Bankai training was to say the least, time consuming. It also caused problems with the fact that there was no place quiet enough to really truly meditate. On top of this, Toshiro kept getting smart remarks from Hyorinmaru about the boy being to serious for his own good, to which Toshiro would remark out loud, to Kaien's amusement, that Hyorinmaru needed to be more serious about the task at hand.

Two years passed, and while the training was time consuming, Toshiro found himself growing closer to not only his captain and the third seat of his division, but also to the upper three in the ranks of the thirteenth division. Ukitake tended to overload him with the sweets, however… Hitsugaya couldn't help but find the man's heart in the right place.

The training sessions were held weekly, and the small white haired boy never missed a single one. Of course, he never missed anything and was known for being on time for everything, and too many a persons surprise, Toshiro had the tendency to frown upon anything he felt was childish. His mannerisms… most of the time, proved to be better then a good deal of the adults with them.

Thus, one day when Toshiro was headed off to train, Isshin spoke up. There was a serious tone in his voice that was normally not there. "Hitsugaya… I don't think that you should go and train at thirteenth division today."

"Taicho… I always go and train over there?" the small boy turned to the man, noting the somewhat sad look on his face. "If I don't go now… I'll be late."

"Toshiro… I really need to talk to you about something before you go… no… you aren't going," the taicho stated firmly.

"Can you give me a reason to not go?" Toshiro stated, becoming irritated with the man.

"I am still thinking of a way to word it without upsetting you," Isshin stated, setting his paperwork down.

Toshiro's eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms. "Since you can't give me a reason right now, I am leaving, as Kaien will be angry with me if I am late."

The small boy suddenly shunpooed out of the room, his reiatsu suddenly undetectable, causing Isshin to curse. "There is a reason that you shouldn't go over there today! Damn it! How am I going to find you now before you get over there?!"

M

As the small boy arrived at the division, he noticed that the aura of the place suddenly seemed different then usual. All of the division members seemed tense for some reason of another. They were also whispering about something, but when Toshiro got close enough to hear, they shut up and gave him a wary look, even though he had been coming for some time now. This made him feel like he was back in the Rukongai again, an outcast.

He slowly moved along the wooden floorway, stopping first at the garden where he and the other second always met. The man wasn't there, which caused some confusion. He also felt that someone wasn't telling him something, so he maneuvered to Ukitake's quarters, to see if the man was feeling well enough to explain what was going on.

Kiyone and Sentaro though stopped him as he walked up to the room. "Taicho is not feeling well today…"

"I don't even know why you bothered to come…" Kiyone snapped. Both of the division members had very upset looks on their faces.

"The way everyone is acting, it seems like I've done something wrong," Toshiro protested, the temperature dropping suddenly.

The two were about to open their mouths to rebut him, when Ukitake's door opened. "Shiro-chan… didn't your taicho tell you?"

"Did you order for me to not come today?" Toshiro suddenly bowed to the man, worry spreading across his small face at the sadness he saw in the eyes. "I don't understand why taicho had to think of a way to word that. I apologize for intruding."

As Toshiro turned to leave, Ukitake grabbed his shoulder. "Shiro-chan… you misunderstand… I think that I should escort you back to your division."

"Ukitake taicho…" Toshiro's face had even more confusion on it. "I can walk back fine on my own. Kotetsu and Kotsubaki said you weren't feeling well…"

"Not for the usual reasons. I insist that I walk back with you," the man sighed, keeping a firm hand on the small boys shoulder. "Let's enjoy today… it is rather… beautiful… isn't it?"

"I guess so…" Toshiro murmured, knowing now that something was being hidden from him.

Ukitake saw the irritation on the small boys face. "Toshiro… I would tell you, but… I think that your captain wanted to tell you."

This caused the small white haired boy to let out a sigh as they walked back. The captain was right about it being a nice day, but Toshiro found the walk agonizing and that he couldn't enjoy what was going on. They arrived at the division to find a very distraught Matsumoto standing there.

"There you are Lieutenant Hitsugaya! Taicho and I were worried about you!" the woman stated, her hands on her hips. She then turned to the other white haired person. "Have you told him?"

"No… I would rather Isshin were here when he's told," Ukitake gave her a weak smile. "Where is he?"

"He's trying to catch Toshiro before he reaches your division," Matsumoto sighed. "Obviously he failed. I'll go send a hell butterfly to him. Why don't the two of you go sit in the office? I'll prepare some green tea."

Toshiro went into the room, taking a seat on the sofa, placing a chin on his face. Ukitake sat next to him, the sadness imitating from the man's body, causing Toshiro to slip into a rather depressed state, though he couldn't tell why, other then the fact that Ukitake was never sad. The small boy then suddenly felt someone hug him from behind, and it wasn't Matsumoto.

"Taicho?" the small boys head perked up, surprised at the unusual gentleness about the hug. He then found Isshin moving to sit on the other side of the small boy.

"Toshiro… next time I say, don't go… please don't go," the man stated calmly, placing a hand on the small boys head. "I want you to listen to me carefully. Last night, certain members of the thirteenth division were attacked. Among the casualties were Miyako ad Kaien."

