Warning: Quite a few… awkward moments… is the best way to put it.

Shouniaisha Taicho
~Upside Down~

It was a couple of days later, that Toshiro found himself being picked up by Ukitake, to the effect that he knew, he was being forced to go to the fourth division. Matsumoto and the old man both gave him pitying looks, as the thirteenth division taicho marched him off for the exam, that Toshiro was definitely dreading.

"I hate physical exams. They are cold, and I also get touched," Toshiro muttered, as they sat waiting in a room, for Unohana to come and see them.

"That's why I'm going," Ukitake stated, trying to give a smile, but compared to his normal one, it was in truth, rather weak.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Toshiro suddenly asked, concern written all over his face.

"Would you have been more comfortable with Matsumoto being present, or myself?" the man sighed, knowing that the subject would be rather tricky.

"Unohana never had to have anyone in there with us before," two teal eyes narrowed, thinking the whole matter was stupid.

"Toshiro… because of this incident, I don't think that they'll let any doctor treat those around your age and younger without another person present. Unohana has made the decision herself. I don't know how long it will last, but she is adimate that certain things be covered for the time being."

"And that completely sucks. I hated exams in the first place. I hate being touched, or undressing in front of people. I know it's necessary, but I'm still never going to like them," the boy grumbled.

"You like being hugged," Ukitake laughed.

"That… is different… and…" Toshiro stopped short, when Unohana came into the room. "Do I really have to do this. I really don't want too. Please…"

"I am so sorry Hitsugaya Taicho, but not only due to the circumstances that are going on, you've been two years this time without a physical. I would rather it be twice a year, if not four times, especially since you are in the lower height range for your age," the woman stated, going and opening Toshiro's mouth.

"Please?" came the reply from the mouth that she let close. She went rummaging through her draw, and then popped a piece of candy into his mouth, which caused his face to scrunch up in irritation.

"I know you don't like it, but unless I am hurting you, don't ask me to stop. If I am hurting you, I need to know, because it might be a sign of something wrong," the woman stated, going and feeling around his neck.

She then ran a light, to check his responses, and then did tests on his knees, to make sure they responded correctly, and a few other such tests. She then paused for a bit, raising an eyebrow, while he just glared at her, the piece of candy still in his mouth. Ukitake raised his eyebrows at this.

"What… did Unohana Taicho give you a sour piece of candy, Shiro-chan?" the man sighed, shaking his head as this was in truth tiring to say the least.

"I hate this…" the boy muttered, glancing away.

"You know how it goes," Unohana shook her head as she reached up and began to pull the upper part of his kimono off him. "I have to have this off, and eventually all of your clothes for a full physical, Toshiro, so please work with me on this."

"In other words, don't be childish about the matter," came the other white haired taicho's comment. With that, Hitsugaya's hand went to work, removing his clothing, rather irritated about where this was heading, where it always went.

The fourth division taicho however, let out a big sigh. "I don't need all your clothes off yet… I need to listen to your heart beat first, and your lungs… oh never mind…" She suddenly turned her head towards Ukitake, giving him a look that said that it was always like this, when she did the youngest taicho's physical.

She grabbed one of the lose blankets and draped it loosely around Toshiro's lower regions. She then had him lean back, while she felt around for any signs of possible abnormalities. "You know I really hate this, right?"

"So you've told me every time, but it has to be done," the woman gave him one of her smiles that was meant to reassure her patients. She finished, and paused for a few seconds. "Now for the part that you really don't like…"

"Can't I do it myself," came the question from his mouth.

Unohana let out a chuckle. "And we've been through this one before. First off, you don't know what to look for, second… you hate touching yourself there unless you need too…"

At this, Ukitake turned around, but placed a hand where Toshiro could grab onto it. "I really… hate physical exams…"

"All done…" Unohana stated a few seconds later, to which Toshiro quickly began to grab his clothing and pull it back on, rather in a hurry. He had gotten his under kimono half way on, when she grabbed his shoulder. "with the part you really don't like of the physical exams… there is… one more thing I have to do… especially since you've been holding off on coming in for two years."

At that, Toshiro began to go even further with putting his clothes on, almost like he was trying to escape something. Unohana shook her head, as she went and pulled out a few needles, and filled them. Ukitake winced as he counted four needles in there. Unfortunately, Toshiro saw him wince, and glanced over and his two child eyes went wide, and he made a bolt for the door, even though he had one bare foot still, and was missing his haori.

