When Isshin arrived back at tenth division, he found things somewhat in a form of chaos. Left and right, he found the members of his division talking about something that had happened about half an hour to an hour ago. He also quickly learned as he approached his division offices, that it involved Rangiku, Toshiro, two other division members and sake.

He inwardly groaned, knowing that he was going to quickly develop a headache over this whole matter. As he opened the doors, he had to quickly close them as Rangiku threw something against the door. "How dare you give a child sake?"

"What exactly is this about you two giving Toshiro sake?" Isshin stated, himself becoming a little upset upon finding that little tid bit out.

One of the two man sighed. "Apologies sir, but we found Lieutenant Hitsugaya out and about, ready to collapse. When we got him back to the division, his body temperature was cold, so we gave him a small bit to try to warm him up."

"It was only a traditional sake cup size," the second protested. "Rangiku wasn't back yet, and we were becoming worried."

"How did she find out?" Isshin pinched the bridge of his nose. "And where is Toshiro?"

"He's out cold on the couch taicho, but when I got back he was livid because they forced it down his throat," Rangiku muttered.

"All of you leave, now… and no trying to kill them Rangiku, they probably did the right thing… a little sake is an old remedy," Isshin stated firmly. He then added before she could come up with any profound idea, "And no… that doesn't give you an excuse to get drunk during work hours."

He went over to the couch and leaned over the back, to see the small boy curled up in a ball on the couch, snoring softly. His cheeks were a bit flushed, either from the small amount of sake in his system, or because he had been yelling. Isshin reached down and shook his shoulder. "Shiro-chan?"

"Oto-san?" the small boy opened his eyes, then sat up. "You are back again… how did the captain's meeting go?"

"You've been practicing Bankai again, haven't you?" Isshin raised an eyebrow.

"Isshin-san taicho, you need to answer my question first," the small boy leaned into the couch and rubbed his temple. "So tiered…"

"They asked about you, Toshiro," Isshin stated, laughing a bit. "Word has gotten around about you ending up in fourth for mysterious reasons."

"You are the one who told me not to tell anyone I am doing Bankai," Toshiro let out a yawn.

"Yes, well… I spoke with Yamamoto about it, and he says that it should continue to be that way," the tenth division taicho moved to go and sit next to the small boy on the couch. "You do realize you called me father a few minutes ago."

"Ehh… did not," Toshiro's eyes were half lidded.

"Of course, you are out of it right now," Isshin found himself able to pull the small child close to him.

"Ne, taicho… if you and Yamamoto spoke about it, that means that there is now a definite reason why you don't want me to tell people, right?" the small boy began to fall asleep.

"Not really, just it is a trump card as I told you," Isshin smiled.

"I am going to fly soon," two teal eyes suddenly fell shut.

"What?" Isshin stared at the boy, but figured that this was a joke similar to the freezing of oneself that hadn't been meant to be taken as serious.

M

After a couple of weeks of forced recovery, Toshiro was allowed back out and to train again, though unbeknown to him, Isshin had decided to keep an eye on the young sub-taicho. As he walked to the place that he and Hyorinmaru had found in the division to practice, he actually smiled about the whole thing.

"We have been able to hold for how long now?" Toshiro stated.

"Five minutes, thirty-seven seconds," Hyorinmaru stated, laughing a bit as he did so, rather liking the mood that his shingami partner had been in lately.

"That long… do you think that is long enough to try flying?" Toshiro suddenly asked.

"I am not sure…" Hyorinmaru stated.

"But you aren't stopping me, so I take it that you don't mind me trying?" Toshiro stated firmly. He received no response, and not realizing that it was because the ice dragon wanted to have more time to think about it, he went into Bankai. A smirk appeared on his face. "Let's fly, Hyorinmaru…"

Before the dragon could protest, Toshiro used the two ice wings to propel himself from the ground. He found his doing so to be extremely awkward, and he also found that it was much different then he had been anticipating. He got about fifty feet above where he was, when he suddenly felt his Bankai giving away, no time to purposely release it. He blinked a couple of times, realizing suddenly that he was in trouble.

He heard the ice crack, and felt his body plummet towards the ground. But about twenty feet away, he felt someone grab him, and stop the rapid plummet that would have seriously hurt him once he had hit. "Hitsugaya…"

"Ehh… taicho…" Toshiro's eyes snapped open, the smile remaining on his face. "Sorry to worry you like that, but did you see?"

