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For days, the Soul Society had been on high alert, a particularly virulent strain of hollows manifesting in unexpected corners of the human world, keeping every Shinigami on their toes. But a brief, hard won victory had granted a temporary reprieve, allowing two formidable women to finally meet face to face not on a battlefield, but in the quiet solitude of a secluded grove just outside the bustling Seireitei.
Yoruichi, ever the embodiment of relaxed power, perched atop a gnarled, ancient tree branch, a half-eaten persimmon in her hand. Below her, Rangiku sprawled languidly on a patch of moss, her eyes half-closed, a half-full bottle of sake resting precariously beside her. The usual clamor of barracks and mission briefings was replaced by the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets.
“You know, I almost forgot what it was like to just sit. Without a hollow trying to gnaw on my spiritual energy, or Captain Hitsugaya giving me those looks.” Rangiku murmured, swirling the amber liquid in her cup. Yoruichi chuckled.
“A luxury you rarely afford yourself, Matsumoto. Though I suspect even in deep thought, you find time to lament the lack of good sake.” she said. Rangiku scoffed playfully.
“You wound me, Yoruichi-san! Though, you’re not entirely wrong. But no, today, my thoughts are… less critical. More observational, perhaps. Like that Kurosaki boy.” Rangiku said. She drained her cup, a thoughtful hum escaping her lips.
“He’s really something else, isn’t he? Every time I see him fight, he just pushes past his limits. It’s almost… inspiring.” she said.
Yoruichi’s eyes, usually sharp and calculating, softened with a flicker of amusement.
“Ah, Ichigo. Yes, he has a tenacity that defies logic. One could even say he’s a walking contradiction. Brute force and a brash attitude wrapped in a surprisingly soft heart. Though I doubt his current fighting style would allow for much subtlety. He still relies heavily on raw power. Needs more finesse, that one.” Yoruichi said as she took a bite of her persimmon, her golden eyes gazing upon Rangiku’s eyes.
“Finesse? Ha! When he’s swinging that giant cleaver around like a madman? I think finesse takes a backseat for Kurosaki-kun. But it works for him, doesn’t it?” Rangiku said. She shifted, propping herself up on an elbow, her chest rising and falling with the movement.
“Sometimes I wonder if he ever has to deal with… physical impediments.” she added. Yoruichi raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sudden change in topic.
“Physical impediments? Like what, a sprained ankle? An overly heavy sword?” Yoruichi said. Rangiku sighed, a dramatic exhalation that made her shoulders slump.
“No, not like that. More like… this.” Rangiku said as she gestured vaguely towards her own generous bosom.
“Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate my gifts, but sometimes… Sometimes they just get in the blessed way! Especially when I’m trying to pull off a complex maneuver with Haineko. You know, a quick dodge, a sudden twist, a feint…” Rangiku continued. She mimed a flurry of movements, her hands flailing, only to end with a frustrated huff as her chest bounced up and down like a person on a trampoline.
“Yes… I can see that.” Yoruichi said as she jumped down from the branch and stood alongside Rangiku.
“It’s like trying to fight with two oversized sandbags strapped to your front! It throws off my center of gravity, slows down my draw, even makes certain Kido difficult to perform without feeling like I’m going to topple over!” Rangiku said.
Yoruichi froze, her persimmon forgotten. Her eyes widened slightly, then narrowed in thought. She placed a hand to her chin, her brow furrowing, a silent testament to the genuine surprise Rangiku’s confession had elicited. The Flash Goddess, renowned for her agility and battle prowess, had never considered such a unique occupational hazard. She was slender, lithe, her form built for speed and effortless movement. Rangiku’s struggle was alien to her experience, yet completely understandable from a practical standpoint.
A moment of deep thought stretched between them, punctuated only by the distant chirping. Then, Yoruichi’s eyes snapped open wide, a brilliant spark igniting within them. She snapped her fingers, the sharp sound echoing in the serene grove.
“That’s it! Rangiku, you absolute genius, you’ve hit upon something.” Yoruichi exclaimed, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. Rangiku blinked, startled by Yoruichi’s sudden shift in energy.
“I have? By complaining about my big bad boobs?” Rangiku asked.
“Precisely! I’ve been studying a new line of Kido lately, a series of spells focused on localized energy manipulation and temporary structural alteration. It’s highly experimental, still in its foundational stages, mind you, but the principles are sound. I’ve mostly been using it for minor repairs on spirit weapons or to reinforce crumbling walls during training exercises. But the core concept… it should be able to temporarily alter organic matter too, within certain parameters.” Yoruichi said. Rangiku looked at her, a mixture of skepticism and dawning hope in her eyes.
“Waiiiiiiiit… are you saying?” Rangiku asked.
“I’m saying that if my theories are correct, I might be able to temporarily reduce the size of your ‘impediments.’ Improve your mobility, alleviate your balance issues, give you the unhindered agility you crave. Or at least, that’s the theory. Obviously, it’s never been attempted on this particular, shall we say, application before.” Yoruichi said.
