Penultimate Chapter! Here we go!
Chapter 7: Epiphany
"Ugh…what did the bastards do to me?" a disgruntled Soi Fon said as she got up covering her head with her hands.
"Soi Fon sama….are you alright?" a concerned Suzumebachi asked.
"Shut up you bitch…..you knew this was going to happen….."
"But I…..oh why do I even bother….."
"Where are we?"
As Soi Fon's vision started to clear, she opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar place. Thousands of colourful flowers stretched in all directions for as far as the eye could see, with not a single person in sight. This had puzzled the rogue 2nd division captain greatly. She did not know of a place like this that existed in Soul Society and figured that it was just an illusion the shinigamis had made to try and confuse her.
"Pathetic. Do they really think that they can contain me like this?"
"But Soi Fon sama….can't you feel that?"
"Feel what?"
"Your surroundings, the environment. Can't you tell that there's something different about this place?"
With her obscured senses, Soi Fon couldn't tell where she was. Any ordinary shinigami would be able to tell that they weren't in Soul Society. But with her crazed mentality that she now possessed, the rogue captain hadn't a clue as to her location.
"You're not in the real world anymore, nor are you in Soul Society….."
"Impossible."
"If you don't believe me, try looking around. I'm positive that you won't find anything or anyone that you'd recognize."
"I'm going to make you eat your words."
After her talk with Suzumebachi, Soi Fon wandered aimlessly across the Valley of Souls. Refusing to believe what her zanpaktou spirit had told her, she continued to walk around for what seemed like ages. Finally spotting a settlement at the base of a large waterfall, Soi Fon was sure she was going to find a familiar face. Making haste for the settlement, she arrived only to find that not many people were there. Furthermore, there was no one that she knew.
"You bitch! Where is Shihoin Yoruichi?" screamed Soi Fon as she spotted a young woman.
"Hmm….would you look at this? A new soul!"
"What the heck are you talking about? New soul!?"
"A shinigami captain as well! From the…..2nd division eh? Maybe he'll recognize you."
"He? Who are you talking about? Just tell me where she us or I'll kill you right here!"
The female soul that Soi Fon had spoken to totally ignored her death threat. Calling out for the person that she thought Soi Fon might recognize to welcome her to the valley, she was hoping that the person might recognize Soi Fon too from when that person was still alive. The rogue 2nd division captain, however, was unprepared for what was about to come.
"Omaeda! Look a new soul has just arrived! A captain shinigami?"
"Omae…da…..?"
Inconceivable, or so Soi Fon thought. As the giant figure of Omaeda approached her, she was utterly shocked as to how her vice-captain was still alive. After all, she was the one who had stabbed him right through the heart and killed him cold heartedly.
"TAICHOU!" Omaeda screamed.
"What the…"
"Look at what's becomed of you! You're in a mess!" said Omaeda as he took note of the change in his captain's appearance. Your hair, your nails, and your eyes…..are they bleeding? Come inside and we'll fix you up!"
"Fool!" screamed Soi Fon. "How are you still alive!? I killed you!"
"Taichou…."
"Enough of this."
Soi Fon was tired of playing games. Figuring that the only possible way for her vice-captain to be still alive was that rescue arrived in time, she was even more determined to finish the job this time around. Without hesitation, she drew her zanpaktpou and launched a slash across the neck of Omaeda, aiming to decapitate him.
"What the heck!? Why isn't your head rolling on the floor!?" screamed an increasingly confused Soi Fon. The blade of her weapon had passed right through Omaeda, as if he wasn't even there at all. At this, Soi Fon went wild, aiming slash after slash across Omaeda's torso area. Yet, after each and every time, she got the same result, with the blade passing right through him.
"HOW'S THIS POSSIBLE!? WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOURSELF!?" Soi Fon shouted from the top of her lungs as she tried to comprehend a supposed impossibility. Drops of perspiration began to trickle down the side of her face as she got increasingly paranoid, and somewhat, afraid. It was the first time she felt like this ever since she lost her mind.
"Taichou….calm down, please….."
"Don't tell me to calm down you fool! Why aren't you dead? WHY!?"
"Taichou…"
"Die! Die! Die!"
