Once again, I am writing about Hitsugaya, but this time it is not a HitsuKarinfic. I thought I would try something a little different, and besides, I'm out of ideas as to how to bring Karin to Soul Society. I hope you enjoy this one!
Disclaimer-I do not own Bleach or any of its characters. I only own my own characters and ideas.
"Toushiro-kun!" sang the seven year old girl as she jumped onto her friend's back, knocking him to the ground.
"Ow, Sakura-chan, that hurt!" the white haired boy complained, rubbing his knee where it had made contact with the floor. "How'd you get in here anyway?"
"Your mom let me in. She told me you were in your room. What are you doing inside on such a nice day? Come on, let's go look at the sakura trees! There finally blooming!" She tugged desperately on the boy's arm, but he stood his ground.
"Why would I want to go look at some dumb trees?" he asked rudely, pulling his arm out of her grasp. Sakura put on her best puppy-dog pout.
"Because I want to see them. You're no fun, Toushiro-kun!" she whined.
"Since when is looking at some stupid trees fun?" Hitsugaya asked, rolling his eyes. He refused to give in to Sakura when she made that face. Sakura pouted for a few moments, then, realizing it was having no effect, she switched tactics.
"Tag, you're it!" she cried excitedly, tapping him on the arm and racing out the door. Hitsugaya knew he shouldn't rise to her bait, but as soon as it became a contest he couldn't refuse. He chased after her, calling briefly to his mother that he was going to play with Sakura before slamming the front door behind him.
She hadn't gotten very far. She glanced over her shoulder and her sapphire eyes sparkled with joy and triumph as she saw Hitsugaya leave the house. He couldn't refuse a challenge, he never could.
Hitsugaya ran to catch up with her. He was faster, he always had been. Her long, light pink hair was tied in a braid that ran all the way down her back. It bounced up and down as she ran, taunting him, calling him. Her hair was what he hated most about her. Not because he found it ugly, not because she forced him to braid it when it came undone, and not because she used it to strangle him on several occasions. No, he hated it because it was the source of an inordinate amount of unwarranted teasing and name-calling. All the other kids in the neighborhood ostracized her, all because of that stupid hair. She didn't have any friends.
At least, she hadn't until four years ago. That was when Hitsugaya's family had moved in next door. Even at three years old, he too was ridiculed for his unusual hair color. He couldn't help that he had been born with white hair. It was genetic, his father had it too. But things like that don't matter to children and you know how mean they can get when someone doesn't fit in.
His hair was what he loved most about himself. Not because he thought it was attractive, (he personally couldn't care less), or because it was easy to take care of (it wasn't, it stuck out at funny angles), but because it had brought him and Sakura together.
It had been a natural friendship. Two kids, bullied because of their hair, ignored by everyone else who was afraid of said bullies, and well, you know the rest. They had become best friends instantly. They only had each other and that was all they needed.
"Gotcha!" Hitsugaya said exuberantly, grabbing Sakura from behind. She laughed and tried to wrestle out of his grasp, but he held her firmly in place.
"Moh, Toushiro-kun, let me go!" she said playfully. Then she went for a low blow. She ticked him. Hitsugaya released her instantly. This time, he was the one futilely trying to push her off.
"Sakura-chan, stop," he begged, trying his best not to laugh; it would only egg her on. But he couldn't help it and soon he had broken down in hysterics.
"Only if you promise to go look at the sakura trees with me!" she insisted without pausing in her torture session.
"Ok, ok, just let me go!" Hitsugaya finally conceded. Sakura released him and he wiped the tears out of the corners of his eyes. He glanced at Sakura who had a triumphant look on her face.
"Works every time!" she said proudly, smirking at him. Hitsugaya pushed her to the ground.
"Hey!" she yelled. She tried to kick him, but he jumped to the side, easily avoiding her. She scowled at him.
"Stop lying around and let's go," he insisted, shoving his hands in his pockets. "The sooner we go, the sooner we can get back." Sakura beamed at him and quickly got to her feet.
They walked together to the park where a huge grove of sakura trees stood. They had bloomed the previous day, and the scent of the blossoms was thick in the air. The pink explosion that had occurred was truly breathtaking. Every tree was alight with the soft glow of the pale flowers. Loose petals drifted lazily in the air. Some got caught in drafts of wind and spiraled up towards the sky in mini tornadoes. Others floated gently over a nearby pond, settling gracefully on the surface and sending a wave of ripples through the water.
"It's incredible," Sakura said breathlessly, her eyes glowing and sparkling with wonder. Several pedals settled lightly in her hair, blending in flawlessly. Hitsugaya was not enjoying himself.
