Ladies and Gentlemen! Put your hands together for Chapter Twelve! No worries, I shan't spoil anything, however I will say this: Shit is going down. So fasten your seat belts and get ready for the ride.
With a yawn, Karin rubbed her eyes as she sat up. She had slept all day and recovered from her hangover. A quick glance at the clock told her it was 12:32 PM.
Sighing she muttered to herself, "I hope they didn't tell Ichi-nii..."
She recalled earlier that day when she had asked Toshiro not to tell her brother she had been hung over. Ichigo barging in, worrying over her health and yelling about how dumb she was for getting drunk with Matsumoto was exactly what she didn't need.
Stumbling a bit, she got up without much trouble. She was finally over her hangover.
I'm never drinking again. Ever.
As she stood up, she grew aware that it was silent in the room.
"Hm?"
Toshiro wasn't in the room, snoring like he usually was. "Probably forgot his gigai somewhere. I hope someone doesn't find it and think he's dead..." Karin muttered.
Suddenly she doubled over as if she had been sucker punched in the stomach. Something was wrong.
"Wha-?!" Her eyes widened in shock.
She whipped around, running towards the sliding door leading out to the balcony. Only one thought was running through her mind.
Find Toshiro.
"Toshiro!"
Toshiro panted, getting tired and wore out.
How many more?
"Hiya!" Ichigo cried out, slashing a hollow behind Hitsugaya.
"Toshiro, your senses are getting dull!" He said with a tired grin on his face. A lame attempt to keep up spirits.
"That's Hitsugaya-taicho to you!"
"We can't keep this up for much longer!" Rukia shouted, just finishing off a hollow.
"Yeah. Even I'm getting tired," Ishida panted. Even his little "bug spray" wasn't doing that much good. The hollows just kept coming.
"Why are there so many?" Ichigo shouted, dodging out of the way from another hollow.
"They're small fry, they shouldn't be this much trouble!" Yoruichi growled from above.
Toshiro just narrowed his eyes, and continued slashing at the hollows.
Something's not right. There shouldn't be this many, even with this much spiritual pressure on the mountain. Could someone have summoned them?
He had no time to dwell on this as he continued slashing and hacking away.
There had to been nearly a thousand hollows, and more appearing each minute.
I guess I have no choice. I'm a squad captain and even I'm getting tired from this many hollows.
Strength had suddenly become nothing before numbers it seemed.
"Banka-"
Just before he could complete his sentence, he suddenly froze up, paralyzed. His sword slipped out of his hands, falling moments before he did.
He went down like a rocket, his reiatsu no longer holding him up anymore.
"Taicho!" Matsumoto called out distractedly before being swatted away from the hollow she was advancing upon.
She let out a grunt of pain before standing up again and made quick work of the hollow.
"Soten Kishun!" Orihime cried out, catching him just before he was packed into the snow.
The shield quickly made it's way towards the safety of the boulder that she was behind so she could inspect him. "Hitsugaya?" She said, trying to get a response from him. She frowned as she got nothing from him. No response.
His blank eyes stared at her, unable to move. Was he even conscious?
"Shit!" Ichigo cursed under his breath. With just even one of them out of commission, it would be even harder still to kill all the hollows.
"Where the hell is Urahara?!" He yelled to no one in particular, hoping someone would know.
"He's setting a protective barrier around the town so no one gets hurt!" Yoruichi yelled, appearing beside him.
"How much longer until he gets here?" The substitute shinigami panted.
Yoruichi swiftly dispatched a hollow with a kick before replying, "Ten minutes at most!"
"No time to focus on that! We need to keep dispatching the hollows!" The little petite Kuchiki shouted as she clashed her sword with a hollow's claw.
Rukia grunted as she was pushed backwards, her feet sliding in the snow that gave no resistance. At this rate, they'll have to use Bankai. But what happened to Hitsugaya-taicho? Was it because he tried to use bankai that he fell?
She narrowed her eyes as her thoughts were quickly dismissed, now focusing on the fight.
Suddenly there was loud rumble as the new spiritual pressure shook them all.
"Don't tell me..." Ichigo muttered as his eyes opened in shock towards the newly formed garganta. The big tear in the sky was now getting wider and wider. Suddenly a gillian popped into view.
"Shit!"
