Kind of a companion piece to 15--Excuses.

Thanks to: MissTeak and sensei7


16. Vengeance

There was a lot of cheering and some booing near the market square, so Gin and Rangiku pressed through the crowd, eager to satisfy their curiosity. A young man was hugging an older woman, laughing as he said his good-byes.

"What's going on?" Rangiku demanded of the crowd.

"The boy got into the shinigami academy," someone said.

"They had entrance exams?" Rangiku said.

"Six week ago Monday," Gin said.

"How do you know that?" Rangiku stared at him, Gin could see the gears in her mind whirring. A lie just was not going to cut it this time.

"I thought about taking them."

"Why didn't you?"

"Didn't feel like it."

Rangiku watched the boy for a minute. "You know, Gin, that guy, you fought him once," she said. "You won. You're a lot stronger and smarter than he is."

"So?"

"You didn't try out 'cause of me, didn't you?" Rangiku said soft enough Gin had to strain to hear her.

"Tha' ain't true. Had me a lotta reasons," he said.

"But you really wanted to go," she said. "I can tell. You're almost green looking at him."

"S'not a big deal."

Rangiku kicked him. "Yes it is! I am so angry at you right now," she said. "You should've told me, and then you should have gone."

"Couldn't leave ya behind."

"Who says you'd leave me behind?" Rangiku said and kicked him again. "I'd go too."

"Stop kicking me," he said, but he felt better than he had in days. Things would end up all right.


How was it?