"I don't get what's so great about some stupid trees," he scoffed. Sakura looked at him with pleading eyes.
"Come on, Toushiro-kun, you don't think this is beautiful!"
"No," he stated soundly causing Sakura to smile.
"You don't have a romantic bone in your body, do you Toushiro-kun?" Hitsugaya looked disgusted.
"What!" he yelled, staring at her like she was from outer space. "I'm a GUY! Guy's aren't supposed to be romantic. That's sick. Honestly, what's wrong with you?" She grinned at him mischievously.
"Someday, Toushiro-kun, you're going to fall in love. And then you'll come crawling to me begging for advice, because otherwise you'll be so hopelessly boring that your poor girl is going to leave you. Girl's don't like boys that can't be sweet and sensitive." Hitsugaya scrunched up his face. He shook his head, trying to clear it of that unpleasant thought.
"I'm NEVER going to fall in love. Girls are gross." Sakura fixed him with another puppy-dog face.
"I'm a girl," she said in a sickly sweet voice.
"No you're not, you're my best friend. You don't count as a girl," Hitsugaya teased. Sakura pushed him.
"You're never going to get a guy if you keep acting like that!" Hitsugaya laughed. "Guy's don't like violent girls."
"And you'll never get a girl because girls don't like rude guys!" she spat back. They stared at each other unblinking, faces contorting in rage. Then, simultaneously, they broke down laughing. They loved to mock each other, it was one of their favorite activities, followed closely by pretending to argue. But they never really got mad at each other. They just understood each other.
"Come on, let's a climb a tree," Sakura offered, and Hitsugaya agreed. Climbing trees was an activity they could both agree upon.
They went to their favorite climbing tree in the park. It was old and knarred, with many twisting branches that shot up several stories; in essence, it was the ideal climbing tree.
"Ready, set, GO!" they cried, and raced up the highest branch as fast as they could. Hitsugaya reached the top first-he always did.
"No fair!" Sakura complained. "How come you're so much faster!"
"Because I'm a better person!" Hitsugaya asserted. Sakura shook her head.
"Well, I bet you can't jump to that branch!" she challenged, pointing at a branch that jutted out several feet away from them.
"Bet I can too!" Hitsugaya accepted. He stood up, swung his arms back, and leapt into the air. He landed precariously on the branch, swinging his arms to stabilize himself, and managed to regain his balance. He turned his head, and looked at Sakura triumphantly.
"Ha! I did it!" he gloated.
"Well, I bet you can't jump to the next one," Sakura goaded. The next branch was slightly farther away than the first one. Hitsugaya eyed it suspiciously, but he couldn't back away from a challenge. He bent down and jumped into the air with all the force he could muster. He managed to land on the branch, but it was narrower than either of them had thought, and it didn't hold his weight as well as he would have liked. The branch bent under him. He grabbed desperately for the trunk of the tree, but he was too far away.
"Toushiro-kun!" Sakura cried terrified as Hitsugaya slipped off of the branch. He would have been ok, maybe broken a bone or two (after all, he knew how to fall properly), but on his way down he smacked the back of his head against an unexpected branch.
Sakura climbed down as quickly as she possibly could, tearing her clothes and receiving more than her fair share of scratches, but she didn't even notice. She raced to Hitsugaya's side as quickly as she could. He was crumpled in a heap on the ground. Sakura felt for his pulse. He didn't have one.
"Toushiro-kun…" she gasped as her eyes welled up with tears. "No, Toushiro-kun, you can't…no…NO! Somebody help me!" she screamed frantically as her tears flowed freely, etching lines on her dirt stained face.
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Hitsugaya looked at his unfamiliar surroundings. He had no idea where he was. The last thing he remembered was falling out of the tree. As he stared around aimlessly, he heard someone approach him from behind.
"Sakura-chan!" he said excitedly, whipping around. His face fell immediately. It wasn't Sakura. Instead, a short girl with jet black hair tied up in two mini pigtails stared back at him. She considered him for a moment, then smiled warmly.
"Hi!" she said brightly. "You must be new. Welcome to Rukongai. Why don't you come with me for now. By the way, my name's Hinamori Momo. What's yours?"
"Hitsugaya Toushiro," Hitsugaya mumbled, slightly confused. She started to walk away, then turned to look back at him.
"Are you coming or not?" she asked sweetly. Hitsugaya debated with himself, then shrugged his shoulders and followed her.
Yes, the great Hitsugaya Toushiro died by falling out of a tree. I know it's a little pathetic, but there you go. It will be important to the story, and I thought it would be less brutal than some other ways a 7 year old could die. Let me know what you think so far.