Rangiku’s jaw dropped. She stared at Yoruichi, then down at her chest, then back at Yoruichi. The concept was wild, unprecedented, and frankly, a little terrifying. But the idea of fighting unburdened, of truly maximizing her potential with Haineko, was too tempting to ignore.
“You really think it would work? It wouldn’t hurt? Or… make anything disappear permanently?” Rangiku asked. Her hand subconsciously went to her chest, a protective gesture. Yoruichi waved a dismissive hand.
“Pah! Of course not. It’s temporary. A localized energy compression. And pain? At most, you might feel a slight tingle, maybe a warmth. It’s designed to be gentle, a subtle manipulation of existing form, not a destructive force. Think of it as a very precise, temporary spatial compression, focused specifically on a defined area. We can control the degree, too. So, what do you say, Matsumoto? Are you brave enough to be my test subject?” Yoruichi asked with a playful smirk on her face. Rangiku hesitated for only a fraction of a second. The potential benefits far outweighed the slight risk. The thought of executing perfect maneuvers, of moving with the unencumbered freedom she’d only dreamed of, was intoxicating. And besides… Yoruichi knew that look on her face from either the battlefield or the talks of her fellow Shinigami. Once Yoruichi put her mind to something, she wasn’t likely to take no for an answer.
“Permission granted, Yoruichi-san! By all means, try your Kido! Just… don’t make me flatter than a board, alright? A little less ‘sandbags,’ a little more ‘sleek and aerodynamic’ would be just perfect.” Rangiku said. Yoruichi grinned, already moving.
“Excellent! Stand still, relax. This will only take a moment.” Yoruichi said.
She raised her hands, her fingers splayed, and began to chant the incantation. The words were ancient, flowing like water, a complex weaving of spiritual energy.
“Hado #78: Shinku-Nendo. Form and flow, coalesce and hold. By the will of the manipulator, let the structure bend and fold.” Yoruichi said. A faint, ethereal blue glow emanated from Yoruichi’s palms, shimmering like heat haze. The light drifted towards Rangiku, enveloping her upper torso in a gentle embrace. Rangiku felt a peculiar sensation... a deep, internal warmth, like a gentle massage flowing through her. She watched, mesmerized, as the soft light enveloped her. Then, slowly and subtly, she saw it happen.
Her uniform, which had been stretched taut across her chest, began to loosen. Her eyes widened, a gasp escaping her lips as she watched, in slow motion, her breasts begin to visibly and undeniably, shrink. The gentle swell lessened, the generous curve receded, becoming progressively more streamlined. The feeling was bizarre, almost dreamlike, a sensation of internal pressure easing, of a weight subtly lifting.
“It’s… it’s working!” Rangiku breathed, a genuine shock giving way to unadulterated excitement. She watched, fascinated, as her voluptuous chest, once a defining feature and occasional hindrance, gradually diminished, settling into a much more modest, yet still feminine, proportion. The fabric of her kimono, once strained, now draped loosely, hinting at a newly acquired svelteness.
She took a deep breath, flexing her shoulders. The relief was immediate, overwhelming. It was utterly astounding. She could already feel the difference in her balance, the lightness in her movements. A wide, delighted grin stretched across her face, mirroring Yoruichi’s triumphant smirk.
“Oh, Yoruichi-san. This… this is incredible! I can already feel the difference! My mobility… I can’t wait to try this out in a real fight! No more sandbags! Just pure, unadulterated agility!” Rangiku whispered, her voice filled with awe and gratitude. She spun on her heel, a quick, elegant pivot that felt utterly effortless. Yoruichi lowered her hands, the blue glow dissipating.
“Just as I predicted! A perfectly calibrated adjustment, if I do say so myself. Now, let’s see if that newfound freedom translates into even greater prowess on the battlefield, shall we?” Yoruichi said as the two shifted their feet around like they were getting ready to spar with each other.
However… Rangiku’s body suddenly glowed blue again, immediately prompting confusion on both Rangiku and Yoruichi.
“Huh? What?” Rangiku asked. Her joyous dance immediately faltered. The strange sensation had returned, more intense this time. The world around her seemed to be growing and stretching. The ground was closing in further and further beneath her feet, the tree trunks around them morphing into towering giants.
“What in the name of the Soul King is happening?! Rangiku mumbled, stumbling. She looked down at herself again, her brow furrowing. Her clothes, which had initially felt loose, were now snug once more. And her chest, which had been so wonderfully diminished, now seemed to regain its old, familiar proportions. But it wasn't growing. Rangiku was shrinking, a theory that was quickly confirmed when she looked ahead of her and saw Yoruichi seemingly rising towards the sky.
“Eeeeeek! I’m shrinking!” she shrieked, her voice suddenly sounding thin and reedy. Yoruichi’s eyes widened, her smirk vanishing, replaced by genuine confusion.
“What the… That’s not right. The Kido was only supposed to affect specific mass, not verticality!” Yoruichi said as she peered closer and leaned down. Rangiku, who had been eye-level moments ago, was now scarcely reaching her knees. Rangiku’s panic escalated. The forest floor, once a soft carpet, now looked like a vast open landscape. Blades of grass were like towering bamboo shoots, pebbles like immense boulders. Her uniform, still shrinking with her, was keeping pace, perpetually tight around her chest, which, frustratingly, maintained its relative ‘largeness’ despite her overall reduction in size.
