Cold as Ice
This was the first SWA meeting Rangiku was attending as the New Lieutenant of Squad One, and needless to say she was living it up. Dressed in the long white robe of her new division she boasted proud fully about her new position, the division, new job demands. And of course her fellow Lieutenants were beaming with interest.
"It's fantastic!" Rangiku gloated." I have all the privileges of a Captain and everything. Being at Squad One is totally different experience from any other."
"But don't you miss Squad Ten?" asked Isane. Rangiku paused for a moment, her face frozen looking as if she was in deep thought. Since she and Toshiro had been promoted Gosuke Kiganjo had been made Captain of Squad Ten, recently taking Yoruichi Shihouin as his Lieutenant. And those two ran it much different from their predecessors thought managing to do the same activities.
"Squad Ten will always be important to me." She finally said." But it wasn't really so much the division as much as whom I shared it with. "She turned and looked at her friends with a smile." So long as Toshiro and I are together is all that matters to me."
"That's so sweet." Smiled Isane.
"But what about Lieutenant Sasakibe?" asked Nanao. Rangiku blew on her tongue and rolled her eyes. Toshiro and Sasakibe had a different totally different than the one she and her Captain shared. And while their relationship ran deep, Toshiro and Rangiku's ran deeper.
"What was it like learning banaki?" asked Kiyone.
"My Captain was strict. 'Learn Bankai or you won't get the position' he said. He was hard on me, harder than he's ever been. But it helped me in the long run."
"Now that much have been interesting." Said Rukia." You have learned and in such a short amount of time."
"Well." Rangiku smiled proudly as she ran her hand through her hair." We do have the connections." The rest nodded their agreement." I think he wants to make it so all Lieutenants have Bankai."
"WHAT?" the group exclaimed turning back to her.
"Well what about those who don't?" asked Isane. Rangiku stammered for a moment.
"Knowing my Captain, they'll probably get the boot."
"WHAT?! NO!" they yelled.
"Rangiku you have to talk to him!" yelled Rukia as she grabbed Rangiku's robes and began shaking her." I've worked so hard to get the Lieutenant's position, If he makes this a rule I'll be finished!"Rangiku stood there and allowed herself to be shaken but when she looked into her friend's frightened face an idea as well as a grin came to her face.
"I've got an idea!" she exclaimed causing the hysteria to die down as everyone looked to her." Rukia!" she grabbed the smaller Lieutenant." Come with me!" and without another word Rangiku carried Rukia and ran out the door, leaving everyone else confused.
Rangiku carried her all across the Soul Society until they came to her new home, the Squad One barracks. Rukia kicked and screamed the whole way.
"Where are we going?! What are you doing?! Yelled Rukia.
"SHH!" Rangiku exclaimed." The First Division is like a Library you have to be quiet." And after a short time longer of running around Rangiku set Rukia down.
Rukia turned around and saw herself standing before a door. And on the door were words that read
"General of the Gotei 13, Toshiro Hitsuguya's Office"
Rukia's eyes burst wide open and her shoulders sagged as she stood before the door.
"Follow me." Rangiku said happily to her clearly frightened friend.
"Rangiku wait-"
But Rangiku reached forward and knocked on the door. Five swift knocks in a rhythm.
On the other end of the door was the most powerful man in all the Soul Society, Toshiro Hitsuguya. The former Captain of Squad Ten now Head-Captain of the Gotei 13. He sat in his chair, laid back with his hair undone and hanging down to his shoulders. There was a towel wrapped around his face, the exposed parts covered with shaving cream. And standing around him carefully running the straight edged razor across his face was Toshiro's other Lieutenant, Sasakibe.
The room was quiet much to the liking of those in it but then the knock was heard at the door, five blows in a pattern.
"Occupied." Toshiro answered loud enough so that it wasn't a yell but loud enough for those on the other side to hear. Sasakibe bent down and ran the blade across his face.
But on the outside Rangiku just smirked and upon hearing a voice on the other end just smiled and reached for the knob. Rukia now more fearful than ever reached forward and tried to stop her. But Rangiku beat her to the knob, opened the door and walked in. Rukia stood frozen in the doorway while Rangiku walked in right as rain. But when she realized Rukia wasn't with her she turned around.
