Gin barely made it in time. His friend on guard duty was running out of excuses to stop Rangiku, and she was very clearly losing her temper.
"I am the Division Ten Lieutenant. I have shown you all the proper authorization to visit the World of the Living," Rangiku said, her voice just short of shouting. "Now get the hell out of my way before I decide to find out just how rusty my kido is."
"Now that's not at all nice, Ran-chan," Gin said, walking coolly toward the gate. "Threatening these poor men for doing their job."
"Captain!" both men said, drawing to attention the moment they saw him.
Rangiku's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.
"Again, not nice! What has gotten into you today, Ran-chan?" he asked, stepping close enough to touch her. "Usually you're in such a good mood. Are things not going your way?"
"Gin," she said in that tone that warned him he was pushing his luck. "Why are you here?"
"Why are you, Ran-chan? Surely you don't intend to disregard your captain's standing orders," he said, still sounding perfectly pleasant.
"I don't have a captain anymore," she answered, forcing the words between gritted teeth. Oh, yes, she knew exactly why he was here, and she had absolutely no intention of being told what she could and could not do by him.
"Still," Gin answered. "I don't see how that changes your orders. The reason for them still exists. In fact-" he looked around quickly. "What have you done with Kin-chan?"
"Miyako has him. You don't think I'm so stupid I'd take a baby to the World of the Living, do you?" Rangiku demanded.
Gin considered that for a moment. "You're not always the most careful person, are you, Ran-chan? One can never be quite sure what you're going to do. That's why you have orders, to keep you within reasonable boundaries."
"Reasonable boundaries?" Rangiku repeated. "Reasonable? So I need to be kept in these 'reasonable boundaries' like some little kid who might wander off and get hurt if the grown ups don't keep a constant eye on me? It's nice to know exactly how much respect you have for me!"
"Ran-chan, you know better than that," he said, reaching for her hand.
She jerked back. "No, I don't. You're always trying protect me. You shield me from every little thing. Maybe it is because you think I just can't handle it. Fine! I don't care. You can go ahead and try, but you're not my captain, and I don't belong to your division, so this time it isn't your decision. I'm going to go to the World of the Living and I'm going to check on my men stationed there, and then I'm going to buy some chocolate, and then I'm going to come home. I'll see you later."
She turned on her heels and walked directly toward the gate.
"Lieutenant Ichimaru," Gin said, his voice no longer warm and friendly. It was the voice of a captain, the voice of command.
Rangiku stopped, but she didn't turn around. Even from behind her tension could be seen in the way she stood.
"You will not go to the World of the Living until you have received permission from your captain, do you understand?"
"Yes, captain," she said, her voice so strong and steady no one but Gin caught the anger and hurt she was holding back.
An instant later she vanished, using shunpo to escape the humiliation of crying in front of everyone.