Disclaim: manga belongs to Tite Kubo.
Chapter 8: past 3
When Karin woke up next, she had tears in the corner of her eyes. She wiped them away angrily thinking back at her dream. She was never letting them take Yuzu into their clutches. Deciding she was ready to face that pompous captain, she looked around to find an empty room.
Trying to sit up, her body was drenched. She was tired without knowing it. Not even after soccer practice was she this empty. She laid back stretching her arms out, might as well make use of the place. Moving the tip of her fingers, she felt the sweet sensation of warm tingling her hand and soon her entire arm.
That's how the occupants of the house found her around noon.
"Having fun?" Asked Urahara with a smile, seeing the small movement of hand she was doing.
"I can't move," was her only reply as she didn't bother looking back at him.
"Well that is good since we were going to throw you down a pit now." She bolted right up to face him. "Ah I thought you couldn't move," he wined.
She didn't reply as he dragged her to the kitchen to eat. Seeing as she ate more than all the others she felt self conscious about the food she managed to swallow. The other didn't seem to mind. Or maybe that was simply because the pompous teen wasn't there.
After eating up, she just followed them down to there training hall. She's been there a lot of time to train. But somehow she couldn't shake of the fear that was eating her bones. Or soul bones, if that is even a word.
"Please," said Urahara when they reached the middle of the ground, "run around a little until I tell you to stop."
She just sight before running straight toward the other side. She could feel the hurt in her legs when she started, but that pain was forgotten when she found the rhythm. Nothing beats running when it comes to training. After all, what kind of soccer player was she if she couldn't run fast enough. Not only that, she needed it to get away from those hollows she couldn't beat too.
"You can stop," he said when she finally was having fun. Without warning he hit her. She felt her back touch the ground. Looking up, she noticed he wasn't joking when he said he was going to throw her down a pit. She felt her arms twist backward in an uncomfortable position. From above she could hear the owner laugh happily.
"This is the way your brother became a soul reaper."
"And you didn't think you should have asked me first if I wanted this?" She screamed angrily up toward him, managing somehow to twist her face to look up.
"It's either that or you are send to soul society as a dead person." He knew what spot to poke, he knew her to well, as well as any Kurosaki's really. "Think about you sister." She grumbled knowing fully well there wasn't much she could do.
"Fine, what do I need to do?"
"Get out of the pit before the chain is completely eaten up," and then he left her there in pain.
"Hey," she shouted back,"you're just going to let me here? What in the world are you doing." Noticing screaming was actually taking her nowhere, she did the only thing she could, and ran straight to the wall to try and run upward. That, off course after she actually managed to stand up.
She didn't really know how many times she tried, but each time she did, she just ended up on her ass down in the pit. Remembering how Ichigo flew in the air, she thought maybe that would work. But before she even could try, her body fell to the ground, face first.
You again, she grumbled in her head. Aren't you only supposed to do that when I'm actually in my body?
"You are annoying," came the voice back. "What do you think I am? Someone trying to ruin your future?" The voice was harsh and crude.
Well you haven't been doing anything else really. If you didn't know, if I don't get out of this pit I'll turn into a hollow. And what do you think will happened to you? Hein? The next idea that crossed her mind was not pleasant. If you are my inner hollow I'm never giving you my soul. You hear me?
"Never." She screamed out loud. Trying to stand up, she felt the burning sensation back in her fingertips and all the way down to her feet.
"Who do you think saved you when you are weak? I'm not someone you can ignore for all time and you are honestly getting on my nerves."
Well if you didn't make my body fall all the time then maybe I wouldn't be weak, she thought, fighting with all she had to get up. Somehow the temperature had risen a lot when the plastic under her shoes started melting surprisingly not hurting her bare foot.
"Calm down," she ordered. Somehow that made Karin stop her struggle.
I'm not giving my soul to a hollow, she replied bitterly.
"Neither would I want you to. I have no intention of letting you be taken but then you have to realize that right now you need my help."
Never. She hit her head in the ground and the voice was gone. She was crazy that was the only reason why she could hear that voice.
She didn't know how much time she had spent down the pit when she lied down again against the earth. She didn't have her shoes anymore as they had melted away somehow. There was also a spot in the earth that was melting away. She could see Jinta looking down at her with a sly smirk of satisfaction. Bastard. She let her mind wander to her sister.
Why the connection between him and her sister? Simple, they dated for two years before they broke up. He was to abnormal for Yuzu, too close to that brother she wanted to forget. They got separated on friendly terms, but Karin knew Jinta was still sore. He seemed to put it out on her instead. Idiot.
She was amazed to feel she could relax with the pain eating up her chain. Yeah, because apparently there was some kind of gas or something down here that made the corrosion work faster. Maybe the pain she had been through the last hours had helped her digest the pain.
