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Tag	By : LilMonk Category: Bleach > Het - Male/Female Views: 11403 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
To make the scenes clearer:

*******

Followed by words in this font = Past

*******

*******
Followed by words mainly in this
font = Present.
*******

Previously:

Her fleetness still had the ability to shock.

Behind
Ukitake! Bringing the rest of his senses into play, Byakuya deduced he had to
heighten his awareness and expand his field of perception. Time to end this
game.

0o--------------o0

The irony of Caring

"You seem a lot busier than
normal lately."

"I can't help it. Soi Fong and
Kuukaku have been getting into more scrapes than usual. You try obeying
Yama-ji, reducing mischief and bending the rules at the same time. It's worse than trying to master Shyunkou."

Studying his companion who was
watching the clouds with a merry expression, the other man pulled himself into
a sitting position. Picking up the shakuhachi flute and tucking it into his
white nagoya obi, his next words were carefully neutral.

"Kaien is wondering if you've vanished off the face of Seirei-tei. He's been asking me where you are, in case you've forgotten your promise to help improve his shyunpo. What have you been doing?"

Pupils like mellow candlelight
bore into him with their unblinking focus.

"Aren't you his unofficial mentor? Keeping tabs on me? If it eases your mind, I was aiding a younger officer. He's not an uptight bore after all, quite... interesting."

"Why? You didn't promise that
one anything."

All Kisuke received in response
was a nonchalant shrug. He decided to get to the point.

"Be kind, Yoruichi. Differences
in decades don't mean much in Soul Society, but the gap in life experience
between you two is obvious. Be careful. For now you grasp the hilt; a single
mistake and you'll be looking at the narrow end of uncompromising sharpness."

"What bit you in the ass today?
Suddenly you're behaving like a fussy wet-nurse."

"You must be really significant
to him, because he still keeps everyone else at a formidable distance. If you
think about it, you'll know what I mean. He's not the type you normally play
with, especially not with his character. And you can't defend yourself if
you're not aware. Still, that's up to you."

Anyway, remember that time you
offered your help? I may need it sooner than expected, since I couldn't
destroy..."

Now she was worried, seeing the
tense posture of his body.

"I'm listening, Kisuke. Tell me
so we can plan-"
*******

Still in mid-air and watching the
back of that self-proclaimed foe, a slight smile appeared as she sailed down
gracefully onto the far end of the bridge. Wood creaked beneath her
landing foot.

Scarcely had the other slipper
touched the floor when he was there, right next to the valuable burden she
carried. The killing intent was all too palpable, suffusing the space around
the trio. His attack was sealed with primeval ruthlessness in irate darkness.

"Did you presume to escape me... with that level of shyunpo?"

Eyes large with apprehension,
Yoruichi realised he was as serious as that first time. A split second was all
she had for everything to sink in.

Why? Do you hate me so much? You
shouldn't have initiated kindness in the first place, then I could have
considered killing you...

*******

The celebration had been
uneventful. Full of elaborate pomp and splendor, guests of distinguished rank
mingled beneath the hallowed arches of illustrious tradition. Their entire
estate had been decked out magnificently, which the Tenshi Heisouban resented.
Frivolous artifice was stifling, just like the ceremonial tenuousness that were
necessary parts of this life.

Bound by the rules she had been
brought up to respect and obey, nevertheless Yoruichi chafed at the rigidity of
infinite obligations. Behaving as politely as possible, making meaningless
small talk and eventually serving the o-kayu while wishing her grandfather
continued longevity, happiness and good health, she finally escaped into
welcome isolation.

Long slopes of verdant green
were a sight for tired eyes, as she descended a long, broad flight of stone steps.
From then on, irregular slabs of rock in different shapes and sizes were
skillfully combined and laid out between pools of sand. These monolithic
protrusions blended in with sandy paleness that mimicked the meandering
gracefulness of a river's course. The mind was soothed; the heart was calm. The
gardens of the Shihouin clan were renowned in Seirei-tei for best creating and
exemplifying hij�, things without desire.