Instinctively, Ukitake grabbed the back of Toshiro's uniform to prevent him from getting away. "Why five?"

"He's going to have to come back two more times for one of these… it's because he puts it off, in coming here…"

"I'm not coming back!" the small captain stated, struggling to get lose from the older captain's grip. "And I'm not getting any… shots!"

Quickly, Ukitake grabbed the smaller taicho, and pulled him into his lap, holding him tight, while Unohana pulled up one sleeve of the black kimono. The long white haired man could feel the child's nails digging into his arm, tightly, and watched as Toshiro's eyes shut closed. "Finished… now onto the next part of business…"

"Next?" Toshiro suddenly looked up from where he was, suddenly swallowing the piece of hard candy that was in his mouth, and choking on it. He felt a slap on his back, as the piece of candy went flying out of his mouth.

"Remember… Unohana taicho was going to explain some things to you?" Ukitake gave a half smile.

"I don't want to," the boy stated, though he went and sat on the bed, cross-legged, waiting for her.

"Well, you are right at the borderline for puberty, but there are signs that some things aren't adding up," the woman stated.

"So… I haven't hit puberty…" Toshiro shook his white head of hair. "That is a good thing, because I get taken off that stupid list… though I don't see how that is possible, as it is possible for a female to have raped her, for young males to have committed the crime. Hell, a kid her age could have done it."

"He has a point…" Ukitake shook his head.

"So… because it wasn't something that would clear my name, it was something that would in fact get me to come in finally for my stupid physical," the boy muttered. "And those stupid shots."

Unohana went to her drawer, and suddenly pulled out a huge stash of candy, and set it in front of the taicho. She unwrapped a lollipop and forced it into his mouth. "If they come to accept this as evidence though, it doesn't matter. Plus, the fact you haven't gone through some of the signs of puberty, is actually a bad thing."

"I think that not having hit puberty is a good thing, because that doesn't mean I'll end up like Kyoraku taicho," the small boy stated coldly, as he dug through the box of candy, and found a piece and handed it to Ukitake.

"You've probably also noticed that you had some growth problems, am I right?" Unohana placed a hand on his head.

"I've always had growth problems though, I still have been growing," the small taicho waved his hand at her.

"Yes, but…" Unohana closed her eyes. "Ukitake Taicho, how old equivalently does Hitsugaya Taicho look?"

"I would say he looks to be around ten years of age, though I personally doubt they would have let someone as young as six into the academy…"

"I'm twelve and a half to thirteen equivalently, give or take… around thirty years younger than Momo equivalently speaking, as she was born in soul society, I wasn't…" Toshiro muttered. "I know I am four inches shorter then a thirteen year old is supposed to be, and I know that I am about ten to fifteen pounds underweight."

"Toshiro…" Ukitake shook his head at the small boy. Two teal eyes glanced up, and saw the worry in the man's eyes.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"It isn't so much that you said something wrong, I just didn't realize that your growth was stunted this much," the man sighed, placing a hand on the boy's head. "It also explains a lot too… I apologize for all the times that I've shoved all that candy on you…"

Toshiro's head bobbed up at this. "No… I never had a problem with getting the candy and stuff, more of how much I was getting."

"I'll try to cut back then," the man smiled. "It is a good thing that you weren't born into soul society. What, with the timing, and the fact that the first couple of years of a child's life, they end up aging like they do in the living world, because it would be bad to carry an infant around like that. Aizen started his experiments back then."

Unohana placed a hand on Toshiro's head. "Don't worry about your height… if puberty comes a little later, it comes a little later. I am sure you'll be rather tall…"

"You can't make such guarantees… and what do I need to know about it?" Toshiro's icy eyes suddenly returned.

"Eventually, whether you like it or not, you'll start to experience changes in your body, of it going towards becoming more like an adults," Unohana gave a weak smile.

However, this didn't last long, as they heard some screaming coming from close by.

Author's note – Ehh… don't worry… nothing bad is actually happening. If one goes and looks at an actual height growth chart, Toshiro places within the twelve and younger range. The oldest equivalently that he really could be is thirteen, if he had some actual stunting to his growth. It is also my personal belief, infant's age at a quicker rate… I usually go for ten to twelve for Toshiro…