Chapter Two

When they arrived Ichigo, Rukia, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rangiku and Renji where already there. Karin had never seen an arrancar before but she could feel their spiritual pressure, it was intense and they were strong, but she knew she was as well. She knew who two of the eight where from what she had heard. The one with bright blue hair was Grimmjow and there was one with green eyes and he looked as if he was crying was called Ulquiorra.

Ichigo turned to see the arrival of his sister and even before he said it he knew she wouldn't take heed.

"Karin, get the hell out of here they're too strong"

"I can fight and I'm going to fight, anyway if I leave that means that there is eight of them and only seven of us".

Ichigo knew she was right but he didn't like the look of these new arrancar, he then turned to the person who was closest to her who happened to Tōshirō and said "Look after her". It was all he had the time to say as Grimmjow came charging at him.

--

It wasn't long till everyone was paired off including herself. Karin stood facing a large arrancar with hollow shell covering his nose and stretched across his cheeks. He had dark purple hair with streaks of white through it which was tied back into a pony tail. He approached her and began to laugh, then said "Darn I get paired with the weakling and I was hoping for a good fight, I'm Baudelio the 25th arrancar. He then charged at her faster than the eye could see with his sword poised to strike her rib cage, she attempted to dodge but the blade cut deep into her shoulder causing the blood to flow freely. She jumped back from him so that they were a few meters apart breathing heavily to control the pain.

"How rude not even introducing yourself" said Baudelio as he moved to attack her again but this time she use shunpo and was able to easily dodged.

"I'd rather not develop familiarity with things I'm about to kill" she replied

"Cocky little thing aren't you"

"I'M NOT LITTLE, ASSHOLE" she shouted as her temper rose

She charged full force at the arrancar aiming to leave a deep slash across his chest however it barely left a scratch. She stood back out of breath and loosing strength and blood quickly.

"Why are you here anyway", she asked in an attempt to stall his next assault till she regained at least her breath.

"We have to come and collect something for Aizen"



"And what would that be?"

"Nel-Tu of course, you didn't think he would let a powerful annarcar such as her join the ranks of the enemy did you" he said with a smirk as he glanced over his shoulder to see how his comrades where doing. At his point there seemed to be no definite winners however many were bleeding and he could see that all the shinigami except for his opponent had released their bankai (A/N By this point Rukia, Yumichika and Rangiku have all achieved their bankai). However he knew all the other annarcar were higher ranking than him.

All Karin needed was for his attention to be distracted for a moment because the next thing he heard was Karins' voice shout out "Destructive spell number 90 Black Coffin". He was then surrounded by a box of black energy and felt spears, lacerating him from head to toe.

Seeing their fallen comrade the other annarcars began to retreat back to Hueco Mundo. Tōshirō then rushed to Karin and asked in a worried tone "Are you ok?"

"Yea, how did I do?" she asked just before she blacked out from blood loss and began to fall only to be caught by Tōshirō. He didn't realise before but now he was carrying her to Urahara to be healed he could feel her blood where it had soaked through her clothes.

--

Tōshirō left Karin on the futon in Urarahs shop as Yuzu healed her, she was still unconscious. He then walked into the other room where everyone had gathered to discuss what had happened.

"So it begins, it appears Aizen has recovered and is ready for a new battle and I'm guessing he will be stronger than last time. Though what was the point of their little venture today?" Urahara said more to himself than anyone else.

"I'm not sure, I overheard one the annarcar telling Karin that they had come for Nel" Tōshirō said

Nel just sat silently in the corner listening to every word

"That may be true however I don't think that was their main objective of this mission, Nel has not been an annarcar for approximately six years so why now decide to come and take her. It seems far more likely that they came to look at the defences of Karakura town and used it as an excuse."

Ichigo then asked "So do you think they will attack soon?"

"I'm not sure but you will have to alert soul society to this incident immediately"

Rangiku then whispered to Tōshirō so that no-one else could hear "Well hopefully we will find out tonight."

Before everyone began to leave Urahara said "We should all meet back here tomorrow at two for updates on the situation and to see how soul society reacts". Then he left the room snapping his fan closed.



--

Tōshirō proceeded to followed Urahara into the kitchen looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was following, them. Urahara noticing that the young shinigami had followed him into the kitchen turned around to offer him a cup of tea. He had an idea what he wanted to talk about but he was going to wait until he stated what he wanted himself.

