Chapter Five
They were waiting for the gates to soul society to open, just him, Karin and Rangiku. Everyone else was busy however it was best that there wasn't a big get together so it didn't draw attention to their departure. Tōshirō looked over to Karin she looked worried so he held her hand behind her back so that their fingers were interlocking and said
"You ok"
"Yeah, just thinking"
"Bout what?"
"Just how much my life has changed in the last few years … You know those people who can predict when change is coming in their life? I'm not one of them. Change has a way of just walking up and punching me in the face."
"Well I suppose that's one way to put it" he said with a smirk
"Well how would you say it then?"
"Just that I don't see change coming"
"My way's better"
"Yeah, I think I agree with you" The gate from soul society opened and Unohana-Taicho and Iba – fukutaicho appeared.
"Time to go" Tōshirō said after greeting Unohana and Iba and they walked through the gate and into soul society.
--
The entered soul society, "Its' like old Japanese style buildings, it's so bright, there's almost too much white" Karin thought
"Where are we?" she asked
"We are at the first division quarters because you have to be debriefed and everything will be explained and while we are in soul society you have to …"
"Address you by your proper title, I know Hitsugaya-Taicho" Karin said with seriousness
"Umm Yea" said Tōshirō caught off guard by how serious she sounded, he didn't expect it.
"And you can't … "
"Tell anyone that we are in a relationship"
"How did you know I was going to say that?" he asked confused
"I just knew, we're in soul society now and you're a Taicho and I know that even though you did say it would be fine it is taboo if not illegal. Rangiku isn't going to say is she?"
Tōshirō said "I've threatened her with more paperwork if is even hints at it to anyone"
Smiling Karin kissed him to the cheek then they entered the room where the captain meetings are held.
"Karin Kurosaki I believe"
"Yes"
"Do you know why you are here?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but there is supposed to be a threat against me"
"That is correct, unfortunately you have been targeted by Aizen Sōsuke due to the abilities you displayed during your battle with the annarcar. Matsumoto – fukutaicho could you please play the CD."
Gin: "Well that was interesting, she was able to use the black coffin kidō spell to its full destructive potential"
Aizen: "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 retrive 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."
Karins' eyes widened but she tried not to show shock at the evidence that she was targeted, she didn't initially truly believe that someone would want to kill her especially when she was surrounded by more powerful shinigami every day who would pose much more of a threat to Aizen.
"You are safe while you are in soul society, however this information is top secret and no-one else in soul society knows about this except for those in this room, therefore if anyone enquires as to why you are here you are to tell them that it is for training purposes. Do you understand?"
"Yes Yamamoto- sōtaichō"
"Good you will be staying in the tenth division while you are here and you will train with the different officers depending on your abilities. Hitsugaya-Taicho Karin Kurosaki you are dismissed. Matsumoto – fukutaicho there is more I wish to discuss with you."
They exited the first division they began walking towards the tenth division.
"Its' good that you knew how to address the sōtaichō, I was actually kind of surprised." Tōshirō said
"When I am training to become a shinigami unlike my brother I have had a lot more time therefore I haven't just concentrated on the fighting skills I've studied the history and the way soul society
operates. I am going to come here once my human body dies therefore I will need to know the way things work".
"Wow you really have changed from last time I saw you" Tōshirō was surprised it was unusual for anyone no matter Karin to be more serious than him however at the moment she was.
"Last time you saw me I was ten and thought I could kill every hollow by kicking a football at it, I have grown up a lot since then, I'm part of a war where I could as well as everyone I care about could die so I can't afford to be carefree I need to work hard and get as strong. The whole situation kinda forces you to grow up as if I'm not strong enough then everyone and everything I care about will be destroyed" she said then lowering her voice she muttered "and I won't let it happen again".
"What do you mean let it happen again?"
"It doesn't matter" she didn't think Tōshirō would hear
"Karin are you prepared fight and die for the cause of stopping Aizen" said Tōshirō who by this point was completely serious.
Karin stopped and turned to face Tōshirō with a smirk on her face "The object of war isn't to die for your cause, but to make the other bastard die for his". Then she turned and continued to walk towards the tenth squad. Tōshirō just followed, he was awe struck and didn't know what to say. At that point Hyōrinmaru, as he now tended to do, said "Funny that she even finished you sentences."
