Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I don't own the song "Dreams to dream" from the movie "An American Tale".
"Did you hear the news?" A tenth division member whispered to the soul reaper beside him.
"Yeah, I still can't believe it." His partner responded walking down the hallway pushing his glasses up higher on his nose.
"Well, it's true." Karin exclaimed walking up to the pair of soul reapers pausing in the hall.
"Are you sure, Karin?" The soul reaper with glasses asked as they both nervously glanced at each other.
"Yes, I am. I've seen it." Karin looked around them confirming the hallway was empty. "It came out one night last week while I was leaving the bathhouse. It was big and scary but worst of all was the voice: its shrieks can paralyze a soul reaper. I doubt even the head captain could survive."
"What happened after you were paralyzed?" The second soul reaper asked the third seat.
"Well, it approached me as I was helpless to defend and its claws stretched toward my neck to rip out my throat when it was suddenly scared away." Karin's tale began scaring the color out of the men's faces.
"Why did it run?" The bespectacled soul reaper questioned.
"It heard Lieutenant Hisagi when he was yelling to Ikkaku. I guess it feared being discovered by more soul reapers." Karin turned from the two members to continue down the hall.
Karin continued through the division smiling upon hearing the talk of the entire squad. All anyone could speak about is the ghost currently haunting the bathhouse. Karin gave a thoroughly accurate tale to her squad members in joy.
"Karin, tell me what happened." A female squad member begged running up to the third seat.
"About what?" Karin pretended to be ignorant of her question, even though it had been the talk for the past week.
"You know," she looked around the courtyard, "the ghost."
"Oh, the ghost," Karin tapped her chin to recall her memories. "It was very scary." The tenth member gulped in terror at the potential tale.
"I was leaving the office after a long night of paperwork when suddenly a voice reached my ears. The voice was so sweet and gentle I thought it was a lost child so I went to investigate. When I reached the bathhouse all I saw was a silhouette of a young woman walking from the steam. When it emerged it shrieked a terrifyingly ear piercing scream that vibrated into my bones freezing me in that single spot. All I could do was stare at the figure emerging from the steam – a beautiful young woman with dark brown hair and piercing black eyes. It looked at me and shrieked once again, the very sound throwing me to the ground pinning my arms against me and ensnaring my feet with invisible chains." Karin was so enthralled in her story she barely noticed the audience growing around them one member being Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto. "Now there I was paralyzed on the ground staring at the figure as it began changing. The ghost grew twelve feet with razor claws growing from the hands and the face morphing into a wolf head with drool dripping down the sharpened fangs of the creature. It shrieked once again and began approaching one of the claws reaching for my neck. My only thought was I am 23 years old and I was about to die . . . again. Before I gave up all hope I heard Ikkaku yell a ferocious cry aimed at Lieutenant Hisagi. His cry scared off the beast and with a menacing snarl it ran off and disappeared. I was released from my paralysis a few hours after the ghost left. Ever since then, I have made sure to avoid the bathhouse at night and I suggest all of you do the same. There is no telling when that ghost will show up again." Karin finished her tale leaving more than half of the division, including the lieutenant, with their mouths agape in terror from her tale.
…...
Toushiro Hitsugaya massaged the bridge of his nose rubbing the stress out of his eyes. He had been writing up reports for five hours straight and he needed a break, but sadly he did not have the time.
"Where is Rangiku?" Captain Hitsugaya complained thinking of any way he could force Rangiku to finish her paperwork even if she only worked for one hour.
"CAPTAIN!" Interesting how the subject of his musings entered the office at that exact moment.
"It's about time you got here, Rangiku." Toushiro stated looking back down to his work ignoring his lieutenant's hysterics.
"BUT, CAPTAIN!" Rangiku yelled looking out to the setting sun and shrieked once more running back to his desk.
"WE HAVE TO LEAVE, NOW!" Rangiku grabbed his arm attempting to lift him from his chair. This became nearly impossible after his growth spurt five years ago – one week he was the four foot kid captain, the next week he was six feet and full grown. He was enjoying every minute of his size, especially now with Rangiku struggling to make him move and failing in her attempts.
