami plot line in order to provide some romantic build-up. Well actually I don't know if you would call it build-up as it was pretty overt and spontaneous, but I suppose that's how things work sometimes. Whatever the reason I suppose I decided not to hide the yuri till the fourth chapter this time around. Speaking of the fourth chapter, expect more Orihime training as well as some hot Yoruichi X Orihime action, in short an incredibly exciting chapter. I really love Yoruichi, and Orihime's just infectious.
I haven't had a serious poll in weeks, and this week did very little to address that. Since a recurring theme in this fic is the whole mermaid-robot war I posed the question of who would win, mermaids or robots. Mermaids proved victorious 7 to 4 over robots. 3 believe that the world would explode if mermaids and robots were to fight. 2 believe Thomas Jefferson would win the mermaid-robot war. 1 person was deeply confused. I found the results useful.