January 20th
Toshiro reluctantly made his way down the stairs at seven. The last thing he wanted was to get in the middle of a family dinner but he figured there was no sense in being rude. He paused a few steps away from the dining room when he heard Isshin speaking harshly with his daughter.
"Look Karin I'm just saying, your sister has a steady job. It's about time you figured out what you wanted to do with your life."
"Do we have to talk about this when we have guest in the house? Toshiro is uncomfortable enough staying here."
"Oh and that's my fault is it?"
"Probably." Karin retorted back.
"Karin, you're 23 now. It's time to get serious about your life."
"I tried! I went to school didn't I? I got a job. I tried nursing. But thanks again for throwing Yuzu's perfect life in my face."
Toshiro took a deep breath and stepped into the room.
"Good evening Captain Hitsugaya." Yuzu greeted loudly, trying her best to end the conversation.
"Oh. Good evening."
"You go ahead and take a set. You too dad. Karin and I will set the table."
Toshiro sat at the table. By the tone of their voices he gathered this was a regular conversation they had. Why was his Captain pushing her so hard? Karin had come over placing the food on the table. He could see the stress rolling off her shoulders. It's no wonder she runs off with that idiot everyday. He watched as Yuzu brought the bowls in setting them down in front of him and smiling before she took her seat.
"Thank you for this meal." They cried before digging in.
"So Toshiro. You were my dad's Captain?" Yuzu asked trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"It was the other way around sweetheart."
"What? Wow dad, you were a Captain?"
"Sure was."
"It must have been annoying for you Toshiro, having to work with someone like my dad." Karin added coldly.
"Aww no way Karin. I bet dad was a great Captain. Isn't that right Captain Hitsugaya?"
"Uhh." Toshiro looked up into her soft eyes. He couldn't bring himself to say anything that would hurt her, she was so soft, so vulnerable. "Yes. He was a good Captain." Toshiro added going back to his meal.
At least he had managed to make her smile. He ate slowly trying to figure out why it was he cared so much for the girls. Was it his association with Ichigo? Or the former Captain? Why should he care if Yuzu was sad and why would he be angry with his former Captain for pushing Karin so much.
"What's the soul society like?" Yuzu asked them both.
"It's different from here that's for sure." Isshin said. "The thing is girls, I wasn't where I was supposed to be." Isshin stared at Karin trying to communicate with her something he had been holding onto for such a long time.
"What do you mean dad?" Yuzu asked, also glancing at her sister.
"Even though I was born there, and my family was there it wasn't my true home. I didn't fit in there. Then I learned. The place for me was here. So I could meet your mom, and become your father."
Karin looked at him, the silence becoming unbearable before she went back to eating her food.
"The reason you came here was to investigate right dad? Is that why your here Captain Hitsugaya?"
"Sort of." He answered shorty. Might as well get it out of the way.
"Maybe we can help you." Yuzu added brightly.
"I don't think you can, but thank you for offering."
"Do you have anymore leads on the missing soul reaper's?" Karin asked. Both Isshin and Toshiro looked at her stunned. "Sorry. I might have overheard you two talking. Dad doesn't exactly whisper you know."
"I'm not able to discuss that." Toshiro sighed.
"Fresh perspective couldn't hurt." Karin said.
Toshiro look up into her eyes.
"No I guess it couldn't."
"Start from the beginning." Karin urged. "You'd be surprised what you learn when retelling a story out loud."
Toshiro took a moment to consider her.
"Very well." He said placing his chopsticks down. Bringing his hands together Toshiro began.
"I came here to investigate the disappearance of several soul reaper's."
"And what makes this worthy of an investigation?" Karin asked. "Do soul reaper's not die when fighting hollows in the human world?"
"Some have been known to, yes. However they are traceable. They're last known location is tracked. When a soul reaper hasn't reported in for awhile the last known location investigated. From there we are able to determine if the soul reaper has fallen."
