A Quick Beginning (Hijikata and Yoruichi)

"It shouldn't be this hard to find one person." All in all it was just another normal day in the city of Karakura; though for one individual there was a slight problem. Then again, seeing as a Captain of the Gotei 13 was wandering around the world of the living, chances were most who could see him would assume that something was amiss. Of course, for this Captain, the man known as Hijikata Toshizo, what brought him here today was nothing too dire... or, well, anything official at all. Thankfully, at least in his mind, as he wandered around the city there didn't seem to be too many others out this day; though that could have to do with the fact that he wasn't necessarily traveling down the most used paths. It wasn't as if he were wandering around any dark or seedy back alleys, but for what he was looking for; he probably wouldn't be finding it out in the middle of town... at least not from what he had heard. Then again, seeing how this "thing" he was looking for wasn't actually a thing but a person, this lack of people could be a bit disconcerting; but at the very least he didn’t have to stop and explain to every passerby that there was no need to be alarmed at a Captain patrolling the city.

As for whom exactly it was that Hijikata was looking for... well, that was a bit of an interesting story. For starters, the individual in question was the woman known as Yoruichi Shihouin, but the reason why he was looking for was what made it interesting. As stated earlier, this search was not for any official business of the Gotei 13 or his Squad 3, but instead was for more of a personal matter, however, that's where things got a little more complicated. While Yoruichi had been a former Captain of Squad 2, and he had met her in passing once or twice while she was with the Gotei, it couldn't really be said that they actually knew each other; and really he doubted if she would even recognize him. However, if they didn't actually know each other, then that begged the question; why was Hijikata looking for her for a personal matter? And really, that could best be described by Yoruichi's title: The Flash Goddess. Well, that, and a little story.

Being a natural born warrior, as well as a Captain, Hijikata was always looking to improve his fighting skills; in particular the sword style he had created: Shinsengumi-Kenjutsu. All in all it was a rather effective style of fighting; combining powerful weapon strikes as well as hand-to-hand techniques to quickly overwhelm opponents and take on forces much larger than one's own. However, as it had been born from a number of different styles, as well as included many different types of weapons, the style was constantly evolving as Hijkata himself got better. Because of this, Hijikata was always finding areas of his techniques that he wanted to improve upon, and this brings us to why he was searching for Yoruichi today. With all that seemed to be happening in the world, Hijikata had taken it upon himself recently to work on refining the Shinsengumi-Kenjutsu style; finding its faults and working to cover them. Through this, he had come to notice one possible flaw n his style, though in reality t could simply be more with himself; that being that it was a little on the slow side. Now, this was not to say that Hijikata himself was a slow individual, as overall his speed ranked fairly well, but for a style designed to take on imposing odds, speed was kind of a necessity. Realizing this, Hijikata knew that he would have to train against someone who far outclassed him when it came to speed, and there was only one person he could think of; The Flash Goddess.

Of course, as Hijikata continued to wander around Karakura in search of Yoruichi, he began to wonder whether the information he had gotten was reliable. Seeing as he didn't know her as well as he would have wished to ask about training, he was forced to ask others where he might find the Goddess of Flash. While she was not quite as hard to find as when she had been an exile, there still wasn't really an exact address for him to check out aside from Urahara's store, and in all honesty he wasn't really in the mood to go asking the man where she might have been. He didn't have anything against him, but, well... there was always more than met the eye to that guy. Still, from what he had gathered, it did seem that Yoruichi was in the world of the living; and indeed once he had first arrived he had managed to find her spiritual pressure, but once he had gotten to that location she was nowhere to be found. It was actually a little ironic; normally Hijikata was having to evade women who wanted to fawn over his looks, but today he was having trouble finding just one woman... well, it wasn't a great comparison but still a touch ironic. "Granted... given what I've heard about her, chances are she already knows I'm looking for her" he said to himself, stopping for a moment to observe his surroundings.

