Disclaimer - I do not own Bleach

Chapter Eight - Finding My Place

So many things had happened in the last couple of weeks and Toushirou found himself needing some time alone to process all that had occurred. Having been spending most of his time in the small room that he called home the young boy decided that a walk would be just the thing to clear his mind and help him to think. So the boy descended the stairs from his room and made his way to the office of Head Captain Ukitake.

When the boy reached the office he knocked lightly on the door and then stepped back, to wait.

"Enter."

Sliding the door open Toushirou stepped inside the office, his gaze going immediately to the figure who sat behind the large desk at the far end of the office. As expected Ukitake was working on a stack of paperwork but he looked up as the boy entered his domain.

In the weeks that had passed since the child's arrival Ukitake had shown that he was always glad for a visit from the boy.

"Welcome Shiro-chan," Ukitake called out cheerfully, offering the young boy a broad smile. "And what brings you to my office today?"

"I want to go for a walk," Toushirou replied, trying his best not to comment on the man's usage of the nickname that he hated. "And I thought I should let you know."

"That's fine," Ukitake said, pleased that the child had informed him of his plans. He would have been concerned if he had gone searching for Toushirou and had been unable to locate him. After all the white haired youth was almost like his son at this point. "Have fun."

Taking this as permission to leave Toushirou turned around and left the office, closing the door behind him. The white haired youth then left the Squad One barracks and made his way to the gate that separated the compound from the rest of the Seireitei.

"I just need some time to think," Toushirou thought to himself as he began to walk away from the Squad One barracks.

And there was a great deal for him to think about.

The boy had been working on the kidou that Ukitake had taught him and could now perform all of the moves. Flawlessly. And yet at the same time whenever he felt the flair of reiatsu he had these strange visions.

A shadowy figure standing over him.

Toushirou couldn't place the memory but was fairly certain that it had something to do with the past that he couldn't remember. The past that his mind had sought to repress.

"Shiro-chan!"

Toushirou cringed as he heard this happy voice calling out a nickname that he loathed. He didn't even need to turn his head to know who it was that was calling out to him.

It was Momo, that annoying girl from before.

"What do you want?" Toushirou asked as Momo came to stand beside him. The boy had been walking through the Seireitei, once again lost in thought, but he stopped in his tracks as he was joined by the strange girl.

"I was just curious about why you're out here all alone," Momo said, her gaze focused on the white haired youth. "Are you lost again?"

"No," Toushirou said, a slight note of irritation in his voice. He wasn't happy about the fact that she'd chosen to bring up that incident and somehow knew, without really knowing how he knew, that he would never live it down. "I'm just out for a walk. I know exactly where I am and exactly how to get back."

"Alright then," Momo said, reaching out and tousling his already unruly white hair. It wasn't a conscious movement on her part, just something that she did on impulse.

And the young boy didn't like it.

Toushirou pulled away from her touch and turned to glare at her through narrowed teal eyes. "Don't do that!" he snapped, feeling his irritation rise.

He wasn't comfortable with physical contact, for some unknown reason.

A shiver went down Momo's spine as she felt the air around her grow suddenly colder. This feeling was followed by a crushing feeling that made it more difficult to breathe.

The feeling of high reiatsu.

Momo gazed at this boy through wide brown eyes, not having realized that he was so powerful. Of course she'd realized that he possessed reiatsu but this was on a level that she hadn't been expecting.

A level that frightened her to some extent.

"Calm down little one…"

Hearing the familiar voice echoing through his mind Toushirou realized that he had allowed his powers to surge and the boy made a conscious effort to rein them in. This was yet another thing that he had been working on in the weeks since his first, disastrous attempt at using kidou and it was also the thing that he was having the most difficulty with.

The kidou was fairly easy to master but control over his own power was proving to be more elusive.

"You know Shiro-chan," Momo said, her gaze locked on the young boy who was standing beside her. "You really should go to the Academy. With powers like those you could definitely get in."

Toushirou thought about the girl's words for a moment, mulling over them in his mind. He had heard of the Shinigami Academy of course but had never given thought to attending classes there.

But now he decided that this was a good idea. Perhaps this would make it easier for him to learn to control his powers.

At least that was the thought that went through his mind as he made the decision to ask Ukitake for permission to take the entrance exam for the Academy.

"Thanks," the boy muttered before abruptly turning away from Momo and dashing away.

"You're… welcome…" Momo said as she watched the boy disappear. She hadn't expected this reaction from the boy and was somewhat shocked that he had just ran off like that.

Had she said something that she shouldn't have?

After leaving Momo standing in the middle of the path, looking completely bewildered, Toushirou quickly made his way back to the office of the Head Captain and when he arrived he once again knocked lightly on the door.

And he once again received the same summons to enter.

Sliding the door open the white haired youth once again stepped inside the office, closing the door behind him. Then the boy quickly made his way across the office, determination glowing brightly in his teal eyes.

"Welcome back Shiro-chan," Ukitake said as his gaze once again focused on his young charge. He was somewhat confused by the boy's sudden reappearance in his office but didn't let this feeling show as he addressed the youth. "What can I do for you this time?"

"I would like your permission to take the Academy's entrance exam," Toushirou said, his voice never wavering.

Ukitake was somewhat taken by surprise by this request from the young boy and all he could do was stare at Toushirou for a few minutes. He wasn't entirely sure that this was a good idea but in the end decided to grant the child's request.

"Alright Toushirou," Ukitake finally said, making his decision. "If it's really what you want then you have my permission to take the exam."

"Thank you," Toushirou said in a quiet voice, hoping that joining the Academy would help him to find his place in this world.

A world that was now his home.

A/N - And here's another chapter, hope that you enjoyed. Please be kind enough to leave a review and share your thoughts. They are always appreciated.