Author's Note:

Welcome back, everyone! It's hard to believe we're already on chapter 7, and almost halfway through this story. Given that chapter 6 was pretty fluffy, I decided to post this one today as well, for a little more action ;-) So, I hope you enjoy the two-chapter update! This chapter, along with the next several, are going to be on the longer side, so I hope you all enjoy it.

In this installment, we get to see the rest of Karin's Shikai abilities :-P

Onward and upward!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. All credit goes to Tite Kubo.

Karin and Toshiro woke up to her alarm beeping at 6:00 am. He had told her they would be training every day, all day, barring Christmas; much to her chagrin. So, thus was the beginning of the week from hell for Karin.

Groaning, she rolled over, and snuggled as far into her boyfriend's arms as she could. "Five more minutes…not ready…" she mumbled; already drifting back to sleep.

Toshiro chuckled lightly in response, and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, Karin; time to get up."

Karin merely shook her head in refusal; not even bothering to turn her still-beeping alarm off.

Smirking, the young captain extricated himself from his sleepy girlfriend, and got out of bed to turn the alarm off himself; Karin grumbling in protest behind him.

Turning back around to face the bed, Toshiro crossed his arms over his chest; an amused but no-nonsense look on his face. "I told you I wouldn't give you special treatment just because we're together now, Karin. Come on; time to get up, and get breakfast. I wanna be at Urahara's by eight at the latest."

Rolling back over to face him, Karin finally opened her eyes; enjoying the view of a now shirtless Toshiro (who'd taken the garment off last night after getting too warm), but not excited to get out of her nice comfy bed. Scowling at him, she reluctantly threw off her covers, and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "You're lucky that A.) you're hot, and B.) I wanna live up to my family name; cause there's no way I'd get up at this god-forsaken hour for anything other than training or school." she said; rising from the bed, and proceeding to walk over to her closet.

Toshiro smirked in response. "What does me being hot have to do with you getting your butt out of bed to train?" he asked; amusement evident in his voice.

Looking over her shoulder, Karin smirked back at him. "It adds to the appeal. It's easier to face a day of torture if the person who's torturing you is easy on the eyes." she replied; giving him a playful wink before refocusing her attention on her wardrobe.

Smiling mischievously, Toshiro stealthily walked up behind her, slid his arms around her waist, and started kissing her neck.

He felt Karin flinch from the unexpected contact, but she quickly relaxed. Closing her eyes, she was content to enjoy the attention for a moment. She liked it when he got a little playful with her, but she was also glad that he knew not to push too much. 'Well, he knows he'd end up with a broken bone if he tried anything.' she thought amusedly. At the start of their relationship, she had been surprised to find that Toshiro actually had a cuddly, soft side to him; just like she'd surprised herself to discover that she actually liked the cuddling, and tender moments between them. Over the past month, it had surprised her even more to find that her desire for his attention and affection were steadily growing. She'd never considered herself a romantic, and she would always be a tomboy at heart, but she now understood how Yuzu felt with Jinta: loved for who she was, and what she brought to the table in the relationship. She liked being someone's top priority, and it made her happy to know she was wanted; not just physically, but for her brain, whit, and personality as well.

Opening her eyes, she smirked playfully. "Weren't you the one who wanted to be at Urahara's by eight at the latest? You're gonna make us late if you keep this up." she said in an amused tone.

She felt his lips brush against her skin to form what she was sure was a smirk of his own as he retracted his arms; bringing his hands to her hips. "Fair enough." he whispered in her ear, before releasing her entirely, and starting to walk towards the bedroom door.

'Dammit, Toshiro...' she thought irritatedly; feeling the goosebumps on her skin, and the slight increase in her heart rate. She knew he was enjoying teasing her; so, not being willing to let him get away with it without retaliation, she decided to return the favor.

"Hey, Toshiro" she said, catching his attention. No sooner did he turn around to see what it was that she wanted than Karin stepped in front of him, grabbed the snow-white hair at the nape of his neck, and pulled him down; kissing him deeply.

His eyes shut instantly, and, on reflex, his arms circled her waist; pulling her close to him. Karin looped both her arms around his neck; draping her hands on his upper back.

When they parted after a few moments, Karin pulled away from him, and made sure to lightly scratch his back with her nails as she did; feeling him shiver slightly. With a smirk on her face at seeing his clouded eyes, she released him entirely. "Thanks; that's all I wanted. Now, you'd better get changed, so we can ditch our bodies, and head out." she said as she walked back to her closet; pulling out her clothes for the day.

