Alright, hello everyone. ^^ How are you? Doing good? Awesome XD

This is going to be my first attempt at a multi-chapter fic that I'm actually planning on finishing XD Obviously, it's for the fandom of Bleach, and the main characters are Soi Fon and Yoruichi. They are also the main couple that this story focuses on, but this story isn't entirely about romance. It focuses on many other things as well.

Other pairings shall be in this as well, but I will not mention who they are or whom they concern. But I will give a warning. This story contains yuri, yaoi, and hetero (no incest, though.) If for some reason any of this offends you, just click the back button and leave. I don't have the time or care to deal with haters.

Anytime I use a Bleach term (or Japanese term), I will put a definition of it in the ending authors notes (such as for Kido and Zanjutsu) just so the newbies to the series, or simply people who forget, can understand what they mean.

Anyway, that's it for now. I hope you enjoy the very first chapter of Betrayal! ^^

Prologue - Nightmare

"… Why didn't you take me with you?"

"I don't know; why didn't I?"

"I don't know; that's why I'm asking you! I… I thought you hated me."

"Maybe I did."

"…"

"Correction; maybe I do."

"!"

"You already know the answer to your question."

"…"

"Bringing along a weakling like you would have been a nuisance to me. I had to save him, and doing so alone was the only way."

"Why does it always have to be about him?"

"Why does it always have to be about you?"

"!"

"I know you love me, Soi Fon… and it's disgusting. I've never loved you. I'm in love with him. He was my choice. I gladly left you for him. I didn't even care enough to give you a goodbye."

"…"

"Stop crying, you weakling. I'm leaving now. You aren't worth my time; you never really were. I always ended up saving you a hundred years ago more than you saved me. I'm going to find him, again, and leave you alone, again. I don't need you anymore. Have fun torturing yourself in your lonely life."

"..."

Crimson tears bled from a broken heart of cold steel. She turned around and only an afterimage remained withal.

Chapter 1 – Little Bee Who Lost Her Wings

"There is no fear when one expects to be betrayed. What's truly terrifying is when betrayal is unexpected." –Sosuke Aizen (Bleach).

~ YSYSYS ~

Silver irises tore abruptly through closed eyelids, darkness suddenly invading her vision. The female with the petite body sat up quickly in her bed, pale moonlight pooling over her as a sharp, fearful gasp escaped her trembling lips. She stared blindly at the blackened wall across the room, attempting to calm herself down. Her body was shaking, cold droplets of sweat running down the sides of her ghostly white face as her raven bangs stuck uncomfortably against her forehead. Her right hand held a vice grip on the blankets piled over her toned legs, her left one holding a position directly above her rapidly beating heart. Despite hearing the torturous thump of the blood-pumping organ in her ears, it didn't even feel like she was breathing. She sat like this for awhile, silent and unmoving, as her brain slowly began to start functioning properly again.

Once she was calmer, she came to a realization of what had happened.

A… a dream. J-Just a dream. No…

She rested her face in her hands, her thin fingers shadowing her eyes.

… That was a nightmare.

Normally she didn't remember her dreams after she woke up, but with this one she could remember every little pixel of colour. And it scared her. She instantly wished to forget it. She wished she hadn't gone to sleep the night before. But it was already stained in her memory.

Was there supposed to be a point to this? Was this meant to be a sign? Was there a message hidden so deep beneath the surface that she couldn't decipher it?

… Or was it just meant to frighten her?

T-That tone of voice… Yoruichi-sama has never spoken to me like that before. The cruel voice of said person tortured her soul.

(Why does it always have to be about you?)

Soi Fon clutched at the light blue fabric of her tank top that was shielding her heart, aching as those harsh words echoed endlessly in her mind.

And those eyes… those perfect, amber eyes of a goddess… they were… gazing at me so coldly.

The warm memory of Yoruichi's gentle eyes was shattered with the appearance of these new ones, which were just as frighteningly beautiful, but chilled Soi Fon to the bone.

The black haired girl held back a shudder in her throat, desperately trying to scratch away the image that had been etched into her pulsing brain.

She closed her eyes—but reopened them just as quickly when she realized the simple action didn't help whatsoever. It only made things worse. The moment her world was bathed in complete darkness, the dream began to mockingly drill away at her very sanity.

Letting out a deep, uneasy sigh, Soi Fon turned her head only slightly to stare out her average sized window. Grey, stormy eyes confirmed that it was a full moon tonight, its light protecting the Soul Society from being caged in inky shadows. Said eyes began to narrow, thin eyebrows deepening. The longer time stood like that, the more noticeable the shaky woman's frown became.

The velvety-black sky. The white, shining moon. The sudden invasion of thick, black clouds.

Black, white, black.

Just like the setting of her dream. She winced in emotional pain, supporting her head in her hand which just began to flood from the short moments of her horrifying nightmare.

At first, there was nothing. Just an endless abyss of onyx. When she wept the secret desire that she had suppressed in her heart for 100 years, the room flashed a bright white. A voice suddenly started echoing in different corners of the vast area. A voice Soi Fon knew. But its normally playful and gentle tone was masked with a frigid bitterness, which was strange and unfamiliar. She didn't like it.

Soi Fon began anxiously exploring the large room, feeling lost and isolated, but that accustomed voice was pricking at her heart and she hopelessly wanted to locate the owner. Her actions went unrewarded, however. She never ended up running into anything or anyone, yet that woman's articulation still continued to haunt her.

Then she saw those eyes. Those golden eyes of her goddess that made her forget how to breathe. They lacked the intensity she was used to seeing, though. They were filled with… disgust?

Soon enough, the owner of those eyes soon faded into view as well. Strong muscles flexed beneath smooth, milk chocolate skin, black clothes stretching over only the necessary areas. Purple hair dangerously accented her face, her ponytail blowing elegantly yet mysteriously in the invisible breeze.

It was Yoruichi-sama. Her Yoruichi-sama.

At first Soi Fon was happy. Even if it was but a dream, being in Yoruichi's presence was an honor in itself. But then the words escaping her ex-Captain's lips began to register in her brain, causing her to become light-headed. It made her weak in the knees—which she eventually fell to.

Pride and strength was long forgotten as Soi Fon knelt before Yoruichi, crying silently like a child. Yoruichi's words only became more hateful and rough as time passed on.

(I've never loved you. I'm in love with him. He was my choice. I gladly left you for him. I didn't even care enough to give you a goodbye.)

Those were the few words that Soi Fon never wanted to hear. The moment they finished vibrating in her ears—and at the sudden appearance of a very cocky looking Kisuke Urahara snaking his arm around Yoruichi's waist—the feeling of agony and despair was equivalent to that of a poison drenched blade slowly piercing through her heart.

