Summary: She was... a stranger to them, even to him. A faceless ghost from the Apocalypse claiming she came from the future but if it meant that she could keep everyone alive, then Kurosaki Karin would be that ghost for them.
Following the canon chronology with obvious alterations for the purpose of the story. Main pairings of the story : Hitsugaya/Karin, Ichigo/Rukia, Gin/Rangiku. Other pairings will come later.
Written in the third person. The words in italic are characters' thoughts.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach (if I did, the 'ending' we got wouldn't have happened).
[SOUL SOCIETY: THE SNEAK ENTRY ARC]
GHOST
~.~
Chapter 2: fool for you
Karin wasn't used to that kind of silence: it wasn't the one that echoed despair and loneliness nor the one mixed with grief and sorrow... It was full of life in its own way, between Hanataro's light snoring and Ganju's mumblings in his sleep.
It was good. Weird but good.
It had been months, or even years since the last time that she had heard something other than that loud and lifeless silence she despised.
Her eyes felt heavy too but sleep was something she tried to avoid at all cost.
Sleeping would mean facing her worst nightmares without having a way to get out. It would inevitably happen but not before they saved Rukia-nee anyway (and somehow she felt that she wouldn't sleep so much after saving her, since she left too much people with many unanswered questions).
She briefly wondered how things were going for Toshiro and Ichimaru-san.
Aizen's 'body' would be discovered in a few hours: Kira-san was keeping Hinamori-san somewhere safe while Toshiro would be among the people discovering Aizen's 'body' and take away the letter he wrote to Hinamori-san. She insisted in the fact he and Rangiku-san should read it to authenticate Aizen's writing.
It was a bit ironic... Aizen's own words in that letter would help her showing them the truth: that the sneaky bastard was a manipulative asshole (and also very, very clever, Karin reluctantly admitted to herself).
However, the more she thought about it, the more she had to come to the conclusion that she would have to recount what had happened during the Winter War to all the Taicho of Gotei 13, including how Aizen had easily beat no less than three Taicho in service with his hypnosis and had tricked them into believing they even standed a chance.
And including how Toshiro had stabbed Hinamori-san in her chest with everyone's unintentional help.
Not only it would hurt their pride as Taicho but it would also cause Toshiro's anger and sadness.
Karin didn't want that. She came there to avoid people getting hurt... or at least not having them dying but it seemed her wish couldn't be completely granted.
What a fool she was.
"Who... are you? And what's Renji doing here?" a groggy voice asked.
It was Ichi-nii's voice. He just woke up.
Ah. She forgot that after growing up, his voice became deeper and more mature. He didn't look so worried about their presence, so that was a good point for Karin.
The eyes in front of her reflected his youth... they also reflected how alive he was, in every sense of the word.
Ichi-nii was alive and breathing. Alive with the fire to fight in his eyes.
"We're here to help you to save Kuchiki Rukia. And yes, the 'we' includes Renji too."
"Wait... You're the girl from the other time, aren't you?"
Somewhere in her mind, she appreciated the irony of her brother's words.
'The girl from the other time'
Ichi-nii was quite the poet albeit unaware of her situation. Of course he didn't know (for now) but his words somehow perfectly described who she was.
A girl out of time.
"Who knows..."
She knew she took the bad habit to answer evasively to questions she didn't want to answer from Toshiro. It was both a good and bad thing at the same time but it did save her life more than once...
"Why did you call me..." He looked away and started to scratch the back of his head. Why did he look embarrassed? "You know... 'Ichi-nii'?"
Shit.
She had forgotten that detail.
She had been careless. She should have been more careful but she had been overwhelmed by her emotions.
'Details' could make difference in a life-or-death situation, Byaku-nii had told her.
"How about we save Kuchiki Rukia first, then I let you ask me everything you want to know? And be grateful that Hanataro and I healed you instead."
He finally took a notice on his injuries. Most of them were healed though she knew some would soon open again (all thanks to Kenpachi and Byaku-nii, geez).
