Soi Fon's Secret Mission Chapter 2, a bleach fanfic

Bleach

Soi Fon's Secret Mission

Author: Xgamerkf

Genre: Romance

Pairing(s): Soi Fon/Solo, Yoruichi/Soi Fon

Rating: Mature – Strong Sexual Content, Mild Language

Chapter 2

Yoruichi sat quietly on the edge of the riverbank, hugging her legs up against her body and resting her chin on her knees as she stared vacantly at the reflection of the moon on the water's surface. Unlike those placid waters, however, her mind was a raging torrent of unfocused thoughts and images, memories, feelings… Her only solace was the knowledge that she was alone with these feelings, and that she would remain undisturbed unless she allowed otherwise – her chosen locale guaranteed her that much, at least.

She didn't know why exactly she'd come to the living world. She supposed it was to escape, to get as far away from Soi Fon or anyone else as possible, but that was irrelevant. She just knew she needed to be alone until she could sort all of this out.

That was almost two days ago.

She'd initially considered seeking out advice from…someone, but none of her options really seemed viable. Kukaku Shiba was the first person that came to mind, being in Soul Society herself – and a woman for that matter, but she was never the most…stable-minded person to begin with. Her second option had been Kisuke Urahara, but Kisuke, well… She was sure Kisuke would get around to saying something helpful eventually, but… Ugh, she could picture it now.

"Wow, Yoruichi! I never knew you liked 'Soi' milk!" the man teased, an enormous grin smeared across his face. "Or is it you just have a craving for some of your Little Bee's sweet 'honey'? Heh-heh-heh!"

Yoruichi blushed deeply at the thought, although less at the scene itself and more so at the fact that it was she herself who'd actually imagined it.

She shook her head lightly, clearing the images just long enough to allow countless others to fill the void. There were so many questions, so many strange feelings swirling around inside her head. None of which she had any answers for. Why couldn't she shake these feelings? Why couldn't she stop reliving these old memories of the times she and Soi Fon used to share, pleasant as they may be? Why…?

"Why didn't you take me with you…?"

The question flashed through her mind for what felt like the hundredth time in the last hour alone. It was difficult to focus on anything, but this one thought in particular now seemed to be forcing its way to the forefront more than any other. She could still see the tears…still feel the hurt and sadness pouring out of the woman who was desperate for an answer to the question that she'd been harboring for a hundred years; for an answer that would never come; an answer that Yoruichi herself didn't have to give.

It was time she changed that.

In a flash, Yoruichi rolled forward onto her hands and knees and crawled to the river's edge, hesitating for a long second before finally peering out and looking down at her reflection in the water. She knew that if anyone passing by could see what she was about to do they would think her crazy, but after two days of this mental torture it felt like she was starting to lose her mind anyway, so what did it matter? Besides, it just might be crazy enough to work.

The dark-skinned woman paused and took a deep breath, channeling her thoughts as she dug deep into her mind. She wanted answers, and she was going to get them no matter what it took, no matter what the result. And there was only one person she knew that could provide them.

"Why…?" she muttered, staring intently into the pair of piercing golden eyes that stared back at her. "Why didn't you take her with you?"

"Why do you ask? You already know the answer to that, don't you?" her reflection replied in a somber tone, a somewhat surreal, echo-like quality to the voice.

She felt her shoulders slump as a twinge of guilt shot through her body. She thought for a second before responding, "I…I couldn't. I couldn't ask her to come. It wouldn't have been fair to ask that of her, to choose between coming with me and staying in Soul Society."

"So you made the choice for her. How is that fair? No, what's the real reason you didn't ask her?"

"Because…because I knew she would've said yes…" Yoruichi paused a moment to collect her thoughts. "She would have spent the rest of her life in exile, just like me and Kisuke. She had such a bright future there, and she would have thrown it all away without a second thought. I…I couldn't let her do that…I couldn't let her throw her life away."