“Make it stop!, Yoruichi-san! Make it stop!” Rangiku wailed, her now miniature hands flailing. She was shrinking so fast, her perception of reality warping with every passing second. Yoruichi’s legs, once merely long, now resembled colossal pillars.
“I… I’m trying!” Yoruichi muttered, her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to reverse the Kido, but the spiritual energy around Rangiku was unresponsive to her commands. The spell had taken on a life of its own. Rangiku continued to shrink, her protests becoming high-pitched squeaks. She actually feared she was going to shrink so small that she’d be out of sight and a distant memory to everyone except Yoruichi.
Finally, the shrinking slowed, then stopped. Rangiku stood, or rather, trembled, on a minuscule patch of moss, no bigger than Yoruichi’s thumbnail. She was truly tiny, her entire form fitting comfortably within the palm of Yoruichi's hand, smaller than even a child’s action figure. Her captain’s uniform, though perfectly scaled, once again felt like an immense burden on her minuscule frame. Rangiku’s look of joy quickly changed to that of anger, especially as she watched the ‘giant’ Yoruichi step closer and closer, her shoes only mere yards away from her.
“Ugggggggh!!! This is not what I asked for! I wanted to be rid of the burden, not become one myself! Look at me! I’m smaller than a konso coin!” Rangiku screamed, her voice barely a whisper that Yoruichi had to strain to hear. She looked down at her chest, which, in perfect, infuriating irony, was once again disproportionately large relative to her current size.
“And on top of that, these bleeping things are still huge! What was the point?!” Rangiku said, stomping the giant forest floor in frustration with one of her feet. Yoruichi knelt down, her face close to the ground, her golden eyes wide with a mix of awe and utter bewilderment. Her breath created miniature gusts of wind that threatened to blow Rangiku off her perch.
“I… I don’t understand. My Kido was executed flawlessly! It adhered to the principles of Hado and Bakudo spatial manipulation. There’s no external influence compounding the effect. How could it keep going?” Yoruichi admitted, a rare moment of genuine confusion in her voice. She poked gently at a blade of grass near Rangiku, careful not to disturb her. Rangiku stomped her tiny foot, causing no discernible sound or vibration.
“I don’t care how! Just fix it! Right now! Turn me back! I demand to be returned to my normal, burdensome, but at least adult-sized self!” Rangiku shouted. Her voice, despite its miniature volume, carried all the indignation of a full-sized lieutenant.
Yoruichi, however, wasn't listening to the words anymore. As she stared at the miniature Rangiku, a slow, predatory smile began to spread across her face. Her golden eyes, usually filled with playful mischief, now gleamed with a different kind of light. The demand for reversal, the desperate pleas, all faded into a background hum. All Yoruichi saw was a tiny, wriggling thing, so utterly helpless, so entirely at her mercy. The training comrade, the fellow Shinigami, the troublesome but endearing friend… all of it receded into the background. In her mind now, Rangiku was no longer a person. She was prey. Small, delicate, utterly captivating prey.
A shiver ran down Rangiku’s spine, not from the sudden chill of the forest air, but from the profound shift in Yoruichi’s gaze. It was the look of a cat eyeing a particularly interesting mouse, a predator assessing its next delightful plaything. The amusement was still there, but it was sharper and tinged with something feral.
“Yoruichi-san? Why are you looking at me like that? What are you…?” Rangiku whispered, her voice trembling, all anger draining away, replaced by pure, unadulterated fear. Her speech was interrupted by Yoruichi’s voice as it came booming out like a loud speaker in the human realm.
“Oh, silly little Rangiku. What’s the big hurry? This is my opportunity to explore a new side of me… or rather, a new side of both of us!” Yoruichi said. Her large, tanned hand finally moved, slowly at first, then with increasing speed and certainty. Her fingertips, colossal and dark against the bright moss, descended, casting an immense shadow over the terrified lieutenant.
“No! Wait! Yoruichi-san, what are you doing?!” Rangiku screamed, scrambling backward, her tiny legs churning uselessly against the rough moss. Yoruichi’s fingers closed gently but firmly around Rangiku, engulfing her entirely. The world plunged into warm darkness, smelling faintly of Yoruichi’s skin. Rangiku was trapped, her minuscule body utterly enveloped by the soft, strong cage of Yoruichi’s hand. She could feel the vibrations of Yoruichi’s low chuckle, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed through her tiny frame.
“Oh, Rangiku. This is certainly an unexpected development. I wonder what Kisuke will make of you.” Yoruichi said. Rangiku thrashed, screaming protests that were muffled and unheard within Yoruichi’s grip.
“Let me go! Yoruichi-san! This isn’t funny! Undo it! Undo it right now!” Rangiku said as she tried in vain to kick and scream her way out of the giantess’s grip.
