The three that were left in the room stayed there for the next few hours, Isshin and Yoruichi asking him questions about his time with the Yautja and what he had been doing and things that they were curious about. Ichigo had answered what he could and told them what he remembered. Though it was almost always very vague or extremely straight forward with no explanation.

He had slowly started to pick up talking in Japanese, to Japanese people without the Bio-mask as a form of aid or translator. His cold disposition never wavered though and it was starting to worry his father. Would he show no care towards them; his sisters, like Ichigo did to him? Something like that would destroy his precious girls. To finally see their brother after not seeing him since they were five years old. That day had almost torn apart the remainder of their happy family. Yuzu had instantly started bawling her eyes out and had been an emotional wreck for a week straight. And Karin was the exact same, she had cried just as much as Yuzu, but after that week had passed they both did different things to ease the pain. Yuzu buried herself in house work, taking over the position of woman of the house by doing all the cooking and cleaning. And Karin had taken to training with Ichigo's only friend at the time, Tatsuki.

Tatsuki hadn't been as distraught as the two younger girls, but she was horrified nonetheless when she had found out what happened from her parents who had been told by Ichigo's father. She liked the 'orange-haired cry-baby'. They would always practise and spar in karate whenever he was there, just helping each other getting strong. But he was gone now and a small void opened up in her heart at the loss of her sparring partner. So, when she had come over to comfort the twins she had almost been dog-piled in a mound of tears and sniffing. She had stayed with them for a few days after that, this is what led to Karin asking to train with her and to help her get strong like her 'Ichi-nii' had been doing to help protect his younger siblings.

So when their father had remembered telling the twins what had happened. That their mother, the light of their life and the centre of their world had been killed and that Ichigo, the person they looked up to with so much love and awe, had gone 'missing', he had almost panicked about his son being too different, or indifferent towards them and their emotions, that they would be in tears for all the wrong reasons.

Be that as it may, Yoruichi had almost ensured the black-haired man that he would have nothing to worry about. At Isshin's confusion, Yoruichi retold Ichigo's tale about honour and how women have to be treated. Backing this up by retelling the experience the two of them had had within the confines of the washroom last night. And much to the older man's chagrin he accepted that he may have overreacted a little bit. But soon had a noticeable smirk on his face at being told the story of how his son had basically gotten to, in his own words, 'second base', with Yoruichi already.

Ichigo remained stoic and uncaring to the conversation going on between Yoruichi and his father Isshin.

Soon enough, the end of school came and the moment Isshin was starting to dread had finally come. He had to call Karin and get her to come to the Urahara Shoten, along with Yuzu as well.


Teenagers of different heights, weights and sizes were all bustling out of the front gate on their way home from the day's lessons at Karakura High School.

One girl stood at the gates of the high school waiting patiently with a school bag thrown over her shoulder and a sports bag at her feet. Her foot was rhythmically tapping the ground below it. She was of average height, a very athletic build, similar to that of a martial artist. Her black hair was short and just above shoulder length and her face was currently scrunched into a small frown. Her name was Kurosaki Karin and she stood there undisturbed, as every student that walked past gave her a wide berth. This was because of the reputation of her over-protective and often times violently protective nature, directed at her twin sister Kurosaki Yuzu, who she was now waiting to arrive, so that they could make their own way home together.

When Karin spotted a head of light-brown hair heading her way from within the crowd of people, she instantly recognised it. She waited until her twin came into view before picking up her bags and moving to meet with her slightly shorter and much kinder half. When they reached each other Karin gave Yuzu a quick nod and Yuzu smiled back.

"You ready to go?" Asked Karin. She wanted to make sure that her sister hadn't forgotten anything important before they left, like homework or a book.

"Yep! I've got everything I need! Now let's head back, I need to start dinner before Tou-san finishes work." Yuzu chirped happily to her darker-haired sister, who just shrugged and began her walk back home with her sister.

"Who cares about Goat-chin? He can starve for all I care. It would serve him right for attacking me when I got home yesterday." Karin told her sister. Who just put on an upset pout.