"…Wow…such a noble sentiment…you almost had even me convinced. I guess what they say is true. If you lie to yourself long enough, you start to really believe it…"

"No, you're wrong…they're not lies…"

"Yes…they are. They always have been. They were lies you told yourself to ease your own mind; lies you told yourself so you wouldn't have to face the truth of why you abandoned her…"

Yoruichi started to argue the point, but stopped herself. Trying to justify her actions to herself wasn't what she was trying to accomplish here. "Then why? What is the truth? Why didn't I take her with me?"

"Simple. It's for the same reason you're here now…"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Do you really not understand? Have you buried it so deeply, that you need to go to these lengths – having a conversation with your own subconscious – just to remember?"

Yoruichi forced an uneasy grin, reminded of how crazy she must look right now. "Heh, it would seem so…"

"Hmph, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You never were very good at recognizing such things. Very well, then, I guess it can't be helped…"

There was a long silence in the air as the woman finally let go, releasing the part of her mind that she'd kept hidden from herself for nearly a century. She didn't know what to expect, what sort of profound revelation was about to be made to her, but she couldn't fight it any longer. She needed to know…if not for Soi's sake, then for her own. She needed to remember, she wanted to remember.

"It's because you were afraid," the reflection said simply. "You were afraid of your own feelings for her, the same feelings that were reawakened at the sight of her lying in bed, gasping out your name.

"You always knew there was something special about her, from the very first time your eyes met on the Stealth Force training grounds and she blocked your attack. It was never your intent when you made her your bodyguard and took her under your wing, but as the years passed you began to grow closer and closer together, and your feelings for her continued to grow. She slowly became more to you than just your subordinate, more than just a close friend, but by the time you realized what was happening it was already too late.

"You fell in love with her…"

"…I…I fell in love with her…" Yoruichi repeated, almost in a daze.

After a few moments of silence, the violet-haired woman pushed herself away from the water's edge and fell back onto the grass, gazing up at the stars as she struggled to accept what her own mind was telling her. Part of her was still trying to fight it, but that part didn't seem to carry much weight anymore. After all, this wasn't just some outsider looking in giving their interpretation of how she felt. This was her own subconscious – these were her thoughts, her feelings, she'd only just forgotten.

"I…I remember now…" she whispered into the moonlight, bringing her arms to rest across her stomach. She lay there a short while with an empty look on her face as she reiterated her old memories to herself.

"I had never felt that way about someone before, and…it scared me. I'd never experienced anything like it. I just didn't know what to do…whether or not I should act on what I was feeling, or what would happen if I did. She had become like a little sister to me, and even though a part of me wanted more…

"I knew how much she admired and looked up to me, but part of me was afraid she wouldn't return my feelings…and the other part was afraid that she would. I was completely lost.

"And then…"

Yoruichi closed her eyes as the memories from her last day as a Soul Reaper replayed in her mind, although now with a greater degree of understanding than they previously held.

It was just past sundown after she and Soi Fon had parted ways for the night, having spent the evening together training in a nearby field. She could remember feeling so proud of how far her Little Bee had come in mastering her shikai…but that feeling was overshadowed by the fear and doubt caused by her recently discovered affections. As chance would have it, it was then, during her moments of uncertainty that her oldest and best friend, Kisuke Urahara, intercepted her on her way back to her quarters with the news that he was leaving Soul Society.

She couldn't recall if it was he who'd asked for her help or if it was she who'd offered it, but that was never an issue. Her mind was made up before he'd ever even explained the situation. He was leaving at midnight…and she was going with him.

It was her chance to get away, to avoid ever having to deal with her feelings for Soi Fon.

Yoruichi cringed at the thought, disgusted with knowing that she had once thought in such a way.

Kisuke had given her two hours to do whatever she needed; to gather anything she wanted to take with her; to leave any final words to her subordinates; to say any goodbyes. It was the most torturous two hours of her life. It was torture because it gave her time…time to reflect on the magnitude of the situation she found herself in, time to think about the finality of the choice she was about to make. In the end, she had ended up spending the remainder of her time in Soul Society alone, staring absently up at the night sky from beneath the cherry blossoms that bordered her and Soi Fon's secret meadow.

She did nothing.

