Chapter 3 – Team

Hitsugaya Toshiro's POV

The young taicho stood in front of his squad examine them thoroughly while he spoke slowly. "The soutaicho has given me the assignment of assassinating a menos tormenting Seireitei. I will go out together a team on about 10 shinigami. I have already chosen two who will accompany me." As he said that the tensai pointed to his fukutaicho and his childhood friend.

"Before any of you volunteer, I will tell you that this is a tougher menos than you ever will face. According to the soutaicho this one has a few modifications." A small mumble went through the crowd. "With that in mind I will only bring those of you who shunpo, and those of you with an acceptable technique." He stared at his squad before he raised his voice once more. "Edogawa Kaito, I will bring you and your company with me. We will be ready to leave tomorrow. Understood?" All the sub-ordinates stood even starter if possible and answered in perfect sync. "Osu!" After this the taicho turned around and walked back to his office.

Ichigo's POV

"Kurosaki-kuuuun!" Ichigo turned and saw Orihime running towards him. "Hey, Kurosaki-kun, have you heard about Toshiro-kun and the taicho meeting?" She panted a bit, while talking. Has she looked for me or something? "What are you talking about Orihime?" The orange haired girl straightened up. "The soutaicho gave Toshiro-kun the job of killing a dangerous menos lurking around the Seireitei…" Ichigo was already sprinting off towards the juuban-tai taicho's office. "Thanks, Orihime!" She just stood there baffled, and wondering about what just happened.

Why didn't anybody tell me? After that training yesterday I would really like to see Toshiro in action. Besides I need to prove that I can fight as well. He rushed in to Toshiro's office and saw the boy standing at the window. Behind him he saw Hinamori standing there and shouting. What's happening here? "You already told me I could come with you, Hitsugaya-taicho!" Ichigo stood there and looked for a second. Why the heck did he flinch at taicho? Isn't he telling everybody to call him that? "Hinamori, please, I don't know…"

He was cut off by the girl shouting higher now. "I DON'T CARE!" After shouting this she dropped her head and said, much lower. "I thought you said you understood." Ichigo noticed that the boy of ice flinched yet again. "Hinamori…" Before he could say more it seemed like he suddenly noticed the other presence in the room. "What do you want, Kurosaki?"

A FEW MINUTES EARLIER

Hitsugaya Toshiro's POV

The taicho sat doing some paperwork as Hinamori came in. "Hey Shiro-chan!" He looked up from his desk seeing HInamori walk towards him. "Hinamori, I need to talk to you." He saw the slight surprise in her eyes when he didn't tell her to stop calling him Shiro-chan. The boy of ice rose from his seat and walked to the window, turning his back at his childhood friend in the process. "What is it, Shiro-chan? Is something wrong?" He could hear the stress in her voice. The boy sighed, mentally preparing himself for what may happen. "I have a few extra shinigami that can do the job, and I am sure that Kurosaki would like to come." He had to stop here. Bringing Kurosaki while his technique is this poor, but he is able to look out for himself and will do anything to keep her from the fight. He did not turn, but he could hear his friend take a few steps closer. "W-what do you mean, Shiro-chan? I thought you said you only would bring 10 shinigami with you. And after you chose Edogawa-kun's company, there are 11 people with you, Matsumoto and me."

He could hear the nervousness in her voice as she tried to reassure herself. "What I mean is that I will switch one of the shinigami with another one." He could hear Hinamori's breath catch as he said that and then her stammering voice. "S-so, who a-are you go-going to switch?" It was clear that her voice broke a bit at the last words. "You, Hinamori." I do this for your own good, one day you will see that clearly.

She just stood there, without moving, without speaking. HE had expected her to say something, but when she did he was shocked. Instead of trying to convince him while she was almost crying, she screamed at him. "But why! Do you think I will be in the way or something? I am a fukutaicho so I can take care of myself!" this time before speaking, he really needed to concentrate to make sure that his voice didn't shake. "That's not it. It's…" HE couldn't finish because Hinamori broke him of.

"You already told me I could come with you, Hitsugaya-taicho!" She screamed at the top of his lungs. He flinched ever so slightly as she spoke, but it was not because she screamed. Did she just call me taicho? She never calls me taicho, NEVER! Why? The only reason I do this is to protect her. But why is it such coldness in her voice as she said my name?

"Hinamori, please, I don't know…" He could not say anything else. What is it I don't know? I have thought about every aspect of this fight. What can it possibly be I don't understand? "I DON'T CARE! I thought you said you understood." The last was just a whisper, but the young taicho heard it. This made him flinch yet again, but this time it was quite visible. I do understand, I don't want you to get hurt either. That is why I tell you to stay here. "Hinamori." Toshiro was just about to continue, but broke himself of as he finally felt the presence of another shinigami. "What do you want, Kurosaki" All the emotions leaving his voice in a second.

Back to present

Hitsugaya Toshiro's POV

"Um. Yeah! Why the heck didn't you tell me that you were going to kill a menos?" Calm down, you are known to have a cold personality. You can turn and all the emotions will be off your face. He turned to face the two other people in the room, and needed to take an unnoticeable pause before he looked at Hinamori. As he saw her face he felt the rage. How could I? I promised myself that I would never hurt her again, and look at her now. Then he looked at Kurosaki. "I did not consider telling you because we don't have that kind of relationship. But since you are here, and you say you want to come, you can just as well do so." He shot a quick look at Hinamori as he said this, just to see her reaction. Her head hung, and he could see that her shoulders were shaking. Please don't, Hinamori. Please don't cry. The young taicho took a deep breath as he said his last sentence. "I guess it will be good to have a spare."

Ichigo's POV

What was that? The orange haired boy had just left Toshiro's office. He was glad that the white haired boy had let him come along so easily, but what he had seen before that was odd.

As he walked along the streets of Seireitei he bumped into Orihime. "Hey Orihime!" He saw the girl jump a bit in surprise at him being there. "Hi, Kurosaki-kun. Did you manage to get a hold of Toshiro-kun?" "Yeah, he was at his office. I will be joining him and his team tomorrow." The girl smiled at him. "That great, Kurosaki-kun. I guess you're quite exited" They had started to walk now. "It will be good fighting again. Oh, yeah. Orihime, do you know if Toshiro and Hinamori usually fight?"

At this question the orange haired girl stopped. "Ah..Ano.. They have some friendly and joking arguments." Ichigo shook his head. "No, not like that, I mean like really fighting." The girl looked a little nervous. "Well, I don't know for sure. But once Rangiku-san was drunk she said something about they being obsessed with protecting each other. Maybe it was something about that." Why is she so nervous? Wasn't she supposed to say anything? "Key."

Hinamori's POV

She didn't lift her head before Ichigo had left the room, but when he did she smiled at her childhood friend. "Really, Shiro-chan? You will let me come with you?" She took a few insecure forward until she was standing right in front of him, looking up slightly. Since when did I have to see his eyes properly? "I had to give in this time. I really understand how you feel, and I guess that it wouldn't be right of me not to take that into consideration." He smirked a little at her and she dropped her head again, still smiling, trying to hide a little blush. "Now, you know when you will meet us and where. Just make sure you're not late." Even though he was serious again, she could hear the smirk in his voice. "Thank you, Shiro-chan" she whispered. If you only knew just how much this means to me….

A/N:

Hey, every lovely reader! I would like to ask you all a favor. I used a bit longer time to write this chapter 'cause I got a writer's block. If you have any ideas please tell me. And it those not need to be for this story. On my profile you will find a list of anime/manga and other series I like. If there is any type of story please tell me. I am open to a lot. A challenge/request would have been fun.

And of course: Read and Review