Crowning Impossibility "Now, then," Sosuke Aizen adressed his homeroom just before the last bell, "...By now most of you have completed the majority of your mid-term tests, correct?" There was a general nod of assent among the students of Class 4-E, after which the bespectacled teacher continued. "I'm sure that many of you are of the impression that the teacher likes to 'go easy' on students for the last class of the term. I, however, am NOT one of them...And Miss Shiba, refrain from showing such disrespect or you willl be punished harshly." Kuukaku made no response as she ceased her not-too-subtle mockery of Aizen, having heard this tirade before twice; she simply slumped back into her chair. She doubted Aizen could do anything terribly threatening to her, but the girl decided not to test her luck today. After a few moments spent giving Kuukaku a stony gaze, Aizen continued. "...I'm not, however, without mercy. If there's anything you don't understand about the material, feel free to ask me and I'll go over it with you in detail." Half-a-minute later the tone sounded, announcing the end of the school day, and the class slowly began to file out once they'd bowed to their instructor. Yoruichi and Kuukaku walked straight to the door, passing a group of slower students who were lining up to get help from Aizen. Suddenly Kuukaku groaned as a smaller girl bumped into her, coming in from outside the hall. "OW! Hey, watch i--" She did a double-take when she saw who it was, a petite girl with a scared-mouse face and her hair tied up in a bun. "Oh... Sorry, Hinamori-chan." "I-It's alright," the class representative for their homeroom said quietly as she accepted a hand up from Yoruichi, bending down to grab her fallen notebook once she had her feet firmly planted on the floor again. "...It's my fault anyway for going against the crowd." "Did you forget something?" Yoruichi asked curiously. "N-no," Momo answered as she glanced down at the tile floor. "...I just, um...I needed to talk to Sosuk-- I mean, Aizen-sensei," she corrected before the other two girls had time to let the confused looks they were preparing appear on their faces. As if he could hear her thoughts, the teacher in question called out to the tiny girl. "Miss Hinamori!" "I-I'm coming, Aizen-sensei!" Momo stuttered as she bumped past Kuukaku again, as though at the sound of Aizen's voice she could neither see or hear anything else. "...Man, talk about your crushes," the taller of the two upperclassman muttered dismissively as they walked away from the dreaded classroom. "...So, are you gonna ask her?" "...Huh?" Yoruichi blinked, as the weeklong academic gauntlet had been occupying her thoughts of late. "You know," Kuukaku chided with a roll of the eyes, "...That Soi Fong kid, about your summer plans this year! And don't tell me you didn't get the place 'cause I wanna--" "No, no, I rented it for a week, just like we decided," the Shihouin girl said with a steadying wave. "...It's just that...well...she's not really the 'partying' type, and I don't wanna make her uncomfortable." At the sound of a mocking chuckle from her companion, Yoruichi's brow narrowed slightly. "What?" "Whatever-- that's all the more reason TO bring her, I say. That girl's too tight-strung...It'd do her some good to unwind." Yoruichi had to admit that her friend was right, even if the idea of Soi being the only freshman in a group of most-likely-drunk seniors didn't sit well with her. Hopefully, she could just forget to ask her, and then there wouldn't be any problem... "Oh hey, speak of the devil," Kuukaku said while pointing further up the hall. Yoruichi blanched slightly as she followed her friend's gaze to see Soi Fong walking towards them, oblivious to their presence thanks to the textbook she was trying to look over at the last minute. "Hey, kid!" Soi recognized Kuukaku's obnoxious voice and noticed her slightly out of the corner of her eye, but was preparing to ignore the Shiba when she noticed who was accompanying her and the young girl's heart did a backflip. It was getting harder and harder to ignore this thing that would happen in Yoruichi's presence ever since the Karate test. "H-Hi, Yoruichi-san!" Soi greeted the dark girl, completely oblivious to the other girl. Kuukaku was about to 'discipline' the freshman for being so rude, but decided instead to roll her eyes and ignore what had happened. "Hey, Soi." "What's up, kid?" Soi's smile evaporated the second she was forced to acknowledge Kuukaku, which she did with a slight, half-hearted bow. An awkward silence passed for a minute before Yoruichi decided to break the ice. "Uh, how was your Lit