Trying to reign in his swirling emotions, Toshiro threw a scowl her way; fully aware she was playing with him. 'Dammit, Karin…' he thought as he silently turned back around, opened the door, and walked back to his own room; careful not to wake the rest of the house.

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After getting ready for the day, making and eating a quick breakfast, and leaving their bodies in the care of their gikongan, they got to Urahara Shop around 8:00, as desired; jumping right into training. The first four hours had been rather fun for Karin, as she got to work on her Kido with Toshiro, and Hakudo with Yoruichi. Now, though, she and her teacher had been engaged in zanjutsu training for four and a half hours, and she was getting tired. He was pushing her particularly hard today, which was forcing her to strategize more than usual; planning out her counters more carefully, and applying more precision to her offensive moves than she'd had to in the past. 'Control the flow of the fight, Karin; like he taught you. Make him move the way you want him to' she thought; deciding it was time to step up her game.

Blocking yet another blow from Hyorinmaru, Karin put some distance between herself and the young captain. Holding her zanpakuto in its release position, Karin locked her gaze with his. "Cover the earth with your ferocious roar, Todoroku Kaze!"

Toshiro smirked; glad Karin was finally upping the ante. 'Took her long enough.' he thought to himself as he adjusted his stance to brace against the powerful burst of air that always came from her Shikai release.

Keeping eye contact with his pupil, Toshiro watched as she raised her zanpakuto at him. "Category 1: Eaburetto" he heard her say as he moved just fast enough to avoid having a hole drilled through his skull. 'Good; her attacks are getting faster, and more accurate. Plus, she's learned how to condense the air into whatever shape and volume she wants to release.' he thought; pleased that she'd been able to refine and master her first Shikai ability so quickly.

Karin had yet to show him any of her other Shikai abilities, if there were any, so he'd decided it was time to increase the intensity of her training. He'd been pushing her since they first started the training process, but he'd been holding back a bit since the beginning so as not to completely overwhelm her. He'd wanted to give her time to let her abilities grow naturally, not forcefully; as Ichigo's had. Now, he felt confident that she could handle fighting him without him holding back. Today was the test of that assessment.

Looking back at his pupil, he had to block quickly, as Karin charged in on the tails of her first attack; clashing swords with her mentor.

Toshiro pushed her off, and gained some distance; reciting his own Shikai release: "Reign over the Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru!"

Seeing not just one, but numerous ice dragons rapidly headed her way, Karin knew she wouldn't be able to dodge them all. Raising her sword into the air, she decided to take the safe route this time. "Category 4: Tetsu no Dōmu!" she cried, as a large dome of wind formed from the air current flowing around her sword; encasing her in a protective barrier.

'Hmm…interesting. Her sword's abilities seem to be pretty similar to mine.' he thought; intrigued by this new development. 'This should be interesting.'

Watching silently as his ice dragons made contact with the wind barrier, and freezing it solid, he only had to wait a moment before the ice started cracking; swiftly being blown away by an incredibly powerful gust of wind, and sending ice shards flying in all directions.

Karin looked around at their surroundings, taking note of the terrain. 'I gotta get him out of this flatland, and over to the area with more boulders.' she thought; crafting her next several moves in her mind.

Taking an offensive stance, Karin recited her next command: "Categoty 3: Eakattā!" she said, slashing her sword, and sending a shockwave of air similar to Ichigo's own Getsuga Tenshō straight at Hitsugaya.

The speed of the attack was incredible, but Toshiro was able to see that Karin had aimed just a little too far to the left, so he made a dash towards the right. The blast ended up missing anything vital by just a few inches; slicing off a small piece of his captain's haori that didn't make it out of the area of impact, and giving him a fairly deep cut on his lower leg. He was lucky it didn't take his foot off. Upon landing from his leap away from the blast zone, he studied the devastated landscape that remained in the aftermath. The impact of the air had blown away a large swath of the ground in the blast's vicinity; scattering chunks of earth everywhere.

As Karin released one powerful shock wave after another, Toshiro studied the ability more closely while evading the attacks. 'Very interesting. The slash itself releases a blade of reiatsu, which moves several hundred times faster than the speed of sound; that's the actual cutting aspect of this ability. The massive destruction left in the wake of the release is the shock wave that the reiatsu blast causes through the air.' he thought; now very curious to see what else Karin had up her sleeve.

As he dodged the blasts, one after another; occasionally clashing swords with her while utilizing his crescent moon and chain to try and ensnare her from a distance, he noticed that she was deliberately moving them towards an area in the training room that had many more boulders and ledge. 'What's she up to?' he thought; rather excited to see what his student had come up with as he moved in for another close-range attack.

