Renji went tumbling across the ground as fire launched him backwards. He shot back to his feet and brushed off the clinging fire on his uniform.

"Jeez, Karin." He grumbled. "Try not to burn my clothes off, okay?"

"In your dreams, monkey boy." Karin rolled her eyes, holding her blade forward.

Another few weeks had passed since Toshiro had left the realms and there had been no sign of the demon girls. Though she would never admit it to anyone, Karin hadn't let herself walk around alone since for fear of them cornering her. Toshiro had warned her about them himself for a reason, and the concerned look he'd had when he pointed out how powerful they were was reason enough to trust that she stood no chance. She'd trained viciously and had managed to find her Shikai, training with Renji and the others when they visited to make it stronger.

Her zanpaktou was a fire-wind type, her name given as Homuratei, and the Shikai form was that of fiery red rapier, the golden hilt curling around her hand in the shape of a dragon. But while her zanpaktou spirit did like making fire into the form of a dragon, she wasn't one. Not that Karin could tell, anyway, she was always covered in flames.

"Anyone hungry!?" Came Kisuke's sing-song voice as he appeared off to the side.

"You bet!" Renji replied. Karin just shrugged and resealed her zanpaktou.

'I need to get stronger.' Karin mused as she followed the red-head back up to the shop. 'That way he doesn't have to worry about me.'

'I'm sure your boyfriend would protect you anyway.' Homuratei replied.

'He's not my boyfriend, for crying out loud.'

'You want him to be.'

'Go back to ignoring me.'

'I'm right, aren't I?'

'That's none of your business!'

'Oh I'm totally right! My hot-tempered Karin is in love with the Ice Prince!'

'Okay, fine! But he IS a prince, so there's no way we could…it's just not possible, I probably won't even see him ever again.'

'Oh, don't give up. It is possible to get into the Soul King's realm…wait for one of those Royal Guards to show up and have them take you.'

'I'm telling you, that won't work. Toshiro is like…ten times stronger than a Captain. I'm probably just dog chow to them.'

'Well, time to change that, hm? We train hard, Master, and find our way to the Ice Prince!'

'You're ridiculous.'

Her zanpaktou laughed while Karin herself sat down and accepted food from the shop keeper gratefully. She'd been eating a lot more due to her ever rising Spiritual Pressure, which Renji said would qualify for the rank of Seventh Seat at the moment. Adding her skills in hand-to-hand and zanjutsu, as well as her small amount of Kido ability, he said she'd be able to make Fifth Seat. That wasn't good enough for her. She wanted to be as strong as her brother.

"Hey, I'm gonna take a quick walk." Karin said to the others once she'd finished, walking outside. She turned for the more crowded areas of the town, still not wanting to be caught alone.

"Hmph, that Hitsugaya, leaving her like that." A cat formed Yoruichi tsked.

"Oh, he'll come back for her." Kisuke snickered.

There was a knock on the door and everyone's attention turned towards it.

"Wonder who that is." Yoruichi mused, flicking her black tail.

Renji stood to get the door, sliding it open to reveal a white hooded figure. The woman glanced at him briefly before she stepped inside silently. The others all tensed, on guard, until the woman held out a scroll of paper. Curious, the shop keep carefully took it from her and opened it up to read, his feline friend jumping onto his shoulder to read it with him. Gray eyes widened and he looked up at the figure in alarm.

"You're willing to do such a thing?" He asked.

"He wants you safe." She replied quietly. "In this fight, to be safe is to be strong."

Ruala looked around at those gathered. The Urahara shop gang, Yoruichi, Renji behind her, as well as Ikkaku and Yumichika. A few of the people she remembered seeing before we're not here, and neither was the girl the young prince worried for, the one Sofia had gotten his confession for.

"Where is Karin Kurosaki?"

Said teen had gone to the park, heaving a sigh and sitting on a bench, people passing her by as they came with their children. At least here she should be fine.

"Hey there!" A chirpy voice said and someone sat next to her.

Sighing again, she turned to see who had dared approach her while she was in a bad mood.

Her heart nearly stopped.

"Ooh, you look like you've seen a ghost." Firiat snickered sarcastically. "But don't make a scene here, people might look at you funny."