"So that's what you meant by flying, you silly boy," Isshin sighed and set the small boy on his feet, only to see him wobble a bit, which caused him to reach out and grab him, steadying him as he went. A few other division members came hurrying over. To Isshin's shock, Toshiro's Bankai began to reform. "Shiro-chan… I think a release would be in good order."

Toshiro glanced over his shoulders, blinked a couple of times, and released the Bankai, letting out a mist on those gathered around, a very cold mist. "Oh… it's never done that before…"

"What was that…"

"Was that a Bankai…"

"One… two… three… four…" Isshin counted, then let out a sigh.

"Lieutenant Hitsugaya's learned Bankai…"

"It looks rather rough to be one… though,"

"But it just proves how much of a child genius of sub-taicho is!"

"Excuse me…" Isshin at first was not heard as the few around continued to chatter about it, so he had to whistle. "I have to ask that you not tell anyone…"

"But taicho… this is an amazing thing," one protested.

"I have my reasons for keeping it a secret, trust me on that," Isshin stated.

"How long has he been able to do this,"

"I bet it has been as long as the first time he ended up in fourth,"

"My goodness, so that's been what he's been doing,"

"Enough!" Isshin yelled again. "Feel free to talk with yourselves about this in a private place! I need to talk to Hitsugaya Toshiro about practicing his Bankai safely, as he could have gotten seriously hurt today."

"Does he need someone to spot for him?" one of the few asked suddenly.

Isshin blinked a couple of times. "I think I will handle spotting for him, as I am going to give him a lecture. Now leave so I can talk to him."

After they left, Toshiro stated firmly, the smile gone from his face. "You are angry at me, aren't you?"

"Yes I am!" Isshin grabbed the small boy by the ear. "If I hadn't felt that something was up, you would have been out of it for days! You scared me when I saw you start to plummet like that! Toshiro, I know you don't care one thing ever about what happens to you, but at least think about those who do."

"I am sorry," the small boy found himself being then grabbed by the shoulders and swung around.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Isshin stated firmly.

"I was thinking… I wanted to fly. I wanted to see…" the sub-taicho suddenly looked up to the sky. "I wanted to feel the sky, to touch the clouds. Maybe even the stars."

"Toshiro…" Isshin's face then softened and he pulled the boy close. "You could have said something…"

"Didn't think about it… just that since I messed up at Bankai, my mind kind of somehow got set on flying with it," Toshiro stated, his face suddenly hardening. "Let go!"

"Papa is not going to…" Isshin however felt pain as his second in commands knee suddenly came in contact with a very tender spot.

"Papa is not going to do anything, as Hitsugaya does not like being touched!" Toshiro growled, then hurried off.

"You little brat! Get back here!" Isshin started to move, however stopped due to the pain. "Sometimes I think he's going to put me into the nut house."

"I think that you're the one whose going to put people there and that you already need to be there!" came the sudden reply.

"Toshiro!"

M

That night, when he heard the footsteps above his head, he shunpooed out of the room. "Good evening Toshiro? Couldn't sleep?"

"Are you still mad about today," came the small boys reply as he lay on the roof, drumming his fingers against the roof.

"Upset is more like it. It is the job of the captain to make sure that nothing happens to those under them. You are the youngest, so for you to lose your life so young would be a very sad thing," Isshin smiled, laying down next to the boy. "We have a very close bond. You've been here for a very long time."

"I guess so…" Toshiro stated.

"Did you know you've also grown since you've joined?" Isshin decided to change the subject.

"In powers yes, but I am still short," Toshiro muttered.

"You've grown two to three inches. Instead of looking like a seven year old, you look like you are around, eight, to nine years old," the man stated.

"Are you serious?" Toshiro suddenly turned his head to his taicho.

"I am serious." Isshin smirked. "I am going to try to plan some inter division game thing."

Toshiro suddenly felt a throb in his head. "Knowing you, it will turn out to be a disaster."

"I think that it would work to get us to work better together, no?" Isshin smiled. "I talked to Yamamoto about it when I had finished discussing you. He thought it was a very good idea."

"He's kind of senile, in case you haven't noticed," Toshiro smirked.

"Toshiro… that's…" but Isshin couldn't help laughing at this.