By entering this oasis of
reverence for Nature, she was disrupting the balance as uj�, things
having desire. Yet balance is always necessary in life... Wandering past a circle
of moderately tall trees, she reached out to rub spiny stiffness between dry
fingers. They were a herald of peace, symbolising the unshakable strength and
unmatched legacy of her clan. Small, dainty steps took her past them towards
her favourite flowers.

Ah, the trees that bear fragrant plum blossoms. Unfortunately, spring had just ended and there were barely any flowering ones left. Only a few remained in lush glory and were starting to wither.

She gathered a handful of them
and continued on.

Tugging at the stiff brocade of
her garments, with some rearrangement, the weary female could sit comfortably
on the short grass. There was a method to keeping cool, such as thinking of
green grass wet with dew. Silky scarlet softness was heaped on her lap. Gazing
at the azure clarity of a lake beautified with small clusters of snowy water
lilies, she could finally relax. Dwarf-peach trees, diminutive mountains and
moonstone-hued pebbles guarded the smooth edges. Pulling out the stick ornament
of ochre tortoiseshell, which was laced with seed pearls at one end surrounding
a gold sphere, it was a relief to feel the strain of tightly bound hair being
released. The hairpiece was next to go. Hand reaching up to brush topaz
flowers, fingers had just closed over a hairpin when she sensed an intruder.

Turning her head, she saw the
tall, regally masculine entity walking quietly towards her. Clad in flowing
robes of patterned ultramarine blue splashed with intricate silver and edged in
rusty black, the usual white kenseikaan parting and binding dark hair that
fell below the shoulderblades, an umbrella was held in his right hand. He looked
every inch the dignified, inscrutable aristocrat. The boy had become a man. Dawning appreciation and amazement was written all over her face.

"When did you arrive?"

"I had some urgent paperwork to
finish first, hence I was late."

Looking down at artistically defined features framed by unbound looseness, noting the subtle gleam of his gifts among richly purple locks, Byakuya was pleased, and trying to contain the unkind temptation to
laugh. The mischievous tomboy looked like a trapped mouse, albeit less
tomboyish and more... beautiful? Perhaps it was voluminous folds of the gold and
cream karaginu mo combined with multiple underlying layers of fine cloth
engulfing her figure, for she seemed frail and tinier. Resisting the protective
absurdity to reach out and tuck a stray tuft of gossamer-lightness behind her
ear, he looked towards the row of cherry blossom trees at the other end of the lake.

"Did you know, when shorter
people hold an umbrella, taller people have a higher chance of hurting their
heads?"

As expected, she took the bait.
Struggling to her feet and trying not to mess up her formal attire, the defiant
set of her chin was not as rebellious as the flash of 'are-you-serious' in those fearless eyes. This man had a way of getting beneath her skin. Thankfully she resisted
the childish instinct to stick out her tongue.

"I'll show you it's not true."

Removing the umbrella from his
grasp, she moved next to him and turning around, hoisted it up such that her
hands were next to her cheek while holding the lower third of the bamboo shaft.
A mild pitter-patter of raindrops told them it had started to drizzle.

Strong arms slipped around her
waist, pulling her backwards. Taken by surprise and mild uneasiness, Yoruichi
tilted her chin skywards, head against his chest until she was looking into his
expressionless face. His eyes weren't always so bleak. In fact, they now
reminded her of moonlight glancing off steel that was framed by dunes of
velvet... intriguingly appealing?

"Kuchiki-san, what is the-"

"The umbrella isn't that big.
It�s wonderfully peaceful out here."

That made sense. He was trying to ensure they both didn't get wet and was utilising the limited space. She made a mental note to have a moon-viewing pavilion built nearby in future, less chance of rain affecting
anyone�s enjoyment of scenery.

