Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Tite Kubo does. Please don't sue me.
"Come onnnn… When are you going to do something?" Soi Fon tried very hard to ignore the yellow-black pixie buzzing around her head while she finished writing her class notes. So far, contracting hadn't been anything like she had expected. Everyone else managed to keep their familiars in check, so why was this twit still flitting around in plain sight? "I can't believe I contracted with someone boring like you! I thought I'd finally get some action, but noooo! It looks like my second partner is just as much of a slouch as my first, but at least she took on some missions even if she never called me!"
Soi Fon snapped and snatched at the sprite who just slipped out through her fingers.
"And you're so slow! At least my first master had an appreciation for speed too!"
Soi Fon's right eye twitched. And this fairy wouldn't shut up about her previous master either. No wonder Ukitake had tried to get her to redo the ritual.
"Ah, Soi Fon, let's restart. You really shouldn't-"
"No!" The sprite shouted. "You're taking me, ya hear? I'm not going back to that lazy cat! She never even uses me! I'd rather discorporate back into the Abyss than let you give me back to her!"
"Uh…" Soi Fon turned to the silver-haired professor. "Is this… okay?"
"Er… well…"
She could understand why Ukitake was so hesitant. Accepting a familiar that had already gone back on one of its contracts? That was asking for death on the field, but at the time, she had just been so glad things hadn't devolved into another Fēng Failure. "I'm sorry I'm not your old master! If you like them so much, why don't you just go back to them?!" Then again, maybe it was going to end up like that anyway. Soi Fon wondered if Ukitake would let her use his room again after hours.
"You think it's that easy? Like hell I'm getting a second pass through the Ether after skipping out on my first contract! Besides, what makes you think I actually want to get back with that princess?!"
"I don't know!" Soi Fon made another lunge for the rogue fairy. "Maybe it's all the ass-kissing you've done since yesterday!"
"Soi Fon?" Ichigo walked in on the pair's slapstick routine. "I heard you managed to contract last night. Congratulations!"
"Yes, now how do I get her to shut up! Come on! Yeah, how do you do it with that old man with the shades?" Soi Fon finally managed to catch one of the yellow-black's legs and was rewarded with the sprite's stinger piercing her index finger. Immediately, a black flower pattern bloomed out of the puncture wound. "Atch! You little-!"
"I, uh?" Ichigo finally realized what was going on. "I'm on slightly better terms with Zangetsu than that…"
"Ha! That sting? Keep it up and the venom'll kill you!" The sprite laughed.
"Oh yeah? And then what? You kill your own master and go back to the void, huh?!" Soi Fon cradled her hand. Damn, that stung. Her whole finger was bright red, swelling with whatever the pixie had injected her with.
The sprite for her part had finally stopped moving, Soi Fon's words hitting home. "Hmph! Maybe I will, if all mages are as lame as you two have been!"
Soi Fon glared at her, but she could tell for the moment that her familiar knew she was out of options.
"Oh, Ichigo!" Soi Fon's ears perked up. She had never heard that voice before. She turned around to see a tall man in a green robe waving at them from across the classroom. Messy hair flattened under a green striped hat obscured the newcomer's eyes, but Soi Fon could already tell he was an upperclassman, a fourth year. "What's that you've got there?"
Ichigo groaned. "Kisuke…"
"At your service." The man bowed as he neared the table. "I see you're short Mr. Abarai, so I have to assume that this is one of your other siblings." He glanced down at Soi Fon. "Urahara Kisuke. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Kurosaki, if you have taken their last name that is; I know Renji hasn't. I've never seen you around campus, so I can only assume you're a prospective student here? A younger brother, yes? You're just as impressive as Ichigo, already contracting before you're enrolled!" He offered a hand to Soi Fon.
"I'm a girl." Soi Fon already didn't like him. It wasn't so much the mistaken identity. Man or woman, it didn't really matter to Soi Fon. Hell, she didn't even mind someone thinking she was younger than Ichigo. But she could tell Kisuke wasn't that sloppy. He had opened up with a joke to distract her. He was scanning her face, trying to read her. She hated judges.
