Shattered Bee (End of Contentment)

They found her a few hours later, slumped unconscious in front of Yoruichi's seat. Soifon! Soifon! She heard voices calling out to her, but they sounded like distant echoes, none of them the voice her ear hearkened to. She remained in a daze, barely perceiving the guards standing in front of her nor hearing what they said to her. Something about escape. The Central 46 Chambers. Desertion. Words words words…

Yoruichi-sama. What happened to you? Why didn't I follow you? Yoruichi-sama!

She had only a vague sensation of being propped up and led to another area. I… I must find Yoruichi-sama. Even if it is just her body. Or just her zanpakuto or haori. Whatever is left. I… I must find her. She made as if to move, but floundered, and landed in a heap on the floor once more. Yoruichi-sama. If you are dead, then Soifon has no purpose in living anymore. I have failed.

"Look at me." Soifon was suddenly shocked into consciousness by an overwhelming surge of reiatsu. She found herself staring into the eyes of Captain Commander Yamamoto. She tried to look away, but found she could not. I am drowning, in an endless night. His power… I can barely breathe…

"It is said that you are strong."

Yoruichi-sama.

"Soifon." He pronounced her name deliberately and slowly. She snapped to attention involuntarily. "You are henceforth the new Corps Commander of the keigun. Your first task-"

No. Yoruichi-sama is the Corps Commander and overall Commander-in-Chief.

"You will arrest the fugitives Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin. The Central 46 Chambers has determined that they are traitors to Soul Society and will be arrested on sight if they should ever set foot in this realm."

Soifon froze. Yoruichi-sama. She is alive! No. Traitor, he said. How can that be? Urahara… Yoruichi-sama! No, this cannot be! I must go find her…

"Your first task, Corps Commander Soifon. Preserve the honour of Seireitei by exposing their heinous misdeeds to all. I trust you will perform your duty. Tosen."

Tosen. The lone survivor of the 9th Squad's seated officers. Only then did she realize that Vice-Captains Sosuke Aizen and Gin Ichimaru were in the room with her. They looked unflinchingly at Soifon. We have lost our captains because of the actions of Urahara. Your Commander betrayed all of us by helping him escape.

Tosen bowed to Yamamoto, and began to draw markings on his arms. "Bakudo No. 77!"

"Black and white net.

Twenty-two bridges, sixty-six crowns and belts.

Footprints, distant thunder, sharp peak, engulfing land, hidden in the night, sea of clouds, blue line.

Form a circle and fly though the heavens."

Yoruichi-sama. You promised. Why? How could you do this?

Duty, trust and honour had never been so bitter to Soifon before. Her voice rang throughout Seiretei via Tosen's Tenteikura, and no one knew her well enough to perceive how grieved she truly was.