Hinamori was dropped off the next morning, with Matsumoto going all bubbly on the girl about getting the girl set up into her living quarters at the division, to which Toshiro watched with total boredom. Though it was rather humorous to see Renji Abarai fall out of a tree that he had been sleeping in the night before to announce that he too had been accepted into the fifth division.

He then shunpooed after the third seat, having problems keeping up with her, he felt due to the fact that she was able to take longer strides. What ever the case was, by the time they arrived at the tenth division, he found himself panting from the exertion. Matsumoto smiled. "For the top of your class, you have some practice still."

"Shut up," Toshiro muttered, bending over and clutching his knees. He caught his breath and followed her to the office of the tenth division.

"Ahh… our third seat has returned with one of our new possible recruits," a voice spoke up. Toshiro blinked his eyes, recognizing the man as the one who had been with Isshin the day he joined the academy.

"You were with Isshin-san that night when I froze the boys' dorms," Toshiro stated with surprise.

"Ahh… I am Tomo Atsuo, lieutenant of the tenth division," the man commented, rearranging the papers on the desk.

"Does that mean…" Toshiro muttered, having a good idea of what was going on. "That Isshin-san is the taicho of the tenth division?"

"How did you know that he was captain rank?" Matsumoto suddenly asked.

"I saw him with his captains cloak once, but didn't get to see the division number," Toshiro muttered, his face contorting as he tried to figure out what to think about the situation. Suddenly he felt himself grabbed from behind in a hug.

"Papa is happy that Ran-chan and Shiro-chan are home!" the captain stated.

"Hell no…" Toshiro's face turned a tad bit pale, his cheeks suddenly turning green. He suddenly saw Matsumoto's fist go flying right above his head and something staggering backward away from him. He turned to see Isshin passed out on the ground. "Is she technically allowed to do that?"

"She does it all the time Hitsugaya," the second seat stood up. "Since you happened to have taken the task of knocking him out, it is your turn to get him to forth division."

"Aww… but I wanted to show Toshiro-kun around the division," Matsumoto pouted.

"Rangiku…" the lieutenant narrowed his eyes, causing the woman to suddenly scoop up the taicho and remove him from the room. Toshiro was still staring in complete shock. "Your probably wondering if you choose the right division? I sometimes think the same thing."

"Then what makes you think that you picked the right one?" Toshiro asked, turning his completely shocked face towards the man.

"Ahh… that would be because this division is set up like a family," Tomo Atsuo smiled. "And don't mind taicho, he tends to be overly affectionate. He's also very protective of his subordinates."

"Is he… he's always touchy feely like that, isn't he?" Toshiro muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

"If you ever feel uncomfortable, feel free to attack him. Hell… he was probably expecting you to do something back there," the man suddenly laughed.

"That makes no sense at all," Toshiro folded his arms, glaring at the man.

"No… it wouldn't, unless you actually know Isshin," Tomo indicated for Toshiro to take a seat on the couch and he sat down too, instead of a chair. "He thinks that if he can get Ran-chan to attack him, it improves her ability to attack back any potential… threats."

"You mean like stalkers?" Toshiro suddenly stated, a thought suddenly crossed his mind. "I think all she has to do is crush someone in the chest and suffocate them…"

Atsuo blinked a couple of times, then made a face. "You have a very smart mouth on you, don't you. We'll have to cure you of that."

"Why?" Toshiro stated. "It isn't as if I really want to get close to anyone."

"Yet there is the possibility that you could have a seated position once they run through the testing that we run everyone through. That will happen this evening… though that also depends when Isshin comes too. Our third seat hit him very hard," the man sighed.

"Is the entire division as… are the like Matsumoto and Isshin-san. And what is taicho's last name… I don't like calling him by his first. My granny would tan my hide," Toshiro suddenly stated.

"Yet you use such curt words," Atsuo rubbed the boys hair. "Your going to be as much trouble as Ran-chan and Isshin-san, aren't you?"

"What exactly is that supposed to mean, Lieutenant Tomo?" Toshiro asked, pushing the hand away.

"I would rather you call me Tomo-san, but preferably Atsuo-san," the man sighed.

"I don't get it…" Toshiro muttered, folding his arms around his chest.

"Do you know why Matsumoto stood up for you like she did?" Atsuo suddenly spoke up.

"I can't figure out why anyone would do that," Toshiro stated.

"How do people treat you back home?" the man suddenly asked. Toshiro refused to answer, until the lieutenant spoke up. "As my subordinate, I want you to answer me, and to answer truthfully."

Toshiro knit his eyebrows, pushed his lips together, then sighed. "Most people are afraid of me. I have white hair, blue-green eyes. No one in Japan has this coloring, and I don't look like I have foreign blood in me. In fact, I don't think that there are many foreigners who have white hair. When Hinamori and granny aren't around, they say that I am cold, unapproachable."

"Has anyone ever tried to approach you to be your friend?" the lieutenant asked.

"Are you going to tell all of this to taicho?" the small boy asked.

"Of course. Us knowing about our subordinates help us determine what is best for them," the man smiled.

"No one has ever tried, except one person, and he isn't around anymore. I'm not supposed to talk about it either," the boy stated, not looking the man in the face.

"I see. I can guess that person made you feel like you belonged, much like Hinamori and your granny did?" the man suddenly asked.

