"They're finally sending us out on patrol alone!" Matsuri stretching as she says. "Though it might be because they're short-handed after the battle."
I give Matsuri a confused look. "You know we're both stronger than most seated officers, right?"
She nods. "It isn't enough, yet."
"You there! Shinigami!" Turning towards the voice a girl with shoulder-length bluish-black hair stands slightly injured. Wearing a mask covering the bottom half of her face.
"You're hurt! What happened?!" Matsuri says running up to help her.
"Never mind that! I'm Soi Fon of the Punishment Force. My patrol was attacked by a group of hollows to the North of here. Our unit was surrounded, and our chief is still trying to hold them off." She says in a rush.
"Due to my shameful lack of experience, I'm afraid Lady Yoruichi was injured trying to shield me. Please help her!" She says with a bow towards us.
"Matsuri take her back to the station and get the Captain. I'll be able to take care of it."
Matsuri nods and heads off with Soi Fon in tow. "Be careful, Takashi!"
--
In a rocky area a single woman is standing guard near a bridge crossing towards a small part of the district. Surrounded by twenty hollows of different kinds. One sitting in the back spectating the battle, an Adjuchas-class hollow.
"Looks like I'm the only one left." Yoruichi looking towards the corpses of the punishment force. Her right arm slumped to her side.
"What, you're going to run, I suppose?" The two-legged adjucha says looking on. A bulky figure surpassing bodybuilders.
"I wouldn't be able to take you down if I ran away." She says breathing heavily. Keeping an eye out on the hollows trying to approach her.
"Those are brave words coming from somebody who's all by herself." He continues as the hollow starts walking towards her.
'If I retreat now, the town would be left unprotected. Hurry up, Soi Fon!'
"First let me start by wiping that smile off your face. Heh heh heh. It's a shame you won't get to see Arturo put your society out of its misery."
"Hmm… I wonder if that'll happen." Appearing behind the adjuchas-class hollow.
"Hmph. An Arrancar like him wo-" Splitting him in half with a single sword strike I turn to Yoruichi.
"Squad 5, Takashi Kudo here to help out Captain." Looking over the field of hollows I flash step beside her. "Is your arm broken or dislocated?" I say checking over it. "Tengoku" my reiatsu flaring up and spreading out towards her.
"Not the time Takas-"She stops as she feels a surge of reiatsu spread throughout her body. Healing the wounds that she had endured up until now. "Your Shikai lets you heal?" I give her a smile as I turn to the hollows.
"Only nineteen of them… They'll be good test subjects. Do you mind standing a bit behind me, captain?"
She gives me a questioning look but abides.
I take a step forward and put a hand on my nodachi. A black void emitting from my feet and stretching out towards the hollows. Hands appearing and grabbing ahold of anything in their reach. "Royal Guards." Pulling the hollows down in the abyss, one manages to escape a grasp and makes a mad dash towards me.
Before it can reach me, a slash exits the void and cuts the hollow in half.
"Hm… I wonder how I can make them come out of the void… A test for another time." I turn back towards Yoruichi who's giving me a strange look.
"What?"
A swishing sound from behind alerts me as I turn. Captain Suzunami, Kaien, and Matsuri appearing.
Suzunami looks around and lets out a sigh. "You killed the Adjuchas-class hollow?"
"Yes sir, Captain!"
"You got reinforcements here fast. I've got to hand it to Squad 5." Yoruichi says.
"You have your fleet-footed subordinate to thank for that." Suzunami says as he walks beside me.
"Before I praise Soi Fon, I would like to thank your subordinate. Takashi Kudo, you did well. Thank you." She says running up and pulling me into a hug.
Matsuri starting to glare at her as Yoruichi ignores her. Speaking from her hug she looks up at me.
"I'm Yoruichi Shihoin, Commander of the Stealth Force and Chief of the Punishment Force. As well as the captain of the second division."
"Lady Yoruichi!" Soi Fon yelling as she runs over to her.
"Soi Fon! What are you doing back here?"
"I am a guard! Standing at your side is my duty, Lady Yoruichi! Now, please come with me for treatment."
"Never mind that now. More importantly, I'd like to thank you. You saved me with your quick action-"
"Please the last thing I deserve is gratitude! Because of my deplorable lack of skill, I put you in danger. Please punish me, Lady Yoruichi."
I give Yoruichi a weird glance. She looks a bit baffled and laughs.
"Punish you?! Hahaha! I'm not going to punish you, silly thing!"
"If Lady Yoruichi hadn't been injured because of me, she could have taken care of those Hollows in an instant!"
"Now, now, Soi Fon."
"Don't you know of Lady Yoruichi's greatness?! She can run faster than the wind and slip from shadow to shadow in the blink of an eye!" Soi Fon continuing to gush over Yoruichi.
