Waterfall Eclipse

Her True Shikai

Chapter Forty-Two:

Her True Shikai

Two days later, Rani made her way down to Squad Twelve to speak with Captain Kurotsuchi.

"Ah, Miss Tómasu! What a pleasure!"

"Hello Captain Kurotsuchi." She greeted.

"How can I help you?"

"I wanted to say thanks for the antidote and give back your vile." She said as she handed it to him. "And I was wondering if you could check my Reiatsu to make sure it's back to how I was?"

"Sure thing. Follow me!" He replied smiling. "Nemu! Come help."

"Yes, Captain." His lieutenant replied.

Fifteen minutes later Rani was seeing the results.

"So I am all better?"

"Yes, my dear. This panel," He said as he pointed to the first one, "Is from when you entered the academy. The second is what we took a couple of days ago, and this is today's. As you can see, the two on the ends match perfectly."

Rani smiled. She was normal again.

"Thank you very much, Captain Kurotsuchi and Lieutenant Kurotsuchi."

"Not a problem."

Rani excused herself and headed back to her squad. She had planned to go back to her duties, but the captain told her not to. He, in reality, had told her to go see Captain Kurotsuchi. She made her way to the captain's office where she found the lieutenant.

"Hello Lieutenant."

"Oh, hi, Tómasu. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing really. Can you just let the captain know that Captain Kurotsuchi did the test on me? I am back to the way it should be."

"Sure thing."

Two weeks later, Rani was back to her routine, with no interruptions in her health. Captain Kuchiki decided to be in charge of the next Shikai session and had informed Captain Hitsugaya so that he may observe.

"Are you sure you want to do this in front of him?" Chiharu asked as she walked with Rani to the practice grounds.

"Yes. I invited him last time. I feel much better now. You should stay too." Rani answered as she approached the captains who were waiting for her.

"But only if it's okay with Captain Kuchiki." Chiharu commented causing her captain to turn and look at the two girls.

"If I am okay with what?"

"I want Chiharu to watch as well."

"Fine. Stand by Captain Hitsugaya." He ordered.

Chiharu nodded biting her lip as Rani and Captain Kuchiki went down below.

"Nervous for her?"

"Yes."

"Don't be." Captain Hitsugaya said with a smirk. "She's back to normal."

"That's not what I am worried about." Chiharu answered slowly.

On her way down, Rani kept her hand on her hilt of her Asauchi and as she pulled it out it formed into the katana.

"Anticipating something?"

"Yeah, you could say that." She replied.

Rani had many different scenarios running through her head in regards to how this was going to go down. There could be an exact repeat of the last time she went up against her captain, or she could disarm him right from the start knowing he needs to hold Senbonzakura in front of his face for his Shikai. There's also the scenario of where they go katana versus katana. She just wondered which one he would choose.

She was grateful when he chose to start sparring with the katanas. They went at it for ten minutes straight without bringing out their Shikais or using Kido.

"I'm impressed. You've gotten better at Zanjutsu."

"I have been training with the squad, and the lieutenants on your orders."

"That won't help you though, not in this case." He retorted as he moved his sword to his face.

"Shit!" Rani thought realizing her predicament as she backed away.

"Scatter – Senbonzakura."

"At least I thought he was going to do that." She thought as she repeated the same Utsusemi technique having her blade all ready to go. "Rush Taki Nisshoku." She said and aimed her Shikai at him. It was only when she extended it, did she realized it split into three parts, and she could control each section individually. She had one section go hear his focal plane, while she snaked the other two around each of his feet.

"Haven't you learned from last time? Don't repeat past mistakes."

"Oh, but I'm not." She replied with a grin. "Apparently that poison affected me so bad my Shikai wasn't the way it should have been. This is my actual Shikai." She said. "While you have only seen the single whip, my true Shikai apparently has three sections."

"Three?" He questioned and then felt the two at his ankles.

Up at the top Chiharu was in complete shock.

"Did..did she just beat him?" She asked in shock.

"Maybe." Captain Hitsugaya replied puzzled. "It's actually unclear, but what is clear is that her Shikai changed. It had one section to it. Now there's three."

"Yeah, I remember. There was only one at the beach. Do you think it was it from the poison?"

"I am going to assume yes to that." The Squad Ten captain replied in awe.

Meanwhile, back at the bottom.

"I will admit you did defeat me." Captain Kuchiki started. "But you should have tightened them."

"Did you want to be electrocuted? Because I would have if I had known that was your desire." She asked as the two made their way up to where Captain Hitsugaya and Chiharu were watching.

"You have gotten brazen while speaking with your captain."

"Sorry. It was disrespectful. I am normally better than that." She said ashamed and embarrassed.

"Do not worry about it. You are a formidable opponent. It's refreshing to finally see your true personality." He said and then paused. "Although I think I have been having Lieutenant Abarai training you too much. You reminded me of him just now."

Rani stopped walking, cringed, and shuddered at the thought. She was spending too much time with him. In the past week, she had trained with him four times before going up against the captain.

"That's a disturbing thought, captain." She commented as they approached their small audience. "So, what did you think?"

"Love the Shikai. Great battle." Chiharu commented not bring attention to the fact that Rani just defeated their captain.

"This stays between the four of us." Captain Kuchiki commented and then walked away.

"What's with him?" Chiharu asked as Captain Hitsugaya smiled.

"He was just defeated in a very simple battle. He should have won, but Tómasu here defeated him quickly. He's embarrassed." He said and then paused to look at the smiling Rani. "I will say the following. I agree with Miss Nakano – great battle. And if that is your true Shikai, I am afraid to see what your Bankai will be like."