The moment he was back in the Soul Society, Toshiro headed back to the Tenchuren with his guard and they returned to his father's realm. Now in a place where his power wouldn't cause too much terrible damage, he let some of it out and donned a scowl.

"I TOLD her not to get involved." He growled as they traveled back towards the floating palace. He saw his dragon lift off from Ruala's kingdom and head towards them.

"She was concerned about you." Ruala countered, putting her hood down. He'd already discarded the black cloak.

"I left her with her family to protect her and she runs right back out into the fight, just like her brother."

"That girl is important to you?"

"Yes! She…" Realizing what he'd just agreed to a light blush crossed his face. "She's a friend…"

"Then why only worry about her?"

"She's not as strong as her brother, she doesn't even have Shikai. Stepping into that fight would only get her killed."

"The others were in just as much danger."

"Everyone else there had at least a few years of fighting experience; she only has her talent as a soccer player."

"And yet she was willing to assist you."

"I didn't want her assistance, I wanted her to-!" He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I wanted her to stay safe."

"I'm sure she wants the same for you." Sofia said, trotting beside them in cat form. "For a prodigy you're rather blind."

"What are you talking about?" Toshiro paused them as he waited for his dragon to arrive, the ice beast no doubt worried about him.

"How long have you known Karin?" The cat questioned, examining her paw for dirt.

"Three or so years."

"Do you visit her often?"

"Whenever I had a mission in Karakura Town or a vacation day. I would help out her soccer team."

"And you care about her safety?"

"Of course I do."

"That's it, then." The cat smirked and leaped onto Ruala shoulder. "You're in love."

"I-what?" Toshiro's eyes widened. "No way! I-I'm not! She's a friend; I want to make sure my friends are safe!"

"And yet you spend more time bickering with my master about her safety and hardly mention the others."

"That doesn't mean…I'm not…" He fumbled for an answer. Him? In love? He couldn't believe it.

"Oh, look, he's lost." Sofia smirked and Ruala giggled.

Toshiro scowled at them both, temperature dropping, just as Myndræl alighted next to them. The dragon wondered what was going on but did not ask, as his companion looked to be in a foul mood. He wondered at first if perhaps the visit had gone bad, but by Sofia's smirk he knew the current foul mood had to do with her teasing. Better not to ask, then.

"How was the trip?" He questioned.

The cat's smirk was wiped off quickly and she jumped to the ground, Ruala turning to the dragon.

"Two of the Solar Five Sisters found us." She told the dragon and he gulped, having heard tales of the girls' cruelty.

"I need to return to training." Toshiro cut in. "What am I to do next?"

"You'd have to ask your father." Ruala replied.

Nodding, the Ice Prince mounted the blue dragon and they launched into the skies.

"Keep an eye on him, Sofia." Ruala whispered to her familiar. "And don't tease him, alright?"

"Rahvain honor." Her tail flicked before she morphed into a swallow to be less noticeable and took off after the dragon.

Myndræl landed atop the palace, knowing Toshiro could get to the floor on his own. As the white haired prince started moving away, though, the dragon couldn't keep quiet.

"Why do you seem so upset?" He dared, putting his head down to his partner's level.

"Oh…uh…" He trailed off, unsure how to put into words what he was thinking. "I've just…got a lot on my mind. I didn't expect two Demon Lords to have shown themselves like that."

"That is unexpected." The dragon rumbled. "I wonder how they knew you were there."

"Dethmaiyn is probably keeping everything watched. Until I have enough power to fight him I'm pretty much trapped here."

"Don't think of it like that." Myndræl huffed. "He's probably trying to get in here, too. Maybe he just wanted to make sure you didn't go into hiding again."

"Like I said, trapped."

Giving in with a sigh, the dragon stayed put while Toshiro went inside, pondering what he could do to ease some of that stress he saw. Sofia darted past and inside before he noticed.

The young prince did not return to his father's floor just yet. He'd found one of the other floors while he was exploring to pass the time and he thought to have found the level of the first ice type Soul King. The place was very cool in temperature, to his liking, and was mostly silver. He proceeded to the main room, a large space with few windows, the one thing he didn't like, and beautiful ice sculptures. He sat in the middle and laid his zanpaktou on his lap, though he did not meditate. He simply…sat there.

"You're quite obviously bothered." Sofia stated as she returned to cat form and lay beside him.

"I shouldn't have gone out." He replied. "They never would have bothered them."

"And Karin would be furious with you." Sofia reminded.

He said nothing, head in his hands.

"They could have gotten killed."

"You made sure they didn't."

"It's my fault they were threatened in the first place." Toshiro looked at the cat accusingly.

"It's your fault they're safe." Sofia pointed out.

He sighed, giving up. She was right, of course, but he had to point that out. He still felt unsettled by the presence of the Demon Lords. By the sound of it they were all five girls…were they promised something? Was there something he could do to turn them on their master? Anything to lessen the enemy's forces. He got lucky in the World of the Living that they weren't there for a fight. But then, what were they there for? His capture? Firiat was threatening his death, so he somewhat doubted that, and he shuddered to think what Luetha would have done had Hyorinmaru not saved him from her song.

"Just take a breather, Hitsugaya." Sofia rubbed her head against the boy and purred. "You were right to leave quickly, and I believe you were right to tell them what was going on. Though…do you really expect them to sit still?"

"My head says they will." Toshiro smirked slightly. "But my heart knows they won't."

"I thought so." Sofia smirked as well. "I suppose we'll have to do something. They'll train their asses off so they can help you out, we might as well give them a boost. Karin, too."

"I don't want her in this fight." Toshiro frowned.

"Why?" The cat sat up and looked at him curiously.

