Yay! I've had the idea for this story forever. But i ended up doing a lot of changes to it and only now is it finally ready for publishing. For those of you that read my Fairy Tail story Irreplaceable don't worry. I'm still working on that story as well. In fact the next chapter is almost ready :)
So I hope you enjoy this. Please review too :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach
Chapter 1: Yuzu
Karin sat up quickly, breathing hard and drenched in sweat. It was still dark outside, dark and quiet. Karin sighed softly. It looked like another sleepless night. And the cause was nothing more then a dream. A dream consisting of a blinding white light and a scream and it scared her more then anything in the world; even more then knowing she was dead.
KK~TH
Yuzu sighed as she stared out the window at the pouring rain. On the one hand she was glad it was raining today of all days. It wouldn't have seemed right if it was sunny. But on the other hand, she really didn't want to walk in it.
"Yuuuuzuuu!" Isshin sang behind her, "Are you ready?"
"Hai." She said putting on what she hoped was a cheery smile.
"Let's go, let's go!" he said marching out into the rain, "Ichigo said he'll meet us there."
Yuzu sighed again. She loved Ichigo but today was not the day she wanted to see him. He blamed himself more for this than for when their mother died. And because of it he had moved out six months ago and Yuzu had rarely seen him since.
Their walk was quiet, Isshin jumping in puddles and Yuzu quietly following, a black umbrella held firmly over her head. Her heart began constricting as they neared their destination. Through the rain she could see people standing in front of the gravestone. One of them was tall with bright orange hair: Ichigo. He easily evaded his father's hug before turning his attention to Yuzu.
"Happy birthday Yuzu." She gave him a tight smile. He then turned towards the gravestone they stood in front of.
"Happy birthday Karin." He said softly.
KK~TH
The people with Ichigo Yuzu immediately recognized and they accompanied the Kurosakis back to the house. The first of course was Rukia, Ichigo's almost constant companion if not girlfriend by now. The second took Yuzu a bit longer to put a name to the pretty face of the full-bosomed red-head. For some reason Karin playing soccer against the middle school team while she was in grade school kept popping into her head.
Yuzu cooked lunch as she normally did but her eyes kept drifting to Ichigo's friend. It wasn't someone she saw often like Sado-san or Inoue-san but it was definitely someone she had met before if only briefly. She was fairly good with remembering names.
*Crash*
Yuzu blinked in surprise as the dirty pot she was carrying dropped to the floor.
"Yuzu?" Ichigo asked in alarm. He was half standing from his seat on the couch.
"I'm fine onii-chan. Wasn't paying attention." She said cheerfully. Ichigo gave her another look of concern but sat back down and turned toward the red-head.
"It's not possible Matsumoto." He stated loudly before Rukia hushed him.
Matsumoto. A green-eyed white haired boy popped into Yuzu's head and suddenly she remembered. Toshiro-kun, Karin's old soccer-mate. If she remembered correctly Matsumoto-san was his cousin or something like that. Satisfied that she finally remembered Yuzu placed lunch on the table then announced she was going to take a bath. As Yuzu went upstairs she frowned. She hadn't missed the looks of concern Ichigo and his friends gave her. Honestly even after a year people still thought she was gonna break down in tears at any given moment. Yuzu stifled a scream as she opened her bedroom door. A ghost floated lazily above her bed. Upon seeing her it gave a startled gasp and floated through the wall. That was another thing she hadn't been able to tell her brother. Ever since her last birthday she had been able to see ghosts. They had been blurry at first but as time went on she had been able to see them more clearly. Yuzu sighed. She remembered a time when she had wanted to see ghosts like Ichigo and Karin but now…. With another long sigh Yuzu got ready for her bath.
KK~TH
Ichigo continued to stare after his sister even after she had disappeared from both sight and hearing.
"Ichigo?" Rukia nudged him softly.
"Impossible." He muttered. He looked back at Matsumoto, "Impossible." He said louder. Rangiku Matsumoto rolled her eyes.
"Says the guy who can't even sense reiatsu." She snapped irritably. Matsumoto was not in the mood for this blockhead.
"Sheesh. Don't get mad at me. I didn't kick you out of your office." He said. Matsumoto gritted her teeth. She desperately wanted to punch someone and Ichigo's head was looking like a nice target. Rukia however was closer and she slapped him upside the head.
