A Gift for Soi Fon

Amagai's hands shook as he read the old record.

The truth inside it struck him harder than any blade.

His father's final words had not been resentment toward Yamamoto. They had been gratitude. Yamamoto had not murdered Shin'etsu Kisaragi for the Kasumioji Clan. He had carried out the request of a student who had been twisted by a Bakkoto and could no longer live with what he had been forced to do.

Amagai sank to his knees.

"Head Captain Yamamoto..."

Yamamoto remained silent for a long moment.

Amagai lowered his head.

"I was wrong."

The words came out raw.

"I involved innocent people. I attacked the Gotei 13. I nearly killed Rurichiyo Kasumioji. I even raised my blade against you."

Yamamoto looked at him with an old man's exhaustion.

"I failed to save your father. I failed to save you from this misunderstanding. For that, I also bear responsibility."

Amagai's face twisted.

"No."

He lifted his Asauchi toward his own throat.

Ichigo kicked the sword out of his hand.

Amagai stared at him.

"What are you doing?"

"Stopping you from taking the easy way out," Ichigo said. "You caused a mess, so live and fix it. Dying now does nothing for the people you hurt."

"I attacked the Head Captain."

"Then atone for it."

Yamamoto closed his eyes.

"There was no attack."

Everyone looked at him.

The Head Captain tapped his cane against the broken floor.

"Captain Shusuke Amagai conducted a surprise drill against Squad One. The drill was excessive, but it revealed several weaknesses in our security. That is all."

Shunsui recovered first.

"Ah, yes. A drill. What a terrifying drill, Head Captain. I nearly lost my hat."

Ukitake smiled faintly.

"Captain Amagai, once you have recovered, let us have a drink. I would like to hear how you planned such a bold exercise."

Byakuya's expression remained cold and unreadable.

"Gyokaku Kumoi betrayed Rurichiyo Kasumioji and was killed by Captain Amagai during the suppression of the incident. The Kuchiki Clan considers the matter settled."

With Byakuya speaking for the Kuchiki side, no one else among the nobles would dare reopen it casually.

Amagai stared at them all, stunned.

Then footsteps rushed toward the ruined room.

"Captain! Captain Amagai!"

Izuru Kira and the members of Squad Three arrived in a hurry.

When Amagai saw them, he smiled.

It was stiff, almost awkward, but it was real.

Kira hardly ever smiled either. In that sense, Squad Three might have been made for expressions like this.

Amagai picked up his Zanpakuto. The Bakkoto had returned to the form of an artificial weapon at his waist.

"All right, men," he said, lifting his head. "We are going back to training. Let us change Squad Three's reputation."

His subordinates stared for a second, then answered loudly.

Before leaving, Amagai turned to Ichigo.

"Ichigo Kurosaki. Thank you. But the matter between us is not finished. I will train harder, and next time, I will defeat you."

Ichigo's face fell.

'I saved your life and gave you a chance to start over. This is how you repay me?'

Kenpachi immediately leaned forward.

"What? You want to beat Ichigo Kurosaki? Get through me first."

Ichigo looked between the two of them and sighed.

'I do not want to fight either of you.'

As for the Kasumioji Clan, Rurichiyo now had no real obstacle left. With Kumoi dead, she became the true head of the family.

Shu Kannogi did like her sincerely, but sincerity did not solve the simple problem that Rurichiyo already had someone else in mind.

"Ichigo," Rurichiyo said before he left the estate, "remember your promise. Do not let me marry a man I do not like."

Then she threw herself into his arms in front of Rukia and Senna.

Rukia went rigid.

So did Senna.

Their fists tightened at the same time.

Kenryu and Enryu immediately began apologizing to them with the desperation of men trying to prevent a tragedy.

Ichigo wiped at sweat that was not actually on his forehead.

Rurichiyo's timing was deadly.

She was not the only one being cornered.

On the other side of the estate, Yoruichi had found Soi Fon.

"Little Soi Fon, I came to Soul Society to look for you, and you were not there. Where did you go?"

Soi Fon bowed at once.

"I am sorry, Lady Yoruichi. I was helping Ichigo track Amagai at the time. I did not sense your reiatsu."

"Relax. I am not blaming you." Yoruichi's eyes turned playful. "I am only curious. Since when did you and Ichigo become so close?"

Soi Fon countered without hesitation.

"Did you not say you intended to marry Ichigo someday, Lady Yoruichi? As your personal attendant, I naturally have to marry him with you."

Yoruichi stared at her.

"When did I say I was marrying Ichigo?"

"You said you were raising him as a future husband, did you not?"

Yoruichi pressed a hand to her forehead.

She had dug that pit herself.

"Well," she said slowly, "technically... yes."

