A/N: My cliffhanger technique was a success it seems and now for the next installment to my little story. Please enjoy.

Stripes of Black and Gold

Arc One: Revival of the Hornet Clan

Chapter 5: Alive and Dead…Again

Soi Fon’s eyes slowly opened to reveal that she was lying peacefully in a bed. The room around her seemed much like that of a room that belonged in the Fourth Division headquarters. She sat up slowly, looking herself over to reveal a multitude of bandages wrapping her body and arms, and a sleeping Teno resting his head peacefully on her leg. She noticed that his forearms, both of which appeared to have been badly burned.

She reached out her hand, wanting to wake the sleeping boy, but stopped and decided to let him rest. She wanted, no needed to know how he knew her name. She also wouldn’t mind knowing how they ended up here, and how they afforded treatment. This was like the living world in that sense. Speaking of living, she could breathe, and now once again needed to perform such actions in order to survive. However, that didn’t make sense, this was a spiritual plain. She shouldn’t need the things of the living world.

Soon the door opened and in stepped Domi along with a person who appeared to be a doctor. She looked small and even smaller wearing her white jacket that was closed in the front of her body. She pressed her fingers onto the middle part of her glass frames and effectively restored the lenses to their correct positions over her eyes.

“It is good to see that you are awake. I wasn’t sure if you would make it. I regret that I haven’t worked on a human before.” She said calmly as she fiddled with the information on her notepad. “And I see that the mantis that refused to leave your side is still present.”

“I see.” Soi Fon said with a gentle sigh. “May I ask as to information as to what happened.”

“I believe your wasp friend can tell you the summary. I however must see to other patients.” The doctor than scurried off quickly out the door, still frantically writing in her notes.

“So what happened?” Soi Fon asked the sparsely injured Domi with an annoyed glare.

“You ran off, and got attacked by a millipede. Teno and I showed up to save you, and Teno pushed the guy back at the cost of severely injuring himself, and then I brought you both here for medical attention.” Domi said as she walked calmly over to the window and stared out over the city with her calm purple eyes. Soi Fon opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted by the wasp before her. “I don’t know how Teno beat the guy, but it looks like he controls some kind of fire manipulation. The entire fight was so fast. Second, apparently the guy who came after you works for a local crime lord, a crime lord that has a bounty on his head.”

“I take it that that means something.” Soi Fon spoke in an even more annoyed tone and glared at Domi who had taken to resting her back against the window with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

“I figured that it would be an easy way for us to pay your medical bills, and since both of you should be in proper working order by now we can kick some butt.” Domi said as she pumped her fist into the air with a smile on her face.

“But I only just woke up, what good are we going to do with such injuries.” Soi Fon screamed as she slammed her hand into the bed and effectively waking the sleeping boy from his nap.

“Teno is fine, he has some burns but those should flake off soon. Like burned skin peeling off of you only in large plates.” Domi said as she tried to explain the process.

“Yeah, I’ve had plenty of time to heal.” Teno said as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Plenty of time…how long have I been asleep?” Soi Fon asked calmly.

“About two to three weeks Fon.” Teno responded as he continued to rub the back of his head. “That’s at least the amount of time I’ve been by your side.”

“And I was watching your room for a week before that so your fully healed.” Domi said. “So now all we have to do is collect that bounty and pay the medical bills. That is of course after you get changed into some better clothes.” Domi waved to the two as she left the room quickly.

“I should probably get going too.” Teno said calmly as he started to leave. “You’re clothes should be in the closet across from your…”

“Teno,” Soi Fon said calmly and effectively stopped the mantis from walking out of the room. “How do you know the name Shaolin Fon? Why do you know that name, and why did you stay with me for so long.”

“That’s a long story Fon.” Teno sighed as his face turned to one of sorrow. “One I don’t think you’re ready for yet.”

“Why am I not ready now?” Soi Fon asked calmly yet coldly.

“Let’s just go with that we knew each other while we were alive. Now, hurry up, we got bills to pay.” Teno left through the door as he spoke those words leaving a growling Soi Fon behind him.

It took only a couple of minutes for the shinigami to leave her hospital room. Soon, after that the three beings left to go find this bounty.