It hurt. It hurt a lot. Her eyes were burning, her mind was numbing, and her heart was breaking. She tried to speak, but her lungs had been deprived of air. She could only watch as the two figures before her began to blur into the distance, Urahara beaming a victorious grin in her direction.

A constricted labyrinth of black boxed her in once again as Soi Fon screamed.

The same thing nearly occurred in reality, but she had managed to tone it down to a gasp.

Soi Fon sighed uneasily, glaring in anger under moonlight's wake. She was a warrior. Remaining empty and emotionless was the best thing for her. Such things would only get in her way. But when it concerned Yoruichi, she just… couldn't stop her feelings from arising. Even after 100 years.

The look in her silver orbs softened as the back of her head came in contact with her feathery pillow once again. She unconsciously stared at her ceiling for a moment, which was already lost in darkness, blinking back tears that were threatening to form. She rolled over quickly and curled into a tight ball, pulling the blankets flush against her body, just hoping to ease the pain her nightmare had brought.

I… I understand it was but a dream, however… it felt so real. My inner pain and turmoil is real, no matter how drastically I wish it wasn't. And even though my dream was fake, what if it was based on… truth?

The poor raven haired girl had too much on her mind to even sleep a wink in the long hours that had just passed her by. Her eyes felt dry and itchy as she gazed out her window, noticing that it was no longer nightfall. Dawn was slowly making its anticipated appearance, the sky painted a grey-blue, the Sun still not quite visible over the horizon. Soi Fon glanced over at her clock on the other side of her room, vaguely noticing that most people would be sleeping right now and still would be for the next few hours.

But not her. She was Captain of the 2nd Division and Leader of the Stealth Force. She had many responsibilities to attend to. She always woke up around this time so she could fulfill all her duties.

Even more so, she did it to become stronger. Soi Fon knew that none of her skills would increase from sleeping in, so she forced herself to memorize when to wake up in the morning, the memory so deep that it had become a regular sleeping pattern. So now, she always got up at around six in the morning so that she could train herself physically—and the fact that it was so early in the morning did a number on her mentally as well. She did this daily before her session of seemingly endless paperwork to keep herself fresh and alert.

Soi Fon always pushed herself, even when she was younger. She still continues to do so because if she didn't, she would never become stronger than her.

Memories from her nightmare washed over her once again and it agonized her deeply. She knew it was just a dream, but the pain and fear of the truth was inescapable.

Shaking her head quickly back and forth, she sat up, effectively pushing the warm blankets off her abdomen, stretching her arms up high. She let out a gentle yawn, rubbing the lingering sleep out of the corners of her eyes as she forced herself out of her bed—which she didn't really like at the moment. She spared an instant glance at her white Captain's haori that was somewhat peeking out from behind her closet door before she staggered over to her personal bathroom.

Soi Fon locked the door behind her, just in case, before silently maneuvering across her decent sized bathroom and turning on the water for the shower. Normally she preferred cold showers, feeling that they proved better in awakening her, but for some reason, today, she desired a hot one.

When the clear liquid reached the temperature that satisfied her needs, she pulled her hand away from the water and quickly stripped off her sleepwear, folding her clothes in a neat pile on the tiled floor. She didn't bother to check out her appearance in the mirror; her body wasn't exactly eye candy. It was still as underdeveloped as it was when she was a teenager.

She carefully stepped into the shower, shielding her small body from view with the baby blue shower curtain. A delicate sigh escaped her lips, the steaming water soothing her stiff muscles as it trailed down her petite form.

It felt good, the water that was flowing through her hair. It warmed her to the core, just like when Yoruichi used to touch her.

Her silver eyes opened automatically, a bare tinge of a blush covering her cheeks just from thinking about that name. She tried to suppress her thoughts, but discovered she couldn't defend against the uprising.

It was true. Every time Yoruichi used to pet her hair, or lay in her lap, or wrap an arm around her waist, or hold her hand—it made Soi Fon feel warm inside. It made her heart skip a beat. Hell, just looking into her eyes made her nervous, because Soi Fon actually believed that those golden orbs held some sort of care for her.

Believed shall remain in the past tense as Soi Fon was a fool to even hope that her superior ever gave a damn about a lowly servant like her. After all, Yoruichi had betrayed her, left her to help Kisuke Urahara escape.

Yoruichi-sama threw away everything she had, everything we had, to help that bastard run from his crimes. She left without any warning at all. No letters, no goodbyes… nothing. I guess… I guess she never really cared. I was a fool to believe her jest. She always appreciated his company more than mine, no matter how much I was willing to give my life for her…

A shaky breath trembled from her lips as she rushed to finish her shower, not wanting to lose herself in anymore painful memories that the hot water was seeming to bring. It didn't make her feel warm, anymore—just empty.

She hastily turned a faucet to halt the water, her heartbeat matching the rhythm of the droplets that departed from her fingertips and splashed gently against the wet shower tiles below. Cold air rushed at her like a blizzard once she stepped out of the shower, so she quickly wrapped a thin towel around her suddenly freezing figure in an attempt to sustain some body heat.

Her limbs moved mechanically as she thoroughly dried her physique, wiping some condensation from the mirror with her hand so that she could see herself. She roughly ran a comb through her raven hair, no effort required in brushing it into her signature style. Her locks were still a bit damp, but she knew it wouldn't take very long to dry. She swiftly knotted twin braids from the two long sections of her hair.

Soi Fon attempted to keep her thoughts blank as she exited the bathroom and stalked over to her closet, pulling out one of the many copies of her Stealth Force uniform. She clothed herself in an instant, rubbing away at the folds in her top. She looked at her Captain's haori once again before shrugging, deciding that she'll come back and get it later.

Soi Fon took a tight hold of Suzumebachi and left her quarters.

The 2nd Division Captain's final Shunpo left her in a large forest located within the Seireitei, just beside the Sokyoku Hill. Soi Fon often came here to practice her Hakuda and Zanjutsu.

This place… is where she fought Yoruichi.

Her Zanpakuto cut through the air like a hot knife peeling through butter as she recalled their encounter. It was quite recent, actually, a few months at most, back on the day when Rukia Kuchiki was supposed to be executed but was rescued by those Ryoka.

It was horrible. Soi Fon thought it was great to see her old mentor again after 100 years, because now she could finally prove to Yoruichi—and to her herself—that she was getting along just fine without her. Soi Fon could prove that she was the stronger one now, and that she would kill Yoruichi for betraying her.

But yet, Cruelty seemed to love messing with her mind.

