Waterfall Eclipse

Set Up Again

Chapter Fifty-Four:

Set Up Again

Rani diligently worked on the task handed to her. The captain, worried that she would mess up his order, decided to check in on her thirty minutes later.

"Hello captain. Everything all right?"

"No, just seeing how you were doing." He responded curious. The two massive piles that were on the lieutenant's desk were nowhere to be found. "Where is everything?"

"In its file. I had brought all of them in here and organized the files by kind, after realizing how you have everything set. This is my last handful of papers to be filed." She explained showing him the small stack in her hand.

A befuddled expression came across his face causing her to grin.

"I didn't give you enough credit it seems."

"It's okay, Captain Kuchiki. What else do you have for me?" She eagerly asked as she was putting the papers away carefully.

"I'll let you know. Feel free to familiarize yourself with the cabinets for the time being."

"Okay captain." She replied, and then paused. "Oh, captain?"

"Yes?"

"I know Third Seats usually have their own residences, but can I stay roommates with Miss Nakano?"

"Yes. She can move into the Third Seat room with you. If it becomes hard for you to distinguish between work and friendship, I will change it back."

"Thank you sir." She said with a smile.

He left and headed back to his office shaking his head.

"How's our new officer?"

"She's fine lieutenant. She finished. I have no idea what to assign her."

"Well, should she start with the training of the other Shinigami?"

"We moved things around so that she wouldn't have to do that. I wanted to keep her here."

"I know that, but I think she could handle it."

"I'll think about it. Right now I need to think of what duties I can assign her."

"Don't forget we have that meeting again at one o'clock with the Captain Commander regarding Kurosaki."

The captain nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Rani inspected all of the file cabinets making a drawing of the room and what files went where for her own records. This took all of twenty minutes before she was finding herself twiddling her fingers out of boredom.

"God, I hate not having anything to do. It was better when I wasn't an officer." She mumbled to herself as the Seventh Seat walked in.

"Hello Third Seat Tómasu." She greeted.

"Hi Seventh Seat Okada." Rani said with a grin.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so. Just bored. The captain thought it would take me all day to file two massive piles, but it took me only thirty minutes. I've been memorizing these file cabinets for the last twenty minutes and now I am twiddling my thumbs until he can find something for me to do that's productive."

"That's kind of funny. The old Third Seat milked his time then. Captain Komamura will be in for a shock."

"Unless he doesn't have him do that filing." Rani replied. "What else are my duties? I was never completely told."

"Well, I know he trained sometimes. He was the lead in the dojo for two classes that met twice a week for two hours each day.

"So he milked filing because he was tired from training for four hours. How lazy!"

"So, you're the type that has to keep busy?"

"Idle hands are annoying to me." She answered with a smile.

A few weeks later, Rani settled into a routine that Captain Kuchiki had made for her. She was busy filing the day's paperwork when Lieutenant Abarai came in to see her.

"I can't believe how efficient you are." He stated startling her.

"Hey lieutenant. How can I help you?" She asked nonchalantly as she put another sheet of paper into its appropriate cabinet and folder.

"Just seeing what your plans were for dinner."

"Do lieutenants normally invite Third Seats out to dinner?"

"Do Third Seats usually have a roommate?" He shot back.

"Touché." She replied with a grin. "I'm meeting the girls, if you must know. And we're trying a new place that Umeko wanted to go to."

"New?" He questioned.

"Actually, it's in the Living World, not far from Urahara's shop."

"Hmm, I might have to check that out next time I am there." He said as he rubbed his chin.

Rani raised her eyebrow.

"Don't even think of interrupting us." She scolded.

"I won't. I swear." He said defensively. "But I was wondering something else, as well."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, well, Rangiku and I were wondering what is going on between you and Hitsugaya. We've seen you eating dinner together a couple of times."

"Not like it's any of your business, but he and I are just friends. Friends can have dinner together, can't they?" She rhetorically asked.

"True, but we see his face when he looks at you. He wants it to be more."

"I already know that, lieutenant. We've talked about this." She said then caught herself. "Wait, why the heck am I telling you this? Get out!"

Lieutenant Abarai just started to laugh.

"See you tomorrow!" He said then left her there.

She could still hear him laughing down the hall. She grunted in aggravation before putting the last few papers away and calling it a night. Rani eventually made her way to her recently acquired room to find Chiharu all ready to go.

"Let me freshen up real quick. Then we'll go to the Senkaimon to meet Kiyomi and Umeko."

"No problem." Chiharu said with a smile.

Ten minutes later the girls were headed to the Senkaimon, and not too long after through the Dangai Precipice World to the Living World.

"Now where is this restaurant?" Kiyomi asked.

"About three blocks from Urahara's shop." Umeko answered. "I saw it when I was here two weeks ago on patrol. We can get our Gigais and head over."

"Okay!" The three other girls chimed.

After getting their Gigais and changing their clothing, they headed over and waited on line.

"Umeko! Didn't you realize they took reservations?"

"Maybe." She replied slyly as she saw Captain Hitsugaya walk up.

"Okay, I'm here Miss Sasaki." He stated as he approached them.

Umeko grabbed Kiyomi and Chiharu's hands and giggled before running off. He looked at Rani, while she stared at them running away turning red from anger, not embarrassment.