Umm... hopefully you like it?
I'm still undecided on where this one's going. T=
Chapter One:
Paperwork and Denial
Rock.
Paper.
"Scissors!" Rangiku Matsumoto grinned widely as she cut my hand with her two fingers.
"No!" I whined. I did not want to be stuck with Captain Hitsugaya all day doing paper work. "Please, Lieutenant Matsumoto! Don't make me do this!"
"I'm sorry, Aki, but a deal's a deal." She said pushing me through the door. "Now you have to do my paperwork for a week! Have fun~!"
"Lieutenant!" I cried after her.
"What are you doing here?"
I turned slowly to face the captain of the tenth division, Toshiro Hitsugaya. I cringed upon seeing his cold appearance. He sighed, irritated.
"She pawned all her work off on you, right?"
I nodded. "Yes, sir. For a week."
He shook his head. "She's impossible. Alright, state your name and squad."
I snapped to attention. "My name is Aki Kurosawa, Eighth Division, and I'm currently unseated, sir."
"Eighth Division, huh? Well, you have my sympathies. Captain Kyoraku can be a handful."
I laughed and nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm just glad that I'm not Lieutenant Ise. Now, what would you like me to do, sir?"
"Well, how good are you with paperwork?" Toshiro Hitsugaya sat down at his desk and began working immediately.
"I'm not going to lie," he lifted his teal eyes and stared at me, "I'm great with paperwork."
"Good. Sit and get to work."
"Yes, sir…" She sat down, begrudgingly and began working.
[A couple thousand sheets of paper and stacks of work later…]
"I'm done!" I jumped up completely ecstatic. My cramped legs gave out from under me, making me tumble back down. "Crap…"
Toshiro Hitsugaya's joints pop as he stretched out. "Be more careful, you could have knocked everything over."
"Right. Sorry, sir. Sir, do you happen to have the time?" I said as I stood up slower this time.
"Yes. It's a quarter until eleven."
"Ack! Oh no! I forgot!" I gathered my things frantically. "I'm so dead! I'm so dead! I'm so dead!" The young captain gave me a strange look. "Lieutenant Ise is going to murder me!" I grasped my head.
"Calm down. Why exactly do you think she'll murder you?"
"I promised her that I'd help her with some work, but now…" I groaned and bent over, defeated. He let out a small chuckle and looked at me with amused filled eyes.
"Relax. I'll walk you to your quarters and have a talk with her."
My dark eyes lit up, brightly, and a full blown grin erupted across my face as I jumped up and down continuously.
"Oh! Thank you Captain Hitsugaya! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
[Two Days Later]
I was outside Captain Hitsugaya's quarters, waiting to begin another day doing paperwork. After yesterday, I decided that it wasn't so bad. The mean looking captain actually had a sense of humor. I giggled at the memory.
"Kurosawa, I hope you're not asleep." A small irk mark appeared on his forehead. "Kurosawa!"
"Huh? Wha?" I lifted my head and looked around, disoriented. Captain Hitsugaya lifted his hand to cover his mouth, but the laughter appeared in his eyes. "Oh! I'm so sorry, captain! I didn't mean to fall asleep! It's just that I stayed up late last night because I promised Lieutenant Abarai that I'd help him find—" Captain Hitsugaya's sudden burst of laughter confused me.
"Your face," he said in between laughs, "is covered in ink!"
"Huh?" I rubbed my hand against my cheek and stared at the black smudge that came off. I giggled, "Oh, jeez, how embarrassing."
"I guess we can stop now." He stood up and smiled. "You can go."
I grinned. "Alright! See you tomorrow, captain!"
I laughed quietly again just as the captain turned the corner, with a troubled look on his face.
"Good morning, Captain Hitsugaya." He nodded once and opened the door, allowing me inside. "How has your day been so far, sir?" I asked with a smile still bright on my face.
"Fine." He answered curtly. "You know, maybe we should put off work for today. I have other things to attend to at the moment."
"Sir?"
He shook his head and patted my shoulder, our height difference making the movement slightly awkward. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."
I watched with confusion as he walked away. To my surprise, I found myself a bit more than a little disappointed. 'Hm… I wonder what happened…'
"Maybe Renji knows what's going on." I muttered and took towards his spiritual pressure.
"Renji!" I shouted.
He glanced over his shoulder and smiled somberly. "Hey, Aki, what's up?"
"I was about to ask the same thing. What's going on?"
He frowned and glared at the ground.
"Renji, what is it?"
"We found Rukia."
"What? That's great!"
"No, it's not. She's been sentenced to death."
"Wh-what…? No! Why?"
"She's transferred her powers to a lowly human." Renji turned the glare onto me. "She allowed a human to take her shinigami powers!"
I stared at him, completely mute and with my mouth agape. I shook my head slowly, unwilling to accept what Renji was telling me. The transfer of one's powers to a human was considered a major crime among those in the Seretei.
"B-but… you're her friend, Renji. You have to do something!"
"Captain Kuchiki and I are going into the World of the Living to arrest her in a while."
"No! You can't!" I shrieked.
"Kurosawa, go back to your quarters."
"Captain!" Renji acknowledged.
"No! I can't let you do this!" I yelled, my hand unconsciously reaching for my Zanpakuto.
"Aki!" Renji snapped, reaching for his own. "Go."
"But—"
"Go!"
I gave them one last look, pleading them not to go through with this, before turning and running back to my room.
"Sir! I apologize for my friend's rashness!" Renji said, bowing at his waist.
"I'll make sure to speak with Captain Kyoraku later." Byakuya Kuchiki reasoned.
I ran past all the soul reapers, ignoring them when they shouted after me. I had to do something; I couldn't let this happen to Rukia! I closed my eyes and pushed myself faster. Unknowingly, I ran towards Toshiro Hitsugaya's spiritual pressure.
"Captain Hitsugaya!" I shouted. "You have to do something!"
I plowed into him, knocking the both of us over.
"Kurosawa! What are you doing?"
"You can't let them do this! You have to help me save Rukia!" I cried, clutching onto his robes. He ran his hand through his white hair and sighed.
"There's nothing I can do."
"But, you're a captain! You have to be able to do something!"
"These were the Head Captain's orders; there's no arguing."
A hitched breath escaped past my lips. "There has to be something… the decision can't be final. It can't."
The captain of the sixth division sat there awkwardly.
"Uh… sir?" Rangiku Matsumoto stared at the strange sight. "Aki?"
I stood up and quickly composed myself. "Um, I'm sorry for knocking you over, Captain Hitsugaya." I murmured as I helped him to his feet. "Excuse me." I bowed respectfully and walked away.
"Sir, what was that all about?" Rangiku asked her captain.
"She just found out about Rukia Kuchiki."
"Oh…"
...
I really have nothing to say. This will probably go to Quizilla later on. Once it stops being stupid, and all. :T
Her name is Aki, meaning autumn, Kurosawa, meaning black swamp. You may not really care, but I always found the meaning of Japanese names interesting. (=