"That's not nice, Karin-chan! He was worried about you! And you were the one who kicked first." Yuzu scalded. Her sister though, just shrugged again and muttered a 'what-can-you-do' as they continued on their way out of the school grounds. When a ringing was heard from Karin's pocket, they paused and Karin dropped her sport bag back onto the ground, digging into her pocket she found the ringing mobile and pulled it out. Reading the caller I.D. she saw that it was the very person they had just been talking about, that was calling.

"Yeah, what do you want Goat-chin?" She answered back, her voice slightly annoyed. This call greeting got her a light smack on the arm from her smaller sibling.

"Karin, Is Yuzu with you?" Their father answered, ignoring the name-calling. Which made the black-haired girl raise a brow. Normally he would be feigning hurt and complain that his daughter treated him horribly. Remembering that she had been asked a question she quickly glanced back to her waiting sister, then answered.

"Yeah, she's here. We were just coming home when you called. Why, is there something you need us to get or do?" Taking initiative and answering properly when she realised that he wasn't acting the fool like he usually does.

"No. I just need you two to come to the Urahara Shoten, instead of going straight home." The moment he had finished speaking those words Karin had frozen in place, her whole body stiffened as she recapped what she had just been told to do.

"Karin-chan, what's wrong?" Yuzu asked worriedly after seeing her sister stiffen up like a board.

"D-dad.. W-what.. H-how do you know..?" Karin stuttered out, still clearly dazed that her father had asked her to meet him there. Before she could get another word out, Isshin spoke up again.

"I will tell you when you get here, Karin. But for now, just tell Yuzu that you're both meeting up with me here." He told her, his voice still unusually serious. In reply she just nodded dumbly and stuttered out an "Okay." And the call was ended. Putting the phone back in her pocket, Karin lent down and picked up the bag she had put down and started their walk again. Yuzu just gave a perplexed look at her sister's pale face.

"What was that about, Karin-chan?" She asked her sister, who was strangely silent as they walked.

"We, uh.. Goat-chin told me that we have to go meet him somewhere." Karin stammered out. Her voice shaking with nervousness slightly.

"Oh? Okay then! Do you know where we are going?" Yuzu asked. She got a silent nod. Deciding not to push any further, Yuzu chose to just follow seeing as it didn't look like she would be told where they were going any time soon.

Karin meanwhile, was running through her mind at a million miles an hour. Why did he want us to go there? How did he know about it? Did he know Urahara-san? Why was being so serious? Why does he want Yuzu there as well?

When she heard a strong, feminine voice in her head telling her to calm down, she stopped her speeding thought process in favour of not upsetting her Zanpakutō spirit and then inwardly apologised to her quickly.

They continued in relative silence for the rest of the way there. It took them about thirty minutes to walk to the area in which the Urahara Shoten was located. Yuzu had a confused look when they had reached the district, as she didn't think that there would be anything here that would be relevant to or have to do with her Tou-san and his medical work. Karin though, just kept walking on and leading her sister through the slowly emptying streets. At a sudden turn into an alleyway that Yuzu hadn't noticed until now, she began to get worried and more confused. What was their dad doing down a place like this? Maybe Karin had gotten lost in thought and turned down the alley on accident?

"Uh, Karin-chan? Are you sure we are going the right way? I'm sure Tou-san would be worried if he found out that we were going into dark alleys like this." The worry in Yuzu's voice becoming obvious as it broke the silence that had fallen between them, her slight panic was also not lost on Karin at all.

"It's okay, Yuzu, we are going the right way, the place is just up here.." Karin's still nervous voice spoke, as she gestured with an arm to the sunny part of the path they were walking down. Yuzu noticed that it seemed to open up into a lot of land and she sighed in relief, this place was starting to scare her a little with all the dark corners and possible hiding spots, she moved slightly closer to her stronger twin to help ease her anxiety of being attacked by some mysterious stranger.

Soon enough they got to the end of the alley and Yuzu saw that it did indeed open up into a big section of property. When the two turned the corner, they both saw the small, two-storied shop and the figures outside of it, who were standing under the big sign above their heads that said 'Urahara Shoten'. While Yuzu was confused and still slightly afraid of where they had turned, Karin was all too familiar with this place, so she was not worried, since it had been the place where she had just spent the last ten days training with the rather eccentric shopkeeper, who she found out was also a Shinigami right at the beginning of the intensive training sessions with him. Though she was still very anxious and nervous about why their father had asked them to meet them here, of all the places.

