Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ For The Love of a Friend ❯ Friendship Over Love ( Chapter 23 )

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo. I am not Tite Kubo. I do not own Bleach or the characters. I do not own the Seireitei. Next chapter there will be no disclaimer as if you have read this far you are already aware of the above.

 

 

Friendship Over Love

 

Warning: This is from Soi's viewpoint and provides her version of `consolation'. Skip it if you want to avoid angst.

 

Waking dreamily the next morning she stretched and yawned. Her body felt surprisingly relaxed and for a change the nausea had vanished. Dreamless, uninterrupted sleep must be the reason she was experiencing this pleasant awakening as a result. It was a pity it seemed to be the rarity rather than the norm and she wondered why her sleep had been so sound.

 

“Perhaps it's because of the enjoyable, near problem free sex I had with Toshiro,” the explanation rose in her mind.

 

“It wasn't enough.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Relieved that she was alone she tried to dismiss the words as if she hadn't uttered a sound. Sex was the least of her concerns, or it should be. Toshiro was even less of a concern than the sex. If she had a choice between the two it would be the sex, as long as it was with Toshiro and he didn't say anything that was in any way challenging. It had to be him, no one else. Thinking about him this way was wrong but it was hard to think of him as the enemy. It was close to the way she had thought about Yoruichi, but that was flawed.

 

One time when they were eating breakfast together, before she left to assist Kenpachi in retrieving his wife, Retsu had told her that some women, not all, became more in need of regular sexual fulfilment while they were pregnant. Stripping back the words to their bones she guessed that some women wanted sex, often. At the time she had dismissed the idea as she fought off the sudden reflux she was experiencing. If you wanted to be sick, why would you want sex? The two were mutually exclusive, weren't they?

 

All the same, the comment intrigued her and she asked the inevitable question. “Do you?” without considering the consequences.

 

Retsu had not answered, sipping her tea slowly as she gazed out the door, her expression serene.

 

Wavering, Soi wondered if she should ask again or if it would be better to change the subject to something less confronting but she wanted more information. “If it happens to me, what should I do?”

 

Retsu smiled at her and had provided unexpected advice. “Whatever helps. Bathe in cold water, exercise, or indulge your desires either by yourself or with a partner. You're already pregnant, but take any necessary precautions if you choose a different lover.”

 

Soi had flinched at the last comment. Choose a different lover? Who? The thought of touching any of the other men in the Seireitei only increased the discomfort she was already experiencing. None of them held the slightest appeal for her. She found she was shaking her head vehemently against the idea of another lover. If Yoruichi returned it might be different, but that would never happen.

 

“One day, Soi, you will have to face how you feel and make your decision,” Retsu said almost in answer to her denial. Her voice was soft enough that Soi could pretend she hadn't heard the advice and she chose to do so.

 

The 4th Division Captain was being overly romantic on her behalf, but not her own. Any question Soi asked about Hisagi was either ignored or met with a polite, non-committal smile. Once again she wondered how Retsu was able to clearly read her emotions and she had trouble guessing when her friend was yearning or sad. The demeanour seemed the same except for the occasional glimpses of excitement when Retsu spoke of her pregnancy. When she did that, it was clear that she longed for a child and was overjoyed at finally being able to bear one. Once Soi had felt like asking why she had not allowed Kenpachi to get her pregnant, but decided that some questions were better unanswered and the current situation would make it more difficult. Who would want to have Kenpachi's child? Aside from Rangiku, Soi couldn't think of any one else, but what did she know?

 

When she was assisting in the construction of the gateway, Soi had seen Toshiro talk to Hisagi and noticed the way the 9th Division's lieutenant's eyes followed Retsu. At first he had been standing close to her, but after speaking to Toshiro he had kept his distance but continued glancing at the 4th Division Captain too frequently for casual observation. By contrast she had not looked his way, once. Not by so much as a flicker of an eyelash had she shown she was aware or interested in his presence. It might have been nothing, but as she had paid attention to interactions of the others, in an attempt to distance herself from Toshiro, Soi had noticed that Retsu had spoken to everyone, acknowledged everyone, except Hisagi, the father of her child. Every time he came within two metres, she moved onward. Each time he opened his mouth to address a comment to her, she turned away and began a quiet conversation with whichever person was nearest. It was very neat and could have been coincidence.