"Rangiku, why are you trying to make me leave the office? You're usually the one who can't wait to get out of here." Toushiro jerked his arm from her grip and bent down to his paperwork.
"Come on, Captain. We have to leave before the ghost appears again." Rangiku's explanation intrigued Toushiro as he put down his work and stared over at his lieutenant.
"What are you talking about, Rangiku? This is Soul Society, so it is impossible for there to be a ghost." Toushiro reasoned with the now hysterical lieutenant.
"I know, but Karin saw it." Rangiku pointed out the window to the setting sun.
"Karin saw it?" Toushiro quirked an eyebrow upon discovering the source of this story is his third seat.
"Yes she did. She saw it last week and it was horrible." Rangiku began the long and horrifying (in her mind) tale of the ghost haunting the bathhouse.
". . . and then, the ghost ran away when it heard Ikkaku screaming at Shuuhei. Karin was released from the paralysis a few hours later." Rangiku finished her tale looking out the window and whimpered that the sun had set.
"Did you check her story with Ikkaku and Lieutenant Hisagi?" Captain Hitsugaya reasoned with her.
"It wouldn't matter, those two were drunk and don't remember and they never remember anything after a drinking binge." Rangiku explained edging toward the door. If her captain didn't leave then she certain would.
"Then, how do you know the story is true?" Toushiro asked eyeing her retreating form backing up against the door.
"I don't know but I'm certainly not going to wait around to find out!" Rangiku ran out of the office and he heard her footsteps disappearing down the hall.
"Well, that explains why I can never find any of the division members after sunset." Toushiro exclaimed to an empty office bending back down to finish his work.
Dreams to dream
In the dark of the night
When the world goes wrong
I can still make it right
I can see so far in my dreams
I'll follow my dreams
Until they come true
A strange female voice reached Toushiro's ears in his office. The voice was beautiful and strange.
"I thought all of the division members were gone." Toushiro looked to the door recalling Rangiku's wild story. "I don't believe there is a ghost, but someone is here." He rose from his desk and retrieved Hyourinmaru from his stand.
"I'll take care of this once and for all." He walked outside the office and concealed his energy disappearing in shunpo.
Come with me
You will see what I mean
There's a world inside
No one else ever sees
You will go so far in my dreams
Somewhere in my dreams
Your dreams will come true
Toushiro followed the voice to the tenth division bathhouse.
"Maybe there is a kernel of truth to Rangiku's story." He whispered jumping onto a nearby roof watching the door of the bathhouse as steam escaped from under the door.
There is a star
Waiting to guide us
Shining inside us
When we close our eyes
The steam disappeared as whoever was inside prepared to exit the bathhouse. Toushiro drew Hyourinmaru and released his shikai gripping the extending chain in his left hand waiting for the "ghost" to appear.
Don't let go
If you stay close to me
In my dreams tonight
You will see what I see
Dreams to dream
As near as can be
Inside you and me
They always come true
The door to the bathhouse opened and a silhouette of the young woman walked from the steam. Toushiro jumped down and captured the "ghost" with Hyourinmaru's chain ensnaring it into a cast of ice.
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" The woman screamed when the chain was wrapped around her body.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" A familiar voice yelled.
"I knew there wasn't a ghost." Toushiro stepped toward the figure and stopped in bewilderment.
"TOUSHIRO!"
"Karin!" Toushiro shouted at Karin wrapped up in ice.
"What are you doing?" Karin asked through gripped teeth shivering in the ice.
"I came down here to capture the ghost." Toushiro stepped forward looking at her.
"Now why are you . . ." he asked then slapped his forehead, "I don't believe this."
"Wow, took you a full five seconds to figure this out, huh? Now if you don't mind, Hyourinmaru is a little bit cold." Karin glared wearing only a bathrobe and towel covering her hair and now covered in ice.
"Why did you do this?" Toushiro asked trying to figure out why she was "haunting" the bathhouse.