Their swords clashed, one blow after another, until Karin was finally able to push him off, and drive him away from her with the wind current that encircled her sword.

When they both landed in the center of the rocky area, riddled with boulders the size of trucks and mobile homes, Karin raised her sword at him again.

Bracing himself, Toshiro watched her closely. He could see she was starting to get worn down; not surprisingly, as she'd never had to use her other Shikai abilities against him until now. He was sure it was draining her rather quickly. 'She's probably never had to use them much, or in rapid succession, before now. The lack of practice is probably taking its toll.' he thought; waiting for her to make the first move.

"Category 2: Saikuronsōdo!" she said, as Toshiro watched a cyclone erupt from the tip of her blade; heading straight for him. He dodged, but to his somewhat surprise, the cyclone started following him.

As he shunpo'd out of reach of the deadly wind tunnel, he could see Karin swinging her sword to follow his movements; moving the funnel cloud with every turn of her blade. 'Okay, so the cyclone is basically an extension of her sword. She's able to control the size of it, and maneuver it accordingly to chase her opponents. Not bad.' he thought; a small but proud smirk on his face.

It caught him off-guard completely when she suddenly disbursed the funnel cloud; putting him a good distance away from her. Looking around, Toshiro realized too late that she'd not only been chasing him with the cyclone, but also using it to break down the massive boulders in the landscape into smaller projectiles that now riddled the area he was standing in. Just as he made this observation, he heard her speak as her reiatsu erupted around her. "Category 5: Hakai no Taiheigen" she said; glowing with her dark blue reiatsu as the wind picked up inside the training room. Karin raised her zanpakuto into the air, and an enormous burst of wind erupted from the tip; generating storm clouds above them. As soon as the storm clouds formed, Karin swung her zanpakuto straight down in one quick motion, causing several large tornadoes to rain down from the sky; devouring everything in their path, and sending the pieces of boulders that riddled the landscape flying in every direction.

As they tore apart the ground, they started closing in on her teacher at a rapid pace. There was no way of escaping serious injury or death with this technique, which is why Karin had been reluctant to use it until now. She knew, though, that Toshiro wanted to work with her on mastering the full extent of her Shikai abilities; so, she'd decided to show him all her tricks today. 'Good luck, Toshiro.' she thought; a smug smile on her face.

Toshiro found himself completely surrounded by the massive deadly funnel clouds; feeling himself being lifted off his feet by the force of the gales. 'If I get caught in any of those, I'm dead.' he thought as he slashed through boulder after boulder that was being hurled his way by the strong winds; quickly formulating the best course of action.

Karin was looking on at her devastating ace in the hole with pride, and getting ready to call off the onslaught of cyclones so her teacher could admit defeat, for once…until she heard him speak above the roar of her Great Plains of Destruction. "Bankai!"

Feeling the temperature in the room drop considerably, she watched as all of her tornadoes instantly froze solid; not a single one still moving. In an instant, the newly formed ice pillars shattered; raining ice crystals all over the area as Toshiro stood in the center of a large icy circle. 'Wow…that's impressive.' she thought; unable to hide the shock on her face at seeing him freeze her tornadoes solid. She took a moment to study his new appearance, too. He had ice covering his shoulders, forearms, and knees; with boots made of ice as well. He had an ice collar around his neck; while the bottom of his captain's haori had a coating of ice on it, too. He also had a large pair of dragon-like ice wings on his back.

'Okay, that's pretty sick.' Karin thought excitedly; enjoying seeing her boyfriend's second release. 'I wonder what my Bankai's gonna look like?'

Toshiro looked over at her with a pleased smirk on his face as he de-activated his Bankai, and made his way over to her; standing in front of her, and sheathing his zanpakuto. "Well done, Karin. You pushed me into using my Bankai; I'm pretty impressed. That last attack was far more powerful than I was expecting, and you executed it well." he said; his pride in her evident on his face.

Karin gave him a smirk back, crossing her arms over her ample chest. "Was there ever any doubt I'd be awesome and powerful?" she asked; confidence in her voice.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from a Kurosaki." he replied, before bending down, and giving her a peck on the lips. "Good job, Karin. I'm proud of you." he said; a soft smile on his face.

Karin returned the smile with one of her own; enjoying the confidence boost from her teacher. He didn't give out compliments often; so, when he did, she knew he meant them. Raising a curious eyebrow, she shifted her weight slightly, cocking her right hip to the side. "You could've gotten out of that attack using your Shikai, couldn't you?" she asked; a skeptical tone in her voice. As much as she appreciated the praise from her mentor, and for as powerful as she knew she was, there was no doubt in her mind that Toshiro using Bankai was probably unnecessary.