 

Soi wasn't the most astute student of human behaviour, she knew that. Most of the time she had trouble working out how she was feeling, especially about a troubling 10th Division Captain, but Retsu seemed to be acting peculiar. Trying to piece it together she remembered the explanation of the first physical encounter between Retsu and Hisagi. It had been unanticipated, at least the way Retsu spoke of the events, but Soi now wondered why Hisagi had sought out Retsu's company. He could have talked to any number of his friends, like Kira or Madarame, but instead he had sought out Retsu.

 

If she cast her mind back to the time previous to the defection of the traitors she could not recollect that Hisagi or Retsu had shown a preference for each other, but at that time she was still tightly within her closely woven shell of armour that protected her from the pain of loss of Yoruichi. She hardly noticed anything that occurred outside her Division unless it was forcibly brought to her attention. The return of her lover had shocked her and forced the weakness in the armour apart, leaving her vulnerable. Before she could progress down the well worn track of recrimination and remorse she blocked the memories. The pain, though less, was still there. They could have spoken regularly, formed a tight friendship as she tried to find a cure for his Captain's sight. What did she know?

 

She wasn't normally curious but the relationship intrigued her, especially how Retsu seemed certain that she could end it on her own terms.

 

Turning her mind to something less problematic, she considered Retsu's warning about the possibility of increased desire. Unfortunately Retsu had been correct. The morning she had accompanied Kiyone to see Toshiro she had planned, not consciously, to seduce him. That had been one of the reasons for her excitement, but that scheme had come to nothing. Fate, or whatever malign force had turned her desire against her and she'd acted like an idiot once more. Why did she make so many mistakes when she was in his vicinity? Was he using some subtle kido on her that mixed up her judgement? If so it was unlike any kido she had heard of or knew about.

 

Last night the sex had been different and was solely her idea. Thwarted in the morning from slaking the lust, the desire had continued to grow throughout the day. Her subconscious had been urging her to do something, to engineer a meeting with Toshiro for any reason. The pretend fight had been an effort to try to think of something else, but the need had lain coiled at the back of her mind, ready to emerge at any time when it seemed that she would have an opportunity.

 

She still wanted to find out why Nemu had visited Toshiro and stayed in his quarters.

 

But the news had provided the chance which she had gladly taken and then she had enjoyed him while he slept. He'd told her he liked her. She'd admitted the same. He'd also said she'd been acting like a bitch and she couldn't deny it. When he had said those words she'd wanted to argue with him, but that would have meant the dream illusion would have been broken. She was pleased she hadn't ruined the fantasy.

 

“Was he really asleep, or was he pretending?”

 

That question worried at her. At the time she hadn't even taken the time to consider it. It had been easier to accept the appearance of sleep. If he'd been awake, Toshiro would never have told her he liked her. He would have told her he was awake. She was sure of it. Wasn't she?

 

It was too late to worry about it. If he asked her about it, she would mock him, refuting everything he said. There was no proof, was there? For a short time she brooded on the matter. Nothing helped. No matter which was she looked at it, she had told Toshiro she liked him. The only reason she'd done so was because she meant it. Not that she wanted to tell him, she didn't want to acknowledge it to herself, but distracted by the passion it had been so easy to make the admission.

 

“He was asleep. He had to be asleep,” while speaking the words aloud to provide assurance the element of doubt remained. The only solace she could identify was that she had not told him that she loved him. If he had asked she was unsure if she would have been able to reply in the negative, due to the diversion he was providing, not because she felt that way, except she did.

 

Shuddering she administered a quick mental slap and threw that idea into the part of her mind she kept all the matters she couldn't resolve. Every time it tried to emerge she pushed it back and began to list the different types of kido, or singing some inane song she'd heard. Anything to provide a defence.

 

Today she recited some haiku she had learnt at one time to amuse Yoruichi. None were about love, but most had to do with the changing of the seasons and the longing for the season that had just past or the season that was due to arrive. The theme of longing seemed to fit her mood today and provide enough of an admission to keep her difficult thoughts at bay. Rising, she washed and dressed for the day. The steady murmur of the poetry provided a background commentary as she mourned the passing of winter and the emergence of spring against an autumn moon.

 

As she left her quarters preparing to go to her office she felt a major disruption in the Seireitei. It reminded her of when the ryoka had arrived but this was much stronger and the source was within the confines of the Seireitei. As the disruption became less she was able to identify the source and the reason. The rescue party had returned and something serious was awry. Running to 4th Division she hoped to see Retsu and find out what was happening only to be met by Hanatoro Yamada whose face betrayed his emotion. He looked terrified.

