"I heard Ichigo is in the Seireitei again Captain," a bubbly voice of Rangiku Matsumoto stated as she laid on the sofa in the office as a smaller boy sat at the desk writing.
"I know that," Toshiro Hitsugaya stated as he closed his eye gripping the pen tighter than before. "What I do want to know is Why aren't you at your desk doing you work?"
"But Captain I just finished some of it and I'm exhausted," she complained as she stretched. "I think I'll go out and get something, do you want any watermelon?"
"Where are you going," he shouted as she ran out of the room.
He sighed knowing it was useless to try to tether her to where she should be much like they tried with their previous captain. "Hey Toshiro," he heard someone call, although he knew who it was for a while.
"It is Captain Hitsugaya," he stated automatically. "What is it Kurosaki?"
When he didn't respond to the child protege right away Toshiro looked up to see Ichigo scratching the back of his head looking a bit embarrassed. "I'm assuming that you know about the poem," Ichigo stated looking away.
"Of course all captains were asked to try to decipher it when it first appeared a week ago," he responded. "The Lieutenants know of it as well."
"Well since no one knew what it said," Ichigo stated. "I was asked to come here by Captain Kyoraku, and I knew some of what it was referred to."
"That doesn't explain why you are here though," Toshiro stated as he went back to writing.
"I apparently need an escort," Ichigo stated. "Izuru was busy and recommend you."
"Well I'm also very busy why don't you ask Renji or Rukia," he suggested.
"Renji can't keep his mouth shut," Ichigo stated harshly. "And Rukia . . .Does know why I'm not going to be myself, but I don't want someone who is going to treat me like broken glass."
Toshiro looked up once more to see Ichigo's eyes different than what they normally were. The fierce glare that he was use to seeing was gone, and underneath he saw someone who was too use to keeping things inside much like he did during the Diamond Dust incident. He wasn't the fierce fighter that had come to save Rukia or the big brother to Karin, but a young boy who grew up too fast for his own good. "Let me finish up these reports," he stated. "And I will accompany you to your destination."
"Thanks," Ichigo stated giving the smaller in height captain a rare smile.
An hour later Ichigo who was on the couch looking at a map of the outskirts heard the consent movement of the the pen stop. As he looked up he saw Toshiro move the last paper to the stack to put on his second's desk to get to at her leisure. "You finish," Ichigo asked.
"Yes," Toshiro responded as he moved to get up, and saw what Ichigo was looking at. "Why are you looking at that map?"
"I'm just trying to find a place similar to the river in Karakura Town," he stated. "So far I found one but it is all the way in district 78. I doubt that I could ask to have a picnic all the way out there. I need to find something closer."
"A picnic," Toshiro stated feeling himself getting angry. "You waited all this time to find a spot for a picnic."
"Sort of," Ichigo stated. "My family always do on that day, my dad confided that he smokes on that day too."
Toshiro didn't say anything as he watched Ichigo. He saw as Ichigo's hand started to squeeze tighter and tighter almost like he was trying to hold on. "Try one of the divisions," Toshiro stated. "They might not be what you are looking for, but it should do for the time."
Ichigo nodded carefully rolling up the maps before putting them away. A stray report that Toshiro somehow blew over towards the Substitute Soul Reaper landed by his feet. Ichigo bent over picking it up and quickly read it. "Hey these numbers are a bit off," Ichigo stated giving it to Toshiro.
"No they are not I did them myself," Toshiro argued.
Ichigo pointed to the medical part of the paper. "Here the total plus the numbers of actual incidents don't make sense," Ichigo stated.
"The remainder I pay since I was the one who was injured," Toshiro stated moving to pick it up.
Ichigo glared at him and stated, "That's like someone with insurance not using it. You got hurt for the good of the Gotei 13 then why aren't you putting it down?"
Toshiro stated, "It is my choice to do so. Now please do not interfere."
"There you are Ichigo," a girly voice said slightly slurred from too much alcohol. "Is Captain being mean to you?"
"We're fine Rangiku," Ichigo stated, "just having a bit of a disagreement."
"Why don't you drink sake," she asked as she held up a small bottle. "Sake is good for you."
"I'm too young to drink," Ichigo stated as he started to slowly back up from the drunken woman.
"You're not in the living world anymore," she argued as she slowly advanced the poor trapped teen.
She lept at him, and he dodged to the side running to the door before she could come after him again. However instead he heard a thump of her passing out on the floor. "Matsumoto," he heard Toshiro sigh as seeing his lieutenant passed out.
"Er sorry about that," Ichigo said as he peered in cautiously from the doorway.
"Don't be it is her own fault," Toshiro stated as he carefully supported her from years of practice. "Where do you want to check for the spot first Ichigo?"