SPOILERS: through the Soul Society arc
NOTES: Since I only watch the anime, I don't know if this has been covered in the manga, but my muses latched on to the question, "How did Hitsugaya end up with Matsumoto as his lieutenant?" This is the result of trying to answer that question believably. My comparisons between Matsumoto and Kira are not intended to deride Kira but to reflect the fight between the two--she did defeat him without a scratch--and the fact that, like Hinamori, Kira's selection as Ichimaru's lieutenant was part of a plan in which his usefulness as a pawn was more important than his capabilities as a lieutenant.
DISCLAIMERS: Bleach and all things associated with it belong to other people.
LIEUTENANT
Part 2
After digging through old records, he managed to learn the basics about Rangiku Matsumoto. She was one of the most martially seasoned female Shinigami alive, with an unbroken string of triumphant Hollow hunts and no fatal casualties among those under her command. Her zanpakutô's power was unrecorded, which suggested much of her success was due to swordsmanship, not the use of her sword's powers. As impressive as that was, there was also a large file of disorderly conduct reports, most dated before and after her work with Ashikaga. Even so, in comparison to Kira's records, he couldn't help but wonder why Ichimaru had not kept her as 3rd's lieutenant, instead choosing to let such a valuable asset remain underutilized. While curious, such personal matters didn't really interest the young captain. Despite the Commander General's talk of compatibility and familiarity between a captain and lieutenant, his primary concern was performance. There was only one way for him to find out if this Shinigami would be suitable as his second.
The next morning, after making a few arrangements, he headed to 3rd Division's barracks. There was no one at the gate, so he wandered about the adjoining courtyard until he found someone. The startled Shinigami apologized for her captain's absence and asked him to remain in the entry hall while she fetched her lieutenant. There was something negligent about it that irritated him--10th Division always had two people stationed at the gates to attend to visitors, not that they got many.
Within minutes, the tall, blond lieutenant arrived with an awkward bow. "I apologize for not having prepared for your visit. Had I been aware you were coming..."
Unconcerned with whether or not that was a polite way of saying "Next time, send a note first," the young captain cut to the chase. "I'm here to see Rangiku Matsumoto."
Kira and the Shinigami who'd brought him exchanged puzzled, concerned looks. "Matsumoto?" wondered the lieutenant aloud. "May I ask why?"
"No."
Taken aback, Kira sputtered, "N-now is not the best time..." All it took was an icy glare to change the lieutenant's mind. "...but if you insist..." With visible reluctance, Kira led him to his subordinate's quarters. Even before knocking and sliding the door aside, the scent of sake was noticeable.
The first two things he thought when he saw her were, She stinks like a drunk and looks like a harlot. With her sprawled across the tatami of her quarters, rumpled clothes barely covering her ample chest, and empty sake containers scattered everywhere, it was difficult not to think such things. Of course, having spent his whole existence in Soul Society being judged by his appearance, he tried not to dwell on such superficial observations. Yamamoto had suggested this woman was still lieutenant material, and he intended to find out if it was true. She obviously wasn't doing well in 3rd Division.
"Rangiku, you have a guest," announced the plainly uncomfortable Kira. Perhaps there was good reason for the young lieutenant to be uncomfortable, given that this woman could well be his superior in all but rank.
Her wavy-haired head popped up and she offered a lush smile that didn't reach her unusual silver-blue eyes. "Kira! Care to join me?" She lifted the container in her hand, which sloshed noisily but was fortunately corked shut.
"No, thank you. I'm just here to introduce you to your guest."
"Guest?" Sitting up, she finally noticed him. "Where'd you come from?" Slipping her knees under her, she crawled closer, seemingly oblivious of her breasts all but falling out of her kimono, then she sat in front of him, just reaching his shoulders. So she was tall. He'd read that tall women often had many of the same problems as short men, but the idle thought was quickly forgotten as she rumpled his hair, causing Kira to gasp in horror. "Aren't you the cutest little thing?" she declared unabashedly.
After making a sound like he was choking on his own tongue, Kira coughed before squeakily admonishing his subordinate. "Please treat Captain Hitsugaya with more respect!"
"Captain...?" She blinked, and just like that, she seemed to get over her alcoholic stupor. Lowering her hand, she gave him another look, apparently noting the captain's robes and the distinctive sash that held his released zanpakutô. Whether she tightened the folds of her kimono out of propriety or the sudden chill his displeasure inspired, he couldn't be sure.
"Captain Hitsugaya, this is Rangiku Matsumoto. My apologies for her behavior."
Kira seemed sincerely sorry, but he didn't care. "Don't bother. Leave us." He'd always been terse when dealing with distractions. Fortunately, when you were a captain, many responded equally to terseness or verbosity.
With a hasty, "Yes, sir," the lieutenant was gone.
They eyed each other in silence for a few moments before she squirmed under his stern gaze and asked, "If you don't mind, Captain Hitsugaya, may I ask why you want to see me?"
"I want to spar with you."
Her pale eyes narrowed. "Spar with me?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Today."
She tilted her head, brow furrowing. "I don't understand. You have your own division...of all the people you could--"
"You were once a lieutenant?"
Some complicated emotion crossed her face, and while he couldn't guess the intricacies of it, there was no doubting the recollection pained her. "Yes, I was." Despite the apparent discomfort, her voice was all but emotionless.
"I need a lieutenant." Her eyes widened in surprise at the subtext. "Meet me in 10th Division's practice field at one, and bring your zanpakutô." With that, he turned as she gaped at him in astonishment, then he found his own way back to the entrance.