 

“Captain Fong, Captain Unohana has requested that you post Special Forces around 4th Division,” he asked his attitude humble.

 

“She's bad isn't she? Is she dead?” Soi asked.

 

Hanatoro knew of whom she spoke and hung his head as if unwilling to answer. “I don't know the details. No one will tell me. Only Captain Zaraki, Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Koutestu are permitted in the room, so I don't think she's dead. I think they're trying to get Captain Zaraki to leave because his rage is interfering with their attempts to heal her. You can feel his reiatsu, can't you?”

 

Soi nodded slowly. There was no mistaking that overwhelming pulsing that spoke of uncontrolled fury mixed… Was it really? Yes, it was mixed with fear. Kenpachi was scared, but not for himself. The waves of feeling beat at her and she immediately erected a mental barrier to exclude them. She had enough trouble dealing with her own emotion. She didn't need Kenpachi's instability adding to her own.

 

“Why the Special Forces,” she demanded curtly trying to act as normal.

 

Hanatoro refused to meet her gaze. “Captain Unohana is worried about direct attack,” was his soft reply.

 

“Or scared of Kenpachi,” a slight nod showed that she had guessed correctly. Soi bit her lip wondering if anything less than his own death would be enough to contain Kenpachi.

 

“She's also asked if you could be present outside 4th Division to prevent any problems,” his request was a combination of hope and expectation of rejection. “My Captain said that you would remain sensible and might provide a voice of reason.”

 

The unexpected compliment made the decision easy. “I will be there shortly,” she agreed. A second later a Hell Butterfly was making its way to her Division with her commands and she continued walking toward 4th Division. Although she tried to deny any suggestion that she hoped to see Toshiro there, the idea kept surfacing and she damned her mind for thinking about such things at that time. It was making her weak, these flickers of anticipation.

 

Last night had affected her more than she'd ever speculated or it was the slow cumulative erasure of her defences? Possibly without meaning to Toshiro had systematically ground down those hard edges and through the resulting fissures, creeping furtively but surely, that useless emotion had infected her with its plague. No matter how much she fought against the disease it would batten on her, working away at her independence and pride until she would lose all. Death might be preferable.

 

The area outside 4th Division was rapidly filling when she arrived and she noticed Isane looked upset and extremely tense. Noticing her arrival, the lieutenant nodded at her, an expression of quiet relief on her face and then she looked toward another new arrival, Toshiro. Schooling her features into a blank mask she glanced toward him to see a look of shock cross his face. “Why is he shocked,” she wondered, but her attention was drawn by the announcement Isane made.

 

“Did any of the party die?” No one else seemed inclined to ask the question as they were probably scared of the response but it had to be something people wondered. She saw Nemu give her a thankful look and wondered why. Out of the side of her eye she noticed the gaze Toshiro directed at her could have frozen a small body of water and that also puzzled her.

 

The answer that Isane produced caused a small amount of murmuring and Toshiro seemed ready to move but the 8th Division Captain moved faster and talked briefly to Isane. Interested in what he found out she moved closer only to be disgusted by his hysterical reaction when Toshiro questioned him. He wasn't married to the woman and despite the fact they might be friends she found his behaviour to be inflammatory and frightening. She saw the look of dawning horror and Toshiro's face and was scared that if the man kept this up the 10th Division Captain would lose that carefully composed façade he'd been maintaining since his lieutenant had been abducted.

 

“Stop being so dramatic Captain Kyoraku,” Soi was as harsh as she could be as she tried to shock the man into some semblance of sense. She had moved close and noticed the tension in Toshiro's body. His face had gone white and his green eyes were widened in horrified anticipation. “Answer the question. Is the lieutenant still alive?”

 

“She's dying,” the words were wrung out of Shunsui. He was crying. The man was crying! Why was he crying? Toshiro looked like he wanted to be sick as the 8th Division Captain continued his histrionics. “My friend is dying and I can't see her.”

 

She opened her mouth to tell the idiot he needed to be rational but Toshiro was already moving away, going as far and as fast as the crowd would allow and she rounded on Shunsui. He'd made it worse than it already was and Soi wanted to hurt him the way he'd hurt Toshiro.

