Hey guys, I'm super sorry for the delayed post, but it's totally not my fault this time. I had the chapter ready to go last Monday, but our beloved fanfiction. net's server for posting stories has been down all week! (I've checked every day). Maybe it was just me, I don't know, but it wouldn't let me update :( So sorry again that this took so long and I hope you like the chapter!
Spring was clearly on the horizon as they covered the last few miles of their journey. The snow melted completely and bright sun dried the mud as tiny shoots of grass began to poke their hopeful heads through the barren ground. Even the trees seemed fresh and new, and colorful buds decorated the spindly branches. They were only a week or so away from home if they traveled at their usual pace, but they moved slowly and Hanataro didn't complain. They lingered in a neighboring town for several days as Renji finally sold his ink to some very excited artists and loaded up on medicinal herbs only available in the far east.
"I'll make a killing on these up north," he told them as he filled the wagon with cloth bags bulging with dried leaves and spiky twigs. "They're always asking for this kind of stuff." He bought high quality sake with some of his profits and he and Karin spent the night before her birthday engaged in a raucous drinking game that left them both trashed, bruised, and incredibly content. The next morning Karin succumbed to the inevitable and declared that it was finally time to go home.
Karakura was, in its essence, a holy town. Dozens of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples dotted the landscape, their red torii gates rising up between the homes like sacred trees. Well kept wooden fences taller than a man's head lined the narrow, quaint streets. Sakura, maple, and persimmon trees leaned over the gates, reaching out towards the cobblestone street below, refusing to be constrained by man-made structures. Scattered amidst the buildings were tiny kami houses decorated with folded paper chains and alters of incense and bowls of rice, paying homage to the guardians of the people. If you looked closely enough, you could almost see the kamis jumping out from behind corners or running playfully along rooftops. It was magical and romantic and the definition of peaceful.
"I can't believe this is where you're from," Renji marveled, gawking at a ceramic raccoon family adorning someone's stoop. "How did a place like this produce someone like you?"
"I can't decide if that's a compliment or an insult," Karin grumbled. "But man, this place looks exactly the same. Look, Kyouraku still has that nasty straw hat and gaudy pink kimono hanging on his door."
"It's good to be home though," Hanataro said joyfully. He was in an incredibly good mood, the kind only the smell of one's hometown can produce.
"It's so pretty!" Orihime squealed, dancing up and down on Karin's shoulders.
"I'm glad you're happy at least," Karin said with a sigh, pinching her nose playfully. For some reason, coming home only reinforced the fact that Hitsugaya wasn't with them, and something inside Karin was aching. Suddenly, Hanataro gasped.
"Ojosama!" he exclaimed, a look of terror on his face. "What are you going to do about your three objectives?" Karin shrugged.
"Eh, I'll figure something out."
"Ojosama," Hanataro groaned.
It was late afternoon when they finally pulled up to Karin's house. Three wooden buildings surrounded a vast courtyard lined with sakura trees. There was a stable for horses and chickens, a main house for the family to live in, and an entire building devoted to the pharmacy, where thousands of medicinal herbs hung from the rafters in various states of desiccation. Hanataro saw with dismay that it was significantly less organized than it had been when they had left. Behind the main complex was a small cook house and a gazebo containing the family's ancestral tablets. Karin jumped out of the wagon and stretched.
"Ah, it's good to be home," she said with satisfaction. "Now where's that father of mine?" On cue, the front door burst open and a man appeared. He had a distinct five o'clock shadow, square jaw, and broader shoulders than a well bred ox.
"Karin!" he cried," racing towards her with outstretched arms. "Oh my loveliest, darlingest, joy of my life! Thank goodness you're…" his teary welcome was met with a foot in his face.
"Lay off it oyaji," Karin groaned, shaking a tooth out of her shoe. "I've been home for like thirty seconds and you're already glomping me."
"We have arrived safely and in good health, danna-sama," Hanataro said with a swift bow. "These are our traveling companions and friends, Abarai Renji and Inoue Orihime. This man is ojosama's father, Kusosaki Isshin-dono." Isshin gave them an enormous grin.
"Any friend of Karin and Hanataro's is a friend of mine. Welcome to our humble abode!" Orihime jumped delightedly, and Renji scratched his neck, obviously out of place.
"As instructed danna-sama," Hanataro continued, "we have returned today on ojosama's birthday."