It was by far the most foolish, selfish and cowardly thing she'd ever done. She left without a word. No warning, no explanation…not even a goodbye. She left, and began the long process of trying to forget. And it was all because of her pathetic, misguided fear. A hundred years of living in denial…she was sick of it, she was tired of being such a damned scaredy-cat.

Yoruichi sat up as a new sense of determination sparked inside of her. "I'm not afraid anymore."

XXXXXXXXXX

Soi Fon strolled casually through the streets of Seireitei with a soft look on her face and a slight bounce in her step in what could only be described as a good mood. Another meeting of the Shinigami Women's Association had just adjourned and she was on her way back to her residence, holding a stuffed black cat loosely in her arms. While that wasn't the cause of her oddly spirited demeanor, it wasn't hurting things either.

The small plush toy had been a gift from Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto of the 10th Division, one of several souvenirs the busty woman had brought back with her for the various club members after her recent assignment in the living world. It was certainly a nice gift, in and of itself, but the young captain knew that in all likelihood it was meant as little more than a jab at her and her rather…enthusiastic admiration of Lady Yoruichi. The fact that Rangiku had actually called it a "Yoruichi-cat" when she gave it to her didn't served to dissuade that theory any.

Even so, it wasn't enough to dampen her pleasant mood. It was a strange thing, though. She wasn't particularly happy about anything, she just felt…content, at ease. Much more so than she had throughout most all of the previous week, at least, a sentiment spawned by the fact that she hadn't seen or heard from the real Yoruichi in almost a week either.

Ordinarily, Yoruichi not coming around Soul Society for a small period of time like this wouldn't be something that Soi Fon would give a second thought to, one way or the other. But then, her recent situation had been far from ordinary.

Ever since the morning after Yoruichi had paid her that unexpected visit in her office, Soi had spent nearly every waking hour looking over her shoulder. She was convinced that she would hear soft footsteps creeping behind her; see small black objects dart by out of the corner of her eye. She was utterly paranoid that her dark-skinned goddess somehow knew what she had done and would come for her revenge…whatever that would entail.

Five days had now passed without incident, and that meant only one thing to the Special Forces leader. It meant that Yoruichi didn't know it was her; that she no longer suspected her, and probably hadn't for some time. She was in the clear, off the hook, out of the woods, or whatever other silly phrase she'd heard used to describe it. It all meant the same thing…

She was safe.

Not a moment after the notion had passed through the captain's mind did she suddenly hear a string of footsteps rapidly approaching from behind.

"You!" Soi Fon shouted as she whipped her head around, her heart rate spiking.

Startled by the captain's sudden outburst towards him, the young Soul Reaper stuttered half a step while in mid-stride, causing him to trip on his own feet and sending him tumbling to the ground with a series panicked shrieks and cries. Soi could only stand and watch with a baffled look on her face while the bizarre spectacle played out before her, seeing the boy bounce and roll across the ground as random items somehow began ejecting themselves from the medical pack on his back.

The slender woman was quickly brought back on full alert, however, when a tiny glint of light caught her eye. She glanced up just in time to see a small object flying towards her, her eyes widening as she identified it as a syringe of some kind. Unwilling to chance what the contents of it's container may be, she hurriedly leapt off to the side as the syringe flew passed the empty space that her left shoulder occupied only a split-second earlier. She then quickly shot her arm out and snatched the medical tool out of midair between her fingers as it whizzed by, before leisurely bringing it into view.

Soi Fon frowned in disgust as she examined the device. It's finger-length needle was completely exposed and glistening flagrantly in the sunlight, and it's clear plastic container was filled to the brim with a sickly green liquid that consisted of God knows what. After a few seconds, she turned and looked down at the young man who had finally rolled to a stop a few feet away from her and was now lying face-first on the street. Such blatant incompetence – who knows what could have happened if this thing had stuck her? If this fool were a member of her own squad…

"Boy!" she exclaimed as the other Soul Reaper struggled to his knees. "Identify yourself!"

