One evening, after Toshiro had finished his work, he found himself grabbed by Isshin and being asked what to him was a very strange question. "Do you have any normal kimonos for wear outside of work?"

"Why the hell are you acting like Matsumoto?" came the white haired boy's reply as the man grabbed him into a hug.

"Papa and Shiro-chan got invited over for dinner at the Shiba family place," the man beamed, only to find the small child wiggling free of his grasp and suddenly launching a knee into the man's groin. "Papa wishes Shiro-chan wouldn't do that!"

Toshiro practically ignored the fact that the man was letting out groans of pain. "Shiro-chan wishes for taicho to stop being a complete baka. I don't have a father, I don't have a mother."

The small second then tried to storm away from the man, only to have the man grab his shoulder. "I was serious about asking you if you had anything other then your uniform to wear."

"Kaien-san and Miyako-san won't care," the small boy gained a confused look on his face.

"But his siblings Kukaku and Ganju will," the man stated, as he stood up from the spot where he was sent kneeling. Two teal eyes blinked at him in confusion, waiting for him to elaborate. "Even though Kaien is a shingami, as is his wife, his younger sister and his younger brother have a rather… it isn't a dislike or distrust, but they don't understand why Kaien became one."

"So that's why you were asking stupid questions?" the small boy folded his arms, then glanced away.

"Toshiro… do you have anything?" Isshin suddenly asked.

"Can't Matsumoto go instead?" the small boy asked.

"Matsumoto and Kukaku like to get into drinking matches, so no," the man sighed, then began to drag the small sub-taicho off to his room. "This is important, so stop trying to change the subject."

When they got to Toshiro's room, to his major ire, the man began to dig through the few pieces of clothing he had, then tossed a blue kimono at the small boy. "Wear this."

Toshiro glanced down at it as the man left the room, his eyebrow twitching. "This is so not fair…"

M

Toshiro found himself sticking close to Isshin's side as they headed towards the Shiba household. He was surprised to find that the Shiba household was located outside in the Rukongai, which led to his utter confusion. He at first thought that this would mean that he would have to pass through the populated place, where someone would recognize him, however, instead, they traveled on the outskirts, in one of the less populated areas.

"The Shiba house hold has always been known for its making of fireworks," Isshin suddenly spoke up. "Because of… possible explosions, they choose to live both outside and inside the city walls. The house we are going to is outside," Isshin stated as they walked to their destination.

Someone walking on the path into the town suddenly stopped them. "Mister… should a child be carrying a sword like that?"

"Ehh…" Isshin glanced down at Toshiro, who was becoming livid with anger. "I think that is my business and none of yours whether my son carries a sword? I think that if I carry and practice using a sword, it is logical that my son would to."

Toshiro's eyebrow was twitching with anger as the man continued. "No offence sir… but did your wife have an affair? The child looks nothing like you?"

"I am unmarried and still a bachelor, thank you very much. It is also my decision about whether or not to take in a child that is not mine by blood or not. Now please, we shall be on our way," Isshin's spiritual pressure suddenly peeked, sending the man of scurrying.

Toshiro had tensed up majorly. "I am not your son taicho! I told you before, I don't have a mother, I don't have a father!"

Isshin suddenly turned on him, a rather calm, cold look on his face, causing the small boy to wince. "I am serious about the fact that I think of you as my son, Hitsugaya Toshiro. I know it is not something that you may ever understand, but I hope someday you will."

Toshiro's face suddenly turned red, his body tensing up even more his whole body freezing where it was, unable to move forward. Isshin had begun to walk again, but noticed that the young second wasn't following. He then walked back, placing a hand on the small boys shoulder. "Now come along, before I come up with some sort of idea to truly embarrass you with, ne?"

"Hai, hai…" Toshiro muttered, none to pleased, not sure if he was more angry or embarrassed with the man for being upfront with him like that. There also seemed to be some sort of… other feeling there too.

M

"So when will we be there?" Toshiro sighed, folding his arms at having to wait so long.

"You'll know the place when we get there," Isshin hummed.

Toshiro was about to open his mouth when he saw a small building with two pillars in front. The pillars were shaped like carrots. "Is that what you mean?"

"Hai!" the man laughed. "That is Kaien's sister's work."

"She must be a bit on the odd side… but then I am finding that anyone who has spiritual power has their own quirks," Toshiro stated.

