The movements of the academy students were restricted which in turn started up a new rumor. Some of the students felt their movements were restricted because of some kind of conspiracy. A few days after returning to the academy the teachers made an announcement to the afternoon classes. Terunori sat in front of Hana two rows and slightly to the right while Hana chatted away with the friends she had made at the academy when the teacher for their morning class came in.
"A few of you have been wondering what exactly has been going on and who the enemy happened to be." This statement caused all of the students to sit up in order to pay attention. "The enemy in this particular case happens to be a group we have for over a thousand years called the Quincy. What we used to teach in the academy were that the Quincy were a tribe of humans who happened to roam the world of the living."
"The truth though is the Quincy were a group fractured away from Soul Society that was made to roam the world of the living because of a difference in opinions on what to do in regards of Hollows. We sent Hollows on their way to Soul Society while the Quincy instead completely destroyed them. Let me make it clear that destroying a Hollow upsets the balance. This is one of the reasons for the lessons we teach you and something some of the Quincy have moved away from."
"The Gotei Thirteen wishes to integrate the Quincy back into Soul Societies system."
The teacher's words caused an uproar from the students. One of the students stood up. "Sensei! Are the Quincy not our enemy? Why should we put up with them?"
"The Quincy as a group are not the enemy. That is what the Gotei Thirteen and the forty-six have decreed."
"Yes. But do you agree with them?"
The teacher remained silent for a few minutes. "The Quincy used to not be our enemy. The hope is that it can be this way again. The Gotei Thirteen admits they are taking a chance in doing this." A few of the students continued to mutter with each other. "One of the steps is to reintroduce some of the lost techniques. The other step is to form a Shinigami kid's society much in line of the Shinigami women's society and the Shinigami men's society. The taicho have asked..."
The student raised his hand again. "Is this the reason for the restriction of movement of the academy students?"
"The reason for the restriction of movement of the academy students was due to the clean up going on outside of the academy. This should be finished in a few days and the restriction of movement will in fact be removed. As I was saying. The taicho have asked for us to select a few students to participate in the Shinigami kid's society. We will be thinking carefully of our selection the next few days. Now... onto the lesson."
The tension in the classroom didn't go away and by the time the students finished their classes more gossiping was going on. Hana sought out Tenrunori with her friends. "You said you were going to ask someone about information."
"I haven't been able to speak to them because we have been restricted in our movements."
The voice of the student who kept interrupting the teacher was suddenly heard. "Don't listen to Tenrunori. Everyone knows he failed to get into the school twice and he failed last years curriculum. He has little to no chance of being selected."
"What makes you think that you will be selected Kawasawa? Tenrunori frowned at the boy. "Aren't the students in higher grades more likely to be picked then us?"
"They're going to be picking the gifted and brightest as this is a chance for them on their future career path. I've already been told that I've had promise. As for you Tenrunori... the older students laugh at you every time you say that you will be the youngest taicho ever. They don't laugh at me."
Hana looked at the ground. "So... being selected would be a career boost? That doesn't make much sense."
M
Ichigo knocked on the door to the small taicho's room. "Toshiro?
A sound came from the room of the room's occupant moving towards the door. "Go away Kurosaki. I don't want to speak to you."
Isane took a deep breath. "You have the choice of Ichigo staying the night with you or taking the sleeping drought I've prepared for you."
The door slammed open and two bright teal eyes with bags underneath glared at Ichigo. "I hate you Kurosaki."
Isane handed the medicine to Ichigo and turned to leave. Ichigo frowned at the small taicho and scratched the top of his head. "I figured you would say something like that. I don't believe you though. I think you're just mad at me. We need to talk."
"No we don't." Toshiro walked a few feet away and turned around with his arms crossed.
"You're being quite unfair Toshiro."
"Hitsugaya Taicho... you know that well enough."
"How can I tell you something when I myself didn't know." Ichigo watched as Toshiro turned to look at him. The bright teal eyes revealed the fact the young taicho felt hurt and betrayed. "I've been wanting to talk to you about it ever since I found out. This stupid war got in the way though."
Toshiro turned around. His eyes flashed with anger. How can you be so happy about this? How can you not be angry with him."
Angry with him?" Ichigo's face fell. "I've known since Aizen that my dad was a Shinigami. I've been angry at him for well over a year for not telling me that much. I'm still upset with him. There is something more important to me though then being angry at my dad."
"And what would that be!" Toshiro's tensed up.
"You."
Two teal eyes widened from disbelief. The child taicho's head jerked one way and then the other. Toshiro's mouth trembled as he tried to make sense of what he heard. His small frame jerked away and he headed towards the door.
"Hey... where are you going?"
"Don't know. This is your room... not mine."
"Get your butt back here. I won't hesitate to haul..."
Ichigo's words were interrupted by Toshiro flinching as he tried stepping through the back and slammed into a bookshelf. A few of the books ended up falling off onto the ground. The small child taicho collapsed quickly to his knees and his hands went up to cover his ears. The boy's breathing came in a ragged manner.
Ichigo stepped over and knelt down. He carefully reached down and picked Toshiro up and carried him over to the bed. The small taicho flinched as Ichigo picked the boy up. He set Toshiro on the bed and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder causing the child to flinch again. "Toshiro... I'm going to remove your shirt. I need to have a look at your back."
Toshiro simply stared forward as his arms lay limp to his sides. The pupils of his eyes dilated. Ichigo pulled up the undershirt of the Quincy uniform and received the response of a hissing sound indicating Toshiro was in quite a bit of pain. Ichigo frowned at seeing the bruising on Toshiro's back. "You idiot." Ichigo reached forward and gripped the sides of Toshiro's head gently. "I need you to stay here."
