Chapter One
Two weeks later...
The Kurosaki twins, Yuzu and Karin heard the crunch of leaves and twigs crunch beneath their shoes as they quietly walked to Urahara's shōten early that morning before school. Autumns were cold in Karakura Town as winter slowly creeped in so students at Karakura High School were allowed to start wearing winter uniform. The streets were filled with withered leaves that were only heard when stepped on. It was autumn so sunrise was later than usual and the streets were still quite dark.
But it was not the darkness that sullied the mood.
"Ka-chan..." Yuzu's meek voice spoke up. "Do you think Tsukabishi-sensei will teach us some new kidō spells today?"
The silence lingered before Karin muttered out a maybe. Yuzu frowned before focusing as they continued moving forward in silence despite the fact that they were metaphorically moving backwards in regards to their personal relationship. It had nothing to do with an argument or a disagreement as the twins never argued about anything – ever.
It ran deeper than that.
At seventeen, the two sisters had changed drastically from their childhood years. Karin was the taller one of the two but only by a few centimetres that it was not that big of a difference but despite that, Yuzu was the only one who grew out in terms of physique. Karin was a lot more skinnier and toned. She grew out her hair but often wore it in a ponytail now. She grew out of the tomboy phase and attained an image of being sporty and athletic than brash and violent.
Yuzu on the other hand was the opposite. She had grown wider instead of taller as her hips widened and her chest grew out. She can admit that she was not as endowed as Inuoe Orihime and the likes bit she did have a manageable, generous amount. Like her sister, Yuzu hated long hair and despite growing out her pixie cut, her hair just about rested on her shoulders and she kept it like that. She was less stronger than Karin was but she did manage to do training with her sister regardless. It was easier back then because now it is all just one big mess.
They reached Urahara's shōten and slipped in through the front doors where their teachers; Urahara Kisuke, Shihōin Yoruichi and Tsukabishi Tessai seated inside around the table drinking tea. "You girls are early today." Urahara noted without turning his head to acknowledge that it was indeed the girls.
"Well we need to train, don't we?" Karin said before walking off to the backrooms of the shōten. Yuzu truly knew something was wrong because even though that was a Karin styled retort, it did not have the snappy attitude it normally has. Ever since they rescued her, she has been like this.
"Yuzu, what has Isshin said about her behaviour?" The werecat asked, truly concerned for her pupil. Karin was a natural at Hakuda the way Yuzu was at Kidō so the gesture was normal in Yuzu's eyes.
"She won't talk about what happened while she was gone." Yuzu sighed. "Otō-san does not know how to convince her to talk about it. She keeps saying that she can't remember what happened. She would never li–" She held her tongue, realising that Karin has lied to her before albeit was to protect her. "Something is wrong with her, I can feel it."
"Sigh... Yuzu-chan, we should probably focus on your training for now." The young girl sighed before nodding sadly at her sensei. "Besides, I'm teaching today." Urahara lifted his fan to cover his face but from the tone of his voice alone, she could smell the smirk on his lips. Him teaching meant it was zanjutsu training today.
At least it isn't Hakuda...
"For zanjutsu training today... we are going to meditate?" Karin echoed Urahara's words in disbelief as the three of them stood in the underground training field. It was supposed to sound incredulous but she was too tired to even try. Dead tired. Her mind was too blank. There was nothing externally wrong with her or even vaguely different but she... felt different.
These last two weeks she had been missing felt like an utter blur to her. She felt like she had woken up from an incredibly long sleep. And the fact that her old man and Yuzu were constantly trying to pull it out of her. She felt uncomfortable in her own home being treated like damn china.
"I have to agree with Ka-chan on this. Is zanjutsu not about swordsmanship?" Yuzu asked. If Karin had a say in this, Yuzu would not know any of this at all. Karin had to admit Yuzu was capable at fighting, she actually surprised that her sister by being good at kid and skilled with a blade. Well, both required discipline... something Yuzu had a plethora of compared to her. Karin was lucky she was an intellectual and had control of her reiatsu making kidō easy for her. Zanjutsu on the other hand was just hell.