A talking cat... well, that sure was out of the ordinary. Actually, given everything that existed in the spiritual world a talking cat kinda fit in an odd way. Hell, there had even been an anthropomorphic captain back in the day, so this really wasn't the biggest shock that there could have been. Of course, while the cat part of the equation didn't surprise Hijikata too much, well... seeing as he hadn't been expecting to find Yoruichi like this, along with the fact that he hadn't even noticed her, the sudden sound of her voice did manage to catch him slightly off guard. Sure, he did know that Yoruichi was capable of changing into the form of a cat; hell, most people who knew about her knew that already. Still... that voice was kinda misleading, and seeing as he had never actually met her in this form it did surprise Hijikata a bit. However, while it may have caught him off guard, Hijikata didn't actually show any outward signs of this; though it did take him a moment or two to get used to the idea of talking to a cat.

As the cat, er, Yoruichi spoke to him; the amount of cynical sarcasm in her tone was almost palpable. True, he hadn't actually done much if anything to hid his presence, save for lowering his spiritual pressure slightly so as not to harm anyone, but still, that hadn't quite been what he had meant by his words. Besides, when you were actually looking for someone and didn't intend to be hostile, why would you bother trying to hide your presence? Of course, while his natural instinct would have been to meet her sarcasm with his own witty... or angry retort; as he got a good look at the woman in her feline form, along with the tone of her voice, it was rather obvious that she probably wasn't in the best of moods. "Well, seeing as I'm not looking to assassinate you I really saw no need in trying to hide my presence; that would only make finding you all the more difficult" he replied; and though his words may have seemed a small bit snarky, his tone did not carry such an inflection. Seeing as he was here to ask for her help, there wasn't much sense in pissing her off, so he was trying his best to sound genuine. Granted, it wasn't that difficult; he was genuinely here to ask for her help, and he would much prefer to start things off on a good foot.

"Anyways, I do apologize if I am interrupting anything to... important, but if you'd hear me out, I have a favor that I wish to ask of you" Hijikata spoke, getting around to just why he had come here looking for her. Looking at Yoruichi in her cat form as he spoke, Hijikata did still feel a little "silly" for talking to a cat; though there wasn't much he could do about that as it were. "Well, not so much a favor, but I would like to ask for your help with something" he began to continue, before pausing for a moment, and then letting out a small chuckle. "Of course, it does seem a little rude to try and ask you for help without even an introduction, so allow me to remedy that; my name is Toshizo Hijikata" he introduced himself, bowing slightly afterwords to show respect. While he had at least come across her before once or twice in the Seireitei, he doubted that she would even know or remember who he was, let alone his name. Then again, it was actually a little refreshing to have to introduce himself to a woman, as normally they already knew quite well who he was... though once again that wasn't really much of an accurate comparison to this current situation. Standing back up straight, his gaze returned to feline fatale before continuing his request. "That aside, if you would be willing, I wish to train with you Shihouin Yoruichi... or more accurately, I need your help to refine my style" he finished, before awaiting her response.

...Well now, it sure seemed like Hijikata had made a good move in deciding to try his best to be polite and respectful given Yoruichi's response. Just as he had speculated, it seemed quite clear that the feline was in a rather sour mood... though for all he knew maybe she just really didn't like him. Had she not been in her feline form, such a rude reception might have hurt his ego; however the fact that he was talking to a cat helped create a level of disconnect that kept him from actually taking the foul mood personally. Hell, most cats usually seemed to be in a foul mood, or were easily provoked to one, so in all honesty... it almost felt kinda normal. Of course, as soon as he had finished introducing himself, judging by Yoruichi's response... well, maybe the "slow and respectful" route wasn't best after all. "Hey, I-... I mean, I'm not here to argue about that, though I suppose I am glad to see that you remember me" He replied; quickly deciding against getting defensive to her insults... though only after he had opened his mouth. Still, it did make things a bit easier now that he knew she actually remembered him... though he did wish that she hadn't brought back that memory. He still stood by the fact that she had distracted him in that fight, and in all honesty he was much more proficient at fighting opponents of his own size, but there was nothing to gain from bringing back old arguments.

