The Vice Captains return(Rangiku/Rose)

The relationship between the commanding officers of the eighth division was still well within its fledgling state, that was to say that despite having been comrades for several centuries they had often operated in different circles and only now found themselves in close proximity to one another. What mattered was that they remained compatible, and it certainly seemed that they both had the same mentality when it came to the direction the division should take. If Rangiku didn't mind that her boss was pushing the paperwork on her whilst he spent his time with the troops, all the better.

"I can make some time for you, Ms Matsumoto, so do come in."

Rose's voice called out in response to the knock upon his office door, the naturally melodic tone of the Captain ringing out as he kicked his feet off his desk and settled into a more formal sitting position. He had to give the illusion that he was always on the job, after all, even if the truth was a little less noble.

"So, what is on my Vice-Captain's mind today?"

"Five hundred years, and that's the only thing you know about me? Why, if you hadn't brought food I might have to be forgiven for thinking you were trying to upset me."

Rose lunged forward, one hand clutching his heart like it had received a mortal wound whilst the other went straight for the bread. Given that it seemed fresh, he did wonder if she had baked it herself or simply brought it as a gift to placate his suddenly bruised ego. That they had known each other for a lot less time from Rangiku's perspective, and even more so given his own absence, quite passed the Captain by as he sat there musing to himself.

"My my, this simply will not do." He chewed a little more, before settling back into his chair as that air of formality faded almost as quickly as it had appeared. "Yes, I play the guitar amongst other things. I suppose it would be easier to find an instrument I don't know my way around really, it's quite the obsession of mine, but I would say that my real passion is people. Times have changed a lot since we were coming up through the ranks, there's a lot more of us now than there were then, so I want to find those newly minted diamonds waiting out in the rough and teach them how to dance with their own rhythm."

Casting his gaze out to the near-horizon momentarily, to savour the last of his bread and look thoughtful both, Rose's lilac eyes soon snapped back to Rangiku as his lips curled into a lopsided smile.

"What about yourself? What is one thing I really should know about my vice-captain?"

"Oh come now, don't play coy. That much was obvious about you after I heard that you took to teaching, and it was why I wanted you for this position in the first place. What should your Captain know about you?"

Rose was both playful and serious, lounging in his chair yet focused quite intently upon Rangiku as if he were studying her for an exam. He didn't mind an innocent response, they were hardly close enough yet that he might expect her to share her deepest secrets, but something a little beneath the surface might be nice. But perhaps he would need to offer something of equal worth in return, his own initial comment had hardly been personal to her or him.

"The Eighth has attracted a whole heap of capable individuals from across the Gotei thanks to our ethos. By casting a wide net, and offering that which other divisions cannot, many have flocked to our new banner that might have been lost to the shadows in another division. Were you to really twist my arm for names then I would have to start with our twentieth seat, Kyo Sawachika." He began to count with his fingers, "Kasha Koizumi too, Rei Hara, and Beetle Yuudeshi. Oh, and I should not forget our third seat, I expect she might go a little higher than that should the opportunity arise for her."

"Ms Noharu is well on the path to serve as a Vice Captain, of that I have no doubt, and admirably capable in the arts of Zankensoki, but we are not the combat division. The Eighth is not just a place for warriors, I intended to build it on versatility and capacity in all elements. What advantage she might have in raw power, I am sure you can match tenfold in tenacity and creativity when push comes to shove."

He could tell that her words were genuine, which did give him something to consider, but his own were equally heartfelt. There had been several dozen candidates to serve as his Vice Captain, many exceptional in their own way, but Rangiku had been one that he had requested. What once had been an odd pair, he hoped might one day shape into something greater than the sum of their parts. Bringing the best of two old divisions together to forge something new.

"But that is interesting, and I appreciate your honesty. Watching our juniors rise up and surpass us can be a frightening thing, as it makes us wonder if we have been standing still all this time. Is that striking any chords, or am I way off in the reeds?"