Here is the last chapter! I thought this was only going to be a 3 chapter story but I decided to do 4. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this story! :)
***Once Tōshirō walked through the door, he saw Captain's Yamamoto, Kuchiki, and Shunsui waiting for him. "3rd seat Tōshirō Hitsugaya, we will now begin the examination process. Please take your seat," commanded Head Captain Yamamoto. Tōshirō bowed to the captains and took his place in front of the three captains.
The written part of the examination took every bit of five hours to complete with no breaks. The written part was no laughing matter. With the written part, a soul reaper must answer every question correctly or they fail. On the exam, Tōshirō was asked different questions regarding the history of the Soul Society, different types of Hallows and their abilities, different battle formations, and there were even questions about paperwork. Even though the test was extremely difficult, it was relatively easy for Tōshirō. After all, he was a genus.
Time was up and his exam was graded. Once the grading process was completed, the Head Captain spoke "Congratulation! Tōshirō Hitsugaya. You have passed the first part of the examination." Tōshirō bowed to the captains. "We will now begin the final part. Please follow us to the garden."
When the Head Captain said garden, he really meant a huge field of grass and flowers as far as the eyes could see. Once the party of four step out onto the grass, Yamamoto turns to Tōshirō and commanded "Please activate your Bankai and show us your connection with your Zanpakutō."
Tōshirō walked farther away from the captains and called out "Bankai!"
In that moment, what was once a huge field of flowers, became to field of ice and snow. Tōshirō had truly became one with Hyōrinmaru. He gained not just Hyōrinmaru abilities but his wings, feet, claws, and tail. The captains were all impressed with the form of Tōshirō's bankai but they noticed that there was something that came with the bankai.
"What are three flowers of ice floating behind you? Asked Captain Kuchiki.
"Unfortunately, my bankai is not fully complete," Tōshirō began to explain "because of my age but do not misunderstand, my bankai power level is more than enough for a captain."
"You have a bankai that is that powerful yet it is not fully completed, just how powerful is your Zanpakutō?" Captain Shunsui asked. They could all feel the power that was surrounding them.
Tōshirō only smirked at the question. Instead of answering, pillars of ice came up from the ground that went high, so high that it would be no surprise that the whole Seireitei could see them.
"I have seen enough," Head Captain Yamamoto suddenly spoke "I think that we can all agree that 3rd seat Tōshirō Hitsugaya will become the captain of squad 10."
Momo was walking towards the captain's office to give her report to her captain on the recent hollow attacks in the World of the Living. As she walked, she couldn't help to start thinking of Tōshirō and what he could possibly be doing. She couldn't help it. Ever since he has been back in her life, she can't help but think that she needed to take care of him just like when they were still kids.
"But no," Momo stopped in her tracks "He doesn't need me anymore. After all, he has a Bankai now. He can take care of himself. He won't even talk to me." Momo shook her head, clearing away the depressing thoughts that entered her head.
"Hey! Did you hear that a captain of Squad 10 has been chosen?"
"Did you think I have been living under a rock all day? Of course I have! It's all everyone is talking about."
"I can't believe that they chose 3rd seat Tōshirō Hitsugaya. He is so young!" As soon as she heard Tōshirō's name, Momo paid attention to the conversation.
"I can believe it! He is one badass soul reaper! Hell, I can even believe that he can take on Captain Aizen on in a fight."
"Have you seen his Bankai? It's like he turns himself into a dragon!"
"That's so cool! And people are saying that he was the one to cause those large pillars of ice that came from squad 1 headquarters. It took them hours to get them to melt," and with that Momo could no longer hear the two soul reapers talk anymore.
Tōshirō is the Captain of Squad 10? Momo hurried to the captain's office to ask her captain if Tōshirō really had become a captain. Why do I always hear big news like this from other Soul Reapers? She thought think back when she heard that Squad 10 had a new 3rd seat.
Once she arrived, she knocked on the door and waited for the call that she was allowed in. She opened the door and saw her captain doing paperwork. Captain Aizen looked up when he heard the door close. "Ah Momo! Welcome back! I trust that your mission was a success."
Momo, remembering her reason for coming to see her captain in the first place, stuttered "O-oh y-yes. Here is the report on the latest Hollow attack." Momo handed the report to her captain and took a step back.