But Yoruichi was already moving. With a sudden burst of Shunpo, the world outside Rangiku’s hand-prison became a blur. The trees, the forest, the very ground itself, all streaked past in an instant as she moved with the gracefulness and speed of a cat despite not taking on the physical appearance of one. The wind howled around Yoruichi’s speeding form, a violent gale that Rangiku could dimly feel even through the protective barrier of Yoruichi's palm. The sensation for Rangiku was disorienting and terrifying as she was carried along at impossible speeds, a tiny prisoner in the grasp of her former comrade, now her joyful captor.
The dense forest vanished behind them in a blink, the familiar rooftops of the Urahara Shop looming closer. Finally, Yoruichi landed in front of the doors that would lead inside one of her places of resting and recovering. With Rangiku gulping nervously, the sliding door creaked open with a sudden, forceful zip. Yoruichi stepped inside, her violet hair slightly tousled and a mischievous, feline glint dancing in her golden eyes.
"Kisuke! You’ll never guess what I found stumbling around!" Yoruichi shouted, her voice echoing through the silent storefront. She opened her hands slightly to reveal her prize. Nestled in her palms was Rangiku, her golden hair cascaded over her tiny shoulders like silk threads, making her look like a meticulously crafted masterpiece of a doll.
"Stumbling around!? This is YOUR fault, you petulant giantess of a moron! Put me down this instant, Yoruichi! I don’t want Kisuke to see me like this!!" Rangiku shouted as she once again tried beating on Yoruichi’s closed fist that held her in a vice, though it did little more than tickle.
"Oh, hush now. Besides, you’re much more manageable at this size. No complaining about paperwork, no drinking all the sake... just a cute little pocket-sized Shinigami." Yoruichi cooed, poking Rangiku’s belly with a finger that was nearly as thick as the lieutenant’s entire torso. Yoruichi scanned the room and found the shop unnervingly still. Usually, Jinta would be sweeping the floor with a scowl, or Ururu would be quietly dusting shelves. She walked toward the counter, looking for the man in the telltale bucket hat. Instead of the eccentric shopkeeper, she found a piece of parchment weighted down by a single piece of hard candy. She picked it up and read aloud.
"Dear Yoruichi, if you’re reading this, we’ve all stepped out! A rare shipment of spirit thread became available in the Soul Society, and I needed Tessai’s muscles and the kids’ extra hands to haul it back. We’ll be staying overnight at a local inn near the Senkaimon. Don't touch the experimental tea! Back tomorrow morning. Kisuke." Yoruichi said.
Yoruichi stared at the note for a moment, then back at the tiny, trembling woman in her hand. The slow, predatory grin across her face returned.
"Well, Rangiku. It looks like the doctor is out. And the assistants. And even the kids." Yoruichi said. Rangiku’s eyes widened.
"No... no, no, no. Yoruichi, let’s be reasonable. Take me back to the Seireitei. Mayuri can fix this! Or... or just leave me here and I’ll wait for Kisuke… despite never hearing the end of it from him!" Rangiku said. Yoruichi sighed dramatically, leaning against the counter.
"And miss out on all this fun? I was really looking forward to showing you off to Kisuke. I wanted to see the look on his face when he saw the formidable Matsumoto reduced to the size of a keychain. Heck, I bet even Ichigo would get a kick out of seeing you shrunken like this. Buuuuuuuut..." Yoruichi said before she lifted her hand, bringing Rangiku level with her face, causing the shrunken woman to gulp nervously.
"I suppose this just means more quality time for the two of us." she finished.
"Quality time? What does that even mean?" Rangiku demanded, crossing her tiny arms and trying to look intimidating. It failed utterly... she only looked more adorable. Yoruichi began to pace the shop, her movements fluid and cat-like.
"It means I don't have to share. You know, Rangiku, I’ve often wondered about the nature of spiritual pressure. When it’s condensed like this, does it change the essence of a person? Does it change... their flavor?" Yoruichi said as she licked her lips with her tongue. Rangiku went pale.
"Flavor? Yoruichi, what are you talking about? I’m a soul, not a snack!" Rangiku shouted.
"Are you sure about that?" Yoruichi asked.
She stopped her pacing and sat cross-legged on the tatami mats, resting her hands on her knees so she could stare intensely at her captive.
"You look so sweet. Like a little confectionary treat. I wonder... would you taste like peaches? Or maybe persimmon? Knowing your habits, you probably taste more like premium Ginjo sake and dried squid." Yoruichi said.
"I most certainly do not! I demand you return me to normal size immediately! I swear, Yoruichi, when I return to normal size, I’ll…" Rangiku said, only to be interrupted by Yoruichi’s firm and commanding voice.
"Oh, shut your bellyaching! Like it or not, I have to satisfy my curiosity." Yoruichi said. She flicked her tongue out. With the precision of a predator, she gave Rangiku a long, slow lick from her feet up to her waist. Already the lower half of her wardrobe was drenched and dripping in saliva.
"Eww! Stop it! Stop it right now! That is unsanitary! That is a violation of shinigami-lieutenant relations!" Rangiku wailed, frantically wiping her damp robes. Yoruichi smacked her lips thoughtfully.
"Hmm. Not sake. Not quite peach either. There’s a hint of... wild strawberry? And maybe a dash of cinnamon. Very complex." Yoruichi said.
