Note – I meant to announce awhile ago that I made fifty-thousand. I also meant to bring up the fact I plan on adding Yushiro to the cast, but I'm waiting until Yushiro's gender is revealed before I actually add them in.

Finding Friendship
da Big Boom

The sound of footsteps could be heard approaching the jail cell shared by Bazz-B and Cang Du. Two Shinigami appeared around the corner and nodded towards the man with the Mohawk. The man formally with the flame powers rolled his eyes into the back of his head and stood up to follow them out of the cell with his hands cuffed. He found himself taken to a small room with a table and left there by himself. He began to drum his fingers on the top of the table and tap his foot in a steady rhythm.

Eventually two captains came into the room and sat down in the chairs across from him. One of the taicho's wore a pink kimono over his robes and the other had long white hair. He looked at them and frowned, his mind trying to think of what they wanted with him. The man with the white hair folded his arms in front of him and spoke in a clear manner. "You do understand that you're a prisoner of war."

"Yeah. I understand. I also deserve what ever fate you have in store for me. I'm not going to sell out my fellow Quincy. So don't even ask."

"No... we're not asking that." The man continued to look at him.

"Yes... well... I have to wonder if that isn't what you want. Don't you want more information on the others so we can justify your punishment."

"Nope." The man with the pink kimono leaned back in a relaxed manner. "The first question we have for you is whether you want a public trial, a private trial that has a jury of higher seated Shinigami, or do you want punishment to just be handed out."

"What kind of question is that?" Bazz-B watched as the two men remained silent from their response. His mouth continued to twist up into a frown. "Look... I deserve to be executed. So why don't you go ahead and just do that."

The man with the white hair asked the next question. "We are aware that certain Quincy have lost their powers."

"What? You think that is enough of a punishment?" The man narrowed his eyes at the two men. "You two must be more stupid then you think."

The white haired man kept his expression the same. "We're assessing whether you are a danger to society."

Bazz-B's eyes widened and he lowered his hands to his lap. "Why? I'm an enemy. A prisoner of war you know. How can I be a danger to a society that isn't my own?"

"That is a good question." The funny looking taicho took a deep breath . "We are deciding between whether you should have jail time, service hours or a combination of both."

Bazz-B's eyebrows rose up. "And what would that cost me?"

"Nothing." The pink kimono was annoying.

"Yeah. Right." Bazz-B leaned back and pulled his hands behind his head and crossed his knee over his leg. "There is something you want. Let me repeat the fact I'm not going to sell out my own."

The white haired man folded his fingers together. "What about helping your own?"

A confused face appeared on the Quincy's face. "Help them?" A laugh escaped his lips. "You must be kidding me. Now you want me to rat on them to what? Brainwash them? Of something similar?"

The white haired man continued. "The children aren't being treated as war criminals."

"Oh... so you want me to side with them so that they can brainwash them by having me tell them everything is all right?" Bazz-B shook his head.

"What would our brainwashing involve?" The man with the pink kimono said.

The man took a deep breath. "I guess it would involve making them think they were Shinigami or something. That we were wrong about this war."

"Do you think you think the war was wrong?"

"I can't say that the war wasn't justified Shinigami have been living for a very long time above us Quincy? And for what? Were we wrong for feeling the way that we did? Were we wrong for fighting for us to have the chance to live."

"Of course not."

Bazz-B blinked a couple of times. He leaned forward and brought his hands forward so that he was leaning on his elbows. "Now this is strange. Shouldn't you be denying all of what I said? That doesn't work in your favor. I mean... how can admitting that we had some kind of just cause. To you our cause can't be just."

"Revenge after a thousand years? No... that isn't justice." The man in the annoying pink kimono leaned forward with a more serious look on his face. "I wouldn't saying fighting for ones life is a just cause unless one is defending oneself or others. That was what your majesty told you it was though, wasn't it? For the future of the Quincy? A defense for your future survival."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"We think you do." The white haired man. "That's honestly beside the point. The Quincy deserve a future do they not?"

Bazz-B leaned back with a frown on his face and slid down with his hands in his lap. "What the..." The man shook his head. "Seriously... you two are messed up. Why are you trying to help us? And how do I know that this isn't some kind of ploy?" He listened the silence that filled the room. "There is something... or many things that you're not telling me. I don't like being played. What happens to be your goal."

"To make sure there is no war between the Quincy and the Shinigami again." The annoying man spoke again.

"Then exterminate us like you did in the past."

"We were thinking that we would try to get the next generation to make friends with each other and heal." The white haired man spoke then.

Bazz-B stared at the two men. "You are crazy. That's a major risk. It's just plain stupid." He let out another laugh. "And you want me to help?"

The white haired man continued to speak. "Actually... we're wanting you to give the younger Quincy a sense of security."

"Say what?" The Quincy's eyebrows rose up.

The taicho explained what he meant. "Those girls don't trust any of the adults among the Shinigami. That is why we felt we needed an adult they can trust. Since you don't have your powers anymore you're not as much of a threat as those who have their powers."

"I can fight ya know."

The white haired taicho kept going. "It's still the best option. That is why we're offering you ten years or service hours."

"Service hours? They'll think I'm a traitor."

The man with the annoying kimono spoke. "We didn't say the number of service hours it would be. We're talking ten thousand."

Bazz-B's eyebrows rose up. "Really? What the hell are you up to?"

The man with white hair lay out the numbers. "Even if you were to do ten hours of service daily you would not be able to complete it in ten years. This gives you freedom, but you can also have what could be best described as parole revoked if you do something that does negatively effect society. Of course... it is your choice what you do with your service hours."