"Ah, yes yes, happy birthday my sweet plum!" Isshin glowed, clasping his hands in glee. "And what a happy birthday it is! My daughter has returned after her epic adventure to discover the true meaning of her youth. It is an important journey in a person's life. Tell me, was it meaningful for you?" Karin felt that that was a rather loaded question considering she had been home for under a minute, and she wasn't entirely sure how to answer it. She had left her simple life in this serene town, where a day consisted mostly of sparring practice, for the dangers and unknowns of the world. Over the past year she had been drunk, attacked, robbed, drugged, and nearly raped. She had lost a fight, broken her swords, and almost froze to death. She had made friends, lost friends, and fallen in love with the most unusual and mysterious man she had ever met. Meaningful wasn't exactly the word she would use to describe her year, but, looking back on it under her father's expectant smile, she had to admit that it had been the best year of her life. But she wasn't about to tell her father that. Instead, she shrugged.
"It was ok," she said nonchalantly. Renji snickered. Isshin lifted Orihime onto his shoulder like a long lost granddaughter and invited them all inside, where he made a big to do of pouring tea.
"Oh Karin, by the way," he added, almost as an afterthought. "We have a guest." There was a crash and a man with straw colored hair and too many teeth practically fell into the room.
"Oya, welcome home Karin-san!" he grinned from under a wide brimmed hat. "I'm impressed you actually made it."
"Urahara-san!" Karin nearly choked on her tea. "What the heck are you doing here?" Urahara smiled widely, showing every single one of his teeth.
"I couldn't miss the unveiling. A treasure more valuable than gold is certainly worth seeing." Karin rolled her eyes. Meanwhile, Hanataro had scrambled up and lowered himself to the floor in a deep bow. Karin kicked him lightly.
"You're way too formal Nezumi-chan," she scolded.
"It's still a proper greeting," Hanataro insisted, sitting up. "Honestly, you really should learn some manners." Karin and Isshin both laughed.
"Oi," Renji whispered in Karin's ear. "Who's that?"
"The daimyo," Karin replied and Renji actually did choke.
"Well Karin," Isshin prompted when they were all done laughing at Renji's expense. "Why don't you show me your answers to the quest?" Hanataro bit his lip nervously, but Karin was unperturbed.
"Well, the poor sucker who gets to spend his life with me is that one," Karin began, jabbing a thumb at Renji. He only looked surprised for a split second before he grinned broadly as if this was the most flattering introduction Karin could have offered. "You'll like him oyaji. He's damn good with a sword." Isshin scrutinized Renji carefully, sizing him up, and Renji was startled by the intense heat of his glare.
"Eh, Karin's a great girl," he said lamely, rubbing the back of his neck. Isshin turned back to Karin without comment, and Renji and Hanataro exchanged worried glances. Orihime gazed up at Renji with awe but thankfully didn't say anything.
"Next," Karin continued, "is this." She reached into the bottom of her bag and extracted the katana made from the dancing rocks, the one Renji hadn't sold. "No metal can touch this sword. It's so strong I refuse to use it. There is no better weapon in the country, I assure you." Isshin drew the sword and examined the blade carefully, again without comment. He sheathed it and put it aside.
"And as for the treasure…" Karin paused before reluctantly removing Matsumoto's kimono from her bag. The lifelike wildlife and radiant colors were as magnificent as ever, but Karin couldn't help feeling a mixture of pain and regret as she thought about the woman who had given it to her and the man she was supposed to wear it for. Matsumoto had said that the kimono represented hope and happiness, but all Karin felt was guilt and grief.
"This kimono has a lot of history to it," she said at last, her voice as lifeless as a dead fish. "It means a lot to a lot of people. And the kimono itself is a priceless work of art. I think that's more valuable than gold, don't you oyaji?" Karin looked up at her father and was startled to see that he was frowning. Isshin carefully considered the sword and kimono, then looked pointedly at Renji, Orihime, and Hanataro before settling his gaze on Karin.
"I'm disappointed," he said with a sigh. "It seems to have yet to grasp the true meaning of your journey." Karin's jaw dropped. She jumped to her feet, thoroughly outraged.
"How dare you?" she screamed. "You have no idea what I went through this year! You have no right to say anything about it!" And with that she stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard she cracked the wooden frame.
So now that you know who the daimyo is, I owe Moon of Jupiter and thorned. sunflower' cookies!
I went to Kyoto while I was in Japan, and my description of Karakura in this fic is essentially my depiction of Kyoto. It is officially my favorite city on Earth. It's so beautiful and peaceful and spiritual, and I loved it so much I just had to put it in here. So there it is :)