"Yoruichi, for pete’s sake I am not an ice cream cone!" Rangiku screamed as he upper body was attacked next by the giant tongue.
"Oh, but you're just as cold," Yoruichi teased, her eyes darkening with a playful, mischievous hunger.
"Let's try that again. Maybe I missed the heart of the flavor profile." she added as she began to lift Rangiku toward her open mouth. The tiny woman looked into the vast, dark cavern of the giantess’s throat, seeing the white teeth that looked like ivory monoliths. To a creature of Rangiku’s current scale, Yoruichi wasn't a friend or a legend, she was a titaness who clearly wanted to satisfy her appetite.
"Yoruichi, wait! Don't!" Rangiku screamed, her voice cracking.
As Yoruichi’s lips parted further, Rangiku realized the stunt had gone too far. Either that, or Yoruichi’s cat instincts were taking over. She didn't wait to find out. As Yoruichi’s thumb pressed her closer to her tongue, Rangiku coiled her tiny body and lunged. She didn't go for the tongue... she instead sank her teeth with every ounce of spiritual pressure she could muster into the sensitive flesh at the base of Yoruichi’s thumb.
"YEEE-OWCH!" Yoruichi yelled. Her hand jerked back reflexively. Her grip loosened, and Rangiku felt the terrifying sensation of weightlessness.
"Aaaaaah!" Rangiku screamed as she tumbled through the air. She hit the wooden floorboards with a dull thud. To her, it felt like falling off a two-story building into a hardwood parking lot. She groaned, rolling onto her side, her head spinning, but at least she was still alive and moving, a testament to the battle readiness of her body. Or maybe it was her overly firm breasts that cushioned her landing… she didn’t know and didn’t care. Above her, the world was a blur of orange and purple.
Yoruichi was clutching her hand, her face contorted in a mixture of shock and genuine pain. A tiny red mark, smaller than a pinprick but clearly stinging, was visible on her thumb. She looked down at the floor, her golden eyes narrowing. The playful shimmer was gone, replaced by a cold, predatory irritation.
"You little brat! That actually hurt!" Yoruichi hissed. Her voice dropped an octave, vibrating through the floorboards and rattling Rangiku’s very bones. Rangiku scrambled to her feet, her tiny heart hammering inside her chest like a trapped bird.
"What did you expect!? You were going to eat me!" Rangiku shouted. Yoruichi stood up to her full height, looming over the miniature shinigami like a mountain of wrath.
Yoruichi then folded her arms and clearly did not look pleased.
"I was going to be gentle, but now? Now I think I’ll just squash you like the literal bug you’ve become." Yoruichi said as she raised her boot. To Rangiku, the boot looked more like a falling moon, the shadows of the tread darkening the world around her.
"Wait! No!" Rangiku said as she turned and bolted. She didn't run like a lieutenant... she ran like she was prey. Her tiny legs blurred as she used a miniature version of Shunpo, disappearing in a flash of speed. She dived under the low-hanging shelf where the shop kept the discounted soul candies. Yoruichi’s foot slammed into the wood just inches from where Rangiku had been standing. The entire shop seemed to shudder beneath Rangiku’s feet.
"You can't hide forever, Rangiku! You think you can outrun me?" Yoruichi laughed, the sound of her voice having a sharp edge to it. Rangiku didn't answer. She was gasping for air, huddled behind a dusty box of 'Soul-Sicles.' Through the gap in the shelving, she saw Yoruichi drop to her hands and knees, peering into the shadows. One massive golden eye appeared at the edge of the shelf, scanning the darkness.
"I see youuuuuuu..." Yoruichi whispered. Rangiku bolted again, darting out from the other side of the shelf and heading for the kitchen area. To her, the gap between the shelving and the kitchen door was a vast, open desert where she was completely exposed. She could hear the heavy, rhythmic thuds of Yoruichi’s palms and knees hitting the floor behind her as the noblewoman crawled in pursuit, moving with terrifying, feline grace.
"Come back here! I just want to play… and then eat you!" Yoruichi’s voice boomed.
Rangiku reached the kitchen and dove behind a ceramic tea jar. She was trembling, her mind racing. She needed a plan. She couldn't fight Yoruichi at this size, and she couldn't outrun her for long. A shadow fell over her. She looked up. Yoruichi was standing over the jar, a wicked smile on her face. She reached down with one hand, her fingers spreading like a cage.
"Cornered, you little scamp. What are you going to do now?" Yoruichi said playfully.
"Not yet!" Rangiku yelled, drawing her tiny Zanpakuto. It was no larger than a toothpick, but it glinted with spirit energy.
"Haineko!" Rangiku shouted. A tiny puff of ash emerged from the blade… hardly enough to fill a thimble. It swirled around Yoruichi’s fingertips, tickling her more than cutting her. Even from where she stood and from where the ash latched on, it was still enough to irrirate Yoruichi’s nostrils. She tried her best to hold back a sneeze, but she failed.
“Ahhhhhhh… CHOOOO!!!” Yoruichi sneezed.
"Bless you!" Rangiku shouted as she tumbled over the edge, grabbing a hanging dishcloth to break her fall. She slid down the cloth like a rope and hit the floor running again, heading for the training trapdoor. If she could get into the underground facility, she might find enough space to hide in the rocky terrain.