I trained for 100 years, 100 long, merciless years… I even succeeded her former positions. But even after all my hard work… she still bested me… and so easily, too. She… she was toying with me. Even after learning my reasons and intentions… she still went easy on me!

A sudden sharp high kick sent a tree tumbling towards its death.

She played me for a fool, like she always did!

Short breaths were exhaled as she released a fury of punches against the wind.

And the way she looked at me after she won… it… was so cold… it brought me to my knees.

Soi Fon froze for a moment.

I couldn't stop crying… I was… so weak!

Sadly for Soi Fon, her fight with her former Captain remained on her mind during her entire morning training. But this only made her train harder. Despite the fact that the two had come to a mutual agreement right before rushing off to try and capture Aizen, adrenaline still pumped Soi Fon's blood with one goal still in her mind.

To defeat Yoruichi.

After all, that was the whole point of why she wanted to become stronger. It was never truly about status or luxury. It was just about finally getting revenge against Yoruichi Shihoin, her goddess. Her goddess that had betrayed her without even bidding farewell.

And even after all this time… she hasn't once said that she was sorry. … Maybe in her eyes, I'm still a pathetic little girl who isn't even worth her apology…

Hours later is when Soi Fon finally decided to end her personal morning training. She groaned throatily, wiping sweat off her brow, remembering about the massive pile of unfinished paperwork that was waiting for her on her desk. With a dull sigh, she sheathed her Suzumebachi and Shunpoed back to her office.

She washed her face with a damp cloth to cool herself off before dressing in the regular Soul Reaper attire and wrapping her arms through her Captain's haori, allowing it to hang loosely and comfortably over her body, allowing her arms freedom.

She sat down at her desk, running her fingertips along its polished, wooden edges. She grabbed a black pen and twirled it effortlessly between her fingers, glaring at the tall stack of paper in front of her. She hesitated for awhile, brushing her bangs out of her eyes and preparing herself for a long afternoon, before allowing the dark ink of the pen to form words on the awaiting paper.

Soi Fon had no idea how long she had been sitting in that rigid chair. Her legs were numb and her back was stiff and her right hand was cramping from writing her signature so many times. She always hated doing paperwork. If it wasn't her responsibility, she certainly wouldn't do it, but she knew she had to. Plus, there's no way in Hell she'd ever trust one of her subordinates enough to help her.

She winced suddenly at this, her writing stopping mid-sentence.

Is that how Yoruichi-sama felt? That she couldn't trust me as her subordinate? Is that why she left without telling me? Did Yoruichi-sama… not believe in my vow to protect her? No… I would've gone anywhere with her, she must've known that…

"Captain!"

Soi Fon groaned audibly, nearly snapping her pen in half from the force of her fist. She hated her annoying Lieutenant. He was a useless slob who always happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. On so many occasions she had wished to promote her Third Seat to his rank, but because of the fact that her Lieutenant comes from a rich background and that he bought himself to his position, she couldn't do a damn thing about it.

"What do you want?" She answered coldly, glancing at her door.

She noticed how he hesitated before cautiously opening her door about halfway. She stared unwillingly at his fat, ugly face which he was stuffing with potato chips from the crisp, yellow bag he was holding under his pudgy arm. The crunch of the chips between his teeth grated at her ears and made understanding his speech nearly impossible.

"Captain, *munch*, the Stealth Force members are just wondering, *munch*, why you aren't training them today," Omaeda replied while enjoying his salty, delicious snack.

Silver eyes hardened in irritation, said Captain bearing her clenched teeth. "I'm not in the mood for it today, and as much as I hate to assign this to someone like you, Omaeda, you train them. Now leave me alone."

Omaeda halted eating his food, his expression softening slightly as he gazed at the petite woman. "Captain Soi Fon… are you—"

"—I'm fine! Now get the hell out of my sight! If I see you again today, you'll lose your head!" She barked at him angrily as her maggot of a Lieutenant apologized profusely and scurried away.

She continued to glare at the door which Omaeda had forgotten to close for a long time, allowing her anger to pour out of her body in a quiet, healthy way until she was calm.

She let out a sigh before turning back around in her chair and biting the inside of her cheek, ashamed that she lost such control of her emotions so easily. Emotions she should not have.

Refusing to give it another thought, Soi Fon picked up her pen and continued her paperwork.

The raven haired girl had no idea how many endless hours she had been cooped up in her office signing those stupid sheets. All she knew was that her hand was killing her and that it felt like the rest of her body was on standby mode. She glanced out her window, noticing how the sky was still a bright blue, and made the correct assumption that it was late afternoon.

With her paperwork finally done, she definitely wanted to depart from this constricted space. She stood up quickly, stretching all her muscles as she did so to relieve herself of her former stiffness.

When she was about to leave her room, she stopped. Her sterling gaze which had been fixed on the door—which was still partly open—was suddenly drawn to a specific drawer attached to a dresser beside her bed. Her heart was suddenly overrun with emotions as she stood there, firmly in place. Happiness, relief, nervousness, anxiety… she couldn't tell what the emotions were, nor their purpose, but she knew that those sudden feelings were radiating from that wooden drawer.

To Soi Fon, this was very weird. Before, she would never even spare that drawer a single glance, but now it felt like the temptation to peer inside of it was eating away at her soul.

The part of her brain that was still sane convinced her against the idea, explaining to her that she was still suffering from her nightmare and paranoia was overwhelming her senses. After all, that drawer had always been empty, and she hadn't used it for over 50 years. Obviously, there would be nothing inside of it.

She tore her gaze away from the mysterious drawer and exited her room.

Soi Fon didn't know what she was doing or where she was going. Thoughts were swimming around inside of her head, yet at the same time it felt empty to her. She didn't know what to think or what to feel.

She didn't even know where her feet were guiding her until she had arrived. A gasp parted her lips as she viewed the clearing of the forest full of sakura trees.

This is where… she and Yoruichi had made their promise.

A soft hand ran through silky violet tresses. "I swear I will always be by your side to protect you. You can count on it."

A content sigh escaped beautiful lips. "So it's a promise, then?"

A nod of happiness which sealed them together forever.

She shut her eyes tightly, her eyebrows furrowing together from painful memories and realizations.

