This chapter will have shorter vignettes, to get through the rest of the characters. Then, the action begins.

Chapter 4

Getting to Know You

Chie adjusted the skirt of her shihakusko, which she shortened to free her legs. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

"Enter," a young male voice answered.

Chie opened the door, and walked into the office, and saw her captain sitting at his desk, looking over paperwork.

Looking up, he got up and walked around his desk. Chie still couldn't believe that her captain was shorter than her, and looked like a kid.

"Chie Satonaka reporting for duty, sir!" Chie said, standing at attention.

The captain just sighed. "Relax. My name is Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad Ten. And this, "he said, pointing to a black heap lying on a couch, "is Rangiku Matsumoto, my lieutenant."

With a groan, the black heap shifted. Getting up, Chie saw that Rangiku was a voluptuous woman with strawberry blonde hair. Her robes barely covered her enormous chest, and made Chie feel very inadequate.

"Captain, what are you doing in my room again?"

Hitsugaya put a hand to his forehead. "For the last time, you're in the office. Now get up, and say hello to our new squad member."

Rubbing her eyes, Rangiku looked at Chie. "Welcome to Squad Ten, uh, what's your name?"

"Chie Satonaka, ma'am."

Rangiku waved the title away. "Don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel old. Just call me Matsumoto, or lieutenant."

Hitsugaya coughed. "If it's not a problem, would you please show Chie around?"

Rangiku put on a forlorn face. "But Captain, do I have to?"

Hitsugaya fixed her with an icy stare. "Yes, you do."

Rangiku sighed. "Alright, if I have to." She grabbed Chie's wrist, and pulled on her arm. "Come on. Let's take a walk."

Rangiku pulled Chie out of the building. After they left the gates, Rangiku turned, smiling. "Now then, let's get a drink."

Chie raised her eyebrows. "I thought you were going to show me around."

Rangiku waved a hand. "What fun is that? Let's go get a drink and get to know each other."

As she pulled on Chie again, another person walked past. He had spiky black hair, three lines going down the right side of his face, and a 69 tattooed on his cheek.

Rangiku started waving at the man. "Hey, Shuhei!"

Shuhei looked at her. "Hey, Rangiku." Then he saw Chie, still in Rangiku's grip. "Who's this?"

Rangiku looked at Chie like she'd forgotten she was there. "Oh. This is Chie Satonaka. She's new to Squad Ten."

Shuhei looked her over. "You must be part of that new group I heard came in." He extended his hand to her. "Shuhei Hisagi, lieutenant of Squad Nine."

Chie took his hand, and the world chimed and froze.

Thou art I...And I am thou...Thou hast established a new bond.

It brings thee closer to the truth.

Thou shalt be empowered when fighting with allies of the Death arcana.

The world resumed, and Chie stood, stunned.

Shuhei raised an eyebrow at her stillness. "Is something wrong?"

"Didn't you see that?"

"See what?" Rangiku asked.

Chie just shook her head and released Shuhei's hand. "It was nothing."

"Well then," Rangiku perked up. "How about that drink? Want to join us, Shuhei?"

Shuhei shrugged, and followed as Rangiku pulled Chie along.


Naoto adjusted her hat as she kneeled before Captain Soi Fon and her lieutenant.

"While I know you have skill with investigation," Soi Fon started, "I want to see your combat skills. So you're going to fight Lieutenant Omaeda here."

The lieutenant's eyes went wide. "But Captain, don't you think we should start a little slow, here?"

Soi Fon looked at her subordinate. "I need a measure of her skills. Fighting any number of the Stealth Force would not show me what I need to see. Now do it."

Omaeda just shrugged. "I just hope you don't mind if I break her so soon."

Getting to her feet, Naoto grabbed her zanpakuto. It was shorter than most others, with a dark blue sheath and hilt, and had a police badge-shaped guard.

Omaeda drew his as well, and held it in front of him, a smirk on his face. "Ready?"

Naoto nodded, and swung at him. Omaeda blocked, holding her back with one hand.

