Second Division.
Soifon had just stepped into her office when a black blur charged straight at her. Before she could react, she was enveloped by a familiar scent and the warmth of a small body.
"Soifon-sensei—!" Rukia's arms tightened around Soifon's waist. "Thank you for saving my sister..."
Her hands hanging awkwardly in the air, Soifon glanced down at Rukia, who was burying her face in her chest. She reached down and gently stroked the girl's head.
"Saving her life is a bit of an exaggeration," Soifon said, ruffling Rukia's hair. "It was just a small favor."
"Uuuh..." Rukia let out a soft, kitten-like whimper. "Regardless, please, you must let me repay you!"
Repay her?
"And how do you plan on doing that?" Soifon asked. She cupped Rukia's face in both hands and gently pried the girl away from her chest.
Rukia's cheeks flushed a visible shade of crimson. She took a deep breath. "Please... let me give myself to you in marriage!"
She spoke with such volume that the snow on the branches outside the courtyard was shaken loose.
Soifon blinked. If it were one of the older women like Rangiku, Isane, or Yoruichi saying this, she might have taken it as a genuine confession. But coming from Rukia...
Soifon looked her in the eye. "Just how much resolve are you putting behind those words?"
"Eh?!"
"You are merely a seated officer. Can you really say something like 'giving yourself to me' so lightly?"
"I..."
Overwhelmed by Soifon's powerful aura, Rukia felt a pang of intimidation. She began to doubt if her own heart was truly as steadfast as she thought.
Slap—
Soifon placed her hands on Rukia's shoulders, bringing their faces closer and closer until their noses almost touched. Rukia shrank back in shy embarrassment.
"Giving yourself to someone... those are words of immense weight."
Seeing Rukia's bashfulness, Soifon assumed the girl had taken the lesson to heart and turned to leave the office...
"That's not it!" In the next second, Rukia took a frantic step forward, grabbing Soifon's sleeve again. "Soifon-sensei, you don't understand! I meant—"
Bang—!
The office door was kicked open with brute force.
"—Rukia!!"
Momo Hinamori stood in the doorway, clutching a large stack of documents. Her eyes were wide, and her face was flushed red with anger.
"How dare you try to get a head start! That is so underhanded!"
Momo stomped into the room, slammed the documents onto the desk, and placed her hands on her hips. "You truly are a devious noble!"
"What do you mean 'head start'?! I am simply repaying Soifon-sensei for saving a life in a perfectly honorable way!" Rukia insisted stubbornly.
"Hah—? Repaying her?" Momo laughed in disbelief. "You're just trying to have your cake and eat it too!"
"Please do not insult my sincerity!"
"Hmph!"
While the two were busy bickering, Soifon silently retreated to the door and vanished in a flash.
*
In the World of the Living, another person was also on a path to repay a debt of gratitude.
As is well known, Hollow power is poisonous to Quincies. Masaki Kurosaki, who had been wounded by the Hollow 'White,' was hovering on the brink of death.
Isshin Shiba had been willing to sacrifice his Shinigami powers to establish a soul link with the Hollow power inside Masaki, successfully saving her life from the encroaching Hollowfication.
With the assistance of Kisuke Urahara, Isshin Shiba opened a small clinic in Karakura Town called the 'Kurosaki Clinic' to make a living.
Meanwhile, before her scheduled meeting with Aizen, Soifon intended to deliver the device she had specifically asked Mayuri Kurotsuchi to develop for Masaki Kurosaki.
—Karakura Town.
Soifon visited the Ishida household first.
"My father is away on a trip. For now, the family affairs are handled by me and my mother."
Ryūken Ishida had matured into a steady young man. He faced Soifon with a touch more reverence than before, while the maid, Kanae Katagiri, stood quietly by his side as always.
Soifon asked knowingly, "I recall you had a fiancée? Where is she?"
"..."
Ryūken caught the teasing look on Soifon's face. He guessed that she might be here to look for Isshin Shiba, the man who had abandoned his Shinigami powers.
He remained silent; he had no intention of betraying that Shinigami.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to cause trouble," Soifon said, taking a sip of tea. "This time, I've come to borrow a few Quincy archives."
"The archives..."
Feeling a sense of relief, Ryūken didn't particularly mind lending out the books. After all, he had no love for being a Quincy.
"Yes." Soifon nodded, looking at him. "Are you familiar with the Kaiser Gesang?"
The hand Ryūken used to lift his teacup froze.
The Kaiser Gesang, the 'Hymn of the Emperor,' was a legend—a nursery rhyme—passed down among the Quincies. Though he didn't believe in it, he knew it by heart.
'The sealed King of the Quincy will regain his heart after 900 years, his intellect after 90 years, his power after 9 years, and the world after 9 days.'
Could it be... that the war from a thousand years ago was about to repeat itself?
"I can lend you the books." Ryūken stood up, pausing as he stepped onto the stairs to the second floor. "However, the Ishida family will not participate in any battle between Shinigami and Quincies..."
"Fine. I promise you."
"Unless you choose to get involved yourself, I will not drag your family into this mess."
Only after Soifon nodded her promise did Ryūken continue up the stairs.
He simply found Soifon's phrasing odd; he couldn't imagine himself ever choosing to wade into those muddy waters.
*
After photographing the Quincy history, Soifon used the address provided by Ryūken to find the clinic opened by Isshin Shiba.
As expected, Masaki Kurosaki and Isshin Shiba were inside on a date.
Taking advantage of their distraction, Soifon pulled out the protective device Mayuri had given her and flicked it with her finger.
A flash of almost invisible silver light streaked through the air and instantly vanished into the back of Masaki Kurosaki's neck.
Masaki felt a tiny prickle, like a mosquito bite. She reached up to touch the spot, but there was nothing there.
"What's wrong?"
"I think a mosquito bit me."
"Don't be silly. There are no mosquitoes in this weather."
Simultaneously, Masaki Kurosaki's location appeared with pinpoint accuracy on the map of Soifon's Soul Pager.
*
Carrying the photos containing the Quincy historical data, Soifon found a secluded spot in the outskirts and opened a Garganta. The other side of the passage led directly to the main entrance of Las Noches.
After so much time, Soifon didn't hold much hope that her identity remained hidden. She assumed Aizen had likely given orders to kill her on sight.
Activating her Blut Vene, Soifon stepped onto the white floor of Las Noches. The familiar cameras immediately swiveled and locked onto her.
Creak—
The gates of the grand palace slowly opened. Ulquiorra walked out with slow, deliberate steps toward her. He glanced at the figure hidden beneath the cloak and stepped aside, making a gesture to invite her in.
"Excellency, please enter," Ulquiorra said with a respectful attitude. "Lord Aizen has already informed us of your identity."
Oh?
Soifon's eyebrows arched slightly. It seemed Aizen had indeed accepted this persona she had crafted. Did this mean they truly could sit down and have a proper talk?
____
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