Soifon gradually regained consciousness, emitting soft groans from her throat. The female captain lifted her arm and proceeded to gently massage her temple. Thoughts raced through her mind as she questioned, 'What the hell happened?' Her eyes gradually opened as she fully regained awareness.
Once Soifon's eyes were completely open and her vision cleared, the small captain surveyed the room to the best of her ability. Though a slight throbbing remained in her mind, it was not as severe as before. 'Where am I?' she questioned herself.
Soifon gradually sat up, desiring a clearer view of her surroundings. After rubbing her eyes, she observed, 'It appears that I am in the hospital.' The walls were white, the ceiling typical of a hospital room.
'Where are the others?' Soifon inquired, realizing that the room was devoid of any other occupants. Or so she presumed. 'You should rest and take it easy,' Sakura's voice unexpectedly emanated from beside the diminutive woman, prompting Soifon to suppress a startled exclamation.
Soifon had not anticipated anyone speaking up, prompting her to release a sigh. 'I must be disoriented if I failed to even notice Sakura sitting beside my bed,' she ruminated, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her thoughts.
Once the small captain regained her composure, Soifon glanced at Sakura and inquired, 'What happened? And where is Captain Ukitake and the others?' She disregarded Sakura's warning about resting.
'Ukitake and the others are with Lady Tsunade, discussing the events with your head captain,' Sakura responded, addressing one of Soifon's questions. Soifon gave a slight nod.
'And what happened?' Soifon asked her initial question, still attempting to recall the events that led to her passing out. She furrowed her brow, remembering the mention of her eyes by Kakashi.
Sakura prepared to respond, but their conversation was interrupted by Shizune entering the room with a gentle smile. 'It's good to see you awake, Miss. Soifon,' she greeted as she approached the captain's bed.
Soifon frowned, frustrated that whenever she inquired about something, her conversations were cut short. 'Yes,' she replied, shifting her legs on the bed. 'Now that I am awake, can anyone provide an explanation of what transpired?' she inquired.
The captain observed the exchanged glances between Sakura and Shizune, prompting one of them to respond, 'I believe Lady Tsunade and Captain Ukitake are in charge of explaining.' Shizune spoke softly as she watched the captain attempt to get out of bed.
'Captain, you should not leave your bed. You need rest after what transpired.' Shizune gently pushed the younger woman back onto her back, causing Soifon to become irritated and glare at her.
'I do not require rest. I need to locate Jushiro and the others to inquire about the events and ask Kakashi for clarification regarding my eyes,' Soifon coldly asserted, causing both Sakura and Shizune to retreat slightly.
Soifon took a deep breath and addressed the other two women, 'I apologize. I did not mean to snap at you. I simply dislike others instructing me to rest.'
Shizune nodded and approached, assisting Soifon in lying back down. 'It's alright. I'm accustomed to it,' the shorter, raven-haired woman replied with a slight smile.
"I assure you that once Jushiro and Tsunade conclude their conversation with the head captain, they will provide a thorough explanation. In the meantime, I suggest you prioritize rest." Shizune stated as she kindly covered the younger woman.
"You have just engaged in a battle against one of our most formidable ninjas, and that was certainly no easy feat. I am certain that Kakashi will be feeling every bruise you inflicted." Shizune remarked, wearing a smile.
Soifon couldn't help but smirk at the comment. "I appreciate your praise, but I did not become a captain without reason," she replied with a chuckle.
Moving on, Sakura inquired about the disappearance of the butterfly marks. "If you passed out, does that mean the marks vanish on their own or do you have to take some action to remove them?" she asked, noting that the marks were no longer visible on her sensei.
Soifon shook her head and explained, "No, I made them disappear myself before losing consciousness. I certainly do not need an old man pestering me to remove them," she said, her face adorned with a grin.