Soi Fon had completely gone bonkers. Continuously swinging her weapon wildly at her vice-captain, she could not believe that he was still alive. She was absolutely sure that there was no possible way that what she faced was a reality, and still believed that she was under a spell cast by the shinigamis.
"Why….why…." Soi Fon struggled for breath as she began to tire out. "Why aren't you dead….."
"Taichou…..you still don't realise it do you….."
Before Omaeda could explain, a voice had interrupted him.
"Omaeda, what's all that ruckus about?"
"Yushiro san…"
"Is that….Soi Fon?"
"Yeah….."
"Is she….."
"Nope….she's still alive…."
"Ah…"
"YOU! You're here too?" Soi Fon'e eyes widened in shock as she pointed towards Yoruichi's brother. "DIE!"
Leaping towards Yushiro, she aimed to impale him right through the forehead with her zanpaktou. Alas, she had once again passed right through her target and crashed into the wall.
"AHHHHHHH! WHAT MADNESS IS THIS….." Soi Fon screamed as she got increasingly confused and disoriented. It seemed she was sinking into a bottomless pit of insanity as she fell to the ground knees first, banging her head constantly on the floor. Omaeda and Yushiro looked on in pity, feeling sorry that Soi Fon hadn't realise the truth yet.
"Soi Fon…." Yushiro said as he tried helping Soi Fon off the floor before he got Soi Fon tried shoving him in the face.
"Get your hand of me! Wait…why is it you can touch me but I can't? WHY!?"
"I don't know….that's just how the world of the dead works…"
"World of the dead?"
"Hmm…..I don't kno what I can do to help you…..but maybe she'll be able to…." Yushiro said as he pointed behind Soi Fon towards a figure.
Turning around, Soi Fon spotted a small figure amongst the tall grass. Before she could reach it though, the figure had sped off at a speed much quicker than anything or anyone Soi Fon had witnessed before. Chasing it for a considerable distance, the figure finally stopped in the middle of a clearing. As Soi Fon faced the creature's back, she made it out to be a small black cat. Finally, she had found her.
Kneeling down, Soi Fon began to speak. "Yoruichi…sama?"
"It's been a long while….Soi Fon."
"YORUICHI SAMA! AT LAST I'VE FOUND YOU!" screamed Soi Fon as she finally let out a sincere smile of joy for the first time since the incident. As a cloud of smoke formed when Yoruichi began to change back into her human form, the 2nd division captain faced away as her cheeks turned bright red, embarrassed to see if er master was indeed nude or not, which she usually was whenever she changed from cat to human.
"Yoruichi sama….."
"It's alright darling…..I'm dressed."
Turning around to see that Yoruichi was indeed in clothes, Soi Fon cried to see Yoruichi in the flesh. Her long wavy purple hair and her flawless dark coloured skin were as beautiful as she remembered it to be.
"So…what you've been up to?"
"Yoruichi sama…"
"What's wrog?"
"I've journeyed a long ways to find you…..and I've done many thing just to get here….."
"Oh? Like what?"
"I killed Omaeda and your brother….or so I though….they were traitors and they refused to tell me where you were."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah," said Soi Fon as she stumbled nearer and nearer towards Yoruichi. "Nut…now I've finally found you…..and that's all that matters to me….."
Leaning in closer to hug her master, she opened her arms wide to embrace Yoruichi. But, she felt confused as she passed right through her.
"Yoruichi…..sama?"
"Soi Fon…don't you realise it yet?"
"Realise what?"
"Think about it…..all the people you've met here are dead…..including me….I'm dead too….."
Upon hearing her master's words, Soi Fon was once again puzzled.
"Yoruichi sama…..what are you talking about?"
"We're in the Valley of Souls….Omaeda….Yushiro…..and even myself…you sent us here when you killed us….."
"NO! NO! NO!" screamed Soi Fon as she once again went into a rampage, aiming multiple slashes at Yoruichi. "The real Yoruichi sama would never say that! Where is she!?"
"Soi Fon dear…you can't see the truth…you're blinded by your unwillingness to accept it…"
"LIES! ALL LIES!"
"Soi Fon…there there…..let me help….."
"What are you…."
