“Turn around and only an afterimage remains withal” - Tite Kubo
Soi Fon had tried her best to take in all of the information. Not only was she faced with all these new responsibilities, but she’d have to do them alone. She’d attend the academy, and rise in the ranks to achieve bankai as quickly as possible. The days where she’d tag along with Yoruichi would be no more. All of what she knew of her past would change.
She didn’t have time to grieve properly, this life wouldn’t allow it. It was always like that. One by one her brother’s died in an instant and she was simply tasked with moving forward until she was the only one left standing. What was this life really? Was it simply a death sentence, a road to sacrifice?
The distraught girl found herself alone once again in the squad 2 barracks, within her quarters. It had been a couple hours since she was summoned by the Fon clan and given all the news and she had suffered a serious break.
Upon walking in, she had immediately burst into tears letting out a lonely, and angry cry. She found the nearest wall and punched it, knocking down a few pieces of furniture, before she found herself standing in front of a mirror. She fell to her knees, holding her head as she sobbed deeply, her tears hitting the floor. Who was she to fulfill such a legacy? Where was her guidance? How would she manage? All these questions flooded her brain one by one. Yoruichi was always there when she needed that, and now she was left to her own devices. Her clan would simply tell her to suck it up, but how could she? She was truly devastated.
That was when she looked to see that she had knocked over a box in her rage. Sniffling, she went over to examine the contents. Inside was an old photograph of her great grandmother, the original Soi Fon, in her prime, alongside a yellow obi. She wore the traditional stealth force uniform, a soft, but firm expression on her face. Soi Fon eyed the picture curiously, noticing the traditional hairstyle she wore. Soi Fon felt at her own hair, feeling the smooth straight locks that went to her shoulders. She glanced at the photo, and then at the mirror once more, her glossy gray eyes reflecting off the metal.
Everything was different now. The girl she once was, would be no more. From this point onward, she would be Soi Fon, Captain of Squad 2 and head of the Stealth Force. She went and grabbed a blade from her bedside table, going back to stand in front of the mirror. Her eyes narrowed, and she let out one last breath before taking one strand of hair and cutting it, the lock falling slowly to the floor. Once she committed to that, the rest was over. She continued to chop her hair off, leaving two longer strands behind to grow out. This was the traditional look of Soi Fon, who she was meant to be. Upon finishing, her once heartbroken eyes turned stone cold. She had to leave the pain behind and the first part of that was changing her look.
She dropped the knife to the floor, breathing heavily as she regained her composure. This was the start of her new life. This was the beginning of her rise to power.
“Yoruichi, I’m coming for you,” she stated without emotion.
Look I’m not generally one to thirst over manga panels, but that top panel there…that’s about as attractive as Kubo’s ever drawn somebody (and that itself is a pretty high bar to clear).
Even the Robot Quincy notices it. Which is saying something, because as Soi Fon points out, not expecting a stealth attack from Squad 2’s captain is a massive oversight.
Yeah you’re right. It WOULD be pretty fucked up if you were a swan but you were raised by ducks and you grew up never seeing another swan or even knowing that such a thing as a swan even existed so you just thought you were a duck with something super wrong with it.
