Hello and welcome to a somewhat bizarre fic. It was put together from a rambling assortment of musings. As a result it is not always in chronological order, but there is a theme running through it. Some things may not be obvious at first, but stick with it. I promise I have already written the ending. I just need to get there. I hope you'll come with me.

Bleach is not mine.

Prologue

Whether it was a beginning or an end or both he couldn't tell. The cycle had come round again as it inevitably did. Everything was bright. Everything was so white that he could only tell it had been white when it started to recede. Colours and dark shapes began to appear and that pure, bright white faded. He opened his eyes. He missed the white light, but there was whiteness here too. Wherever here was.

Snow fell in Rungokai.

Chapter 1: Rumours

There had always been rumours about Hitsugaya Toshirou. Even before he was a shinigami, back in Rungokai where he lived with Momo and an old lady who liked them to call her Granny.

When you are a kid with white hair you attract rumours.

Some said that he was sick like that Captain in the city. Others said that his hair was a mark that he didn't belong here, that he was a soul destined for hell. Some people just shouted insults. But everyone agreed there was something strange about the boy.

Everyone except Momo. One of the reasons he liked Momo was that she had never listened to the rumours about him.

But Toshirou heard the rumours. Perhaps in an attempt to prove them all wrong he made himself perfectly normal. He put up a mask and reassured himself that there was nothing strange, nothing special about him.

So when Hinamori declared that she was going to be a shinigami Toshirou couldn't understand it. Why would she leave him and the normality that they had here?

After she had left he didn't try to make friends with the other kids around. They had only tolerated him because Momo was there. There was something no quite right about him, they could tell.

Nobody knew when Toshirou had arrived in Soul Society. He didn't remember himself. Other people sometimes talked about their lives on earth. But for Toshirou everything was a blank before he arrived. A bright white blank.

But he'd be damned before he stood out. He didn't want any one making a fuss about him. He hated it when Momo came back and patted his head and told him about the academy.

"Why do you tell me all this bedwetter-Momo? I don't care."

"But Shiro-chan, the academy is so great. It really brings out the best in you."

Toshirou wasn't sure he wanted the best in him to be brought out. He picked at a scab on his knee.

Momo didn't seem to notice how bored Toshirou was, "Being a shinigami gives you so many chances you wouldn't get otherwise. And you might even have a chance to work with captain Aizen." She paused then hurriedly said, "Or another of the captains."

Toshirou yawned.

It wasn't until Momo told him of the hollow attack she had been saved from by captain Aizen that Toshirou's attitude began to change. Something stirred inside him, a will to protect. He didn't want to see Momo getting hurt. But there was a deeper feeling too, one he couldn't quite pin down.

So when Granny died, (or was reincarnated, Toshirou didn't really understand, not remembering his own time on earth) he decided to go and see what all the fuss was about.

Hitsugaya found that there were new rumours here at the academy. He didn't seem to be able to shake them.

There was a name for him floating around. Tensai. Genius. Prodigy.

Hitsugaya didn't see what all the fuss was about. Everything was so simple, like he had done it a thousand times before.

There were rumours about how he had entered the academy too. That he was Ukitake's son, that he had cheated on the entrance test, that he wasn't a child at all, just a very short old man. But the truth was much less exciting

Hitsugaya owed his place at the academy to his own dogged determination. He had turned up at the annual examinations like everybody else.

"Hey kid," said the proctor, "Are you lost?"

"Is this the place for the shinigami examination?"

"Yeah."

"Then no." Hitsugaya walked past with the confidence that only someone who doesn't really care can achieve.

He entered the wide courtyard at the front of the academy. There were a lot of people milling around looking nervous, or looking over confident. Hitsugaya was the only one looking bored.

"Hey kid."

Hitsugaya was starting to dislike being called that. He looked up to see who had spoken. It was a tall man wearing some very fancy looking clothes, better clothes than any one even in the 1st division of Rungokai could afford.

"What?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for the examination," Hitsuagaya said stubbornly.

The man laughed very loudly. As if his hair and his height weren't enough to attract attention Hitsugaya now had a circle of curious people forming around him.

"Are you lost?" asked a nervous woman, putting a hand on Hitsugaya's shoulder.

He swatted the hand aside and sighed. "No."

"Are you here to see someone then?"

"Yes."

"Ah who. Maybe we can help you find them." The woman smiled kindly.

"The examiner. Same as you." Hitsugaya scratched his neck. He was saved from any more questions by a loud voice ringing out across the courtyard.

"Please proceed into the academy in single file. Collect a number as you enter. Keep the number with you at all times. Please follow the instructions of the instructors when you get inside."

Hitsugaya queued up for him number. People kept jostling him since they missed him. Even the shinigami handing out numbers missed him.

"Hello!" Hitsugaya waved a hand in the guy's face.

"Ah," the instructor jumped in surprise. "Do you need some help sonny?"

"No. I need a number."

"Oh, here."

Hitsugaya was handed a card with 99 on it. And waved through. Behind him he could hear snickers.

Inside he found a written test. Some of the questions were simple questions on spiritual matters, some were designed to test spatial ability, logic, mathematics, linguistics. Hitsugaya didn't even think about them. The answers just crystallised in his mind perfectly clear.

The real problem came with the physical tests. At first the instructor wouldn't let him participate.

"I don't want to be responsible for you getting hurt."

"Then I'll be responsible for not getting myself hurt, ok."

"No."

"Is there any rule that says I can't participate?"

"No."