"Because…" He sighed. "For some reason, I really don't want to lose her. It's like when Momo was in danger, only…heavier."

Sofia wanted so badly to tease him but she'd given her master her word. She rephrased it as an innocent question.

"Can you name this feeling of yours?"

"…No, not really." He glanced at her before keeping his gaze on the blade in his lap. "But…I…I think you might be right…"

"Oh?" Sofia swished her tail, waiting for him to say it. It was about damn time.

He cast a glare at her, knowing what she was trying to do.

"Maybe I…I do have…feelings for her." His cheeks tinged pink as he spoke it out loud.

"Ah, a knight in shining armor, you are." Sofia purred. "A queen-to-be, perhaps?"

"I doubt it." Toshiro slouched. "It was illegal for a Soul Reaper to have any interactions like that with humans, I'm sure it's much stricter for royalty."

"Well," Sofia stood and paced a bit, "I can't say that's not true. But she is a Substitute Soul Reaper now, which means if she ever dies she'll become a full-fledged Soul Reaper."

"Isn't royalty only supposed to marry royalty?" Toshiro asked, remembering the fiasco Byakuya went through when he married a woman from the Rukongai. His family hadn't liked him for that.

"Ha! While marriage with a human wouldn't work due to the major difference in life spans, marrying a Soul Reaper isn't that bad. You being a Soul Prince means your lifespan is even longer; you'll outlive the kids in the Rukongai!"

"Hang on, why am I even considering this?" Toshiro straightened, the conversation finally registering in his mind. "I think I've lost it."

"That does tend to happen." Sofia shrugged.

"Not funny."

"Well, anyway, about helping them get stronger." She waited until he had his full attention on her again. "We can't very well put them through the trials like we did with you, they don't have a locked up storage of it like you did to get past them. But…hm, the Royal Guards may be able to think of something. I'll discuss this with my master, you continue your training."

The white cat was about to change forms when she remembered something.

"By the way, young prince." She saw him raise an eyebrow. "Your father has plans for you to meet the King of Hell, soon."

"Satan?" Toshiro's eyes widened.

"Don't worry, for a demon he's pretty…well…calm, I guess I should say. Anyway, you have to get to know him before you become king so you can make sure to keep in touch with him during your reign."

"Right…"

The cat left him.

"Meeting the King of Hell." He mused aloud. "This should be interesting."

'From what you've read he actually respects the Soul King's position of power and treats them as superior rather than himself despite his vast lifespan and power.' Hyorinmaru commented.

"Doesn't make him any less intimidating."

'You haven't even met him yet.'

"Exactly." He stood, strapping the zanpaktou on his back again. "Time to see what I need to learn next."

He glanced down at the translucent brand on his hand. He could make it vanish if he lowered his power enough, but he didn't really see the need to here so he let it glow. The one Kanji symbol on it had a slightly darker shade of icy-blue, but still very light. He hoped to have the others soon.

He left the icy floor and went to his father's, heading to said man's room. Making sure to knock before entering, he stepped inside.

"Something you need, my son?" Satoru asked as he leaned back in the chair by his desk, noticing his son's thoughtful expression.

"I was just wondering what I'm supposed to do now." Toshiro walked over to stand beside his father. "I finished the Five Trials and got one of the symbols, what do I need to do to get the others?"

"Hm, I thought you might ask." Satoru rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Have you read the book?"

"Finished it yesterday."

"Now that's impressive. Tell me, what do YOU think you need to do next?"

Toshiro blinked in surprise, not having expected that.

"Tranquility, a quality needed by all great rulers to watch events go on with a calm touch, to not be swayed over to one side easily unless absolutely necessary. Eternity, a promise that you will continue your role as long as you live and through the cycle of souls, to be forever bound to rule as king, even if you change your ways each time. And Honor, a solemn promise to uphold what in your heart is right, a vow to fight not for yourself but for others, whatever that means to you. Each of these things is vital as a king, and each of these must be found in your own way."

"But how?" Toshiro questioned. "I don't know where to start."

"You face the question all wise kings face at the start of their rise to power." Satoru put a gentle hand on his son's shoulder. "A question I myself once asked. Listen to me, Toshiro, these attributes cannot be found in books or through strict testing curriculums, they're found through experience. Power is the only mark attainable through a set course like the Five Trials. It is the easiest for all kings to grasp. That is why it is the least important attribute."

"But I don't have time for that."

"You are rushed for time, yes…but still, I cannot help you earn these attributes. I suggest thinking on what I said and finding for yourself the right way to earn them."

"I guess…"

"I know you can do it." Satoru smiled gently. "How about you try relaxing a bit? You're too tense, and that leads to rash decisions."

"Right, I must be tranquil."

"Exactly." The king chuckled slightly while Toshiro smirked. "Meet with the other Royal Guard if you can find them. The may be able to offer their assistance, and you do need to get to know them better."

"I think I know Nakryin well enough."

Satoru paused for a moment, hiding his true intention with a smile; he was focusing in on the taint of Fear inside the white haired boy and found it still dug deeply in his heart.

"Not well enough, my son." He saw Toshiro tilt his head in confusion before turning away and returning to his work.

"You…you mean the Fear, don't you?"

"It's grown. Probably from your contact with the Demon Lords. Be careful, Toshiro."

"I will."

Admittance! Ha! But he's smart, now we just need Karin to admit it. After that, they need to admit to each other *evil laugh* Anyway, i'm still trying to stick to my word of downplaying the romance, Shiro's a busy prince. So earning the next three marks is going to be tricky, since he has no idea what he's supposed to do for those and his dad can't help, so no trials, just him training and trying to prove himself as king. Enjoy!