Ch6

Toshiro restlessly sifted threw the paperwork on his desk. The young captain's brow furrowed as he looked over the reports on his desk.

High hollow activity near Akihara. He read over the report Momo gave him, yeah she wasn't under his jurisdiction but he couldn't help himself.

These reports of strange spiritual activity are increasing, what is going on there? There were no reports of a lot of hollows in that area yet there were reports of a strange spiritual presence that would leave before it could be investigated.

He hadn't questioned Momo much about her experience since he never told anyone about how he met a mortal threw a piece of broken glass.

I wonder if he is still there? Gods I don't know how long it has been for him. Hikari Netto was a young child when they met but he knew that time passed differently between worlds.

The door to his office opened and he quickly set the papers down. "Oh captain there you are!" Rangiku Matsumoto said with a wide grin.

He sighed and rubbed his head. "What is it now?"

His lieutenant grinned at him. "You work too hard, maybe you should have a drink or two?"

"Matsumoto I'm a captain now I can't just drink all the time," he sighed. As much as he cared for his lieutenant he had to admit she pressed his nerves occasionally.

Rangiku frowned and went over and pulled his head in for a hug. "Come on captain you should relax more."

"M-Matsumoto!" he pulled himself out of her bosom, his face red. "Besides I still have work to do."

"Fine but try to relax captain," Rangiku said. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Will do," he muttered as he rested in his chair.

An idea came to his head as he looked at the reports on his desk. Maybe a small trip wouldn't hurt. He could do it secretly, he had always was curious about visiting the human world. There isn't anything that says I can't visit.

Taking a deep breath he got up and grabbed his zanpakuto and quickly left his office. His looked at him curiously but said nothing to him as he left the main building of the tenth division.

Just a small trip, just to see what sort of activity is going on. He quickly exited the Soul Society and headed towards Akihara.

It was a small suburb with various people going about their business, most of them unaware of the world of Shinigami. Looking down at the crowds of people he didn't know what to expect, he doubted Netto would look at him and suddenly remember him.

I mean it has been years for me. I don't know how long it has been for him. He frowned looking down at the city. A shame if he did, he seemed nice. Too bad I couldn't have known him when e was alive.

Scanning the area he felt the strange presence. Turning around he saw a small robed figure in the distance looking at his direction. He didn't know what it was but it made the hairs on his neck stand up.

Gripping his blade he flew in the direction of the figure only for it to retreat into the shadows. Oh no you don't. He quickly gave chance and followed the robe figure.

Whatever it was it was quick and leaped from shadow to shadow along the buildings. From what he could tell it was around his height, maybe even a little taller.

The figure leaped ahead just as a hollow leaped in front of him. He swore as he quickly drew his zanpakuto and sliced it. "Damn it where is it?" looking around he gripped his blade but saw no one else. Whatever it was isn't normal. He carefully sheathed his zanpakuto and leaped off the building.

Carefully walking among the crowds of people he could feel that something was off, deep down his instincts new that whatever he was just following was not normal.

Unusual spiritual activity. The kind that hollows usually make. Whatever is going on it isn't normal.

Walking down the streets he walked past various people going about their business, they couldn't see him of course, they had no idea of the world that was just beyond their fingertips.

As he headed down the street he noticed a park with what appeared to be the statue of a squirrel in the middle. Didn't Netto mention something about a park with a squirrel?

Walking toward the park he stopped in front of the squirrel and looked down at his reflection in the pond. Hikari Netto. He looked up at the sky and thought of his young friend, he didn't know what had happened to him since time passed differently in the human realm but deep down he missed him, the young boy honestly provided companionship for a time in his life when he had none.

The sounds of rollerblades caught his attention. Looking up he saw a boy wearing an orange vest rollerblading down the sidewalk. The boy appeared to be around ten and wore an orange vest with a blue head band.

Wait a minute. He stared at the kid and his eyes widened. The boy stopped and walked into the park and froze as their gazes met.

"T-Toshiro?"

He slowly. "N-Netto?" It took him a moment to realize who it was. The young boy now was a teenager with wide shoulders and a decent build. Yet despite that he still had that same carefree smile and warm caring eyes.

"Yeah it's been a while," Netto said as he carefully approached him and looked him over. "You look nice, you're the same height as I remember."

His brow twitched. "Yeah I'm a captain now."

"Captain?" Netto scratched his head. "Well you do look different. You really are a Shinigami right?"

He looked down at his robes, no doubt he appeared strange to someone no familiar with the world of Shinigami. "I am."