"Oh, you want to go downstairs? Let me help you with that!" Yoruichi’s voice came from right behind her ear. Yoruichi lunged, her hand sweeping across the floor like a giant claw. Rangiku dived towards a crack between the floorboards, feeling the rush of air as Yoruichi’s fingers grazed her heels.
Alas, Rangiku missed the gap, and there was no time to scamper back and make another attempt at diving inside, where Yoruichi was there and waiting to grab her.
“Almost got you!” Yoruichi said. Her hand shot forward, fingers closing in, but Rangiku, fueled by a mixture of terror and indignation, performed an acrobatic feat she hadn’t thought herself capable of at this size. She practically launched herself into the air, soaring over the tip of Yoruichi's outstretched finger by a hair’s breadth. She landed with a jarring thump, rolling once before scrambling into the inviting darkness. A narrow gap between a stack of cookbooks and a half-eaten loaf of bread, leading to the inviting darkness beneath the counter. A desperate surge of hope spurred her on as she sprinted towards the mouse hole.
It was less a hole and more a natural fissure in the aging baseboard, a forgotten crevice leading into the cool, musty space between the wall and the cabinets. Rangiku squeezed through, her uniform catching slightly on the rough wood, before tumbling onto a dusty, unseen floor.
She lay there, chest heaving, her whole body trembling. The air was thick with the scent of old wood, accumulated dust, and something vaguely earthy. Her heart thumped, a frantic drumbeat in the oppressive silence. The darkness was absolute, broken only by a sliver of light from the kitchen filtering through the crack she had just entered.
Humiliation washed over her in a wave, cold and suffocating. She, Rangiku Matsumoto, Lieutenant of the Tenth Division, renowned for her beauty, formidable power, and of course oversized bust, was hiding in a mouse hole. Like a common, lowly spirit mouse, scurrying from a cat. The indignity of it made her cheeks flush, even in the darkness. She could almost hear Hitsugaya’s exasperated sigh, would almost certainly feel Renji’s guffaw if he were to witness this spectacle. Her pride, usually as unyielding as ice, was shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.
“I can’t believe this. Of all the days I thought I would have, this never even occurred to me. And to make matters worse, I’m being chased by Yoruichi, who can’t seem to tell the different between me and catnip.” Rangiku said to herself as she folded her arms in disgust.
A low thrumming soon resonated through the wooden floor, growing steadily louder. The sliver of light from the kitchen began to diminish as if an eclipse was occurring. Rangiku’s breath hitched. A shadow, deeper and more profound than the natural darkness of the hole, fell over her. And then, Yoruichi’s voice, a soft, purring rumble that echoed unnervingly within the confined space.
“Oh, Rangiku… you didn’t think you could escape me that easily, did you?” Yoruichi’s voice echoed from outside. The darkness around her intensified, and a moment later, a massive, fleshy warmth pressed against the opening of the mouse hole.
Deliberately, a group of giant fingers began to probe the opening. Rangiku instinctively scrambled back, her heart leaping into her throat. Her back hit the rough, splintered wall of the mouse hole. She pressed herself against it, trying to become one with the wood, to disappear entirely.
The fingers moved with a disturbing gentleness, exploring the space, narrowing her world. The air grew stale, thick with the scent of Yoruichi's skin, a faint aroma of jasmine and something animalistic. Rangiku could feel the subtle vibrations of Yoruichi's breathing, the warmth radiating from her skin.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are, little Rangiku!” Yoruichi purred. Her fingers continued their relentless advance, pushing against the loose dust, sending once unseen debris scattering. Rangiku could feel the tips of the fingers getting closer, the monstrous digits stretching, searching for her. She could practically feel the air being sucked out of the small space.
Her mind raced, a frantic flurry of desperation. She couldn’t be caught like this. Not like some trapped vermin. Her hand instinctively went to the hilt of Haineko. Her Zanpakuto might be small, but its spirit remained whole.
“Haineko!” Rangiku called out, her voice a fierce, defiant hiss that was barely audible even to herself. A shimmering, ethereal glow erupted from her hilt, a concentrated surge of spiritual energy. The tiny blade dissolved into a cloud of ash, a swirling grey vortex no bigger than her own shrunken form.
With a desperate cry of Scatter, Haineko, she launched the ash cloud forward. It wasn't a blast, but a concentrated, miniature storm of abrasive, razor-sharp particles, aimed directly at the fleshy, encroaching finger. She channeled every ounce of terror and frustration into the attack. This was her last, defiant stand.
The ash struck Yoruichi’s finger with a faint, scratching sound, barely audible over her own ragged breathing. For a fleeting moment, Rangiku felt a surge of hope. Had she done it? Had she wounded the giantess?
This time, however, Yoruichi was mentally prepared. Yoruichi, ever the seasoned warrior, had anticipated the move. A faint, almost imperceptible smirk played on her lips outside the hole. Instead of recoiling in pain, Yoruichi’s colossal finger merely twitched. With a casual, almost dismissive flick of her wrist, she sent a powerful current of air sweeping into the mouse hole. The ash, Rangiku's desperate attack, was instantly dispersed, scattered into nothingness by the sheer force of Yoruichi’s movement. It was like trying to stop a hurricane with a feather.