They began pouring out, shuffling along slowly. It was bad enough that they had small fry to deal with. They didn't need gillians blasting their Ceros all over the place. Alone, a gillian wouldn't be much work considering their strength, but as a whole group as well a probably a million other hollows it would be difficult.
Not to mention, they felt extremely drained. More so than usual. Small fry shouldn't have been this work even with the numbers.
Orihime's concern grew as she noticed no changes in Hitsugaya. She couldn't even tell whether he was alive or not.
"Rangiku!" She noted with surprise as the lieutenant flash-stepped to Orihime's side. "How is taicho?" She asked, getting straight to the point. "I'm sorry b-but I can't tell if he's alive or not," Orihime mumbled, glancing away.
"I see," Rangiku said, her expression growing troubled. "Well, we'll just have to keep fighting then."
"Rangiku-chan! Your arm!" she gasped. Matsumoto's right arm was slumped to her side with blood trickling down it like a stream.
Without wasting another second Orihime expanded her shield to heal Matsumoto. Slowly the blood stopped and life was brought back into her arm. She moved it a few times, testing it out before deciding it was healed up enough.
Matsumoto quickly thanked her before launching back into the battlefield.
Taicho you better not die on me!
The battle continued clashing all around her. She tuned it out, only focused on Hitsugaya.
It's just like that time.
Fear coursed through her, causing her breath to come out in tiny gasps. Her ultimate fear had come true. Ever since she had been kidnapped and taken to Huenco Mundo, ever since Ichigo had been shot down by Ulquiorra with that blasted Cero. She had been afraid her powers would be to weak to help. That she would no longer be able to heal.
She clenched her fists tightly, the fear now turning into ice in her veins. She could hear own heartbeat so loudly that it felt like it was being held right up to her ear.
No...I refuse to let this happen again.
"Ichi-nii!" Karin shouted, running to the scene. Her breath was coming in short gasps.
She stopped dead her tracks, unable to believe what was before her.
All around her, were her fallen family members.
Her fallen friends.
"No..."
Rukia was impaled by her own sword, hanging from a tree with blood trickling down the trunk.
Orihime was laying in blood-stained snow with a gaping hole through her chest, the work of a cero.
Ishida was slumped against a tree, blood pooling out of his mouth.
Yoruichi was splayed out on top of a rock.
Renji was hanging from a tree branch like a towel drying in the sun.
Chad was buried deep in the snow, only his face visible.
Toshiro was slumped up against the same rock Yoruichi was on.
Ichigo was face-down in the snow.
She couldn't take it. Their lifeless eyes blank. Their breaths no longer existing.
Just corpses.
Last of all, was Yuzu. In front of her stood a massive hollow with claws for hands and bull-like face. A long lizard tail thrashed in the snow behind him.
"YUZU!" Karin yelled, running towards her sister.
She couldn't get there in time.
Her feet were heavy. They were weighing her down.
She felt like she was moving in jello.
Ichigo's head turned only slightly. His eyelids gave a weak flutter. "Yuzu...Karin," he whispered hoarsely. Unable to do anything but watch.
His whisper went unheard.
Yuzu stared at the hollow, able to see it for what it was for once. A horror-stricken look her face.
The hollow laughed manically, closing it's fist tightly around Yuzu and picking her up.
At the contact of the hollow's claw Yuzu let out a scream. The beast could only laugh at this.
His claws grew tighter, forcing her to scream out in agony. Her face was twisted in pain.
"YUZU!" Salty tears streamed down her angel-like face.
The hollow kept squeezing and squeezing until finally Yuzu went limp in it's arms, her mouth trapped in a silent scream.
Karin watched her twin fall from the hollow's claws with a 'thud'. Her limbs now splayed out awkwardly.
She ran up to her twin, falling to her knees and stared at Yuzu's lifeless body.
"YUUUUZUUUU!" She howled.
She shook with rage. A rage that she had never felt before. It shook her down to her very core.
This was true anger. As she cradled her sister's lifeless body, she cried. She howled in pain.
"YOU!"
Her eyes were murderous as she looked up from her sister's face to the hollow's.
The hollow could do nothing but cackle at the pain he caused. This only made Karin more anger if that was even possible.
She was blinded by fury, unable to even think about anything other than inflicting pain upon it.
Suddenly she was wearing a Shihakusho.
Suddenly she held a zanpakuto in her left hand.
The bracelet Urahara had given her slowly crumbled away into the snow before disappearing completely.
Totally useless now.