"And doesn't that mean you too?" Isshin asked, smirking at this.

"I have teal eyes and white hair, yet I am still a child… you don't think that's weird?" Toshiro asked, when suddenly two men jumped from the top of the pillars, causing Toshiro to jump.

"Baka!" he stated, diving behind Isshin. "What do they think they are doing?"

"We shall…" the first one started, but then the other interrupted.

"Isshin-sama!"

"Oh… not an intruder… we were expecting you… and,"

"A small boy?" the two men looked around very confused.

Toshiro suddenly popped out from behind Isshin. "Exactly who is a midget?"

"Uhh… Toshiro," Isshin suddenly hit the small boy on the head. "Seriously, knock it off. Let's go down stairs."

"Even more weird things," the boy muttered, following after them.

"So how many times has the place moved?" Isshin suddenly asked.

"Well… too many for Kaien-sama to tell. He keeps telling Kukaku-dono that she needs to stop moving so much…"

"…as it makes it hard for them to find the place when they get vacation time."

"I see!" Isshin laughed as they went inside and started going down the stairs, only to have a female come out of nowhere with a flying kick to the taicho's face, knocking him to the ground.

"I can't believe that Kaien invited this idiot here again!" the woman stated, then turned to see Toshiro.

Toshiro made a quick bow to her. "I agree that taicho is an idiot. I am Hitsugaya Toshiro."

That was when he suddenly felt his head grabbed by the woman and forced to look her strait in the face. "What the fuck is with the cocky attitude."

"My grandmother taught me that one is supposed to introduce oneself to their host or hostess!" Toshiro snapped.

"Now that is more like it," the woman smirked. "No need to be so impersonal with me. Shiba Kukaku."

"Kid doesn't know how not to be impersonal," Isshin muttered, finally sitting up.

"Miyako-nee said she had to wash his mouth out with soap!" the woman seemed rather disappointed.

"It takes quite a bit for him to lose his temper. I believe he had hot tea spilled on him," Isshin sighed.

"At least he seems much smarter the Ganju… yet he seems way younger… do they even let kids into the academy this young? I think I've found another thing I dislike about the academy, if they do let them in this young now," the woman muttered.

"Toshiro is the only one they will likely ever let in this young, unless another one with similar circumstances comes along," Isshin stated, continuing down the stairs.

Kukaku suddenly wacked Toshiro on the head with the side of her hand, " Listen and listen carefully. There is no need to address us as Shiba… our last name. There are two females, two males. While it might work back in the divisions, it won't work here. It is by first names, got it?"

"Hai, Kukaku-san," came the small boy's reply, only to receive another whack.

"No san!" the woman stated. "Makes me fill like an old lady!"

"Then how about Kukaku-chan," Toshiro smirked.

Kukaku was about to whack him again, but then got a smirk on her face. "Only if I can call you Shiro-chan."

"As if," the boy muttered, then followed her downstairs.

M

They got downstairs to the small hall, to find Kaien and Miyako not dressed in uniform either. Kaien saw the small boy as he was talking to Isshin and waved at him. "Oi! Toshiro-kun!"

"Good evening," Toshiro made a small bow and went and sat next to his taicho.

"After dinner, would you like to go and train with a soccer ball with Kukaku, Ganju and me?" the man asked, his usual trade mark smirk.

A boy, older then him, spoke up. "Soccer is not training, nii-san!"

Kukaku and Kaien both suddenly landed similar whacks on top of the boys head. Kaien spoke up first. "If I say that it is training, it is training Ganju."

"What nii-san says goes," Kukaku smirked.

"Who is the pipsqueak!" Ganju suddenly muttered, pointing at Toshiro.

"Well, if he came with Isshin-san, then it is likely that he is of that division, ne?" Kukaku smirked, only to groan at Ganju's next reply.

"Then what rank are you! I am not old enough to go to the academy!" the boy folded his arms.

"Second seat," Toshiro stated, unphased.

"Ahh… nii-san!" the small boy protested. "If he can go to the academy…"

This time Kaien wacked the boy on the head. "Ganju… Hitsugaya Toshiro went through the academy in one year and is considered a child genius. While you are very smart… there was a reason he was let in as young as he was."

"And what the hell would that be!" Ganju snapped.

