Hello my dear readers!
This is Karin's sequel to my Hotarubi fanfic.
Now Karin's sequel will be a bit shorter than Hitsugaya's because unlike him she's a human, which I am grateful for because it was painful to organise everything and cover all the important moments in his life.
Moving on I hope you enjoy part 1 of the story!
Karin knew something was missing the minute she born. She couldn't explain it but it felt like half of her soul was restless. She was born as a twin, she should've felt whole being next to her other half but she never did. There was a hole in her heart and mind that couldn't be filled by her twin.
"Happy Birthday, Karin and Yuzu!" Cheered Isshin.
It was on her 5th birthday did she first receive the dream.
It was set on a fine sunny day with the sky devoid of clouds. She was standing in midair looking down at a small old-fashioned village where houses where made of wood and straws. Each house had a small garden patch and South from the village was a large rice paddy.
But what caught her eye were the three younglings that resembled her own siblings, aside from small details like different hair or eye colour. They were playing near a river not far from the small village. Two, one boy with spiky black hair and the other, her look alike who acts exactly like her were innocently kicking a ball around. The third child, a blond with an identical soft expression as her twin was washing a basket of fruits and vegetables. She could see them playing and having fun very clearly but she couldn't hear any sound. No birds chirping, no rustling of the trees and no giggles and laughter from the kids.
The next minute the brunette fell into the river and everything went into turmoil. The once clear sky was suddenly filled with smoky black clouds covering the sun. The eldest of the siblings rushed to save the fallen girl and the other girl slipped away from the group to chase after the soccer ball that was kicked into a nearby bush that was connected to the forest.
Before she could follow the girl chasing after her soccer ball, she awoke to her twin's worried face.
"Awe you ok, Kawin-chan?" She asked having troubles pronouncing the "r".
"I'm fwine, Yuzuk-Y-yuzu" Karin frowned wondering where the name came from. 'Yu-zu-ki?' She sounded in her head.
Yuzu didn't seem to pick up on her mistake and if she did she didn't voice it, instead she sighed in relief before gesturing Karin to go back to sleep.
Every night Karin still had the dream and it bore her to no end, it was repetitive and boring that it got to the point where she didn't want to go to sleep. She would even sometimes mix up her sibling's names. "Ichigo" with "Ichiro" and "Yuzu" with "Yuzuki" but all they did was shrugged it off.
It was exactly one year later on her 6th birthday did the repetitive dream stop and was replaced with another one.
Karin in her transparent figure stood in a clearing surrounded by trees. In front of her was a scene of a girl who looked exactly like her and a boy with striking white hair donning a dragon mask. They both seemed to be playing tag although it was rather one sided.
Karin winced when the stick the boy held in his hand came down onto the girl's head. 'Ouchy...'
It repeated over and over again. The girl would lunge and the boy would smack her on the head with his trusty stick. Not being able to watch the girl in pain anymore Karin took a step forward to intercept the stick. Only to still when the scene suddenly turned into a blur. It was like fast-forwarding a movie at an unbelievable speed.
The blurs stopped and cleared revealing the boy standing under a Torri gate, his finger pointing north and the girl running down the stairs in the direction of his gesture. That was all Karin could see before her world suddenly blackened but before she lost consciousness, she heard a deep husky voice sounded in her head, "Toushirou"
Opening her eyes, grey eyes stared at the plain white ceiling. "Tou... Shi... Ro. Toushi... Ro" the small girl chanted tasting the nostalgia of the name. Where had she heard it? "Toushi... Toushi, Toushi... Kun? Toushi-kun?" Somehow this nickname tasted a lot sweeter.
"Oi Karin! Yuzu! Wake up, mum's taking us to the park" Along with the excited voice was a series of knocks coming down her door snapping Karin out of her reverie and awakening the other occupant in the room.
Yuzu opened her eyes lazily and rubbed the sleep out of them, "hm? Is thwat Oni-chan?"
"Yeah." Karin replied wide-awake.
After going through their usual morning routines, which includes tolerating their dad's morning antiques and escaping from his clutches. They were finally out of the house twenty minutes later and started towards the park.
A woman with knotty orange hair held Yuzu's and Karin's hands as they walked on either side of her. The other orange haired Kurosaki was running ahead in front, excitement pouring from every pore in his body as he pestered his family to hurry up.