With Jushiro, Tsunade and the Head Captain*
Jushiro stood beside Tsunade as they observed a sizable screen that Jushiro had obtained from Mayuri, enabling them to communicate with individuals from the ninja world.
"May I inquire about the functionality of this device?" asked Tsunade, glancing at Jushiro. They had been standing here for approximately three hours and had spent five hours at the hospital with Soifon earlier. They had also dedicated an hour or two to explaining the situation to Rukia, Renji, Sai, and Naruto. However, they had been instructed to keep the information confidential, at least for now.
After contemplating for a moment, Jushiro responded, "We simply await the arrival of the head captain on the screen, and then engage in conversation with him and two other captains who have shown willingness to participate in this meeting." Before he could elaborate further, the screen emitted a static sound, indicating that someone was on the other side.
The thirteenth captain and the fifth Hokage turned their attention towards the screen, where they saw the head captain, Unohana, and Shunsui. "Greetings, Captain Ukitake," uttered the head captain.
"Hello, Jushiro," Shunsui greeted his old friend with a smile and respectful nod. "And to you too, Miss Tsunade," the laidback captain said.
Jushiro couldn't help but smile at his old friend. "It is good to see you, even if it was only for a day here," he said.
"Anyway, is there a reason why you called for this meeting?" the Head Captain asked, interrupting the two old friends. "Is Captain Soifon okay?" Unohana asked, concerned that something must have happened.
The long-haired white captain let out a sigh and shared a glance with Tsunade, then back at the other three captains, appearing pleasant. "We might have a problem," Jushiro said.
"A problem?" the Head Captain asked curiously and slightly worried in tone. "None of our soul reapers got hurt, did they?" he asked.
Jushiro shook his head. "No, everyone is just fine," the white-haired captain said, observing as Unohana looked at him. "If no one is hurt, then what is the matter?" she asked.
Jushiro took a deep breath before he spoke and glanced at the three captains. 'I believe it would be unwise to have Soifon accompany us,' he stated honestly, observing the raised eyebrows of his comrades. 'What do you mean by that?' inquired the head captain.
Jushiro and Tsunade proceeded to recount the minor skirmish between Soifon and Kakashi, seeking to establish Tsunade's trust in the soul reapers.
"'I suspect that Soifon's sharingan has begun to manifest,' Jushiro revealed, noting the astonished expressions. 'How?' the head captain inquired. 'We are uncertain, but I surmise it may be due to our entrance into the ninja world,' Jushiro speculated.
Jushiro observed as Unohana directed her gaze towards him and Tsunade. 'Has she experienced any headaches or displayed signs of discomfort prior to this occurrence?' she queried.
"'Soifon hasn't mentioned any pain, but she has been exhibiting signs of distress and seemed preoccupied,' Jushiro explained, his concern growing for the impending consequences.
Everyone remained in silence for what felt like a considerable amount of time before Unohana broke it. She inquired, 'Have you informed Soifon about the recent events?' She wanted to ensure that the captain of the second squad was aware of the new developments.
Jushiro shook his head and replied, 'No, she fainted when Sharingan appeared. I believe it was overwhelming for her as she was unaware of what it was.' The head captain nodded in agreement and added, 'Indeed, she will have numerous inquiries regarding this.'
Jushiro expressed his opinion, saying, 'Yes, she undoubtedly will. I believe it's time we disclose the truth about her heritage and proceed accordingly. Once we have done that, we can return to the soul society to devise a plan.'
The head captain and Unohana exchanged glances. The head captain addressed Unohana, emphasizing the urgency, 'Unohana, you are aware that we must inform her now, or the situation will worsen.'
Jushiro understood the need to protect Soifon, but he also knew that withholding this information from her for too long would only cause more harm. He observed as Unohana took a deep breath and finally consented, 'Very well, go ahead and tell her.'
"And it would be prudent to inform her about Sasuke and Itachi as well," stated Unohana. "Itachi is already aware of the truth regarding Soifon and our actions."