final?" "Oh! It...it went pretty well," Soi said, even as she was trying to talk herself into banishing the smile that had reappeared on her face, as she feared it made her look like an idiot. "Hey, look," Yoruichi began as people continued to file past them, heading out the front door. "...Soi, what are you doing next week?" "Hmm? Not too much, I don't think," the Chinese girl said quickly, only skimming the short mental list of activities she had planned. Suddenly, the significance of Yoruichi's query hit her, and a thought occurred to the girl that threatened to turn her already red face to an unhealthy purple. Is...does she want to do something with...with ME? "W...Why?" she managed to finish before she popped a blood vessel. "Well, y'see, since this is our last summer break before college...and by 'our' I mean Kisuke, Kuukaku and I... We decided to rent a beach house out of town this year. And, well, since we're trying to get a bunch of people to come with us, I thought I'd ask if you wanted to come." Soi blinked while the weight of Yoruichi's request hit her, unable to believe that this wasn't some sort of joke. "A...A beach house? But...but those are so expensive!" Soi exclaimed, forgetting briefly that with Yoruichi's money, she could easily afford to buy an entire beach for herself. "Hey...it's no trouble," Yoruichi said even as she gave Kuukaku a significant glare that the other girl chose to ignore blithely. "W-well, maybe...I'd have to ask my Dad, okay?" Soi said as evenly as she could. "...How long would it be?" "Not long," Yoruichi answered as she shifted her books from her right arm to her left one. "Just a week." A whole week... "O-okay!" Soi said as she hobbled away, nearly forgetting in her flustered state which direction her locker was in. "Be sure to tell me by tomorrow if you're coming, okay?" Yoruichi smiled as Soi headed off. She didn't have anything to worry about as far as the freshman was concerned, though. The idea of a week with Yoruichi, even shared with a few other people, was enough to make her certain that she NEEDED to go on this trip. "Okay, do you have your sleeping bag?" Soi brought herself to a halt just short of the door at the sound of her father's voice. "Yes, Dad," the girl answered impatiently as she adjusted the duffel bag on her shoulder, sliding open the zipper to go through her belongings. She was surprised at how easily her father had granted permission when Soi had first mentioned the beach house, but after a week of preparation the realization of what he had permitted hit him, and he seemed intent on worrying about his daughter all the way up to her departure. "Now you're sure you have enough clothes, right?" "Yes, Dad..." "Okay, now be sure to say 'thank you' to your friends for inviting you, and--" "Dad!" Soi finally exclaimed in frustration, but her eyes widened when she became aware of her additude and gave her father an apologetic bow. "...I'm sorry..." "Oh, it's all right," the older man said with a shrug. "...I just want you to be safe, okay? But...be sure to have fun, too. These years won't come around again, you know," he amended with a teasing smile. A few moments later there was a knock at the door, to which he called, "The door's open!" and Yoruichi poked her head out from the other side, not wanting to take her shoes off and come in. "Hey, Soi! What's the hold-up? We gotta get on the road!" "O-okay!" Soi answered with an excited smile, turning to give her father a quick goodbye before running to follow her friend out the door. "Bye, Dad!" He followed Soi to the door and waved her off, wondering as the group drove off in Kisuke's car if he'd imagined the blush on his daughter's face. "WOO-HOO!" Kuukaku yelled once Urahara had maneuvered his two-door sedan onto the highway, startling the vehicle's other occupants. "This is gonna kick ass!" "Oh, hey--thanks for taking my seat, Kuukaku," Yoruichi groaned from the cramped backseat where she and Soi were crammed like sardines. "Well, hey-- finders keepers," the rowdy young woman with a grin. "Jeez, Shiba," Kisuke responded with a groan from the driver's seat, "...Keep this up and I'll have you switched with someone from Rangiku's ca--" He stopped short on the urging of a sudden, dangerous look from his dark-skinned friend in the backseat, but Soi Fong had already come to an understanding. "...Matsumoto-san's coming?" "Uh..." Yoruichi began, worrying when she saw the color fade slightly from Soi's face. "...Yeah. See, SOMEHOW the word got out (at this she glared daggers at Kuukaku), and then a bunch of seniors wanted to come, so we just...decided to make a party out of it..." she