Ok! So, by now I've figured out that I should stop developing the characters and your familiarity to them and their problems. Now, it's time to get the HitsuKarin action on!
The moment you've all been waiting for! Lol wouldn't it suck if I said just kidding? But anyways, I wanted to wait a while before bringing Hitsugaya into this because Ichigo didn't go to soul society after he left for 7 years, so Hitsugaya would need to be sent down on some mundane thing and either bump into Karin or be begged by some other Kurosaki for help. Also, the timeline will be better explained in this chapter.
Without further ado, I bring to you –
A lone figure appeared on a roof top, white hair and teal eyes staring down at the mundane routines of the humans walking by beneath him. He sighed when his fukutaicho
appeared behind him, urging him back to the task at hand.
"Taichoooo! Helloooooooo! Do you remember where the Kurosaki's live, or have you forgotten? I'm disappointed in yo –"
"No, Matsumoto. I have not forgotten where the irresponsible substitute and his irritating family live."
"How could you say that? You're so mean sometimes! Honestly, Yuzu isn't mean or annoying! And that other one… Karin? I thought you liked playing soccer with her."
Hitsugaya Toshiro sighed, ignoring the rest of Rangiku's babbling about wether or not she had the girls names mixed up and focused on tracking down the substitute. He had been sent down to the human world to 'inquire' as to the whereabouts of Ichigo Kurosaki and where he had been for the past 7 years. No note, letter, hellbutterfly; nothing! Not a word! And then he suddenly reappears… the general –commander was keen to the thought of an imposter, and wanted him to check it out. What a stupid reason to be sent to the human world! He looked behind him to find Rangiku waiting patiently behind him.
He nodded, and they both shot off towards the Kurosaki Clinic. Along the way, Hitsugaya's thoughts again drifted… Renji had been sent to the human world on his usual rounds to check up on the area since Rukia had returned to Seireitei after Ichigo's disappearance. He had sent a simple report on Ichigo's return, but people were distrusting of this information, and of course would send someone to check it out. Incase it was an imposter…
They arrived at the clinic to find Urahara, Yoroichi and their posse, along with Renji. Sado, and Orihime were also present, as was the Kurosaki family. But there was something wrong. He recognized right away that Ishida was missing, but he knew that story already. Ishida had gone to another town for a job offer as a high-end doctor of some sort. But the other missing presence... He eyed the small crowd as they each welcomed him, and he in turn said the necessary answers to each of them in turn, but Karin… Karin was missing. Probably outside playing soccer or something. She would probably never outgrow it. He brushed it off when Yuzu offered Rangiku and he chairs and tea. It was a brisk morning, after all.
"So my favorite couple! What brings you to the human world?" Urahara got to the point quickly, and Histugaya was quick to answer.
"Investigating the sudden reappearance of Ichigo Kurosaki."
Ichigo looked at him oddly and said, "Why would Soul Society care where I've been?"
Histugaya snorted, and snapped, "We were depending on you to keep this area clear of hollows, but when you left we were forced to step up on patrols. It wasn't a problem, but your disappearance was strange and unexplained. And now you're back, 7 years later, and without an explanation having been accounted for."
Rangiku was quick to cut in and attempt to prevent the insueing argument -
"Meaning you're friends in Soul Society were worried! We didn't know where you had gone, and Rukia was having a tantrum about you leaving –"
"So, where were you?" Hitsugaya asked impatiently.
Ichigo had been standing when they were ushered into the Clinic, but at this, he sat down and put his face in his hands, elbows on the table and said through his hands, " Training."
Everyong in the room looked a little displeased with his answer, with the exception of Sado. But even though they were displeased with this answer, there was a moment of silence with everyone focusing on Ichigo, head in his hands sitting at the table. He was in his body, that had grown skinny and pale even with Uraharas continued upkeep. He had insisted to his fellows in his shop that it was worth while, because he believed that one day in the future wether it be distant or near, Ichigo would return. He had said this, smiling and hiding under his hat and waving his fan lazily.
Hitsugaya waited a beat before restating his question, "So, where were you?"