"Then there's no problem." And Hitsugaya set off on the required run.

Half an hour later a quarter of the candidates had collapsed or given up. Hitsugaya hadn't broken a sweat. He never did. He almost never overheated except in the very hottest weather. But that didn't mean he wasn't tired. He took a glass of water gratefully from the nice woman he'd met in the courtyard.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Are you doing ok?"

"I'm fine."

Before the conversation could proceed or become awkward another voice called out announcing the next part of the exam. Combat.

Hitsugaya found his number matched up with another on a large board. He waved goodbye to the nice woman with the water.

At the training ground he handed his number to another instructor who gave him a wooden practice sword in exchange.

"You made it this far kid, I'm impressed." It was man in the fancy clothes from before. "Sorry you won't make it any further."

"Whatever." Hitsugaya raised his sword into something he instinctively felt was a good position. His experience of fighting was limited to scraps with other children. The closest he's ever come to a sword was a stick.

The fancy man laughed. "I feel kinda bad about beating up a kid. Intstructor?"

The instructor looked up from his notes, "Yes?"

"This isn't going to count against me is it?"

"Only if you lose. Please begin."

"Ah, it's just a shame I can't show off my skills against a worthier opponent. Best make the best of it." And with that he launched himself at Hitsugaya.

Or at least where Hitsugaya had been.

Hitsugaya felt a curious clarity as he had watched the man. His stance had showed exactly what he was about to do. Hitsugaya dodged to the left. His opponent had the advantage of height, weight, reach and actually some experience with a sword.

Hitsugaya dodged backwards again, putting as much distance between the man and him. What exactly did he have on his side he mused. Well, speed for one, and his reflexes were better too, but that wasn't going to save him.

Even though he should have been worried facing a much stronger opponent, he wasn't. Another thing he could add to his list of advantages was the fantastic clarity. Everything was clear like crystal or ice. He knew what he had to do.

Hitsugaya stepped off the defensive, surprising his opponent. In a flash he was up close to the man. Range was no longer an advantage. Hitsugaya kept his head low and his sword high, occasionally making swipes at his opponent's legs. For a moment he was pushing the other man back.

But the surprise only lasted so long. With a few strong thrusts the man was in charge of the battle again.

Hitsugaya dodged backwards to avoid a stroke from above. It barely missed him. But here, now, this was his chance.

Before his opponent could raise his sword for another hit, Hitsugaya had ducked underneath his sword. With a solid crack, Hitsugaya swiped his own sword into the man's ribs.

He skidded to a halt. The instructor called out something. Hitsugaya looked up.

Perhaps this is where some of the rumours began. The instructor later said to his friends over a good dose of sake that the kid's eyes were one of the scariest things he's ever seen.

"It was like something huge was looking out. Something old and bright and shining. And then the next minute it's just a normal kid again, helping the other guy to his feet."

"Oh shut up, Suzuki. You've had too much to drink."

"I'm telling you it was terrifying. You know like when the captain gets mad."

"Shut up and drink your sake."

Hitsugaya helped the other man over to the healers. He was mostly just surprised and winded.

"Ha! Kid, you weren't screwing around were you? I should have taken you seriously. You better go on to do something bloody brilliant, so I don't feel bad about losing to you. I'll be back next year. If I catch up with you, I'll beat you up. Remember Kobayashi Sho."

"Whatever, old man." Hitsugaya didn't like expectations. But he did say as he turned to leave, "Hitsugaya Toshirou."

"Hitsugaya-taichou, there are three hollows in the area of the Fire Station. They have members of the third division pinned down," a shinigami gave a quick report.

Hitsugaya nodded and with a quick shunpo and a flash of steal the hollows were dispatched.

He landed next to the shinigami who had apprised him of the situation. "Have you radioed for the fourth division?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. There were no serious injuries, but better safe than sorry." Hitsugaya called up a hell butterfly for the passage back. He paused a moment, "Kobayashi?"

"Yes sir." The shinigami straightened up.

"You said you were going to beat me up."

"Yes sir, I'm sorry sir."

"Lucky for me you haven't caught up... yet." Hitsugaya smiled.

Kobayashi Sho laughed nervously. He had always worried his hasty remarks would come back to haunt him. Threatening a future captain of the gotei-13 is not a good start to a career as a shinigami.

"Make sure the medics take a look at your ribs. That's a nasty gash. Maybe you should focus on your defence in training." With that Hitsugaya stepped into the portal to the Soul Society.

Toshirou didn't like his academy uniform. It was about three sizes too big and it itched. Hinamori said it made him look cute. She had ruffled his hair and called him Siro-chan again even though she had promised not to when he entered the academy. It seemed her promises didn't mean much.

One of her friends plucked at her elbow.

"See you later Shiro-chan," she waved goodbye.

Toshirou tried to fix his hair and ignore what Hinamori's friend said as they walked away.

"Do you know that kid Hinamori-san? What's he doing here?"

"Oh Toshirou-kun is a genius," Hinamori smiled, unaware of what rumours she had started about her young friend with those simple words and the trouble they would cause.

That is the end of chapter one. I hope you don't mind the slightly bizarre chronology. It does dot around through time. If you would like to read a simpler Hitsugaya fic please head on over to my fic 'The Family of Ice and Snow'. It fits in with this fic and shows a young Hitsugaya at the academy. This fic should catch up to that one in the next chapter which is almost finished.

Please write me a review. It will only take a minute of your time and will make me a very very happy person. Constructive criticism is welcome.