 

“Prick. Flapping your mouth and carrying on like a cow licking salt. If you had the sense of your second in command you wouldn't spread sensational stories. Captain Hitsugaya has been out of his mind worrying about Lieutenant Matsumoto and you have made it worse. You sicken me, you sot. Go climb into a bottle,” she spat at him before turning and leaving without listening to the man's protests.

 

As fast as she could she followed Toshiro. It was crucial she get to him before he did something stupid like the stupid man he was. A half formed thought of seducing him crossed her mind as a means to distance him from the news. The heavy unnatural feeling in her breast ached and she fought the tears forming in her eyes. She daren't identify the source of the tears or she would cry in earnest and be of no use to anyone, least of all Toshiro. She kept her external barriers in place as she didn't want to be battered by the emotions she was sure were around but knew she would have to allow them down when she was with him. It was the only way and she dreaded the next hour.

 

Trying to guess the mix of emotions he was experiencing was difficult. Anger, fear, grief would feature and she could only work on some of them. The anger would be best appeased by fighting a strong opponent and she knew the only choice that needed the challenge and the fight, but she had to get Toshiro into the right frame of mind to make it succeed.

 

“I wish I didn't feel,” she whispered to herself before she entered the room she knew she would find him.

 

The desolation in his pose cut at her and she had to fight her impulse to kneel and hug him close to her. She could not be weak now when he needed someone to be strong and provide the support. He might hate her as a result but for once that didn't matter; she had to break through to him and work her way through the consequences later. If she showed the least sign of weakness it would doom them both.

 

“She won't die,” keeping her voice small helped her control the wavering.

 

Without looking up he answered, “I don't know that and neither do you. Get lost Soi. I don't want you here.”

 

She expected that and with a considerable amount of effort remained and began to lure him out of his introspection the best way she could, by insulting him. “Stop being a selfish, indulgent fool, Toshiro. You're not the only person who's worried about her.” At least he looked at her, the frost in his eyes slashed at her.

 

“Fuck off Soi. I'm not in the mood to listen to you.” The shouting was only to be expected and his eyes darted from her face down her body.

 

Almost breathing a sigh of relief she stepped back and glared at him. At least the glare wasn't feigned and the blessed anger she began to feel started to kick in and make her react as normal. Her hand was hovering over the handle of her zanpakuto. “Can't you feel the reiatsu? Kenpachi is barely keeping it together. He's still in 4th Division but they'll have to get him out of there soon. He'd interfere with any attempts to heal and he'll be out of control. Get a grip Toshiro.” In spite of her barriers she could feel it and knew the situation was desperate.

 

“That's not my problem,” he said sidling closer. He looked at her with a mixture of loathing and longing and she wasn't sure why her heart began to pound.

 

“Yes it is. Retsu's trying to save your lieutenant; we both know how she struggles to prevent anyone dying and she's friends with Ran. She's probably hurting more than…” Oh, this wasn't good. Talking like this was making her hurt again and reminding them both of the desperate situation.

 

“Not my problem,” Toshiro said again, then grabbed Soi and kissed her hard.

 

Gratefully she shut her eyes. For a moment she relaxed, but not enough for him to notice, then revolted with her weak reaction she pulled away, ready to fight. His eyes glittered at her and his mouth was wet and red from the kiss he'd pressed on her.

 

“Damn the increased sexual desire. Life would be easier without it,” she thought and kissed him bruising her lips on his. Liquid splashed down her cheek, a single tear of the torrent she was holding back but it slid into her mouth.

 

The next second he pulled away from her, looking at her in disbelief and bewilderment and then moved away from her.

 

“Don't pretend. I didn't know you could cry on demand,” the cold words shocked her into realisation and fortunately removed her need to cry. The disgust in his voice helped her act the way she knew she must.

 

She scrubbed at her eye to remove any traces of her weakness. The slap she aimed at his face was not meant to connect, but she knew that it would infuriate him whether she succeeded or not. She'd dragged him from the grief and despair into the other side where he might be able to function. His next words proved it. “Let's not fool ourselves. We both want to be naked and screwing each other so we don't have to think about anything else.”

 

“I'm not an animal, Captain Hitsugaya. I don't respond to grief by falling into bed with the first convenient partner,” were her carefully monitored words. It was enough to make him act and again he kissed her.