"Come on, follow me." She said looking back to Rukia. The smaller woman quickly hurried after her.
The door opened and Sasakibe turned from his duty to see Rangiku walk in. Toshiro heard the door open and heard the approaching footsteps, not one set up two.
In one swift motion Toshiro jumped to his feet and tore the warm towel from his face. Then with a scowl on his face and a voice like thunder roared.
"Did you not hear me?!" He looked now on those in the room for the first time to see Rangiku and Rukia there.
"Captain." Rangiku said with a smile and a bounce." I have something to ask you."
"I am occupied." Said Toshiro turning his back to her and looking in the mirror to see his face was still covered in shaving cream. He prepared to get back in the chair and continue.
"But Captain." She whined." It's very important!" Toshiro closed his eyes and sighed. With the towel in hand he rubbed the shaving cream off his face completely.
"Lieutenant." He said turning to Sasakibe." We shall continue this later." He handed the towel to him.
"Yes, sir." He answered, then he turned and walked away. Toshiro then turned to Rangiku and Rukia.
"In the future ladies." He said." You will wait until I call you in so that you find me in a more decent manner."
"Decent manner?" questioned Rangiku with a giggle." You're fully clothed."
"My hair is undone." Toshiro responded with a growl. He reached back and grabbed his hair and returned it to it's usual knot top. Rangiku continued to giggle while Toshiro kept a stern look. Rukia watched the whole time frightened now more than ever." Now then." Toshiro said once he was done. "What's so important?"
"I have an idea Captain." Rangiku told with a smile. He only closed his eyes and prepared for what was to come." You." She pointed to him. "Will train Rukia." She pointed and poked her friend." To get bankai." And that claim shocked everyone else in the room. Toshiro was silent for a second as he thought the request over but he answered as any would expect.
"An interesting statement." He said." But I hardly have enough time as it is. I could not take a student on full time."
"You can make the time." Rangiku said.
"I do not have the time." He said again. Rukia flashed her eyes back and forth between the two." Lieutenant Kuchiki." He said getting her attention.
"Yes, sir." She answered snapping to attention.
"I suggest you ask your brother for help in these matters."
"I have, sir." She answered." But he like yourself is very busy." Toshiro stood his ground.
"Then perhaps Captain Abari." He said." You two are close, would he not help you?" Rukia opened her mouth to speak but before she could Rangiku's voice cried out.
"Captain you're the only that makes sense. She has an ice Zanpaktou and you have the most powerful Ice Zanpaktou."
"None of my teachers had the ability to control ice. Quite the opposite actually, Genryusai Yamamoto controlled fire." Toshiro spoke proudly.
"And his training benefited you well, sir." Said Rukia with a bow. She prepared to now say a goodbye and leave but once again Ranigku's voice rang out.
"But it will help benefit her better." She said." Not everyone's a know-it-all child prodigy who understand everything no matter how it's presented to them." Toshiro stood firm, not even blinking as he listened to her. His eyes then rolled over from Rangiku to Rukia.
"Lieutenant Sasakibe." He called out.
"Yes, sir." Said the Lieutenant stepping back into the room.
"Fetch me Lieutenant Kuchiki's service record please."
"Yes, sir." Sasakibe left the room on his mission while Toshiro turned his back to the woman and went to his desk. As he did that Rangiku and Rukia looked to each other. Rukia looking up in both awe and shock at her friend while Ranigku just winked back.
It wasn't long before Lieutenant Sasakibe returned with a folder containing the information the Head-Captain had asked for.
"Thank you." Said Toshiro taking it and laying it out on his desk." That'll be all Lieutenants." He said not looking up when he gave the command. Sasakibe bowed then turned and left but Rangiku stayed and stood next to Rukia. Several seconds of silence past before Toshiro picked up his head to still see her there." I said that'll be all Lieutenants." He said again emphasizing the plural Lieutenants. His face had a heavy look to in and his voice a harsh sternness. And even Rangiku could only push him so far, so she bowed and left like Sasakibe had.
Now it was just Toshiro and Rukia, the General and the Lieutenant, the expert and the novice.
