Five days later, Soifon found herself to be a proud owner of a pet cat. Since she could not decide what to name her pet, it was Yoruichi who suggested naming the cat. The cat was named Ryu. For some reason Soifon could not explain why she was becoming attached to her pet. It would follow her everywhere, from the 2nd Division's training grounds even to her private hot springs. She would fondly let it swim along the vast pool while she would sit down and relax herself after a hard day's training and working as the captain of the 2nd Division. Even her subordinates grew fond of their new 'mascot' except Fukutaichou Marechiyo Ōmaeda, who for some reason grew envious of it since his Taichou would prefer to have the cat around her than him.

Later that night, as Soifon was fast asleep, the cat stirred up from its own sleeping pillow and went outside. It left the 2nd Division headquarters, past the Gotei 13 barracks and proceeded to the forest. An hour has passed and the cat reached its destination, an elaborate manor with a crest of a tiger and phoenix at the topmost part of the arch. The cat lithely climbed the tree nearest to the fence and jumped on the roof, proceeded climbing to the topmost part of the manor, where an attractive, slender long-haired woman was sitting languidly gazing at the stars.

As the cat saw the woman it simply looked at her and entered a room via the window. Moments later a young man emerged from the window, smiling at the woman who was waiting for him.

"Ne Ryu-chan… you're late as always!" Yoruichi said sarcastically.

"Gomen ne, Itoko-dono. You're former apprentice is such a workaholic… I had to wait for her to sleep before coming here" Ryuuki replied gently, smiling as sat down beside her.

Yoruichi smiled back and simply hugged her cousin who was younger than her by seven years. Ryuuki or Ryu-chan as she would fondly called him, was her only cousin who aside from her could transform into a cat at will for long periods of time. While the Shihouin clan heads formerly lead the Secret Mobile Corps and the Corrections Corps, Ryuuki's family specialized in Demon Magic or Kido and most of his elders were captains of the Kido Corps, a special division of the Gotei 13, the last captain was Tsukabishi Tessai, Ryuuki's uncle before the said special division was dissolved.

"So, after living with her for a couple of days do you still wish to pursue her?" Yoruichi thoughtfully asked him.

"I certainly do Itoko-dono… I most certainly do… now that I really saw how she is...how beautiful she is… especially her heart" Ryuuki replied, his face wistful.

"So when do you plan to introduce yourself as a human?" Yoruichi asked

"Soon… I just need to make some preparations." He answered.

The following day, Soifon woke up feeling refreshed and energized. The sleep really made wonders, she thought to herself as she went straight to her bathroom. She glanced at her pet's sleeping pillow and found it empty. Hmnn… maybe it went for a morning stroll, she mused as she continued to do her daily routine.

Being her day off, she decided to visit Yoruichi in the human world. After filling up her pet's bowl with milk and finishing some minor errands in the office she set off to the Senkaimon Gate and left for the human world.

At Urahara's store….

"Ne Anatta, don't you think we are overloading the children with sweets? I know it would be awhile before we come back here but don't you think this is just a bit too much?" A tall beautiful woman with long midnight blue hair asked her equally attractive husband who was busy filling up the basket with assorted candies and chocolate bars.

Byakuya Kuchiki, 6th Division captain and husband of the former Michiko Sayomi smiled naughtily; he knew that with that smile of his he could get his way which he always did, his lovely wife could only sigh in resignation. The couple has three children; Shiro - who Byakuya adopted since Michiko then was a single parent when they met, was currently studying in the ShinigamiAcademy and their five year old twins, a rarity in Seireitei especially among noble families.

Yoruichi laughed heartily as she greeted Michiko. "Ne Michiko, you must be used to him by now. He really loves to spoil the children." Yoruichi said

"Oh you're absolutely right! He loves spoiling them and they love it…" Michiko replied as she felt her husband's arms wound around her.

"Don't forget that you loved being spoiled too, Anatta" Byakuya teased his wife.

"I absolutely adore being spoiled by YOU" she happily replied as she turned to face him and kissed him passionately in front of everyone. Byakuya returned her kisses passionately and when the kiss ended both were smiling and blushing profusely.

Returning back to his usual stoic self, Byakuya paid for the purchase in which a cheery Urahara helped in packaging the goods resulting to three boxes and asked Jinta to put the boxes in the limousine. Byakuya spoke briefly to Urahara, later on with his arms around his wife, on both left the store, heads close to each other as he whispered something to his wife that set her giggling.

"Ahh… the joys of marriage and parenthood" Urahara said dreamily as he and Yoruichi watched Byakuya gently ushering his wife in the car.

"Indeed… I am so happy for them… after all the trials and sufferings they went through. They really deserve happiness. Yoruichi replied

"Souka… hmnn… I think I forgot something… or someone…" Urahara uttered as he fanned himself. He glanced at his best friend looking for a clue when both heard a crashing sound from the Basement training grounds.

"Araa… I think I remember now." He grinned as he enters the store.

oOo oOo oOo

author's note:

hi again! :) here's chapter 2 of soi fon's story. i hope you like it as much as i enjoy writing it. in my personal opinion, soi fon is one of the bleach characters who i find very mysterious as well as challenging to write. you may wonder why byakuya in this story is married to an oc and with children at that. byakuya and the oc character [his wife] are from the previous fanfict i wrote 'second chances' which happens to have a sequel 'the promise' which is still ongoing.

thank you again for dropping by.

ja ne