Aizen put the Hōgyoku away. There was no longer any reason to run tests, it was best kept on him.
"How is Kyōraku Shunsui's investigation coming along?"
Ichimaru Gin narrowed his eyes and replied, "We don't have much information right now. We only know that his name is Yuta, a commoner from Rukongai, and that he's about to enter Shinō Spiritual Arts Academy."
"So it's not a treasure but a person after all?" Tōsen Kaname spoke to himself. "If we could get Yuta on our side, our strength would certainly increase."
Ichimaru Gin lowered his head. "If he joins us, you'll want to see his strength firsthand, won't you?"
Tōsen answered, "The soul burials during the Shinō Academy internship involve direct contact with Hollows-it's the perfect chance to observe."
Aizen pushed his glasses up; a blue sheen flashed across the lenses.
⋯⋯
In the forest-
Several men in black silently knelt before a young girl clad in the Covert Ops uniform.
She stood about 1.5 meters tall, thin and small-framed, with fingertip-length bangs and the captain's haori over her shoulders.
"Captain, several Shinigami have gone missing again."
"This makes it the 372nd recorded disappearance of Shinigami."
"No further clues have surfaced."
"I understand. You're dismissed."
"Yes!"
They disappeared instantly.
Sui-Feng exhaled heavily.
These were only the known disappearances. There were likely Rukongai names missing from those lists as well. And then there were the commoners nobody would realize were gone. Countless lives unaccounted for.
She tilted her head up at the sky and drifted into memory-a familiar silhouette filled her mind. Elegant. Noble.
If it were her facing this disaster... what would she have done?
Biting her lip, Sui-Feng clenched her fists so tightly her arms began to tremble.
She hadn't forgiven Yoruichi for vanishing without a word.
⋯⋯
Rangiku woke with tightness in her chest and trouble catching her breath. She rubbed it absentmindedly.
Were her breasts getting bigger again?
They were already annoying enough-it made sleeping face-up nearly unbearable lately.
Sunlight poured through the window and warmed the blankets, bathing everything in gold.
She opened her eyes-and saw Yuta lying on top of her chest.
Relief swept over her face in a breathless sigh.
Ah-it was him. So it wasn't her breasts choking her again. (T/N: TF! but to be fair.. i can see that happening... wouldn't mind being choked on them.)
Wait-
Shouldn't she be concerned about why someone was sleeping on her chest to begin with?
Memories from last night surged up-and she instantly buried her face in both palms, groaning softly.
She'd clung to him? Held his hand and refused to release it? Acted... coquettishly?
Was that really her?
Vice Captain Rangiku, of all people-the woman feared for her temper and known across Squad 10 for being untouchable?
If others had seen her speaking sweetly and cuddling up like that-
Their jaws would've dropped through the floor.
Right now, she couldn't imagine facing Yuta sober ever again.
She wanted to crawl into the ground and vanish completely.
Except...
Looking closely at him now, Yuta really was handsome in a delicate way.
Her fingers almost moved on their own toward his hair-but his eyes snapped open before she touched him. He looked directly at her with dark, unflinching calm.
She stammered and pulled back quickly. "Ah... you're awake. I-I was about to wake you."
Yuta sat up and stretched his arms casually.
Her tits had made for decent pillows. Soft enough to get good sleep from it too.
Knock knock-
Someone rapped gently on the door twice. Rangiku hurried to straighten her clothes and called out, "Come in."
The servant stepped in with a basin and towel in hand. "Please take your time with the hot water." He bowed and left without lingering.
As soon as he slipped through the door-
"How was it?"
"Does Vice Captain Matsumoto really have something with that kid?"
"Hah! They spent the night together-they must!"
The door hadn't quite closed before members of Division 10 began whispering questions to the departing servant with eager grins on their faces.
The waiter raised both hands with innocent shrugging motions. "I don't know anything. Don't ask me."
⋯⋯
Rangiku peeled off the blanket and stood up carefully. Her socks and shoes had been removed and neatly set aside at some point during the night.
Embarrassed heat rose up her neck again.
Had Yuta been taking care of her?
She turned toward him and saw him toweling off at the basin, unable to glimpse his face clearly from that angle or guess what he was thinking now.
She slipped on both shoes and stepped closer beside him. Picking up the towel he had used, she dabbed it gently against her cheeks. It felt nice-not scented or fragrant-but warm enough to leave her thoughts spinning slightly all the same.
"...Yesterday..."
Rangiku hesitated before speaking softly. "About what happened yesterday-that was my fault. I shouldn't have..."
Just one drink-that was all it took for her to become clingy and act foolish. She'd practically latched onto him like some drunken lover desperate for attention.
She wanted to squat in the corner immediately and hide from shame.
"It's fine," Yuta replied casually, then gave a sideways look toward the door. "Though... are you sure you're not worried about everyone outside?"
Rangiku frowned slightly. "Huh?"
From outside-
"Ayaahhh! I did not expect this! Vice Captain Matsumoto made the first move!"
"Shit... That means springtime has come for our vice captain! Is that guy gonna be our new brother-in-law?"
"He better take care of Vice Captain Matsumoto or we'll step in."
The door burst open before they could finish chatting-
Bang! Bang!
Two solid punches cracked against two unsuspecting skulls loud enough to echo down the hallways of Squad 10-
"We're so sooorry!"
All of them lined up bowing apologetically in unison under Rangiku's glare while she smiled sweetly at them-
"If I ever hear you talking crap again?"
Her smile widened another inch while everyone stiffened where they stood-
"You're dead."
That smile turned a room full of veterans into statues of fear as they saluted quickly.
"Absolutely not, ma'am!"
Rangiku grabbed Yuta's hand quickly. "Let's go."
⋯⋯
Seireitei lingered under faint morning fog as they walked down paved streets lined with breakfast stalls and steaming buns filling the air with savory scents.
Shinigami bustled past them carrying out daily duties with hurried steps and focused energy-but several eyes turned their way anyway.
Many recognized Rangiku by sight-but few knew who Yuta was, or what he might be doing walking at her side like this.
"This is Shinō Academy," Rangiku said softly after they arrived at the plaza gates.
She exhaled slowly as she stared above its rooftop buildings again.
Her heart swelled slightly with nostalgia that caught her off guard-
She had graduated from this very place-and step by step climbed until she earned her position as vice-captain today.
For many standing behind these walls now...
…it was where their lives as Death Gods would begin.
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