Chapter 3

Shiro was about to speak when another light peaked out from behind the yellow one; this one was a milky pink and had a dizzying effect on Shiro. A large man wearing a straw hat with long brown hair and a pink women's robe peaked around the white-haired man.

"Who's this, Jushiro?" The man's words where slurred, letting Shiro now that he had been drinking.

Shiro quickly backed away from the man knowing that drunk men tended to do things that he couldn't predict, and he had seen far too many drunk people in his district.

The white-haired man turned back to the other man until he noticed Shiro scooting away. "We seem to have run into a child." The man now known as Jushiro took a hesitant step towards Shiro and once again extended his hand. "Do not fear child, we will not hurt you. My name is Jushiro Ukitake, and this here is my friend Shunsui Kyoraku. We didn't mean to run into you the way we did."

His smile was so open and inviting that Shiro found it hard to believe that he would hurt him. There was also the bright light that seemed to flow effortlessly out of them. Reaching out his arm, he grabbed Jushiro's hand and was pulled up. They stood like that for a moment with both the men smiling at him before he spoke, "How come your light's are so bright?"

Both men gave each other a confused look before once again Jushiro answered, "What do you mean?"

Shiro looked up form where he had been staring, looking at their lights, even reaching out to touch it. Even as they began to speak though, his eyes dropped to once again look at the lights, "It's bright just like Aizen's, though yours is even brighter. Aizen told me it's called spiritual pressure here."

"You can see spiritual pressure!?" Shunsui seemed to come out of his drunken state.

Shiro looked Shunsui in the eyes. "Yeah, I have been able to since I came here. Yours is a bright pink," he reached out to touch it, but stopped just before he did, "but it's milky right now. I think it is because you have been drinking?" Shiro raised an eyebrow in question.

Shunsui chuckled. "Guilty as charged. Can you see everyone's?"

"Everyone has a light, but most are so faint that unless I look for them I can't see them."

Jushiro took this moment to speak up. "Have you seen people with bright lights?"

Shiro gave a nod. "Occasionally. The brightest light I had ever seen, before you, was Aizen but the Shinigami in my district have bright lights as well. Aizen told me to stay away from them."

Jushiro and Shunsui shared a look that Shiro missed as he was still entranced with their lights. "Why does he tell you to stay away from Shinigami?"

At this Shiro looked up. "He won't tell me, just that they are bad and will take me if they ever find me."

Jushiro spoke in a soft voice. "Why would they take you?"

"Aizen says it's because I'm different, just like him. The Shinigami want power and will do anything to get it."

Jushiro gave a slow nod, "Well I could imagine that would be frightening." At the boy's nod Jushiro felt his heart shrink. This boy had great potential to become a Shinigami but appeared to be too frightened by his friend Aizen to even consider the possibility. "We would very much like to meet your friend Aizen?"

At this Shiro took a step back. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

Jushiro gave a slow nod as if he had expected this answer. "Maybe next time. Before you go could we have your name little one?"

Shiro thought this over for a moment before giving a hesitant nod, "My name is Shiro. Until next time." With that Shiro slipped into a narrow alley that the adults would be pressed to follow in. He moved across several streets before focusing and creating his disguise again. With his disguise firmly in place he set off at a normal pace down the street on his way to give Aizen his present.

…

As Shiro left the street. Jushiro and Shunsui shared a look before quickly jumping to the roofs on either side of the alley Shiro had gone down. They followed the boy hoping to learn where he lived. After the third alley he went down they lost him. It took them a few minutes for them to realize he had given them the slip.

Shunsui throw his head back and laughed. "I like this one Jushiro. I call him being in my squad."

Jushiro rolled his eyes, before turning back to the Seireitei.

Upon arrival they headed to squad two's barracks. Yoruichi was sitting on her chair reclining but perked up when they walked in. "What can I do for you gentlemen?"

Shunsui smirked, "Why do you assume we want something?"

Her grin grew bigger, "Cause you obviously just came from drinking, which you forgot to invite me to, and you never visit me in my humble abode."

Shunsui smile grew as well, "Why I…"

Jushiro quickly raised his hand cutting his friend off, if he let them get started they would never get out of here. "We come with a request for your squad."

Yoruichi's smile turned into a pout at Jushiro stopping there bickering, but perked back up at the request. "What do you need our services for?"

"We found a boy who has great potential to be a Shinigami and we want you squad to help us find him again."

"Why didn't you just bring him in?"

"He gave us the slip." Jushiro stated.

Yoruichi fell out of her chair laughing. Once she had recomposed herself she looked at them again. "Your telling me that an untrained soul managed to give two of the strongest captains in the Seireitei the slip?" When she saw their serious faces and their nods she straightened up in her seat. "Tell me about your encounter."

After they told their story Yoruichi shock her head. "When it comes to finding him all we have to go off of is an black haired boy who appears to be in his early teens that you ran into in the 8th district but you suspect is from a lower district based off his cloths, and has a high spiritual pressure?" At their nod she shook her head one more time. "Well I have worked with less before. It may take time but we will keep an eye out for this boy, Shiro."

…

As Shiro made it back to his district he allowed his disguise to fall away fully. One only looked like they were from a higher district if they were looking to get robbed. As he made his way to his and Aizen's house he made sure to look out for Shinigami they were overdue for a random patrol. When he final made it home he gave a sign of relief and walked in only to find Aizen sitting on the floor staring at the door.

"Where have you been?"

Shiro quickly dropped to his knees. "Sorry Aizen. I didn't mean to cause you to worry."

Aizen signed, "That's not what I asked Shiro."

"I've wanted to get you a gift. So, I have been saving and I was finally able to get it to day!" Shiro reached into his pocket pulling out the glasses. He presented them to Aizen.

Aizen eyed the glasses. "How where you able to get these?"

Shiro wouldn't meet Aizen's eyes as he answered. "I've been sneaking into the higher districts and picking up change."

Aizen seemed startled at this before grabbing the glasses and holding them up closer for him to see. He could tell they were made of higher quality material then anything in this district. "What district did you buy them in?"

"The eighth district."

Aizen gave another sigh before trying them on. He had to blink twice. He could see everything. Turning he looked at Shiro. The boy was surrounded by a faint blue out line. This must be what Shiro sees. "I guess there's nothing else we can do about the glasses then." Shiro shot him a wide grin that made Aizen smile. "Did anything else happen while you were out?"

Shiro paused as he thought, "I ran into some powerful people one had a murky pink spiritual pressure and the other had a warm yellow color!"

Aizen's eyes narrowed. "Where they Shinigami?"

Shiro shock his head, "They weren't dresses right to be Shinigami."

Aizen continued to ask Shiro questions about his executions until he was satisfied with the answers. Aizen wasn't as convinced as Shiro that then men he had run into weren't Shinigami. He determined that he would be extra vigilant for the next several months to make sure.

With that years passed before they would run into Shiro's strange acquaintances.