"Ah!" Kisuke leaned back and laughed. "My apologies. I just assumed. Well," he offered his hand again. "You know what they say about assumptions. You think I would have learned that after Karin, but Yuzu must have wiped that thought right out of my mind! My, what a precious girl."
"Uh-huh," Soi Fon hesitated. This man was dangerous. He hadn't taken his left hand off his cane, and he didn't have a limp. She reached out to shake his right hand. "Pleased to meet you…"
"Hm?" Soi Fon's eyes flicked down to follow Urahara's gaze. The flower! And where had that sprite gone off to? She had completely erased her presence since Urahara had entered the room. "Ah sorry, I thought I saw something." Urahara caught Soi Fon's eyes and they locked gazes. "Your hand-"
They both glanced back down. The tattoo had disappeared.
"Ah, never mind. It was nice meeting you…" Urahara cocked his head.
"Soi Fon. You can call me Soi Fon." Soi Fon matched his stare.
"Well, it was nice meeting you, Soi Fon."
"So who's he?" Soi Fon asked Ichigo on the way back home.
"Kisuke?" Ichigo shrugged. "Just some shady upperclassman Rukia introduced me to. He's an R&D major, I think."
"Renji's girlfriend?"
"Of five years, yeah!"
Soi Fon shrugged. "I don't need to know anymore about your guys' love life than I already do. Just don't pick someone I need to chase off. That whole fiasco with her brother last year was really pushing it."
"Soi, they're planning on getting engaged after graduation!"
"In two years? I wonder if Byakuya will be able to stomach the wedding."
"Soi!"
"What?" Soi Fon pulled out her keys to the front door.
"Hold on," Ichigo pulled himself flush against the door frame as Soi Fon opened the door and ducked.
"WELCOME BACK!" Isshin went flying into the front yard.
Soi Fon closed the door behind them and locked it.
"You don't need to go that far."
"You think he'd learn after the first year of doing that…" Soi Fon sighed. "Anyway, I'm sure he's left a window or something open downstairs. He's not completely hopeless."
"Cold," Renji rounded the corner.
"Already dropped Karin off at practice?" Ichigo walked past the redhead towards the family room.
"It's only thirty minutes away." Renji shrugged and followed him. "It's amazing what you can get done when you're not shoving your head in a book."
"Not that you would know anything about that. Maybe I can help!" Ichigo grabbed Renji's ponytail.
"You wanna go?"
"Guys!" Yuzu pushed herself in between her brothers.
Ichigo let go of Renji. "Fine. Soi probably wants you conscious anyway."
"Gee thanks." Renji rubbed his scalp.
Soi Fon shared a glance with Yuzu and smiled. Thanks, she mouthed.
Yuzu winked and disappeared back upstairs.
"What's he talking about anyway, Soi Fon?" Renji fell back on the sofa with Ichigo.
"Whoever this Kisuke Urahara is. He came up to us after class. Gives me the creeps to be honest," Soi Fon sighed and sat in the armchair across from the couch.
"Oh yeah, he's a shady guy," Renji nodded. Though I'm surprised you don't know about him. He's a fourth year, pretty popular too. He made waves when he ranked twelfth in the school a while back."
"Well, I didn't," Soi Fon huffed. Frankly, she had better things to do than chase around class rankings and the weekly gossip. If it involved her, it would find her, just like what had happened with Byakuya and unfortunately, everything that happened with Zaraki. "Why'd he go around looking for you though," she glanced at Ichigo.
Ichigo shrugged. "Beats me. Says he wants to take mana comp readings and help me train. I keep telling him no though. No idea why Rukia keeps recommending him to me."
"Normally, I'd tell you to listen to her, but I agree. Definitely someone I wouldn't want to get tangled up in, Ichigo," Renji nodded.
"Well, at least you two have some sense." Soi Fon's familiar popped into existence.
Soi Fon rolled her eyes. "So that's where you've been. Mind explaining what's your deal with him?"
"Hmph, maybe I just don't feel like flaunting myself off in public with a lame-o like you. I don't have to tell you anything." The sprite pointed her stinger in Soi Fon's face. "But I guess I'll tell you two that that Urahara guy is way too shady! He hung around my old master a lot. You can say what you want about R&D, but that guy doesn't need magic to pick you apart, and he disappears way too easily too!" She crossed her arms.
