Ch5 "Gameday"

Author's note: Apologize for the delay. I now write four chapters per story and hit a pretty bad writer's block.

The clouds hung low over Karakura Town as night came. Karin was more nervous than she ever was before and for good reason. Today was a big game against their rival team. People came from all over Western Tokyo to see the game. The stands were packed completely full. Karin looked around hoping to see him. {"Where is he? I know he didn't expect me to invite him.."} A blush slowly crept up on her face.

"Heyy Karin you alright? Your face is red." A teammate called out to her and placed her hand on Karin's forehead. Karin shook her head as she came back to reality. "Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine, just nervous." Her teammate looked at her for a minute. "Is it because your dad can't come?" Karin eyes widened slightly and she recalls Rukia never told her what happened and why El Diablo couldn't attend her games anymore.

"No it's all these people." Karin finally said as she motioned toward the ever growing crowd of people. Her teammate laughed when loud cheering interrupted them. Karin sweatdropped with embarrassment as both Rukia and Yuzu were cheering her on, much to the combined annoyance, bewilderment, and amusement of fellow attendees. They also held giant banners with what onlookers guessed was a poorly drawn bunny girl kicking a soccer ball into the enemy team like they were bowling pins.

Karin's teammate also sweatdropped "Eh….your mom's drawings…look….lovely" Karin could only agree both not wanting to face Rukia's wraith for insulting her "Art".

Meanwhile on a skyscraper overlooking the stadium

Tōshirō Hitsugaya watched on from a distance, it was too many people for his liking. Though he could easily slip in it would be problematic later on if a hollow showed up. {"Like that Vasto Lordes"}. He sat down Buddha style as he contemplated everything Urahara had told him. {"So her adoptive mother and deceased biological father were former shinigami….hmm if I recall all those years ago we picked up the reiatsu signal of a Captain-level shinigami but none of us were in the world of the living or at least in that exact area."}

Tōshirō then turned his thoughts to Karin's adoptive mother. {"She looks exactly like Captain Kuchiki's deceased wife….plus their last name is Kuchiki….this isn't making any sense."} He scowled and started tugging on his hair. He heard a noise and cheering which indicated the game started so he decided to watch and at least use some Kidō spells if needed to hold off any hollows. He was then shocked by what happened next; it took his brain five hours to process what was going on.

As he watched the game start he was then handed a bag of popcorn. He refused but whoever it was was extremely presientant and promptly shoved it in his face. "Owww….would you…..YOU!" He shouted as he jumped to his feet and pointed. Standing before him was the very Vasto Lordes he had seen outside the school. Tōshirō started panicking and trying to calm down {"This…this is bad…of all the times….a…wait…isn't that…a is that Vasto Lordes….wearing a shirt?"} Tōshirō's eyes widened as his mouth was agape.

El Diablo was sitting down next to him wearing a soccer jersey and his left hand was holding a foam finger. Surrounding it was an assortment of snacks and drinks. Tōshirō was beyond confused and grew even more confused after the Vasto Lordes stared at him, tilted his head and then chucked a shirt square at the short shinigami's captain's face. Tōshirō after a few minutes pulled the shirt off his face and stared at it as a sweatdrop grew. On the shirt was a picture of whom he presumed to be Karin with a bunny head standing over a pile of defeated soccer players with a bold caption: "Kuchiki Rules!".

What happened next even though it was his action still was a shock to Tōshirō himself. "… is that Karin?" He asked the Vasto Lordes pointing towards the poorly drawn image. {"Why the hell I'm I asking him…her…it…oh whatever"} To his further shock the Vasto Lordes nodded. Tōshirō against centuries of training and instinct asked the Vasto Lordes another question. "Do you know her? I saw you at our school." As expected the Vasto Lordes nodded again, cheering was heard and the announcer was shouting "GGGGGOOOOUUUUAAALLl!"

The Vasto Lordes turned away from him and picked up a smoothie and drinked it. Tōshirō blinked and scooted away wanting to get as much distance between him and the Vasto Lordes in case it decided to attack him. He heard something being shoved toward him and he ignored it then looked left. He found a taco and a soda on a tray in front of his feet. He looked toward the strange and odd Vasto Lordes. The Vasto Lordes pretended to not look at him but Tōshirō could tell he was looking at him. {"What is up with this Vasto Lordes"} he wondered.

Karin was sweaty and tired, she also kept having this weird feeling. She kept going. She had to win. She didn't know why. She felt it was her instinct that she growled as the opposing team player tripped her. Rukia and Yuzu looked worried as did the fans of the team, Rukia however felt a strange feeling. {"What is that….it's the same when…no…it can't be…"}, she wasn't alone. Sitting above them sat a middle-aged man of average height and appeared quite fit for his age. He normally wears thin, frameless glasses and a plain gray suit with a light blue shirt and a tie adorned with Quincy crosses. He has narrow blue eyes, and is fair-skinned with white hair.