"I nearly killed my grandmother with my reiatsu," Toshiro stated, causing Kukaku to frown, then sigh.

"So that is what the idiot meant by that," Kukaku muttered. "Would you like to see some fireworks too?"

"Hai… oh… Isshin-san taicho mentioned that you were working on achieving Bankai, and that I was to ask you the reasons for doing so," Toshiro stated, causing Kaien to pause from his drinking.

"Isshin… can I speak to you for a moment?" the man stated as the food came in. After a few minutes, Isshin came in.

"He would like to speak with you, Toshiro," the man stated.

"I want to know…" Ganju started, but had Isshin shake his head.

Toshiro deftly stepped out of the room. Kaien stood outside the room. "I've been training for some time now for Bankai. Isshin, my wife and my taicho were the only ones I've so far told."

"I apologize if I was rude," Toshiro stated.

"It wasn't rude of you… Isshin had a reason for having you ask me," the man smiled. "My reason for doing so is because… you know of how sick Ukitake-taicho gets?"

"Sometimes one worried that he might not be here the next day, it is so bad… so I've heard some of the forth division members say," Toshiro stated quietly.

"I remember when we lost a bunch of captains Toshiro," the man stated. "Your taicho was third seat while Atsuo was forth seat. It took your taicho time to achieve Bankai so that the tenth division wouldn't be without a captain. I don't want that to happen to my division… and I want it to be someone they would know."

"I can understand you learning Bankai…" Toshiro muttered. "But why me? It isn't as if Isshin-san is going to disappear any time soon."

"Do you know that?" Atsuo sighed. "Your taicho didn't know that, did he?"

"No… I guess he didn't, did he…" Toshiro muttered.

"The reason that your taicho wanted me to talk to you about this, and I confirmed it with him just now, is because he wants me to work with you on achieving Bankai yourself," the man sighed. "He says you are already at captain's level."

"Nee?" Toshiro became confused.

"Your reiatsu knocked out a bunch of the eleventh division members," Shiba sighed. "It was quick, but the only ones knocked out he said were the ones he knows to be at lieutenant level or above."

"What if I don't want to train for Bankai," Toshiro stated firmly.

"Do you have any reason for not wanting to? Achieving that stage means in a way bonding more with your zanpaktou," Shiba sated. "So for each person it is different how it is done."

"Really?" Toshiro's eyes suddenly brightened up as he looked at the man, but then he dimmed and turned away. "Hinamori…"

"Don't let the worry of what your siblings will think hold you back. If I did that, I would never have become a shingami. I think that you could achieve Bankai in a relatively short amount of time," the man smirked.

"Really?" Toshiro stated.

"And you would be the youngest to achieve it," Shiba glanced at the ceiling. "That is something I would love to see… especially with a Shikai as amazing as the one that you have… your Bankai will be amazing too."

"How come I haven't heard much about this though," Toshiro frowned.

"Because… only a handful ever achieve it," the man stated, a sad look in his face, but then it suddenly brightened as Kukaku stuck her head out.

"If you don't hurry, Ganju will eat everything," she stated, then went back inside.

Toshiro suddenly gave Shiba a warm smile, the cold exterior melting away, which caught Kaien a bit off guard. "I would like for you to help me, Kaien-san."

M

After dinner, a soccer game was formed, if one could really call it a game. Kaien and Toshiro ended up having to listen to Ganju and Kukaku argue. It started with Ganju opening his big mouth. "I am the self proclaimed best soccer player in the entire…"

"Shut up Ganju!" Kukaku suddenly hit her brother on the head. "I want Toshiro to be on my team!"

"But I want Nii-san to be on…" the boy suddenly blinked. "Why do you want the small midget on your team. Watch…"

"Midget…" Toshiro grumbled as Ganju began to kick the ball around.

"I bet, without flash step… midget couldn't get the ball away from me!" Ganju laughed, only to have Toshiro quickly move and steal the ball.

"I bet that you can't get the ball away from the supposed midget, midget!" Kukaku suddenly cheered.

"You did that on purpose," Kaien groaned.

"So…" Kukaku stated. "You owe me an eventual explanation about why, when you never cared before about your rank, why you are concerned about making Bankai… you always have your reasons. Ganju may eventually forget, but I won't."

"I'll let you know once I achieve it," the young man sighed, rolling his eyes.