 

This was the excuse and she used it. Why did he have to wear so many clothes? Why did she? Naked would be best but it wasn't necessary as long as they could fuck. The need to have him now in the anger and the hatred would drive away the sadness and give him something else to brood about.

 

“I thought you weren't an animal. You said we were over.” He always went over the same things. Couldn't he just forget the past and live in the present? What did `over' mean anyway? He'd said they were over too, or had he conveniently forgotten? Why was he talking? He always wanted to talk for some reason and too often it led to more problems. Was it so important that they converse before and after the fuck?

 

All the same, she had to distract him from the argument about whether they were over or not. The best choice seemed to be to explain it away with as little detail as possible. “This changes nothing,” she said harshly. “I'm trying to console you.” She almost bit her tongue as she said the last two words as they were the truth. To disguise the reality she continued to undress him roughly, not caring if she ripped or tore anything. Clothes were unimportant.

 

He didn't say anything in response, just pulled at her pants and they both tumbled onto the bed. She longed for gentleness but that would be wrong so she kept her touch forceful and let the passion rule her, not the other more complicated emotions.

 

She felt the bruises form on her flesh and knew her fingers were causing the same damage to the man she was with. It didn't matter as she tried to fight her way to the momentary loss of thought for which she longed. He drove into her hard as each tried for the superior position and this time he marked her, heedless of the display his mouth left on her neck. The passion overruled her so she scraped her nails over him, wishing all the time that she could afford to gentle her caresses to demonstrate the other side of passion but that would weaken them both and she drove them both further, hurting and wanting the hurt to expunge the love.

 

As she climaxed she barely restrained herself from shrieking his name and telling him she loved him. Instead she bit hard on her tongue tasting the blood which leaked freely from the new self inflicted wound.

 

Thankfully he left the bed as soon as he recovered and redressed. One more minute and her hand would have reached out and rested trustingly on his chest as her eyes would have searched his face. They might have shared a moment that would destroy her independence and her perception of self. Now was not the time and there would never be that time between them. It could not be allowed to happen.

 

Then Toshiro stiffened and rather than allow her barriers drop so she could feel the fluctuations of Zaraki's reiatsu, she sensed Toshiro and felt the near death of his lieutenant and paid attention as he mapped the extent of her injuries. Her poor tongue received another bite as she battled to prevent any indication of her shock at the damage.

 

“She's still alive,” Soi said to break the silence. She couldn't remain mute after that.

 

“How do you know?” he voice suggested that he wanted to know but she kept her eyes shut. Looking at him would increase any temptation.

 

“Zaraki's energy is still surging, but there is a modicum of restraint there. She's very bad, Toshiro.” Her voice almost broke but she kept it from doing so by speaking in a monotone.

 

“I know that. Why are you telling me? I thought you were meant to be consoling me,” he accused.

 

In spite of everything her lips twitched at his words and she turned away from him so he could not see her face. Why was she even thinking of smiling unless it was as a reaction against the other emotions she was fighting? The best defence now was to insult him and push him away. Now she knew the state of the lieutenant she wanted to show him the sympathy she had withheld, but again believed it was the wrong thing to do. “I did. I am. You're an idiot,” she said in a bored voice.

 

“You're right. I'm an idiot to have ever trusted you.”

 

The words hurt but it wasn't important. “Your choice Toshiro, but the sex was good. It's a pity it's the last time.” Her mind was working out more methods to keep him from falling into despair and anger seemed to be the best way. If he again gave into sorrow he might not be able to help and they all needed his help now. The gamble she was making was huge and it might not work, but it was preferable to waiting to see what would happen.

 

If Rangiku died, and she fervently hoped she wouldn't, it would be best to send Kenpachi back to Hueco Mundo as soon as possible. His need for vengeance would be so great that Aizen would be removed as a threat very quickly and the Arrancar and Espada would be decimated. Her throat dried as it was impressed on her that Toshiro would go with him if the worst happened. While she had no doubt of his skills, he did not have the same bloodlust or love of killing and he might be injured, seriously hurt or killed. She didn't want him to die.

 

But there was no option. Toshiro had to fight Kenpachi. The emotion she sensed from both of them made them a near equal match and that anger had to be channelled somehow. It seemed like all the other captains were waiting around to see what was going to happen.

 

“Like last time was the last time?” His words broke through her thoughts. He never let anything go. Why was he so set on punishing her for everything and anything?