Toshiro gave her a small smirk in reply; yet again impressed by her observational skills. "It wouldn't have been easy, and it would have caused far more damage to the training room, but yes; I could have successfully negated your attack with my Shikai. Very perceptive, Karin." he replied; his smirk fading to a proud smile. She was growing more like her father and brother every day, in – thankfully - all the right ways.

After sharing a moment of quiet, their gazes locked on each other, they were startled back to reality by the sound of clapping behind them. Swiveling their heads toward the sound, they saw Kisuke standing on top of a large boulder nearby; a smile on his face. "Wow, Karin, well done. Your abilities are progressing nicely; you've achieved two major accomplishments already." he said; leaping down, and landing next to them.

Karin smiled back at him; grateful for the compliment. "Thanks, Kisuke. I've still got a long way to go to refine everything, but I'm sure we'll make good progress on that front this week…the task master won't give me any time off during break." she said; throwing a sarcastic smirk at Toshiro.

The young captain returned it with a small one of his own. "You're getting Christmas day and the weekend off; I think that's more than fair, given how much training we missed during mid-terms." he replied; his smirk growing ever so slightly.

Karin let out an overly-exasperated sigh in response; retaining the smirk. "I guess I'll just have to live with it, then, but you're not getting off that easy; I'm gonna make your life hell this week." She said, giving him a small wink, to which Toshiro merely shook his head in response; his smirk still evident.

Kisuke watched the interaction between them with great interest, before he spoke again. "Just as a heads up: Ichigo, Isshin, and Kazui are here now, so be more cautious." he said; giving them a knowing look.

Looking first at each other, and then at the shopkeeper, they both adopted puzzled expressions on their faces before Karin, being the more vocal of the two, decided to speak. "What do you mean, 'be more cautious'? They're way too far away from us for our Shikai to be a concern...well, mine, at any rate." she asked, before another thought popped into her head from his first comment after making his appearance known. "Oh, and, by the way, what did you mean when you said I've already achieved two major accomplishments?" she asked; waiting for his reply with curious eyes.

Kisuke merely smirked at them; deciding to be straightforward for a change instead of toying with them through riddles and inuendo. "Well, your first major accomplishment is being able to utilize all your Shikai abilities with so much skill, precision, and power, even though you've hardly ever used them before. That's quite the feat, and something I would expect from a Kurosaki." he started, before his smirk grew larger; causing them to raise curious eyebrows at him. "And your second accomplishment is getting winter warlock over there to admit he actually has a beating heart." he finished; watching in amusement as Karin's face adopted a more confused look while Toshiro bristled, and scowled at him. 'Oh, someone's getting defensive.' he thought; curious to see how the 10th division captain would respond.

"Uncalled for, Urahara; what are you talking about?" the young captain asked; his glare ice cold, and a challenge in his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest while adopting a more authoritative stance.

Kisuke retained his smirk as he glanced first at Toshiro, then at Karin. "Don't worry, I won't tell Ichigo how much you two have actually 'bonded' lately." he said, watching the look on Karin's face go from confused, to worried, and then to intimidating. "What are you implying, Kisuke?" she asked; an edge to her voice that he'd never heard from her before. 'Hmm, Captain Hitsugaya isn't the only one getting defensive.' he thought amusedly. He fully understood now precarious their situation was, and he had no desire to ruin things for them; he just enjoyed messing with them too much. He had to seize the opportunities when they came.

"I've suspected for a while, but now I have confirmation." he said; tapping his lips with his finger, and causing a slight blush to appear on both the young ones' faces as they each adopted scowls; slight panic in their eyes.

Shifting his smirk to a smile, Kisuke raised his hands up in front of his chest in a surrendering fashion; locking his gaze with theirs. "Don't worry, I won't rat you guys out; I'm actually a fan of this. I just want you to be careful, cause if they find out," he said; pointing behind him towards where Ichigo and Isshin were training with Kazui, "you better believe it'll get back to Soul Society fast. Ichigo's always had a temper, and I can definitely see him going to Head Captain Kyoraku to demand the old man swap out your teacher with someone else, Karin. Of course, he'd have to explain why, and that would lead to all hell breaking loose. Just. Be. Careful, okay?" he finished; looking at them with sincere concern this time.

Surprised, but happy to have an ally, Toshiro and Karin glanced at each other before looking back at Kisuke; nodding their heads in confirmation.