"Is that the best you've got?" he asked.

Naoto pushed at him."Not hardly." She struck again and again, but was always blocked by Omaeda.

"Looks like it's game over, little girl," Omaeda sneered, and slashed down.

But, with a flash, Naoto was gone.

Omaeda looked around, but couldn't see her. "Where'd-where'd she go?"

"Looking for me?" Naoto's voice said from behind him.

Omaeda whirled, and found Naoto behind him, her sword pointed at his midsection. "I believe your term was, 'game over.'"

Naoto sheathed her zanpakuto as Soi Fon nodded approvingly. "You show great skill with the Flash Step, with almost no training. You remind me of myself when I was younger. I was right to bring you into Squad Two, Naoto Shirogane."

The world stopped, and a chime sounded.

Thou art I...And I am thou...Thou hast established a new bond.

It brings thee closer to the truth.

Thou shalt be empowered when fighting with allies of the Temperance arcana.


Rise walked into the Captain's quarters, and found Captain Shunsui Kyoraku taking a drink. Seeing her, he raised his dish. "Well, hello there, my lady Rise. Has Little Nanao finished showing you around?"

Rise nodded. "She did, Captain. What do you need now?"

Kyoraku grunted to his feet. "I was hoping we could go for a little walk." He picked up his straw hat and put it on his head.

"If you want to, Captain."

Kyoraku waved her words away. "Now, now. Don't think of this as an order. I just want to get to know you."

Rise nodded, her red hair bobbing. "In that case, I'd be delighted."

As Kyoraku and Rise walked through the Seirertei and talked, someone shouted to them. "RISHE!"

Rise looked over, and saw Chie with a beautiful woman and a serious looking man. All three of them looked tipsy, and a bottle of saki was between them. Chie was swaying to something, he face red.

"What are you doing, Chie?"

Chie hiccupped. "Jusht getting to know our new friendsh." Her voice was slurred, and she motioned to the other two. "Thish ish Rangiku and Shu-hic, Shuhei. You guysh, thish ish Rishe Kuj-hic-kawa. She'sh a famoush shinging idol."

The woman waved to Kyoraku. "Come join us, Captain Kyoraku."

Kyoraku shrugged. "I'm not one to turn down an invitation from you, Rangiku."

As he joined them, Chie waved at Rise again. "Come on, Rishe. Let'sh play the Kingsh Game!"

"We're not going to start that again, are we?"

Rise turned to see Yosuke walking with the large captain with the head of a wolf. Yosuke's face looked torn between humor and shame at the sight of Chie taking another drink.

"How are you doing, Yosuke?"

"I'm doing alright. Just have to get used to it, right?" Yosuke motioned to the captain next to him. "Rise, this is my captain."

The captain inclined his head. "Sajin Komamura."

"Rise Kujikawa."

Yosuke jerked his head at Chie. "Think we should get her away from them?"

"Probably for the best."

"Captain, I'll return to the barracks after I help my friend."

Komamura nodded and turned away. "Very well, Yosuke. Good luck getting her from Shunsui." He left the two of them.

Yosuke walked up to the group of drinkers. "Alright, Chie. We need to get you out of here."

Chie hiccupped and waved him away. "Come on, Yoshuke. We're jusht having fun here."

Captain Kyoraku put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should, Miss Satonaka. You should always trust your friends."

Kyoraku pushed himself to his feet, and brushed off his coat."Come on, Rise. We're going back."

Kyoraku patted Yosuke on his shoulder, and the world chimed and froze.

Thou art I...And I am thou...Thou hast established a new bond.

It brings thee closer to the truth.

Thou shalt be empowered when fighting with allies of the Hermit arcana.

Yosuke shook his head as the world restarted, and Rise left with Captain Kyoraku.

Taking Chie by the arm, Yosuke picked her up and helped her back to the Squad Ten barracks.


Author's Note:I do not advocate underage drinking. The only purpose of this was to be comedic, like the Club Escapade scene in Persona 4. Remember kids, just say no.