Inhaling the faint scent of
non-fragranced soap mixed with incense, the top of her head brushed the base of
his chin. Interlacing his fingers to rest about her waistline,
savoring the feel of her relaxed body in his embrace, he was grateful to Fate for
the convenient excuse. If only it would continue raining...

The warmth of his body was
gratifying. Was it right to like this? Yoruichi wasn't sure. He didn't seem
disturbed though, so it was probably nothing to worry over. Relishing the
tranquil beauty of the moment, but Kisuke's words came back to haunt her.

If anyone had found the before they returned to solid shelter, it would be easy to mistake and provide gossip that would scandalise the noble houses of Kuchiki and Shihouin.

*******

Blood spurted from the deep wound,
all the way from one shoulder through to her back, severing an arm in the
process.

He watched the woman freeze, then
begin to fall backwards from the blow. There was nothing to feel. Not even when
a groan of agony was heard. His sword arm was sturdy and poised where it had
stopped in mid-air.

Reddish liquid began evaporating
into vapour, becoming denser with each passing second. The sight of this dying
enemy brought an isolated memory to the fore, when his reaction had been so
different.

*******

"S-stop! It's dangero-"

Ignoring the warning from the fourth squad member,a very tired Shyunshin Yoruichi lived up to her name by reaching the aforementioned zone much faster than anyone else. She had just completed a difficult mission, but had to come when she realised who was involved in this. Soi Fong had been sent on a spying mission for a few days and couldn�t assist her. Backup was coming, but-

Two down, three to go. Taking in the sight of bodies littered about the wide expanse of earth, less than a third of the people
present were still upright. The only two still relatively unscathed were the
higher ranked officers of the team present. Rapidly analysing and coming to a solution, it was obvious that the wounds inflicted on the towering Hollows were numerous but too
shallow. Looming above them, large shadows blocking out the sun, the blank gaze
of these grotesque entities was chilling. It didn't help that one of her best friends was coughing badly.

"Ukitake, Kuchiki, rescue those
who are alive and retreat. I'll distract it and keep it here until the others
arrive."

The two shinigami and their
followers did not move as commanded, but turned to stare at her. Why were they
wasting time? Snappy irritation told them she was low on patience.

"That's an order!"

Immediately obeying, the injured
were being helped to safety, leaving one small figure and three gigantic monsters
standing forty feet apart in a field of trampled wildflowers.

Yellow met red and stayed. The prognosis was not good. Even her colleagues had not been able to create wounds deep enough to truly
affect the remaining creatures. It was a relief that there were no more possible
casualties around, although there would definitely be more when the others
arrived. These things could not be allowed to reach the populated areas. The
method had not been perfected but she didn�t have a choice. Wondering why five
Menos Grande would appear together in their world could be considered later, if she
lived that long.

One arm extended to the side and
parallel to the ground, a visible aura surrounded the woman whose head was
bowed. Yellow flared into dull grey, incinerating the cloth on her back and
shoulders. Looking up, a flash of warm silver blanketed the vicinity within the
radius of a hundred feet. Visibility was obscured through enormous clouds of
dust.

0o-----------------------------o0

What the- Silver hair flying as
he whirled around, Ukitake Juushiro was taken aback by the volcanic eruption of spiritual power he could detect from their recently vacated battlefield.

"Wait!"

"A medical team should be
arriving shortly."

Watching his most disobedient officer rapidly vanish into the distance like a released arrow, the captain of the thirteenth division could not help but worry. At this rate, they were going to get themselves killed; yet he couldn't abandon the wounded...

0o-------------------------------o0

Seeing her enemy create a
familiar red ball of destruction with its breath, she knew this hit had to
really count before it could finish that blow. She couldn't keep it up for long
before suffering from the strain of using Shyunkou at this stage... fatally.

Finally topping the rise of the
hill, dark eyes took in the scene before them in horrified amazement. His legs
refused to budge any further and it was terrible trying to stay upright,
without turning to flee or collapsing to the ground. His body was bathed in
cold sweat, as a scarlet vertigo of detected bloodlust overrode every nerve.