drifted off uneasily, wondering if Soi would want to leave after learning about this. "Oh, that's okay!" Yoruichi and Kisuke blinked in unison at the young girl's suspiciously enthusiastic response, the latter of whom nearly missed the exit for the next highway in his shock. "...Are you sure?" The blonde upperclassman asked, eyeing Soi through his rearview mirror and noting that she seemed unable to meet his gaze. "Y-Yeah. I mean, you guys were nice enough to invite me-- I don't have any right to complain about who you invite. Besides, I like Matsumoto-san." Yoruichi looked at the younger girl uneasily before turning to look out the window, and after a few minutes of awkward silence Kuukaku complained about the lack of music and promptly turned up the radio. Soi hadn't been lying when she said she didn't mind Rangiku's attendance-- it was her boyfriend that she was worried about. 4 hours, two pit-stops and a hurried meal curteousy of a greasy little-off road burger pit later, the quartet heaved a sigh of relief as they stretched their legs upon reaching their destination. "...So, what do you guys think?" Yoruichi said with a self-satisfied grin as she indicated the house she'd managed to acquire-- a spacious, yet cozy looking two-story house, sitting less than a stone's throw from the sea. Kuukaku gave an appraising nod (ignoring a struggling Urahara's wordless pleas for help with the mountain of luggage he was swamped under), while Soi stared, wide-eyed, until she managed to utter an impressed grunt. "Hmph," Yoruichi grinned at the youngest's face as she gave her hair a light tousle. "You're so easy to please, Soi-- much better than SOMEONE around here." "...What's that supposed to mean?" Kuukaku sneered as she took the hint from Kisuke and grabbed the red cooler sitting in the back, groaning slightly under its weight. "Nothing," Yoruichi said as she withdrew her hand and Soi felt a slight tinge of disappointment, which she was able to hide when the older woman looked in her direction. "Come on, let's get unpacked." "Anyone here?" Rangiku called out as she pushed the unlocked front door to the beach-house ajar, her emerald eyes widening at the grandeur of the building. Wow, the blonde mouthed wordlessly as she picked up the spare bag she'd put down to open the door. Way to go, Yoruichi... "Hey, Rangiku!" Yoruichi said jovially as she came to greet her friend. "Did you find the place okay?" "Yeah, no problem-- everyone else is getting stuff now..." Rangiku began just as a tall, almost tomboyish looking girl with short white hair and a braid pushed past her. "Hey! Watch it!" The girl didn't respond at first; she set her heavy bags onto the floor and out of the way before she tried to speak through heavy breathing. "S...Sorry...Rangiku...b...but...I...didn't really...have time to...apologize..." Before Yoruichi had a chance to say hello, a handful of other people came in-- a pair of young men, one with platinum blonde hair and the other sporting stubble to challenge even Kisuke and a ponytail to boot; this man was accompanied closely by a rather severe looking woman with glasses and a tight bun for a hairstyle. Yoruichi smiled as she looked at the boys, a warm sense of nostalgia that made her grab the blonde and give him a rough but playful headlock. "OW! Not so hard, Yoruichi..." Ukitake said even as he began to laugh. He'd forgotten how strong the girl could be when she wanted to rough-house. "You guys made it! Oh man, it's been way too long!" the dark-skinned girl laughed as she smacked the scraggly-looking teen in the back, making him double-over when coupled to the weight of his suitcase. "Hey, Kisuke! Get away from the damn stove and get out here!" "...What?" her confidant called as he walked in, wearing a plain white apron that he'd doubled up and had tied around his waist. It took him a moment to register who was there when he saw them, then he, like Yoruichi, ran up and slapped both on the shoulder. "Well, if it isn't you two! What's it been-- three years?" "Somethin' like that," Ukitake said warmly. "Oh, and by the way, Renji called; he and Rukia are driving here on their own and'll be here tomorrow." "Hmph. I can only imagine what THEY'LL be doing," Rangiku said with a suggestive grin, to which the quartet laughed loudly. "Oh! Rangiku-chan!" the ponytailed boy said with a lecherous grin, as he'd just noted her presence. "...I haven't seen you for awhile! How 'bout a h--" He was cut off in mid-sentence not by the blonde's fist, but by an elbow to the gut from the stoic young woman beside him. "Watch it, Shunsui," she said simply, but it was enough to make her male counterpart