Waterfall Eclipse

Captain Hitsugaya

Chapter Twenty:

Captain Hitsugaya

It took the girls most of the after noon to file everything where it was supposed to go, and check to make sure the stuff that was filed was in their proper place.

"I'm wiped."

"Two more hours to go then we can get dinner." Umeko commented and then looked at the door. "Hello Captain Hitsugaya." She said surprised.

He didn't say anything at first because he was looking at the now cleaned up room.

"Great job, you two. I can see the floor." Umeko and Rani looked at each other puzzled, wondering if he just tried to be funny. "Sasaki, you may leave early."

"Yes, sir. Thank you." She replied. "Rani, I'll catch you later." Umeko added as she excused herself. She left the room and closed the door behind her giving them privacy.

There was an extended awkward silence in the room, which bugged Rani to no end.

"Did Lieutentant Matsumoto give you my letter?" She finally asked as she put one file in a drawer.

"Yes." He said solemnly. "And I read it on the way to my meeting." He said then looked at her. "And twice on the way back." He added trying to get her attention.

She sighed as she put the stack of papers in her hands down. She refused to look at him though, in fear she might crack.

"And?" Rani finally questioned.

"Tómasu, listen, I appreciate the letter. I do. Thank you for being honest about it, but it is not the end of the world. I had a conversation with Matsumoto, and she's not in trouble." He said as he stepped closer to her, causing her to casually step back.

"That's a relief." She replied grabbing another file.

"Neither are you." He inched closer to her not to scare her. "I am not mad that you figured out how to gain your Shikai. Yes, sure, there is always another way to go about getting it, but I am not mad about it."

"Aren't there rules though?"

"Normally, yes, there is a procedure, but sometimes Shinigami forego procedure and do it on their own like you did. It doesn't always turn out the way they hoped."

"What would you have done if you found out I achieved it, but died?"

"That's a 'what if' I don't need to worry about. You are here now. You have your Shikai. Obviously your Zanpakuto thought you worthy if they told you their name."

"Only because I forced it too." She retorted while grabbing another file to be put away.

"Not true. Think back to the conversation you had with it while under Jinzen." Rani did as she was told. "What did it say?"

"Which part?" Rani rhetorically asked. "She said she trusted me to learn Shikai, but that I had a lot of growing up to do. That she was only telling me because I am stubborn like her and adamant on the subject."

"If your Zanpakuto was really stubborn, she would not have given you her name. She deemed you worthy enough, though. You must understand this."

"I do."

"Good."

"But I still don't think I am worthy."

"Tómasu, please stop." Captain Hitsugaya pleaded with her as she went to grab yet another file. Her working while talking was quite distracting to him he finally realized.

"I am almost finished, captain. I am on a roll here."

"Those last few files can wait until the morning. Focus on our conversation. This is more important."

"I am sorry captain." She replied putting the file down and turning towards him.

"I guess the most important thing about your letter was near the end." He started. "Although your actions were slightly deceitful, I will forgive them."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because, well, it happens sometimes. Those who don't come to realize how bad their deceitful actions are can become treacherous traitors." He stepped closer to her again. "You will become a great Shinigami, Tómasu, maybe even an officer one day, but for right now, you need the proper guidance to get there, and training."

"Captain, can you please not stand so close?" She requested realizing the lack of space in between the two of them. "There is something called 'personal space'."

"Sorry." He quickly apologized and stepped back.

"Thank you." She answered.

"Now, I am wondering something Matsumoto told me."

"What is that, captain?"

"Do you really think you were a better person before you met Captain Kyouraku?"

Rani was shocked at the question. Did Matsumoto actually tell him she had said that earlier?

"Maybe." She finally answered.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I was helping the newly arrived little kids. We'd go to the outskirts and grab a couple that were too young to survive on their own and helped them learn what to do in the Rukongai."

"So you liked helping the less fortunate?"

"I did. I was so happy back then." She said as she smiled thinking about her brother and the kids she left behind.

"You think coming here was a mistake then." He sadly stated realizing the importance of her statement. She wasn't happy in the Gotei 13, especially not now. Her smile now was a rare sight over the past few days, but none like this one he was seeing.

The statement took her by surprise. How much did the lieutenant tell him?

"Honestly, yes." She admitted.

"Tómasu, I want you to take two weeks leave. Go home. See your brother and everyone."

"Huh - what?" She asked surprised as she looked at him bewildered.

"Go home. Two weeks. Decide. When you come back tell me your decision if you want to stay here in the Gotei 13 or go back to the Rukongai." He repeated and then left the room leaving her alone.

"Back home? Wait! CAPTAIN!" She yelled as she ran after him. She ran to his office to find it vacant.

Rani went to her dorm and informed Umeko of the captain's orders. She then made her way to Squad Five and talked with Kiyomi about it, who was also shocked.

She left the next morning, but on her way out she stopped by the captain's office again. He still wasn't there. She shrugged her shoulders and made her way to the Rukongai, to her home.

She made her way through the streets of the 59th District and came upon the house. She stood in the doorway seeing a young man and a younger girl.

"Yasuo?" She questioned. The boy looked up and was shocked.

"Rani? Is that really you?" He asked as he walked over to her and she met him halfway. "It is you!" He said and then embraced her in a hug. "It's been too long."

"I know." She replied as tears started to form in her eyes. "Way too long."