"Thank you, Momo. You are free to go now," stated Aizen as he places the report with the rest of the pile of paperwork. Momo hesitated for a moment. Long enough for Aizen to notice "Is there something else, Momo?"
Momo hesitated again "Is it true that 3rd seat Tōshirō Hitsugaya is the new Captain of Squad Ten?"
Aizen blinked, wondering why she was asking that kind of thing "Yes he is. He completed the examination yesterday morning. Why do you ask?" and then the answer dawn on him. "Oh you and Captain Hitsugaya were childhood friends, if I recall correctly."
"Yes sir. I spent a lot of time with him and his family when I was younger."
Aizen smiled "then please, the next time that you see him. Please tell him I said congratulations." Momo bowed to her captain and left the room. "This could turn out to be quite interesting," Said Aizen to himself with an evil smile to his face.
"Welcome to Squad 10, Captain Hitsugaya!" All the squad members shouted and bowed to Tōshirō as he addressed all the soul reapers that were in the squad. They were now his responsibility.
"Thank you. I look forward to working with you," said Tōshirō. Tōshirō was now the captain of Squad 10. Even though Tōshirō had served with these people ever since he graduated from the Academy, they still had to knowledge him as the new captain. It was important that everyone welcome him as if he had never been a part of Squad Ten.
Tōshirō had finally accomplished what he had set out to do ever since he decided to become a soul reaper. "You are certainly getting a big head, Captain Hitsugaya." Matsumoto stood next to him with her hands on her hips with a big smile on her face. Beside Tōshirō, Matsumoto was probably the happiest out of everyone that Tōshirō was the new captain. Not only because Squad Ten had not had a captain after so long but because Matsumoto was the one that discovered Tōshirō in the first place. Her ego was pretty big right now.
Tōshirō sighed "My head is the same size as it always is, Lieutenant. Yours as certainly grown a few sizes. Though, I guess that I owe you my thanks."
Matsumoto was confused "What do you have to thank me for?"
"If you hadn't found me that day so many years ago, I wouldn't be who I am today. I would probably have killed my grandmother and then I would depressed and alone. So thank you for finding me and convincing me to be a Soul Reaper. I hope that you will continue to support me as you always have." Tōshirō bowed deeply to show his gratitude and how much he meant what he was saying.
Matsumoto was touched. Tōshirō had never spoken to her that way before nor had anyone else for that matter. "Oh Captain! I promise to serve you and only you!" She grabbed hold of Tōshirō and pulled him into the biggest hug that she could muster. She hugged him so hard that Tōshirō thought he was going to die.
"Alright Momo, you can do it!" Momo said to herself. "It is just Shirō, who you have known since you were kids. It does not matter that he is now a Captain and acts like he has never met you before. Just go in there and tell him congratulations and that you think that he will make a great captain!" Momo was standing at the entryway of Squad 10, trying to gain the courage to go and actually have a decent conversation for the first time in nine years.
"Alright! Let's do this!" Momo shouted with confidence. Momo walked through the gate and stopped. She felt a slight chill in the air despite it being the middle of spring. "Ah," she thought "This must be Shirō's spiritual pressure that I am feeling. He truly is a Captain"
As Momo was standing in front of the gate, still in a daze at the fact she could feel Tōshirō's spiritual pressure from just walking through front gate, someone took notice of her. "Hey there!" Momo snapped to attention, "Are you here to give your greeting to the Captain?" In front of her stood the most beautiful soul reaper that she had ever seen. This must be Lieutenant Matsumoto. "Oh wait! I know you. You are Momo Hinamori of Squad 5. Are you not?"
"Um, yes. I am," stammered Momo, unsure of what to say to the beautiful higher-ranking officer.
Matsumoto smiled "Follow me. I will take you to see the Captain. He is currently in his office." Momo nodded and proceeded to follow. As they walked, she could slowly feel the air getting cooler and cooler as they got closer to captain's office. "Sorry about the coldness in the air."
"What do you mean?" asked Momo.
Matsumoto laughed "We Squad 10 is used to the cold from the Captain's spiritual pressure. We forget that when other soul reapers come, they feel cold.
"Shirō, I mean Captain Hitsugaya, is very strong," Momo stated.