"How?" Yuzu asked with a small tear in her eyes.
Toshiro closed his eyes. She's much to sweet for this world.
"A soul reaper is made up of reishi. When we die our bodies become reishi. If a soul reaper has died in the human world trace amounts of their reishi is left, as the human wold does not have reishi like the soul society does."
"And how do you know it wasn't a hollow attack?" Karin asked.
"There would be energy left over from a hollow if that were the case. At each scene nothing was reported. The soul reapers had simply vanished."
"And they didn't just quit and go into hiding?" Karin asked.
"I do not believe that to be the case. Urahara having said he hadn't met with any soul reapers all year. Taking him at his word no one could disappear in this would without his help. Besides, the sheer number of missing soul reapers makes it less likely they all defected. The only option left is someone did something." Toshiro added this last part a bit surprised. What do you know Karin was right. Explaining it out loud from the beginning really did help him come to a conclusion.
"Are they dead?" Karin asked?
"I'm certain they must be."
"Then what's the question you need answered?" Karin asked as if she had already came to the answer on her own.
"What's preventing them from returning to the reishi." Isshin finished darkly.
"Yes." Toshiro nodded.
Picking up his chopsticks Toshiro went back to his meal.
"Have you checked the local hospitals and clinics?" Yuzu asked. "We see people all the time drop people off, no names or anything. If I were trying to hide them that's what I would do."
"No I haven't. I'll be sure to check tomorrow, thank you Yuzu."
Yuzu smiled before returning to her dinner.
"What about your powers Karin? Has anyone suspicious approached you?" Toshiro asked.
"What powers?" Karin asked harshly.
Toshiro looked to his former Captain. Isshin was looking at his plate, his head shaking slightly, letting Toshiro know he had made a mistake. Yuzu face was flushed, obviously keeping a secret for her sister. Was Isshin pretending he didn't know? Is that what you did when you had kids?
"I didn't mean..." Toshiro said closing his eyes in annoyance. It was going to be hard pretending. "I just assumed because you had such high spiritual pressure you would develop soul reaper powers."
"Well, you know what they say when you assume don't ya?" Karin asked, trying to reign in her anger.
"Uh. Well anyways." Yuzu began trying to clear the air. "I'll talk to Sensei tomorrow when I go to work. See if he knows anything."
"No, normal humans wouldn't know anything that could help me."
"When she says Sensei, she means Ishidia. He's a doctor at the hospital she works at."
"Uryu Ishidia? The Quincy?" Toshiro asked coldly, his eyes narrowed. Ishidia may not have really been a part of the group of Quincy's responsible for his death, but that didn't mean he was comfortable being around him.
"Yeah, the Quincey. You got a problem with that?" Karin shot off, her temper topping over at last.
"Have I got a problem with a group of people who killed me? No you must be mistaken." Toshiro added, sarcasm heavily etched in each world.
"Oh so you can't trust Ishidia all of a sudden? Excuse me Yuzu. I've lost my appetite."
Karin gathered her plates together and left the room. Toshiro sat at the table seething. Just what the hell is her problem?
"Sorry Toshiro. I guess you hit a button there. Come to think of it, she has been spending a lot of time with Ishidia."
"Ah well, we are cousins." Yuzu laughed uncomfortably. She too shot up from the table. "I'm finished too." She yelled, scampering up her plates and running from the room.
Yep. Definitely hiding something those two, Toshiro thought. Looking over at his former Captain, Toshiro was amazed at his ability to pretend to not know what the hell was going on with his daughters.
"Karin will take you around tomorrow to the hospitals near the attacks."
"That's not necessary. I can find my own way."
"Nonsense. It'll be good for her."
Toshiro felt like he was in no position to argue. He stood up, clearing his plate and walked up the stairs to go back to Karin's room. I guess I should apologize to her. He thought. He turned and headed for the pink door. It had a small sunflower painted on it and underneath that Yuzu painted on the door in purple.