She didn't care. She didn't even think twice about unsheathing the sword. The hollow was the only thing in her sights.
So overcome with anger, she couldn't even think straight.
Her sword was engulfed in red hot flames. "AHHH!" She yelled as she jumped and clashed her sword against the hollow's claw. The force of impact from the clash caused sparks of fire to shoot from her sword. The trees of the forest were lit ablaze, melting the nearby snow.
"I WILL MURDER YOU!" She cried.
The flames surrounding her blade grew bigger. Little embers landed in the snow, burning tiny holes.
The hollow would only cackle like a madman. "Try as you might little girl!" he yelled, swatting her away with his massive tail.
She gave a grunt of pain as she was flung back and hit a tree with a loud thud.
Her sword landed in the snow, burning it away living a sword-shaped spot.
She grunted as she tried to get up, not even aware of the forest fire she had caused. Without hesitation she grabbed her sword and charged back straight towards the hollow.
"I WILL BURN YOU TO ASHES! I'LL BURN EVERYTHING!" She yelled, her sword crackling loudly.
As soon as the words left her lips, a blast of fire shot out from the sword, burning the hollow. He gave out a cry of pain as he was burned and stumbled backwards.
"I'M NOT DONE YET!" She yelled, taking pleasure from seeing the bastard in pain.
Karin brought down her sword on him with no mercy. It was fury straight from hell.
He was slashed.
He was cut.
He was burned.
He screamed in agony. He may have been a hollow, but he could still feel pain.
Karin stood over him, panting. She didn't bother wiping the blood from her face.
But she wasn't done. Her anger was far from gone.
"AGHHH!" She kicked him.
She stabbed him. Over and over.
"Haha!" She shouted in glee. He gave a roar of anger and tried to swat her again with his tail. Instead she gave a mad cackle as she set her burning sword against his tail. He screamed as his tail was burned off. "Die! Die! DIE IN UNFATHOMABLE AGONY YOU BASTARD!" She gave another mad laugh.
"Karin!"
Suddenly she froze.
The hollow's body was gone. Disappeared.
All she was stabbing was snow. "What?"
Now brought back to her senses, she looked up, confused.
"Karin!" Ichigo shouted, worried. His hand rested on her shoulder and a look of concern was on his face.
She looked up at him in disbelief. Just minutes ago, he had been lying face down in the snow.
"Ichi-nii?
"What the hell was that?" He said, gripping her shoulder tighter.
"Dammit!" Ichigo cursed as he dodged a cero.
"Tsukishiro!" Rukia panted as she stared up at the now frozen gillian.
How much more? How much longer?
"Ichi-nii!"
He froze up, instantly fearful.
"Karin!" He yelled out, unable to tear away his gaze.
Suddenly all the hollows stopped moving. A gillian stopped his forming Cero. A hollow stopped his claws from coming down.
With some unseen signal, they all crept back into the garganta. No longer seeming to care about the group of shinigamis. "What the hell?" Renji muttered, shocked.
How could they not be shocked? All the hollows had seemed to turn tail and run.
"Karin!" Ichigo called out, flash-stepping to her side.
She slowly turned toward him and he flinched when he met her gaze.
Her eyes were blank, like she was being hypnotized.
"Karin?" Fear was starting to creep into his voice. Could his sister not see him?
Suddenly she let out a cry, causing everyone to look up at her. She ran blindly, straight towards nothing.
"KARIN!" Ichigo shouted just about to sprint towards her. Suddenly a blast of spiritual energy caused him to shield his eyes. It was so thick and suffocating. It felt like the sun was bearing down straight on him.
"Karin?!"
The blast had come from her.
Everyone feasted their eyes upon her shihakusho and her zanpakuto that was now resting in her left hand.
She charged into the forest in a blaze of fury. Suddenly her sword was shooting out flames. She seemed to be swiping at air as she made her way closer and closer to the forest.
"KARIN STOP IT!" Ichigo shouted, wanting to bring his sister back to her senses. It was like she was deaf to their pleas.
Her fire had now spread to the forest, crackling and melting. Had his sister gone mad!?
"Hakuren!" Rukia shouted, ice now forming over the forest.
She could only pray that her ice would be strong enough to freeze the fire. Fire did beat ice after all.
She gave a sigh of relief as the forest was securely frozen.
The raven-haired twin was now stabbing the snow with her sword. Just senselessly stabbing it, again and again.