Rangiku’s hope evaporated, replaced by a cold, hollow dread. Her body sagged against the wall, utterly spent. Then, Yoruichi executed one more swift, decisive lunge. Her hand, previously probing, now moved with the speed of a striking viper. Her fingers closed in with an inescapable precision. Rangiku had no time to react, no space to run. The world tilted as she felt the warm, encompassing press of Yoruichi’s palm and fingers wrapping around her tiny form. She was scooped up effortlessly once again like a forgotten pebble.
“Gaaaaah!” Rangiku screamed. The darkness of the mouse hole was replaced by the overwhelming, skin-filling warmth of Yoruichi's hand. Rangiku was held firmly and securely. There was no escape.
A moment later, held aloft, she was pulled out of the mouse hole and into the blinding light of the kitchen. Her eyes struggled to adjust, watering from the sudden shift. The world snapped back into its terrifyingly grand scale. Yoruichi brought Rangiku level with her face, her eyes alight with feline amusement. A slow, languid smile spread across Yoruichi’s lips, and then, to Rangiku’s utter horror, she slowly licked her lips, her long, pink tongue darting out in a deliberate, suggestive gesture.
“Well, well, Rangiku. I must say, that was quite the chase. You really let out the cat in me, didn’t you?” Yoruichi said. Rangiku struggled mightily in Yoruichi’s grip, which only made her chuckle.
“Damn it, Yoruichi! Let me go!” Rangiku said, only to watch Yoruichi lick her lips again and move her closer to her seemingly glowing golden eyes.
Yoruichi tightened her grip just enough to elicit a small gasp from the Lieutenant.
"You know, Matsumoto. The Soul Society has been a bit stagnant lately. Too many Lieutenants who spend more time drinking sake and chasing fashion than doing their paperwork. Maybe it’s time the Seireitei had a bit of a change in leadership. A new Lieutenant for the Tenth Division. Someone a bit more… disciplined." Yoruichi said, her thumb tracing a slow, deliberate circle over Rangiku’s midsection.
“You’re joking. You’re just trying to scare me!” Rangiku shouted. With a playful, predatory hum, Yoruichi ran the tip of her thumb over Rangiku’s chest, pressing down slightly on the curves that were the envy of half the women in the Soul Society.
“HEY!” Rangiku shouted in protest.
"Besides… those famous 'mounds' of yours… they’re wasted on you right now. But for someone like me? They’ll give me plenty of protein. A little snack to keep my energy up for the afternoon." Yoruichi said. Rangiku’s blood ran cold. The playful teasing she had expected from the former Captain of the Stealth Force had suddenly taken a sharp, lethal turn. Yoruichi simply smiled, revealing rows of perfect, white teeth and a dark, cavernous hollow beyond. She tilted her head back and opened her mouth.
To Rangiku, it was like looking into the entrance of a warm, wet abyss. The sheer scale of it was overwhelming. She saw the glisten of saliva under the dim lights, the soft pink arch of the palate, and the massive, muscular tongue that shifted like a sleeping beast.
"No! Wait! Yoruichi!" Rangiku screamed, her voice cracking. She began to thrash with everything she had, scratching at the calloused skin of Yoruichi's fingers, but it was like trying to claw through a mountain. She saw Yoruichi's lips twitch into a final, hungry smirk before the darkness moved toward her.
The first thing Rangiku felt was the heat. A sweltering, humid heat that enveloped her entire body as Yoruichi guided her past the threshold of her lips. Then, the ceiling and walls of the world disappeared, replaced by the soft, wet ceiling of Yoruichi’s mouth.
“Waaaaah!” Rangiku screamed just as Yoruichi let go. Rangiku fell, landing with a wet thud onto the surface of the tongue. It wasn't a flat surface... it was a vast, undulating landscape of taste buds that felt like rounded boulders under her feet. The air was thick and heavy, smelling intensely of the woman who had just claimed her.
"Gotta get out… gotta get out..." Rangiku whispered as she scrambled to her feet, her feet slipping on the slick coating of saliva. She lunged toward the light, the gap between Yoruichi’s teeth, but the tongue beneath her curved upward. Yoruichi moaned softly, the sound vibrating through Rangiku’s entire skeleton. The Flash Goddess was enjoying the sensation of the tiny woman scurrying around inside her mouth. She rolled her tongue, tossing Rangiku against the inner wall of her cheek.
Rangiku clawed at the slick, fleshy walls, trying to find something to latch onto, but the saliva acted like oil. She kept slipping, sliding further back toward the darkness. She looked up and saw the massive, white pillars of Yoruichi’s molars, realizing with a jolt of horror that if Yoruichi decided to bite down, it would be over in a fraction of a second. But Yoruichi didn't bite. She wanted the full experience.
Rangiku felt the tongue push her toward the back, pinning her against the roof of the mouth. She tried to scream, but the air was being squeezed out of her. She felt the rhythmic, powerful contractions of the throat muscles beginning to prime themselves.
