Disclaimer - I do not own Bleach

Hyourinmaru

School progresses in much the same way as the first day that I stepped foot inside the walls of the Academy. I go to class, learn what is expected of me, and then leave. And all of the others students completely ignore me. It's a little bit easier now that I've been moved up the ranks. As it turns out I'm too smart to be here and the people in charge keep moving me up to the higher grades.

When I first entered the Academy I was bullied, since the other students thought that it would be great fun to pick on the little brat that didn't belong here. Unfortunately for them I had already vowed to myself that I would not be victim of such things anymore and they were privileged enough to get a taste of the icy reiatsu for which I am now famous.

I have no idea why my reiatsu turns the air around me cold however it's a rather useful skill. People find it harder to fight against me when they're suffering from hypothermia, not that I have any sympathy for them. They shouldn't have picked a fight that they couldn't win.

I will not be a victim ever again.

"Shirou-chan!"

I clench my hands into fists as I hear Momo calling out to me from across the courtyard. I swear, if she doesn't stop calling me by that nickname. I hear the snickers from the students who are gathered in the courtyard in small groups but I chose to ignore them.

For the most part.

Momo shivers as she comes to stand beside me and there's a reproachful expression in her chocolate colored eyes as she gazes down at me. "It's freezing Shirou-chan, turn off your reiatsu."

"Don't call me Shirou-chan," I snap as I make a conscious effort to rein in my reiatsu and bring it under control. It's still somewhat difficult for me to control it when I'm angry however after a couple of attempts I manage to lower it and Momo ceases to shiver.

"So how were your classes? Any better today?"

There's a hopeful tone in her voice, as though she really thinks that my situation would somehow miraculously get better. "No."

"I'm sorry Shirou-chan, I know things are rough but it won't always be like this."

I roll my eyes at her effort to comfort me and then turn away from her so that she won't see the fact that her words actually did have an effect on me. Her words give me a small measure of hope for the future however letting her know this is the last thing in the world that I want to do.

"Come on." Momo seizes me by the hand, giving me absolutely no chance to pull away, and proceeds to drag me across the courtyard toward the front exit. Damn it but I'm tired of being pulled along like her doll or something. "I know what will cheer you up."

Somehow I highly doubt that however I make no move to protest as she pulls me through the Seireitei. We travel in silence until we arrive at the gate that separated the home of the Shinigami from the rest of Soul Society and then at this point I pull my hand free from hers.

"What the hell Momo?"

She completely ignores this question as the gatekeeper steps aside and allows us to pass. My first impulse is to turn around and head back to the Academy grounds however it's obvious that Momo is going on, with or without me, and I can't let her travel out into the forest alone.

I still vividly remember what happened the last time that we were there.

With the vision of the Hollow that had attacked us in mind I quickly run to catch up to Momo, who has traveled several yards ahead of me. It's true that she annoys me to no end however Momo is also the only friend that I have and I'll be damned if I'm going to allow anything to happen to her.

So together we make our way to the river in District One where we had our first conversation. I regard this small clearing as my special place and now I fully realize why it is that Momo brought me here. She wanted to cheer me up and this was apparently the best way that she knew of accomplishing that.

"Thank you." This is muttered in a barely audible voice as I sit down beside the river, pulling my knees up to my chest and hugging them protectively.

"You're welcome."

The two of us sit in companionable silence, each lost in our own thoughts. I still can't believe that it's only been three months since I joined the ranks of the students of the Shinigami Academy and I'm already halfway finished with a curriculum that is supposed to take six years. I can tell by the looks that they give me that all of my teachers are shocked by this as well and of course the other students are jealous.

Once again I'm hated for something that I have absolutely no control over.

My thoughts are interrupted at this point by a howl that has now become familiar. We've been studying Hollow for awhile now and due to the fake Hollow that our teachers made I now know exactly what they sound like. I immediately jump to my feet, with Momo right behind me.

Together we gaze at the Hollow that has just appeared in the clearing and the damn thing is huge. Way bigger than the last one that attacked us. Momo immediately unsheathes the zanpaktou that she only recently acquired while I prepare to use kidou to fight.

Damn it I wish that I had a sword.

The beast howls in rage as it rushes toward us. Leaping out of the way and barely missing being hit by the beast's claws Momo swings her sword however the blow that was intended for the Hollow's mask missed by mere inches. I can tell that Momo's surprised that she missed and as a result she doesn't see that the Hollow is about to strike.

"Momo! Look out you idiot!"