"Ironic coming from you," Soi Fon muttered.
"What was that?" The pixie poked Soi Fon's cheek, causing another black flower to tattoo itself on her face.
"Kh," Soi Fon winced. "I thought you were supposed to be my familiar, not some magical twerp!"
"And I thought you were supposed to be someone exciting, but all you've done is bury yourself in classes!"
"I literally contracted you yesterday!" Soi Fon made to snatch the fairy again. "It takes time to get these things done!"
"Yeah? Well don't think I didn't see what you signed up for this afternoon!" The fairy dodged out of the way and landed on Ichigo's head. "After school classes for familiar training? Don't make me laugh."
"Remedials?" Renji looked at Soi Fon incredulously. "I never thought I'd live to see the day," he whistled.
"I have to!" Soi Fon flushed. "There's only a month left before the declaration deadline! And I still don't know anything about her!" She glared at her familiar.
"Have you tried… asking?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow.
"I- uh- Of course!" Soi Fon flailed around for an excuse. "Look, I'm not like you two! I've never had a familiar before! How am I supposed to know what to do?"
"By asking like a normal human being, dummy." The sprite flew back over to Soi Fon and tapped her nose with her stinger. It didn't pierce the skin this time, and Soi Fon felt the swelling in her cheek fade. "Why don't you start by introducing yourself, and maybe then I'll feel like giving you my name. Politely now, pipsqueak."
Soi Fon glanced over at her brothers, silently begging them to leave the room.
"That's our cue." Renji dragged Ichigo up by the collar.
"Hey, wait a minute!"
The two disappeared upstairs after Yuzu.
Soi Fon sighed. It wasn't lost on her how ironic it was that her familiar of all things was asking her to act like a normal human, nor the fact that her familiar was currently the size of her fist, but she had never been that social either. "Alright, my name is Soi Fon, and yours?"
The fairy put her hands on her hips and hovered in front of Soi Fon unimpressed.
"What?" Soi Fon blushed. Was she really being chastised by her own familiar?
"Your real name."
Soi Fon bit her lip. "That is my real name!"
"Look, this cuts both ways, alright?"
"You cannot be serious. That is my name!" Soi Fon shot a look over her shoulder to see if Isshin had crawled in through the kitchen window yet.
The sprite didn't budge.
"Fine. Fine!" Soi Fon buried her face in her hands and groaned. "Fine," she relented. "But I'm only going to say it once, alright? And you better not call me by it!"
"We'll see." Soi Fon wished she could wipe that look off her familiar's face. She cupped her hands to whisper it. "Huh? That it? It's not even that different."
"Sh-shut up!"
"Fine," the sprite shrugged and backed off so Soi Fon wouldn't have to stare at her cross eyed. "You told me yours, I'll tell you mine." She pounded her chest with her left hand. "The name's Suzumebachi!"
Soi Fon felt like there was a spotlight on her. She was the only upperclassman in the room. She had been counting on Matsumoto to also be attending remedials, but apparently, Kyouraku's class was more for ambitious first years looking to get ahead than past their prime third years.
"Hello, everyone!" Kyouraku held up his flask and toasted the class. "I'm glad to see you all here! I think it's a damn shame Gotei doesn't emphasize the mage-familiar relationship, but I'm quite happy that you all have decided that it's important enough to warrant your after school hours!" He took a swig. "Now to commemorate this event, let's-"
"Let's not." A slender woman put a hand over Kyouraku's flask and pulled it away from him before he could take another swig. "You're still on the clock, professor."
"Oh, Nanao…"
"Professor…" Nanao smacked Kyouraku with the clipboard in her other hand. "You have a class to teach!"
"Oh, you're no fun!" Kyouraku laughed and turned back to the class. "Well, I better get teaching then. Katen, if you would." Kyouraku's shadow slithered up the wall, forming the silhouette of a statuesque woman.
"Now, as you may know, each familiar has a particular ability tied to them." Kyouraku gestured to Katen's shadow. "This is Katen's first one, Kage Oni. It's a shadow-based magic."