Before she could finish, the 2nd division captain was interrupted by Yoruichi who had shunpoed right in front of her, placing her right hand into the chest if her ex-protégé.
"What the…." Soi Fon thought to herself. "I don't feel any pain or whatsoever…what is this?"
"My my…..your heart's full of emptiness and despair…"
"STOP! GET YOUR HAND OUT OF ME!"
"I'm afraid I can't dear….this is the only way left to help you….."
"What the….."
Once again, Yoruichi had cut Soi Fon off. This time though, Yoruichi had disappeared, entering Soi Fon's body, possessing her in the process. At this, Soi Fon's body fell to the ground kneews first, staying in a kneeling position as her eyes closed with her head falling so that it faced the ground.
Soi Fon's Inner Self…
"Wow….your mind is emptier than I thought….."
"Where the heck are we!" Soi Fon said angrily as she took note of her surroundings, realizing that she and her master were now in an enclosed area, with every inch of the place they were in being a brilliant white in colour.
"Silly you…..we're inside your mind."
"WHAT!?"
"Yeah…it's kind of cramped in here…..your body that is."
"What the heck are you talking about….."
"You still don't get it do you….how can I be in your mind if I'm not in you? I entered your body and possessed you."
"WHAT!? GET OUT OF ME YOU BITCH!"
"No….not until I'm done here."
"What could you possible want to do here you imposter?"
"To help you see the truth duh," Yoruichi said as she let out a huge sigh. "Take a look here," Yoruichi said once more as she pointed towards her right.
"What is this…a screen?"
"Yup, go on and touch it."
"Soi Fon did as she was told. Putting her hand into the screen, she was teleported into a forest. Dazed from the teleportation process, she still managed to sense two powerful sets of reiatsus. Picking herself up, she followed the trace, which ler her into a clearing in the forest, with Yoruichi following close behind.
"You don't have to do this Soi Fon….Please just let me explain…..I don't want to fight you!"
"Let you explain? You just upped and left me for a 100 years! And you think I'm just going to let you explain? No way bitch!"
"YORUICHI SAMA! YORUICHI SAMA! I've finally found you!"
Realising that she wasn't responding, Soi Fon felt a bit uneasy.
"Yoruichi sama….?"
"You're so cute when you're confused," Yoruichi let out with a laugh.
"What's so funny?"
"I'm right here dear…..that Yoruichi you're watching and that Soi Fon too, they're all parts of your memory that had been blocked off after you fell"
"I don't remember that ever happening…..who are you trying to kid?"
"Just look," Yoruichi sighed once more.
Looking on, Soi Fon watched the memory of her battling Yoruichi. She realized though after a while, how Yoruichi couldn't put her all into the fight, noting that something was holding her back. She knew that Yoruichi would never want to hurt her. Then, the 2nd division captain felt an energy flow though her, something that made her somewhat believe that after all this time, she had really killed Yoruichi.
"Hmph…you think this is going to fool me?" Soi Fon said in refusal of the truth.
"Ha…just watch on…it's coming….Ah yes…this is how I died wasn't it?"
Then came the climax of the battle. Soi Fon watched as she drove Suzumebachi into the small of her master's back, putting the final nail in the coffin for Yoruichi. Seeing her master fall to the ground as she echoed the words," I love you," Soi Fon cried as her emotions got the better of her, the first time it had ever happened ever since the incident. She was at breaking point and she had reached her limits.
"No…..no….NOOOOO! YORUICHI SAMA!"
"Do you finally see it now…."
"No…it can't be…."
Why…..no….no….no….."
"Just look."
As she wiped the tears off her face, Soi Fon watched as her memories continued to play. She watched as she picked up the letter and read it, crying as she realized that she made a huge mistake, sitting by Yoruichi's side, watching it all the way till she made the plunge at Thunder-rock cliff. This had sealed the deal. Soi Fon buried her face in her hands as she finally accepted the truth, kneeling on the floor as she cried a river. At this, Yoruichi kneeled down in front of her, embracing Soi Fon as she hugged her with all the love she could give.
"Why….why…." Soi Fon struggled to say as the tears flowed down her face. "Why didn't you fight back…you….you probably wouldn't be dead if you did…."
"Child….you knew that I could never lay a hand on you."