"Good." the shopkeeper replied, before turning to head back to his post as Kazui's secondary instructor. "Enjoy the rest of your training, you two. I'll give the others an update on your progress with your Shikai, Karin." he said, before shunpoing away.

Releasing a breath they didn't know they were holding, Karin and Toshiro looked at each other as their facial features relaxed. "Wow…who woulda thought Kisuke would be on our side?" Karin said; relief evident in her eyes.

Nodding slightly, Toshiro agreed; relaxing his body, and allowing his arms to drop once more to his sides. "I know. I wasn't expecting that, but I'm grateful for it."

Nodding in agreement, Karin walked up to her boyfriend; her face adopting a softer, more affectionate look as her lips formed a smirk, and her hands came to rest on his shoulders. "So, when are we eating dinner? You had me work through lunch, and I'm starving."

Returning her smirk with one of his own, Toshiro brought his hands to her hips. "Well, since you did a good job with your Shikai training today, I guess I can take it easy on you, and we can call it quits for the day. How about heading into town, grabbing some takeout, and going to the park to stargaze? It'll be dark by the time we get there."

Karin's face lit up, and her smirk melted to a soft smile as Toshiro's did the same. "That sounds great." she replied, before pulling away from him, taking his hand in hers, and pulling him excitedly back towards the exit.

They walked hand-in-hand until they were within eyesight of her family; letting go of each other, and putting a few inches between them.

As they approached, Kazui turned his head toward them upon hearing their footsteps; a big smile adorning his face. "Auntie Karin, Mr. Toshiro! Look what I can do!" he said as he turned towards a large boulder in the distance; raising his palm up toward it. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south! Hado thirty-one: Shakkahō!"

After saying the incantation, a large red orb of energy fired from Kazui's small hand; obliterating the right side of the targeted boulder in the distance as the child looked excitedly back at his spectators. "Isn't that cool?!" he said; his eyes shining.

Karin walked over to him, and rubbed his head; a proud smile on her face as Toshiro clapped for the boy. "Nice job, Kazui! You're a natural with Kido…unlike your dad." Karin said; throwing a smirk at Ichigo, who glared irritably back at her. "Not everyone can be good at Kido, Karin." the strawberry grumbled in reply; his arms crossed over his chest in a defensive manner.

Laughing at her brother's frustration, Karin turned back toward Toshiro when she heard him speak. "Well done, Kazui. It seems you have a natural affinity with Kido, like your grandfather." he said; giving the young boy a pat on the head.

Kazui looked up at the young captain with big eyes, and a smile on his face. "Thank you, Mr. Toshiro!"

The young captain smiled back at the boy; impressed with his progress. It still amazed him how naturally gifted the entire Kurosaki clan was. Kazui was still only six, with very little formal training, and yet he could give any academy graduate a run for their money already. 'He'll definitely take after his father and grandfather in terms of raw power and natural talent. I guess no one should ever underestimate anyone in this family.' he thought, as he looked over at Ichigo; catching the substitute's attention. "Karin and I are heading out for a while to grab dinner, and relax for a bit. Want us to bring anything back for you guys, or are you going to eat when you get home? Also, where did Urahara go? He was here just a few minutes ago."

Giving the ice captain a small smile, Ichigo shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, Toshiro, but we're all set. We're heading home in an hour to eat dinner with Orihime. Yuzu's out with Jinta, so she won't be back until late. As for Urahara, he had to grab something from upstairs real quick. Don't ask me what it is, because I have no idea; he just said it was something to help Kazui improve his aim." he said, before turning his attention to his sister; a proud smirk on his face. "So, I hear you pushed captain cranky clogs over there to use his Bankai during training today? Nice job, Karin; sounds like you're doing really well."

Karin laughed at the nickname while Toshiro scowled; not pleased with the strawberry's remark. "Captain cranky clogs? Really, Kurosaki?" he said; leveling a glare at Ichigo.

The substitute shrugged in response; a humorous smile on his face. "I can't call you shorty anymore, so that was the best I could come up with off the top of my head. It's not like it isn't accurate." he replied as his sister started cracking up beside him; unable to contain her amusement.

Toshiro turned his attention from the elder Kurosaki to his laughing girlfriend; his frustration causing a vein to appear on his forehead. "Thanks for the support, Karin; really appreciate it." he said sarcastically as she tried to calm herself down; wiping tears from her eyes.

Restraining her laughter long enough to speak, Karin looked back at the piercing turquoise eyes that were leveled at her; a big smile on her face. "Sorry Toshiro, but I laugh when something's funny; no matter who's on the receiving end." she replied; her eyes shining with mirth as she gave him a wink.