It happened so suddenly. She disappeared without a trace, without any warning at all. It was such a betrayal, from a person I had devoted myself to, someone I had worshipped like a goddess. She… lied to me. She promised me we would always be together. I was so hurt and angry I came to hate and curse her. I vowed to make myself stronger than her, so I could catch her and defeat her with my own hands. There's… no way I could ever forgive her after the way she betrayed my trust and devotion. If she truly yearned for my forgiveness, she would have tried to earn it back by now. But she hasn't yet even apologized… nor paid me a single visit. Am I… really not worth her time? …

A sudden tap on her shoulder nearly made Soi Fon jump out of her skin. She cursed herself inwardly in shame; she had been so caught up in her thoughts that she failed to sense someone approach her. If this had been on the battlefield, she would surely be dead by now. This was unacceptable.

Soi Fon whirled around, golden hoops tied at the end of her braids clanking together loudly, fiery anger stained all over her expression. She denied the part of her mind that wished the face she now viewed with her steel coloured orbs wasn't so unfamiliar.

"How dare you try to sneak up on a Captain! State your purpose!" She roared at her Stealth Force member furiously.

"Oh, please forgive my rudeness, Captain. I was just wondering why the fool Omaeda has to teach us today instead of a skilled warrior like yourself." A charming voice replied.

Any snappy comeback she was about to say got stuck in her throat. She barely heard his words, but the sound of his voice echoed inside of her mind. It sounded like… a distant memory.

Soi Fon hesitated for awhile before simply telling her subordinate that she didn't feel like it today. He never gave her a response, only stared at her with ice blue eyes that were twinkling mischievously. Soi Fon felt entranced; she couldn't help staring back.

Those… those eyes. They feel… so familiar.

She felt an odd ache in her heart. Even though he was coated entirely in black from the Stealth Force uniform, his eyes reflected mystery. A mystery she recognized, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. The confusion of the matter annoyed her.

And the fact that this lowly Soul Reaper was able to sneak up on her so easily pissed her off as well.

The man's eyes grew playfully soft, an amused smile growing behind his masquerade. He eventually removed his midnight shaded mask and headpiece, his wild, dark green hair falling to his shoulders, handsome bangs showering most of his pale face.

He smiled warmly upon seeing Soi Fon take a step back, her eyes widening in realization as words fluttered helplessly from her lips.

"You… it can't be you…!"

"Be careful, Ichigo!"

Chocolate orbs of said boy rested upon Kon, the Mod-soul who had currently possessed his body. The Sun, which was just beginning to fall from the high skies, still warmed Ichigo's skin and practically made his spiky orange hair glow. He gripped his Zanpakuto, Zangetsu, confidently within his strong hands, a light smirk on his features.

"Shut up, Kon. These little Hollows are no match for me!"

With a rough grunt, Ichigo leapt in the air, his Soul Reaper uniform flaring around his body wildly, as he vertically sliced a Hollow's mask in two with his sword, purifying its sins and sending its soul to the Soul Society. He wasted no time in using Shunpo to appear behind another Hollow in the shape of a large, grey wolf, and killing it as well.

Those small fry were absolutely no match for the Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki. He wasn't even breaking a sweat. But for some reason, more and more of those undead monsters just kept appearing, quickly using teamwork to surround their prey that contained such powerful spiritual energy.

Ichigo let out a battle cry as he charged at the Hollows, quickly and pretty much effortlessly destroying them all while effectively dodging any chance at injury.

But one Hollow seemed to escape the sight of his eyes and the wrath of his sword. The enormous and ferocious purple panther demon's roars filled the atmosphere as it swiftly approached Kon in Ichigo's body and raised its claw to strike. Ichigo's body trembled violently from the fear that Kon was feeling, and unfortunately, once Ichigo understood what was happening, he was too far away to protect his friend.

"Dammit! Kon, move!"

But it was too late. The Hollow launched its attack and all Kon could do was shut his eyes tightly, protect his head with his muscular arms, and wait for his end.

… It never seemed to come.

Kon bravely winked a brown eye open just to see a portal from the Soul Society above him closing and a small, black haired Soul Reaper suddenly in front of him and protecting him. His jaw dropped open in awe as he observed the Soul Reaper gracefully dispose of the Hollow with her Zanpakuto.

After the swirling dust and dirt from the battle cleared, the Soul Reaper turned around, her beautiful violet eyes shining with strength and worry as she asked Kon if he was alright.

Kon abruptly teared up, a scream of happiness splashing out of his throat.

"RUKIA!"

Ichigo watched in an odd sense of shock as Kon held the girl who allowed him to taste his first pure drop of Soul Reaper powers, Rukia Kuchiki, tightly against his chest, petting her hair gently to boot. Something pulsed angrily inside of Ichigo's heart upon seeing Kon embrace Rukia so comfortingly, even when inside of his body, but he chose to ignore the obscure feeling.

The orange haired Substitute Soul Reaper calmly paced over to his friends, using his spiritual energy to sheath Zangetsu upon his back within white strips of fabric, suppressing a chuckle as Rukia uppercut Kon in the jaw, sending the poor, perverted Mod-soul to the cement ground beneath, rubbing his chin tenderly.

"Hey now, be careful with my body there, Rukia," He greeted with a wave as he stood beside her, towering over the girl by at least a foot in height. "I know that Kon's in there, but don't go permanently damaging it."

"Speaking of which," Rukia began, her voice as demanding as ever. "Why is Kon in your body? You could've saved yourself all of this trouble if you simply used the Substitute Soul Reaper badge that my Captain bestowed you with."

Ichigo paused for a moment, scratching the back of his head uselessly, as if in nervous preparation. "Oh yeah… well, when I felt the Hollows' presence, I didn't have the badge on me. Kon was all I had."

"You fool!" She suddenly yelled, making Ichigo wince. "That badge was a gift from my Captain! You should always have it on you! How dare you disrespect his kindness!"

"… Sorry," Ichigo apologized somewhat flatly, unsure of what else to reply.

"Anyways, Ichigo," Rukia continued with a cough. "I am here on urgent Soul Reaper business, so I don't have time to converse in small talk. I'm heading over to Urahara's Shop and it would be wise if you followed me."

"Uh, okay… h-hey! Wait a minute! Don't walk away! Rukia! Hey!"

Said girl ceased her walking for a mere moment to turn and look at the boy. "What?"

Ichigo hesitated, frozen to the spot, before asking, "Rukia… what's going on?"

The serious look in her eyes was answer enough.

Rukia silently observed the five pairs of eyes that waited for her to continue. Kisuke and Tessai's eyes were hidden but she knew that they were interested in what she had to tell them. Ichigo looked serious, too, but more worried than anything. Kon tried to pose a thoughtful expression, but was failing miserably. He was just overjoyed to see Rukia again.

The resplendent eyes of Yoruichi Shihoin interested her the most, though. They looked… bored. Blank and bored. She stared at Rukia, alike to the other members of the group, but she didn't seem to really see her. Yoruichi rested her chin in the palm of her hand, appearing disinterested.

