Soul Society's Construction Squad [REWRITE]

Chapter 1

RYUUGAMINE

" Ryuuga..."

" Ryuugamine..."

" Ryugamine Uzu-san!"

Startled, I abruptly raise my head and frantically look around. My eyes fall on the woman standing near me.

" Good grief, " She says crossing her arms over her chest-- no under her chest since she eventually decided her bossom was in the way, " I was about to give you a good shake. "

"I'd rather you don't, Rokujo." I mutter to her.

She chuckles and focuses back her current task. Our task.

I do the same: I tighten and adjust my grip on my broom's wooden handle. Not too tight. For some reason I'm scared that it could break if I applied too much strength. Rokujo and I were sweeping fallen petals and flowers off the ground.

We were assigned to the 5th Division today and lo and behold! We were often mistaken for being from the 4th. It's a common occurrence...so much so that any members of our squad would learn to simply shrug it off.

I swept and swept, gathering the poor fallen petals in one spot before almost overflowing my dustpan and making my way to the trashbin.

The wind did not make our task easier. Rokujo cursed everytime her crimson lock obstructed her line of sight. She had forgotten her hairband at our barracks and I had none on me.

Once again a breeze rippled through leaves and grass; undid most of our hardwork. I'd be lying if I said that I did not enjoy watching cherry blossom petals twirl gracefully in the wind. They picked up from the ground joining their sisters which had left the trees in a rather intense aerial ballet performance; spiralling into the morning sky.

When the wind did finally settle down, it hit me just how much more effort I'd have to put in my work.

Rokujo sighs. I mirror her.

" We're not finishing anytime soon, are we? " she said pushing up her round glasses.

" No. This is going to take us a long time. "

☆☆☆

" Kill me, " Rokujo sighs. She lets herself fall next to me and we sit there, in the shade, " Not that I want to die again though. "

" I know, " I reckon we look like two idiots who are staring blankly in front of us. Maybe the other shinigami think we are contemplating on our lives, how our past choices led us here.

Come join us, I think. Let's have a very much overdue existential crisis together.

We stay like this for a while. No one will bother us. We're like a simple piece of furniture to them, a decoration. I enjoy this thought. Like this I shall not be bothered. I can think of him, I can let my mind wander; think of what I did and what I did not.

But Rokujo has other plans.

" Alright, " she stands up and dusts her robes. I watch her, my gaze silently pleading, " We've still got things to do. On to the next task, Ryuugamine. "

She does not wait for me. By the time I finish cursing her in my mind, she is already far away. I chase after her.

By the time I catch up with her, she already has a few tools with her, mostly used for cutting wood. She hands me a few and a bag of refreshments. Hers contain food. Rokujo locks eyes with me. Her eyes of a rich brown like the earth are stern. A warning.