Once the family of four arrived at the park, Ichigo sprinted for the swings with Karin and Yuzu following a step or two behind him.
"Ichigo, Yuzu, Karin! Be careful!" Masaki warned from her seat on a nearby bench.
"Hai!" The kids replied simultaneously in synch.
"Oni-chan, I wanted to go on the swing," Yuzu pouted, her lips quivering as she gazed at the other child who occupied the other swing.
Seeing the teary face Yuzu was making, Ichigo faltered and offered his swing to her, "Ah, Yuzu don't cry, here you can have Oni-chan's swing." Ichigo grinned not at all sad about giving up his fun for his little sister.
Almost immediately, Yuzu's saddened face brightened, "thank you, Oni-chan"
Meanwhile with Karin, the grey-eyed Kurosaki was eyeing the black and white hexagonal patterned ball that she stumbled upon. She was just having fun climbing the monkey bars a moment ago when her eyes were drawn to the abandon ball sitting in the middle of a soccer field. The ball was quite worn out, the colour is beginning to fade and bits of rubber can be seen peeling off.
A scene of the dragon mask wearer from her dreams invaded her head but she never saw this scene before. It was set in a clearing she dreamt of last night but it was all a haze except for the white hair boy. The said boy was currently juggling a ball with his feet, it was similar to the one she found but it looked new and well looked after. Karin watched him with admiration as he skilfully kicked the ball up and down with excellent control. Like a ripple, the scene disappeared from her mind and she was pulled back to reality.
'...That boy was cool!' She mused.
Looking down at the ball in front of her she poked it with her foot. 'I wonder if I can be as good as him,' pulling a leg back she connected the inside of her foot with the ball as if she played if for hundred of years. The ball rolled a few metres away before stopping; it was quite an achievement for a girl her age to kick that far. Nostalgia shot up her spine as adrenaline flooded her entire being. It felt excruciatingly familiar and she was irritated that she couldn't pinpoint why it felt so natural for her, 'No, I will be better than him, hehe.' She grinned deciding that she liked soccer. And from then on she dubbed the white hair boy as "Toushi-kun"
On her 8th birthday, like usual the dream changed, showing another scene. This time however...
As always Karin stood in her transparent self albeit this time in a meadow. Seeing as she was placed further away from the pair this time around, Karin jogged up to the two figures lying on the meadow until she was towering over them.
Her gaze scrutinise her look-alike, same grey eye, same colour and style of hair and same fashion sense. The look-alike looked and acted exactly like her and it's not even funny. Her eyes switched to the other figure lying with his arms folded behind his head. The predominant and only feature she could identify is the fluff of white hair as his blue mask, shaped like a dragon, covered his facial features. He wore his usual white button up and black pants but his green sweater seems to be missing from the equation.
Hearing movement from her right, Karin shifted her attention to the girl beside him who was now kneeling. Karin followed the girl's hands as it reached out for the boy's mask. Karin watched with vigilant eyes, curiosity swirling in her dark eyes. As expected of her look-alike it seems both of them wee thinking the exact same thoughts. 'I wonder if he's a monster. Monsters where masks right?'
Excitement pumped in her veins as the girl lifted the mask, Karin leaned in closer to take a peak but before she could see who or what was under the mask.
She woke up.
Karin furrowed her brows and frowned, she didn't get to see what was under the mask! 'No fair! I was going to see a real monster!'
Like every child who didn't get what they want, Karin threw a tantrum and started punching her bed with her chubby little fists. Yuzu was already awake and helping their mother cooking breakfast so Karin had no need to hold back. "Not fair, not fair, not fair!" She scowled continuing to throw her fist around until she heard a clutter coming from beside her bed.
Her fists froze in midair and she looked over the edge of her bed. What greeted her was a blue mask with a snout decorated with blue spikes resembling a dragon. Disbelief took over her as she bent down and picked up the mask. Settling back in her bed she placed the mask on her lap and analysed it. Using her chubby hand she gripped the snout of the dragon and it fitted perfectly in her grasp. Her other free hand traced the bumpy surface of the mask feeling the spikes poking against her palm but not sharp enough to draw blood.
