Title: Exile
Genre: Angst
Characters: Ichigo and Toshiro
Summary: When Toshiro finds out that Ichigo is kicked out of Soul Society he finds himself torn even more.
Rating: T

Exile

The small taicho sat on his division on the roof, the hilt of his non-communicative zampaktuo leaning against his right cheek. His small ears picked up commotion coming from the neighboring division and he got up and flash stepped over to the grounds. Looking down he could see the members of the eleventh division muttering to themselves. The words about the Kenpachi being out of it rang in his ears. "What do you mean he is out of it?"

"Uhh... Hitsugaya Taicho..." One of the men looked up at the boy.

"That pipsqueaks a captain?" A member that was rather new had a hand clapped over his mouth.

"That captain can freeze you where you stand." Another man blurted out. "He's scary as Unohana of the forth."

"Cut to the chase." Toshiro let out a deep sigh.

"Kenpachi came back in a daze. Then he gets to where he normally sits and he..."

"He just buries his face in one hand and ignores everyone even the fukutaicho." Another glanced away.

"I'll see what I can do." The boy hopped down from the wall and walked into the training area. He could see Ikkaku and Yumichika standing there staring at their captain.

"Ahh... Hitsugaya Taicho..." Ikkaku's head piped up. "You can try talking to him, but it won't work."

Toshiro walked over and folded his arms across his chest. "Kenpachi..." The man didn't respond at first, but then looked up at him with one eye. The boy took a deep breath before biting his lip. "You are..."

He glanced at Ikkaku and the man raised an eyebrow before turning to his partner. "Yumichika, go and make sure none of the men are hanging around."

The boy then turned his head to look at the man. "You're grieving, but it isn't for Yamamoto. Who then?"

Kenpachi simply looked at him, a frown spreading across his lips. After a few minutes he finally spoke up. "You were always very astute. I killed Unohana."

Ikkaku felt his jaw drop while Yumichika got a rather horrified look on their faces. Toshiro's eyes went wide while Yachiru simply clung to Kenpachi's arm. "You killed Unohana?"

"You heard me right."

"Why?" The boy shook his head at the man.

"She was the first Kenpachi." The man continued to cover the one eye.

"Wait..." Ikkaku frowned. "Unohana was the first Kenpachi?"

"Well, the records did say that the first Kenpachi was a female and that the tradition of battling to the death didn't start until after the second Kenpachi." Yumichika placed a hand over his chin. "Her zampaktuo is kido based..."

Kenpachi glanced over at his blade. "Yes. Minazuki is a kido based zampaktuo."

"Is?" Ikkaku shook his head.

Toshiro's eyes went wide. "You and Unohana have the same zamapktuo?"

"Well, that makes sense." Yumichika folded his arms. "I mean, that the zamapktuo passes from Kenpachi to Kenpachi."

The man then looked up at Toshiro. "You there. You are to calm about all of this."

The boy suddenly blinked a couple of times. "I don't know what you mean?"

"I would be thinking that you would be showing some kind of emotion as you were rather attached to the old man and her, but you're completely emotionless."

Toshiro glanced away. "My mind is still wrapping around things. Normally I'd have Hyorinmaru to talk things over with, but..."

Ikkaku raised an eyebrow. "You mean by getting your Bankai stolen you ended up losing the connection with your zampaktuo?"

"It may have just been myself. I rather relied a lot on Hyorinmaru. I haven't talked to the other taicho who had theirs stolen about that." The boy glanced away.

"Hitsugaya Taicho, not to offend you here..." The third seat reached up to scratch his head. "Perhaps you should talk to the new head captain about staying out of this battle. I mean, you aren't at your fullest ability. I'm not just talking about not having your Bankai either."

The boy glanced away. "I'm going to head out now. I sense that Kurosaki is back."

Kenpachi reached up and grabbed Toshiro's sleeve. "Don't..."

"But..." The boy found himself looking at the man, a confused look on his face.

Ikakku folded his arms across his chest. "You should be able to feel his reiatsu. Something is wrong."