The young man gazed up slowly at the sound of the command, a feeling of embarrassment at his own clumsiness washing over him at the sight of the slightly blurry young woman staring down at him. That feeling soon changed to nervousness and panic, however, when he noticed the white haori she was wearing that signified her captaincy, before ultimately morphing into a feeling of dread when the realization of who exactly the woman was sank in.

"C-C-Captain Soi Fon!" he stammered, recoiling backwards.

He'd never met the captain in person before, but he'd heard stories about her ruthlessness and her cold, unforgiving nature. It was mostly second-hand, presumably exaggerated accounts from his other squad members who've treated wounds of some of her subordinates, but they painted quite the intimidating picture, nonetheless. Based on the callousness of her voice and the deadly look he was now receiving, he was starting to think that those stories were comprised more of fact than fiction.

Without any further hesitation, he immediately sprang to his feet and bowed as far forward as he could before identifying himself as ordered.

"P-Pardon me, Captain. Hanataro Yamada, 7th Seat of Squad 4, at your service." Hanataro slowly raised his head to meet the gaze of the steel-gray eyes looking back at him. "W-What can I do for you?"

"Explain to me what this is…" Soi Fon said coldly, extending her hand with the syringe held delicately between her fingertips, "…and why I was nearly injected with it."

Hanataro gulped as he looked at the medical instrument. She'd almost been…injected with that? How? It was in his backpack before he… His thoughts stopped there, quickly realizing that it must have come out somehow when he'd tripped and fell. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face.

"That…that's an experimental f-fast-acting sedative developed by Division 12. I-I was told it's b-based off of Captain Kurotsuchi's zanpakuto, designed to immobilize the patient's extremities while still allowing feeling in them, but altered to specifically deaden…p-pain," he explained, struggling a little with that last word as he suddenly got the feeling that he was about to experience some. "I-I was just on my way back to my division with this sample. Captain Unohana wanted to observe it's effects first-hand to see if it worked to her liking."

"I see…" the captain said thoughtfully, considering the information. "At ease."

Hanataro's eyes widened slightly, surprised at the woman's words. She…she wasn't angry? He couldn't believe it. He'd been expecting a painful fist to the stomach or a skull-cracking kick to the head, or for her to grab him and put him into some kind of arm or headlock while she vented her anger. He slowly eased out of his respectful bow and stood up, though still somewhat slumped forward. Maybe the stories were exaggerated…

"So…this is a sedative…" Soi Fon mused, eyeing the device again.

"Y-Yes, Ma'am."

"And you say you're on your way back to Division 4 so your captain can see its effects, correct?"

Hanataro nodded in confirmation.

"In that case, allow me to save you the trip…"

The 7th Seat stood in shock again at the supposedly ruthless captain's words. She was offering to deliver it for him? He just couldn't believe it…even Isane rarely ever offered do something this nice for him. The reputation that this woman had suddenly didn't make any sense to him. How could someone who was being so nice be so feared? How could…

Hanataro's thoughts trailed off as his legs abruptly went numb, and he collapsed to his knees. He then glanced down to see the syringe sticking out of his right thigh, just as the auto-inject mechanism at it's base finished administering the greenish-colored liquid contained inside. A second later he found himself lying limply on his side, his eyes looking up at the pair of icy-gray ones glaring back down at him.

"Don't worry, I've already called for a medical team. You'll be back at 4th Division in no time," Soi Fon said, clutching the cat plushie in her arms as she turned to leave. "Tell Captain Unohana I said 'you're welcome'."

"Y-Yes, Ma'am," he muttered as he watched the woman leave. "Maybe they weren't exaggerated…after all…"

XXXXXXXXXX

With the midday sun shining high overhead, the Special Forces leader made her way across the catwalks towards the Division 2 headquarters, still carrying the fuzzy stuffed-animal loosely in her arms. She was originally going to drop the toy off at home first, but her encounter with that clumsy 4th Division officer had delayed her slightly, so she decided to just keep it with her for the day. It wasn't as if it was going to be a bother to her, and besides, she really did like her new little Yoruichi-cat…

Soi Fon entered her office building a few minutes later, ready to get started on her work for the day, only to be stopped almost immediately by the frantic shouting of her lieutenant, whom was quickly bounding over to her.