Two teal eyes at first didn't register what was going on. Then they went wide, and Toshiro found himself springing from the sofa. "No! No! No!"

"Toshiro… please…"

"No! Hitsugaya isn't listening!" Toshiro suddenly slapped both hands over his ears. "Hitsugaya isn't listening! Not listening!"

"Toshiro!" Isshin stood up, then turned slightly to the man. "Apologies Ukitake. I didn't want you to see him like this."

"No… I completely understand…" Ukitake shook his head as he watched the small boy continue. "If it had been someone older then Shiro-chan… I would have been shocked, however… this is normal for children."

"Hitsugaya isn't listening!" the boy mumbled, his eyes narrowed and a very far away look on his face.

"Toshiro, I came…" came a soft voice from the door way.

"Hitsugaya isn't listening," the small boy continued, not realizing that Momo had come suddenly.

"Just because I don't call you…" Hinamori pouted, becoming upset at his behavior, not realizing what exactly was going on. Toshiro again stated the same thing, causing her to become angry, and to yell at him. "Fine! I won't tell you that I passed the Lieutenants test!"

This, Hitsugaya couldn't help but hear, and he suddenly glanced up at her, realizing that she was in the room. "Hinamori?"

"I guess to you the second rank means nothing! That you can act like a childish brat, just like you always have since we were little!" the girl snapped, anger in her eyes, only to have Isshin step in-between them.

"Hinamori Momo… today isn't the day for one of your sibling spats the two of you have from time to time," the man stated, rather irritated. "I guarantee you, he wasn't trying to ignore you."

"Tell me then, what was his little tantrum about," Hinamori put her hands on her hip. "I am tired of him acting like he's a small child!"

"Leave…" Isshin muttered. "If Toshiro feels up to telling you ever, he will tell you later. And I might as well remind you… he is a child, though he normally acts like he is older, him acting his age for once isn't a bad thing."

"I hate you!" Hinamori spouted out suddenly. "The only reason he joined your division was because of Matsumoto. Her, I like… but you…"

The young shingami then turned on her heels, not realizing that another captain had been in the room. Isshin turned to find that Toshiro had collapsed onto the floor, his ranting having stopped. However, his whole body was shaking. Ukitake already had his hands on the small boy's shoulders. Isshin bent down, and heard Toshiro mutter. "Can't act like a child…"

At this, the taicho of the tenth division pinched his nose. "I believe that this is one of those times it is all right to cry."

"No… I can't cry… have to be… Rangiku said…" Toshiro muttered through his mouth, remembering what the woman had said to him when they first met.

Ukitake stood up as Isshin took the small boy in his arms. "I send a hell butterfly to fourth division for a sedative."

"Thank you very much, Jushiro," the man mumbled.

M

The memorial service was small, as the Shiba family had requested. Ukitake was one of the few people that the younger siblings had invited. Toshiro wasn't sure whether it was through Ukitake's assistance or not, but he found himself invited along with his taicho. Matsumoto didn't receive and invite, as did a good deal of people that Toshiro had met, which at first confused him.

For a bit, Toshiro found himself riding up on the older mans shoulders, his body still being in a state of shock. However, something about Kukaku and Ganju's aura's bothered him. Isshin made a nod to Kukaku as he walked up to the young woman. "Apologies for Shiro-chan not being out of uniform, but for once I'm not able to even get him to do the paperwork… something he just did on his own."

The woman gave the boy a short look, anger in her eyes, but that temporarily softened, though Toshiro couldn't tell why. Isshin set the small boy down and they walked further in, the white haired shingami feeling the presence of Ganju's eyes piercing his back. Then, before anyone could tell what was happening, the much older boy suddenly tackled him to the ground.

Before Ganju could land more then a few blows, both Isshin and Kukaku had pulled him off. The woman hit her brother on the head. "What do you think you are doing!"

"He's a bloody shingami!" the boy spouted out, only to find himself hit again.

"So you picked the smallest of the shingami here to attack!" the woman stated firmly.

"I am the biggest shingami hater ever!" the boy spouted out.

"Ganju!" Kukaku shook the boy hard, then forced him to look over at where Toshiro was sitting up, his eyes half glossed over. "Did you know that he didn't become a shingami because he wanted to, but because he had too! Seriously… out of all the ones you could have picked…"

She then kicked him hard in the bottom, sending him inside the building. She then hauled Toshiro off the ground and yelled in his face. "I know that you are bummed out, but the next time my brother does that to you, I expect you to fight back, got it!"

"Hai," Toshiro muttered, noticing venom in her eyes that wasn't there before… something beyond her flamboyant attitude, almost murderous.

"That shingami that killed my brother…" the woman muttered, dropping Toshiro to the ground, not noticing his confused look on her face, as this didn't fit what Ukitake had told him and Isshin about the whole matter. He might have only been half aware of what the man was saying.

However, looking at the woman, something clicked in Toshiro's brain. Something that made him begin to worry.