"First one, professor?" A first year raised his hand. Soi Fon rolled her eyes.
"That's right, her first ability," Kyouraku nodded. "My Katen is quite the talented lady, if you know what I mean." The shadow's hand peeled off the wall and slapped Kyouraku. "Ow! Well, yes, very talented. Certain familiars have more than one type of magic available to them."
Soi Fon glanced up at Suzumebachi who crossed her arms and looked away. Around the room, the other students were also asking their familiars.
"Now, now, it's nothing to be worked up over." Kyouraku had stepped to put some distance between himself and any other attacks that might come from the wall. "Besides, it's also true that when a familiar contracts with a mage, that particular combination can give rise to a new strain of magic or lock down certain paths that the familiar had access to before! It's all about your compatibility."
This time Soi Fon was the one pointedly ignoring Suzumebachi's stare.
"The most important thing is that you learn to work with your familiar. Even one well-oiled technique is enough to overcome any number of parlor tricks if your bond is strong enough! To demonstrate…" Kyouraku raised his hands along with Katen's shadow.
The whole room shook, and a translucent black stage rumbled out of the ground before its dark covering burst off, revealing polished wooden planks.
"Thank you, Katen," Kyouraku grinned. "Now since my lovely Nanao doesn't want to demonstra- ow!" Both Nanao and Katen had grabbed one of Kyouraku's ears. "I've asked a former student of mine to attend this class for us- letgoletgoletgo! Madarame, if you would please step up."
Soi Fon did a double take. What was he doing here? Didn't he have a gang to be part of?
"Yo, newbies!" Ikkaku leered at the classroom scanning the students. "And-!" Soi Fon glared at him.
"Madarame will be helping us by demonstrating his familiar, Hozukimaru, in practical combat." Kyouraku clapped his hands. "As I'm sure many of you are aware, there's no better environment than the battlefield for getting to know your partner, so!" His grin widened. "Let's have an exhibition match. After that, we'll split into pairs for you all to duel and test your limits."
What? Soi Fon was stunned. Dueling? That was how they were going to train? But she didn't even know the first thing about fighting with a familiar!
"Oh, I like this," Suzumebachi hummed. "This is a lot better than I expected extra classes to be!"
"Ah, and I hear that we have a volunteer for the exhibition match, wonderful!" Kyouraku turned towards Soi Fon.
"Huh?"
"C'mon, let's get going!" Suzumebachi shooed her onto the stage.
"Yo, Soi!" Ikkaku mock saluted. "I see you finally got yourself a familiar. Wonder what kind of tricks it's got."
"I don't even need a familiar to wipe the floor with you, Ikkaku," Soi Fon spat. Why was she getting him riled up? She didn't even know what Suzumebachi could do! After they had swapped names, the rest of their conversation had gone back to a standstill. Soi Fon cursed herself. How could she have been so stupid as to not even ask Suzumebachi the basics?
"Ha!" Ikkaku barked. "That was without familiars. I'd like to see you stand up to us now!"
"And with the pre-duel banter out of the way," Kyouraku chuckled. "I'd like you two to go to your respective corners." Already, the professor had raised some shadow bleachers for the rest of the class to watch. "I'm honestly quite glad you decided to volunteer, Soi Fon," he whispered. "You know how Ikkaku can be. It's good that an upperclassman like you is looking out for the first years." Kyouraku nodded. "Now then! Let the battle begin!"
"Let's go, Hozukimaru!" Ikkaku flung his right hand out, sword and scabbard materializing in his grip.
"Oooh, an armament-type," Suzumebachi noted.
Instead of talking about his familiar, do you mind telling me what you can do? Soi Fon shot back mentally.
Suzumebachi shrugged. "I kind of wanted to see what you had to offer first. My first master mainly fought on her own, so I want to compare you two to see if you're up to snuff."
Did you ever think that that was the reason why she never used you?! Soi Fon deflected Ikkaku's first swipe with a mana plate.
"What's wrong, Fon-fon? Ain't gonna call your fairy to do anything?" Ikkaku leered.
"I would if I-"
"On your right!"