A chiding in the back of her mind was telling her to calm down, saying that she would find out soon enough. She complied to what her soul partner was telling her to do and let things run their course, relenting to the fact that getting worked up would only complicate matters and make things worse.

Walking at a brisk pace to the Shoten the twins were now able to make out the three figures standing out the front of the shop. The first, a scruffy-looking blonde, with the green and white-striped bucket hat atop his head and a dark green, almost black, haori over his shoulders and arms. The man, who Karin knew as Urahara Kisuke, was steadily waving a white fan in front of his face as he watched the pair make their way to the shop.

The second just appeared to be a small black cat, its long, slender tail twitching back and forth every now and then, as it also watched them approaching.

But when they saw who the third person was, the two girls both had completely different reactions. Yuzu, at seeing her father, let a smile come back onto her face. She was beginning to get worried that he would not be here and that Karin had come to the wrong place, she also gained a puzzled expression when she was what he was currently garbed in. Karin though, she had seen what he was wearing from the moment she laid her eyes upon him, along with the katana that was leaning against the wall of the Shoten behind her parent. Her mind had started up again, though this time her Zanpakutō spirit did nothing to stop her from doing so.

'Dad is a Shinigami!? What is going on?! Wait.. Is this what Urahara meant by awakening my own Shinigami powers? Because I'm part Shinigami or something?' She practically screamed in her head. Her sword was now just trying to get her to calm down a little, saying that her inner world was turning to hell from the turmoil her mind was experiencing.

Then their father spoke up.

"Ahh! My darling daughters! You've finally arrived, I take it you had no trouble getting here?" He shouted, his voice filled with much exuberance. Yuzu shot him a happy smile and wave and giving their father a nod in confirmation.

"Yep! Karin-chan knew the way, so we had no problems." She told the man. "Umm, Tou-san, who is your friend?" Yuzu then asked as she glanced at the man who was currently still fanning himself. With a quick snap he closed said fan shut and took a step forward.

"Oh my! How rude of me to not introduce myself!" The hat wearing man spoke up. "I'm Urahara Kisuke, the owner of this quaint and humble little shop!" He announced with a cheerful smile, while waving his fan at the shop behind him.

"It's nice to meet you, Urahara-san! I'm Kurosaki Yuzu." Yuzu said with a polite bow.

"Well mannered and beautiful, you're growing up to be just like your mother was Yuzu-chan, Is she not Isshin-san?" He asked her father with a kind smile on his face. To which the man responding with a confirming shake of the head and an 'Mmmhmm'. Isshin had instantly picked up on what his long time friend was doing the moment he brought up his daughters' mother; he was easing them into the pool of truth one toe at a time instead of just dumping them in the deep end, by bringing up the fact that they knew each other like it was general conversation. Kisuke truly was a genius. And judging by how Karin was just standing there, mouth agape and having not said a thing, it was working.. To a certain degree.

He could see that she was still surprised and confused about the fact that he was standing here before her, dressed as a Shinigami. Her mind was probably spinning from the sudden turn of events and she was more than likely waiting for him to explain what was going on.

Yuzu couldn't help but blush at the comment she had received and the comparison between her and their late mother. Then the realisation that he knew their mother dawned on her.

"You knew Kaa-chan?" She asked questioningly. Her voice, while still happy and kind, now held a certain sadness that was barely noticeable, yet it was still there.

"Indeed I did. I used to be good friends with your mother and your father in fact." The man stated in a matter-of-factly way, with a fond smile on his face.

"Oh, it's nice to know that Tou-san has at least one friend that isn't from the hospital!" Yuzu told Urahara with a smile. Isshin almost fell on the spot at that moment, he looked at his brown-haired daughter with fake tears in his eyes and feigning hurt.

"Oh, Yuzu, how can you be so cruel to your own papa?" Isshin cried out in mock sadness. Yuzu and Kisuke just laughed at his antics and waited for him to calm.