The boy tugged his sleeve away before shaking hi head. Letting out a deep sigh he found himself heading towards the place that he felt Ichigo's reiatsu coming from. He was surprised to see the substitute starting to head through the gate. "Kurosaki?"

The young man glanced up and Toshiro saw the look in the young man's face. "Toshiro..."

"Why are you leaving? You wouldn't abandon us. We need you."

Ichigo took a deep breath before turning to the boy. One hand reached out and touched the top of the boy's head. "I'm sorry Toshiro. I failed all of you big time."

The boy pushed the hand away. "What do you mean? Didn't you get your zampaktuo reforged?" He looked the physically older boy in the eye and his eyes went wide. "You didn't, did you."

"As I said, I'm sorry. The member of the Zero Squad who could reforge my blade told me that he refuses to forge my zampaktuo."

"Why? That makes no sense at all."

"Because... as far as he's concerned I'm a fake. I'm not a real shinigami."

"That raciest bastard."

"Toshiro..."

"He said that just because you have a parent from the world of the living." The boy's facial features twisted up. "Nothings going right. This is stupid."

"Toshiro..." Ichigo watched as the boy folded his arms across his chest. He then let out a deep sigh.

The boy first froze then flinched. "Kurosaki..."

"I know you don't like this at all." Ichigo kept hugging the boy. "There is nothing you or I can do about this. Thanks for coming and seeing me before I left. I didn't get the chance to say goodbye to you the last time. I'm also sorry about all of this. It's not how I wanted things to go down."

The teen then pulled away before heading through the gate. Toshiro found himself holding his hand up, a look of shock on his face. "I didn't get a chance to say its Hitsugaya Taicho." The boy then felt his head fall. "Then again, I'm not really a taicho anymore. I may have the haiori and the rank, but Ikkaku's right in saying that I'm not my norm."

Toshiro headed back to his division and saw Rangiku at her desk working on the paperwork for once. "I can't abandon my division though." He slipped into the seat at his desk and leaned on his arm. "This is just stupid. Why do adults have to be so stupid. I mean, we could be getting along with the Quincy. Why are we even fighting?"

The boy found himself pausing and taking a deep breath while his hand dropped. "I don't agree with any of this..."

"Taicho..." The busty female spoke up. "Is something the matter?"

"Yeah... I don't think I can do this anymore." The boy realized what he had said and slowly turned his head to look at his fukutaicho. "I'm sorry Matsumoto. I should have said that. I honestly don't know how more I can take of this though."

The woman stood up and walked over and gently took his face into his hands. "Its all right. I already figured that out. I'm used to change, so don't worry about me or the division. This time around you need to make the decision of what is best for you. Do you want to talk a bit while you figure it out?"

The boy glanced away. "Considering I don't have Hyorinmaru to listen anymore..." He then looked back. "You look like you're going to cry."

"Because... don't worry about it. Just tell me what is in that heart of yours."

"I can't hear my zampaktuo anymore and I no longer have Bankai, which makes me pretty useless. On top of the taicho and fukutaicho of the first division having died, Unohana's gone as well. So's Kurosaki."

"What do you mean?" Rangiku's face twisted up with worry.

Toshiro found himself frowning. "The member of the zero squad refused to reforge his zampaktuo so he can't help us. He's gone too."

"I see. You know, it is all right. As I said, you need to figure out what is best for yourself right now."

The boy looked up and frowned at her. "You look like you're going to cry."

"Yes... well..." The woman frowned before brushing the hair away. "I'm going to miss you. But in reality I'm hurting right now because I know you're hurting so much. Do what you need to do. Would you like for me to step out of the room?"

"Yeah... I'm also sorry Rangiku. This is a rather hard decision for me to make." The boy took a deep breath and didn't look up until he heard the door click shut. He then began to write.

To whom it may concern,

This is my official resignation from the Gotei Thirteen. I am making this decision because I feel that my abilities as they currently are along with my mental state would be of no use in the up coming battle and being in battle would only lead to my comrades to being harmed. Part of my current mental state has to do with the recent deaths of the head taicho, his fukutaicho and the captain of the forth.