--
Ulquiorra walked in to Aizens personal quarters. "I have returned Aizen"
Aizen was facing out to the balcony with Gin and Kaname beside him, slowly spun round his chair to face Ulquiorra "What information do you have to report?"
"The girls name is Karin Kurosaki, she is not a full shinigami but a substitute shinigami, a human who has achieved shinigami powers. She has two siblings, Ichigo and Yuzu Kurosaki. They are the children of Ishiin Kurosaki however I do not know any information about their mother. She spends a lot of her time at Uraharas' Shop therefore it is fair to assume that is where she trains. There is one more thing however it is more suitable to be shown rather than told.
"Then show us"
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 Aizen, Gin and Kaname. Aizen began to smirk "It seems the young tachio has gone and got himself a girl, this is mildly entertaining and slightly unexpected, I didn't know he had it in him. So there must be something beneath his arrogant and unpleasant exterior". "Is that all?" Aizen questioned
"No, it appears that Karin Kurosaki along with Hitsugaya-tachio and Matsumoto- fukutaicho have left for soul society."
"Thank you Ulquiorra you are dismissed"
As soon as the doors shut behind Ulquiorra, Aizen turned around again to face the balcony. "Ishiin Kurosaki, now that is a name I haven't heard in a long time. It is quite unexpected."
"What is your course of action, Aizen-tachio?" Gin asked
"Karin Kurosaki has a high potential to become a problem like her brother, however after learning who their father is it is possible that Ichigo could become more powerful and his sister could become more powerful than I initially perceived. She must be dealt with before she attains her full powers."
"If she is in soul society, we will not be able to reach her" Kaname stated
"This is not necessarily true, I ensured when we left I still had resources in soul society"
"Does this mean you have a spy in soul society captain?" Gin questioned
"Yes Gin, in fact it does someone who is willing to carry out my orders"
--
Karin spent her first day doing nothing in particular just hanging around Tōshirōs' office while he was supposed to be doing paper work however it seems to him that she was doing everything to make sure he didn't get any done.
"What ya doing?"
He spun around in his chair to face her only have her suddenly sit on his knee so that their noses where inches apart and her arms were around his neck.
"What if someone comes in" he said
"They'll knock"
"Has anyone told you that you are assertive?" he questioned only to be silenced by a kiss. She pressed against him running her hands through his hair and he didn't complain. In fact it didn't bother him in the slightest.
Once she pulled away she said "What can I say, I take what I want." Suddenly there was a knock at the door and Karin rushed back to her place on the couch as Tōshirō regained his position behind the desk and said "Come in"
A subordinate walked in bowed then went up to Tōshirōs' desk and handed over some papers, Tōshirō just gave him his trademark cold glare as the subordinate said "Hitsugaya – tachio there are some papers for you to sign". The subordinate looked bemused at Tōshirō and as soon as the papers where handed back he practically ran out of the office most likely to snigger as he wouldn't dare do it in front of his young captain.
Tōshirō gave Karin a confused look as if to ask "What was up with him". Karin gave him as serious look as she could muster and said "Maybe you should go look in the mirror". When Tōshirō did he saw himself dishevelled with ruffled messed hair from when Karin had ran her hands through it and his uniform was out of place and crinkled from when Karin had pressed against him.
Karin began to laugh as a vein popped on his head "Messed up hair and a crinkled uniform very unsatisfactory standard for a tachio, I would have expected more from you."
"You're gonna pay for that"
"Ohh I'm scared, what ya gonna do give me paper work. I'm not your subordinate so that's not gonna work"
"I'll think of something" he said as he suddenly walked over to her messing up her hair
"Hey, stop that" she said to no avail
Later on, once Tōshirō had returned to his work Karin said "I think I like you more now, than I did seven years ago you were so serious now you're more fun."
--
Karin was woke early the next day and taken to her first training session, it was to be with Soifong.
"Tell me how far along you are in your development of the four forms of combat." Soifong questioned Karin
"I can perform kidō spells up to number 85 without incantation and all of them with incantation all with reasonable power except number 99 part 2 which is weak and still requires practice. I am proficient at shunpo and air steps however I could always improve. I am relatively skilled in hand to hand combat however yet again there is room for improvement. I have begun to learn shunkō and I have not yet obtained my zanpakutō and am quite poor if not hopeless in zanjutsu."