"And so you just let me kill you!?"
"I couldn't risk it now could I….I didn't want to hurt you even more….I was afraid that one wrong move would drive you further away from me….I figured that letting you know of my love for you through the letter was the only option left…..and since you were always rash…..there was no way you'd ever listen to me so dying seemed like the only option left….I was still lucky though that you read it…..there were no guarantees….well….you'll never know how much you truly treasure someone until they're gone…"
"I couldn't accept my mistakes and that's why I tried committing suicide….it…it….it was the only way to escape it all….."
"I guess I'm at fault too….I wasn't strong enough…..forgive me Yoruichi sama….."
"Stop blaming youself child….come on…..get up," Yoruichi said as she helped a still bawling Soi Fon to her her feet. "Remember alright…..no matter what happens I'll always love you…."
"I….I….I love you too….."
"I know dear…..I know…..Come on…..let's get out of here….I'm getting claustrophobic from being inside your body too long."
"Alright….."
Valley of Souls…..
As Yoruichi exited Soi Fon's body, the 2nd division captain regained control of her own body and picked herself off the floor. Finally accepting the truth, her appearance changed once more, her long hair instantly falling off so that she now obtained back her short, neat hairstyle. Her eyes stopped bleeding as they returned to normal, white eyeballs with black pupils. Her nails were now short and tidy, her haori turning pure white once again.
"Soi Fon….they're going to close the portal soon….hurry up and get out of here….You've a long life ahead of you."
"But….will I see you again Yoruichi sama?"
"Haha child…..don't worry alright? I'll always be with you even if you don't see me."
"Okay…."
"But promise me though…"
"Yes Yoruichi sama?"
"Never do anything stupid like trying to commit suicide again alright…and live your life to the fullest and remember me and carry on in my honour."
"Yes Yoruichi sama."
Leaning in close, Yoruichi kissed Soi Fon's forehead before she left.
"Yoruichi sama…."
"Oh…..you're blushing again…you're so cute when you do that," Yoruichi said with a large smile on her face.
"Yoruichi sama…"
"Go one, get out of here! And remember Soi Fon what I told you."
"Yes Yoruichi sama."
Looking at her master for one last time, she smiled and the gesture was reciprocated, with Yoruichi smiling right back at her. Turning around, Soi Fon made haste for the exit, feeling happy and relieved that she finally had closure. She was with renewed determination and resolve to continue on living and that was what she was going to do, live her life to the full and carry on in her master's name.
Soul Society….
"We can't hold on…."
"She's taking too long…."
Yamamoto shook his head. Believing that his plan had failed, he was about to close the gate.
"Alright…..close it…"
"Sir wait!"
"What is it?"
"Energy levels are surging! I think she can make it!"
With that, a beam of light had rained down in the circle that the captain had formed. As it cleared, an exhausted Soi Fon was on her hands and knees, gasping for air. With her finally out of the Valley of Souls, the captains closed the gate as they fell to the floor drained of their life energy.
"I'm…..I'm back…"
"And normal again…..by the looks of things…We thought you weren't going to make it for a while…" Unohana said as she approached Soi Fon to examine her condition.
"Haha….you thought I couldn't handle it eh….but really….I'm sorry for everything…."
"Don't worry about it….I understand…..but you do know what's going to happen right…."
"Yeah….I can't go unpunished….."
"That's right!" yelled Yamamoto. "You have caused enough trouble to Sereitei! You will be sent to the Central 46 after you recover and you'll receive your punishment after that!"
"Yes Sir…"
"Come on…lie on the stretcher and we'll fix you up….."
As Soi Fon lay down on the stretcher, Unohana's assistants carried her off to the infirmary. As she stared into the sky as she was brought back to Sereitei, she thought back about what had just happened to her. No matter what her sentence was going to be for her crimes, Soi Fon was determined to power though it all and carry out her master's wishes. Closing her eyes as she drifted off into a sound slumber, she dreamed of a future where she would remain happy and be strong, not just for her, but for her master as well, for the rest of her life.
That's the end of Chapter 7! For all those who've been reading I really do thank you :) I am kinda sad though that the story's going to end but please stay tune for the next and final chapter! Thanks :)
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