"Ah, there you are! Have you heard?"

"Yes. I, Soifon, will give my blood and soul to safeguard the wellbeing of Your Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief". Hands on knees, Soifon bowed her head low and recited the words she had rehearsed to herself every night since she entered the Onmitsukido.

"Ah… don't call me Your Excellency! That's too formal. Why don't you just call me Yoruichi-san or something?"

She looked up, apoplectic. "That… that cannot be! I dare not address Your Excellency directly. It would be too presumptuous of me." Soifon kept her head bowed, and felt the golden eyes of the Commander-in-Chief bearing on her quizzically.

I… I cannot defy her… yet how can I…

Timidly, Soifon said "Then… is it all right for me to address you as… Yoruichi-sama?"

The golden eyes continued to bear into her bowed head, when suddenly, the tension was broken by a loud laugh. "You are so stubborn!" said Yoruichi, who had cocked both legs up on the hand-rest of her seat and was now slumped across her chair. "Call me whatever you want, I don't care. I called you here because of your potential. So it doesn't matter what you call me. I am expecting great things of you, Soifon!"

"Yes… Yes! Yourichi-sama!" Soifon felt a blush spread across her face. No longer torn, and warmed by the praise, she looked up and smiled broadly.

That night, in her new quarters within the Second Squad, Soifon recited to herself the familiar words:

"The Fon family is born to serve the Shihouin family." She could hear her father addressing her by proxy.

I, Soifon, will give my blood and soul to safeguard the wellbeing of Yoruichi-sama.

This is what I was born to do.

A few weeks later, Soifon was standing in line at the monthly inspection of the keigun. It was the Commander-in-Chief's practice to review her troops on the last day of the month. Everyone was in place, heads bowed, as was customary before their Commander. Yoruichi came into view, examining her troops with a keen eye.

"How is it going, Soifon?" Startled, Soifon looked up to see that her Commander had stopped in front of her. "Are you getting used to the guard detail?"

"Ah.. ah… Yes, your Excellency Madam Commander-in-Chief!" Flustered, Soifon quickly snapped her eyes down and stared at her feet. But Yoruichi did not move away. Instead, Soifon started to hear a "buzz, buzz, buzz" sounding in her ears.

"Buzz, buzz… Ah! A little bee!" And to Soifon's surprise, Yoruichi's hand was on her head, ruffling her hair. Shocked by the friendliness of the Commander, Soifon stammered, unsure of what to say.

"I thought I told you to call me Yoruichi," she said, bending down and looking Soifon in the eye.

"Y… yes! Yoruichi…sama."

"You are really so formal! Come!" The hand suddenly lifted off Soifon's head, and before she knew it, Yoruichi had run off in the distance. Soifon continued to stare dumbly, unsure of whether she was permitted to step out of line. No one else in her company flinched.

From the distance, Yoruichi bellowed "I am the Commander aren't I? Since I told you to follow, aren't you supposed to follow?" And she grinned playfully.

"H… hai!" Soifon stepped out line, relieved to be given permission.

For the second time in seven years, Soifon smiled, and was happy.