"So you were trained by Yoruichi"
"Yes along with Tessi"
"Today, I want you to work on strengthening kidō spell number 99 part 2, Ōmaeda will be supervising you for that" Soifong approached Karin and said "If you hurt or injure him don't worry about it, he's useless anyway. Just don't kill him or I'll end up with a lot of paper work. I will be back later on to help you train in shunkō however if you are able to strengthen your kidō 99 part 2 before I get back then work on casting number 86 without incantation. Karin smiled, she could tell even though he had already heard stories about how brutal and uncaring Soifong was, she already liked her.
By the end of the day Karin had realised that her first impression of Soifong was correct, she did like her. She didn't go easy she didn't treat her like a kid she was brutally honest and by the end of the day Karin was aching all over. However she had worked hard she was able to perform Kidō number
99 part 2 up to a standard of which Soifong was satisfied with however it would need more work, she was able to perform kidō spell 86 without incantation and had progressed quite well in shunkō. Soifong had even remarked that she appeared to be naturally gifted at kidō as a passing comment.
"Today was worth every second". Karin thought
--
Karin made her way to the tenth squad office after quickly grabbing her ipod from her room because she promised she would meet Rangiku. She lay on the couch for about 15 minutes listing to her music till Rangiku appeared.
"What, could you repeat that I couldn't hear you for the music?"
"How was training?"
"It was really good, I learnt a lot"
"Good, well you're coming with me"
"Going with you were?"
"The woman's' association meeting" Rangiku said pulling her off the couch and towards the door
"But I'm not a shinigami"
"So, it doesn't matter"
"Oh ok" Karin finally replied confused after a moment of silence
By the time they had arrived at the meeting everyone was seated and Nano was standing at the podium talking
"Well is there any more issues to…"
"I'm here and look who I bought" Rangiku bubbly said interrupting Nano as she burst into the room. Nano gave her a very irritate look.
"Let me guess Karin Kurosaki, well I suppose there are no more issues to discuss" Nano said pushing up her glasses. But everyone had already dragged Karin to the couch and crowded around her asking her about half a dozen at once.
"So is it true you're from the human world. You're Ichigos' sister aren't you? How long have you been a shinigami? Are you and Hitsugaya-tachio a couple?
At last question from an unknown voice in the group everyone went silent waiting for her answer.
"Shit, shit, shit" Karin thought as she felt their piercing glares
"NO, no. Were acquaintances or friends I suppose" She glared at Rangiku, that woman was smart she knew she couldn't do anything but she knew if she dragged her here someone else would ask.
Momo didn't know why but she was relieved by Karins answer.
After another moment of silence where people seemed to digest her answer someone asked
"How come you haven't added your own personal style to the uniform, most people do even if it's only a small alteration" Karin was glad for the change of subject, she looked at the girl who asked the question. She had a big smile on her face and had long black hair which she wore down. Karin noticed the alteration she had out on to her shinigami out fit, hers was sleeveless and the length was only to her knees, she also had a large purple bow around her waist.
"To be honest" Karin replied "I didn't know you could change it"
Karin was suddenly jumped on by a girl with bright pink hair and she sat on her shoulder and said "We should give shorty-chans' uniform makeover, make it pink with bunny ears"
"Pink?" Karin thought "No way"
The room was room suddenly burst in to excited screams while people shouted out ideas "You should get a bow, it shorter to the knee, get a shall"
"Hold on hold on" Rangiku said "It has to be personal to Karin so let's see if she has any ideas"
"Well actually I have a few"
Two hours later Karin had a whole new look to her shinigami uniform which she actually kind of liked, though it was late and she needed to go to bed or she'd be too tired to train to her full potential tomorrow. As we walked out of the shinigami womens association building she bumped into the girl who had asked her why she hadn't added her who style to her uniform.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going"
"Don't worry, neither was I"
"By the way thanks for asking why I hadn't added my own personal style cause otherwise it would have been years before I would have realised"
"Don't worry bout' it, it looks good on you by the way I'm Suzume Ito the third seat of the fifth division"
"What did you think of the womans association?"
"Umm I guess it was more like a slumber party than an association set up to deal with womens issues"
"Yeah it's like that sometimes
"Well it's late so I'll see you around"
"Yeah, yeah you will, bye"
--
Soz that this took a bit longer to put up but I think its slightly longer than the rest so far, so that will hopefully make up for it.
Yeah I figured Karin would like Soifong, I think she would like straight forward people who don't treat her like a kid which Soifong wouldn't. So review and tell me what you think of her new uniform.
Please Review!!