Because You Are My Destiny

~*~ As far away as they seem, clouds are always there to watch over you~*~

Sparkling, emerald eyes closed from complete boredom. The young prodigy looked around the room slowly. Everyone was bent over their tests, concentrating much too hard to notice anything happening in the surroundings. The teacher noticed the bored child and gave him a small nod. Standing up, his chair scraping across the ground as it moved back, Hitsugaya made his way to the front of the room and handed his test in. Without a word, the young boy left the classroom while everyone else looked up for one second in admiration and a hint of jealousy.

Alone and with nothing to do, Hitsugaya found himself walking towards the training area. However, the prodigy didn't go there to train; instead, he found a large tree and sat down in its shadow, leaning on the trunk for support. He closed his eyes and let the world around him fade away into a see of black. After a while, the bell rang and everyone departed their classrooms for lunch. Rushing footsteps approached the half-sleeping boy but he was too lost in another world to notice. A large, yet beautiful image of dragon made of ice flashed through his mind. Hitsugaya's eyes shot open in surprise.

"Shiro-chan, is something wrong?"

Hinamori looked at the now fully awake boy with a mix of concern and curiosity. Hitsugaya shook his head quickly and stood up. Unconvinced, Hinamori continued to ask Hitsugaya if he was okay when she suddenly reached a conclusion. She clicked her fingers in realization.

"Ah! You had a nightmare! Who knew even Shiro-chan had nightmares?"

The young prodigy scowled.

"I did not. And stop calling me Shiro-chan!"

The young girl stuck her tongue out.

"I'll call you properly by your first name only after you discover your zanpakutou!"

"Fine!"

Hinamori grinned; the little prodigy was still little at heart, despite how wise he may seem in may other areas. Because of his high academic achievements and the rumors spreading about a pre-graduation invitation, Hinamori it wouldn't belong until Hitsugaya would fulfill the condition.

"Anyways, my teacher said that she'll teach me some new kido! I'll see you later Shiro-chan!"

Before Hitsugaya could complain yet again about the childish nickname, Hinamori was already far, far away and laughing quietly to herself. The boy shook his head in disbelief but couldn't help but let a smile spread across his face. About to sit back down, Hitsugaya suddenly felt a chill travel down his spine. The world before him started to spin and within moments, he was in a wintery wonderland with the same ice dragon before him. The prodigy was in shock.

"W- Who are you?!"

In a deep, rumbling, majestic voice, the dragon answered.

"I am Hyourinmaru, the strongest zanpakutou in the ice and water elemental family. I have the abilities to freeze all who stand in my way and alter the weather in anyway I please. Are you the one who will wield me as your zanpakutou?"

Swallowing all his fears, Hitsugaya gave a quick nod before replying with a 'yes' that sounded pitifully weak next to the dragon's commanding voice. The dragon looked at Hitsugaya with a critical eye before letting a glint of approval shine in them. The imposing voice spoke again:

"In a single sentence, I want you to tell me why I should let you acquire my powerful abilities."

Hitsugaya didn't hesitate; if this was Hyourinmaru's test then he would need to be honest. If he failed it, then Hyourinmaru would obviously not be his zanpakutou. The boy took a deep breath.

"I need to borrow your power… because there is someone I want to protect."

It didn't take long for Hyourinmaru to make his decision. As if impressed by the youngster's determination, the ice drgaon flew up high above the child before suddenly shattering, revealing a zanpakutou with a cross-guard in the shape of a four-pointed star. The icy environment disappeared the second Hitsugaya held the sword in his hand. Familiar rushing footsteps came within hearing but the boy couldn't look away from the zanpakutou in his hand

"That was amazing!"

Dragging eyes away from Hyourinmaru, Hitsugaya saw Hinamori before him smiling and breathless. He looked back down at his own hand and smiled as well. Hinamori gave him a big hug that caught Hitsugaya by surprise. Releasing him, the young girl took a minute to catch her breath before exclaiming again:

"That was amazing, Shiro--… I mean, Hitsugaya-kun!"

Hitsugaya blinked in surprise; Hinamori actually meant it when she said she would stop calling him Shiro-chan. He plonked back down against the tree and Hinamori gladly sat next to him, enjoying the shade. After explaining that the kido teacher was sick and therefore absent today, Hinamori started asking all sorts of questions about Hyourinmaru.

"So, what techniques does it have?"

The young boy went back through his memories, trying to remember what Hyourinmaru had said.

"Something about, strongest ice and water zanpakutou. Apparently it can also control the weather. I guess that means it could make it rain…"

"That is so incredible! No wonder everyone says you're a tensai; you ace all of your tests and you get one of the most powerful zanpakutous ever!"

Hitsugaya looked away modestly.

"It's nothing…"

.X.

"Matsumoto!"

The Fuku-Taichou quickly hid all her sake and stumbled out of her room to meet her Taichou in the office.

"Yes?"

"Do we have anything else we need to stamp while I have the stamp out?"

The strawberry-blonde racked her brain.

"Ah! Yes we do! There's some random document that needs the stamp of every division. Right now, it's only missing ours and another division's. I guess we just have to pass it on when we're done."

Shuffling through the papers on her desk, Matsumoto pulled it out of the pile and gave it to Hitsugaya proudly. The Taichou quickly stamped it and looked at the list of stamps. There was a large gap between the Foruth Division's stamp and the Sixth Division's stamp. Hitsugaya walked to the door.

"I'm going to the Fifth Division to get the last stamp. Don't get drunk while I'm gone."

A/N: Well, my computer's random act of deleting my original document left me with no choice but to rewrite and update later. From a misunderstanding about the date this fic was due, the fanfic isn't in the Destiny Competition anymore. Originally planning to update like crazy to get this in by the due date I thought it was, I can now relax. But...

I'm still gonna update like mad because I feel like it! :D Next chapter should be up soon!

&. strawberrii