Almost instantly, the young captain's scowl melted to a small smirk as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I guess I won't be taking you to that ramen shop for dinner, then." he said; watching in amusement as Karin's laughter ceased, and she frowned disapprovingly at him. "Uh-uh, we're getting ramen; this isn't up for debate." she said; crossing her own arms, and staring him down.

Toshiro cocked an amused eyebrow at her; enjoying this rare leverage he had over her. "Stop laughing at me, and we'll get ramen. Deal?"

Karin remained silent for a moment before sighing, and smirking back. "Damn, you're learning how to bribe me. Fine, you win; it's a deal. Now, let's go; my stomach's ready to eat itself." she said as she grabbed his hand, and started pulling him toward the door. "We'll see you guys at home! Don't break any bones, Kazui!" she hollered as she waved goodbye with her free hand; Toshiro in tow behind her.

When the pair left the room, closing the door behind them, Ichigo looked over at Isshin; a slightly concerned look on his face. "I'm worried about how close they've gotten. Should I talk to Karin about it?" he asked; studying his father's contemplative expression.

Isshin was quiet for a moment before he replied; transferring his gaze from the door to his son. "I think they've formed a strong bond, and a solid friendship, but I wouldn't be concerned about it. After all, you and Rukia are a good example that close relationships between humans and Shinigami are possible."

Ichigo shook his head in response; concern evident on his face. "That's not what I'm worried about, and you know it. I don't want him hurting her."

Isshin gave his son a soft smile in reply; putting a hand on his shoulder. "Ichigo, I know you're concerned about Karin, but you can't control her life, or her relationships. Just let it be, and try not to worry; she knows what she's doing. Trust your sister."

Letting his father's words sink in, Ichigo was quiet for a moment before taking a deep breath, and nodding in reply. "Alright, I get the point…but if he does end up hurting her, I'll hunt him down, and send him to Hell myself." he said; a fierce protectiveness in his eyes.

Chuckling slightly to himself, Isshin shook his head good-naturedly in response. He was glad his son was so determined to protect his sisters, but sometimes that protectiveness went too far.

"Daddy, Grandpa, are we gonna keep practicing?" Kazui chimed in behind them; excitement in his eyes, and eagerness in his voice.

Focusing their attention back to the matter at hand, both men turned toward the young boy; nodding in confirmation as they got back to their lesson in Kido spells.

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Grabbing their bodies, Karin and Toshiro said goodbye to Urahara on their way out of the shop; heading in the direction of town. The night was chilly, and they were both looking forward to the hot ramen that awaited them. They'd found the small restaurant, Noodle It Out, one day while getting groceries for Yuzu and Orihime, and had stopped for lunch. The food had been so good, it became one of their favorite places to eat. At this point, though, Karin was so hungry, she'd eat a rat as long as it was cooked.

Walking hand-in-hand down the streets of Karakura as the town began to glow from the lights in the shops, contrasting with the rapidly darkening sky, the couple talked about everything and nothing; just enjoying each other's company, and glad of the opportunity to be alone for a while. It wasn't very often that they got the chance to behave like a normal couple, so they relished the few opportunities that presented themselves.

When they arrived at the ramen shop, they were pleasantly surprised to find it quiet; normally, there would be a line. They ordered their food to-go, and brought their dinner with them to the park; finding a spot on top of one of the many hills near the back of the park, and setting their takeout bag down.

Taking their seats on the ground, they unpacked their food, and enjoyed a quiet meal under the stars. The moon was almost full; casting a soft glow over the surrounding landscape. Karin loved stargazing, and often climbed up onto the roof of her house to stare at the sky for hours. It was one of the best ways she knew to help herself relax, or think through problems. Tonight, she was happy she wasn't observing the natural beauty alone. Looking over at her companion, she was surprised to find him staring back at her; a soft, affectionate smile on his face that he only ever directed at her. Returning it with one of her own, she gave him a curious look. "What are you staring at, Toshiro? Did Teru do something to my face?" she asked humorously; her eyes shining under the moonlight.

Toshiro's smile increased ever so slightly. "No, your face is fine; I was just looking at you. It's still hard to believe you're the same person that I sat and watched the sunset with twelve years ago. You've changed a lot, but you're still the Karin I remember…the Karin I originally took an interest in." he replied; reaching over, and taking her hand in his.

Karin smirked back; interlacing their fingers, and giving his hand a slight squeeze. "Yeah, I have changed a lot. Sometimes, I look back, and I can't believe I was that stoic little kid that couldn't do anything more than kick a soccer ball at a giant hollow, and get my butt saved by a certain pint-sized captain." she said; her smirk growing as she watched a smirk make its way onto her boyfriend's face as well.