When the man stopped he looked over his two present children and saw the contrast in emotions. Yuzu while her usual happy self still had a feeling of uncertainty around her, most likely from being in such an unfamiliar place. Her sister however, had yet to say anything and do anything, other than stand there, mouth wide open, staring directly at him. The man then sighed at this and decided to bring her into the conversation and try to lighten the mood.

"You've been awfully quite, Karin." Her father told her. This shook the black-haired girl out of her shocked detachment from reality. Staring at her father, she gave the man and unsure look, hundreds of questions still floating around in her mind. Even though she had so much to ask she could barely even stutter out a proper word, without it sounding like a spastic mess.

"D-dad... W-why... Hh-how... W-when...?" She voice out dumbly, silently cursing her current inability to form a proper sentence. Yuzu stared at her with a weird look on her face, to her it was like she had grown a second head or was a completely different person. She had never seen her sister getting this worked up, or act this differently before.

Sighing for a second time her looked at his daughter and spoke again.

"I know you have a lot of questions right now, Karin and I will answer all of them as best I can. But right now, there is something, or rather, someone that I have to show you and your sister." This got Yuzu's attention to be focused back on him and Karin just stayed standing where she was, content with what she had been told, but now, another couple of questions had popped in her, as well as Yuzu's mind. Who was he talking about? The daughter with the light brown-hair decided to voice her question.

"Who is it, Tou-san?" She asked curiously. To which the man smiled and turned to his friend Kisuke, who was now hiding behind his fan with an wide smile clearly on his face, though he tell that there was still a look of hesitance in the visage. Then he looked at Yoruichi, still calmly sitting there in cat form, a devious smile still on her face. He was not sure that he wanted to know what was going through her head at that moment. Isshin then turned his head to the door and called out to somebody inside.

"Hey, you can come out, they're here now!" The man shouted. There was silence, not a peep of noise was heard, yet the two men and the small cat standing in front of the shop had yet to question this, like Karin and Yuzu were close to doing. But when a shadow formed on the other side of the doorway into the Shoten they ceased that idea and watched as the door opened almost painfully slowly.

When the door finally their eyes widened at the imposing figure that had emerged from inside the shop.

A very tall man, easily a foot above both of them and several inches above the men, stood there looking back at them. His body covered in dense muscle that was clearly defined beneath the tight fitting, long-sleeved, black shirt and blue jeans. The long, strawberry-blonde hair reaching past his shoulders seemed familiar to Karin, as did the handsome angular face and chiselled features. Why did this man remind her so much of somebody? Did she know him? She was sure she did, but who?

"Who are-" Karin cut herself off when she heard a loud sniffle and a whimper of somebody crying right next to her. Turning, she saw her sister, Yuzu, was the source of the sadness. Tears were pouring down her face and but they were not tears of sadness like Karin had thought they were and had remembered from many years in the past. No. These were tears of joy and happiness.

'Wha..' Was all that Karin could think. It was when her sister screamed and took off running towards the man that it finally hit her.

"ONII-CHAN!" The girl cried as she ran at the man who had just come out of the shop. She was so happy, her head was swarming with joyous emotions and relief. Her big brother, her Onii-chan, her Ichi-nii was back! She knew that he wasn't dead! She knew that he would come back to them eventually and she was right! He was here! Her brother was alive!

The adults around Ichigo were smiling as they watched the younger girl run towards her long lost brother.

SHINK.

'Oh god, No!' Yoruichi screamed in her mind. Her ears picked up the sound that she had come to associate with Ichigo. Time slowed down as her head snapped around to look up at Ichigo. The boy was pulling back his left arm, the two blades from his wrist protruding from out of the sleeve of the shirt they had given him, his face and body had switched to an alert and ready stance.

He's going to kill his sister!

Acting quickly, as Yuzu was now only a few feet away from clashing with fist fronted by two blades of steel, she dove behind Ichigo, transforming back to her human self mid leap and the air filled with a pink smoke. Yuzu still kept running, completely unaware of the sheer amount of danger that she was now in since she had tears spilling out of her eyes, still screaming out for her brother, leaving her blind to what was going on right before her.

There was a horrifyingly, agonising silence, only the sound steel piercing flesh rang through the air as Ichigo and Yuzu collided and disappeared behind the smoke from Yoruichi's sudden transformation.

.

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