Soi Fon ducked as Ikkaku's left hand swiped over her head. He's using his scabbard too?!
"Ha! Good! You're still as flighty as I remember ya!"
Soi Fon growled. This brat… She launched off the floor from her crouching position, slamming her hand into Ikkaku's solar plexus. "And you're just as sloppy as ever!" Her palm pivoted in his stomach, locking in her binding spell. "Bakudo number 1: Sai!"
Ikkaku snapped to attention, arms frozen in place behind his back.
"Stop!" Kyouraku whistled. "This is supposed to be a familiar demonstration, Soi Fon." Despite his chiding, Soi Fon could swear the professor was hiding a grin. "Let's dismiss that enchantment and start from the top, shall we?"
"No need! Something like this!" Ikkaku flexed. "Can't stop me!" The air in the room rippled as he snapped the magical restraints around him.
"Not a very strong spellcaster now, are we?" Suzumebachi hovered by Soi Fon's shoulder as she leapt back from Ikkaku's next swing.
Shut up! Unless you've decided to enlighten me on what you can actually do!
"How about showing me some speed first? I told you my previous master was a big fan, right?"
Soi Fon grit her teeth. Ikkaku had already managed to push her to the edge of the stage, his duel-wielding leaving no room for a proper counter. Stop comparing me!
"Nowhere to run, Fon-fon! Ready to cry uncle?" Ikkaku lunged.
To her! Soi dashed diagonally towards Ikkaku, swiping her leg at his and following up with a spinning back fist to his head.
"Woah!" Ikkaku jumped back and parried with his scabbard. "Not letting you pull that on me aga-"
Soi Fon completed her rotation, ramming a cross into his face and sending him stumbling back a couple of feet.
"Whew!" Ikkaku grinned. "Now that's more like it! I see you've still got it." He wiped his brow, Soi Fon's blow having split the skin. "Tch, guess I'll have to break out the medkit."
Medkit? Soi Fon watched as Ikkaku tapped the hilt of his sword to his forehead.
"Not bad." Soi Fon didn't know if Suzumebachi was talking about her or Ikkaku as she watched his skin knit itself back together.
"Now here's one of Hozukimaru's secondary abilities," Kyouraku started lecturing. "Its primary ability is armament, allowing Ikkaku a variety of weapon forms for combat, but it also has utility healing. As you journey together with your familiar, you may find that you have truly distinct powers and you may also find new ways to utilize your main ability. In this case, it might even be the latter, since the two enjoy fighting so much! Either way, it's a great sign of your developing bond with your familiar."
Speaking of which… Soi Fon reminded Suzumebachi.
"Just a little more! I think I'm starting to understand your styles." Soi Fon could have sworn her familiar giggled.
"Now, if you're all warmed up," Kyouraku clapped his hands. "Round 2!"
Ikkaku charged, right hand raised for cleaving, while his scabbard hand kept close to guard against a counter.
Soi Fon scanned his stance, dancing out of reach as he advanced. How could she close the gap and get past his defense? Barring any help from Suzumebachi, which she doubted was ever going to come, there wasn't much she could do aside from circling Ikkaku and hoping he would tire out before her.
"How about flash stepping behind him? You do know how to flash step, right?"
Soi Fon seriously considered grabbing the sprite and tossing her off the stage. Of course she knew how to flash step. It was damn simple, and that was just the problem. There weren't enough variables in it to control precisely. Great for crossing long distances quickly or winning a straight-away race. Not so great for melee combat when you had to stay on top of a small stage. She could probably count on her hand the number of students in the academy who could do so reliably.
"C'mon, try it!" Suzumebachi hummed. "Even my old master could do it! And she was the laziest person I've ever met."
"Would you shut up?" Soi Fon hissed audibly.
"What's wrong, Fon-fon?" Ikkaku slashed at her, following up with his sheath battering her forearm black. She kicked off of him before he could capitalize off their proximity and skewer her. "Having a little trouble with that fairy of yours?"
"A little!" Soi Fon guarded with Enkousen. "Number 39!" Hozukimaru glanced off the mana disk, shattering it and forcing her back again.