"Come closer." Toshiro said waving her forward without looking away from the folder. Rukia stood at attention before his desk while he quietly looked over the folder, flipping the pages inside it over one at a time.
"Your service record is not all that impressive." He said. After he had spoken he closed the folder and looked at her fully for the first time.
"Well, sir." She said." I-I am still the newest of all the Lieutenants."
"By now I think you would have learned your trade." He said getting up and walking to the front of his desk, standing before her. Rukia fidgeted slightly in her place." Why do you want to learn bankai?"
"Well, sir." She paused a moment to clear her throat." I-I want to be a better officer in the Gotei 13. I think it will help advance me as a person and-"
"What you're really saying is you want to be a Captain. And since your current Captain has been sickly for some time you think now's a better time than ever to get your name out there." Rukia only gulped as sweat began pouring down her head.
"My skills with my sword are above average at best. And I thought" She said nervously as she tried to redeem herself." That if there was anyone suited to teach me how to use my Ice Zanpaktou it was you, General."
"How are your Kido skills?" Rukia was confused by the question and stammered to find her words.
"Kido is an area I am skilled in, sir. I've mastered-"
"What about hand to hand combat?" he interrupted. Once again Rukia stammered.
"I-I'm not so keen in hand to hand combat, sir." She opened her mouth to speak again but when she did she found her voice suddenly gone. Her throat felt rough, her fingers tingled, and her body was frozen.
Looking around her the entire room was frozen with snow and ice all around them. And there standing before her was Toshiro with his arms crossed, acting like he felt nothing at all. Then with a blink of his eyes the room had returned to normal temperature. It happened in an instant.
"That was -2 degrees." Toshiro said." The point at which blood freezes. I can dictate the temperature to be as cold as I'd like. Taking the temperature as far down as absolute zero, and yet that is not where my power ends." Rukia stood up straight and listened to him." I have mastered all kido, even the forbidden ones. My skill at weaponless combat is matched by no one." He fell silent for a moment and kept a stern look on his face as he looked Rukia over. When they two made eye contact she quickly dropped her eyes and turned her head." If you train with me you will learn all these skills, not just the one."
"REALLY?!" Rukia jumped forward." You'll teach me?!" Toshiro just looked at her and raised his brow." I-I mean really?" she said stepping back and straightening herself out.
"Yes." Toshiro said crossing his arms. He saw this as an opportunity to strength the ranks. Rukia was only a Lieutenant but maybe someday she would become a Captain and if he started training with her now the possibilities of her future were endless, or mostly. So like his predecessor had done before him Toshiro would pass on his teachings to the next Generation. The more capable officers he had the less he would have to worry about in times of crisis." We will start tomorrow."
"Thank you, sir. Thank you." She said bowing as she walked backwards for the door. As she left Toshiro turned to his desk and grabbed at the cup of tea sitting there. Rukia meanwhile exited the room and with a proud smirk on her face began walking down the halls.
"Rukia!" called Rangiku as she came around the corner. The Head-Captain's new pupil turned and faced her friend with a proud look of confidence." So how did it go?" asked Rangiku as she stood before her.
"It's done." Said Rukia with a wave of her hands.
"It's done? You mean he'll do it?! He's going to teach you?" Rangiku said happily.
"Oh that's not all." She said smuggly.
"Not all?" Rukai looked at Rangiku with a smirk.
"The Head-Captain clearly sees my potential." Rukia beamed." He's taking me on as his student and will teach me everything he knows. He will teach me and most likely down the road I will have a Captain's promotion. And then after that." She stopped and smirked at Rangiku." I'll be promoted even higher."
Rangiku went to reply but both their attentions were called to something else. It was a faint sound of thumping, but it was quick and in a pattern. Rangiku and Rukia slowly turned around to see the Head-Captain's door was open and in the doorway was the Head-Captain himself. He was leaning against the door his fingers strumming against the glass in his hand, explaining the sound. And across his large brow was his signature scowl written across his face.
Rukia just smirked before quickly turning and bolting down the halls. Toshiro stood silently, his eyes following Rukia as she ran off. He thought now a good first lesson would be humility.