I have two things to get off my chest. When the plot of this story and characters were in the making, I honestly did not know Karin's friends actually had names. _ So thank you, Bleach Wiki, for making me look like a complete idiot. ;D In all seriousness however, I have amended my created names (I think I'm actually going to miss Takuma, though ;~;) and you can go research the lovable soccer freaks yourself to prove if I'm right or wrong. I dunno if it was simply me being overly unobservant, plain stupid or having just completely overlooked the matter... but, nevertheless, my second issue shall proceed to be a warning. Due to my watching the dub and sub of both anime, sometimes I may involuntarily toggle between Japanese honorifics and names to what the English dubs have been using. However, I will try to avoid using too many, so not as to confuse anyone. Or at least that is what I'd hope.

CHAPTER ONE

Hanataro sighed wearily, watching the sight before him with an air of resignation. Laying semi-consciously over the Fourth Division headquarters were many of the Eleventh Squad's beginner shinigami members, who had – albeit unwillingly – adhered to the aid of Captain Unohana's force, the Fourth Imperial Guard Squad. He had given a stretch out to all his sore muscles, overworked due to the reckless minds sprawled over in his line of sight. The Eleventh Division had always viewed the Fourth as the weakest in overall. Hanataro was only pleased that they had at least compensated with their wisdom, medical aide and knowledge, something that the Eleventh had fundamentally lacked.

"Having a hard time?" He heard a teasing, gruff voice ask, resounding from the futon beside him. "You should at least be a higher ranking officer, Hanataro. I don't think any other fourth seat would work so hard for their captain as you do."

Indeed, the timid healer had shoot up in his squad's positions in the blink of an eye; the Winter War having completely reshaped the Seireitei's view of him. Of course, he had not been a hero of any sort – and continued to be the victim of a many of practical joke in his years – but the actions he displayed and the services he had made to the Soul Society were trials which had failed to go unnoticed.

"You flatter me, Alphonse." Hanataro responded to the blonde haired youth with a smile. The black haired Shinigami had met the younger Elric brother only two years ago at his induction ceremony, forming a quick bond with the remarkably younger man over books and their shared comprehension of sciences, medicine and healing. Despite their short acquaintance of each other, Hanataro had come to grow fairly fond of the optimistic fellow who worked alongside him. "But... Alphonse, I think you should be offering that credit to Kuchiki Rukia," he heartily reserved. "She d-definitely deserves that credit more so than I do. I-In fact, I think she should be a Lieutenant by now!"

Hanataro was met with a chuckle.

"That may be so. Although, I think my notion still will remain." Alphonse took off his gloves easily, disposing them in a small straw-woven bin. He watched Hanataro gaze back at him with a small blush, obviously denying and feeling embarrassment over his praise. "Modesty is certainly a good thing Hanataro, but your definition of it is purely denial," he smirked. "Seriously now, you'd be living on the fanfare if you were my brother."

Eyes widening, Alphonse momentarily negated to remember the basic functions of breathing, almost kicking himself as he watched Hanataro shoot a curious look at him.

"Alphonse! Hanataro!" The men heard Isane call from the hallway, informing them of their midday break.

His knees feeling weak with relief, the more optimistic of the Elric Brothers immediately began to sense that his pulse had seemingly returned. "Come on, we should get going," the blonde rejoined hastily, glad that his superior had inadvertently saved his slip by involuntarily interrupting their conversation.

Casting a quick glance towards his comrade, Hanataro nodded slowly in affirmation, wondering why Alphonse had become so urgent to leave the room.

He had... a brother? was the only thought that ran through his head as they made their way out towards the timber hallways.

"Awwww, Captaaaain." The sickly sweet voice of Rangiku Matsumoto rang through the corridors of the Tenth Division, making every intelligent person cringe at its wake.

Thankfully, the superior of such a woman was grateful that he was, indeed, rather intelligent. He wouldn't have believed in a hundred years – quite literally so – that he could continue to properly deal with the buxom drunkard if he had been part of the less sharper selection of the Gotei Thirteen.

"No, Matsumoto," the child prodigy had exhaled, placing a pale fingertip over his temple, rubbing the tension that immediately initiated to form there. The aftermath of the Winter War provided many exceptional, tell-tale results for the white-haired captain as of late. He was not rightfully referred to as a "child" to any further extent, having grown to a level which now almost rivalled the height of the many other men of the Imperial Guard. He still had received many of a jibe from his associates, although now most had fully come to respect the Shinigami captain of the Tenth; image and all.

"I expected these papers to be finished yesterday," he drawled, placing his free hand over the smooth surface of his office table. "Surely you won't be needing a drink when there's all this work to complete."

