Breath of Life
Of This~

Two small feet carried a very small taicho across the hallways of the first division as Toshiro moved through the hallways, his lips pushed together. He arrived near the office and was greeted by the fukutaicho of the first division. "Do you need to speak to the head captain Hitsugaya Taicho?"

"Umm..." The boy frowned, his arms crossed behind the back. He watched as the man raised an eyebrow and shifted from one foot to the other.

"The English expression I believe for the way you look is that you look like a kid whose gotten their hand caught in the cookie jar." The man frowned, crossing his arms. He watched as the small taicho stopped fidgeting and instead looked away. "May I suggest taking a few deep breaths before you go in there in order to gain your composure?"

The small taicho's eyes opened wide before closing his eyes and doing as the man had suggested. He then knocked on the door and was asked to come into the room. He slipped in to stand in front of the desk. "Can I ask why I'm allowed to wander the halls of the first division and end up coming straight to the office. Normally the other captains get escorted."

"One of the things about being as young as you are is that adults don't tend to notice your coming and goings even if you are a captain. May I ask what this visit is about?"

Toshiro took another deep breath. "About the reason I've been going to the world of the living so much. I figure I may as well come clean about why. I've been visiting Kurosaki Ichigo's sister, Kurosaki Karin."

He found himself shifting his weight to another foot. The man simply raised an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth twisted up into a smirk. "And..."

"And what?"

"We made it clear that it was fine making friends with Ichigo and his friends."

"But she's not his friend, he's his sister." Toshiro moved to the other foot.

Yamamoto let out a chuckle. "Ahh... you think you would have gotten in trouble due to a technicality?"

"The twelth division taicho made it seem that way." The boy grumbled as he glanced at the ground.

"Why haven't you told me about this sooner?" The man leaned forward and crossed his fingers. "I could have set your mind at ease much sooner and we could have avoided the whole mess with Kurotsuchi."

The boy glanced at the ground. "I don't want to be teased for finally making friends with someone and I don't want certain people I know of to construe our relationship as something else. I also thought I might..."

Toshiro glanced at the ground. Yamamoto spoke up. "Out with it."

"... I thought I might get in trouble for goofing off during a mission." The boy looked up. "To be honest, the reason we met was because I stopped her soccer ball from rolling into the street and things escalated to where I was helping her out with a soccer game. I've actually played soccer with her quite a bit when I've gone to the world of the living."

He then glanced to the side. "I admit I enjoy playing with her." A chuckle caused him to turn back, his eyes suddenly wide. "Shouldn't you be lecturing me about this?"

"May I ask you why you ended up helping her with her soccer game?"

"Some older kids were bullying her and her friends." Toshiro frowned.

"Then why should I lecture you? Have I not tried to foster a sense of justice with all of my captains? You were simply acting on what you felt was right." The old man then got up and walked over to the boy and touched his shoulder. "As for you actually spending time and playing with your peers, that is a good thing."

The boy took a deep breath. "How so?"

"Despite the fact you are a taicho, you are the youngest ever. You are still a child and deserve any chance to be a child you can still get." Yamamoto then pulled his hand away. "Plus, don't you see Kyoraku and Ukitake and how they take time to play?"

"They don't exactly make good role models. At least Kyoraku doesn't."

"Ahh, yes." The man then frowned. "However, there is something I wish to lecture you about. You didn't promise your friend that you would be spending time with her?"

"Yes. I did make a promise. I already apologized for that."

"Don't ever go back on your promises. You should have told me this the day you came in with Mayuri."

"It wasn't exactly something I wanted him to hear about."

"Since you made a promise go ahead and head onto the world of the living."

Toshiro blinked a couple of times. "You said that sending a captain would be problematic even with a limiter."

"I said it was problematic, but I didn't say it was definatly a problem. You've gone to the living world quite a few times before with little problems." The man's tone then darkened. "Plus, the last thing I want you doing is going back on a promise. Help Kuchiki with the investigation."

The boy flinched but made a quick bow. As he was leaving he received the call from Kuchiki. "Does you're coming here relate to the mission?" The boy paused to let her continue. "Well, I was heading to the world of the living to help investigate as I've finally gotten the all clear from the head captain. Go ahead and get what you need to get done finished and then head on back."

He then headed into the twelfth division and found himself dealing with an irate taicho who was not at all pleased that Toshiro had indeed gotten permission to go to the world of the living. The man stalled until he got confirmation but Toshiro was then on his way. The first thing he did when he got out at Urahara's shop was ask the man if he could have the Kurosaki household phone number.

"What ever for?" The man raised one eyebrow.

"I wish to let Kurosaki know to meet me at the park so we can catch up."

"Which Kurosaki. From what I hear you know Ichigo and Karin."

"The sister..." Toshiro frowned.

"I'll make the call just in case their relative picks up the phone." The man went to his own phone and dialed the number. "You can go ahead and use this phone as well."

The boy scratched his head before letting out a deep sigh. "All right. If you think that is best." There was a pause. "Hello! I have a young friend of Karin's here who would like to speak with her." The man smiled as he spoke, his voice way to chipper. "Ahh! Hi Karin-chan! Someone is here to speak with you!"

He then handed the phone over to the boy. "Kurosaki?"

"Toshiro? I thought you weren't able to get to..." There was a pause almost as if she was wondering if she should say the words 'world of the living'. "I thought you weren't going to be able to come to Karakura."

"I took your advice. It worked. And I got lectured for not being upfront in the first place."

"You aren't used to being lectured are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"The sound of your voice says you didn't like being lectured."

"You can be used to being lectured and still not like it." Toshiro felt a frown spread across his face. "Though now that I think about it I'm typically not lectured. My lecture was also mild compared to the others, but then they're also supposed to be adults. I think the reason I don't get lectured much is because I've seen the older captains get lectured by the old man so I know I don't want to do anything to get on his bad side."

"You don't think it has anything to do with you being as young as you are?"

"Yamamoto respects me too much for that." The boy frowned. "Or perhaps it is because he respects me and knows I'm as young as I am that he holds back."

Karin chuckled on the other side of the phone. "So, what do you want to do."

"Would you meet me at the park so we could talk?"

"Sure. To be honest, I hate having to wait and see you. I mean, I have my friends here, but you're honestly the closet I've gotten to, so I guess that would make you my best friend."

"You're my best friend as well, but to be honest... you're also my only friend."

"Toshiro, do you realize how sad that is?"

"No... but then I honestly didn't know what I was missing out on until I met you."

"Wait... did you say something else that is really sad or are you trying to make a joke?"

Toshiro shook his head as he hung up and then went and got his gigai. He headed towards the park with his hands in his pocket. The corners of his mouth twisted up slightly. He then went and sat on the swing until Karin got there. The girl came and sat near him. "It's rather quiet today. How are you doing?"

"Better now that I'm not worrying about not getting to come." The boy glanced up at the clouds in the sky.

"Are you going to space off despite the fact we don't usually see each other." The other female snickered as she watched the boy.

"It's a nice day out." Toshiro's smile however quickly fell as he felt spiritual pressure. Instinctively he popped a piece of soul candy into his mouth before grabbing a sword. His eyes narrowed as he glanced down at his phone to see where the Hollow was coming from. He flipped it shut and held his sword up. The beast came out.

The boy moved to slice it with his blade, only to find it dodging and heading after Karin. He felt his eyes widening. The next thing he knew he was flash stepping in between the two, his blade blocking the monster. "I can't let Kurosaki get hurt." His eyes suddenly went wide as a third arm swiped him across the chest. "Damn, this isn't good."