As he continued his request, Hijikata was well aware of the dramatic rise in Yoruichi's spiritual pressure; though given how hard it had been to find her there was no point in turning back now, even if she was getting angry. Of course, he still wasn't trying to make her angry, but by now it kinda seemed like that would be her reaction no matter what he said. While the spike in energy itself wasn't too much of a concern for Hijikata, the actual intent behind it did cause him to pause for thought; as it could be a very clear indication that she would deny his request. Then again, when he said that he needed her help training, in reality what he needed was for her to fight against him with her speed, so even should she deny his request... well, let's just say that there were still ways for him to get what he wanted. However, seeing as he really didn't want to have Yoruichi actually trying to kill him, it was best to stay away from such final resorts. Luckily for him, however, it seemed that Yoruichi was actually willing to comply to his request... though the added "under one condition" definitely worried him. Knowing her, there was a very good chance that this condition would be something unpleasant; but at the very least Hijikata did have to hear it out before deciding whether or not it was worth it.

"...You what now?" was all Hijikata could manage to say initially in response to Yoruichi's stipulation. Oh, he had heard quite clearly what she wanted him to do, he just didn't believe it. Well, actually, he did kinda believe it, as such a request really wasn't that odd for such a woman; but that didn't make it any more plausible. Hell, Soifon been on the short list of people whom he had considered asking for help with this, but he had decided against that route seeing as Soifon was more likely to just try and kill him than even listen to his request. "...You do realize that trying to get such a picture has far worse consequences than permanent scars from you, right?" he said, slightly over the initial shock as he spoke in a dry tone. Of course, having said that... well, there really weren't any other people he could turn to for the help he needed; as the aforementioned short list really only had 2 names on it. Placing his left hand against his forehead for a moment, Hijikata let out an audible sigh as he contemplated what to do; going over his rather crap options. "Is there nothing else that would serve as adequate compensation and wouldn't result in a rather unpleasant death?" he asked, now looking back up at the feline, a hint of irritation in his tone. Of course, as this conversation kept going, it only drove home just how different Yoruichi was from the other women he was used to dealing with. Well, so was Soifon, but that was a much different case; she just seemed to hate men... and anyone else who wasn't Yoruichi. Still, if t wasn't for the fact that she seemed able to get under his skin without even trying, he might have actually been interested in her; though as it stood he was quickly getting too agitated to even think about anything like that. Still, if there was absolutely no other way, then he guessed that he'd have to comply... and most likely deal with some rather unpleasant injuries from Yoruichi in about two weeks time.

Well, this was going nowhere fast apparently. Actually, that wasn't quite true; it definitely going somewhere, just not where Hijikata had wanted... at all. Sure, he had expected for there to be some difficulty involved in his request; not just in finding Yoruichi, but also in getting her to agree, but he had not planned on it being this absurd. Hell, at this point it almost seemed like trying to get Soifon to help him would be a better idea... actually no, that was still more suicidal; but not as much as trying to get a nude picture of her. Still, it seemed quite clear by now that Yoruichi was not going to have any alternative; if anything his rebuttal had only made things worse for him. Then again, given how their first encounter had gone he really should have expected as much, especially given how much she seemed to enjoy pissing him off. However, even with all of that said, he did still need her help, and he was still more frightened of Soifon than her, so unless he wanted to have wasted his whole day with this task, he was gonna have to think up something fast; and he was not going to have wasted his day. Of course, there was one alternative Hijikata had left, though he had hoped he wouldn't have to fall back on it. While he did need her help in his current endeavor... he had never intended for her to teach him anything. What he really needed was someone of far superior speed to fight against not just to refine his sword style against speed, but to also work on his own speed; and while he did need to fight against Yoruichi to accomplish this... well, it didn't need to be consensual.

As Yoruichi finished speaking, one of her claws extended to add a menacing air, Hijikata simply turned his head down, a small chuckle emanating from his lips. Slowly, he raised his head back up, gaze returning to the feline, and upon his face he wore a rather dark grin. "You know... threatening a Captain is really not a wise move; though I shouldn't have to tell you that" he said, his tone... while not as serious, held a much darker tone than it had before. Though he had not wanted to resort to such methods, given the situation Hijikata really saw no other alternative; besides, perhaps if she wanted to kill hm he would get so much more out of this "training". "In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that such a blatant threat could be seen as an open act of hostility the Gotei 13; regardless of any past affiliations" he began, his tone still holding that dark tone. "I mean, normally such comments might simply be ignored, but given your background, and your past transgressions against the Gotei 13... well I don't know how else I could take such threats but seriously" he added, a dark glint to his eyes. "And so, given all of this information, I really have no choice but to apprehend you and bring you back to the Seireitei for questioning... ignoring that any resistance on your part would simply fulfill my original goal" he finished, crossing his arms in such a way that his right hand rested just above the hilt of his Zanpakutō. Sure, this was a risky maneuver, and Hijikata did run the risk of Yoruichi absolutely hating him and wanting to kill him... but there was at least one up side. Yes, at the very least, this play would hopefully show Yoruichi that he wasn't just gonna roll over and let her mess with him. Besides, even if she did want to kill him... well, it definitely would make for one hell of a fight; one that Hijikata would most thoroughly enjoy. "So then... are you sure that I didn't misunderstand your response kitten?" he asked; leaving the course of events to come hanging on her answer.