Ichi-nii blinked several times before answering, "Right. Thanks."
Karin would be lying if she was saying that his distant tone and reluctant politeness with her didn't hurt.
However, the priority was the mission.
"You should prepare your fight against Kenpachi. I believe Baldie told you about him... Zaraki Kenpachi, the Eleventh Division Taicho. He's a scary guy if you ask me. His reiatsu is even wilder than yours..."
... and mine.
Kenpachi was one of the Gotei 13 members Karin got to meet and interact with... if running away from a battle to death or stopping him and Byaku-nii from fighting counted as an 'interaction'.
Somehow, it was what was happening half of the time they met. Despite that, she knew the Kenpachi she met was a mellowed version of him. He had gone soft...
'Soft' might be a wrong word, it was the ever bloodthristy Kenpachi after all.
However, she found him occasionally looking pensive while watching at the scenic view or more exactly what was left of the scenic view after the war.
Baldie had told her to avoid asking questions about his previous Fukutaicho, but Karin doubted Baldie knew about his Taicho's exact relationship with Unohana-san.
With both his Fukutaicho still being alive and him not knowing Ichi-nii yet, Zaraki Kenpachi was just a ferocious fighter who just fought for fun. The one who had already fought to survive was both more dangerous and... more human.
"Do not fret. Your blade will always save you."
... or your Hollow will, at least.
Karin chose to keep the Hollow mask in her backpack to show it to Yuroichi-san though she had probably figured out already.
"Ah."
Ichi-nii stood up to put back Zangetsu on his back. Ah, he still had that version of his zanpakuto at the time.
That... The whole thing with Zangetsu and him was one of her main dilemmas.
Okaasan's death had been hard for everyone. Oyaji, Yuzu, her... but Ichi-nii had been the one who took it the hardest.
He had been there when it happened and while oyaji tried to fill silence with silliness, Yuzu started cooking and doing everything okaasan did and Karin decided to stop crying not to burden the family.
As for Ichi-nii, he acted strong and was always there to protect Yuzu and her from bullies.
His sunny smile was beginning to become a distant memory... however, it hadn't completely fade away.
Like okaasan, it was still there somewhere.
Karin had seen it when Rukia-nee had proudly announced her promotion to Fukutaicho. She had seen it when he found back Rukia-nee for the 'first' time in 'ten years'. She had seen it when he had been talking to Rukia-nee about okaasan.
Okasaan had been and still was their family's sun... However, Rukia-nee became Ichi-nii's ray of light.
Karin wasn't sure she could handle telling the whole truth about okaasan's death to her elder brother without feeling the hatred in her growing again or about Rukia-nee and him almost parting ways after–
"Will you really answer to all my questions?"
Ichi-nii had looked at her the whole time and she never felt so relieved to still have everything excepted her eyes covered. She was also lucky her brother had the most tragic memory when it came to face recognition.
"Why? Do I need to remind you what I said?"
"No, I know you'll answer me but will you tell me everything?"
Good question. That was what she wondered as well.
"Why do you care? You don't know me." She knew that was too abrupt the moment she saw a part of Ichi-nii's detached attitude break for one tiny moment.
"I–"
"Why the heck are you sleeping on my leg! You...! Ah! You drooled all over my only set of clothes! Idiot!" Ganju yelled on Hanataro, interrerupting them.
What a relief...
It seemed that it was time for the two other guys to wake up. Of course, Ganju being Ganju did it in a very loud way.
Meanwhile, Red Pineapple was still resting.
It was understandable, given the extent of his injuries. And unlike Ichi-nii, he didn't have an inner hollow to speed up his recovery.
"He's tired. And a little drooling is no big deal."
"... I... Ichigo! Are you okay?" he stammered.
He nodded. "Yeah... Thanks to Hanataro and... What's your name?"
She was grateful Ganju's behavior didn't betray what he had about her identity.