"Even if that is so, I don't see what that has to do with anything," Toshiro suddenly found himself glaring at the man.

However, Lieutenant Tomo just laughed, causing the boy to look away. "Hitsugaya Toshiro… first of all, we want to make it so that you feel like you belong here. Second… Matsumoto had a friend that was treated very much like you were. You've met him."

"Ichimaru Gin taicho," Toshiro muttered, suddenly glancing up.

"Exactly. So, she has become attached to you, one might say," the man laughed. "Anyways… time to give you a tour of the place."

"Aren't I supposed to be getting a tour with everyone else?" Toshiro suddenly narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Rangiku would have given you a tour before anyone else anyways," the man smiled. "Plus, unlike our other possible recruits, you're the one most likely to not feel comfortable around here."

Toshiro could only glare at the man, but followed him anyways.

M

Isshin recovered in time for the testing of the recruits to eliminate any that might possibly be a problematic, or anyone who might do better in another division. He also had to decide if any were of the ability to gain a seated rank. Rangiku sat to his left and Atsuo on his right. He had a very bored look on his face as he watched the recruits.

Toshiro sat to one side, most people not able to tell what he was thinking as he was used to hiding such things. However, it was obvious to the captain and lieutenant that the boy was nervous, his eyes suddenly darting around. Isshin leaned over to Atsuo. "Is there a reason why he should suddenly become nervous like this."

"He turned down the graduation speech," Rangiku suddenly stated, surprising the two men. "I told you that last night."

"So," Isshin shrugged, scratching his shoulder all of a suddenly, noticing some of the recruits to fidget at this.

"I think Ran-chan's getting at is that the boy isn't one to show off. He never revealed his shikai at the academy," Atsuo stated, having been the one to go through the records.

"Ahh…" Isshin suddenly stated, having had the recruits step up to volunteer, something that helped him to weed out any that were to narcissistic, which was ironic as due to what the flower of the division was. "Start calling the names for the ones that haven't gotten up yet and leave Toshiro for last. Oh, and dismiss the others before we call him up."

"You aren't going to kick him out are you?" Matsumoto became suddenly worried.

"Don't worry, I know what I am doing Rangiku," the man suddenly stated. Toshiro had begun to stare off into space, his mind having gone else where. Not to mention, the temperature, dropped. Isshin made a face that said he wasn't pleased about this. "We'll have to correct him of that behavior."

"There is a lot of behavior to correct him of," the lieutenant suddenly spoke up. "But not so much that it changes who he is… more of so that he can communicate easier to those around him."

Toshiro still hadn't noticed that almost everyone had gone for the showing of their abilities, which was until everyone was dismissed. His head suddenly shot up as the others from the academy walked by him. There were a couple who muttered something about his ability being called into question, to which he felt like he had gone back to where he was before. He stood up, only to find himself motioned forward.

"Is there a reason that you haven't used your shikai at the academy?" Isshin suddenly asked.

"There is that reason that you know about…" Toshiro muttered, not looking his taicho in the face. "There is also the fact that I still have in my opinion a ways to go in my control of Hyorinmaru, as…"

"Don't worry about that!" Matsumoto suddenly stated, causing her superiors to glare at her. "I want to see your shikai! I've been waiting a whole year… thought I would have to wait longer. If you had gone to a different division, I wouldn't have been here then there."

Toshiro gave her a look that clearly meant that he didn't believe that she had said something like that and he felt it wasn't that great of a thing to say, nor could he see why she would have even stated this. However, he closed his eyes and grabbed his sword from his back, stating the release phrase.

Isshin smiled as the room suddenly dropped quite low, and a dragon suddenly came out, crashing through the roof, causing Toshiro to suddenly jump to the side as the ceiling came down to him. He suddenly bowed to the taicho, his nervousness still there, now becoming more evident. "Gomen!"

"Ahh… no need to apologize. I was surprised we hadn't had something destroyed sooner," Isshin waved his hand. "Go and eat, then head to bed. Everyone's had a long day."

Toshiro glanced at the three in shock, then bowed and left. Isshin grinned at his second and third seats. "So, what do you think?"

"That… that release was absolutely beautiful," Rangiku blinked. She then suddenly grinned. "I want to see it again… though perhaps outside wouldn't be a bad idea."

"I think I might have a run for my position," Atsuo blinked, a look of shock on his face.

"Well, thirteenth division has two third seats, why can't our division have two lieutenants?" Isshin was suddenly scratching his back again.

"Ahh… taicho… I have to say, would they even consider someone as young as him?" Matsumoto suddenly muttered. "And… seated positions place them into dangerous positions… I mean… he hasn't seen death yet, so…"

"Yes he has. The child has a great deal behind him," Isshin sighed. "And I can't tell you about the death as it is a secret."

"I think that the kid could achieve Bankai," Atsuo suddenly spoke up.

"I was thinking that too," Isshin stated, causing Rangiku to state at them in confusion. Isshin suddenly smiled at her. "I've kind of been expecting him to be at such a high level since I met him… anyways. Neither of you are to say anything as we have to get approval, considering his age."

"But eleventh division," Matsumoto suddenly stated.

"Is untraditional in the first place," Tomo answered. "Though we could use that to our advantage."

"Yeah… but little girl laughed as blood as a child so they may not see it as the same thing," Isshin folded his hands behind his head.