straighten up immediately. "Hey, who's this?" Kisuke asked when he noticed the girl. "Oh! I'm glad you asked!" Shunsui grinned as he put an arm around her. "She's my girlf--" "I'm Nanao Ise," she finished after slapping Kyoraku's hand away, then extending it in a gesture of greeting. "Hey, Yoruichi-san!" Soi called as she came down the stairs. "...Have you seen my-- Oh...Hello, everyone," the freshman amended upon seeing the crowd gathered there, feeling her enthusiasm for the week evaporate as she did so. She hadn't thought there'd be THIS many people here, all of whom were at least two years older than her. "Oh, good-- You can meet everyone!" the older girl said with a smile, not noticing that most of the people behind her had gotten a little downcast at having their reunion marred by the presence of an underclassman. As one, however, they all seemed to hide their disappointment when Yoruichi turned back around. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Soi Fong. Soi, this is Isane (the short-haired girl smiled a greeting), Shunsui (he nodded politely at the Chinese girl), Ukitake (he waved a kindly 'hello' in her direction), and, uh...Shinsui's girlfriend..." "It's 'Nanao,'" the bespectacled girl corrected smoothly. "Right," Yoruichi admitted with a roll of the eyes. Soi gave the group as a whole a low bow, muttering through a blush that she hoped she wouldn't be a bother. Instead of dejected muttering, however, she was surprised at the collective 'Aww' that issued from the upperclassmen. "...Huh?" Soi managed to get out before Ukitake came up and patted her on the head. "Where'd you find this girl, Yoruichi? She's so cute!" ...Cute? Soi wondered, uncertain if she should be flattered or offended for being thusly patronized. She looked desperately at Yoruichi as the seniors crowded her, asking about herself, but the older girl only gave Soi a teasing grin. "Well, then," Kisuke called to get his friend's attention, "...There's lunch in the kitchen, an--" He stopped upon noticing an all-too-familiar face come in from outside, a silver-haired grinning boy carrying a large suitcase behind him. "Oh, uh...Hey, Gin." "...Well, now..." Ichimaru said teasingly as he set the luggage down in front of him, "...No need ta stop talkin' on my account..." That was exactly what they did, however-- Soi and Yoruichi, along with Kisuke, stared at the freshman's nemesis uneasily, while everyone else who was unaware of their 'history' only stood still, as the negative energy passing between the four was beyond palpable. "Um...Did I miss something?" The whole room jumped at the sound of Kuukaku's voice, who appeared out of the kitchen with a half-eaten fried-noodle sub in her right hand. "N...No," Rangiku said with an uncomfortable smile. "...We were just going to go eat." "Oh...Uh, yeah. Come on, guys," Urahara said as he motioned the group into the next room. Before Gin could follow, his girlfriend grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pulled his ear to her mouth. "Not so fast, you," she whispered dangerously. Gin's smile faded when Rangiku released him, and at the urging of one of the woman's angry nods he turned to Soi Fong. "...What do you want?" Soi asked through narrowed eyes while Yoruichi leveled Ichimaru with an equally cold glare. Gin gave Rangiku an exasperated look, as if he was a child being forced to eat a much-dejected meal, but she slapped him on the arm and he proceeded. To the utter surprise of the other two girls, Gin gave Soi a small bow. "...Wanted ta' apologize." He said simply, and the buxom girl behind him gave a satisfied nod. "...Rangi--(slap)...I...shouldn'ta been pickin' on ya..." he muttered as he rubbed the bright red mark on his face where his girlfriend had given him a disciplinary hit. No one said anything for a moment, during which Yoruichi pulled Soi close and gave her some whispered advice. "...You're not gonna believe this bastard, are you?" To her surprise, Soi ignored her and gave a slight huff. "Well," she said with an air of assumed confidence to the silver-haired upperclassman, "...I guess it's fine. But..." she said with a sudden severity, "...I'll let you off the hook if you just leave me alone." Gin stared at her interestedly, surprised that his prey hadn't used his awkward position to bargain for something more humiliating. And he wouldn't admit it, but that punch of hers had definitely been one of the worse ones he'd suffered in years... "...Deal," he said simply as he turned away from the two girls and headed for the kitchen, followed shortly thereafter by his girlfriend.
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