Fireworks
By: The Cookie Cutter World

Chapter 1: Plans


When Rangiku Matsumoto heard about the Fireworks Show that would be held on the evening of her birthday, she could not help but squeal in delight as she jumped up and down in excitement. The Fireworks Show is often sponsored by the noble Shinigami and held every 12 years. She loved fireworks and she had always been fascinated by those because of the colorful display of exploding lights in the dark, evening sky.

She was not able to watch the show 12 years ago because she forgot about it and slept through the entire evening after completing a difficult mission for her captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya. She could not help but be excited for the upcoming Fireworks Show, which would be held two days from the day she first heard about it. Rangiku immediately raved about it during the Shinigami Women's Association meeting and invited the other members to come watch the fireworks with her.

"But, Rangiku-san, aren't all squads assigned to clear out their storage houses so they can be cleaned?" Momo Hinamori asked. Rangiku observed the drowsy look on the young girl's face and the redness of her nose. "Are you alright?" she could not help but ask in concern. Momo just smiled weakly and sniffed a little. "It's just a little cold. No biggie." she said reassuringly.

Rangiku turned to Yachiru when the young Vice Captain asked, "They scheduled the Fireworks Show on your birthday?"

"It's just a coincidence," Nanao Ise pointed out. Rangiku rolled her eyes and flipped her hair. "Even so, I'm happy that it's going to be on my birthday, which is in three days! And I'd like to watch the show with friends so I hope any of you could go with me." she said.

Yachiru cheered. "Okay! I'll ask Ken-chan if I could go and I'll drag him with me!" she said happily.


After the meeting, Rangiku rushed over to the Third Squad headquarters and frantically searched for Gin, her long-time friend. When she did arrive at his supposed office, Kira Izuru, his Vice-Captain was the only one there. Kira was surprised to see Rangiku who just barged inside the office of his Captain as he was sorting a few old papers. "Matsumoto-san, you surprised me!" he expressed weakly.

Rangiku looked around and pouted. "Where is Gin?"

"Captain Ichimaru is out. He's assigned to do some rounds somewhere. He did not actually specify because he was in a hurry to leave with Captain Kyoraku and Captain Komamura."

"Aww," Rangiku let out a moan of annoyance and sulked for a few moments before she regained her composure and approached Kira instead. "Say, there's a Fireworks Show on my birthday, so instead of the usual drinking, eating and partying when the sun goes down, why don't we go there first and watch it?" she suggested.

Kira blinked. "A Fireworks Show?" he asked.

"Yes! It only happens every 12 years, so it's really a must-see event." she explained.

"Don't they require an entrance fee there? I heard it's really expensive and only the nobles and the Captains can afford to get entrance passes there." Kira said.

Rangiku was taken aback with what she heard. "Really? It has an entrance fee?" she asked.

Kira thought for a while before he suggested, "But it's free if we watch from afar. We could go up the roof and watch the fireworks there instead." Her eyes lit up in glee when she heard that. She placed her hands on his shoulders and squeezed them firmly, "Kira, that is a good idea, but I think I'm going to ask my Captain first if he could get me some passes since it's my birthday anyway!" and then she immediately rushed out of the room to run back to the Tenth Squad. As she continued to run and turned to a sharp corner, she bumped against a tall man. When her chest hit the man's body, she winced in slight pain as she bounced backward, but before she could completely fall, she felt a pair of strong hands grasp her arms to help her maintain her balance. "Watch out!" she heard him say. He spoke with a very low and smooth voice and that was enough for her to realize who it was.

She laughed nervously as she blushed. "I'm sorry, Captain Aizen. I wasn't looking where I was going." she apologized as he helped her stand up properly again before he let her go.

"It's alright." he told her reassuringly. Although he could not shake the thought that her breasts actually touched him when she crashed against him. He resisted he urge to look at her chest and acted like he was not bothered at all. "You seem to be in a hurry. What's the rush?" he asked in an effort to make small talk so he could divert his attention to something else.

"It's my birthday in 2 days and the Fireworks Show is taking place on that day, too! I was about to ask Gin if he could come with me but he's not around, and Kira told me that an entrance fee is required for that event and that only the rich and the Captains could afford that. So, I'm going to ask my Captain if he could just give me passes for that event as his birthday gift for me!"

Sosuke Aizen pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose because they started to slip. "I see. Well then, good luck with that." was all he said.

And then there was awkward silence.

Rangiku cleared her throat and smiled. "What about you, Captain Aizen. Where are you going? Your barracks doesn't seem to be where I just came from." she teased.

He smiled at the way she would sound so casual whenever she would talk to him and other higher-ranking officials of the Gotei 13. "I was supposed to go to Gin but like you said, he's not there. So, I guess I'll just go back to my own barracks." he explained.

Rangiku nodded. "I see. Well then, I'll just... go ahead?" and she bowed to show her respect. "Excuse me!" and then she took off.

Aizen watched quietly as she ran away until she disappeared when she turned into another corner.