Yay another chapter!
Disclaimer: As always I do not own Bleach or any of it's characters
Memories Chapter 4: Toshiro
Toshiro's days as the Taicho of squad 10 in the Gotei 13 are pretty routine. So routine in fact that he can list exactly what will happen:
1. Wake up and dress
2. Go to office
3. Find and then drag Matsumoto to office
4. Do paperwork
5. Glare at someone (usu. Matsumoto) for disturbing his work
Repeat steps 3,4, and 5 until end of day although not necessarily in that order
Other then the occasional Captain's meeting, that was all Toshiro had to look forward to during his days. Toshiro's normal frown deepened as he stared at his office door. He was already on step 2 but he had obviously not stepped inside yet. The reason being Matsumoto's laughter coming from the other side of the door. She was already in the office? Toshiro sighed as he opened the door. Nothing ever good came from Matsumoto doing something out of the ordinary. He began to fix a glare on his face, a look that would tell Matsumoto her shenanigans were not appreciated. Toshiro took two steps in and stopped short. Rangiku Matsumoto, squad 10 fukutaicho, laziest fukutaicho in the history of the Gotei 13, was sitting at her desk laughing and doing paperwork. Paperwork! Toshiro's jaw nearly dropped to the floor and would have if he hadn't caught sight of the head of orange hair sitting on his couch. Ichigo Kurosaki. Toshiro's frown returned full force as Matsumoto finally noticed him.
"Taicho! Look who came to visit!"
"Kurosaki." Toshiro's tone was neutral, just short of respect for the substitute.
"Hey Toshiro." The substitute's tone was completely informal and Toshiro still wasn't sure the orange haired muscle head knew what respect meant. But this was nothing new. Toshiro sat at his desk pulling the first pile of paperwork towards him, content to ignore both his fukutaicho and their apparent visitor. Matsumoto happily went back to her work and Ichigo continued to sit staring at the wall, a look of intense concentration forming on his face. If Karin had been in the room she would have said her brother looked constipated. That sudden random thought of Karin caused Toshiro to internally wince. Even after a year it hurt so much.
"Hey Toshiro?" Ichigo's voice was low and thoughtful.
"What?" Toshiro didn't look up from his work.
"Will I be allowed to look for my sister?"
The entire room stopped, clear surprise on both seated officers faces.
"I-I'm not sure." Toshiro said hesitantly. It wasn't like this ever happened before. No one from the world of the living was even supposed to know about Soul Society, at least not until it was their time to go there. And most people who died and was sent to Soul Society by a Shinigami didn't retain their living memories anyway.
"Can you ask for me?"
Toshiro sighed, some of his stress showing very briefly on his face.
"You do realize that she probably won't even remember you right?"
"She's still my sister." Ichigo growled.
Toshiro opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the arrival of a Hell Butterfly through the open window. It landed on Toshiro's hand briefly before flying out again.
"Captain's meeting." Toshiro responded to Matsumoto's questioning look, "Kurosaki I will speak to the Soutaicho about you're request but I can not even begin to guess about what his thoughts will be."
Ichigo nodded in appreciation as he sagged slightly into the couch. It was like all the tension had left his body at once. Toshiro pushed both the substitute Shinigami and his request out of his mind momentarily as he flash-stepped toward squad 1. Once a week there was a Captain's meeting to discuss the mundane going-ons of a very peaceful Soul Society. Today was not that day and it made Toshiro wonder what could possibly be happening that a meeting was called.
Toshiro nodded in greeting to Ukitake and Kyoraku as they joined him at the doors leading to the meeting hall. Soifon, Kurotsuchi, and Kuchiki were already at their places, and as Toshiro took his place Unohana entered the hall closely followed by Hirako, Otoribashi, and Muguruma. Komamura soon entered with Kenpachi on his heels and as the squad 11 captain took his place and the great doors closed Soutaicho Yamamoto stepped out of his office to address them.
"Greetings everyone." He began, "I apologize for bringing you away from you're duties but as quiet as things have seemed lately it seems we may have some potential trouble. Kurotsuchi-taicho is you please." Soutaicho was right to the point. Mayuri Kurotsuchi inclined his head slightly before stepping forward to speak.
"In the past two weeks my squad has been receiving strange signals from several districts across all 4 areas of the Rukongai. They seem similar to spikes in reiatsu but not quite and whatever it is, it's certainly nothing we've ever seen before. They seem to be much stronger and cover a large area as if an entire squad was raising their reiatsu at the same time. However we have had no reports of things out of the ordinary or of citizens being hurt in any of the affected areas. Soutaicho has had squad 12 looking into these anomalies and searching the surrounding areas but we have found nothing tangible and they have been steadily increasing."
"I would like everyone to be involved in this matter." Yamamoto said taking over the meeting again, "I want to know how much of a threat these anomalies hold. We will not be caught off guard again. I would like squads 5, 6, 7, and 8 to each take one area of the Rukongai and inspect it with the help of members from squad 12. All other squads are to remain on standby. Any questions?" The Soutaicho asked looking at each of them.
Toshiro hesitated briefly before stepping forward.
"Hitsugaya-taicho?"
"Soutaicho I do not know if this is related but Ichigo Kurosaki is in Soul Society."
"Kurosaki is here?" Kenpachi asked suddenly very excited. Soifon and Kuchiki both gave audible groans.
"I am aware that he is." Yamamoto said ignoring the outbursts of his captains.
"He is requesting permission to look for his sister Karin." Toshiro nearly choked on her name but thankfully didn't need to continue. All of the Gotei 13 knew what happened to Karin Kurosaki. Yamamoto looked thoughtfully at Toshiro for several seconds.
"It does not seem that this has anything to do with our current situation but seeing as how much spiritual pressure Kurosakis tend to have..." Yamamoto trailed off looking thoughtful again, "Very well. His request is granted and your squad Hitsugaya-taicho is to assist him."
Toshiro nodded once before stepping back to his place.
"So squads 5, 6, 7, and 8 along with assitance from sqad 12 will check into the disturbances in the Rukongai, squad 10 will assist the substitute Ichigo Kurosaki find his deceased sister and all other squads will remain on standby. This meeting is dismissed." The Soutaicho recapped and then abruptly turned back towards his office, leaving his captains to speak amongst themselves. Toshiro was the first to leave the hall knowing full well that several of the other captains would want to know where Ichigo was. He flash-stepped the quickest way back to his squad and nearly fell through the door, he was moving so fast.
"Taicho! You're back!" Matsumoto was drinking at her desk. Back to usual it seemed.
"Where's Kurosaki?" Toshiro asked noticing they were alone.
"He went to go see Rukia and Renji."
Toshiro sighed.
"Go get him. Soutaicho has given him permission to find his sister and squad 10 is to assist him."
Matsumoto froze halfway out of her chair.
"Taicho?" she questioned, concern filling her features.
"It's fine Matsumoto. I'm fine." He said quietly. Matsumoto placed a comforting hand on his arm before leaving the office to go find the substitute. At least he hoped he was.
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