"Just called me 'soccer girl'," she replied. That had been her codename in some missions that only Ichi-nii, Rukia-nee, Toshiro and Rangiku-san understood.
"Soccer? Wait, isn't that–"
"Hanataro completely healed you while I was healing Ichi... Kurosaki and Red Pineapple. I swear, that guy works too much." She shook her head in disapproval. She was jealous to see Hanataro be able to sleep so easily.
"This time... We have to make it! Let's go to the Senkaikyuu!"
He truly wanted to save Rukia-nee at all cost, huh.
Although she knew Rukia-nee would be saved by him, she still felt the need to do everything to help, as if she didn't know what would happen.
"That's great but I'm not the one who's gonna wake him up," she said, pointing a still sleeping Hanataro.
"Oh."
Who the hell is she?
That girl was hiding too many things but as long as she helped them, Ichigo didn't mind... at least until he saved Rukia once for all.
He wanted to ask her if she got sent by Urahara-san but he had the feeling she wouldn't answer.
Despite knowing next to nothing about her, he couldn't deny she was a weird one. Her eyes gave away her young age (though being a shinigami, she looked around his age... but so did Rukia or even Renji) but it was as if they were worlds apart, her eyes veiling the deep secrets and trauma wrapped in solitude.
Despite that, she did look oddly familiar. The weirdest thing was that she seemed to know them well while trying to keep a distance.
Hearing her calling him 'Kurosaki' left a sour taste to his tongue... It felt wrong for some reasons.
"Oi, what do you think the others are doing? The glasses guy in the white robe and the cutie with brown hair."
A 'cutie'? Who was Ganju talking ab– Wait, he only knew one guy wearing white robes...
Ichigo was sure Ishida was the only one in the universe who could say he almost died because of a stupid white cape.
"... Are you talking about Ishida and Inoue?"
"Who else?" the mysterious girl with them snorted.
He gritted his teeth. She stayed aloof from him and acted colder with him than the rest and it was getting annoying.
How did she even know Renji to start with?
That girl couldn't be the Substitue shinigami and she had been at the outskirts of Soul Society just like Ichigo, not to mention she seemed to know about lots of things going on in Seiteitei.
She had been talking about a shinigami named Aizen or whatever his name was before leaving.
He didn't really care about that Aizen guy since his priority was to save Rukia and beat Byakuya's ass so he could finally understand Soul Society's laws sucked.
"Both of them are... a hundred times smarter than me. They'll avoid any fight that aren't confident in winning... There's no need to worry, they'll be fine."
"What about that other guy... Chad..."
Chad couldn't lose to anyone, Ichigo couldn't see it happening. "Even less need to worry."
"What? We don't even know if he's–"
"His reiatsu is still there," the masked girl pointed out.
Renji raised an eyebrow. "But isn't he–"
The girl nodded.
'Isn't he...'
What? Who? What did Renji mean?
Why didn't she let him finish that sentence, Ichigo needed to know!
"Your friend got lucky on this one too. Of all the Taicho, Sotai– Kyoraku-san is what we can consider as an ally."
Ichigo's eyes widened.
Crap.
"You mean he's a Taicho? Then, I have to go and help him!"
She stopped him. "There's no need to, Kurosaki."
What the hell?
"How can you be so sure?" he growled as he stood up in protestation.
She sighed. "I can, that's all. Now let's divide ourselves in three groups: Kurosaki and I for the first group, Red Pineapple for the second then all the others in the last group."
That made Ichigo stop in his track. "What? How the hell is that even three groups?!"
"Well one group is you and I, Red Pineapple makes another group and then the others make the third group," she repeated but slower.
Ichigo took offense. Did she think he was an idiot?!
"Oi! What's with this nickname?!" Renji yelled.
She laid her cool eyes on Renji and more precisely on his hairstyle, snorting again. "Please."
Ichigo took it back: the girl was kinda fun (and he personally found 'Red Pineapple' very fitting).
