Letters to Father
Strange Outings

Life is one big act
Nobody tells the truth
That is an honest fact

"Good morning Shiro-chan."

Toshiro's eyes opened in a groggy manner to look up and Hinamori. "What do you want?"

"We have a ton of things to do today."

The preteen let out a groan before sitting up, and nearly bumping his forehead against his foster sisters. The fifteen year old hurried out of the room before he could say anything, and his lips pushed together in frustration. The white haired child changed into a fresh set of clothes before heading into the main area of the household to sit at the table. Looking around he could see granny wasn't yet up, nor was the sun quite yet. "Hinamori?"

"What is it?"

"Why are we up this early?"

"First we're going to go and see one of the art museums. I don't know yet which one we're going to. We'll then have lunch, and go see mine and the other students art from the latest focus project before going and seeing Renji and Kira's play. After that we'll have dinner."

The preteen pushed his lips together in frustration. "I don't want to go."

"You don't have a choice."

"Says who?"

"I'll tell granny."

"What about Kurosaki and his tutoring?" Toshiro tried rubbing the crick out of his neck. Momo stared at him, and then worried her lip. "Hinamori? Seriously..."

"We started planning this long before Kurosaki came to our school Shiro-chan!"

"And yet I had no say in the matter." The preteen looked away from his sister.

"You're ten years old for goodness sakes!" Momo sat down in a huff.

"Just go without me."

"Shiro-chan! You're so mean!"

"Make me something to eat then."

"Why should I? That's not a nice way to ask for something you know."

"Says the person who didn't ask me whether I wanted to do this today. I wasn't asking, I was telling you."

"That is even ruder."

"Not when I'm only ten, and have never made breakfast for myself. Granny always makes breakfast, but she's not awake." Toshiro watched as Momo's facial features continued to contort.

"Shiro-chan... you do know what cereal is, right?"

"Cereal doesn't hold me until lunch unless it's the cooked kind."

"You'd better not be a pain for Aizen sensei when it comes to ordering food. He's paying you know."

Toshiro worried his lip as Momo went to the cupboard, and retrieved a box of cereal and slammed it down in front of him. He stared at the box as she went back to the fridge. "Didn't I tell her cereal doesn't hold me until lunch?"

Momo came back then with two bowls as her cheeks flushed red. "Don't give me that look. I don't know how to cook."

The preteens eyes widened. "You could ask granny to teach you."

"I don't have time with my art work."

"Oh. Maybe I have time?"

One of Momo's fingers slipped into her mouth as she began to bite her nails, but she pulled it back when she realized Toshiro was staring at her. "I honestly don't think you have time to learn. Don't you have kendo, and soccer, and who knows what else." The girl reached out and poured him a rather large bowl of cereal before flooding the bowl to the point some milk flowed over the edge. "Here you go."

Toshiro scowled at the mess, but thought nothing about the matter and simply tried eating without spilling. Glancing up he could tell Momo wanted to lecture him about his eating habits, but for some reason she held back. A knock came at the door, and her brown eyes brightened. "Aizen sensei's here."

The spoon clinked against the bowl. "I'm not ready. Why didn't you say something last night?" The preteen worried his lip. "Does granny know?"

"Why wouldn't she?"

The white haired child sighed as he wondered if Momo was telling him the truth. The door opened, and Aizen sensei stepped into the place. A shiver ran down Toshiro's spine. "I don't like him."

"Are you ready to go Hitsugaya-kun?"

"No..."

"There is no time for you to finish breakfast Shiro-chan."

"Not that. I want to take some stuff for studying with me."

Momo glared at him. "You don't have any sketchpads?"

"Why do I need a sketchpad? My class focus project involves writing."

"Go ahead Hitsugaya-kun."

Toshiro got up, and headed into his room to grab a folder, writing utensils and some loose leaf papers. The nasty feeling didn't go away as he shoved the items into his book bag while removing the unneeded items. "You just don't like the man. This is going to be boring." He stepped out of the room, and flinched when Aizen pulled on his sleeve indicating he wanted the preteen to remain close. "That's why I hate him. He always treats me like a child."