"Then there is no problem," Soi Fon said with absolute conviction. "Ichigo has too many women around him. If I do not make a move first, you may fall behind. Everything I did was for your future, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi felt the trap close around her own foot.

She could hardly say she had no interest in Ichigo. That would only be lying to herself.

She had given him the secrets of her Shunpo and even the Shihoin Shield. Apart from Shunko, which he could not use properly, she had handed over almost everything she could.

And after seeing Retsu Unohana step forward first, Yoruichi's mood had shifted.

If Retsu could do it, why could she not?

"Fine," Yoruichi said at last. "You did well, Soi Fon. Increase the pressure."

Soi Fon straightened as if she had received a sacred mission.

...

At the Fourth Division, in Retsu Unohana's quarters, Ichigo discovered once again that he could never escape certain people when he visited Soul Society.

"Retsu, stop teasing me," he said with a strained smile.

It had taken real effort to escape Rukia and Senna after the Rurichiyo incident.

Retsu smiled gently.

"Since you are here, I do not need to explain what comes next. Come, Ichigo. Draw your Zanpakuto."

Ichigo met her gaze like a man marching toward certain death.

"All right."

Two powerful Soul Reapers clashed through the night. By morning, the nearby avenue looked as if it had been ground down by their battle.

The next day, Ichigo left with one hand braced against his lower back and decided to thank Soi Fon before returning to the Human World.

Retsu, meanwhile, was resting in bed after a long and satisfying fight.

Ichigo arrived at the Squad Two captain's office with his usual lack of ceremony.

"Soi Fon, I am here."

Marechiyo Omaeda, who should have been guarding the door, looked at Ichigo with a smile so flattering that it made him uncomfortable.

Omaeda still remembered what his father had told him.

The Omaeda family owed its rise to the Shihoin family. If Lady Yoruichi had found a husband in the Human World, then the Omaeda family had to build a good relationship with him early.

Omaeda understood the assignment perfectly.

"Lieutenant Omaeda," Ichigo said cautiously. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all, Lord Ichigo. I heard you have a close relationship with Lady Yoruichi and Captain Soi Fon. The Omaeda family has served the Shihoin family for generations. Of course I should maintain a good relationship with you."

His honesty was almost impressive.

Ichigo could admit the connection with Soi Fon. No normal man could easily refuse a beautiful woman who threw herself at him with that much determination.

Especially not when that woman was Soi Fon, who looked easy to underestimate and dangerous enough to make anyone regret it.

As for Yoruichi, Ichigo could swear that their current relationship was still completely innocent.

Currently.

Before he could respond to Omaeda, Soi Fon pulled open the office door. She looked flustered for half a second, then her expression turned stern the moment she saw her lieutenant.

"Omaeda. What are you doing here?"

"Captain, I was guiding Lord Ichigo."

"Good. Your work is done. Go train."

"Yes, Captain."

Omaeda left at once, not forgetting to give Ichigo one last ingratiating smile.

Once he was gone, Soi Fon's stern mask softened.

"Ichigo, why did you come to Squad Two?"

Her voice was so gentle that Ichigo almost wondered if he had imagined it.

Was this really the same cold Squad Two captain from a moment ago?

"I am about to return to the Human World," he said quickly. "I had not thanked you yet."

"You do not have to be so polite. Come in."

Soi Fon took his hand and pulled him into the captain's office, then carefully closed the door.

The room was small compared with Squad One's vast captain's office, but it had a warmth that made Ichigo look around with interest.

Soi Fon noticed his attention and smiled.

"Lady Yoruichi arranged this room. Even though she is no longer captain of Squad Two, I have not changed anything. Seeing these things makes it feel as if she is still here."

Ichigo nodded, then asked, "Soi Fon, do you like Yoruichi?"

"Like?" Soi Fon tilted her head. "No. I am Lady Yoruichi's personal attendant. I have no right to like her."

Ichigo's mouth twitched.

Soi Fon was already the captain of Squad Two and a noble in Seireitei, yet when Yoruichi was involved, she still spoke like a servant first.

He chose a safer topic.

"Right. I told you I brought you a gift."

Soi Fon's eyes brightened despite her attempt to remain composed.

"You did?"

Ichigo took out a silver necklace. His reiatsu reinforced the chain, and a small yellow bee pendant hung from it.

Soi Fon stared at it.

"This is for me?"

"Yeah."

Ichigo smiled.

"Then... Ichigo, could you put it on for me?"

The look she gave him was impossible to refuse.

Ichigo walked behind her and fastened the necklace around her neck. Soi Fon touched the pendant with obvious delight.

"Ichigo, I like this gift very much."

Then she turned, wrapped both arms around his neck, and hung from him with no intention of letting go.

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