"Wh-what do you want?" Karin scowled fiercely at her.

"Just to ask a question." The black-haired girl shrugged.

"If it's about Toshiro I'm not saying anything."

The demon girl laughed, startling a family as they passed. So people could see her.

"No, not about that annoying prince. See, we're looking for someone very special to him." Karin shuddered as Firiat's tone became a hiss when she emphasized special. "Are you that person?"

"No, now keep looking."

"Aw, bummer. Now I have to kill you."

"What!?" Karin shot to her feet, gripping her sword. Now she realized why people were looking at Firiat strangely, she looked like she was talking to herself.

"If none of you Soul Reapers are the one we're looking for, I get to kill you." Firiat stood slowly, a wicked grin on her face. "This should be fun."

Sapphire eyes caught onto something glinting on Karin's wrist and Firiat grinned wider if that was possible.

"Nice bracelet. Boyfriend give it to you?"

"That's none of your business!" Karin unsheathed her blade and pointed it at Firiat.

The pyro laughed wickedly, her form shifting as she became invisible to the living, those who had been looking at her jumping back in alarm as she vanished from view. They moved away quickly, sensing a dangerous aura within the vicinity.

"Tell me child, do you have any fears?" Flames began to burn over top the scarlet robe she wore.

"Not of you." Karin snarled.

"Let's change that." Tavain lifted a hand and let sparks dance across it; so she had more than just fire at her disposal.

Karin was about to chant the release command for her zanpaktou when the flaming demon was suddenly in front of her, a firm grip around her throat that burned terribly, lightning racing through her body and paralyzing it. The pain was intense but the paralysis prevented her from screaming.

Then it stopped and Firiat pulled back, scowling. The pain had ceased and any burns or residual paralysis vanished from her body, leaving her somewhat out of breath but unharmed.

Karin knew why Toshiro was worried, now.

"So he's protecting you from magic, too." Firiat growled. "Oh well, at least now I know you're the one."

"What the Hell are you talking about?" Karin pulled herself back to her feet. She needed to be prepared this time, couldn't let her guard down in the slightest.

"Our master wants us to find the one person capable of breaking the heart of our young prince." She grinned. "He'll be saving you for when the young prince comes after us, and when he does he'll kill you right in front of him. Then he won't resist his death."

"You…You can't do that to him!" Karin snarled.

"Hey, it's worth a shot." Firiat shrugged. "I know I'll have fun with you while we're waiting!"

Just before Firiat rushed forward again, a flash of white moved between the two.

"Sofia!" Ruala commanded the panther next to her. "Take her there."

"Hey wait, that's my prey!" Firiat hissed, flames spreading higher due to her anger.

The panther sent a hiss at her, baring all fangs, before turning around and latching onto Karin. A bright flash of light and they were both gone. Furious, Firiat turned to Ruala, the guardian's blades at the ready, but knew not to engage. They knew who their target was now, no point in fighting just yet. She vanished into darkness just as Ichigo and Rukia arrived, Renji, Rangiku and Yoruichi not far behind. They had all felt the pull of the bracelet as it warned them she was in danger. Ruala had been much faster, though.

"Where's Karin?" Ichigo demanded, stepping up to the quiet assassin.

"Safe." Ruala replied. "She is where they can't find her."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Wait, Ichigo." Rukia put her hand on his arm to calm him. "I think she means your sister is with Hitsugaya."

"She's…" Ichigo's eyes widened. "She's in the Soul King's Realm?

All eyes focused on Ruala. The guardian nodded once.

"We shall train." She said, and began walking away.

And so Karin heads to the Soul King's Realm! This shall be interesting, hehe. Hopefully Firiat's little attack gives some insight into their strength and all that. Actually if Karin can get up to Captain level, which she's improving at a similar rate as her brother so she'll get there, Firiat would be kind of useless against Karin since she's strictly magic...well, no, if I remember right I also gave her really sharp claws that she sometimes puts poison onto. Out of the five girls she was supposed to be the only human but she's completely insane...they all are, that was the whole point of their group. Anyway, even the youngest, Firiat, is a force to be reckoned with so Karin was lucky she had that bracelet. Enjoy!