This made Rukia frown, but she didn't comment outwardly on it. She understood that Yoruichi was a very laid-back person, but when it came to serious situations, especially concerning the Soul Society, the catlike woman knew how to be mature. But it seemed that said woman had other things on her mind that were blinding her.

Remembering the reason she came here, Rukia started to speak, ignoring this obvious rudeness. "I have been ordered here on urgent Soul Reaper business," Rukia explained. "I have been sent here because I am the closest one to the Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki, who resides in the Human World." She directed her gaze towards that of the orange haired boy. "Ichigo, a formidable and unfamiliar spiritual pressure has suddenly been located within the Seireitei, and just in case, we are requesting you for back up assistance."

"A… formidable and unfamiliar spiritual pressure?" Ichigo repeated.

"That's right," Rukia nodded. "We're unable to locate its direct location as its spiritual pressure continues to rise and fall in different waves. We all feel that it's being emitted from a fellow Soul Reaper, however… we're not completely sure. It feels so… demonic compared to that of a regular Soul Reaper."

"Then maybe it's not a Soul Reaper at all," Ichigo offered. "Maybe it's a Hollow… or maybe even a Bount."

"Impossible for both cases," Rukia replied firmly. "The only Bount remaining is Go Koga, and he's in hiding with Ran'Tao. He has yet to disturb our peace since you disposed of Jin Kariya, Ichigo. Plus, if a Hollow had invaded the Seireitei, an alarm would have been sounded. The Gotei 13 are keeping quiet about this—most lower level Soul Reapers can't even regard the change in spiritual pressure."

"So, the Seireitei can't describe what kind of being this spiritual pressure belongs to?" Tessai questioned.

"Which is why you were ordered to come and see me," Urahara grinned calmly, pushing his striped hat up a bit to reveal his grey eyes. "They want me to try and discover who this person—or thing—is."

"That is partially correct," Rukia said. "My only orders were to come and bring Ichigo back to the Soul Society. I came to your shop on my own accord because I know that you, Kisuke, have the intellect to figure out this situation. The Seireitei always tries to avoid asking outsiders for their assistance… but sometimes it can't be helped."

Kisuke's grin didn't falter. "Ah… I see. Even after 100 years, there are still those who exist in the Soul Society whose anger hasn't dulled for me."

Yoruichi frowned and visibly flinched at this, but she still never spoke a word.

Several eyes watched him, waiting for the dirty blonde haired man to continue.

"Well, to be honest, I've never heard of something that correctly matches the information you have given me. I hope you understand that this is very little detail to work with. To me, at the moment, it just sounds like a powerful Soul Reaper with unique powers, or perhaps a unique Zanpakuto."

"I see…" Rukia replied with a thoughtful expression.

"Don't worry," Urahara reassured. "I'll research as much as I can into this to hopefully find the answer you're looking for."

"There's… only one other thing I know about this mysterious being," Rukia added slowly, dainty.

Everyone caught the oddness in the tone of her voice. "What is it, Rukia?" Ichigo asked quietly.

Violet eyes stared at him harshly.

"… A Captain is with them."

The room was silent besides the gasps that slipped past the lips of Kon and Tessai. Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise, and even Urahara looked taken aback.

Yoruichi's reaction appeared the most shocked, though. Her canines were clenched behind her lips, her amber orbs were wide with fear, and her body had frozen to its position. A steady ache swirled around her heart, a pump of anxiety with every beat. Her gut was twisting uncomfortably, but she didn't know why.

She had a sudden, horrible feeling that she couldn't quite place.

A Captain… is with this new fiend? By with, what exactly did Rukia mean? As in fighting with them, or… working together with them? Either way… please, please don't let that Captain be—

"Alright, I've wasted enough time here."

Yoruichi blinked rapidly to shake off her thoughts before looking up at the black haired girl.

"I've said everything that needed to be said. So now, Ichigo, I'd appreciate it if you followed me to the Soul Society."

"… Yeah, sure, Rukia. Whatever you say." The orange haired youth stretched his arms as he stood up, giving his shorter friend a nod of acceptance. She nodded back, a ghost of a smile gracing her lips. A portal to the Soul Society opened its doors behind Rukia.

"… I'm going, too."

Everyone glanced at the purple haired Goddess.

"Yoruichi? … Why?" Ichigo questioned under his breath.

A light smirk was forced upon her full lips as she walked towards the bright light radiating from the spiritual doors. "You know what they say," Her silky voice began, "The more, the merrier, right?"

She only allowed her expression to fall after she was away from the sight of her friends, beyond the passage of the doors. Ichigo and Rukia blinked to each other before bidding their farewells to the rest of the group and racing after Yoruichi, the doors slamming shut behind them before dissolving into untraceable mist.

"… You're not gonna follow them, Mr. Hat n' Clogs?" Kon asked softly, gazing at the man.

Kisuke Urahara expressed a small smile. "Nah, I'll let those kids have their fun."

After Kon looked away, Urahara looked down, his grey orbs hidden by the shadows of his hat. Tessai gave him an understanding look from behind his darkened glasses, but Kisuke ignored him. The distant and worried look in Yoruichi's eyes was haunting his heart, as it normally did when his best friend looked like that.

It's definitely not my time to return to the Soul Society. All I can do is hope that things don't occur as they did 100 years ago. Please, Yoruichi… don't let that happen.

"How can you just show up so suddenly, you bastard!"

The man's halcyon aura didn't falter in the slightest as Soi Fon lashed out at him with words. Her eyes resembled hot steel as the fists at her side trembled with anger.

The man brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Now, now… calm down, Soi Fon."

Her heart skipped a beat from hearing her name said by his all too familiar voice. "Me? Calm down? Calm is the last thing I should be right now! After all…" Her eyes darkened. "… You left me, just as she had, yet you still had the nerve to show back up here."

"That's right," He nodded in mutual agreement, his voice full of sympathy. "But you have to understand that the reason she left and the reason I left are two entirely different things. On my account, I had nothing left to teach you."

"That's not true!" Soi Fon blurted uncharacteristically, high strung emotions fueling her. "I was still weak back then. There was still so much more left for you to teach me, and yet… just as she had, you left without even saying goodbye…"

This made the man frown, but it was so instantaneous that Soi Fon couldn't even catch it. He took a slow, bold step forward, resting his gloved hand upon her shoulder. She tensed under his touch.