 

Schooling her features into a placid mask she replied, “Whenever I decide it's the last time, it will be.” The practice of keeping her face unreadable needed more practice. While she had the chance she would try because she would have to turn and face him.

 

“What's the real reason you came here?” The demand was harsh and showed that his anger was increasing now he was no longer swamped with his own misery.

 

“One captain going ballistic is bad enough. We can't afford to have two acting like madmen,” was her answer as she drove him further toward anger. She knew he wanted her to turn and face him, but that was proving to be harder than she anticipated.

 

“You fucked me because you didn't want me to go off the edge when, I mean if, Matsumoto dies,” he said through clenched teeth.

 

She was going to have to be harsh, blunt and unfeeling. Because she'd forced him to hate her it would be easy for him to react badly to what she would say. With any luck she could force him into action and away from her speedily. Soi sat up and faced him hoping he was too angry to look at her face closely. “Your lieutenant is dying. I won't try to pretty up the truth. When she dies Kenpachi will go insane. In looking at the situation, I decided it would possibly affect you in the same manner. I thought if I fucked you, it would remove the edge. If you're angry, but not distraught and he is crazed, you can fight him, pacify him, or at least prevent him from killing everyone.”

 

The half truths sounded fairly convincing if contradictory. If he was thinking clearly he would quickly come to the conclusion that they made no sense whatsoever, but her recent experience showed her that when the mind was overruled by events it was hard to work out why other people acted the way they did.

 

He looked at her scornfully, his lip curling in disdain. “Matsumoto will not die. You said before that she wouldn't die and now you say she will.”

 

Hard though it was, she forced her shoulders to move in the mimic of a shrug. “I could feel it when you sensed her injuries. She nearly died then,” Soi was amazed that she managed to sound so dispassionate. “You have to contain Kenpachi. You have the most chance. The old man will do nothing.”

 

It worked. He was leaving, but she had to make certain he went to Kenpachi. For once she would use honesty as a tool. That might make him confront Kenpachi and at least some good might be obtained from this disaster.

 

“There's no point in going to 4th Division,” Soi said as if she guessed his intention. “If I judge the situation, they're trying to ease Kenpachi out right now so they can concentrate on trying to heal your lieutenant and they won't want another captain trying to tell them what to do. Retsu requested I post the Special Forces around 4th Division to deter any visitors, even captains.”

 

Turning, he glared at her. “I'm Matsumoto's Captain. They can't stop me.” He sounded so young and uncertain in spite of the strength of his glare and then she saw his face change and she checked him immediately as she watched his face become hard.

 

“That was close,” Soi said reflectively as she felt Rangiku's erratic spirit force stabilise once more. Her body had tensed automatically and felt grateful that Rangiku hadn't succumbed to her injuries this time. She hadn't meant to speak aloud, but it had happened and she saw Toshiro's face become cold and composed.

 

“I don't need a commentary on the near death of my lieutenant, Captain Fong. I know you wouldn't give a shit if your lieutenant died, but I care about mine. You believe you loved Yoruichi,” ignoring her outraged gasp he continued. She had trouble hearing his next words, the shock from his mention of her love made the blood roar in her ears. “From what I've seen, I doubt it. There's no room in your life for love or even friendship. Loving someone can hurt and I love Matsumoto. You'll never understand.”

 

He paused briefly and then in a voice that contained more hatred than she had ever had directed at her before said, “The arrangement is over.” Pain jabbed at her chest as she watched him walk to the door. He was half way out when he turned and with a sneer added, “Try practising on a banana to see if you can touch it without bruising it before you choose another lover. At least you won't have to wait for it to be ready to use,” before he slammed the door, leaving her once more.

 

A.N.

 

The comment Soi makes about cows licking salt is because the taste of salt makes cows cry, or so I'm told. Not that the cow's are sad, it's a natural reaction.

 

I didn't specifically choose music while writing this chapter and these are tracks that made me stop as I listened and eventually became the Soundtrack.

 

Soundtrack

`Carmen Queasy' Maxim

`History Repeating' Propellerheads

`Even After All' Finley Quayle

 

Thanks to Bastion, Mors', and Ohm Wolf and ldymoon for the reviews.

 

Review. I like reviews.

 

As a special offering for the holiday season, you can choose which perspective the next chapter is written from. Let me know, via review, which viewpoint you prefer: Soi or Toshiro. I've already started a chapter for each of them anyway.

 

Oh, yeah. Bah, humbug.