Yamamoto stood in front of the other eleven captains that were left. All of them had been called forth for a meeting, rather unexpected. It had been only a few days prior that Yamamoto had asked for recommendations for the tenth division position. He stood there, standing quite still. "This meeting has been called forth because six people have recommended that a certain person be placed in a captaincy spot, the exact same person to be exact. Who would like to start?"

"I recommend Lieutenant Hitsugaya Toshiro," Unohana spoke up. This caused a few of the captains to raise their eyebrows.

"Hold on… I know that he is at captain's level, but has he actually learned Bankai," Soi Fon asked, a bit of concern in her voice.

"Yes… the reason that he has ended up in my division so much as of late is because he has been working on completely mastering his Bankai," Unohana spoke up. "I would have to say that he has a while to go before completely mastering his Bankai, but the problem comes not from control of the actual Bankai itself, but his physical body and his reiatsu are still growing. He is also growing more and more as a person we can all depend upon as a captain."

When she finished, Ukitake spoke up. "Isshin-san taicho told me about Hitsugaya Toshiro's Bankai, as I have been watching the boy grow, and he had been working with my old lieutenant on achieving it, until Kaien died. Toshiro also has a heart in the right place, so he would be a good taicho, though he will possibly need a hand to guide him as he goes, though I wouldn't worry about stepping in."

"I heard of his Bankai from Ukitake taicho," Kyoraku smiled. "I agree with what Ukitake and Unohana have said, and I am willing to step in and lend in a hand in guiding him if we were to make him captain. I have a lot to teach him."

"Like how to pick up girls?" Tosen commented dryly. "I am not blind to what you tend to do as captain."

"Was there a joke in there?" Shunsui turned a bit pale at the comment on his possible ability to be a role model.

"I too put forth my recommendation," Yamamoto stated firmly. "This is for the reasons stated, and a few others that I discussed with Isshin-san taicho that at this point should remain private unless necessary."

Silence followed. However, suddenly Gin smirked. "I guess it is a good time to speak up… I don't know whom the other one is who recommended Shiro-chan, but I've known about the kid's Bankai since he achieved it. I've also seen it. He is extremely powerful, but he also has had Isshin guiding him, and he's funny."

"He's funny?" Byakuya spoke up. "Is that really a reason to name him as a possible candidate for captaincy?"

"I don't see why not… and I do find him funny," Gin murmured, receiving a heated glare from Aizen for his comment.

Aizen spoke up after another period of silence. "So… who exactly is the sixth person who recommended him?"

"Me," came the rumbling voice. Everyone turned to look at Kenpachi.

"Whatever for?" Mayuri muttered.

"Do I have to have a reason?" the man laughed. After some stares, he shrugged his shoulders. "The kids got spunk, need I say more?"

"Well… I can't consider that an accurate kind of recommendation," Mayuri stated. "Nor can I consider Ichimaru Gin's."

"I say that they can't be thrown out," Yamamoto stated. "A recommendation is a recommendation."

"Well, I say, I don't approve. Hitsugaya Toshiro should never have been made a lieutenant in the first place, but his taicho recommended him," Mayuri stated firmly. "He has no respect and has the most smart ass comments I have ever heard. I have all the data on his Bankai from when he stood when he achieved it; it is horrible, even laughable. I question if it is a Bankai"

"Depends on what you mean by smart ass," Soi Fon stated. "I see that he achieved Bankai in less time then I thought it would take him. He may have a smart mouth, but with the right hand, other then his former taicho and the eighth division taicho, it could be curbed in the right way. He has a way of knowing what needs to be said, when it should be said."

"I say that we should recommend him for the captaincy," the seventh division captain stated out loud. "I approve, as I think that I in a way understand the child."

"There is the fact that everyone is forgetting," Aizen spoke up. "That Hitsugaya Toshiro is in fact a child. I can not approve his becoming a captain for that very reason."

"And I have to give the same vote for the same reason," Tosen stated.

"Byakuya… you are the only one who hasn't spoke your opinion," Yamamoto stated firmly.

"I hold to having some time to think about this," the noble stated firmly. However, a commotion was heard outside the doors. A sudden bickering could be heard coming from Yamamoto's lieutenant and another person. The two doors opened and Chojiro dragged in the young lieutenant that the others had been speaking about.