For a moment Netto avoided his gaze. "Oh cool." The boy paused as if he were hiding some secret.

In the distance he noticed a black cat peering at him from the top of a tree. He frowned as it stared at him.

"Yeah it's been a while," he said. "I just came to check on some abnormalities around here."

"Like hollows?" Netto asked.

He raised and eyebrow. "You've seen a hollow?"

Netto laughed nervously and avoided his gaze. "Uh yeah. I had a run in, but don't worry I managed to get away."

Looking over Netto he could tell he was hiding something. His eyes went up to the black cat in the tree who eyed him cautiously.

Oh great she's here that can only mean one things.

"Good to hear," he said not taking his eyes off of the cat. "A friend of mine is patrolling this area, let her know if you need anything."

"Got it. Is her name Momo?" Netto asked.

"You met her already?" he asked. Oh right she told me.

Netto nodded. "Yeah I ran into her, she seemed nice."

"Well good to know," he said. "So have you experienced anything else out of the ordinary?"

He noticed Netto shifted and avoided his gaze. "Oh uh nothing of the ordinary, I don't speak about it as much since my parents still think you were imaginary."

"I see," he said folding his arms. He wasn't stupid and Netto was a horrible liar. Calm down I haven't seen him in ages of course he would be hesitant to talk with me. It kind of hurt but he didn't expect them to become immediate friends again.

"Yeah so are you going to be staying here for a while?" Nettto asked.

"I'm not sure. I have my own obligations to do," he said. "But if I can I'll try to stop by."

Netto grinned. "Great. We should hang out sometime."

He nodded his heart fluttering a bit. "I'm busy but I'll see what I can do. It was nice seeing you again."

Netto nodded. "Likewise. Um good luck on whatever you are doing."

With that they awkwardly parted ways. Walking down the street he looked down and saw Netto rollerblade down the street. What's going on with you?

"Why hello there Captain Hitsugaya," said a gruff voice.

Looking down he saw a black cat look up at him. He folded his arms. "I won't be fooled Shihouin Yoruichi. What business do you have with him?" His voice was harsher than he intended it to be but he still managed to keep his cool.

The cat looked at him calmly. "Just teaching my student."

He folded his arms. "Teaching what?" Oh god she didn't.

"Teaching my grandson how to be a substitute soul reaper," said a male voice from behind him.

He gripped his blade as he saw a middle-aged Shinigami approach him. "Calm down I mean you no harm," The man said. "My name is Hikari Tadashi of the 12th division. Don't worry my captain knows of my experiments."

"The 12th division? What business do you have hear?" He asked. His colleague Kurotsuchi Mayuri always had his own plots that never worked well for anyone else. "And what do you mean about a substitute soul reaper?"

Tadashi Hikari looked him over. "A threat may come for my family, sadly my son never cared for the supernatural. My grandson though, he has the potential, besides the more he sees the more he will get targeted."

"This isn't authorized though," he said raising his voice louder than he intended. "What will happen when the soul society find out? Having an unauthorized substitute soul reaper will cause problems not just for him!"

His body shook, he always followed the rules to a T, and he never cut corners or anything. Netto what did you get yourself into.

"Don't worry I only gave him half of my spiritual power," Tadashi said. "Besides well make sure he is registered when the right time comes."

"This is madness!" he yelled.

"So should we just let Netto and his family get harmed?" Yoruichi asked her gaze firm. "A threat is coming whether he likes it or not and if he isn't prepared he may die."

He rubbed his forehead his heart racing in his chest. "What is after him anyway?"

Tadashi Hikari looked at him with a dead gaze. "An old family secret. It gets stronger by the day and is a slippery as a fox." The man looked up at the sky and frowned. "My grandson needs training right now less he and his family die painfully."

"There are far reaching things at work here Captain Hitsugaya," Yoruichi said. "You can report us, ignore us, or help. I could care less. But I will help Hikari Netto."

"This is madness," he said. "You are putting his life in danger." His body shook as he glared at Tadashi Hikari, he didn't exactly have a high opinion of the experiments done in the 12th division, the fact that they include a human made his blood boil. "He better not get into danger."

"He won't," Tadashi Hikari said firmly. "Good luck Captain Hitsugaya."

Netto what the hell is going on? His mind debated what to do as he returned to the Soul Society. If Captain Yamamoto finds out it won't end will. He didn't want Netto to suffer, deep down he did see him as a friend.

He sighed as he entered his office. Netto you're playing with fire.