"Are you ready to speak to me now?" Asked the voice in her head. She had that smooth voice again, the motherly voice she used most of the time.
Karin only rolled her eyes. What could she really do, especially when she was pretty sure that the voice was the one making her so relax right now.
"To that you are right. Care to join me?"
Where? She thought. She was to tired to fight, but if it came down to it she would fight against that hollow.
"Somewhere we could talk face to face."
What ever as long you don't kill me, stupide hollow. Karin could definitely hear the growl in the background. At least she could annoy this voice.
"You need to close your eyes and relax." Following the smooth voice repeating her words, the girl felt like she might fall asleep. Opening her eyes, she was welcomed by a beautiful starry sky. Looking closer, she stood on water reflecting every little light. It was like standing on a mirror. She watch in awe at the scene remembering the first time she saw this.
"I suppose you are admiring the view." The voice brought her back to reality. Sitting as she was the first time she saw the person, was the imposing voice.
Karin could however discern more than last time. She saw clearly her long golden dress flowing around her, her arms hidden in the white long hem of the dress. Over her face was a mask made out of feathers covering her eyes and nose, long feathers placed on top of her mask. A silver ribbon tied around her middle, threads with silver pearls were feasted to her mask and in her hair, and small silver blue threads decorating her flame red hair, the all flowing around her.
She had a kind smile plastered on her blue lips giving her a ghost like look with that glass like skin of hers. She was a doll like creature: so dead and in the same time so alive. The reason Karin could see the person this time was due to the small lights in all different colors flaring all around the woman.
"Come sit with me," she said taking her hand out, showing a porcelain hand decorated with silver threads and pearls.
Slowly, as if she was interrupting something, Karin made her way toward the doll. She walked as in trance by the presence. She sat down right in front of her, only then realizing the doll, if standing, would have been way higher than her. Being closer, she could see the mask was in fact a part of her face, and her eyes were pitch black.
"Welcome again," she said sweetly. "Dear, you can close your mouth," she said amused, her hands back inside the arms. Realizing how stupid she must look, she closed her mouth and tried to speak, but was cut of.
"As you can see, I am no hollow. Nor am I part of the old man's Quincy group. I am your partner." Karin didn't know what to say. Didn't Ichi-nii warn her that she might be faced with her inner hollow if she ever tried to become a shinigami. The doll must have read her mind as she added:
"You are not like your brother. True, I have had the visit of your Quincy part, but never has there been any hollow here. That is also the reason why I need you to fulfill your transformation before the hollowfication takes place. You will not survive it as he did."
Somehow, even if Karin always fought against it, seeing the voice in her head as the doll, she believed her. She actually felt safe. As if the place she was now was the safest place and this person could have her ultimate trust.
"I am glad you think so," she smiled sweetly as Karin understood that ever since the beginning the doll had been reading her mind.
"Stop reading my mind," she said undignified.
"But you wouldn't talk dear. Please do tell, how do you like my home?"
"Plain," she said looking around the not seemingly stopping world. "Beautiful," she whispered.
"I like it too. Though the stars don't shine as much all the time. I don't like it when the clouds come cover the sky."
"Is there no moon?" Asked the girl suddenly as if not listening to the other person.
"Of course not," she said disappointed. "The stars don't need the moon to shine, the moon needs the stars dear."
"I wanted to ask," Karin said when finishing observing every corner of the place visible, "where are we?"
"But in your inner world of course," the playful smile back on her lips.
"But you said this was your home."
"It is. My home is your inner world. So sweety, every time you are sad or angry it reflects on the sky. Covers the stars and I am left in the dark with my own light. But when you are happy, the stars shine so brightly and it's like the sun shines above in the sky. But most of the time, it's like this, perfect."
"I would never have guessed my inner world was this beautiful. I thought it would be something plain and boring." The girl just watched in awe.
"Plain and boring can be beautiful too as long as you can see it, you know? So how would you have seen this world of yours?" She asked.
"Dirty and hash. Dry things and maybe a lot like the training ground under the Urahara shop," Karin said feeling she could empty her heart to this person. It was an odd feeling as she never had done that before. Maybe to her mother but that was a long time ago. And sometime to Yuzu even if the will to protect her from her trouble always won.
"Well, I am very happy it's not like that here. How are you feeling now, dear?" She asked conserved.
"At peace," she said, not really believing she just said that.
"I am happy you don't try to lie. After all, I would know. Ask your questions girl."
"I was just wondering about what you said. You said you could help me get out of the pit. How do I do that?"
"For your unasked questions that I rather answer first," she started with disappointment in her voice, "you are not standing on water, this is a fluid that you yourself only knows under the solid form. It's silver." By its mention, Karin looked down. Trying to lift a bit of the fluid in her hand she saw that indeed, it wasn't transparent.