Jushiro acknowledged the braided woman's words with a nod. "Rest assured, Retsu, I will ensure Soifon's safety," he assured her. He then turned his attention to Tsunade, who spoke up for the first time since their conversation began.
"How do we go about telling Sasuke? He is no longer with us," Tsunade inquired, fully aware of the potential consequences if the rogue Uchiha were to discover that the Leaf had deceived him once again.
"I am uncertain about that at the moment. We will address it as the need arises," replied the head captain calmly. "Fortunately, there's a possibility that he remains oblivious to this situation," Unohana added, unaware that Sasuke was gradually becoming aware of the truth.
"Furthermore, Captain Ukitake, I would like for you to stay there for another week. Soifon will need time to adjust before returning, and this will also provide you with the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the village and its customs, should Tsunade agree to form an alliance with us," the head captain concluded.
Jushiro expressed his understanding with a nod. "May I ask, Tsunade, why we are here? And what are your thoughts on the possibility of forming an alliance?" he inquired, directing his gaze towards the Hokage, who appeared deep in thought as they discussed the prospect.
The Hokage surveyed each captain and conveyed her agreement through a nod. "I see no reason why we shouldn't give it a try. It is likely that we will encounter numerous challenges in the future, and it would be wise for us to collaborate. Additionally, we should discuss Captain Soifon and any new abilities she may possess related to the Sharingan," she stated, her expression reflecting her contemplation.
Tsunade was aware that certain individuals would become agitated once they learned the truth about one of the soul reapers. "I concur that Jushiro, Soifon, and the others should remain here for another week or so. However, it would be beneficial if we could have additional assistance, particularly a healer, if you are able to provide one."
The head captain and Unohana exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement. "We are in accordance," affirmed the head captain. "Captain Unohana is willing to allow her lieutenant to join, and I have selected two others, if that is acceptable to you."
Tsunade agreed with a nod and expressed her need for more assistance. "I believe it would be wise to have additional help," she said, turning her attention to the head captain. "May I please have the names of those who will be joining us?" she politely requested.
The head captain acknowledged her request with a nod. "The first individual is Isane Kotetsu, who holds the second-in-command position under Unohana. Additionally, two officers from Squad Eleven, namely Third Seat Ikkaku Madarame and Fifth Seat Yumichika Ayasegawa, will be accompanying you," he stated. He mentioned that he would have sent Izuru as well, but he was already occupied assisting Itachi in familiarizing himself with the squad's operations.
Tsunade nodded in understanding, about to speak, but Unohana interjected. "Let us not forget about Yoruichi. She might insist on joining, especially if it involves Soifon. It would be best if she doesn't cause any trouble here, knowing that her former student is in danger," Unohana remarked.
The head captain agreed, acknowledging the potential for Yoruichi to act independently. "I concur. Furthermore, she would likely go without permission anyway," he added. He glanced at Jushiro and Tsunade, both of whom attentively listened to the conversation.
"That sounds satisfactory to us," Jushiro affirmed with a nod. He glanced at Tsunade, who also indicated her agreement. "Nevertheless, we should depart now," Tsunade added.
"I concur. Captain Soifon ought to be awake by this time and likely perplexed by the circumstances. It would be unwise for her to begin issuing threats to our newfound allies," Jushiro remarked, eliciting chuckles from the group. "Indeed," the head captain chimed in. "Well then, I suppose this serves as our temporary farewell. Lieutenant Kotetsu and the others will arrive sometime today or tomorrow morning."
Jushiro and Tsunade nodded respectfully, offering a brief bow before the screen abruptly shut off and vanished. Jushiro released a deep sigh. "Are you prepared to visit Soifon and anticipate a multitude of inquiries?" he inquired.
Tsunade nodded. "Yes," she replied, as she led the way out of her office with Jushiro following closely behind. Together, they made their way to the hospital to converse with the irritable captain of the second squad.