Chapter Three - A New Prison
The sun began to set as they made their way to the Second Division's Barracks in silence. Instead of relying on Soi Fon's footsteps which she made purposely loud for his convenience the prisoner began to examine his surroundings, though he never lowered his hands from his eyes.
The arduous examination caused a feeling of uneasiness to slowly seep into him, the Second Division had maintained a high standard of living since Yoruichi Shihoin of the Shihoin noble family had assumed Captainship but what the prisoner was seeing he would describe as "overkill". The Second Division grounds had become luxurious to the point that it was hard to imagine them as the grounds of a military organisation.
The flora they were passing was in pristine condition to the point that its perfection lead the prisoner to believe that it may have been artificial. The pathway was made of solid white stone with the occasional pair of red pillars bearing the Second Division's insignia appearing towards the edges of the path. The leaves of the trees were all a luscious shade of green and they came together to form shapes that seemed to favour feng shui.
As the two neared the barracks pasque flowers began to line the edges of the path, they boasted a rich purple colour on the outside and a pale purple on the inside, their very centre's were filled with a bright yellow pollen.
Like the prestigious nature of the Second Division the pasque flower had become its insignia with the inauguration of Yoruichi Shihoin into the Captain position, she had taken a fancy to them due to the similarity in colour they shared with her violet hair and had since unified them with the Second Division.
As the pair walked further the flowers grew thicker though they never gave the impression that they were left to their own devices, they were maintained with the utmost care and extended all the way to the exterior of the Second Divisions barracks.
Upon entering the courtyard they were greeted by...nobody, it was completely desolate. The prisoner felt uneasy about this but the Second Division had no doubt embraced the nature of solitude that the Covert Ops had brought with them. Regardless it was only a short walk to headquarters.
It was here that the prisoner took in the brief pleasure of walking on floorboards again, a symbol of his status as an agent of Seireitei he took in the echo of each footstep savouring it until Soi Fon came to a stop.
'This is your room' Soi Fon noted as she pointed him to the wooden sliding door beside them.
He gave a slight bow before entering the room and gave it again when he had entered assuming that they would part ways here. Soi Fon however stood closely to the door signifying that she wanted to enter, he stepped aside and closed the door behind her finally allowing himself to lower his hands from his eyes.
She entered and pulled up a stool before speaking.
'Your freedom came with the condition of me watching over you.'
She unsheathed her Zanpakuto and called out to it 'Exhaust the enemy, kill quickly, Suzumebachi'. With a soft glow it assumed its released form of an arm guard connected to a single golden claw that slipped over Soi Fon's middle finger.
Inwardly fear overwhelmed the prisoner yet outwardly he looked only slightly uneasy. He began to edge away from the room slowly moving towards the door until she told him to do otherwise.
'Take a seat' she firmly asked.
'Captain...' he began to plea before being cut off.
'Don't assume I know you any more than you know me, and don't assume my influence reaches to an extent that you are allowed to do as you wish!'
He took a deep breath and made his way to the stool sitting down so that he would face her. She moved behind him though and spoke again, 'pull down your robe'. He did so with a sense of defeat and shame that caused his head to slump forward.
He knew what was coming and to him it was something that shattered the very ideal that his Captain presented herself with.
She placed her left hand on his left shoulder it was cold yet gentle, 'It'll only hurt for a second' she assured him right before she pricked his back with Suzumebachi moving her hand to cover the cut immediately while at the same time admiring the design that had formed upon his back.
'My hornets crest won't disappear anymore, not without me willing it. With this I will be able to determine your location should the need arise, it was a requirement of your release' she repeated.
She withdrew her hand from the now sealed cut and began to make her way to the door.
'Captain, I would like to be re-instated into the Covert Ops under your blade' he declared unshaken in only his determination by the betrayal that had just occurred.
'There is no need for that, your duties lie elsewhere now' she calmly stated.
'I am more than willing to fulfil any duty that will benefit Soul Society but this will give me an ease of mind if you will allow me it.'
'...very well' she complied and walked back over to him sealing Suzumebachi and taping both his shoulders with it, 'it is done' she declared.
It was a long tradition that the Commander-in-Chief of The Covert Ops imbued some of their spiritual pressure into the members of the Covert Ops so that with a single motion of their Zanpakuto they could be summoned to their side.
She turned and walked towards the door.
'Sleep well for tomorrow your strength shall be gauged, the day after you shall set out to find the would-be intruders and eliminate them.'
They made eye contact for a brief moment before she began to close the door, it was then that he noticed the small patch of pasque flowers growing outside his room, his own personal patch.
His head slumped further down.
(A/N: I drew a picture for this chapter, the link of which is located on my profile as it cannot be linked here.)