Realising the mask was real Karin hugged it close to her chest out of instincts. She didn't know why she did it, the mask emitted a warm vibe and she just wanted to inch closer to the warmth. Despite its icy appearance it's anything but cold. It was warm, it was comforting, it was relieving, it was precious, it was a safe haven, and it was anything but cold and insignificant. She felt a connection with it and oddly enough she felt whole again, her once restless soul felt eased and relaxed. Karin began thinking superstitiously that maybe, just maybe the dreams are trying to tell her something.
She ends up keeping the mask under her pillow, not telling a soul about it and only pulling it out whenever she felt depleted. She would talk to it and although it cannot respond it provided some comfort in its own way. She had a habit of tracing her fingers against the topography of the said mask; she found it soothing. And when she is depressed, she would hug it as if it was the end of the world, just like the day her mother died.
She remembered everything so clearly, officers standing at their front door with her brother looking as if his soul was sucked out of his body. Isshin's sullen face and dulled eyes when the news was given, Yuzu kneeling on the floor crying her eyes out and then there was herself. Holding back tears attempting to look strong but it all crumbled when her dad pulled all of them in an embrace. It was the first time she looked at him as a father and not someone her age stuck in an old man's body.
She remembered hugging the mask tightly against her chest choking on her own tears as she rambled on and on about her mother.
Now at the age of ten Karin sat on her desk in her classroom. Today was show and tell day, a day where students present their most prized possessions to the class. All of her classmates were bouncing with excitement, impatiently waiting to show off their most prized possession.
Karin on the other hand was feeling indecisive. It was shown through her fidgety movements and furrowed brows. The precious mask that comforted her through hard times and lay hidden, out of sight under her pillow was currently laying comfortably in her school bag. Beside it was her soccer ball, which was kept in its usual net.
When the teacher announced this show and tell day to the class the first thing that popped into Karin's head was the mask. She has never brought it out in public before; hell it never even crossed her room's threshold. So why did she bring it? It was the urge to show everyone how precious the mask was to her but she started having second thoughts the moment she entered the classroom.
It felt wrong to her, like the mask would lose its value after she's shown it. And somewhere deep in her heart she secretly likes the fact that it's a secret, the fact that nobody knows about it but her.
So when the teacher called for her, Karin stood with her soccer ball by her side. The mask sitting safely in her bag.
It was after school now and the sky is now a soft orange-yellow colour. Karin whilst covered in sweat was crawling up a hill with her soccer ball swung over her shoulders and in her hand was a blue dragon mask. She was exhausted and confused after playing a game of soccer with her friends at the park and was on her way home.
A while ago some middle schoolers had grabbed her bag and threw it into the river after her team had beat them at a game of soccer. Her heart had stopped when she remembered her mask was in the said bag. She remembered the feelings of loneliness and horror gripped at her heart at the sight of the soaked bag. It felt like her half of her soul was ripped away from her. Not being able to handle all the negative feelings crowding her heart she ran away from the scene with her soccer ball slung over her shoulders ignoring her friend's worried cries.
It was only minutes later did a bright light caught her attention. Lifting her hands she was faced with hands glowing green. Small green particles danced around the palm of her hands before coming together causing the light to intensify. Karin's immediate response was to snap her head away from the blinding light. Once the light dispersed she felt a lightweight heaving down her hands causing her to look down only to see the dragon mask she cared so much about staring back at her.
She blinked waiting for her brain to comprehend the situation. She felt a wave of emotions smacking her in the face. 'B-but it was in m-my bag...' She stuttered not knowing how to feel.
Feeling skeptic, Karin scrutinised the mask and traced its familiar surface. She turned and twisted the mask, analysing every inch of it and frowned when she couldn't find a single detail out of place. 'Magic?' She concluded feeling relieved that it was the same mask she swore she saw drowning in the river.
She was pulled back to reality when a silhouette entered her vision. Following it back to its owner she found a boy looking a few years older than her tapping away on his phone. He wore a simple black collar shirt and white jeans but what caught her attention was the fluff of hair on his head. It looked so pure that it can only be natural and for a second she imagined 'Toushi-kun' standing in the boy's shoe. It was only for a second but already she can see the remarkable similarities.