"Enough Ichigo. You weren't there a year ago. Hitsugaya taicho made Soul Society a living hell for three months."
"And the 10th squad barracks for another three." Matsumoto added.
Ichigo shrugged. Personally he could understand. The Kurosaki household had been a war zone until he moved out. And he knew Toshiro blamed himself as much as Ichigo blamed himself. After all Toshiro was the one that followed Karin out of the house that night. Ichigo sighed.
"Are you sure?" he asked giving in. Matsumoto nodded.
"It's no where near as strong as yours and it's not quite as strong as Karin's when I first met her. But Yuzu's reiatsu is stronger than it ever was before. I wouldn't be surprised if it continued to grow."
Ichigo groaned. First Karin now Yuzu.
"It makes sense Ichigo." Rukia said thoughtfully, "Yuzu was always able to at least sense reiatsu to some degree. Last year's… accident was probably enough of a catalyst to start her off."
"So you mean even Yuzu will be dragged into this?"
"It's her choice." Matsumoto countered, "Just like it was yours and just like it was Karin's."
Ichigo flinched as unwanted memories flooded into his head. He never wanted to argue with Karin on her birthday. Never wanted to chase her out of the house in a blind rage. So angry she didn't even see the truck coming.
"Ichigo." Rukia said softly, "We need to tell Yuzu everything. Before she starts seeking answers elsewhere like Karin did."
"I need to think about this." He said, "Have you found anything?"
Matsumoto shook her head.
"Taicho has turned Soul Society upside down several times but we haven't found anything."
"Ichigo I told you. We might never find her." Rukia said softly.
"Find who?" Yuzu's voice echoed loudly through the room making the other three jump.
"Yuzu? I thought you were bathing." Ichigo said nervously.
"I changed my mind. Who are you looking for?" Yuzu demanded. Matsumoto and Rukia looked at Ichigo but he didn't say anything.
"Is it Karin? It's her ghost you're looking for isn't it?" Matsumoto and Rukia were staring at Yuzu in amazement. Her reiatsu was increasing rapidly as she got angrier at her silent brother. Simultaneously their phones went off. They looked at each other for a moment before Matsumoto excused herself. Yuzu ignored the exchange and continued to glare at her increasingly nervous brother.
"Can you see ghosts Yuzu?" Rukia asked.
"Ever since Karin died."
Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other in surprise. This was something they hadn't known.
"Tell me Ichigo." Yuzu said sitting in Matsumoto's vacant chair, "I'm tired of everyone keeping secrets from me."
Ichigo sighed.
"Alright Yuzu I'll tell you." Ichigo gave up. This was a destiny that involved his whole family and he was going to need to learn and accept that rather quickly. He knew he couldn't put it off any longer.
"It started when I was fifteen…"
KK~TH
Yuzu hummed her sister's favorite tune as she prepared dinner. There was a lot going through her head but the music helped to slow down the speed in which that information flew. It had been a lot to take in: Shinigami, hollows, Soul Society and all the little details and battles that happened in between. Ichigo separating his soul and body had been weird; she could barely see his soul. And finally his absolute refusal of allowing Karin to be trained as a Shinigami; Karin who was fighting hollows since she was eleven with a soccer ball. Yuzu shook her head slightly. Sometimes she wondered about her brother's logic. He had to have known about the soccer ball, Rukia did.
Yuzu-chan?"
Yuzu turned from the counter to see Matsumoto standing at the entrance of the kitchen.
"Hai Matsumoto-san?"
Matsumoto beamed at her.\
"I just wanted to let you know that if you had any questions I would be here until tomorrow morning."
Yuzu smiled.
"Then could you tell me what Soul Society is like? What Karin is experiencing."
Matsumoto sat at the kitchen table.
"Of course. And when I get back I'll make sure my Taicho speaks to Soutaicho about you coming for a visit."
Yuzu's smile widened.
"Arigato Matsumoto-san."
As Yuzu continued making dinner and Matsumoto began describing Soul Society, Yuzu felt some tension lift from her body. She hadn't realized how worried she had been about the state her sister was in, but who could blame her?
'I'll find you soon Karin-chan.'