"Yoruichi… please!" Rangiku managed to choke out, her voice muffled by the wetness surrounding her. Finally Yoruichi gave a sharp, decisive swallow. The floor dropped out from under Rangiku. The muscular walls of the oropharynx clamped down on her, dragging her into the darkness of the throat. It was a terrifying, claustrophobic sensation… being squeezed from all sides by walls of living muscle that didn't care for her rank or her power.
She was plunged into the esophagus. For a terrifying moment, the passage narrowed, and Rangiku felt herself get stuck. The walls pressed in tightly around her waist and shoulders, the pressure immense. She could feel the pulse of Yoruichi’s heart through the tissue, rhythmic thumps that sounded like a funeral drum. She could hear Yoruichi chuckle… a deep, resonant sound that vibrated the very tube Rangiku was trapped in.
"Going down, Matsumoto." Yoruichi’s voice echoed through her own flesh. Yoruichi tilted her chin up, stroking the outside of her slender throat with two fingers, physically massaging the lump that was Rangiku. She flexed her neck muscles, forcing a second, more powerful swallow.
With a wet, squelching sound, the resistance broke. Rangiku felt herself being propelled downward, the peristaltic waves of the esophagus working like a rhythmic piston. She slid through the dark, wet tunnel, unable to breathe, unable to fight, until the walls suddenly flared out.
Rangiku landed in a shallow, churning pool of liquid. The air here was even hotter, thick with the sharp, acrid scent of digestive juices. She scrambled to find her footing, but there was no solid ground… only the squishy, folded walls of the stomach lining that pulsed and groaned with every breath Yoruichi took.
She looked up, but the entrance she had fallen through had already constricted into a tight, impenetrable seal. She was in total darkness, save for the faint, bioluminescent glow of some of the spiritual enzymes beginning to coat her clothes.
"I have to get out... I have to..." Rangiku reached for her Zanpakuto, but the handle felt slimy, and her strength was failing. The heat was becoming unbearable, a heavy, oppressive weight that made her limbs feel like lead. The ‘protein’ Yoruichi had joked about was beginning to be processed. The acids began to hiss as they made contact with Rangiku’s spiritual ribbon. The pain was becoming too much for Rangiku to bear as she watched actual pieces of her flesh dissolve from her body.
“No! Nooooooo…!!” Rangiku screamed with tears in her acid-soaked eyes. The Lieutenant’s screams grew fainter, muffled by layers of muscle and the sloshing of the stomach’s contents. The exhaustion of the struggle, combined with the lack of oxygen and the corrosive environment, finally began to take its toll. Rangiku’s vision blurred. The rhythmic churning of the walls around her felt less like a prison and more like a heavy, final blanket. She had no choice but to accept her fate and sink further and further into the bubbling ocean of the stomach acid.
Outside, in the shop, Yoruichi let out a long, satisfied sigh, her hand coming up to rest on her flat, toned midriff. Beneath her palm, she could feel a faint, frantic drumming... the last desperate struggles of the woman she had just consumed.
She didn't feel a shred of guilt. In the world of the Stealth Force, the strong lived and the weak were extinguished. Besides, she had always wondered what a Lieutenant tasted like.
Slowly, the struggling stopped. The lump in Yoruichi’s stomach settled, the frantic drumming fading into a dull, rhythmic throb that pulsed in time with Yoruichi’s own metabolism. Yoruichi stretched her arms high above her head. Her spine popped, and she felt a wonderful sense of fullness and warmth spreading through her core.
“Mmmmm… delicious.” Yoruichi said. She gave her stomach a slow, firm rub, feeling the fading weight of the shrunken Rangiku Matsumoto shifting inside her. The digestive process was already well underway, breaking down the spiritual energy of the Lieutenant to fuel her, and she could feel Rangiku’s former spiritual energy disperse throughout her insides, giving her more energy than she anticipated.
Yoruichi finally exited the back kitchen and walked toward the sliding door of the shop, the bells jingling as she stepped out into the crisp afternoon air of the human world. As she crossed the threshold, she paused, her chest heaving slightly as a bubble of air worked its way up her throat.
“URRRRRRRRRRRRRP!!!” Yoruichi belched. It was a loud, unrefined sound that echoed slightly in the quiet street. Yoruichi patted her mouth with the back of her hand, a look of pure, predatory contentment on her face.
“Ahem… pardon me.” Yoruichi said. She set off down the street, disappearing into the shadows of the city, leaving the Urahara Shop… and the memory of Soul Society’s Tenth Division Lieutenant… far behind. As she walked, she spoke out loud about how she was going to explain Rangiku’s ‘disappearance’ to everyone else.
“Hmmmm… I’m certainly going to need to come up with a believable story to explain why we’ll never see Rangiku again. Maybe I should blame it on that Orihime girl… she and her did have a bit of a ‘chest’ war… naaaaaah. Too obvious. Think, Yoruichi, think…” Yoruichi said as she put her imaginary thinking cap on, because she certainly wasn’t going to say Rangiku died because she shrunk and ate her.
Then again, it could give her some form of clout with those close to her in the Soul Society…
END