"Captain! Captain!" the man exclaimed as he stopped and stood hunched over directly in front of her, his howling causing the petite woman's hair to wave slightly under his breath.

"What is it, Omaeda?" Soi Fon replied slowly, the vain in her forehead twitching as she brought a free hand up to rub her now ringing ear. And to think, she was in such a fine mood a moment ago…

"Orders, Ma'am! On your desk! Top secret! For your eyes only!" he recited, stepping off to one side.

Without a word, the young captain resumed her steady pace to her office, unfazed by her lieutenant's urgent behavior. If these orders were anywhere near that pressing he would have sent a Hell Butterfly for her the moment he received them. As it were, he was content to just wait for her arrival and try to impress her with a false sense of urgency in an attempted show of responsibility. Pathetic.

As she slid open her office door, she spotted the simple parcel resting on her desk and walked over to it, noticing the words "Top Secret" and "Captains Eyes Only" written on it in large print. Soi scoffed at the sight, then paused briefly when she sensed Omaeda following behind her.

"Did you open it?" she questioned him, already knowing the answer.

"What? Of course not!" Omaeda replied, a shocked, hurt filled expression on his face. "Captain, I would never… For you to even suggest such a thing! I can't believe that you-"

No longer caring to listen, Soi Fon returned her attention to the letter as her lieutenant rambled on in defense of himself. As she reached for the parchment, however, a brief shimmer of light from the area surrounding it caught her eye, causing her to stop and recoil her hand. After a moment of thought, an amused grin began tugging at her lips.

"Idiot," she chided. "You couldn't get passed the barrier, could you?"

Now dead silent, and with a slight reddish tint on his cheeks having been found out, the 2nd Squad lieutenant lowered his head and slowly backed out of the room, content to take his leave now and not test his captain's patients by putting up any further argument.

Pushing the ogre from her mind, Soi Fon turn back to her desk and furrowed her brow, curiously eyeing the parcel that awaited her there. She instinctively gripped the cat plushie against her abdomen just a little bit tighter. Something didn't feel right…

After a short pause, she extended her right hand with an open palm facing outward towards the barrier. The air around her hand and forearm started to swirl and glow pure white as she channeled her spirit energy, focusing it into a small orb in her palm.

"Hankabe!" she exclaimed, firing the burst of energy into the barrier and shattering it in a blinding flash.

The woman then slipped the piece of paper off the desk and eased it open, quickly scanning the contents of the letter. She only made it passed the third line, however, when her nerves suddenly grew tense. She froze, and her entire body started to tremble as she gritted her teeth and fought back the tears slowly forming in her eyes. A moment later, her left arm unconsciously fell down to her side, releasing the hold she had on small cat toy and allowing it to fall to the floor.

"No…no, it can't be…you can't…" Soi Fon muttered under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief. "Lady Yoruichi…you can't be working for him…"

XXXXXXXXXX

Author Comments: And so the plot thickens. I hope you all enjoyed Chapter 2. Hopefully it was more fun for you to read than it was for me to write. The first part with Yoruichi was a pain in the ass, and I'm still not sure I'm completely happy with it. Soi Fon's scenes were okay, though. She's a lot easier for me to write for, for some reason. I really like the cute, soft side she has whenever Yoruichi is involved, but it's pretty fun writing her cruel and intimidating side, too. Sorry to any Hanataro fans for using him as the butt of my little joke, by the way. I just couldn't resist.

The technique "hankabe" that I had Soi Fon use is something I made up. It's based off of Yoruichi's hanki or "Reverse Demon", which she used to counter Soi Fon's shunko during their fight. Hanki cancels an opponent's kido attack by sending an equally powerful surge of energy back at the opponent. Following that principle, I took the "han" – meaning counter or reverse – from hanki and combined it with the word "kabe" – meaning wall or barrier – to create hankabe or "Reverse Barrier". It's complete and utter BS on my part, but it works well enough until Kubo shows how a barrier would actually be broken or removed.