"When I first approached you," He began. "You resembled a little bee who had lost her wings. A girl who had lost everything. You were lonely, weak, and heartbroken, and that pain is still as fresh as if it occurred yesterday." The Captain looked at the ground, understanding full well what he meant. "But… I saved you from all that pain, relieved you of your loneliness… helped you forget about her. I taught you how to be strong. I watched your wings regrow.

"I've secretly watched over you for the past five years disguised as one of your Stealth Force members, and I am very proud of how strong you have become, Soi Fon." Said girl felt a pink tinge in her cheeks. "But after she showed up again, things changed. You were so confident, so strong… but after she beat you…" Soi Fon gazed into his eyes.

"… I once again saw the lonely little bee who had lost her wings. And she still stands here today, unable to take flight."

Soi Fon's head pointed towards the grass beneath, her shoulders shaking from anger and shame. "I trained for so long… so long… and yet… she still beat me so easily… so effortlessly," She murmured, more to herself than to him.

He gently squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. "I'll never let her hurt you again."

"And what gives you the right to say something like that?" She responded sharply, quickly, dauntlessly meeting his gaze.

The look in his eyes softened, ice blue orbs full of care. "Because I can't stand seeing you get hurt."

Soi Fon could feel her breath get caught in her throat. Her heart was aching but something oddly pleasant was swarming around in the pit of her stomach. This man always watched over me… even when she wasn't there. He helped me let go. He taught me how to be strong. That look in his eyes… he really does… genuinely care about me…

A rush of strong wind whipped her hair against her face, breaking her out of her thoughts, as she glanced around to see many of her Stealth Force troops circled around her and the mysterious man. She frowned at their presence, as she hadn't called for them.

The man didn't seem intimidated by their large numbers, however. His smile merely turned sly as he released his grip on the smaller woman's shoulder. "My, my…" He murmured. "What a welcoming committee we have, Soi Fon."

"Silence!" A bold Stealth Force member demanded, taking a step forward among his peers. "Your spiritual pressure feels… dangerous and unfamiliar. You are not one of our members! How dare you disguise yourself as one of us!"

"How dare you vile our Leader with your hands!" Another one with a higher voice spoke on the other side of the circle of guards. "Force Leader, hurry and get out of here! We'll handle this unworthy garbage."

Soi Fon's frown deepened. Unworthy…

The first Stealth Force member spoke up again, his voice low and threatening. "If you dare lay another finger on our Commander… we'll be forced to execute you!"

"Oh, how scary!" The dark green haired man mocked with a dramatic voice, an audacious grin spreading across his face. "Too bad…" He trailed his fingertips down Soi Fon's left arm, "… that I don't really care."

Blinded by rage and the desire to protect their master, all of the Stealth Force members charged at the repulsive man.

For a reason she could not explain, Soi Fon found herself protecting the man at her side. Seeing his smile, feeling his touch, understanding the emotion in his eyes… it all reminded her of how nice he was to her after Yoruichi left.

She was a black and white blur. She was too fast for her opponents to even see. She fought using precise Hakuda because it was her most skilled area, and because she didn't want to unnecessarily slay any of her comrades. But she also refused to let her comrades touch a hair on that man's head. Her arms and legs lashed out sharp movements, using methods that would simply knock her allies unconscious instead of killing them.

Soi Fon let out a short breath as she landed silently on the grass next to the man, who immediately placed his hand on her shoulder. She once again tensed under his touch and chose not to look at him, even when knowing he was staring at her. Instead, she focused her gaze at the several dozens of men from her Stealth Force that she had just defeated. Her face scrunched up in disgust.

This was once my sacred place, Soi Fon thought. … But now it has been defiled.

The raven haired girl's ears perked up at the sound of three more people arriving many metres distance from her. She automatically could tell how much fiercer their spiritual pressure was compared to her subordinates that she just took out.

After hearing a female gasp, both Soi Fon and the man turned around to view the three newcomers. It was Ichigo, a Ryoka, Rukia, whose hand was in front of her mouth, and…

… Yoruichi-sama!

Brown, violet, and amber eyes widened in shock at the sight of Soi Fon with the man and the Stealth Force defeated around them.

Soi Fon took notice to how Yoruichi's orbs almost instantly softened after she realized where she was.

… She remembered this place, too.

"C-Captain Soi Fon… what is this? What happened here?" Rukia asked hesitantly, unable to shake her uneasy feeling.

She never got a reply.

"Soi Fon is the leader of the Stealth Force," Ichigo exclaimed with a blustering frown. "I know she's cruel, but there's no way she would attack her own subordinates to defend a scumbag like you! You may be wearing a Stealth Force uniform, but I can sense how your spiritual pressure is different from that of a regular Soul Reaper.

"I know you're the one who did this!" The orange haired boy continued. "You'll pay for this, you bastard!"

Ichigo was ready to change at the man with the offending smirk, but was stopped by a dark hand in front of his chest.

"Calm yourself, Ichigo," Yoruichi said firmly, her voice making Soi Fon shiver. "Leave this to me."

"But—"

Yoruichi gave him a fierce look, and that was enough for his words to get caught in his throat. He let out a low growl as he stepped back towards Rukia, standing protectively beside her with one strong hand firmly holding the handle of his Zangetsu.

"Hello there!" Yoruichi greeted calmly to the tall, mysterious man, offering a laid-back wave of her hand, but not a hint of friendliness crossed her features. "If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

The man stared at Yoruichi with a deviant hardness in his eyes, staying silent. Soi Fon scowled at her forwardness.

"First off," Yoruichi began. "Who is responsible for the defeat of the Stealth Force?"

"Why does that matter?" He answered mischievously. "It doesn't change the fact that they're out cold on the ground."

Yoruichi frowned at this but chose to skip to another question, one of much more importance to her. "Why are you with my student?"

Soi Fon's teeth clenched together in anger. Student? I… am NOT her student anymore.

The man noticed Soi Fon's sudden discomfort but made sure not to show it. "Is there something wrong with me being with your… student? If she doesn't mind me being with her, then I don't see a problem with it."

The dark skinned woman's muscles tensed, her lips forming a hard line in frustration and building anger. "I don't appreciate the way you're answering my questions."

"Oh really? What that's too bad," He started cruelly, a drastic change in his tone that made Ichigo and Rukia flinch. "At least I'm answering your questions. Anytime you get asked a question, especially a heartfelt one, you tend to just stay silent… and run away… like the coward you are." He stroked Soi Fon's shoulder tenderly.

(… Why didn't you take me with you?)

Catlike pupils narrowed to dangerous slits as control slipped out of Yoruichi's mind.