Tōshirō politely declined the cup of tea then went on to ask what he really wanted to know, Tōshirō was not one to stand around chatting he would usually go straight to the point.

"How could Karin use that kidō spell, only the most advanced shimigami can use it and the only other time I have heard it being used was by Aizen and even then he was only able to use it to a ⅓ of its full destructive power. How could Karin use it to its full capabilities, she's only been a shinigami for about four years?"

Urahara smirked to himself as he turned around this was exactly what he had expected the young captain to ask.

"Well, she seems to be particularly adept at Kidō, and she has had a lot of time to practice and train in these skills since she hasn't communicated with her zanpakutō's spirit yet.

"What! That's unheard of, most shinigami within the first couple of years have at least communicated in their sleep. I've never heard of anyone except for Kenpachi Zaraki who hasn't communicated with their zanpakutō in some way by three years of being the age to enter the academy none the less four."

"Maybe not but I feel she is coming close, remember you may have achieved yours early however it is sometimes the ones who achieve theirs late who are the strongest. Besides its' probably been beneficial to her because it means that unlike Ichigo she has had to work more on the other forms of attack and defence and has gained considerable skill in controlling her kidō, agility and Hand-to-hand combat. Though the hand to hand combat may have a lot to do with the way she was bought up, not every kid is jumped on by their father as soon as they walk through the door. But you will see her skill tomorrow when she trains".

"Wait, did she not achieve her shinigami powers the same way as Ichigo?"

"True, but she doesn't seem to have any memory of meeting her zanpakutō."

"Oh."

--

As Karin opened her eyes she found she was lying on a futon in Uraharas shop. Rangiku was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room waiting for her to wake up.

"Ahh, you're up, how are you feeling" Rangiku said



"Yeah I'm fine, my shoulder is a bit stiff but nothing to complain about, what happed anyway?"

"After we fought the annarcar you collapsed from blood loss and Tōshirō carried you back here where your sister healed you".

The artificial soul then came in with Karins' body and Karin got up and went into her body.

"Wow, Karin you've grown up. What age are you now, eighteen?"

"Seventeen, but close enough"

"I'll tell you what, do you want to come clubbing with me and Tōshirō tonight"

"Tōshirō go clubbing"

"Yeah, well I haven't asked him yet but I'm sure I can get him to go."

"Since I'm not eighteen yet its' not exactly legal and I don't have ID, not even fake"

"You'll get in don't worry I'll be there and so will Tōshirō, so we'll meet you about nine at your house, ok"

"Ok"

"Anyway I've got to go now to Orihimes with Tōshirō to report to the sōtaichō."

--

Grimmjow and Ulquiorra along with the five other surviving annarcars who had been sent to Karakura town walked into the dark large hall in Las Noches which was Aizens throne room. On a stone white throne above them sat a shinigami with slicked back brown hair and around them in the shadows were the other annarcars. Ulquiorra was the only one to speak.

"We have returned Aizen"

"Welcome back, but there seems to be one short, what is your report, show us what you have witnessed on your mission"

"Yes sir"

Ulquiorra then took his eye out of his socket and crushed it in his hand into small dust like particles that sparkled as they floated though the air to the others in the room.

"I see" Aizen said "Well done"

He then he rose and said "This meeting is finished" and left the hall followed by Gin and Kaname.

--



After the meeting in the throne hall, Aizen along with Gin and Kaname walked to Aizens' personal quarters where the Hōgyoku is stored and sat down in his seat so that he was facing out to the balcony.

Gin interrupted the silence "Well that was interesting, she was able to use the black coffin kidō spell to its full destructive potential"

"Yes Gin, it is strange as I myself only managed to use it to a ⅓ of its destructive power and yet she is unfamiliar to me therefore appears to be a relatively new within the last five years. This could be a problem she appears to have the strong potential. However I am curious as to why she didn't release her zanpakutō even into shanki form. We must retrieve more information about her and if necessary she must be dealt with sooner rather than later. Kaname fetch Ulquiorra I have another mission for him."

--

I didn't want Karin to be absolutely amazing and be a brilliant fighterat least not to begin with, she hasn't progressed like Ichigo in the zanpakutō and it has taken four years to progress to this point. There is no way she could have won if the annarcar hadn't been distracted and looked away. However I wanted her to progress faster than the normal shinigami especially in Kido anyway because she is a Kurosaki.

I found writing the fight scene difficult so please review tell me what you think what you like what you hate.