Such displayed murderous cruelty
was at the very least, on par with Zaraki Kenpachi. The last foul beast (whose hems
were smoldering) was forming a Cero, which meant it felt severely threatened.
There was no grass left. Scorched, smoldering earth had been razed lower by
several feet and covered a vast circumference. His senpai's spiritual energy however,
was... oppressively nightmarish. Crackling energy spiraled around her, swiveling
to condense around her right fist. Was that the cause of this change in
landscape... and difficulty in breathing? It was hard to believe the easy-going
mischief-maker and this scorching intensity of purposeful decimation were one
and the same person. One moment blazing purple was positioned beneath the
shadow of the Menos Grande, the next moment it was at least sixty feet further
back. She had to be combining shyunpo with this devastating technique, whatever
it was. Then that sphere of immolation was tearing across the ground.

Launching herself into the air
as a mountain of dirt exploded beneath her from the take-off, Yoruichi saw the
scarlet ball vanish. Only a split second before- Dull whiteness loomed before
her as she smashed a deadly fist into her intended target, right between the
eyes.

A shrill wail was heard all
across Rukongai, leaving its residents cowering in fear at the eerie,
discordant sound.

Chunks of extremely dense clay
broke off, falling to decorate the ground along with murky puddles. Forcefully
yanking her hand out, she was soaring backwards to put distance between herself
and the foe. The bright light of Negation came down to protect the Hollow and
bar her from inflicting further damage. Crimson rivulets ran down her arm to
mingle with that disgusting liquid sticking to her skin.

Landing forcefully enough to
skid backwards and leave a deep trail showing resistance, a weary
general watched the ailing Menos Grande staggeringly depart, wrenching the sky
back together like closing curtains of a theatre play. She had succeeded in
dealing a strong enough deterrence, before the gigantic Hollow could deliver
that vapourising attack.

A jolt of agony exploded
somewhere within her chest, distracting her from the dull pain coating her
hand.

Falling to one knee, the
bleeding limb was pressed against her side. It was hard to breathe. Coughing
out a copious amount of incarnadine fluid, beads of sweat dotted her forehead
as darkness encroached on the fringes of consciousness.

"Yoruichi!"

The last thing experienced was
velvety reception... then nothing.

0o--------------------o0

List of definitions in alphabetical order

Cero: Ball of energy formed
by a Menos Grande, which atomises anything it hits into nothing.

Karaginu mo: In the Heian
period, Karaginu means "Chinese overcoat" and mo,
"skirt." Underneath, the multiple layers are called uchigi
(robes) and the ensemble is alternately called itsutsiginu (five gowns).
Women still wore hakama underneath as well. That's a lot of cloth.
Phew. I'm not sure what period Soul Society is set in, since it seems to be a
mish-mash of settings.

Kenseikaan: Head-dress worn
by the nobility.

Menos Grande: Super-powerful
Hollow, comprised of hundreds of smaller hollows fusing together.

Nagoya obi: A belt made up
of tasseled cords.

Shakuhachi flute: Favourite
woodwind instrument in Japan. Made from the bottom of a bamboo tree, with nodes
cut at intervals. Four fingerholes in front and one thumbhole at the back, the
front being cut at an angle to allow for complex variation of sounds when
playing. The instrument takes its name from its standard length of one foot (shaku)
and eight (hachi) parts of a foot (called sun), approximately
54cm.

Shyunkou: Flash Cry. A very high level skill that only Yoruichi has been able to attain (not master) at its highest stage.

Shyunshin Yoruichi: Goddess
of Flash (or Instant) Step

Tenshi Heisouban: Title
denoting rank of nobility. Means 'Princess of the house of sacred armourers'.

Yama-ji: Affectionate and
respectfully informal way of addressing Yamamoto Genryuusai (captain of the 1^st
division). It's not certain about the ties between Yoruichi and him, but I�m
thinking... child-and-father sort of dynamics, like Shunsui and him.
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