An explicative came out of Bazz-B's mouth at that point showing he was angry. Quite a few more harsh words came out. He then narrowed her eyes. "If your so concerned about the future of the Quincy as you say... tell me. How is Basterbine Bambietta doing?" He watched as the men looked at him blankly. "You have no intention of telling me how she is doing."

"Actually... we're still learning which of the girls is which." The annoying man's eyebrows went up.

"The violet haired girl."

The white haired man sighed. "She's doing the worst. You have a connection with the girl."

"If I do it is none of your business."

M

"I hate you! How is it that you're able to be named the president of the club when you're not even there! That makes no sense at all."

Toshiro's eyes blinked a couple of times as Yukio stated that the girl may have been jealous of him. His mind focused on the fact that girl happened to hate him. "Why am I so concerned that she of all people hates me. I doubt the reason she hates me is because she is jealous. What could she be..." The boy felt a panic attack set in. "Hell no! Absolutely not! I'm not going to participate because... simple because... I'm not going to."

The young taicho ignored the fact Ichigo was trying to calm him down and instead focused on the fact his stomach was lurching and he couldn't make sense of anything that went on in his head. "She hates me."

"No she doesn't."

"And who the hell would suggest that I be president?"

"How about a certain fuktaucho of the eleventh division?"

"Yes... but who would go along with that?"

"You shouldn't doubt yourself like this."

"This isn't about self doubt. I know that everybody hates me."

"What about the two in this room?"

"Yeah... I'm his Guinea pig. As for Ichigo..."

Hyorinmaru found himself able to speak as Toshiro's mind paused in thought. "You want him to be a friend."

"Me wanting him to be my friend is not the same as him wanting me to be his friend. He wants a Guinea pig."

"All right... what about Kurosaki? And your fukutaicho. Do you think they hate you?"

"No. All right. I guess that it isn't everybody who hates me. But it certainly is a good deal of people out there."

He felt himself calming and he saw that he was sitting on the bed. His back was leaned up against the board with his knees pull up to his chest. The controller was set down and Yukio and Ichigo were waiting patiently. He flopped over onto the bed while the sound of the game over played in the background. He took a deep breath. Ichigo sat down so that he could see the orange haired teen near him. "Have you stopped panicking?"

Toshiro swallowed. "I can't believe I had a panic attack. I've not had a panic attack since taicho left. Why is it that the Shiba clan members mess me up like this."

"I don't think the reason for your panic attacks going away has anything to do with the Shiba clan members no longer being around to antagonize you. I think that it has to do with the fact you had better control of your emotions. A lot has happened. Your entire world has been upset and it's only natural that you would react. It's not something you've had to deal with before. That... and you have had emotional outbursts since he left. Just... not this bad."

Two eyes blinked a couple of times. "I'm fine Kurosaki. You needn't worry."

A calloused hand reached out and ruffled his hair. Yukio made some kind of snark remark like he usually did. The game could be heard making the end of game noise.

M

All of the leadership work for the tenth division fell onto the shoulders of the fukutaicho as the young taicho was far from being in a sociable mood. Rangiku found to her surprise that the other members easily followed the instructions she gave out. Her facial features twisted up with worry. As she watched the two men working at rebuilding the wall for the office she couldn't help but have a particular thought. "They seem to be obeying me easier then they did taicho. Is this because they don't like following the orders of a child?"

One of the men turned his head as if he read her mind. "Don't worry Matsumoto Fukutaicho. We've actually gained a new kind of respect for our young taicho when he came in and practiced his swordsmanship with us. He also tried making sure all of escape. It does bother us that someone so young ended up in such a position though. Hopefully this Shinigami Kids Association will give him a chance to be a kid."

"He hates being treated like a kid though. He's been rebelling at the idea of going."

The other man spoke up. "He'll come around. We thought he didn't like us, but instead he was just shy and worried that we didn't like him."

"Yes... but it took something serious for him to come around and break out of that wall he built up. Getting him out of his quarters is another matter. He has yet to leave since he has gotten back. Well... except to sleep walk to use the restroom. Ichigo's been noticing that. Makes me glad he isn't taking the medicine to help him sleep as we would be having another issue."

"Matsumoto Fukutaicho... rumor has it that our young taicho was killed and then brought back?"

"Don't worry about that." Rangiku folded her arms across her chest only to fill a familiar rieatsu. She took a deep breath realizing who it was and stormed off. Dealing with the girl was a pain in the neck and the girl didn't put up with being punished. "At least taicho is humble enough to take punishment when it is dolled out."

She headed back to the office only to see a pink haired girl standing in the middle of the room. "Why did you ground Aniki?"

Yachiru had a bunch of crafts in her small hands with plenty of glitter. She also wore her swimsuit and cat ears. Rangiku knew better though then to not take her seriously. "He's not feeling well and is staying in his room."

"Aniki's never sick."

One of the men turned his head. "Hitsugaya Taicho is still recovering from his injuries from the war Kusajishi Yachiru. He's been staying in his room. You can ask the forth division if you don't believe us."

"Oh..." Yachiru's mouth continued to pout. "I wanted to play with Aniki. I almost never get to play with Aniki."

Rangiku sighed. "Yachiru... I will do my best to get taicho to a point where he can play with you."

"Promise?"

"No promises."

"That bad?"

"Yes. Sorry. I wish it wasn't this way."

"Tell him to get better!" The small pink blur quickly disapeared.

"What are you going to tell Hitsugaya Taicho?"

"Nothing at this point. I don't wish to worry him."