Please be advised that in this chapter, some heavier topics will be mentioned regarding physical harm and sexual assault. Please read with caution and discretion.
It was dark for sometime, then he could finally see something. It was bright and less dreary and he was shorter with spikier hair, wearing Shinō Academy uniform. It was a montage of memories concerning his time there, including his old best friend, Kusaka Sōjirō. Hitsugaya groaned as he felt light stung his eyes while he felt himself being poked and probed. "This is a pretty bad stab wound." A voice said as she observed his body as he lied down on a clinic bed.
"Yikes!" Another said, rolling up his hakama leg. "It's almost like something was on his... the anklet."
"Anklet?" The first voice asked
"They put an anklet on him to monitor him from leaving Soul Society," The second said as she applied pressure to the cut. "I feel like kaido would help him heal faster but I don't know how to do it."
"These shinigami haven't changed, have they?" The first one sighed before a needle poked into his skin sand he winced visibly, waking up. "Oh, he's awake. Uh..."
"Hitsugaya-san..." Yuzu stated
"Oh! So this is him!" She said and Hitsugaya looked between the two of them, confused out of his mind before shrieking as Yuzu took out a metal shard from the wound.
"Did you rip the anklet off?" She asked
"I had to." He sucked a breath. "If I didn't... I wouldn't have been able to leave undetected."
"What is going on?" Yuzu asked, taking out another shard and he yelled out in agony.
"Now, now, Yuzu-chan. Let's deal with these wounds first and ask questions later." Sofia said. "Where is Karin? Surely she couldn't have heard all this commotion and stay in her room. I... have no clue." She yelled in a language that Hitsugaya could not understand. "She's not responding. Yuzu, can you go check on her? I'll finish patching him up." Yuzu nodded before walking out of the room. "So, you're the boy who my granddaughter is in love with."
Hitsugaya was taken off guard by that and he didn't anticipate the needle going in. "Argh!" He grunted before breathing heavily.
"Calm down, this is a pretty big stab wound so it'll take a lot of stitches." She said. "Try to relax."
"I can't... so much has gone wrong." He winced.
She looked at him. "Well, you can't fix this in this state while your body is a mess." Hitsugaya fell quiet and the old woman started to giggle. "You're just as handsome as she described." He tensed up. "Is this conversation making you uncomfortable? I'm sorry... I'm just excited about meeting the boy my Karin-chan thinks so highly of."
"Did she... say these things?" Karin may have been the one open to expressing her emotions but she was not that open to it. Just hearing the word love alone almost gave him an aneurysm and he could only imagine how uncomfortable that word made her. It was a word that they did not throw around on a whim.
"She wrote them down. They were her words regardless." She said. "But sadly, it wasn't just sunshine and rainbows."
Hitsugaya looked confused. "What do you me—hmm!" The last word was cut off half way through by a grunt as she poked him with a needle again.
"That Karin has been through a lot... and a lot of those experiences are things a person cannot and should not begin to imagine."
"She's not here." Yuzu's voice echoed through the halls.
Meanwhile on the other side of town, Kei opened the door to a knocking individual at such an awkward time of the night. He rubbed his eyes as he opened the door, only to blink in surprise. "Hey! Is Sachiko home?" She said out of breath.
"... uh, no. She's at Sakaguchi house." Kei said and Karin frowned. She looked momentarily confused and Kei was wondering what was going on with her. It kind of hurt a lot considering that she is his longest friend and one of his closest.
"Sakaguchi... who is that?" Karin mused in confusion, shaking her head and Kei blinked at her.
"Maki-chan... the one in our class... the one who is going out with my sister?" Kei said slowly, now incredibly considered about her.
She had a look that he could not decipher. "Oh... Girlfriend... right. I'm... sorry." Karin huffed, ready to turn and leave but Kei stopped her.
"You can... come in, you know. We're still friends, aren't we?" He offered a smile and Karin just stood there, wide eyed and lost. "You're shivering. Why didn't you leave without a jacket? Come on in." Karin hesitated but nodded before passing the threshold.
Renji and Rukia returned to Seireitei just in time to watch the members of Ichibantai and other vice captains confiscate the weapons belonging to the members of Jūbantai. Matsumoto was the first to willingly give up her zanpakutō before standing off to the side. Renji and Rukia shared a look before going over to speak with her.
"Well, it's over." Matsumoto admitted with a defeated sigh.
"You can't be negative." Rukia sympathised with her. "We don't know anything yet."
"Well, it is a treasure of a royal family." She shrugged with a sad smile on her face. "Our lives are simply not precious enough to atone for this. That's how important it is apparently."
"You can't say that..." Rukia tried to dissuade her
"I'm sure Hitsugaya-taichō will come back." Renji tried. "He's probably off chasing this idiot for all we know. He's a relentless one."