The young preteen simply let Aizen pull him along so he could zone out while they were on the crowded train. Momo kept talking about random things that didn't hold his interest, but a quick glance said she had the attention of Aizen sensei. Entering the museum was no problem, but the entire place was crowded much to Toshiro's distaste. Seeing past the adults milling about, and hearing Momo talk about things he couldn't easily see rather soured the experience. "Plus Aizen sensei's not letting me out of his sight. He let's Hinamori wander off, but won't let go of my sleeve. Bastard."

"I know you'll likely slip off and wander the subway traints Hitsugaya-kun."

Toshiro flinched as his bright teal eyes widened, and then he looked up at the man without hiding his disgust. "Who says I was going to run off? It's not as if I have anything better to do." A thought crossed his mind causing him to look away from the man. "I could go see Ichigo, but there is no telling where he is. I guess having a cell phone would be good for 'that' kind of emergency as well as 'this' kind of emergency."

A grumbling of the stomach caused the preteen's cheeks to flush up, and Momo came back just in time. "Where would the two of you like to go to eat?"

"Shiro-chan?"

"The damn bastard noticed." Two bright teal eyes glared at the floor. "He knows I don't like speaking up in this kind of situation." One of his eyes twitched. "God. I just thought Ichimaru Gin would be a better conversation partner then this guy. Don't I hate him more?"

"Shiro-chan?" Momo's words caused Toshiro to look up at her while the corners of his mouth continued to twist into a frown. The girl was obviously thinking of something, even worried about something. Her eyes brightened as an idea went off in her head, and her usual smile came back. "How about a family restaurant? Shiro-chan's never been to one."

They moved through the crowds again, and Toshiro's mind lost focus until he felt Aizen let go of his sleeve. Two eyes blinked a couple of times, and then the man pushed him between the shoulders. "Sit Toshiro."

The preteen slipped into the booth while Aizen slipped across him. Momo sat down next to him, and he felt his hands clench the seat. A woman bustled about taking orders, and finally Toshiro simply pulled out his bag. His foster sister let out a sigh, and leaned over to whisper into his ear. "That's impolite Toshiro."

"It's all right Hinamori. Hitsugaya-kun, you're working on your class project?" Toshiro simply nodded his head as he took out the items in his bag. "Nothing wrong with that."

"I still don't like you." The preteen looked at the paper thinking about what to write.

A hand on his shoulder caused him to jump. "Shiro-chan... you need to order."

"I... just order what ever. Not as if I know anything about this kind of thing." The preteen put his pen to paper, but not before he heard Aizen speak up.

"I wish you would be more sociable Hitsugaya-kun. It's no wonder you have problems making friends."

"Not my fault, not my fault." Toshiro shook his head and saw the pen not move on the paper. "I just want to write a letter to my parents. I know how to write letters as we're taught the format. I've just never... written someone a letter." Something clicked then. "Let's just follow the format then."

To the mother and father of Hitsugaya Toshiro

This letter is to inform said parents of Hitsugaya Toshiro that their son has questions concerning.

"Concerning what? This sounds... to formal." Toshiro blinked a couple of times. The preteen slipped the paper behind the stack of loose leaf.

To mother and father,

A smile spread across the preteens face. "Just let it out. Don't hold back. That's what Kaien-dono says about creative writing when he taught about it in class."

I've got questions for the two of you. I want to know who you are, and I want to know why neither one of you wanted me.

A frown spread across the boy's face. "How come I don't have more to say?"

"Your food's here Shiro-chan."

Toshiro hastily scribbled the ending to the letter, and closed the folder letting it slip back into his bag. Looking up only caused the preteen to flinch. For some reason somebody felt it apt to stick a childish flag into the top of his food. "The burger place is much better."