The purple haired woman Shunpoed to him independently, a mere blink in Ichigo's and Rukia's eyes and the Goddess of Flash was next to the man, her leg high in the air, planning to entirely crush his skull. Yoruichi's heart nearly stopped when she felt Soi Fon's firm arms blocking her mighty kick, her body protecting the man.

Soi Fon's form froze upon realizing that she was raising her fists against her former master, again, only this time she didn't understand what gave her the will to do so. Anger? Hatred? Regret? The fact that Yoruichi attempted to hurt… him?

The raven haired girl gazed into Yoruichi's golden orbs, seeing how stunned she was from her former subordinate's actions. Soi Fon's heart skipped a beat as those beautiful eyes stared into hers, her soul wishing to believe that that was care shining in those golden depths, but then she remembered about her nightmare…

(I know you love me, Soi Fon… and it's disgusting. I've never loved you. I'm in love with him. He was my choice. I gladly left you for him. I didn't even care enough to give you a goodbye.)

Steel eyes tightened in anger as though they represented unbreakable doors to her soul. Doors that were suddenly more determined than ever to lock the purple haired woman out. Soi Fon refused to allow this woman to control her life anymore. All of her muscles hardened instantly, one hand securely gripping Yoruichi's ankle as she parted her lips to yell at the woman who caused her a century of pain.

"Back off!"

Yoruichi's throat constricted as those two fierce words filled her ears. Her old student's declaration rang endlessly inside of her head. Two words. They were so simple… but it made Yoruichi's stomach twist painfully.

What happened to the shy, respectful little girl… that I had to leave 100 years ago? What happened… to my poor little Soi Fon?

A grin spread across the viridian haired man's face as he noticed the obvious shock and confusion upon Yoruichi's expression, his eyes darkening considerably. Ichigo saw this and Rukia had to grip his forearm in order to hold him back, reminding him that Yoruichi told them to leave this situation to her.

Unfortunately in Yoruichi's case, Soi Fon didn't have any intention of backing down and talking things through calmly like Yoruichi had originally planned. However, Soi Fon had always been a woman who communicated through actions rather than words, anyway. From the way Soi Fon was gripping her ankle, Yoruichi could tell what she was going to do—as she had trained her personally in the past—yet Yoruichi couldn't find the will to break out of her hold. She knew she easily could… but she didn't want to raise her fists to Soi Fon.

Not again.

"Soi Fon… please," Yoruichi found it hard to speak. "Tell me what's going on. There is no reason for us to fight. I don't want to fight you."

"Oh, that's right… it's always been about what you want, hasn't it?"

Venom dripped from Soi Fon's voice and Yoruichi groaned lightly as the other woman pushed off the ground using the balls of her feet, still holding onto Yoruichi's ankle, sending both of them flying off into the trees.

"No! Yoruichi!" Ichigo called out.

"I wouldn't interfere if I were you," The mysterious man noted slyly. Rukia narrowed her eyes at him and Ichigo's muscular arms were trembling in anger at this bastard's attitude. "This is Soi Fon's fight. Stay out of it, and I promise to not raise an offending finger against you."

"But Yoruichi is our friend! We're not just gonna let her fight a Captain all by herse—"

Ichigo's reply was cut short as the man started laughing, his dark coloured hair swaying back and forth as he shook his head.

"Heh…" He began suspiciously covertly. "… You just don't understand anything, do you?"

"… What?"

As Ichigo's conversation trailed to uncomfortable silence, a loud crash echoed through the beautifully large sakura forest as Soi Fon threw Yoruichi by her ankle into the trunk of a tree. Yoruichi bit back a gasp as pain surged through her back at the impact, a dangerous crack fissuring the bark as she slid down limply to the ground. It was surprising the tree didn't split apart, really.

Yoruichi's eyes cracked open to view the petite figure clad in her old Captain's uniform that stood upon a thin branch a few metres away, cold, grey orbs staring down at her with a mixture of emotions.

Ugh… hurting Soi Fon is out of the question, but getting hurt myself isn't very appealing either. I suppose I should at least defend myself…

Yoruichi was forced to submit to her final thoughts because Soi Fon Shunpoed at her in the next second. Having no choice, Yoruichi Shunpoed at her as well.

Sakura petals blew around wildly as the two women collided in midair, nearby ones dissolving instantly from the intense spiritual pressure melting off their skin. Soi Fon relied solely on Hakuda, unleashing a fury of swift punches upon her former idol. Yoruichi never returned any assaults, instead choosing to minimize the damage she was receiving with countless dodges and blocks.

Eventually, Yoruichi was able to grip both of Soi Fon's toned shoulders and hopped over her, leaving the raven haired girl surprised at the odd maneuver. Soi Fon's braids whipped themselves against Yoruichi's legs as the dark skinned girl pushed herself off of Soi Fon's back with her feet, a rush of wind smacking her face as she sent herself soaring upwards while Soi Fon was sent diving in the other direction.

The moment Yoruichi gripped a high branch with her hand, acrobatically flipped around it, and landed on it safely, she turned around with hope that she didn't hurt Soi Fon with those actions. Her features appeased gladly when she realized that the Stealth Force Leader hadn't suffered any injuries; she stood uninjured on the ground, glaring daggers up at her while her knuckles were turning white from how tightly she was clenching her fists.

It's true that no physical pain was delivered… but Soi Fon's mental pain was stronger than ever.

"How dare you treat me this way!" Golden eyes shined in confusion at Soi Fon's sudden outburst. "Why aren't you attacking me? You're going easy on me… again! Just like you did last time! How dare you mock me!"

Soi Fon leapt at the purple haired woman, her fist outstretched. "Why can't you honor me with the fight I deserve, Yoruichi-sama?"

Yoruichi winced inwardly as she sidestepped Soi Fon's attack at the last possible moment. The silver eyed girl groaned throatily, nipping at the inside flesh of her cheek as she performed a graceful flip in the air, before landing smoothly on a nearby branch, her body automatically locking in a defensive position.

But Yoruichi didn't take this as an advantage to strike. After all, causing Soi Fon pain was the last thing she wanted to do. She had absolutely no interest in fighting her. "You've already fought me once, Soi Fon. What will you gain… from a second round?"

"… Our last battle meant nothing! It didn't prove my strength! I still wasn't… stronger than you. All that fight succeeded in doing… was shouting the fact… that I was still the pathetic girl you betrayed 100 years ago." Her expression saddened slightly.

As did Yoruichi's. "Soi Fon… I didn't betray—"

"—Yes you did!" Soi Fon screamed in fury, forcing tears to stay behind her eyes. "You promised me we would always be together! Yet you betrayed me! And for what? That stupid slob you used to call your Third Seat! What made him so special? Why did it always have to be about him?"