"Kenpachi is waiting for a fight to death against you, Kurosaki. His reiatsu is still ridiculously high..."
Oh.
Well shit.
"Zaraki-Taicho? You've gotta be kidding me..."
Why did Renji look like he was panicking? Hanataro was one thing (since he was always panicking for anything) but Renji...
That's because he is panicking, said another part of his brain he wanted to silence.
"The guy is looking for Kurosaki."
"I should go with you," Renji proposed.
"No," the mysterious girl drily replied.
He agreed with her on that point. It was for the best to have her denying Renji's offer. The guy was even more injured than him.
"But it's Zaraki-Taicho!"
The girl looked amused. AMUSED.
Did she find a fight to death amusing? Ichigo didn't want to die like that.
"I know that," she replied.
Why was he surrounded by crazy people?
"He can't win! Not against Zaraki-Taicho," added Hanataro.
Ikkaku did say that Zaraki guy was the strongest but was he that much of a big deal to make them both panick? They were all probably being dramatic about thim, right?!
"I won't let him die," she promised in a solemn tone.
Ichigo had mixed feelings about her words.
There was something telling him that she was sincere yet he felt... guiltly? About what?
People were always protecting Ichigo, people who didn't even knew him had helped him. Rukia, Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san and now her.
Renji crossed his arms and looked away. "Don't get it wrong, I'm not worried about that idiot or whatever."
Wait, what?
"Who are you calling an 'idiot'?" Ichigo yelled, ready to throw a fit.
"GUYS!" The girl's shout cut them. Damn, she was kinda scary. "Renji, you'll be the one to go to Chad and Kyoraku-san."
"Wait, why is Renji going there after you told me Chad doesn't need help?"
"He doesn't. Your friend will lose of course, because Kyoraku-san is a Gotei 13 Taicho but he won't kill him," she paused, her eyes briefly checking his injuries.
He swore it didn't look as bad as it was, partly thanks to the weird white mask.
Now that he was thinking about it, the mask had vanished... Weird. Perhaps Hanataro threw it away?
Damnit, he wanted to keep it.
"Give this letter to Kyoraku-san. As I said, he's a potential ally. Be careful, you're supposed to be restrained somewhere so don't get caught before you reach him," she told Renji as she handed him an envelope.
Ichigo could sense unspoken words between them (again).
"As if I'll get caught!" Renji finally answered, a smug smile on his face.
That made Ichigo smile as well.
"And remember: if any of you meet Tosen, run away," the girl ended in a serious tone.
Ichigo frowned.
Who the hell was 'Tosen'?
"It can't be..."
"AIZEN-TAICHO!"
"This isn't real..."
Oh, but it is not real.
The sight he had in front of Gin was something close to morbid.
It was grotesque yet fascinating... The splattering blood on the wall, Aizen's lifeless body, the glassy look on his face? Everything was an illusion that only Gin could see through. Figuratively speaking only since he wasn't touching Aizen's zanpakuto at the moment.
The Fukutaicho's reaction to reality would have been hilarious: a sword hung on the wall was the cause of the many gasps and incoherent speeches.
"First Hinamori-Fukutaicho got kidnapped and now this..." someone whispered.
Perhaps it was a good thing that the girl wasn't there (Gotei 13 considered her as supposedly kidnapped when she was in fact with Izuru somewhere where her reiatsu couldn't be easily detected... or it might be a kidnapping since she did not agree with this).
As much as he enjoyed messing up with people's minds, Gin knew it would do no good to the plan... Karin-chan's plan, not Aizen's of course.
And for that, there was no need to be a genius (though Gin had been called one) to deduce that doing harm to Chibi-chan's childhood friend woud do everything but help him gain his trust.
'Trust' was the wrong word since there was only two, or three people if he added Karin-chan who trusted him.
Fools.
... Or perhaps he was the only fool among them since he had thought his plan was enough to beat Aizen.
Hilarious.
"What's goin' on?" he asked, keeping his usual carefree attitude.