"Free me, and I'll be happy to explain." Karin began shivering in the ice. Toushiro released her and waited outside for her to get warm once again. When she was fully dressed, she walked with him to the tenth division office where she explained everything.
"Okay, so why did you pretend to be a ghost?" Toushiro asked fixing a cup of hot tea for the both of them.
"Well, the water in my apartment has been broken and I can't shower until it is fixed." Karin began explaining sipping her steaming tea. "It broke down a week ago and there is nowhere else to take a shower without someone getting curious."
"Why would someone ignore your privacy?" Toushiro asked sipping his own tea.
"As you've noticed, I tend to sing when I'm in the shower. My neighbors can't hear me since I take my showers so late at night and no one is awake to hear me." Karin explained drinking more of her tea.
"So how long were you planning on 'haunting' the bathhouse?" Toushiro questioned crossing his arms over his chest.
"At least for two more weeks until the plumbers can get to my apartment." Karin set down her empty cup on his desk.
"Well, it looks like your plan worked. I've never seen the squad members scatter from the division faster after the ghost first appeared. The second the sun sets this division became a ghost town." Toushiro coughed at his tea with the pun he just made.
"Yeah," Karin chuckled at his unintended pun.
"Now, how do you plan to get rid of the ghost?" Toushiro asked his third seat.
"I haven't got to that point yet."
"Well, you've got to think about it; I can't have my squad members scared of the dark." Captain Hitsugaya stated to Karin causing her to think about her actions.
"I guess I could be the one to defeat the ghost with a special technique that only I can perform. And, you can be my witness." Toushiro blinked at her plan.
"No, you are not dragging me into this plan of yours, Karin Kurosaki." Toushiro declared placing his empty tea cup on his desk.
"Come on, Toushiro, you know my secret now you have to keep it and what better way to ease the squad members than to have their brave, noble, compassionate-"
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Karin." Toushiro prevented her from continuing with a raised hand.
"Still, you can calm them." Karin begged him and he rolled his eyes.
"Alright, I'll help your scheme on one condition," Toushiro waited for Karin's attention, "you have to get rid of this ghost tomorrow."
"What?"
"Karin, the squad members are scared of their own shadow, they can't function in these conditions. You have to put a stop to this and you will do so, tomorrow." Toushiro demanded leaving Karin no room to negotiate.
"Oh alright, but what am I supposed to do for two weeks with no shower?" Karin asked resting her head on her fist.
"I'll make some calls in the morning and will get your bath fixed within the week." Toushiro moved to the desk bending over to continue his paperwork, "in the mean time you can use the bath at my house." Toushiro continued his paperwork so he didn't see Karin blush deep red.
"Are you okay with that?" Karin nervously asked him.
"I offered, and I don't get back home until after midnight. I won't be back until after you've gone back home. Besides, the only reason I go home is to sleep and there are days when I don't get to do even that." Toushiro explained glancing at the towering work he still had to do and the stacks on his lieutenant's desk, "like tonight."
"Oh, Rangiku was scared off?" Karin shyly asked him, Toushiro nodded his head.
"She ran out of here so fast, you'd think Captain Kyoraku was giving away free saki."
"Did she even do any of her work?" Karin asked walking over to the lieutenant's desk.
"She didn't even touch her desk all thanks to you and your ghost story." Toushiro gave Karin a frosty glare cold enough to freeze the sun.
"Well, I'll work on Rangiku's paperwork to repay for helping me out." Karin sat at the desk and started on the paperwork.
"Thank you." Toushiro answered as they both fell into silence working on paperwork.
"But, you do have a beautiful voice." Toushiro peeked over at her catching the glare from her dark eyes.
"That's another secret you can't tell anyone." Karin stated with annoyance going back to her paperwork. Toushiro could only smile and shake his head; he just couldn't understand how a strong soul reaper such as Karin would fear anyone knowing about her beautiful singing voice.
A/N: I had this idea from the song "Dreams to dream" from the movie 'An American Tale'. I'm trying to write through some writer's block for some of my other stories. I hope you enjoyed this little oneshot. I like song-fics and they are fun to write.
Please review and let me know what you think.