But that honestly isn't just it. I've come to find out that Kurosaki Ichigo will not be fighting along side us in the final battle. The reason he will not be fighting with us is because the member of the Zero Squad refused to reforge the substitute shinigami's zampaktuo because he is not a true shinigami. I feel that in the long run this is the wrong decision and I feel it was made for the wrong reasons.

I also have to admit I don't understand why we and the Quincy are fighting even. It seems that the reason we are fighting is because both sides have grudges against each other. If Soul Society has changed can't the Quincy have changed as well? Upon realizing this I realized how much of a child I still am and how much growing up I have to do if I can't understand this.

Sincerly,
Hitsugaya Toshiro, former taicho of the tenth division

P.S. Please give my haori to Matsumoto Rangiku. Maybe one day I'll be old enough to actually be an effective captain as well.

The boy let out a deep sigh before removing his haori and folding it carefully. He then set it and the letter on his desk. He then moved to the office door and opened it up. Turning to the side he saw Rangiku standing there with her hands folded behind her back. She turned to look at him. "So, you finished?"

"Yeah... I'm really sorry Matsumoto for doing this to you."

"Don't be. I've watched life be cruel to you more then any other person taicho. It's time something good happen to you, but..." The woman frowned. "I don't know if it will ever be that way."

"Don't worry. I can at least take care of myself. Life being rough on you does that to a person." The boy paused. "And Matsumoto... thank you. Since I'm not your taicho anymore I can freely say his. You're the closest thing I've ever honestly had to a mother in my life. So there is one thing right there that has been good. So promise me that you won't die."

"Got it."

The boy then slipped out of the division before heading to the gate and slipping past the guards to the world of the living. He picked up a gigai from Tessai at Urahara's place before heading over to Kurosaki's place. He hopped up to the window and saw Ichigo working on his homework. The boy tapped on the window.

Ichigo paused before looking up. He stared for a few minutes before coming to the window and opening it. "Toshiro?"

The boy slipped in. "Kurosaki."

"If you're here to try and convince me to go back to Soul Society, I can't. I was told to never come back."

"Then I'm never going back either." The boy sat on the bed and placed his hands into his lap.

Ichigo frowned and closed the window. "Toshiro... you're needed back in Soul Society."

Toshiro shook his head. "I'm actually in the same situation as you are. I lost my Bankai and can't talk to Hyorinmaru anymore. I also had to admit to myself that I actually got close to the two taicho and the fukutaicho that died. Even if I wanted to fight my mental state is pretty much trashed."

"Two taicho?"

The boy glanced up. "Unohana's dead."

"How? I know she was old, but she didn't seem that old."

"She was the first Kenpachi. Need I say anymore."

"No, you don't." Ichigo frowned. "Toshiro... aren't they going to be looking for you?"

"They'll have their hands filled with other problems. Can I please stay?"

"I'm no sure..."

"Ichigo!"

"Toshiro..."

"Please, Ichi-nii."

The orange haired teen let out a deep sigh and crossed his arms. "You can stay, if you listen to my conditions. First, if they come to take your scrawny ass back to Soul Society then go back."

"But..."

"If they plan on executing you for this, then I'll protect you from them. But you know what I mean by them coming and getting you." Ichigo then glanced away. "And understand that me being kicked out of Soul Society isn't just about me having one shinigami parent and one from the world of the living."

Toshiro shook his head. "But..."

The orange haired teen took a deep breath. "Apparently my mother wasn't just someone from the world of the living. She was a Quincy. So go ahead and see me if your enemy Toshiro."

"Is the reason you're not getting into this because you can't choose which side to be on?" The boy felt his lip trembling.

Ichigo let out a deep sigh. "I wouldn't be siding with the Quincy even though I know full well they want me too. Attacking Soul Society because of some grudge is just wrong." Toshiro felt his body shake and he looked down at his lap. He felt a few tears fall onto his hands. He felt the teen place a hand on each shoulder. "Toshiro?"