"Ichimaru-Taicho!"
Ah, Rangiku insisted on calling him like that to keep distance while they were on duty. He didn't mind since they both knew it was only a pretense, and he might have let her do so to make it easier to move on once he would leave Soul Society for Hueco Mundo.
His eyes went back on the 'bloody' sight.
"Guess we'll have to call the Fourth Division Taicho."
"I will call her and report this to Soutaicho."
Chibi-chan had finally arrived and the frown on his face was even deeper than usual, if it was possible. The others might had mistaken that for hconcern over his childhood friend's disappearance but Gin knew better.
Karin-chan unknowingly got under Chibi-chan's skin.
It wasn't in the same way as Gin usually proceeded though. Gin's approach to get under people's skin was more... dry. And twisted.
But she had sarcasm, Gin liked that about her (that was one of the things that made Karin-chan's company so enjoyable), but his sacarsm were filled with words poisoning and paralyzing his prey.
Slow and inevitable.
Only a few like Chibi-chan were feisty enough to try to fight against the poison.
Keyword was 'try'.
"Matsumoto, go with Ichimaru and try to find Hinamori."
Chibi-chan ordering Rangiku to be around him?! How unsettling.
Rangiku blinked, confused. "Taicho?..."
"I said go!" he growled.
"Hai."
He started to run with Rangiku following him on his left before using shunpo. It had been years since their last mission together, decades to be accurate... before he became the Third Division Taicho and she became the Tenth Division Fukutaicho.
"Ya know, this ain't how I planned to spend time with ya," he started.
"Gin..."
"It's been so long since the last time we were like this."
"Gin, what you are doing?"
"Wha' do ya mean?"
"What I mean is that we're heading towards your Division's barracks..." She stopped running. She locked her eyes on his, a hand on the hilt of her zanpakuto. "What did you do?" she asked, suspicious.
Clever Rangiku, always aware when he was up to no good.
"My, my... What a terrifyin' thing to say!"
Their relationship was defined with unspoken words... unspoken feelings...
Both knew it was for the best since Gin kept vanishing but what would happen now that he had decided to stay?
Gin finally dropped his usual cheerful tone. It would never work on her.
"Follow me if ya wanna know."
It wasn't a threat nor an order but she followed him anyway.
Clever, clever Rangiku.
It only took them three minutes to arrive to his Division and two minutes for her to realize he was leading them towards his personal barracks.
"Izuru, where are ya?"
Rangiku's eyes widened. "Kira..." She looked at the body next to him. "Hinamori! Why is she unconscious?"
Rangiku had her 'explain quickly or I'll get angry' look. Gin sighed out loud, a highly unusual thing for him but he felt the weight of a hundred years of silence and (in)direct lies on his shoulders.
"Now, where do we start..."
"... Ken-chan looks happy."
Karin nodded, noticing the crazy grin on his face.
"He sure does," she casually added. And he looked like a maniac.
Ichi-nii, on the other hand, definitely did not look happy.
Karin and Yachiru-chan were sitting on the rooftop of the nearby building, watching the fight unfold between her brother and Kenpachi. She turned her head away for one moment to look at the small child with pink hair.
So that was how Kenpachi's previous Fukutaicho looked like?
It explained a few things she had come to notice about Kenpachi over the past years though... How he started looking for a fight to distract himself whenever he saw the color pink somewhere, how he sometimes ate candies with Karin despite hating sweet things or why he avoided Kusajishi District during patrols like a plague.
"Neh, Kuro-kuro?"
She was apparently quick at picking nicknames for people. Karin supposed hers was 'Kuro-kuro' because of her black cape. She wasn't looking at her, her eyes focused on the fight between her Taicho and Ichi-nii.
"Um?" she muttered, distracted by the sight of the blood coming out of Ichi-nii's chest.
"Are you strong? Ken-chan's always looking for strong people and I can't feel your reiatsu."
