Admiration (Bleach Fanfic)

BONUS

After losing his powers, Isshin had been at Urahara's shop for a few weeks and had grown close to Masaki, in multiple ways. So much so, that she had decided to introduce him to someone that she thought of as family, to say the least. She could only smile and refused to not give much detail. However, Urahara was a completely different matter.

"There is something that you need to know about this person who she calls brother," Urahara stated firmly.

"And that would be?" Isshin gave a half smile as he drank a soda, thinking about how much that Toshiro would like the drink.

"Do not be surprised if the man does not recognize you," Urahara frowned. "I can't go into more detail in that, as Masaki wants you to be surprised. "Still thinking about your lieutenant."

"Yeah… Tomo Atsuo would have loved to have seen how far the kid has grown," Isshin smirked.

"Ahh…" Urahara could only shake his head as the cat came into the room.

"Confirmation on who is the next taicho of the tenth division," Yoruichi spoke up. "Then you two can go get drunk with Masaki and her brother."

"And who is it…" Isshin crunched the soda can.

"The new captain is one Hitsugaya Toshiro," Yoruichi gave a half smile.

"So, he ended up passing the captain's test?' Isshin smirked.

"Hmm… no," Yoruichi stated.

This caused both men to frown at her. Urahara shook his head. "You mean to tell me that Yamamoto had to pull the trump card?"

"No… the kid received six referrals and three approvals," the cat muttered.

"So… who referred?" Isshin quickly asked.

"Unohana, the twin captains, Yamamoto, Kenpachi, and Gin…" the cat muttered. "Soi Fon and the seventh approved, while Aizen, Tosen and… Kisuke's replacement, disapproved. Byakuya held out until after the test was taken. Apparently Aizen is the one who failed Toshiro, but the sixth division noble was indeed impressed with the boy."

"Papa is so proud of him!" Isshin pretended then and there to cry.

"Yo…" striped had shook his head. "Save that for if you ever meet up with him again."

"Agreed… it is pathetic to see a grown man cry," Yoruichi growled.

"Couldn't you tell I was pretending," Isshin laughed. "I am proud of him though… he's a great kid."

"That, he defiantly is," Urahara smiled. It was then that Tessai came to the door.

"Masaki is here with her brother," the man smiled.

"Bring him in," cogs smiled, then glanced at Isshin. "Remember, he doesn't remember you, so don't act like you remember him… there is a reason for that, which I will explain later."

"Hai," Isshin smirked. His face almost though faltered when he saw someone familiar walk in.

"This is my brother Tomo Atsuo. Atsuo, this is Isshin," Masaki smiled at them.

"Ahh… nice to meet you Mr. Tomo!" Isshin suddenly sprung to his feet and shook the man's hand.

"Do I… possibly know you?" the man asked, completely taken off guard.

"Ahh… maybe in a past life?" came the humorous retort. "Who knows!"

"Atsuo… could you help Tessai make the tea?" Masaki suddenly asked.

"Sure," Atsuo shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

Masaki then turned to Isshin. "You wouldn't happen to have known him before he lost his memories?"

"Actually… yes," the man stated, a half smile appearing on his face.

"Isshin…" Urahara shook his head in frustration.

"It's all right. You've already told me that you can't tell him about Soul Society because you're trying to get his memories to come back on their own, and that might prove to be a hindrance," Masaki sighed.

"He was m lieutenant before Toshiro," Isshin sighed. "There were almost two lieutenants for our division…"

"Toshiro… he wouldn't happen to be a child with white hair and teal eyes, would he?" Masaki murmured, her eyes going wide.

"Hai…" Isshin shook his head in shock. "How did you know… I never told you."

"His one memory is of that boy and the desert," Masaki smiled. "I can't tell him that the small boy was all right, but I am glad to know it. Perhaps that was why I was drawn to him, when you told me about him."

"He never told you Toshiro's name?" Isshin asked.

"Well, he refers to him as his nephew and Shiro-chan," Masaki smiled. "I owe Tomo a lot, as he's the one who pointed me in the direction of Urahara's."

"I see…" Isshin had found something good that had come out of the whole mess.