While Hijikata had not been naïve enough to think that his "threats" would actually scare Yoruichi... well, at the very least he had expected some kind of response to them. Hell, had she simply burst out laughing he wouldn't have been that surprised; but to simply not show any reaction had not been the most likely scenario in his head. Well, there was a bit of a reaction to be fair, the feline did sigh and there was an obvious hint of irritation to her appearance... then again most cats seemed to have "irritation" set as their default expression, so it was hard to tell. Either way, seeing as there was no actual sign of an aggressive response from Yoruich, Hijikata wasn't quite sure how to continue. Sure, he had been prepared for her to get angry at him and possibly even attack, but it was now quite obvious that wouldn't be happening. Thankfully, at least in terms of breaking the awkward tension, Yoruichi made the next move addressing his thinly veiled threat. As she spoke, not only did Hijikata obviously listen, but he also relaxed his posture; his arms moving back to his sides and away from the hilt of his Zanpakutō. Of course, as she finished her little speech it became quite clear to him not only why his earlier threat had not worked in the slightest, but also why she was getting agitated with him. Actually, that last one he had kinda been able to figure out on his own, but the clarification on just why his actions had annoyed her did help out quite a bit.

While Hijikata's first thought had been to clarify that his "threat" hadn't been about going back to the Gotei 13 and telling on her like a child but more to just get her to fight him, he wisely decided against that course of action. Not only would that serve no purpose now that everything was rather clear, but, well... it would have been completely childish and would only show that he hadn't paid Yoruichi's words any thought and was still acting upon pride. Of course, even if he had wanted to respond as such, Yoruichi's quick movements after her speech really left him no time to respond to her; as soon the feline was... floating at eye level with him. Yeah, as if the talking cat part had not been enough, once the levitation was added into the mix, it really did become a rather bizarre encounter. Still, the situation was still serious enough, and after letting out a soft sigh, he bowed slightly to the floating feline. "Yes, I understand" he replied clearly before standing back up and watching as the feline landed gracefully on its paws. To be honest, Hijikata really didn't have a problem with laying aside his pride in this moment, as Yoruichi had been completely correct; he had come here seeking out her help to train. Hell, if the request hadn't been something as completely outlandish he probably would have accepted her terms without a fuss. Then again, when looking at this situation from any perspective than Hijikata's own, it was quite humorous just how much Yoruichi had been able to affect him, both now and in their previous encounter, with only a few words. Given his typical interactions with women, it actually became even more hilarious; though being the punch line to the joke it was unlikely that he would ever fully appreciate it.

As the still Feline Yoruichi asked for some of his clothes, Hijikata was initially confused. Thankfully this confusion did not last long, for as soon as the smoke erupted around her feline form it was quite clear why she was asking. Well, he didn't actually know that the transformation back to her human form would leave Yoruichi with a lack of clothing, but at least now it made sense that she was asking for a garment of clothing to wear. Not wasting any time, though mainly in an attempt to show that he was indeed more than willing to listen to her, Hijikata removed his light blue haori in one fluid motion before placing it in the hand outstretched from the cloud of smoke. "Not to be prideful again, but... well, I've never quite seen a situation where humility and suicide were so closely related in my defense" he spoke, this time in a much more jovial tone as he waited for the smoke to fully clear. This was not an attempt to have the last word so to say, as he was quite sure Yoruichi would have more to say, but more to try and help lighten the mood... and to prove that he did at least have some sense of humor. Of course, while Hijikata wasn't quite sure how Yoruichi was going to react once she was in her human form, he at least thought that it would be better to try and restart things on a better foot.