He pushed up his glasses, he then eyed Karin and looked away for a second. {"My dear niece…I hope the shinigami and the Vatso Lordes have raised you well…it's time for me to step in."} He then was about to get up when the crowd quieted down and whispers of worry and concern rang out. He looked back and narrowed his eyes as Karin stood up and was facing down the opponent who had tripped her. He then looked over at Rukia and then to the skyscraper where Ichigo/El Diablo and Tōshirō were.

He then looked around and realized something was extremely wrong. He then narrowed his eyes and stood up and made his way through the crowd through the field. He reached where Yuzu and Rukia were standing and paused when he heard Yuzu softly whisper. "kaa-San….is Karin okay?" Her eyes welled up with tears as Rukia cuddles her and whispers reassuringly "It's okay baby….I don't know what's going on we will have to wait and see."

The man clenched his fist and continued on down to the field. Yuzu's eye caught the man moving and stared, to which Rukia noticed. "What's wrong dear?" She asked as she knelt down and used her Reiatsu to check her daughter over. {"I may not be able to use my powers but I still have enough to heal, and make sure they're okay."}. Yuzu finally spoke after a few minutes ``That man…..he was at the funeral.." Rukia's eyes widened as she paused and looked around in the crowd but found nothing.

{"She never mentions the funeral…. But who could she be speaking off?"} Rukia pressed her thumb against her lip as she flashed through her memories of the funeral. Rukia held onto Yuzu who looked like she wanted to run into the crowd. "HEYY!..." Rukia shouted as Yuzu's eyes welled up again. Rukia felt instant regret and brought her into an embrace and kissed her forehead. "Its okay its okay its okay am here..am here…I'm sorry…".

Back with El Diablo and Tōshirō

Ichigo sat up and sniffed the air and growled low and heavy as he knelt down and placed one hand on the ground. He held his other hand back as his retractable claws appeared. Tōshirō had also jumped up at the same time. {"What the hell….this feels familiar….but…its Karin! But her reiatsu is ..."} He paled as he slowly turned to face the Vasto Lordes. Ichigo then roared so loud it forced Tōshirō to cover his ears. He then felt the air around him getting heavy and hot as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He was then forced to his knees as a massive explosion of hot air appeared. {"...what the hell is this?!..."} he then looked to where Ichigo was standing and felt fear he watched in awe, and horror as the reiatsu swirled around El Diablo's feet slowly at first than faster and faster and faster it was red and black as he heard cracking and watched as El Diablo's mask was slowly breaking on one side. Tōshirō's eyes widened in fear as he saw El Diablo's eyes turn from yellow to a fiery hellish red and then he heard it.

"I will kill you….if you hurt her!"

Karin slowly stood up as the opposing teammate who tripped her jeered and laughed at her. "What's the matter? You're gonna quit because you…feel down?" the girl put a hand on her mouth. Karin refused to respond and the opposing girl kept going "Ooooo can't talk? You Karakura town losers…suck…you don't deserve to be in the playoffs." This caused something in Karin to snap as her head snapped up. The opposing player backed off "H..hey what the hell is up with your eyes?!" she shouted as she pointed. Sure enough Karin's right eye had briefly flashed from her normal eyes to one containing black pupils, white irises, and black sclera.

Karin stumbled forward, her body acting on its own, its own instinct. The opposing player backed up when suddenly a loud roar echoed throughout the stadium.

OoooooOoOOoOo!

Karin stumbled a few more steps then collapsed into somebody's arms. She felt light headed and sick to her stomach. She started breathing heavily, the man from earlier gently laid Karin down onto the ground and checked her over. As he did so a police officer ran over to him "Sir…am gonna have to ask you to step away from her.." The man interjected as he stood up and readjusted his glasses. "I'm a doctor…and her maternal uncle." He pulled out his Id, and then put it away as he resumed his work, leaving the police officer speechless. Rukia, who had broken through a security guard, was chasing after Yuzu who ran towards the man.

"Ryūken-Ojisan!" she shouted as she launched herself at the man and hugged his back. Rukia stood there mouth agape at what she just heard. The man stood up from Karin as an Ambulance came onto the field. Ryūken hugged Yuzu back and then turned his attention towards Rukia. "Hello Shinigami.." He said coldly as the wind blew and picked up, Rukia was taken back {"How did…wait…I saw him at the funeral with Uryū…"} She was interrputed when she was snacthed from the ground and thrown into a protective embrace. She felt the air around her growing hotter and hotter and the air felt crushing. Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she felt hot breath on her shoulder.