As if sensing her gaze, the boy turned towards her and she was memorised by the pair of beautiful teal eyes. She watched as the boy opened his mouth only to close it when no words came out. Wanting to break the silence Karin decided to introduce herself first, "my name is Karin, who are you?"
All she received was a small smile from the boy, which may or may not cause her to blush a little. The feeling was gone the moment it came and was replaced with dread. She felt a dark energy nearby reminding her of the day she was attacked by a black monster with a contrasting white mask. Turning towards the direction the source was coming from she suppressed the urge to run away.
"Wait!" She yelled at the sight of the albino haired boy starting towards the dark omen. "I feel like something bad is in that direction." She explained when he looked back at her.
He didn't seem to take her warning seriously as he shrugged it off and left in the direction anyways. Karin fumed at his actions feeling underestimated. 'Just because I'm a little kid it doesn't mean I can't be serious!' She yelled in her mind. Karin's newfound, hostile mood distracted her from the mystery behind the mask and she ended up storming home while cursing the boy in her mind, 'well then, I hope you get eaten by that monster, hmf!' But she knew that she didn't mean it.
She had to commend the boy for making her feel like she was on cloud nine yet at the same time make her feel like throwing him in hell's fireplace on their first encounter. What she found odd was the dreamless night she experienced that day.
6 years later
Black hair. White hair.
A dragon mask, a demon mask
A tall 20-year-old man, a short middle schooler
"Toushi-kun!" "Shuu-chan!" Two voices of the same person yelled out simultaneously.
The loud noises caused the raven-haired girl to abruptly sit up on her bed wide awake. She stared at the wall trying to sort out her thoughts but failed and as a result, slapped her cheeks to wake her mind up. It's been 6 years since she saw the teal eyed boy on the guardrail. She has long grown out of her childish self. Her once bob cut grew past her shoulders, her baby fat had long melted off her face and her once childlike body has now filled out into a befitting form for a woman.
What hasn't changed was her love for soccer and the dreams she has been receiving ever since she was 5. Lately they have been complicating, it's still the same scenery but the dream would alter between two people, "Toushi-kun" and "Shuu-chan"
'The dreams I've got was always about the white hair boy with the dragon mask but who's the other gu-' her thoughts were interrupted when the door slammed open revealing a young girl her age with soft brown eyes and short brown hair. "Ne, ne Karin-chan guess what?" The girl asked looking like a kid in a candy store.
"What is it, Yuzu?" Was Karin's reply, her voice still hoarse from dehydration.
"Shuu-chan called earlier and said he was going to come over for dinner tonight." The older twin squealed. (Yes, Yuzu is actually the older twin!)
"Shuu-chan?" 'Who's that?' She pondered but couldn't pinpoint where she heard the name from, aside from her dreams.
"Mou~ Karin-chan how could you have forgotten Shuu-chan? He was the one who taught you soccer." As if a fog had cleared up, Karin felt everything became clear.
.
"I will disappear if you touch me"
.
A man wearing a purple demon mask raised a hand equipped with a thin stick before striking down at a little girl's head.
.
"Shuu-chan, catch!" Yelled a young girl as she passed the ball to the man in his 20s who received it perfectly before shooting the ball into the goal.
.
Two figures laid in the meadow enjoying the sun's warm heat. The little girl got to her knees and reached for the mask of the other figure, a man with wavy black hair donning a mask that resembled a demon. The girl slowly lifted the mask and held her breath in anticipation. Once the mask was off, the man opened his eyes revealing iron-grey orbs similar in colour to her.
.
"Ah! Shuu-chan" Karin exclaimed. 'That's right he has always been there for me. How could I forget?'
Seeing the recognition spiking in her younger twin's eyes, Yuzu turned and left but not before, "Karin-chan, we're going to be late to school if you don't hurry."
Karin's ears perked at the mention of school, she took a glance at her digital clock and was mortified when the numbers 8:20 blinked mockingly at her. "I'm ten minutes late!" She screamed cursing Yuzu under her breath for not waking her up earlier.
As Karin hopped around her room getting ready for school, the mask she grew up with and hidden carefully under her pillow began glowing before popping into green firefly-like lights.
Well that's the end of part 1!
I'm working on the ending for part 2 right now so I will post it up soon.