"I guess..." Matsumoto sighed. "I just wish he'd said something before disappearing on me... That's what everyone does at this point..."
"Hitsugaya-taichō isn't like that." Renji claimed
"Sure. First Shiba-taichō, then Gin... and now him. I think the universe is trying to tell me something..." She sighed sadly.
"Thank you for complying!" Okikiba announced. "Please wait here patiently until further information is given. Matsumoto-fukutaichō, return to the line. All personnel not of Ichibantai or Jūbantai are kindly asked to leave."
"Stay strong." Rukia said
"We'll see you." Renji added before the two turned to leave but Matsumoto held Renji back for a second.
"I have one favour. I want you to look into something." She said. "The man who Hitsugaya went after... I suspect he knows him personally."
"Huh?" Renji hummed in confusion
"It only makes sense why he acted that way." Matsumoto said. "In fact, he went to Jūnrinan before he disappeared completely... that's his home district."
First text Yuzu had received from Kei in a while and it was telling her that Karin was at his house in case she was wondering. Nothing more, nothing less. Yuzu sighed as she tucked her phone away before being caught off guard by someone sliding into her room through the door. "Ahh!" She shrieked.
"Sorry, it's me." Her brother said and Yuzu had an angry crack on her forehead as she stared at her brother with a glare.
"You idiot!" Yuzu hissed. "Couldn't you knock like a normal person?!"
"Sorry. I thought you were in the kitchen and I was just looking for my old pjs." Ichigo said.
"Why are you back anyways?"
"Tōshirō has gone missing and Soul Society is going into high alert... again." Ichigo huffed.
"Who? Hitsugaya-kun?" Yuzu asked.
"Ah! Something called the ōin was being transported and Jūbantai was in charge of securing the area. They were attacked, the ōin was stolen and Tōshirō disappeared. I'm guessing he is chasing down the person who did it but the gotei—"
"He's in your old room." Yuzu interrupted and Ichigo stopped, blinking in surprise at that revelation. "Obaa-chan and I just finished patching him up. You're really bad at sensing reiatsu, huh?"
"... and where's Karin?"
"At Sachiko's place." Yuzu said.
"Does she know he's here?"
"I think so." Yuzu shrugged. "I'm not sure if she left before or after he arrived but if she left after, she must've seen his haori on the floor by the door."
"Did he... come here himself or..."
"I brought him here." Yuzu said. "I went out for a run in the forest and there was a strange reiatsu in the area causing it to snow. Went further and it was him."
Ichigo hissed in annoyance. "Is he awake?"
"Don't know." She said.
"Are you... okay?" He asked. Yuzu looked at him and nodded but he did not buy it and sat down at the foot of her bed instead. "Yuzu, you look awful."
"Gee, thanks onii-chan." Yuzu said in monotone.
"You know what I mean. Your eyes... they look dead." Yuzu frowned. "What's going on? Why are you upset?"
"I'm fine." She insisted.
"Yuzu, you don't even know when Karin left the house. She would have told you if she was going out... she always does." He said and Yuzu said nothing. "Did something happen between the two of you?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Yuzu said and Ichigo sighed.
"Yuzu, right now isn't the time for any of us to be against each other, alright? Karin needs you."
"No, she doesn't! Stop talking about things you don't understand!"
"Then help me understand."
"Understand what? You're never here! You barely talk to us. We don't even exist in your world."
"... Yuzu, this isn't like you." Ichigo blinked at her in confusion. "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. I know I've made mistakes and I'm sorry... I just don't want to see you lose yourself the way I did. It's an awful road. I wish I had known my sisters were there for me... I want you to know you're there for each other." He left the room.
After seeing Yuzu, Ichigo went over to his old room and knocked on the door. "Oi! Tōshirō, it's me." He opened the door and the captain was lying on the bed on his side with a blanket covering him.
Tōshirō sat up and winced to face Ichigo. "Kurosaki? What are you doing here?"
"Isn't it obvious? That ōin thing or whatever is missing." Ichigo said. "Renji and Rukia were even called back to Soul Society."
Hitsugaya frowned. "This isn't something for them to be focusing on. They should be looking for—" he stopped himself. "I'm sorry for getting in the way."
"That's not something to worry about." Ichigo said as he sat on his old desk chair. "Why did you run? Omitsukidō are looking for you."
"Ah." Tōshirō acknowledged.
Ichigo frowned. "That's all you have to say? Why are you hiding?" Tōshirō didn't reply. "You have to say something..."
"This is none of your business." He said and Ichigo glared at him.
"It's interfering with finding Aizen so it has everything to do with me!" He spat at the young captain before scoffing. "Well, whatever. I can't drag shit out of you." He noticed Tōshirō flinch, hunching it slightly in what appeared to be pain but he was hiding it from his expression. "Hey, you okay?"
"It's nothing." Tōshirō sighed. "Sorry... but I just need a little more rest." He said as he lied back down to sleep.