Toshiro smiled before lifting his hand and knocking lightly. Yuzu opened the door immediately.
"Hi Captain Hitsugaya. Did you need anything?
"No. I wanted to talk to Karin. Your dad said she would be taking me around tomorrow. I need to set up a time." Toshiro answered crossing his arms.
"Oh. Karin isn't here. She left a little bit ago. Said she needed fresh air." Yuzu looked down. She was worried, that much he could see. Perhaps worried she would betray her sister and spill her secret. Or maybe she was worried about her sister running into hollows?
"Are you worried about her being out there alone?" He decided to ask.
"Oh no, I don't worry about her, she can take care of herself... uh...I mean no. She's fine out there."
Toshiro lifted his brow but decided not to push the matter further.
"Good night Yuzu." He called before walking away and disappearing into the room.
Toshiro walked over to the window and opened it. Peering out at the night sky he decided to try and get a lock on her location, almost laughing once he realized she had just been sitting on the roof.
Toshiro climbed out the window, landing on the roof directly below the window. He looked around in the dark but still didn't see her. Turning around he looked up and noticed the roof on the second part of the house. How did she manage to make it all the way up there.
"Aren't you suppose to go somewhere when you run away from home?" He called out once he managed to pull himself up to the top.
"What do you want Toshiro?" Karin sighed.
She was laying back, her arms tucked under her head looking up at the night sky.
"I forgot Ishidia was your cousin."
"You never knew he was my cousin."
"The point is I do realize not all Quincy's are bad. Obviously."
"What was it like to die?" Karin asked not looking at him.
Toshiro came and laid next to her looking up at the same sky, her question making him uncomfortable.
"Did it make you feel like you wasted your whole life? Make you question your existence?"
"No." He finally answered. "As a soul reaper we live for a long time, but we live fighting to make the world a better place. To protect humans from the hollows. When I came back to life I never felt like I had wasted my life."
Karin sighed again.
"Yeah. I guess that would be true. Must be nice to have a place."
"Karin?"
"Do you really hate Quincy's Toshiro?"
"No. I guess not." He answered.
They laid in quiet for quite some time, both just gaping at the stars in the sky. Finally Karin spoke again.
"I heard my dad volunteer me to show you around tomorrow."
"Yeah."
"So what time you want to go?"
"I would prefer to start early. I have a lot of spots I need to visit."
"Karin?" Came a deep male voice, causing both Karin and Toshiro to sit up.
"Eric, what are you doing here?" Karin asked, glancing at Toshiro.
"I got your text."
"You could have just called." She said.
Toshiro followed him with his eyes as he came over to Karin sitting next to her. He leaned forward, attempting to kiss her. Karin turned her head, giving him her cheek instead.
"I figured my girl would want to see me after a dinner like that."
"I'm fine. Well I'm used to it." She said brushing him off. "I only wanted to tell you I can't go out with you tomorrow. I have to show someone around."
"Who?" Eric asked.
"Me." Toshiro answered, annoyed at having been ignored the whole time.
"Oh hey dude. I'm Eric, Karin's boyfriend." He said extending his hand out to Toshiro.
"This is Toshiro. He's an old family friend...from out of town." Karin said when Toshiro refused to speak.
Eric let his hand drop, his hazel eyes narrowing briefly.
"No problem babe. Wanna borrow my car? It'll be better than public transport."
"Really Eric? You don't mind?"
"For you, anything." He winked causing Karin to flush as she looked over at Toshiro.
"I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you in the morning Karin." Toshiro announced, standing up and reluctantly leaving Karin alone with him.
He hopped down from the roof and crawled back through the window. Laying back down in the bed, Toshiro heard a giggle float through the window. He got up shutting it in disgust before crawling into the bed under the covers. Today had been long and exhausting. Toshiro drifted off to sleep in no time, hoping he could close the investigation soon and go back home to the soul society.