Chapter 9
"Child labour?" came Toushrio's reaction.
"Toushrio it's not child labour." Taichi shook his head and stood.
"Then what is it? I'm not old enough for a job and I don't want one. Isn't that practically the definition?"
"You've got not choice kid." The officer told him from behind his desk.
Toushrio's fist shook, "I told you not to call me a kid!"
"Hey, hey," Ichigo's hand landed on his shoulder,
Toushiro threw back his elbow but once more Ichigo blocked it and pulled it behind his back.
"Cool it." He told the boy.
Toushrio stood slightly stunned for a moment and gave his teal eyes a blink before struggling. He gave a great sigh when he realised it was pretty futile.
"So who's my slave driver?" He sighed.
Ichigo let go of his arm and it fell by his side.
"The man owns a small, out-of-the-way candy shop," Taichi told him, "Nice man. Name's Kisuke Urahara."
Toushrio kept his eyes to the ground and shifted his bandana, Kisuke Urahara?
"Out-the-way." He repeated to hide his reaction.
"Mr. Kurosaki has offered to escort you there after school," The officer told him.
"So I can't run." He translated.
"Just give it a chance, please Toushrio." Taichi said calmly.
Toushrio crossed his arms, "Like I have a choice."
"Thank you," Taichi looked to Rukia and Ichigo, "We'll see how this turns out."
"No problem." Ichigo smiled.
"Happy to help." Rukia nodded.
"C'mon Toushrio," Taichi cocked his head to the door, "I'll give you a lift home."
"Like I call that place a home..." He muttered as he followed him out.
His teal eyes stared vacantly out of the window of Taichi's car. Bright yellow street lamps went past, one then another then another. Not that it really mattered to him. Not that it was the world outside his eyes were seeing.
Kisuke Urahara...
"It's called the hogyoku." the man told him as the four year old sat back on his lap playing with the small sphere.
"Hogoku." He repeated.
"No, Toushrio," He smiled with a shake of his head, "Ho-gi-oh-ku"
"Hogi....Hogyo...Hogyoku." After a few attempts he got it and the man's hands had ruffled his turning from blond hair.
The boy gave a large smile.
"What's it do?" He swapped it from one had to another his eyes a cross between a dark blue and green watching intently.
"It's a very powerful little item invented by a man called Kisuke Urahara." He told him.
"But it's small," He cupped it in both hands, "and it just looks like a bouncy ball or something."
"Well, things can be more than they appeared power can be found in small packages."
Toushrio sat up and looked round with a blink. It took him a few moments to smile at his implied meaning. The man gave a chuckle and put his hand out for the item back. Toushrio placed it in his hands gently and looked up a question bugging him.
"What is it, Toushrio?" He placed it in the pocked of his white jacket.
"I was wondering...why are my hair and eyes changing colour?"
"Toushrio," Tachi called him.
Toushrio looked up distracted from his daydream.
"Wake up Toushrio," He gave a smiled at the deep thinking boy he'd always been, "Were here."
Toushrio nodded grabbing the skateboard and exiting the car. His spray cans had been confiscated and he was lucky to get his freedom, his skateboard back. He slowly opened the door to his 'home'. Trying to get to his room quietly so he wouldn't get another ear full he pressed his feet lightly to the ground one after another. It was funny that they thought they'd taken his key from him but Toushrio had just stolen another so he could get back in and make it seem like he was there the whole night. With gentle footsteps he crept up the stairs. Holding his breath.
Sods law they'll be one of the workers right round the corner won't there?
Holding his breath he walked round the corner not to see a worker ready to tell him off but a young girl coming ready to hug him. Luckily she was smart enough not to run at him cause she'd be in trouble for being up too. She clamped her arms round just below his chest.
"Toushi's back." She whispered.
"Piss off, May." He kept his voice down and tried to peel her off.
"I stayed up to see you Toushi," She let go and looked up to him with sparkling deep green eyes.
"Great, now go to bed."
He could never understand this little girl. His gaze was always as cold as ice his attitude to most others and her the same. She seemed completely immune and nodded with a sweet smiled. He watched her quietly walk over to her room and shook his head as she shut the door. She was something life had thrown at him that baffled him completely.