"Okay." Ichigo stood up, noticing a black journal on his side on the bed. "Want me to put this on the desk?" He reached for the book but Hitsugaya placed his hand protectively over it. "Fine. But you can't do anything in that state. I'll call Inuoe and see if she s able to come over some time tomorrow since she lives nearby so stay put until then." He gave him one last look before exiting the room. "Geez, what is up with young people these days?" He complained.
"So, you're not going to tell me what happened?" Kei asked Karin as she sat cross legged on the couch while they watched the TV. Karin knew coming here was bound to be a mistake even though she had nowhere else to go except to Sachiko. Sadly, Sachiko was Kei's sister and Kei and Yuzu were in a... situationship if Karin could even call it that. It saddened her that even her friends who she knew for years were also caught in the middle of this mess because now she didn't know how to feel about anything.
"Nope. Just needed to be out of the house. Nothing more, nothing less." Karin said
"Why?" Kei huffed. "You and your sister are barely making sense these days."
"Which tells you to mind your own business." She retorted.
"Well, I can't when it is literally affecting your friendship with all of us." He huffed. "Why are you and Yuzu fighting?"
"Ask Yuzu." She said.
"I'm asking you."
"You're the one messing around with her."
"And what does that have to do with anything?" Kei huffed. "I'd ask her but she's been avoiding me and everyone else for over a week."
"And that's her prerogative, not mine. I did nothing to affect her relationship with any of you so let her continue being entitled and self centred." She said. "She's looking for attention and I'm not going to give it to her."
"Karin, whatever she did to make you this upset, I can guarantee you that she is feeling it. Alright? You got what you wanted." Karin felt like a string broke inside of her. "Now if you could just talk to—"
"Got what I wanted?" Karin glared at him. "I got what I wanted? So I asked for this?"
"Karin, whatever you're taking this as—"
"I'm not taking this as anything! Clearly what I'm hearing is that I wanted to be kidnapped, manipulated, beaten, tortured and raped as a gotcha moment. Amazing!" She laughed. "I never realised it but it's all so clear now! I got what I wanted from having Yuzu, the poster child for perfection, rescue me so that she can feel good about herself. I got what I wanted from having my mind fall apart and possibly dying just so Yuzu can throw herself a little pity party and look sad and lonely and everyone can get worried about her while I try to piece the little left of my fucking life back together. A life that I don't think I can live through for much longer!
"I just love being the problem in your perfect little lives. I just stop everyone from operating and going about their business like a damn road block. Well, I am so sorry that I'm that bothersome to all of you. I'm sorry that my problems are too small in comparison to Yuzu not wanting to talk to you. I'll just disappear." She stood up.
"Karin, wait that's not what I..." Kei stood up to stop her but she pushed him.
"Don't touch me!" Karin threatened as her eyes felt hot, stinging with tears. "Don't act like you care. Don't act like Yuzu cares. You're not suffering right now, I am!" She said before running out of the house.
Yuzu frowned as she rejected a call from Kei and went back to sleeping. It was a long night and she was exhausted. "Yuzu! Phone!" Sofia called and Yuzu groaned as she got out of bed. This was getting annoying and ridiculous. She went down the stairs and took the phone from her grandma.
"Stop calling!" She ordered
"Yuzu, would you —"
"Leave me alone! I don't care what you have to say. Alright? Nothing you do will make —"
"Yuzu, for the love of God, shut the fuck up and listen!" He barked and Yuzu blinked in shock at his tone and realised how frantic he sounded and out of breath he sounded. "We need to find Karin and we need to do it quickly!"
"But you told me she is with —"
"She was. Past tense. She snapped and talked about a lot of worrying stuff and mentioned dying, Yuzu! I don't care if you don't want to talk to me. I really don't. But if we don't find her or something bad happens to her, it's on all of us. So quit avoiding people and help me look for her!" The line went dead immediately afterwards and Yuzu wasted no time rushing to the entryway, and putting her shoes on and running out of the house while ignoring the calls of concern from her grandmother.
Omake
Ichigo was fully expecting to meet his old man when he got home. In fact, he was just about ready to duck him and whatever crazy antic he would pull to try and tackle him. But surprisingly, Isshin was nowhere to be seen... just an old lady sitting on the lazy boy, knitting. Who is this old lady?
"Uh... can I help you?" Ichigo asked
"You just walked in like you own the place." The old lady chuckled before standing up and pulling at his cheeks. "You look just like your mother! So beautiful!"
"Uh... why are you pulling at my cheeks?" Ichigo tried to get out of the iron grip.
"Last time I saw you, you were such a cute baby and now you're so grown!" She smothered him in a hug
"Oh! I see you've met grandma." Yuzu popped her head out of the kitchen as Ichigo was being squeezed by Sofia. Ichigo gurgled something. "Don't worry... she'll stop in a second."