He could hear her madly laughing as she stabbed at nothing. Shivers ran up and down his spine as he was reminded of his hollow's mad laughter.
All he could hear from her was laughter. And more laughter. Laughter of the insane.
It isn't her. It couldn't be.
"KARIN!" Ichigo shouted, flash-stepping to her side. He put his hand on her shoulder and lightly shook her. "Karin!"
Karin stared, unable to do anything but stare.
There have been very few times in her life when she has been shocked into speechlessness. This was one of those times.
She stared at everyone. "Everyone...you're not dead?" She asked, still in shock. It was almost too good to be true.
"Dead? What do you mean?" Rukia asked softly, as she walked up behind Ichigo.
"I...I saw everyone. You all were dead. And then- a hollow took Yuzu. He squeezed her until she was dead and then- I killed it."
"I killed it," she repeated it.
She hadn't just killed it.
She had stabbed it over and over. She had put it through pain and suffering. And she had enjoyed every second of it.
"I-" She clutched her head tightly and gave slight wobble.
Ichigo quickly gripped her, try to steady her. "Karin, are you okay?"
"Am I okay?" She repeated.
"I just saw everyone's corpses. Killed. Dead. I just saw Yuzu get the life squeezed out of her."
Karin gave a tiny little chuckle. "But no no," she quickly glanced down at herself, "I'm not bleeding!"
"I'm not injured. So yes. Yes, I guess I must be okay! I'm quite alright!" This time she laughed. "I'm perfectly fine! Oh Ichi-nii! It was fun!" A big grin spread across her face. "I got to torture the hollow! I put it through agony and suffering. And I en-joy-ed every second of it!"
"Karin..." Ichigo stared at his sister in horror. Why was she acting like this? Did her hallucination really affect her that much.
Her grin slowly melted off her face. She dropped her sword into the snow and buried her face into her hands.
Suddenly she was racked with sobs. She couldn't stop the tears.
I'm so pathetic. Here I am...crying in front of everyone.
Ichigo hugged her, unable to do anything else but hold his crying sister.
"Ichi-nii...promise me that you won't die. Promise me that you won't let anyone else die."
"I-I..." He bit his lip.
"Promise me!" Karin yelled, looking up at him.
"I promise," he choked out, his voice thick.
He swallowed continuously. What kind of brother would he be if he broke down as well?
"Let's go back to the ski-lodge," Yoruchi said in a tired voice. It was clear that everyone was tired and wanted some sleep.
Orihime walked up to the others, still carrying Toshiro on her shield. "I'm sorry...he's not responding," she said quietly, her eyes downcast.
"What?" Karin looked up from her sob fest on her brothers Shihakusho.
Suddenly her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the paralyzed squad captain.
"Toshiro..." she muttered.
Matsumoto looked at her taicho sadly. "Taicho..."
"We should get back," Ishida murmured softly, pushing his glasses up.
"Yeah," Karin mumbled, on the edge of another breakdown. The group set off on their trek towards the ski-lodge.
Karin silently picked up her sword on the ground and followed behind Orihime, walking beside the shield.
Matsumoto walked beside Karin.
Unspoken comfort passed between the two. Toshiro was an important person to them both and neither wanted him dead.
A little far off into the distance, a cloaked figure smiled.
"This went well," it said, turning away from the group and trudging of into the snow, almost blending in with with it's white cloak.
No one noticed.
"And then I came to my senses," Karin finished. Just a couple of minutes prior, Ichigo had told his side of the story.
"Seems that bracelet didn't do much," Urahara muttered, and whipped his fan shut.
Once again, everyone was gathered in Karin's room. Only this time, it was Toshiro lying in bed.
"I believe your anger triggered your shinigami transformation. But it doesn't add up," Urahara frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"It's true that spiritual pressure can be triggered by strong emotions, but enough to turn you into a shinigami? Unless your spiritual pressure grew so large that it awakened your dormant powers." He rested his fan lightly against his chin as he thought.
Karin nodded, distracted by Toshiro who was breathing raggedly, sound asleep. Even though the perverted shop keeper had said he was in stable condition she couldn't help but worry. He had been paralyzed by an unknown substance which he had been eager to study. Damn scientists.
"Anyhow, my theory is there was an influence on all the hollows on the mountain. Not someone necessarily controlling them but someone summoning them. The same person caused you to hallucinate, causing your shinigami powers to awaken. Why, is what I want to know."