Glancing back Momo sees the hand that is swiftly coming toward her and she dodges the blow without a second to spare. "Thanks Shirou-chan."

Making note of her use of that nickname so that I can yell at her about it later I leap into the air, holding my hands out in front of me. I launch a kidou blast at the Hollow's mask however the beast swipes it aside as though it's nothing.

Damn. I was not expecting that.

Momo makes another attempt at striking the Hollow's mask and actually manages to nick it this time however this hit doesn't destroy the Hollow and only increases it's anger. Seeing that she's about to get struck I quickly leap into the air and knock her out of the way before the Hollow's claws manage to make contact with her flesh.

My flash-step is quick enough for me to dodge the blow as well however I lose my balance and fall to the ground at Momo's side. Determined to end this fight I jump to my feet and fire the most advanced kidou attack that I know, hoping that it will be enough to bring the beast down.

It's not.

The blast does make contact however it does only slightly more damage than Momo's attack and only serves to increase the Hollow's anger. This situation is starting to get out of hand and I find myself wondering where all of the full-fledged Shinigami are and why they haven't sensed the reiatsu from this fight. What the hell are they waiting for? I swear if someone's hiding in the bushes this time I'm going to. . .

"Agh!"

My thoughts are interrupted as I hear Momo's cry of pain and my gaze shifts over to the spot where she's now standing, blood flowing from her shoulder. My vision deteriorates as I lay eyes upon her wound and I find myself wanting the Hollow's blood more than ever before. But how can I kill it?

"Call out to me and I can help you."

This voice. . . It's actually echoing through my head as though the person speaking is inside my brain. My vision goes completely black at this point and when it clears I find myself standing on a plain of ice. And right in front of me is a huge dragon.

My eyes widen in surprise.

"Are you prepared to wield me Toushirou?"

My thoughts shift back to Momo, who must still be battling the Hollow, and without hesitation I answer the dragon's question. I'm ready and willing to do anything in order to protect Momo from the Hollow that had attacked us. "Yes."

"Then all you have to do is call out my name."

And with these words the ice vanishes and I find myself once more by the river in District One. Momo has been knocked to the ground by the Hollow, who is now approaching her with an evil gleam in it's eyes. Enraged by this sight I scream out, "HYOURINMARU!"

A chill wind begins to circle around me as a sword forms in my right hand. The blade is almost as long as I am tall and the handle has ice blue cloth wrapped around it. Shifting the sword and assuming a fighting stance I lunge toward the Hollow, swinging my newly acquired zanpaktou in an arch in front of me. Shards of ice erupt from the tip and strike the Hollow, effectively making him forget about Momo and set his sights on a new target.

Me.

Which is just fine and actually what I wanted to happen. I will not lose to this piece of filth and I once again raise my sword. Using my flash-step I dodge around the blows thrown at me by the Hollow and use my blade to slice through the mask, ending the Hollow's life.

Landing lightly on the ground I watch as the Hollow fades into dust before turning my attention back to Momo. She's raised to a half sitting position and is staring at me as though she has just seen a ghost. Rolling my eyes in her direction I walk over to the spot where she's sitting and kneel beside her.

"You okay Bed-wetter Momo?"

"Shirou-chan!"

I make an attempt to pull back as she jumps toward me but I'm not fast enough to dodge and she wraps her arms around my neck. My first impulse is to pull away but I fight it and allow her to embrace me for a few seconds before I get to my feet. Gazing down at her I offer Momo my hand, which she accepts. I pull Momo to her feet and she gazes at me with, is that pride shining in her eyes?

"You got your zanpaktou Shirou-chan."

So I did. I gaze down at the katana that I'm holding in my hands, marveling at the fact that it actually feels cold in my grip. If the zanpaktou truly is the embodiment of my heart and soul this explains my icy reiatsu. Apparently I'm just a cold individual.

"Hey! Is everything. . ."

The random Shinigami stops short as he enters the clearing, his searching gaze shifting around as though looking for something. I know exactly what it is that he's looking for and it angers me that he's just now arriving to help us. Just after the nick of time.

"Some help you are."

And with these scathing words I seize Momo by the hand and for once I'm the one doing the dragging as we leave the clearing. I probably should have stuck around to explain what had happened to that guy but I'm just not in the mood.

He can figure it out for himself for all I care.

A/N - and there's chapter seven and Shirou has Hyourinmaru now. I fully realize that this is not how it happened but for the purpose of my story it's what I wanted so therefore it's what I wrote. Hope you enjoyed, please review and tell me what you thought. Hitsu-taichou