Matsumoto laughed again "You got that right! He was born to be one of the greatest captains there ever was."
"You two seem close," Momo, feeling a little jealous over how close that the two were. She had always thought that no one would be as close as her and Shirō.
"Yes we are close. We are not your topical captain and lieutenant. We are professional when it comes to work and meetings but when we are alone, it feels like we are in an older sister/younger brother relationship." Matsumoto smiled at the thought of Tōshirō being her little brother. "We got even closer when Captain Shiba went missing. We shared our pain with each other because we how each other felt about the former captain. I don't know what I would have done without Captain Hitsugaya being by my side."
Momo was starting to feel guilty because of the jealousy she felt "Forgive me. I didn't mean to make you speak of a sad topic."
Matsumoto smile at her "It's alright, I don't mind at all. It helps to speak about the former captain every once in a while." They came to a stop in front of a large door. "Here we are," stated Matsumoto. She knocked on the door "Captain? Momo Hinamori of Squad 5 is here to great you."
"You may enter," stated a cold voice. Matsumoto smile at Momo one last time before motioning for Momo to enter the room. As soon as she stepped through the door, she saw Tōshirō sitting behind a large brown desk focused solely on the papers in front of him. He did not look up until Matsumoto shut the door, leaving the two alone.
They were silent for a moment until Momo remembered her manners in front of a captain "Congratulations in your promotion, Captain Hitsugaya," Momo gave a deep bow in respect. Tōshirō had gotten up from his seat and walked over to stand in front Momo. Momo, still in a bow, did not meet his eyes.
Tōshirō sighed and realized how uncomfortable she was feeling "Thank you, Momo." Momo didn't respond so he decided to make their conversation more comfortable "It seems that it was I who became a Captain."
At Tōshirō's words, Momo froze. She could remember that conversation when she declared that she would become the Captain. She finally met his eye and saw the kindness in his eyes that she has not seen since he was still living with his grandmother. Momo spoke "I am surprised that you remembered."
"Of course I remembered. How could I forget the smugness in your voice when you said that I would become your lieutenant." Tōshirō shook his head at the thought, "Like I would ever be your second in command."
"And just what's so wrong with being my second in command?" Momo should not have asked that as it gave Tōshirō an open invitation is list her every fault.
"Well for one, you are too starstruck. You clearly worship the ground that Captain Aizen walks on and that is unprofessional." At Tōshirō's words, Momo remember the words that Renji spoke of when Tōshirō first became a 3rd seat so many years ago "Well it's no wonder that you haven't heard anything about it. After all, you do spend most of your time kissing Captain Aizen's ass."
Tōshirō kept going on and on, listing every fault that he had observed in their interactions over the years, which surprised Momo because she thought that he had always ignored her, he never payed any attention to her. Momo smiled "Wow, Shirō, you have really payed attention to me. That makes me happy!"
"It's Captain Hitsugaya!" Tōshirō was confused "And how does me finding faults in you make you make you happy?"
Momo took his hands and held them "Because even though you have been so cold to me, you have been watching over me and that makes me happy."
Tōshirō looked away "Don't you remember what I told you?"
"If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together, there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is even if we are apart, I'll always be with you." Momo smiled "Those words have never left me."
Tōshirō nodded "I have always been with you and I will continue to be with you, Momo."
Tōshirō and Momo continued to talk about the different topic of their lives, though granted, Tōshirō knew most of the things Momo that she mentioned. When Momo realized that she overstayed her welcome, she decided that she needed to get back to work. As she was leaving, she told Tōshirō "Thank you for talking to me again. This has been the happiest I have been in a long time. Please continue to take care of me." Momo bowed one last time and left the room.
"It was nice to be able to talk with Momo again," Tōshirō thought as he went back went back to his desk. Now that he has reached his dream, he will take care of the people around him. Now no one will be able to hurt the people he loved, that he swore to himself. And if they did they would be getting an icy grave.
Time passed as it always did. There were times that Momo tried to talk to Tōshirō and he ingored her but it did not bother her as much as it did in the past because she now knew that Tōshirō was watching over her. However, there came a problem that no one saw coming. That mistake caused Momo to be seriously injured and Tōshirō realized just how weak he still was. He once again strived to become stronger.