"But why paralyze Hitsugaya-taicho?" Matsumoto frowned.
"Perhaps the person targeted Hitsugaya because of Karin's relationship with him? It's clear that the intention of this attack was directed towards Karin."
A quick blush spread over Karin's face.
"We're not dating or anything! We're just friends!" She cried out defensively. She was tired of having to explain to people that the two were just friends.
Urahara smirked and then suddenly stood up, opened the door.
"Yoruichi come with me. We've got tests to run."
"Don't order me around," she glared as she followed him out of the room. "What are you talking about? You're my side-kick of course I order you around it only makes sense."
"What are you talking about? You're my sidekick!"
Karin sighed as she watched them leave the room, glancing back towards Hitsugaya.
Everyone else began to file out of the room one by one.
"He'll be okay. He is my taicho after all," Matsumoto said, leaving heavily against the wall. It was now just the two of them.
"Yeah. He better," Karin muttered. "I'll kick his ass if he doesn't." The lieutenant could only smile at that. She gave one last glance at her taicho before leaving the room.
"Ohh," a certain shinigami grumbled.
His eyes gave a quick flutter before opening completely. He looked up at the ceiling, confused, before recalling his memory.
I was about to use bankai and then I couldn't move. I remember staring up at Orihime's face, unable to respond or move. Then Ichigo called out Kari- KARIN!
He bolted upright and feverishly glanced around the room. His eyes landed on the sleeping form of Karin.
She was in a chair beside his bed, now slumped over and drooling on his covers.
He relaxed, and his eyes softened at he looked at her. He couldn't help but give a tiny smile to himself.
"Ahhh," Karin yawned sat up and rubbed her eyes groggily.
She blinked a few times as she stared at Toshiro.
"WERE YOU WATCHING ME SLEEP?" She yelled, quick to get defensive.
"No! I only just woke up. I'm not that creepy Kurosaki," his brow scrunching up as he frowned at her.
A tiny smile tugged at the corner of Karin's lips.
"I'm glad you're okay," she mumbled.
"I'm sorry what was that?" Toshiro said, cupping his ear with his palm.
"I'm glad you're okay," she mumbled at little louder.
He was smirking by now.
"Hm? Can you repeat it again?"
Karin grabbed his pillow and hit him in the face with it. "God you're annoying!" she yelled, her face now bright red.
Toshiro gave a tiny chuckle.
The two fell into an awkward silence.
"So..." Karin said, blowing a piece of hair out of her face.
"Were you watching me sleep?" The thought finally crossing his mind.
"Uh...um, no of course not!"
"Yes you were." He was smirking again like the bastard he is.
"Well excuse me for being a little worried," she slipped out, rolling her eyes.
She widened her eyes in shock as she realized what she had said.
"So you were worried about me?"
"Um, a little."
Karin kept her eyes downcast, not meeting his gaze.
How could I be so stupid? You stupid-
Suddenly hot lips crashed onto hers with no warning, breaking her free from her bashing in her mind.
Wha-!?
Hitsugaya's fierce intensity startled her.
She hadn't expected him to kiss her with such ferocity.
Hell she hadn't expected him to kiss her at all.
She could feel his smirk at her surprise.
Oh no. To hell with whatever it is. Whatever competition, she would not let him win. Period.
She pushed back, tightly gripping his hair.
She felt thrill. It was a whole new type of thrill that caused her to tingle from her head to toe.
Her tongue explored the inside of his mouth, causing him to clench the back of her shirt.
There was nothing innocent about this kiss. Nor was it chaste. It was heavy and intoxicating.
It suffocated her. And she loved it. She loved the way it was unexpected.
It got her adrenaline pumping.
She could hardly focus on the loud beating of her heart as she slightly parted her lips, deepening the kiss.
The two finally broke away, taking deep breaths as they regained their composure.
"What the hell was that?" Karin finally said, shock still evident on her face.
"I...I don't know," he answered breathlessly.
Karin gave a quick nod and scampered out of the room without another word.
She leaned behind the door, taking a couple of breaths. She tried to comprehend what had just happened.
Holy shit.
So how did you love this chapter my lovelies?
Good or nao?
Shit finally went down and blew up. I promised and delivered, no?
I'm sorry about taking a really long time to update though xc School is such a pain in the arse.
And I'm 89% sure I did a terrible description of that kiss.
I hope you all enjoyed it anyway.