He knelt down and forced the boy to do so, though he really hadn't needed to. Hitsugaya's eyes had a spark of determination in them. "I apologize Yamamoto, sir… but Lieutenant Hitsugaya insisted on speaking to you about something, and when I told him that you were in a meeting discussing the future captain of squad ten, he said that it had to be now rather then later."

"I apologize profusely," Toshiro stated firmly. "But I've been trying to ask the last few days if I could take the captaincy test, but no one has taken me at all seriously, due to my age."

"Why exactly do you want to become captain?" Byakuya suddenly asked, eyeing the boy.

"Because…"

"That can be answered at your captaincy test… I am sure that Byakuya is going to want to stand in on the test," Yamamoto stated firmly.

"As will I," Aizen also came out with, his eyes glancing to Gin, who just smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"So be it…" Yamamoto stated firmly.

M

Isshin was finally up and about and stood outside Urahara's shop, waiting impatiently for news on whom his replacement was. Aizen's threat of getting someone in that he truly wanted was desperate, and Isshin hoped that his trump card, or the one that Yamamoto had, wouldn't have to come into play. They would surely argue against his, and as for Yamamoto, he had the idea that Toshiro might not take it well.

He puffed on a cigarette, staring out at the starts, when he heard a now familiar voice. "You look very cool when you smoke like that."

"Really? It drives… drove Shiro-chan nuts," Isshin sighed. "I have to say, he's a great kid."

"And I am right in assuming that he is very much like a son to you?" Masaki suddenly asked.

"Hell yeah he is. He called me father once… only once… but I was so happy when he did," Isshin smirked.

"That is an… unusual relationship to have with ones second rank," the woman smiled.

"Yeah, I guess so," Isshin sighed. "However, he entered our academy at an age far younger then the norm. His reiatsu was already at a high level he was killing his granny. It was obvious that… well, he needed not a captain so much as he needed a father who could love him unconditionally and who would be happy with who he was, push him to become the best he could be. He's my kid all right."

"He sounds special. When I die, I hope to meet him. I might carry a message to him, as by that time enough time should have passed, that you are all right, and that you do care about him," the woman smiled.

"You… like kids?" Isshin suddenly asked.

"I love them, very much. I can't wait to have some of my own. For some reason though, I feel like your Shiro-chan is all ready my own. I can't explain it," she stated softly. "Tell me about him…"

"Sure… it is one of the things I feel comfortable talking about actually," came the response.

M

Toshiro sat in the room, watching and waiting. Ukitake sat near him, being his support one might say, through the testing process. His heart pounded in his chest. First off came the questions, mostly coming from Byakuya. "Why is it that you want to become a captain?"

"Becoming a captain is not a want to. It is a need to. It is a matter of honor to take Isshin-san taicho's place. I fill as his lieutenant, it is my duty to do so," came the reply from the boy who sat perfectly still and rigid in front of them.

"Why did you want to become a shingami?" Aizen stated firmly.

"Again, that wasn't a want to, it was a need to," Toshiro cut the answer short, and they thought he was not going to answer, however… "My need to isn't exactly something I am proud of stating out loud. When I went into the academy, it was because my reiatsu was so uncontrolled and so high, I was killing my grandmother, whom I had wanted to stay with so she wouldn't be lonely, and to take care of, because it was, is my duty as her grandson to protect her… even if it is from myself."

"What did you think of your former taicho," Yamamoto suddenly asked.

"Isshin-san taicho…" Toshiro frowned at this. "I do not understand your question sir."

"How can you not?" Aizen stated firmly.

"Hitsugaya fukutaicho, can you explain what you don't understand," Yamamoto stated firmly.

"Are you trying to get me to list all the bad or good things about him, or go into whether I liked him or not?" Toshiro stated. "Because I refuse to answer the first as that is disrespectful in the fact… in the fact… and as for the second, I don't think I understand the concept of hating someone… and I am not sure what it means to like someone."

"I am closest to grandmother… so I must like her. And I used to be close to Hinamori… so I must have liked her at one time. And I am not sure if I am close to Matsumoto… she makes things confusing… I don't think I understand her. As for taicho…"

Toshiro paused at this. "I was getting close to taicho, so I must have liked him, but… I can not truly say. I also don't see why anyone would like me either."