At least, there was someone in this area who could tell that. Kenpachi and Ichi-nii were both lost causes when it came to anything related to reiatsu.
"This guy there will be enough for him..."
The bells and the eye patch were probably things he had been wearing at the time to make battle enjoyable. Karin knew he wouldn't need them later (at least not these ridiculous bells) since he found people strong enough to fight for and against.
It was better not to include herself among these people. Running away from a wild Kenpachi across Soul Society again, no thanks.
"You sure?" the fukutaicho pointed her finger a heavily wounded Ichi-nii, coughing blood on the ground and seemingly puzzled by what was happening.
Zangetsu had been shattered and it brought Karin back to an unpleasant memory so similar yet different to that. She shook her head.
That kind of thoughts was foolish but then, she had had plenty of foolish thoughts since her arrival.
"I'm sure. Look," she pointed out.
The will to fight was still present in Ichi-nii's gaze and...
Yachiru-chan's eyes widened.
"Did Zangetsu just appear?"
She had never gotten the opportunity to meet that version of Ichi-nii's zanpakuto spirit.
Zangetsu...
No, it wasn't the real Zangetsu. 'Not-Zangetsu' was still there, usurping Hichigo's identity.
What a cruel reminder of the current dilemma she was facing.
"Uh?"
"I can't see him in that state since I'm not his owner nor a zanpakuto spirit but..."
I know you can, as Kenpachi's zanpakuto spirit, was left unsaid.
"How do you know?" the pink haired child softly asked.
She turned back and met Yachiru-chan's eyes. She didn't really seem flustered.
"I just know."
She giggled. "Kuro-kuro is weird."
"Hey! I'm not..." She shrugged before conceding. "Okay, that's fair."
She was a Kurosaki. Kurosakis were the epitome of weird though Karin had prided herself on being the most normal member of the family.
Okay, perhaps not 'normal' but probably the less weird one. Hopefully.
"I WANT TO WIN!"
Her brother's shout echoed the strangely empty streets before they could feel tremendous waves of powerful reiatsu from him being released.
Karin huffed, relieved. "He sure took his time to understand..."
Sure, it wasn't a full understanding of his zanpakuto, but it was a good starting point.
A zanpakuto was a part of a Shinigami's soul, a reflection of themselves.
And even with that, it generally took centuries for a shinigami to realize that. Most of them didn't even try to come to understand their zanpakuto or even communicate with them. They just considered them as their tool when in fact, a zanpakuto were their equal.
In a way, they were even their superior to them.
Shinigami only fully understood that during the war against the quincies, when it was already too late.
"His bleeding stopped..."
It had stopped all thanks to the Hollow again.
"Yes, however..."
He was afraid.
Ichi-nii was afraid of death.
Although Karin had stopped fearing her own death years ago, she understood why Ichi-nii's past-self was afraid.
He was still more a human than a shinigami in his head. He had never truly tasted the thrill of battle. Yet.
He had never tasted lust for a battle to death... until now.
(Not truly anyway but Karin knew that it would the case soon).
"It seems that you're... a worthy opponent so I'll go full-out on you!" Kenpachi yelled
While Kenpachi took off his eyepatch, Karin felt a man from the Inner Court Troop was there. She didn't worry about that, she could either lie on her true identity or knock him out.
"Who–"
"I'm a member of the Eleventh Division," she smoothly lied, her voice even.
"Ah."
Good thing that Kenpachi's and Ich-nii's reiatsus were so strong, it made the lie believable.
"Kusajishi-fukutaicho, an emergency order."
"O.K, tell me later."
"Huh? I'm sorry but this order is sent under the combined authority of Yamamoto-Soutaicho and Hitsugaya-Taicho. It's a first class order..."
"O.K, tell me later," she repeated.
So Toshiro was the one who went to see Yamamoto-Soutaicho... Clever move since Ichimaru-san was suspicious to everyone's eyes (they weren't wrong neither).