"But the fusion of silver is extremely high," she wondered out loud. And she knew that she would be burned if she tried to touch fluid silver.
"Indeed, for anyone else, we might as well be in a volcano. But remember this isn't physical real. What brings us to your other question that you tried to pass. These flames are multiple reactions between particles that I create for you to see. Don't worry, I'll teach you one day. Heat doesn't affect you the same way."
"Don't I need to hurry up as the chain is soon completely gone?" Asked Karin after a time even if deep down she like this calm atmosphere.
"Don't worry too much child," she laughed happily. "So mature, and still so young. Always trying to hid behind the pride and maturity. I know you child, from the top of your head, though every experience in your life and down to your feet. And no, time doesn't work the same here as in the real world. I am currently holding the pain away, so relax. As for your transformation, I will let you discover your world on your own. Now go on, go find that part of you that relates you to me."
She smiled sweetly as the flames dimmed until disappearing, letting them stay under the sky with the only light from the stars. Standing up, Karin bowed before letting her feet transport her deeper into the night. Wandering aimlessly into the night, she saw that wherever she went, the stars were just as imposing as elsewhere. Some were yellow, some blue, some white, and if she really looked, she could see some green ones.
Smiling happily watching the sky, she suddenly saw some movements on her left. Turning toward the movement she saw a young girl. Wasn't she supposed to be the only one there? But watching closer, she could only gasp. The little girl had deep gray eyes with old tears drying on her skin. She was dressed in ripped up cloth and her black hair was a mess.
The child couldn't be more than five. No, in fact, Karin knew she wasn't older than five. After all, she never forgot that day. The only day she had felt so lost in the world. The day her mother died. She could only watch herself in pain. One thing was different though. In her memories, she had dried her tears and vowed not to be in the way of the rest of the family. She had stood strong, but this girl had shackles around her wrist and the chain attached to the fluid. Pleading eyes. Eyes telling, begging for help. From anyone.
"You didn't know me at the time, but I found you that day, dear," said the voice of the doll. "Please return soon," she whispered as Karin's legs moved on their own toward the child.
She didn't stand it, those eyes, so she did the only thing she wanted when she was small. She wrapped her arms around the girl offering her to calm down. She felt the chains leave the child's wrist and the child disappeared under her touch. The light took over.
When she opened her eyes, she was back to the real world. But the light of the blue painted sealing told her she was out of the pit. Observing a bit closer, she was standing in a black soul reaper attire she had seen her brother with so many times. What she didn't anticipate was the tears running down her face.
"I stand my ground concerning the fact that you need some serious training in controlling your feelings," said the only voice she didn't want to hear. Looking up she saw the pompous teen sit on a rock observing her with arms crossed.
Her mental peace transformed into anger. Trying to dry the stupide tears away she noticed the weight in her hands. Shackles on her hands, attached to a chain that went from one arm to the other going behind her back and attached to the two weights. And in her hands she was holding two small double bladed weapons, the entire weapon no long than her forearm. The two blades were fixed to a circle with a handle in the middle of the two blades.
"Though," he continued unaware of her feelings, "I must say you took less time than what I thought. Kurosaki apparently took all the time that was given." He stood up walking toward her. Only when he was right in front of her she noticed she hadn't really heard what he just said.
"Your zanpakuto is unnatural indeed but I hardly would consider it beautiful," he said stoically toward the girl left in her thoughts. "What is its name?" he asked. She didn't really thought the doll had a name. Thinking about it, it was logical.
"You mean the doll?" she asked lifting her head to see just how close he was. Not uncomfortably close, just way much closer than what he was seconds ago.
"I suppose you don't know its name."
"Where is hat and cloth," she asked feeling locked down in the lion's den, not that she wouldn't fight that stupide lion, but she rather be with the stupide shopkeeper than with this pompous brat exactly right now.
"Please, at least sound like you are listening to me," he said a vein popping out. "I am taking care of the rest of your training since that is why I am here." He finished daring her to argue.
"So you honestly believe I'm going to stay here listening to your blabbering and instruction. I don't know you." He looked disappointed. Now what?
"That doesn't change the fact that I am here to teach you how to train that spiritual energy of yours. If you rather want to be eaten up by hollows, by all mean please do. At least spare me the hassle to teach you if you are only going to throw it away."
She wanted to point at his face to scream that he was just a pompous little captain with no feeling what-so-ever and that if he really hated her that much, he should get his ass away and she would teach herself. But before any of that occurred she heard a sight. Turning around, she only heard the sound of metal.
"Child don't you think that is a bit harsh to say to someone that could have been your friend." Oh, she had totally forgotten about the doll. She hoped her sky wasn't graying. "No it doesn't gray, but the light is fading."