The small taicho's breath came out as a puff of frosting mist. "I..."
"Toshiro... it's the job of the older sibling to look out for their younger siblings."
"I'm older..."
"Not physically. I'll be back once I find Isane-san or Inoue. Hold tight until then."
"I'm tired."
Ichigo frown. "I know. Try holding out until I get back."
The orange haired teen sped out of the room and headed in the direction Isane went in. The female was easy to find because of her height and she turned when the teen called out for her. "Toshiro's had an accident."
The female fukutaicho took a deep breath. "Rangiku isn't going to like hearing about this. By the way... I didn't see her."
"I saw her at the offices on my way to the meeting trying to work. I didn't dare approach her as she looked upset."
"Why wouldn't she be. She likely blames what happened to her small taicho as her fault. She's also upset about the incident that happened in the forth division." The two arrived back at the tenth division captain's quarters and saw that Toshiro was looking at the ceiling. Each breath was another puff of icy mist. Isane hurried over and touched his shoulders causing him to flinch. "My goodness Hitsugaya Taicho. You're more exhausted then I thought. Perhaps you should take the sleeping drought."
She watched as the small taicho shook his head only to wince and reach up a hand to his neck. Isane took a deep breath as she looked at the child taicho's back. "Exactly what happened to your back?"
"He tried leaving but freaked out when he got to the door. He flash stepped into the bookshelf."
Isane took another deep breath and began to use healing kido. "I'll have someone from the tenth division bring you meals. He really needs to get some sleep and I don't want to leave him alone." The female fukutaicho eventually moved to bandaging the small taicho's back where he hit the shelf. The tall female couldn't help but shake her head. "I don't think Kyoraku or Ukitake Taicho are going to like hearing about this."
"Do you have to tell them?" Ichigo sat down next to the white haired child.
"I don't have much choice. The fact Hitsugaya taicho doesn't wish to leave the room is honestly a problem."
The small taicho turned to look at her. "Am I in trouble?"
Isane blinked a couple of times before looking at Ichigo with a look of worry. "No. No, you're not in trouble Hitsugaya Taicho. We're just worried about you."
M
Ukitake took a deep breath as he watched Kiyone chasing Shino and Ryunosuke around the thirteenth division. Sentaro popped up from behind something and made a face at the young Shinigami causing them to run in the other direction. He watched as Rukia came into the court yard carrying a tray with a pot of tea and cups on it along with treats. One of her eyebrows rose up as did the corner of her mouth. "Now, now. Stop teasing the new recruits."
Kiyone giggled. "I remember when you were a new recruit Rukia-chan!"
"Yeah! I remember that too!" Sentaro let out a deep laugh and placed his hands on his hips.
Rukia sighed before bringing the trey over to Ukitake Taicho. The trey made a clink when it was set down "Those two are drunk again. They're not setting a good example for the new recruits."
Ukitake let out a laugh as she handed him a glass of tea. "I love their youth though." The white haired taicho waved his hands for the children to come over and see him. "I've asked you two to come and see me for a reason."
The two Shinigami sat came over and sat on the other side of Rukia. Shino blew on her tea while Ryonosuke simply held the cup. The young male Shinigami looked at Ukitake nervously. "We aren't in trouble sir?"
"No. actually... do you two know how there is a woman's society and a men's society?"
Shino stopped sipping her tea. "Those groups are supposed to work towards promoting the rights of both groups but also provide a place for the members to spend time together."
"The captains wish to make a kids' society as well."
The youngest female frowned. "Do all the captains actually wish for this kids' society?"
Ryonosuke looked at Shino with a look of confusion. "Why would do you say that?"
"I doubt Hitsugaya Taicho would want to participate." The girl took another sip of her tea.
"Well..." The corner of Ukitake's mouth twitched.
"He likely thinks he is better then us."
Rukia's eyes widened. "Why do you think that Shino-chan?"
The girl frowned as she looked at her tea. "Ryonusuke and I passed by him a few times. He looked at us funny. He didn't try to speak with us either."
"We are going to try and get Hitsugaya Taicho to participate." Ukitake set his cup down. "One of the rules for this kid's society is that there will be no ranks involved. Nobody is allowed to wear the uniforms to the meeting."
Kiyone frowned. "That is a strange rule."
"Well... we're having the Quincy children and academy students participating."
"Wouldn't that make it so that he is less likely to participate?" Shino frowned.
Rukia took a deep breath. "Try to give Hitsugaya Taicho a chance. You may find that he cares less about his rank then you think."
Ryonosuke's eyes widened. "Rukia nii-chan..." Shino quickly thumped the young male Shinigami on top of the head. "I mean... Kuchiki Fukutaicho... do you know Hitsugaya Taicho? You speak as if you know him. Do you know what he is like?"
The small fukutaicho frowned. "Well... Ichigo actually knows him better then I do. I can't say I've had a bad interaction with him though."
Shino sighed. "You're also high ranking and older then us."
Ukitake smiled at the young Shinigami. "I want you to give him a chance if we manage to get him to come."
The girl turned her head slightly and looked at her taicho out of the corner of her eye. "You sound like you aren't sure you're going to be able to get him to come."
Kiyone suddenly giggled. "That's because Hitsugaya Taicho is shy... and cute."
"You're drunk." Shino rolled her eyes.
"Yup. We're both drunk." Sentaro laughed. The taicho of the thirteenth breathed a deep sigh wishing suddenly that the two third seats wouldn't drink as much as they did.