Ichigo's head didn't leave his hands, but after a deep inhale and exhale he slowly lifted his head and repeated, "Training," he looked around at the group before continuing. "With the Vizards to help control… my… my 'inner hollow' I suppose it could be called." There were some blank stares, and some looks that only told that they were just as confused as the next guest. He went on to explain the predicament he had been in, and slowly the small crowd began to understand, except –
"Don't the Vizards use hell butterflies to travel between worlds? Couldn't they just let you borrow one to send us a message?" Renji was partially satisfied with his answer, until Ichigo said, "I thought it would be best if I stayed focused; and besides, time flies in the spirit world, and I was struggling not to –"
It was a shock what happened next. It really was, and answered one of Hitsugaya's questions. Convenient how he didn't need to ask.
"YOU were struggling?! YOU WERE STRUGGLING?! Well, let me tell YOU something, Ichi-nii our family was torn apart because you didn't have the courtesy to send at least one message saying you would come back ok someday. That's it. You didn't need to tell us where you were, or who you were with, just that you were alright. And thanks to YOU, Karin bottled her feelings up inside, just like she did with Mom, and she… she-!"
Yuzu broke down, sobbing, and ran up the stairs where and audible slam marked the end of that 'conversation'.
Ichigo was again stunned – Karin was supposed to be the sturdy survivor – but when he left, she couldn't handle be depended on was that it? Ichigo was far from understanding.
Isshin had remained quiet through most of that days events, and through the last years' events, he could only sit and watch… but he knew why it had happened. He knew how, and to Ichigo he explained with tears threatening to fall.
"Karin suffered through 7 years without you, her brother, her protector, and pillar of strength. Without you, the center piece, she fell apart. She… she grew… distant. And slowly, she spiraled down through depression, until I guess she got tired of waiting and went to find you! I suppose… but when she came home from school that day, she went straight for the stairs… up to the stairs that lead to the roof. I heard a Yuzu scream and I ran outside… and Karin she… was lay-laying on the ground in this… this… disgusting position, with her head thrown back, her eyes wide open… laying on the ground in a pool of her own blood… She threw herself off the roof because she couldn't live without you."
Isshin turned away. His tears were silent. But through his tears he continued his story.
"That was about 2 or 3 years after you had left. She quit going to school, quit eating, quit talking. Ishida left in the middle of it, and Orihime couldn't even look at her. Sado… he tried everything he could and stuck it out the longest until the one word she said in a year-"
Sado had taken a heavy blow. The one word she had said in a year, and it had been a partial thought, but its demand was clear.
His deep, smooth voice surprised everyone when he interrupted Isshin and stood, saying the word as he turned leaving heading for the door. "Away." Then Sado was gone.
Isshin didn't bother saying anything more after his next sentences, his voice heavy with grief, his shoulders sagging, tears hitting the floor now in an uncontrolled stream.
"3 years of nothing, 4 years of insanity."
He too stood, slowly walking up the stairs, where a soft click sounded his departure.
Hitsugaya was dumbfounded. It was indescribable, seeing this strongly-knit family go to pieces. He was thrown into the past, thoughts of how 'immature' and 'ridiculous' this family had seemed to him as he watched their days unfold with him as a spectator. He was suddenly ashamed of ever thinking that of this family, when really, he was jealous that he had never had the chance to enjoy a full family scene and grow up a child, surrounded by people you trusted and loved. Karin had had that, but then her mother was torn from her, from all of them, and before they were finished grieving they were already hard at working repairing the gap. Perhaps they would never recover from this one.
He was at first reminded of Hinamori's reaction to learning of Aizens death, then life, then betrayal. She had lost her will to live. Even now she seemed to walk around in a trance, but it had been seven years and she was still a little disconnected. Had Karin been like that for 3 years? He had an urge to help this ailing family, but he was torn between rushing back to the Seireitei and stalking Hinamori to be sure she wasn't planning anything similar to Karin.
Well, he had to stay nad right a full report on what had happened to the eldest Kurosaki, so if they asked where he was, he could say that Ichigo was being stubborn as always…
Rangiku might or might not have read te expression on Hitsugaya's face, but either, way she jumped up excitedly yelling, "We'll help in anyway we can!"
HEHEHEH! They have NO idea what they are getting into… XD Review and tell me what's goin' through your head! DO IT!