She slowly and with great difficulty reached her hand up to stroke her husband's side of his mask. This was in an effort to calm him down she then coo silently "Enough…please…it's alright…please…stop Ichii…" Hearing the affectionate nickname Rukia gave him, Ichigo stood down and lowered his sword and released the crushing hold he held over the area. Ryūken of course was unaffected and held onto Yuzu who unfortunately was caught in the crushing hold Ichigo had over the area.

Tōshirō just watched from a distance, eyes widened and mouth all the way to the floor at what he saw. {"The hell is up with this family…and wait a minute isn't that…."} He was suddenly whacked in the back of the head by a metal bat. His body fell forward and he was caught by Tessai as a red haired boy stood by with said bat in hand. "Jinta…you shouldn't have hit him too hard…" A small girl scolded, Jinta responded by pulling on her twin pigtails. "Would you quit it Ururu! I didn't hit him so hard, only lightly!" He shouted, Kisuke appeared with a black cat on his shoulder and nodded towards Ryūken who just readjusted his glasses as he, Yuzu, and Rukia boarded the ambulance. Ichigo by then had flown off most likely to rampage throughout Hueco Mundo again.

Kisuke sighed as he pulled out his fan and muttered about how he had to clean up other people's messes.

Next day

Karin laid in a hospital bed at Karakura General Hospital, she was hooked up to an IV connected to several drip bags. Nurses came in and out of the room to check in on her. Ryūken occasionally glanced at her through the door and then back to a doctor and a police officer. When they finally left he entered the room and sat down next to Karin. He sighed as he removed his glasses and ran a hand through his hair. He looked out the window as the sun slowly began to set and transform the sky in a bright hue of orange and purple. He held Karin's hand and he smiled. His smile however, transformed into a frown as he caught a glimpse of a strange white substance on the right side of her face.

Across town: sametime

Tōshirō groaned as he rolled left to right and then back again. He slowly opened his eyes as he felt an extreme throbbing headache. He slowly sat up with a groan and found himself somewhere familiar. {"This must be Urahara-san's shop…"} He nodded as he stood up albeit extremely groggy and he stumbled out of the room and down the hall. He needed answers and he needed them now. Especially since his memory is foggy and he doesn't remember much from last night. He came to a large sliding door and opened it and stepped out into the main area. He blinked once, then twice, then a third time, as he witnessed the scene play out before him.

Rukia was sitting on the vasto lordes lap and was wrapped with a bunny theme blanket. Yuzu was also curled up with her resting her head on Rukia's shoulder. He then spotted Kisuke sporting a large bruise as he spotted another unknown figure. The figure in question was a male bespectacled teenager of average height and slender build. He has straight, chin-length black hair framing both sides of his face, and is fair-skinned with blue eyes. Tōshirō noted minus the black hair he looked exactly like the man he saw yesterday. Speaking of yesterday he felt extreme pain in his head and sat down on a futon.

Kisuke finally notices him "Ah it seems you finally decided to wake up…little Hitsugaya." Kisuke said cheerfully. Tōshirō just groaned with annoyance as he held his head "Not now…" He growled up slowly. Kisuke nodded and handed him a cup of tea to which he grudgingly took. Yuzu began to stir slightly as Rukia rubbed her daughter's head and kissed it. Ichigo moved his head slightly and nuzzled Rukia much to the petite shinigami's annoyance. Tōshirō finished drinking the tea and recomposed himself. "I need answers…" he began giving a pointed look in the direction of the Kuchiki family. "I need them now.." he added, trying his best to ignore the glare and the warning Ichigo gave him. Kisuke mused for a few seconds then put his tea cup down. "I agree I also need some answers to…right? Kuchiki-san?" Tōshirō's eyes widened and he looked from Kisuke to Rukia.

Rukia sighed and looked at the two of them and then to Ichigo. Ichigo nodded and nuzzled her. Rukia then stood up carefully "Alright…I figured sooner or later I would have to stop hiding the truth…" She sighed and looked straight at them "My name is Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki of the 13th Division…" She then placed a hand on Ichigo "This Ichigo Kurosaki, formerly a substitute shinigami…and my husband…" She blushed at the last half but shook her head and continued on. "Karin and Yuzu…at least in our timeline are his younger sisters…" She spotted the confused look on the two shinigami faces. "We're from an alternate timeline…somehow we both ended up here…Karin and Yuzu and by technically extension Ichigo's father was a shinigami…but he was killed by Grand Fisher as was their mother. He asked me to take care of them…" Rukia stopped to breathe and Kisuke contemplated this before speaking.

"I think you're hiding more…." He said in a sing-song voice, as Rukia just scowled.