(Why does it always have to be about you?)

Soi Fon's eyes widened in painful remembrance, chomping on her lower lip roughly.

Yoruichi reached out towards her, despite the distance between them. "Soi Fon… please, if you would just listen to me."

"No! I'm done listening! All your talk is full of lies!" Soi Fon shut her eyes tightly, her heart aching just from looking at the gorgeous woman's face. "I… am through with you, Yoruichi-sama! I refuse to let you hurt me like that again! Your very existence threw away any chance at freedom I could've had, and I was still haunted by your image even after you left! I… I'm not your pet anymore!"

It felt like panther's claws were ripping Yoruichi's heart. "Soi Fon…"

"That man… he was there for me when you never were. He actually cares about me. If you dare even threaten him again… I'll kill you, Yoruichi-sama!"

Time seemed to freeze for Yoruichi. The breeze instantly stopped, her violet ponytail brushing against the orange jacket that clothed her back. A lone cherry blossom rested upon her shoulder.

Soi Fon's next words were but a murmur, yet they dripped of stinging acid. "I'm not the same girl you used to know. A lot of things can change in 100 years, Yoruichi-sama… including my feelings for you."

Those heartbreaking words caused Yoruichi to let her guard down for only an instant. But an instant was all Soi Fon needed. The shorter haired girl thrust her foot against Yoruichi's stomach, knocking the air right out of the older girl's lungs and sent her flying backwards at breakneck speed. The distance Yoruichi's body travelled from the force was so vast that she landed on her back before Ichigo and Rukia, rolling uncomfortably on the grass until her form came to a halt.

"Yoruichi!" They both cried, kneeling beside their friend and mentor to check for any severe injuries.

The catlike woman coughed at their efforts. The only injuries she had truly attained during that fight were mental ones. Scars on her pride—and her heart.

Soi Fon appeared next to the mysterious man a few seconds later. He proposed a smile, his ice blue eyes twinkling in a sadistic joy, but she never looked at him back. Her solid silver gaze was locked with the liquid golden ones across the area.

Her heart was thumping loudly and her soul felt like it was breaking. Something was overwhelmingly painful… after Soi Fon realized that Yoruichi was lying there on the ground because of her…

All thoughts were halted as a powerful spiritual pressure entered their senses. All heads turned to look at the new face that had appeared through the trees. His eyes were closed, his midnight hair curtaining behind his shoulders. He was clad in a Captain's uniform.

"Nii-sama…" Rukia whispered to herself. His grey eyes opened slowly, principle lodged within them.

"Byakuya!" Ichigo declared loudly, staring intensely at him.

Byakuya of the noble Kuchiki clan ignored both of them and stared directly into Yoruichi's eyes. Hmm… He thought. It appears as though the were-cat has been caught after all.

The Captain of the 6th Division shifted his gaze to that of his current fellow Captain's. "Captain Soi Fon, just what do you think you are doing?" He asked sternly. She never offered a reply. "From what I observed, you defeated your own Division to defend that Soul Reaper with the unfamiliar spiritual pressure. Then you began unnecessarily fighting Yoruichi Shihoin—with the same intention of protecting that man."

Soi Fon frowned, still refusing to look at him. She had a very bad gut feeling about all of this.

"Unless your senses deceive you, Captain Soi Fon, that man is not one of your men. His spiritual pressure has been detected by the Seireitei and he has been deemed an enemy. Which means, Captain Soi Fon, that you have broken the law by attacking fellow Soul Reapers and siding with the enemy."

Yoruichi's eyes widened as she stared at Soi Fon, the later girl's heart trembling. Obeying the law was the only thing the silver eyed girl had ever known. She had always been strict about following the rules, even when she was but a child. What on Earth could drive Soi Fon to do something so foolhardy that she would go against something she believed so strongly in?

… Like me, Yoruichi thought. She always believed in me. She promised me she would always be by my side to protect me… but now…

(If you dare even threaten him again… I'll kill you, Yoruichi-sama!)

"This is an emergency situation," Byakuya announced strongly, yet he sounded quite calm and respectable all the same. "I will be reporting this whole situation to Head Captain Yamamoto, and no doubt a Captain's meeting will be ordered. … It would be wise, Captain Soi Fon, if you accompanied me to the Main Assembly Hall where the meeting will soon take place… so you can have a chance to explain your actions."

Soi Fon let out a deep breath through her nose as she glanced behind herself to notice that the man was gone. Long since gone, probably, as she could not even feel a tinge of his warmth anymore.

She met Yoruichi's gaze once again, reading the shock, confusion, fear, and pity that was swirling within them.

(I'm going to find him, again, and leave you alone, again. I don't need you anymore. Have fun torturing yourself in your lonely life.)

Cursing under her breath to disguise a sob, she Shunpoed away with Byakuya, leaving Yoruichi in a state that she couldn't even begin to describe.

Sama: a very formal honorific used when talking to or about someone who is much older and wiser, or someone whom you admire to the point of near worship.

Sakura: cherry blossom, the name of the flowers that bloom on cherry trees.

Haori: jacket worn over the kimono by both men and women (in this case, the white coat worn by all the Bleach Captains.)

Shunpo: a movement technique that allows the user to move faster than the eye can follow.

Hakuda: the general term for close-combat techniques that make use of one's own body as a weapon (hand-to-hand combat).

Zanpakuto: main weapon of the Soul Reaper (Shinigami), the Arrancar and the Vizard.

Zanjutsu: the most used form of combat among Soul Reapers. As the name suggests, it involves using a Zanpakuto and its various special abilities to attack an opponent.

Mod-souls: artificial souls designed to enhance regular human physiology, making them capable of battling Hollows equally.

Ryoka: the term the Gotei 13 use to identify those who are not aligned with the Soul Society, either allies, rebels, intruders, deserters, or invaders.

I know this chapter is very long, but that's because this is the first chapter and I intended for a lot to happen in it. Besides, longer chapters are better, right? It gives the readers more to look forward to every time I update the story.

By the way... I'm just wondering... do any of you ever use sentences where it ends with both a question mark and an exclamation mark (? and !)? Those type of sentences put lots of excitement and emphasis on the question that's being asked, and I intended for some of the sentences in this story (and all of my others) to have this effect. But for some reason, every time I try to use that, or put double punctuation (like lots and lots of ! marks) fanfiction doesn't save what I do and doesn't allow them to appear in the story when I upload it to the site, yet I see it works with other people's stories. ... Does anyone know how I can fix this problem? XD

Anyways… I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Betrayal, and your support will help me continue this story. Review… please? For the Yorusoi? ;)