His Lieutenant cocked an amused eyebrow as she noticed the faint smirk that tugged at the sides of his lips. "Surely you wouldn't, Captain," she teased, knowing that – after his many threats throughout the years – Tōshirō Hitsugaya would never decrease their supply of sake. After all, their almost constant parties would have ceased to exist without it.

Sharing the same wave of thought, the teal eyed man considered, for a fleeting moment, why he even continued to permit such atrocities of social congruence. He internally groaned, wondering if there ever would be a day where he didn't have to bully his associate into doing his bidding; the man decided to gamble on his bluff, willing it to work for once in his existence.

"I would." Tōshirō's eyes gleamed threateningly, as if with a hidden, yet purely vile intent. "Otherwise I'll assume Isane would have no problem declining your offer to this summer's fireworks festival. Or, I could also easily decrease your pay."

"Aww, but Tōshirō–"

"That's Captain Hitsugaya to you, Matsumoto!" The younger Shinigami growled, quietly unnerved as he watched Rangiku's turn for a smirk. "Finish these by day break tomorrow or by the name of Hyōrinmaru I will hunt you down," he ordered, his tone lowered to a harsh mutter.

"Will do, Captain..." Rangiku responded with a pout, somehow managing to place the stack of files under her shihakusho, over her already grand chest.

Shuddering back a repulsive thought, Tōshirō eyed his Lieutenant with absolute bewilderment. Although it was true that his lesser had finally sought out and actually finished most of her assigned work as of late – something that was near to impossible in the past – he wondered, despite his intelligence and years of knowing the obnoxious woman, why she still continued to baffle him.

"What in the CRAP?!!"

Several heads turned to the voice of the blonde male, some even swearing at the profuse man as he so graciously interrupted their morning's activities.

"Yeah, WELL WHY DON'T YOU SUCK ON YOUR OWN CABBAGES!" he remarked copiously to the stingy man at the counter, edging along a plethora of shouts that had followed. "Seriously..." he muttered as he made his way through the streets of Rugonkai. Hands drawn to his pockets, he stashed the little profit he had made with his 'manufacturing business', and outwardly sighed. "I give a man more money than he could only dream to earn in a lifetime, and all he gives me in return is a spoilt cabbage. It doesn't surprise me at all that his business failed wherever he came from."

"Is that you, Brother?"

The man halted his strides along the pathway, heart giving an ephemeral heave as he listened to that word offer a heart-wrenching ring in his ears. He regretted the feeling instantly, pushing away his emotions as he reached down to pick up the young girl.

"What is it, Mina?"

The name haunted him, as much as he tried to avoid admitting as such. It was dangerously close to the child that he had met when he was a preteen, the cheerful youth who had deserved to live a damn longer life than she had been ascertained.

"Edward," she cooed, wrapping her small arms around his frame. "You look sad, brother. I don't like it when you're sad."

Sad.

Little words alike that now seized to provide Edward with such a deeper meaning, affecting him in ways he would have otherwise scoffed at in his formative years. He was only nearing twenty at his death, but to him, personally he felt as if he had lived a whole lot longer.

"I'm fine, Mina. See?" he plastered a smile, hoping the girl would be convinced. "You can stop worrying your mind over me, okay? You don't deserve to do that."

Looking seemingly pleased with his answer, the girl who appeared no more than six years old stared at her pseudo brother, wondering what truly upset him. As a gust of dirty wind flew past their rundown district of Rugonkai, Mina internally pledged, by the name of her real brother, that she would try to help Edward in any form possible. At least this way, she could redeem herself for not being able to supply the same level of help for him long ago.

"Hmm... an unidentified presence of high level reiatsu, huh?"

Matsumoto peered quizzically at her papers, garnering a sense of wonder to the possible recruitment of another Shinigami. She faintly chuckled in reminiscence over the last time she had suggested the life of a death god to one of the less fortunate citizens of the Soul Society. The arrogant and icy boy she had met back then had certainly matured, becoming more of a man with certain childish tendencies as he shot up in ranks to establish his position as Captain.

Laughing light-heartedly despite herself, she had deferred the employment of rookie members so easily until now. She probably wouldn't have been able to handle another boy genius, Rangiku thought with a laugh. However, if it weren't for such a boy genius, she also probably wouldn't have been able to handle the Winter War as well as she had.

Biting back the sigh which had threatened to fall from her lips, the busty lady sauntered over to Rugonkai, the place that bid her so much feelings of nostalgia.

Anyone who guesses the Cabbage reference gets a cookie. :3 All in all, thanks for reading and I'll appreciate any reviews that I receive! Constructive criticism is also welcome. :)