"Your statement sounds too much like something Gin would say," Aizen shook his head. "You were having problems saying earlier in your conversation, something, what is it."

"It is supposed to be disrespectful to speak ill of the dead, no?" Toshiro stated. "But… I am still having problems with… accepting taicho is gone."

"I think that it would be good for you to perform Bankai for us," Aizen suddenly stated.

"Now?" Toshiro turned pale.

"I don't see why not… you seem to hesitate," Aizen stated firmly.

"I hesitate because… my Bankai would cause a great deal of damage to this room… I think," Toshiro remained pale.

"Then let us move to the gardens," Yamamoto stated. They moved out of the room and Toshiro closed his eyes, his confidence wavering a bit. However, he called upon his Bankai and held it for a good minute, before releasing it. He glanced around, and saw that the garden was frozen over.

"Gomen, General Yamamoto, for wrecking your garden," the boy stammered out.

"It is completely all right," Yamamoto stated. "I see no reason why you can't pass the test. However, is there anyone who says that he can not pass?"

"I do," Aizen stated, giving Toshiro a very firm look. "He responded with a lack of emotion and seemed overly cold. I do not think that his division would accept him for that, and that he is still a child. Look at the fact that his Bankai is as uncontrolled as it is."

"I apologize Hitsugaya," Ukitake placed a hand on the small boys shoulder as his determination fell.

Aizen gave the boy a weak, unknowingly fake smile. "Come back in some time."

"I don't have a year or two… they'll likely give approval to someone else, or someone else will pass the captaincy test," Toshiro stated. "And with a new captain… everything will change at the division."

"I give my approval," Byakuya stated suddenly and unexpectedly.

"Excuse me," Aizen and Toshiro stated at the same time.

"Captain Hitsugaya," Byakuya stated, causing confusion to appear on Toshiro's young face. "You are the youngest to graduate from the academy, the youngest to ever achieve Bankai. I was also impressed with your answers, even though captain Aizen was not. He may say that they were cold, but you do have the heart of a shingami."

"Hold on… you just called me taicho…" Toshiro shook his head.

"Ahh… well, Byakuya was the hold out for your approval at the captain's meeting," Ukitake gave a half smile.

"Congratulations, Hitsugaya-Taicho," Yamamoto stated, not letting anyone know that he was glad not to have to use either of his trump cards. Toshiro could only stare in shock. Aizen was going to have a word later with Gin.

M

Toshiro walked back to his division with Ukitake coming with him, even though the man seemed quite sickly. "You don't have to come…"

"No… I don't," Ukitake gave a half smile. "You really should put on your haori, not drape it over your arms like that."

"I guess…"

"Something is bothering you Shiro-chan?" Ukitake asked.

"It's just…" Toshiro suddenly found himself knocked over by the door to his division as Matsumoto rushed out, with a few of the other division members. He stood up, dusting himself off. "Matsumoto… could you please be a little more careful."

"Ehh… you passed the captain's test!" Matsumoto suddenly tried to embrace him, but he moved away.

"Actually… I didn't. I don't think that Aizen-taicho liked my answers, thinks I'm too much of a child, and feels I need to master my Bankai more…" the boy lowered his eyes to the ground, slightly ashamed at the fact that he hadn't passed.

"But…" Matsumoto pointed at the haori.

"Fukutaicho knows Bankai?" mummers were heard among the division members.

"I'll explain, as I think that he would rather have become taicho through the other way, as it would have proven that he has the skill needed. Hitsugaya-taicho received six recommendations and three approvals needed to become taicho of the tenth division," Ukitake stated firmly. "In other words, most of the taicho have accepted him."

Toshiro heard more mummers coming from everyone around them. Matsumoto suddenly squished him into a hug. "We need to celebrate! We need to celebrate!"

"No!" Toshiro muttered as soon as he pulled away. He suddenly felt the haori pulled from his arms by Matsumoto and forced onto his shoulders.

"Come on! We have to tell the division!" she stated, grabbing his hand and dragging him in.

"Matsumoto!" Toshiro yelled at her as he stumbled after her.