"That's a shame!" It certainly didn't look like Ikkaku thought it was a shame. "But I've been looking forward to this since Yamamoto's class!"
"Not my fault you don't have a shred of restraint in your body!" Soi Fon swept her body under Ikkaku's swing and popped up inside his guard jabbing. "And certainly not my fault that you were carrying some crazy grudge from two years ago!"
"Hey, get him on the right!"
Soi Fon grunted as Ikkaku lodged his foot in her abdomen, shoving her off. Is that just an observation or are you planning something?
"I've gotten a fairly good idea of your guys' movements now. This way, I probably won't stab you."
Gee, what a vote of confidence.
"Look, are you going to do it or not!"
"Fine!" Soi Fon sprang towards Ikkaku.
"Finally fighting back, huh?" Ikkaku caught her wrist with his scabbard. "Shame it's not going to-"
Soi Fon pivoted, swinging a left hook past Ikkaku's guard.
"Change anything!" Ikkaku shifted his wrist, bringing Hozukimaru's sheath to block Soi Fon's follow up.
"Gr…" Soi Fon tensed against the guard. "Fine then!" She ripped her arm back, grabbing the sheath with her hand. Now!
Suzumebachi lunged, stabbing Ikkaku's exposed flank. "Not the angle I wanted, but it'll do!" A black flower tattoo bloomed across his neck, four concentric petals rippling out.
"Ack! What the-" Ikkaku whipped around, batting the yellow-black familiar away.
"Very good, Soi Fon!" Kyouraku clapped. "And as you can see here, sometimes your familiar is more willful and has their own plan of attack. Remember, they're your partner, not just a tool, isn't that right, Katen- ah!"
Soi Fon didn't bother checking out what had happened to Kyouraku. Ikkaku's sudden shift had driven her back without his sheath. Great, so what does that mark do?
"You felt it yourself! I don't know why it's so hard for you to figure out," Suzumebachi huffed.
Sorry, not as attuned to magic as someone who literally comes from the Ether.
"My first master knew-"
Can you just explain it to me!
"Guess we're going to have to try a little. Two opponents is a little dirty, isn't it?" Ikkaku leered and affixed his scabbard to Hozukimaru's hilt. "Grow, Hozukimaru."
"You've got Hozukimaru, don't you! What's so unfair with a 2v2?" Suzumebachi landed on Soi Fon's shoulder. "I can see why you don't like him."
Soi Fon scanned Ikkaku's new stance. A spear? "What's with that weapon choice? Giving up dual wielding when you have two opponents?" He's trembling. I assume that's the poison or whatever you injected into him?
"Heh, looks like you still need to work on your mechanics, Fon-fon," Ikkaku spat. "Just try and come at us now."
"Challenge accepted!" Suzumebachi dove in.
Wait! Soi Fon rushed in after her, flanking Ikkaku only to find one of Hozukimaru' ends slamming into her.
"Ah!" Suzumebachi went flying off the stage.
A second wave of pain crashed into Soi Fon, her knee hitting the ground as Ikkaku bore down on her again, having already dispatched her familiar.
"Hell of a lot faster to fight two fronts with a longer weapon and a lever, Soi Fon."
"And we'll call it there!" Kyouraku clapped. "What a perfect display on both of our combatants' parts. Let's give them a round of applause.
Soi Fon glared up at Ikkaku, though he wasn't smiling now. "Finally got serious?" she muttered.
"Eh," he shrugged. "We were just starting to wake up a little."
She really hated this man.
"Now, I'd like you all to pair up and figure out how to communicate better with your familiars! Remember not to go too far! Just until one of you submits!" Kyouraku nodded at the rest of the class, shooing them off, before approaching the two upperclassmen. "Well done you two. Thank you as always, Madarame. I'll add the credit to your Illusions course after class." He nodded at Ikkaku.
"Thanks! If that's all, I'll be headin' out. Yumichika and the others are waiting on me," Ikkaku grinned and waved. "oh, and Fon-fon. I'll be around if you ever want a real rematch. You know where to look."
Soi Fon glared. "No thanks. I've got plenty of reasons not to get tangled up in your gang."
"Ah, don't be like that. Zaraki and Yachiru miss you."
