NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15: Chapter 14
"So what exactly are you looking for," Rangiku asked as they strolled leisurely down the street.
"Something attractive," she said sounding very unsure of herself.
"Attractive? You mean something sexy?" The other woman's eyes grew large as Rangiku continued. "You definitely came to the right person because sexy…" she said waving her 'sexy' ring in the woman's face, "is my middle name." She grabbed the woman by the hand yanking her down the street in search of a suitable place to shop.
The first place they stopped was one of Rangiku's favorite lingerie shops which made the smaller woman blush.
"Ok, let's see," she said stopping in front of a table covered in bras. "You're about a what? C or maybe a D…D I think. We'll have to get you measured," she said not giving her friend a chance to answer. She rummaged through the merchandise until she found something she liked. She held up a pink lace bra that was very lovely but not exactly what her friend was looking for. She shook her head politely before leaving Rangiku behind to look around by herself. The raven haired woman browsed the store, eyeing everything curiously. When she came across a table of what she thought were underwear. She picked up a pair and the smile dropped from her face. 'What are these supposed to be?' she thought.
"No don't get thongs," Rangiku said interrupting her thoughts. "You don't want thongs," she said. "G-strings are much more comfortable, and they're sexier," she said with a wink. "Oh! They're on sale! Let's get some!" She grabbed one of everything on the table and made her way to the register to pay.
The next place they stopped was a video store.
"Why are we stopping here," she asked Rangiku.
"Oh I have a couple movies I want to pick up. I figured we could have a movie night sometime," Rangiku replied, leaving the woman standing in the middle of the store alone as the busty blonde went to find whatever it was she was looking for.
She watched Rangiku disappear down the romantic comedy aisle and sighed. She would never get the things she needed like this. Rangiku would drag her all over creation if she didn't speak up. Besides, she couldn't stay in the living world all day. She had her duties and was sure people would start looking for her before long.
Roaming aimlessly through the store looking at the shelves of movies, none of which were familiar to her, she realized she couldn't remember the last time she saw one. She continued browsing until she spotted a magazine stand over to the left. She walked over since she'd always been an avid reader, and started skimming the covers. Seeing nothing that looked even the tiniest bit interesting she began to walk away.
'Get what you want,' she saw on a cover out the corner of her eye. She turned back, curiously staring at the magazine. There was a picture of a woman dressed in some type of costume with a scantily clad man under her foot. 'This is totally inappropriate' she thought, frowning, yet she reached for the magazine and opened it to a random page.
The story's header immediately stood out to her:
Do you want men jumping off of bridges and slitting their wrists for just a little bit of your lovin'?
Do you wish you could get anything you want from any man you want?
Well with these 5 easy steps you'll have the man of your dreams wrapped around your little finger. He'll be putty in your hands. He will live to please only you.
'Lovin'?' She wasn't sure if she liked the idea of someone hurting themselves for her. That didn't make much sense, but she supposed if they did, it wouldn't be too bad. After all, that's what the fourth division was for, taking care of the injured. With wrinkled eyebrows she closed the magazine, once again looking at the front and studying the picture. The shoes the woman wore were terribly impractical. She wondered what shape her feet were in to fit in those pointy shoes. The man acting as her step stool had to be in a serious amount of pain, but his face appeared as if he enjoyed being degraded that way. As disconcerting as the picture was, there was something about it that intrigued the Shinigami. Perhaps it was the level of power the woman seemed to have over the man and the fact that he seemed to enjoy submitting to her obviously twisted will. She decided she needed to do more research. She looked around for Rangiku, spotting her on the other side of the store. She quickly made her way to the counter to pay for the magazine and slid it into her purse. Ignoring the questioning stare of the cashier she turned to seek out Rangiku. They needed to get out of there.
She was finally able to get Rangiku to leave the store, but not before buying two 'chick flicks' as she called them, Sex in the City and The Sweetest Thing. Not that she had the right to judge.
"Where to next," Rangiku asked turning to her friend. She shrugged as two giggling children ran by knocking her bag onto the ground.
"Sorry lady," one of them yelled back as they disappeared around the corner.
She smiled, gazing after them as Rangiku knelt down to retrieve her bag and the magazine that had fallen out.
"Hmm, pretty racy stuff," Rangiku said. Her friend turned around slowly, smile still on her face…until she spotted what the Lieutenant was holding. Her face turned beet red as she reached up to snatch the magazine back.
"No need to be embarrassed," Rangiku said, snickering, willingly returning her reading material. "Gotta learn somehow."
"I need it for research," she said quietly, placing the source of her embarrassment back inside of her purse. "I need a disguise," she said changing the subject. There was no more time to be shy about it. Might as well get what she needed so they could get back. How did she expect Rangiku to help her if she wouldn't tell her what she needed? The whole point of this group was to let go of your inhibitions and have some fun. Although she had to admit she wasn't having much fun at the moment, but that was because she acting like a prude, something she definitely was not.
"A disguise?" Rangiku was baffled.
"Yes. Captain Zaraki might not be the smartest, but surely he will know me without one.
Rangiku took a moment to think. What kind of costume could she possibly have in mind? Then she remembered the magazine….
"Hmm," she noted.
Did she really have in mind what Rangiku thought she did? If so, she needed Yoruichi's help not hers. Rangiku looked at the small woman who was looking up at her expectantly. Her cheeks still slightly flushed from embarrassment. She had guts, that was for sure.
"I know a place," she said as she turned to lead her to one of Yoruichi's favorite spots. "We may need to get this on video," she said as they strolled together, coaxing a little laugh from her companion.
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