Understanding

This chapter contains spoilers for those who only watch the anime and do not read the manga. You have been warned.

I have somehow made it past 50 chapters. Thank you all who have persisted in reading and who have been so kind to review/add me to your faves/alerts!

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Yoruichi paused at the northern edge of Karakura Town. About an hour ago, a keigun patrol had reported to her that part of the town had disappeared back into the real world, while its fake counterpart was now back in Soul Society. This was a remote part of the town and Yoruichi heaved a sigh of relief, glad that there were no sleeping citizens caught in the crossfire between the Gotei 13 and the Espada.

She was fully aware that this meant that one of the pillars of the Tenkai Kecchu had been compromised. This meant that the fight against Aizen and his cronies was not going to be easy. "Don't be silly. You knew from the first time you faced off with the Espada that this would be a difficult war. They would only have gotten stronger since," she chided herself.

If Yoruichi Shihoin cared to admit it, she was worried. Worried about her former protégé who even now was at the frontlines battling the Espada.

"Well, Soifon has gotten stronger too. She's got that nasty stinger and she must have achieved bankai if she's a Captain. And she has developed some power in shunko. And in flash-steps." She said all this aloud to no one in particular, as though stating these facts would quell her worry. She wondered what Soifon's bankai was like, and why she never thought to ask her all this time. She made a mental note to ask Soifon to demonstrate it to her if she returned. When she returns, not if, she corrected herself.

She returned to the Urahara shop, nodding to passing patrols on the way. All seemed well.

"Shihoin-sama!" She cringed at the use of her family name and the honorific and turned round to berate her greeter. Instead, she saw a member of the Secret Remote Squad (the Ritetai) kneeling before her. He extracted an envelope from his backpack and handed it respectfully to her, his eyes never leaving the ground. "I have top secret communication conveyed from the Third Seats of the 13th Squad, Kotetsu Kiyone and Kotsubaki Sentaro for Shihoin-dono." She took the envelope and he flash-stepped away.

Yoruichi hurriedly opened the envelope. She knew that the 13th Squad was monitoring the fight in the real world, and she could only conceive of two possible pieces of news that would merit notification – that the Gotei 13 had won; or that they had lost, and she had to prepare for Aizen's arrival.

She raised an eyebrow when she read that Matsumoto and Hinamori were severely injured by a number of Fraccion. Her eyes opened wide when she read of how Yamamoto had stepped in with Ryujin Jakka and incinerated the enemy.She was thus quite unprepared to read towards the end of the report that an Espada had caused Soifon to lose her left arm. It took her by surprise, and a tear sprang, unbidden, to her eye.

She crushed the paper in anger, and punched her fist into the wall. Jinta and Ururu hurried out of the shop and looked at her. "Hey, what gives-" began Jinta but he was cut off by Ururu, who noticed that Yoruichi was very angry indeed, a sight she had never seen before. She quickly shooed a protesting Jinta into the shop and left Yoruichi outside.

I wish I could go help you but I must stay. Argh! Hang on in there, Soifon! Damn it Yamamoto, what on earth are you doing there?

Yoruichi finally realized the pain of one who longed to go but who was forced by circumstance and duty to stay.