"I highly doubt that. You guys have enough brain damage between all of you to fund Shin'o for a decade on your medical bills."
"Well, all I said was I'd deliver the message if I saw you," Ikkaku shrugged. "See you around."
Kyouraku just shook his head. "Still feuding?"
Soi Fon sighed. "It was a phase… but I assume that's not all you came over to talk about?" She glanced at the professor out of the corner of her eye.
Kyouraku for his part just stroked his chin. "Yes, I guess I was interested in something else. It's nice to finally meet you, Suzumebachi."
"You know him?" Soi Fon turned on her family.
"We've never met in-person, but your former partner was a bit panicked when she found you had gone missing in my class this morning," Kyouraku laughed.
"Serves her right!" Suzumebachi crossed her arms. "Besides, if you want to blame anyone for not having met in-person, you should go after her. She's the one who never called me out!"
Kyouraku gave her a grin, "I assume that's why your current arrangement is so…" He let himself trail off. "Oh well, it's none of my business. I can see why Jushiro was so worried about you, Soi Fon. It's very rare to see your type of contract, I just hope you're up for managing two willful women. I can tell you-" Kyouraku ducked under Katen's shadow arm as it swung out from the wall. "It can be quite the handful." As if to prove his point, Nanao smacked the top of Kyouraku's head with his own flask.
Why does it feel like he's talking more to Suzumebachi than me? Soi Fon nodded. "By two, do you mean her previous master as well?" Suzumebachi was still pouting. "She's one of your students?"
"In a manner of speaking. Oh come on, Nanao. Just one sip won't hurt. We've already gotten past the half-way mark!" Kyouraku rubbed his head after Nanao had smacked him again for trying to grab his flask back.
"After class, professor!"
Kyouraku turned back to Soi Fon. "Hm? Yes, she's currently taking Presence Concealment, though I have no idea why. She's better at it than I am."
"That's just 'cause she wants the easy A." Suzumebachi huffed and landed on Soi Fon's shoulder. "To be perfectly honest, I'm surprised she noticed so quickly. It's not like she ever summons me."
"Ah, well," Kyouraku chuckled. "We had scouting practice today. An extra pair of eyes and ears would have really helped her."
"Hmph! So she'll only pay attention when it suits her. I don't know why I assumed anything else!"
"Yes, well, she's used to getting her way. You two might run into her soon. I hear she's been running around the school looking for "the thief" who stole her familiar."
Soi Fon flushed. "I'm not a-"
"I know, I know," Kyouraku held his hands up in self-defense. "But that's what she thinks. In any case, I'd have my guard up."
Soi Fon glanced at Suzumebachi.
Just what in the world had she gotten herself mixed up in?
A/N: And cut! This chapter ended up being a bit longer than I expected, and we still haven't seen Yoruichi! I promise she'll show up first thing in the next chapter… (Where is that cat?)
Anyway, I don't have much to say about this update. Writing the fight scene was a lot harder than I expected. I wanted to go for a blow by blow approach but weaving in dialogue and thoughts is much harder in a text format than a manga. Still I'd like to pay a little homage to the source material with more combat. We'll see if I can manage to make fights interesting.
Writing Suzumebachi is pretty fun, though I really don't know what she's like at all. I wonder if Soi Fon's characterization is consistent too. Imagining her growing up without Yoruichi is difficult since it's such an integral part of her history, but I'm trying to stick close to that competent, no nonsense personality she's known for with a dash of physical violence. I mean, she's pretty quick to throw down with people in canon, just ask Omaeda. It made me wonder if she could have fallen in with Squad 11 in a different life…
She's on the weaker side here though. Seriously, getting beat by Ikkaku? Where is my justice for Soi Fon? But I think starting kind of low is nice for getting to see some progression as she grows as a person and a partner with Suzumebachi. Let's just hope I keep up the motivation to see this fic through to the end!
If you enjoyed reading, it'd be really helpful if you left a comment! I always enjoy reading them. And if you have a criticism, I'm all ears too! I know I'm not the best writer, and it helps to get an outside opinion on where I need to improve. And with that being said, I'll see you guys next time!
