Sakura I (The Poison Spreads)

On the fiftieth year, to the day the Urahara the traitor and Yoruichi the betrayer left Soul Society, Captain Soifon went on a walk. Her guards knew better than to follow her – this was the one day where they knew by painful experience their presence would not be tolerated.

With a few flash-steps, she was back at the sakura grove. She had ordered it sealed off as restricted ground in one of her first acts as Commander-in-Chief. The new recruits all trained somewhere else now.

The trees were in bloom, just as they had been that night. The promise. No. The betrayer. The broken promise.

"Jinteki Shakusetsu,Suzumebachi". The zanpakuto transformed into its deadly gauntlet form. Soifon whirled around and stabbed Suzumebachi into the trunk of the nearest Sakura tree, and the homonka appeared, a bleak tattoo on the bark.

Soifon withdrew Suzumebachi and looked at the homonka. It would fade in a few hours or so. It does not belong on the sakura tree. The tree is beautiful, strong, delicate… why should it be harmed? Why should it be tainted? The homonka glowed softly, daring her to take a second stab.

Do not mock me. I will defeat you! And she punched Suzumebachi into the middle of the homonoka once more. The tree shook from the force, sending a cascade of sakura petals unto Soifon, then dissolved as the sword's poison worked its way through.

Why? Why do you do this to me? Soifon fell on the ground and wept.

Sakura II (Scattered)

"Taichou, where are you going?" Soifon raised an eyebrow, wondering who dared question her. That's right. The fool was just appointed five months ago. I am not surprised that no one told him. "Get out of my way."

"If taichou is going out, does that make me the temporary Commander-in-Chief? Bwahaha!" Soifon could see his jiggly jowls quiver in delight. Omaeda repulsed her, but she could not be bothered with one such as him.

"You will never be Commander-in-Chief, Omaeda. My guards know where I am and will inform me if I am needed."

"But… but…" Soifon had no desire to hear his blubberings, and she flash-stepped away.

She was on her way to the sakura grove once more when she saw an unfamiliar sight. Captain Kuchiki. He had taken over the captaincy of the 6th Squad a couple of years ago, when his grandfather Ginrei retired. Soifon had barely spoken to Byakuya Kuchiki in the intervening years, their conversations limited to curt exchanges about mission briefings.

Curious, she masked her reiatsu and hid in the shadows.

Byakuya stood in the middle of a wooded grove, his haori trailing in the night breeze. His face was perfectly composed and expressionless, as usual. To Soifon's surprise, he knelt and removed his kenseikan with his left hand and held it against his heart. "I have found her, Hisana. Our sister is doing well." he whispered.

With his right hand, he unsheathed his zanpakuto and held it in front of him, whispering "Flowers for you, my wife... Scatter, Senbonzakura." The blade seemed to dissipate into a million shards of pink, brilliant as sakura in the day.

Soifon had never seen Byakuya's shikai before. The release had a beauty just like that of her old training grounds, but she knew it must possess some lethal power. Byakuya remained kneeling, his eyes closed, lost in a wordless prayer to his deceased wife. Senbonzakura danced around, and finally reconstituted itself into a single, cold, metallic blade in Byakuya's hand.

Soifon let out a small sigh when the moment ended. Byakuya immediately stood up. "Soifon taichou." Knowing she had been detected, Soifon stepped out of the shadows. "Kuchiki taichou."

"I must ask you to leave my estate."

"I will leave as requested."

Soifon bowed stiffly in a farewell, and was turning to go when Byakuya spoke again. "You will not find the Shihoin were-cat here."

Soifon's mind whirled, unsure of what to make of Byakuya's words. "Please elaborate."

"The Kuchiki family's honour and integrity is unquestionable. You will not find Yoruichi Shihouin here. Please leave now."

"My apologies, Kuchiki taichou. I take my leave."

Soifon ran back to her headquarters. She had pushed over Omaeda, who was blocking the corridor and attempting to make small talk about his family business. She ran to the doors of Yoruichi's office and flung them open. The room had been locked up since Yoruichi left and dust and cobwebs covered much of what remained. In her mind's eye, Soifon could still remember what the place looked like that night, when she had come into the room in pursuit. The seat. The cat. How strangely it looked at me…

The Shihoin were-cat. Yoruichi… Yoruichi-sa-

A cry, which had remained deeply buried in her heart for more than half a century, pushed itself to the forefront of her conscious.

It was you. You came to see me. Why didn't you tell me?

Why…

Answer me. Answer me! Answer me… please…