Yo! Bleach isn't mine, people. We've been over this several times now.

Second chapter to Long Time, No See!

Toshiro's Visit

-Toshiro-

"MATSUMOTO!" I yelled as I slammed the door to my office open, seething at my lieutenant because she was, once again, hung over on my office couch and had not finished filling out very important documents due that day. "WHAT IN GOD'S NAME DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING GETTING DRUNK LAST NIGHT WHEN YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FILLING OUT LAST WEEK'S REPORTS?!" She sighed and rolled over, facing into the back of the couch. "Not so loud, Taicho. My heads hurts." she groaned, trying to bury herself into the couch cushions. I sighed as I listened to her breathing even out again. Making my way over to her desk, I picked up the - surprisingly small - pile of reports left of hers and carried them back to my desk.

Just as I was going to start work, a hell butterfly floated gracefully through the window and landed on the tip of my pen. I listened for a moment before nodding and it flew off again. "Matsumoto." She grunted from the couch, "Mmm, yes, Taicho?"

"I'm heading to a meeting. I know your head hurts, but please do me a favor and at least try to get three reports done. That's all. Just three. Please." She groaned as I watched her sit up, stand, and stumble over to her desk. "But, Taicho, the reports aren't here." I walked over, grabbed her shoulders and turned her towards my desk. "Just sit here since they're already there. I'll be going now." The strawberry-blonde nodded and I set off to the main meeting hall.

As I wondered to the meeting hall, my mind strayed to one of my best friends. I had been wanting to visit her for the last five years, but Yamamoto had forbidden all Soul Reapers in the Gotei 13 to leave until all of Seireitei was rebuilt. I still longed to see her. She was what kept me going through the war. I had, at one point, almost decided to give up on fighting, but her beautiful smiling face popped into my mind and I was determined to live through the Winter War, if only for her. Now, five years later, I wondered if she even remembered me. It saddened me to think that, when I returned to Karakura, she wouldn't be able to run to me and hug me like she used to because she'd have forgotten me.

Breaking from my thoughts, I pushed the meeting hall's enormous doors open and stepped inside, taking my place between Shunsui and Zaraki.

"Wonderful," Head Captain Yamamoto boomed. "Now that we're all here, I have a few announcements to make. First of all, the reconstruction of the Seireitei is complete." He stopped to let us clap in appreciation that we were finally done, "Second of all, seeing as all of you, as well as your subordinates, worked so hard on rebuilding our home, I have decided that you all need a break. You are all relieved of you captains' duties for a full four weeks. Your lieutenants will take over your squad until your return. I am also granting you permission to enter the material world. However, you do not have to leave, nor do you have to stop work. This is just a privilege that does not have to be used. Thank you, Captains, for all of your hard work and please pass that message on to your squad. Dismissed." he finished.

I slowly started my back to my office, wondering how I was going to break this news to Matsumoto. Stepping into my office a few minutes later, I was surprised to see Matsumoto asleep at my desk. Walking over to her, I noticed all of the reports were done, not just the three I'd asked of her. "Matsumoto?" I asked, shaking her shoulder lightly. "Matsu….Rangiku?" She mumbled something incoherent and then raised her head to meet my eyes. "Taicho, I finished my work, so please don't scold me." she whispered. I shook my head. "No, Matsumoto, I won't scold you. In fact, I'll praise you. Thank you for doing your work." I told her, smiling. "But, I will be gone for a while, starting tomorrow morning, so I will get Nanao-chan to help you with finishing your reports. Alright?" She nodded, drifting off, back to sleep.

After contacting Nanao and making sure Matsumoto had help and someone to inform her of current events when she woke, I headed off to the gate, eager to see Karin. I didn't care if that was all that happened, I just had to at least see her, had to know that she was still doing okay.

Stepping through the gate, I headed to Urahara's first to get my gigai. Seeing as it was late in the night, I figured it wouldn't be wise to go knocking on the Kurosaki family door. Instead, I made my way to the spot on the hill Karin and I used to hang out at and watch sunsets as we talked about anything and everything. I missed her, I missed her so much. She had been one of the biggest parts of my life, she had helped me be friendlier, she'd helped me understand things about the world of the living, taught me traditions, answered any question I had, but most of all, she had been accepting of me. She didn't give up after one icy glare and the cold shoulder, she kept trying. When I had suddenly had to leave her, I was devastated, but I was determined to come back to her. I hated that I had rushed all the way to the materiel world, just to have to wait until morning to see her again. I sighed, pulling out the iPod and earphones she'd given me about a month before I left and told me that I should listen to every song on it – five years later, and I still hadn't finished because there were so many songs and I never had much time to listen. Plugging my ears with the headphones, I turned on the last song I had stopped at and stared on at the sunset, letting my thoughts stray to Karin, wondering if she would remember me.

Kk, Thanks for reading again! I think there'll be another two chapters after this. Almost positive.

Thanks again!

-T