“So I take it we’re bounty hunters now.” Soi Fon growled as she crossed her arms in anger. Teno and Domi had placed themselves on either side of her so that she could no longer run away.

“Yeah, it’s work that suits our talents. Well, mine and Teno’s at least.” Domi said with a complacent grin while looking at a glaring Soi Fon with content.

“Why do you treat me as inferior?” Soi Fon growled before the three stopped in the middle of an intersection.

“You just haven’t matured that’s all.” Teno said as he placed his hands on the back of his head. “Now the only question is where we start looking for this Centurion guy.”

“Rumors say that his hideout is in a cave system to the west of the main city.” Domi said as she pointed in a direction. “I did a little snooping while you two were out.”

“That’s nice, but it still doesn’t answer my question, at least not very well.” Soi Fon grumbled as she followed the two to their intended destination.

Within a half hour the three arrived at the mouth of a large cave. It had started to become dark outside and yet the three warriors looked on into the cave.

“Well, it sure is big.” Teno said as he looked on into the cave. It would definitely be hard to find a single entity within the structures.

“Yep, and most likely we’ll be encountering underground or nocturnal creatures from here on out.” Domi said as she readied her lance. The wasp waited and then sighed as she watched Teno create echo after echo within the first of the caves. “Cut that out, you’ll attract unwanted attention.”

“Not necessarily,” Soi Fon strode pat the two and looked into the cave. “If we can cause someone to come here it would be easier for us to beat them and learn where their leader is.”

“So there is a reason we have you around.” Domi said with a chuckle.

“I really don’t like the fact that you treat me so poorly.” Soi Fon growled in an annoyed tone.

“And I don’t like the fact that your human, but I live with it.” Domi said as she hoped down into the cave despite the angry glare that she received from the shinigami captain.

“What does that have to do with it.” Soi Fon screamed as she and Teno followed the wasp girl farther into the cave system.

“Everything.” Domi said as she landed, but suddenly the ground beneath her instantly collapsed and the light armored girl dropped quickly through the ground. Before the others could react they too dropped rapidly through the cave floor and through their own distinct tunnel.

Domi landed softly, her wings acted quickly to stop her fall once she was out of the thin tunnel in which she fell through. The cave was large in size and was already occupied by another individual. The warrior brandished his huge spiked hammer before shouldering it and laughing at the smaller being before him.

“Good thing we know about your movements.” He chuckled as he cracked his knuckles on the hand that wasn’t holding the hammer.

“You’re the rhino from earlier.” Domi said as she tightened the grip on her lance and pointed its tip toward the brute before her. “How are you able to follow are movements.”

“That human has yet to learn how to hide her spiritual DNA. We tracked you through her. Gigas will crush the mantis, Centurion himself will kill the human, and I’ll demolish you.”

“Try it.” Domi grinned as she hopped out of the way of the hammer as it crashed down upon where the young wasp was standing.

“Now that hurt.” Teno said as he rubbed his soar bottom as he stood. Unlike Domi, which the young mantis had no idea of where she landed; Teno didn’t have the wings necessary to slow his fall and thus landed very hard on his lower region. Soon, Teno leapt from his position and avoided a large crash into his former position. Teno landed softly on his feet and quickly allowed his scythe-like forearms to extend. Before him was the warrior that had attacked Soi Fon in the alleyway.

“This time your unique ability won’t help you. We are in my natural environment.” The man said as he cracked his neck.

“We’ll just have to see about that.” Teno smirked as his blades shimmered in the little light that filtered through the hole in the roof.

“That was uncomfortable,” Soi Fon coughed as dust filtered out away from her. She waved her hand in the air to clear it away from her face. That’s when she heard a sound similar to that of large bone plates clicking together as they moved through the cave structure.

“How great for you to join me, human.” Soi Fon whipped her head around to stare at the giant centipede coiled behind her.

“Who are you?” Soi Fon asked as she entered a defensive stance. Her hand clutched tightly to Suzembatchi’s hilt.

“I am Centurion. There is a price on both of our heads young human. The one on yours will make me a member of Grand Mother’s Royal Guard.” The centipede’s words caused Soi Fon’s eyes widen in shock. Both Domi and the two black armored people that attacked her in the Seireitei all spoke about this woman. She was supposed to be the leader of one of the clans, and the one that wants her dead.