Toshiro looked her up and down; his eyes reflecting a longing desire that Karin rarely saw due to his usually tight rein on his emotions. "That wasn't what I meant. Twelve years ago, I met a stubborn tomboy who loved sports clothes, hated long hair, and had no interest in romance; but was smart, sarcastic, mature, and wise beyond her years. Now, I'm sitting with a beautiful young woman who dresses in tank tops and skinny jeans, wears her long hair in either a bun or high ponytail, and is somehow even smarter, more mature, wiser, and just as sarcastic. You could have had your pick of guys, and I still can't believe you chose me; the most difficult option."

Karin smiled back at him; enjoying this rare show of sappiness. This was out of character for him, so she was going to soak it up while she could. "Hey, I always said I like a challenge. Besides, as far as I was concerned, no one else was an option. We're like Yin and Yang, Toshiro; we complete each other." she replied affectionately, before a though came to her mind. "Oh, by the way, did you have any weird dreams last night? I forgot to ask this morning."

Toshiro shook his head in reply. "No, I didn't. How about you?" he asked, to which Karin shook her head. "None. Looks like your experiment worked. I guess we're not the only ones that complete each other; our zanpakuto do, too." She replied cheekily; a smirk on her face, which Toshiro returned.

Shivering suddenly from the chilly late December air, Karin removed her hand from Toshiro's, and rubbed her arms to warm them up. Neither of them had planned on being outside, so, while Toshiro had grabbed his winter jacket before leaving the house, Karin had left in only her black turtleneck, and a vest.

Seeing her try to warm herself up, Toshiro took off his jacket, moved closer to Karin, and draped it around her shoulders. She tried to protest, but she gave up when he shot her his 'This isn't up for debate' look. The heavy dark brown coat was big and warm, and she huddled into it; giving him a grateful smile. "Thanks, Toshiro. Aren't you going to be cold, though?"

Toshiro gave her a soft smile back. "I'll be fine. Because my zanpakuto is ice-based, and my reiatsu is cold, this type of weather doesn't affect me. Are you warm enough, or would you like my scarf, too?"

Karin shook her head in response, zipping up the coat to keep the cold out. "I'm good now; thanks. I appreciate the offer, though." she said, before an inquisitive look made its way onto her face. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask about when you got that scarf. You didn't have it twelve years ago, so where did it come from? You never struck me as a man who cares about fashion." she said; curiosity in her eyes, and a humorous smirk on her face.

Toshiro gave her a slight smirk in reply. "My grandmother gave it to me for my birthday eleven years ago. It was the last present I got from her before she died, which is why I keep it with me; it keeps me connected to her."

Karin's face softened upon hearing his words; her eyes reflecting sympathy. He'd told her that his grandmother had been the only family he'd had as a child, aside from Momo Hinamori, whom he'd looked upon as an older sister in his youth. She knew he loved his grandmother very much, and she was sad to hear that she had died all those years ago. "I'm sorry she passed away, Toshiro. I would've liked to meet her one day."

The young captain gave her an affectionate smile in response. "She would have liked you. You understand me better than anyone else ever has…even her, I think. She would have valued that." he said; brushing a stray lock of raven hair away from her face.

They kept their gazes locked on each other for a few moments, before they both leaned in; meeting each other halfway. Their eyes closed as their lips met; the chill of the night air completely forgotten. Toshiro pulled Karin closer; parting her lips with his tongue, and deepening the kiss. Karin let out a small moan in response; bringing her hand up to the back of his neck, and playing with his silky white hair. Neither of them knew how long they stayed like that, or how much time had passed, but they broke apart quickly when they felt a familiar reiatsu.

Getting up from their spot on the ground, they looked out into the distance to find the familiar silhouette of Rukia Kuchiki standing on top of a telephone poll, and overlooking Karakura town; illuminated by the glow of the moon. As soon as they spotted her, she disappeared; suddenly reappearing a short distance away from them. Toshiro gathered up his and Karin's now empty to-go containers, and put them back into the takeout bag as the young noble made her way over to them.

Transferring his attention from his now completed task to the Shinigami captain, Toshiro gave her a nod in greeting. "Kuchiki." he said as Karin walked over to the young woman, and gave her a hug; a big smile on her face. "Rukia! What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"

Rukia returned the hug; her smile mirroring Karin's. "Hey Karin! Yeah, everything's fine. Head Captain Kyoraku just sent me here to find out from Captain Hitsugaya how your training's going, since he only receives updates every other month. Ever since he was told that you'd already achieved Shikai, he's been anxiously awaiting progress reports. I think he's looking forward to when you're ready for Bankai training."