"Why do adults have to be so stupid?" The boy found a hand coming up to his eye two try to wipe away the tears only to find them coming faster. "They would be dead if it weren't for this stupid grudge. Why can't we just get along? I'm tired of fighting."

The next thing he knew Ichigo was sitting down next to him and pulling him into a hug. The door to the teens room suddenly opened. "Ichigo... Toshiro needs to go back. He can't stay here."

Toshiro glanced up, his sobbing pausing for a bit. He then wiped his tears away. "Taicho?"

"Speaking of adults being stupid..." Ichigo removed his arm from around the boy's shoulders before folding his arms across his chest. "Why didn't you tell me that I was half shinigami and half quincy?"

"Not now." The man came over. "Well, I need to talk to you about that, but Toshiro... you really need to go back to Soul Society."

"I don't want to." The boy wiped the tears away. "I thought you were dead."

"Toshiro... its not safe for you here."

"If you're talking about Soul Society coming here and hauling me back to Soul Society to stick me in the Maggots next, don't worry. They're busy right now."

"That's what has me worried. My powers haven't recovered and Ichigo... he can't protect you either."

Ichigo frowned. "You're speaking of the Quincy? They wouldn't have any reason to think they would come here. They're after Soul Society. Unless of course you think they'll come after me and that will put Toshiro in danger. If so, can't Toshiro stay with someone?"

Isshin sighed. "I didn't say Toshiro would be in danger. I said it wouldn't be safe for him. It's not safe anywhere in the living world for him right now. You've got to go back."

"Why?"

"Of all the..."

"You should obviously know how stubborn he is. He's also not his normal self. Yamamoto and Unohana are both dead."

"Both? Both are dead?" The man took a deep breath. He looked at the boy. "Then Toshiro's in even more danger of being kidnapped."

"Because you think they can use him as a hostage."

"No... they''ll..." Isshin shook his head. "There is one place to go. You've got to go anyways Ichigo to brush up on the Quincy training you forget when your mother died. We can hide Toshiro there and I'll explain everything."

M

Uryu sat in a small office next to his father's training facility sulking while his father worked at the computer. "I don't like the fact I can't help."

"You made me a promise not to get involved with the Shinigami." The man continued to work.

The door opened with a click. "You-who!"

"Kurisaki..." The man paused before pushing up his glasses. "What do I owe this to?"

"I brought Ichigo here to be trained and I brought Toshiro here so we can hide him." The man stated as he put his hand into his shinigami robes and scratched himself.

Uryu felt the corner of his mouth twitch. "You told me not to get involved with Shinigami!"

The man shut stood up. "Actually, this is an issue of a Shinigami choosing to get involved in Quincy affairs, not the other way around." He then looked at Toshiro. "This is the boy your told me about? The one that you think is the grandson of Juhabach?"

Toshiro opened his mouth. "Wait, I died and came to Soul Society. How can I be the grandson of anyone. Whose this Juhabach anyways?"

"He's the leader of the Quincy from Vandreich." Isshin folded his arms. "Toshiro... did you ever stop and think that it was odd how you always said that you died on a plain of ice and yet your inner world is a plain of ice?"

"Yeah, but..." The boy glanced at the ground. "Did I just mess things up more by coming here?"

"No, no. Don't think of it that way. Truth be told hiding you here may be better then trying to hide you in Soul Society. Particularly since Juhabach's likely identified you by your zampaktuo power as its the same as your grandmother."

Toshiro's eyes widened before looking at the others. "I'm not understanding any of this."

"You and me both." Ichigo glanced over at his fellow classmate. "I think Uryu is just as confused as I am."

"Don't lump me in with you!" The boy snapped. "So Hitsugaya is part Quincy, part Shinigami?"

"I am too apparently." Ichigo watched as the boy glared at him. "What?"

Uryu's father pushed his glasses up. "What you need to know Hitsugaya Toshiro is that you're important enough for both sides to go to war over. Because of the past problems they aren't likely to want to find a peaceful middle ground either."

"Adults are stupid."