"But... I have a direct order to fill, Fukutaicho. I am supposed to deliver the message to all Taicho and Fukutaicho in the shortest time possible..."
"You're so noisy... Ken-chan is fighting, so stop bugging me!"
"... Uh..."
Poor guy. At least, now she knew that Kenpachi's previous Fukutaicho had an impressive and wild reiatsu as well. Hers was like a wild and angry cat.
She decided to intervene, telling the man that he could tell them once the fight over.
"It will be over after this."
The fight ended with the two of them collapsing, blood splattered everywhere. On the ground, on their clothes.
"Say whatever you need to say to Kusajishi-Fukutaicho, I'll check on them."
She jumped and noticed one of her feet had landed on a puddle of blood, her white tabi now tainted with red.
It didn't matter anyway, she already had many old stains of blood everywhere on her kosode and her hakama.
"It always ends up like that with you two," she whispered to herself in an exasperated, yet fond tone.
She kneeled and noticed Ichi-nii was still conscious but just barely. The glassy look hinted it wouldn't be the case anymore in a few minutes.
Yachiru-chan arrived with a contemplative look on her face. She almost looked sad and Karin didn't know if it was because Kenpachi just lost a fight or because as the spirit of Kenpachi's zanpakuto, him not being able to hear her voice was painful.
The tiny gril stayed silent during a whole minute before bowing in front of Ichi-nii, a beaming and innocent smile on her face.
"Thank you! It's thanks to Icchi that Ken-chan had lots of fun! Ken-chan hasn't been this happy for a loooong time! Thank you!"
The sight in front of her was almost comical. Yachiru-chan was so small, and yet, she managed to carry Kenpachi so easily.
"... Kuro-kuro will heal Icchi and then hopefully... You can play with Ken-chan again in the future. Pretty please," she said before leaving.
Ichi-nii chose this moment to lose consciousness.
Karin kneeled and began to heal him.
It would be okay, she repeated to herself. Her big brother was there, alive and breathing. He was just unconscious.
Resting.
Yes, he was just resting. Temporarily. Unlike the last time she saw him, his chest was still slowly rising and falling.
"Rest a bit, you'll need it... Ichi-nii," Karin softly whispered, her hand now going through his soft hair.
If she was correct, Ganju and Hanataro would be at the White Tower (and the same could be said for Byaku-nii, according to Urahara's diary).
She would join them after Yoruichi-san's arrival.
Karin got her wish granted when she saw a black cat on one of the rooftops. She waved with one of her hands, casually shouting, "Yoruichi-san! Come here."
A/N: Second chapter done! I apologize for putting this chapter a week later than planned (I was supposed to put it online last week-end but I got sick). Since I'm following the canon chronology, I wanted to rewrite some of the events/fights through Karin's point of view, I thought it would be fun. I find Karin's point of view... refreshing. Fun. And bittersweet due to her future and what happened.
The hardest thing to write in this chapter was Ichigo's point of view since he doesn't know who Karin is, meaning their dynamic isn't the same at all. Gin's point of view is still as funny as ever to write! I wanted to show that though he end up not being on Aizen's side, he is not a good person nor an entierely bad one. He is a sociopath since he does not feel guilt about what he did to Hinamori for example or for his betrayal to Soul Society. Another thing I like writing is Yachiru ! She is fun and I wanted to write a bit about her relationship with Kenpachi.
Karin and Toshiro's scenes will come soon (probably in chapter 4). I promise it would come, I just don't want to rush too many things since I am following the canon chronology and for now, Karin and Toshiro are doing what they have to do seperately.
Thank you to: masterrsloth, PedroJLife, ThaPinkPanther, The Great Unknown89, Gemini Goddess, brialees, Remember to Forget, Lstilwell24, R3dLuv3Singin, chocolie, raijinfiary, silvershark1987, mi-chan94, Evangeline43 and CherepMikhailov for the fav/following! Do not hesitate to post reviews, I will make sure to answer them on next chapter's A/N or on PM :)