Karin smirked at the young woman; amusement evident on her face. "Rushing things a little bit, isn't he?" she asked; her voice laced with sarcasm.

Rukia smirked back at her; nodding her head slightly in agreement. "That's what I tried to tell him. I think he's just eager to add another powerful Shinigami to the ranks. What are you guys up to out here? I thought I'd find you at Urahara's, but Ichigo told me you'd left already. It took me a while to locate you."

At this point, Toshiro made his way over to the noblewoman; standing beside Karin. "We'd been at Urahara's since eight this morning, and we trained through lunch. Karin was starving, so we decided to call it quits at four, grab some dinner, and come out here to stargaze. She did very well in training today, so she earned it." he replied; shooting a slight smirk at his pupil.

Karin returned it with one of her own before reaching up, and ruffling his hair playfully. "Well, I have a good teacher; plus I'm awesome, so what else would you expect?"

Toshiro grumbled in mild irritation, trying to fix his hair as Karin retracted her hand, and grabbed the bag of now empty containers. "I'll be right back; I'm just gonna throw these in the trash can over there." she said; pointing to a metal bin nearby.

Both Shinigami nodded as she began making her way over to the bin. When Toshiro returned his gaze back to Rukia, the newly-appointed captain's facial expression had changed from happy and carefree to serious. Immediately, Toshiro shifted his demeanor as well. He had a feeling he knew what was coming.

Rukia locked eyes with him; her arms crossed over her chest. "I think you know I was here before I stopped hiding my presence. To be honest, I never thought I'd see the day. Answer me one question: do you love her?"

Toshiro's eyes narrowed at the noblewoman as his body stiffened. "My personal life is none of your business, Kuchiki. Give me one good reason why I should give you an answer."

Leveling a glare at the young captain, Rukia moved closer; stopping a foot away from him. "Because Karin is like a sister to me, and I won't let her heart be played with. She's never taken an interest in men before, so there must be something special about you. If you mess with her, Ichigo and I will send you straight to Hell."

Knowing that the young Kuchiki did indeed consider the entire Kurosaki household as her own extended family, Toshiro's face softened as he let his body relax. He'd feel the same if it was Momo in this situation, so he decided to be honest with the new captain. "I understand how you feel, Kuchiki. Yes, I do. We both know It'll be hell for us when I have to return to Soul Society, but we're enjoying it while we can. Do I have your discretion?"

Rukia could see the slight panic, and deep concern for Karin, in his eyes as he asked her; which reassured her that he truly did care for Karin the way he said he did. Softening her own facial features, Rukia let her arms fall to the side as a small smile made its way onto her face. "Of course, Captain Hitsugaya; I would never put Karin at risk. You have my discretion."

Smiling slightly, Toshiro gave her a grateful nod in response as they heard Karin make her way back over to them. "So, Rukia, do you need a place to stay? We've got space at the house." the young Kurosaki asked, a good-natured smile on her face.

Rukia smiled back at her; nodding in reply. "Yeah, actually; I was hoping I could crash at your place while I'm here, if you guys don't mind. It'll only be for a couple of days, but I'd appreciate it."

Karin nodded in reply. "Yeah, of course you can stay with us; we'd love it! Come on, let's get back, then; most everyone'll be home by now."

With the other two nodding in reply, the group of three made their way out of the park, and back to the Kurosaki Clinic.

And that's a wrap! So, how did you enjoy Karin's other Shikai abilities? I had fun creating her powers in this fic, and I hope the fight sequences in her training sessions are satisfactory. I've never been great at writing action scenes, so I've been trying to improve myself in that regard.

What did you guys think of Kazui's mad Kido skills? Lol. Even though he's only six, I think it's reasonable to assume he probably inherited some of Isshin's natural talent in Kido; so, I made it so he could shoot fireballs from his hands, haha.

Rukia won't be playing any major role in this story, but I wanted to bring in some other beloved characters that are close to the Kurosakis, and also work closely with Toshiro. Since she's going to be popping up in later chapters as well, I thought Rukia was a good choice.

Well, we'll see you next time, folks! (waves)

EF-F

Translations:

Todoroku Kaze = Roaring Wind

Eaburetto = Air Bullet

Saikuronsōdo = Cyclone Sword

Eakattā = Air Cutter

Tetsu no Dōmu = Iron Dome

Hakai no Taiheigen = Great Plains of Destruction

Kidō = Demon Arts

Hadō = Way of Destruction