"Uh huh." Giving Yoruichi a disgusted look at the brainwashing of her subordinates.
"She's so fast that they call her Goddess of Flash! Her beauty and strength are unsurpassed!" She continues.
"Come on, now, Soi Fon! We're supposed to be an undercover squad. Aren't you giving a little too much away?"
"Oh!" Soi Fon realizing her mistake.
"Let's head back. I don't sense any hollows around." Suzunami says and we follow him.
Returning back to the squadron station I had to write a patrol report.
After writing our patrol report for the day and including the conversation the Hollow and Yoruichi held I was given the next day off.
--
(The Next Day)
Deciding to go visit some familiar faces I head off looking around for something to do. Stopping by Squad 4 we decide to check up on Lady Yoruichi.
She looks up from her position and has a smile on her face upon seeing us enter. "Come to visit the sickly, eh? As you can see, I'm as good as new."
"Oh good. That's a relief." I say smiling towards her.
"Thoughtful visits like this remind me of Seigen. I guess blood will tell."
"What do you mean?" Matsuri confused by the saying.
"Kisuke told me about you two. You're Seigen Suzunami's secret children, aren't you?" She says with a glint in her eyes.
"…"
"…"
"Hahahahahahha! Just kidding! I only believe about half of what that guy tells me anyway. Besides, there's no way anyone with half a brain would believe Lord Seigen had children in secret."
"Arrgh, that Urahara…" Matsuri says. "You know a lot about everything, don't you, Lady Yoruichi?"
"The Punishment Force is an intelligence agency that keeps tabs on all the Shinigami. I hear about people's work and their personal lives…"
"Do you think you know everything about everyone, inside and out?" Matsuri asks.
"Pretty much. I know, say how many of Urahara's inventions have failed. And I know all about the clever ways people try to explain away misappropriated funds. I don't think you two have anything to worry about. Just keep on the up and up."
I nod at her as Captain Unohana enters the room.
"Oh, Takashi and Matsuri. Good to see you both." She says with a smile on her face.
"Captain Unohana! Good to see you too!" Matsuri says and I nod along.
"Takashi were you the one that healed Lady Yoruichi?"
"I was."
She looks me over and nods. "You'd fit in perfectly here at squad 4. Your healing capabilities are enough for me to make you my rival in this field as well…" She mumbles to herself.
"I don't have plans to leave Squad 5 currently. I wish to repay Captain Suzunami while I'm in his squad." I reject her with a bow.
--
Hearing that Soi Fon was looking for us we decide to go to the meeting location.
"There you are. Would you two accompany me please?" Soi Fon says looking towards us.
"Sure. Are we going somewhere special?" I reply.
"Yes. You could say that." She dodges the question.
"Isn't this where we fought those Hollows not too long ago?" I say looking around the rocky area.
Soi Fon takes a deep breath as she turns to look at us. "I was supposed to be Lady Yoruichi's guard, but… Rather than protecting her, I was the reason she got hurt. I vowed to give my life in her service and look how horribly it ended!"
"It wasn't your fault, Soi Fon." I sigh and look towards Matsuri for help.
"Lady Yoruichi told me to forget about it, but I just can't. I can't forgive myself."
"Oh, Soi Fon…" Matsuri says walking over to her.
"What should I do? I really wish I knew!"
"How do you think Lady Yoruichi felt when she defended you?" I ask her.
"I…have no idea. Why would she save me, the one who was supposed to die for her?"
"What we're trying to defend here is too big for one person alone. The strong must be a shield for the weak, protecting them and giving them time to grow. That sounds like something Captain Yoruichi or Captain Suzunami would've said to you if they heard you."
"So, she's looking at the big picture? I was so distracted by things around me that I couldn't see Lady Yoruichi's heart!"
"It seems to me the best way to respond to such a sentiment is to be the best that you can be."
"Instead of moping around, I should direct my energies into training and improving myself!" Soi Fon says getting amped up.
"You'll be a guard that Lady Yoruichi can rely on with complete confidence." Matsuri says motivating her more.
"I'm so glad I was able to talk with both of you. Thank you." She says with a small smile.
'As long as she cheered up.' I think, turning back around and going back home.
--
"Captain, when I turned in the report about the battle the other day, he apparently noticed something that concerned him." Lieutenant Shinji says walking over to Captain Suzunami. "He's calling an emergency meeting."
"Hmm. I see." Suzunami leaving the station and heading for the meeting.
--
(Meeting)
At the head of the captain's meeting hall is an old man standing with his captain's haori cloaked over his shoulders.
Captains Suzunami, Unohana, Shunsui, Ukitake, Yoruichi, Ginrei and a black-haired regal looking man standing at the meeting in silence.
"It looks like this is everyone that can join us at the moment. Let's begin the meeting. Yoruichi Shihoin, if you could please explain to everyone.
"Yes sir…"