"As I was saying before you started rambling to that doll of yours, I will take over your training from now on, meaning you are going to listen to me either you want it or not." She looked at him dumbfounded. Not only did he just insult both her zanpakuto and herself but this little shrimp though he could just control her.
"Hey, I'm not some kind of toy you can play with, you little," but she never finished as his eyes bore into her mind. Damn those eyes were intense. Where had she seen them again?
"Because you think I want to be here," he outraged. "I have no more desires to be here than you. Or in fact this is for you not me. I need to be here because you are too powerful to keep yourself in check and you are currently endangering the entire town as we speak. You honestly thought you could walk around as if anything was okay with that intense spiritual energy."
"Well, heck, it's not like I want to have this stupide ability," she screamed back, only regretting it when they left her mouth as she remember the doll listening to everything she said.
"Nor do I," he said with acid back, only to calm down as he saw her close her eyes. He sight. "We will start with meditation," he said flatly walking toward the exit. Karin only seem to see that a bit too late.
"Hey, where do you think you are going?" She screamed after him still holding her blades. Where was she going to put them. Seeing as there was a hook on the left side, she placed both of them on it, observing as the hook magically closed around them.
"Your human body is still beaten up, so you are going to stay in you spiritual body a while longer. We are going to find a spot we can meditate. Come along." she followed him obediently as the voice in her head was pondering her to do as he say and stop being so extremely stubborn.
"Ichi-nii said it took him ten days to master his zanpakuto while staying down here. Am I not supposed to do the same?" she inquired.
"I said: I am going to teach you, so no, we are not going to take Urahara's ten day technic. You are not going to go anywhere to do a war so we have time. I intend to use your summer."
"What," did he just say what she believed he said? "My summer? Are you crazy? That's the only time I can have fun and not think about school work and you just intend to take that away from me?" He looked at her as if there was growing a second head out of the first one.
"Of course the summer. I'm here now am I not? I'm not leaving until you can somehow control that energy of yours. Now come one." And with that he just flew out the roof. Stupide soul reaper.
"So that is why you don't like him?" Asked the voice amused, "because he is a soul reaper. Or is it the fact he can hide his emotion and you can not? Or are you simply annoyed you don't remember him?"
Shut up, she thought before starting to climb the ladder.
"I had thought you knew something about soul reapers," said a voice that made her loss the grip on the ladder. "Make your body stop in the air," he ordered as she fell fast toward the ground. She surprised herself by actually managing to do so. "Soul reaper can walk in the air," he said coming down to her level. "Now do you mind following." he underlined the last word.
Staying in the air was one thing, but actually move around in the air was an other. As she put one foot in front of the other, she started to walk toward the sealing in aw. Finally outside, she could see the sky lighting up.
"Just how long was I down that pit?" she wondered out aloud.
"Two days," said the male as he leaped up in the air and started running. To stubborn to lose to this person, she followed him in the air before taking confidence in her air running.
"You are starting to get the hang of it," he said coming beside her. So quickly she didn't see him move from the spot in front. Losing her concentration she started falling downward. "If you think about falling then that is what you will do," he said blankly. "We are here."
Looking around she saw the forest. She didn't even notice they had left the town. Or maybe it was one of the parks. She saw the captain sit down on the ground with his zanpakuto in front of him. Sitting across from him she wondered: "What now?"
He barely looked at her before he returned to his meditation position that she tried the best to imitate.
"The first thing I want you to learn is meditate so you can control that energy of yours. Of course, don't worry, I will teach you how to use that doll of yours, but before you need to learn to relax."
"I can relax," she pestered placing the two weapons in front of her. Not that it was easy since they were feaster to the chain that was feasted to the shackles at her arms.
"Really," he said drily, "then how come you can't manage to make the shackles go away. Kurosaki, understand that your brother rushed into his training and is currently paying that price by learning all the basics. Trust me when I say that learning everything again when you have learned it another way, is very complicated." he sighted.
"My point Kurosaki, is that to become a soul reaper it takes in general six years to graduate from the academy, so I am going to teach you how to be a soul reaper as if you were a student, meaning we are going to start with the basics, which does mean learning how to meditate to be able to communicate freely with your zanpakuto. Do you have any questions?" he looked at her straight on the eyes.
"Actually just one?" She said deciding it was smarter to actually listen to this kid. She did not want to end up like her brother, no matter how strong he was. "You intend to ruin the next six years of my life?"
"No," she fell a small relief, "I intend to use all the summer that are needed to teach you what you are supposed to know, no matter if it takes two summers or ten." But her relief was soon gone as she was pretty sure she was in the ten years category. Might as well just get started.
Wow, just noticed I passed the 30,000 words... You start questioning if you're doing the right studies when you use the study weak to write and not read...
Anyway, Thanks for reading :D