Yuzu only got involved because five years ago, their home was attacked and she was abducted. After that event, for some odd reason, she could see the Hollows as well. She hated how she was practically useless during the whole ordeal and wanted to train as well. Ichigo and Karin were hell bent against it but their father – in one of his very rare moments of wisdom – reminded them that she just as much had a say in what happens in her life and around her so they should not prevent her from reaching her goals. So they relented and let her join in.
After nearly getting frustrated by how pointless this was, she was close to just getting up and leaving, she heard a taunting huff in her head.
You always have a penchant for giving up easily, Kurosaki Karin, the voice tutted at her as if it sounded disappointed. Karin's attention was drawn away from her body as she was hauled into the recesses of her soul. A room formed all around her with several doors around and there before stood a figure who was tall and covered in a dark robe that hid most of their face. The glimpse that Karin could see in the dim light looked to be scarred.
Who are you? Karin asked.
The figure chuckled. Do you feign ignorance to the fact that you do know my name?
Feign... ignorance... Karin echoed. Well, this is a nice start to a Monday morning.
Your sharp tongue won't get you anywhere. But indeed Kurosaki Karin... you have known who I am for a while now. You have enjoyed using my powers, the thrill you get when you call my name. Karin could see a smirk tug onto their lips. Is it that you want to forget... or you are too weak to remember?
Karin began to fume. Are you seriously going to stand there and taunt me? I have no idea who the hell you are so stop mocking me!
Your resilience tickles me like a feather, it is almost adorable but I digress, you are nothing more than a child... too weak to understand the capabilities within you. The figure said. Your goals, your resolve, your... morals. All so childishly just. You do not understand the evils of this world yet you think you can do something about it.
Okay... stop. Karin held them right there. What the hell are you trying to say?
I am giving you your answer despite the fact I have given it to you before. The figure pulled off their hood and Karin gasped to be staring at her own face. Maybe this is my identity...
I... but... you... Karin stammered at it but the man disappeared before her eyes. What... where did you–
Maybe this is my face... Karin turned around to see Yuzu in the figure's clothing staring at her. Or maybe this... she saw them paces away now with Ichigo's face and voice. Or maybe this... Karin spun around to see him sitting on a doorstep above her with her otō-san's creepy grin.
What are you...
The figure covered their hood and came back down. I have no identity, Kurosaki Karin because no one truly does. We all put a spin on the term two-faced by having over a million faces.
You're lying... Karin denied with a hiss. What the hell was this? Was this person not supposed to be a piece of her soul?
I've been in several conflicts long before the idea of you even existed, Kurosaki Karin. The figure laughed. Everything that has happened has happened because people are the problem. They are not as straightforward as you, they are not as caring and passionate as you, they do not have open agendas the way you do. You may not show emotions easily but you wear your heart on your sleeve for everyone to see what your motives truly are and they are always good. You will not survive... not alone.
What are you trying to say... Karin scoffed. That I am a weak for being a good person?
Good people never win, Kurosaki Karin. The figure said.
Karin huffed. You know what? I'm out. If you are my zanpakutō then I am not that desperate to know your name. Not if that means you telling me that there is something wrong with who I am.
She turned to leave but the figure stood in her way, grabbing her hand. If you will not take control of the situation then I will. They said. Like I said, Kurosaki Karin. You are weak. I have taken over you once... I can take over you again.
Like hell... Karin hissed, pulling her hand away.
Fine... you can leave but let me give you a friendly warning. The figure said. You leave through the wrong door and I will take over.
Bullshit! Karin muttered before heading off. This is her damn mind, she did not freaking need a door to get out. She came in without one but when she realised that she could not pull her thoughts away from this place, she immediately knew that something was very wrong.
A/N: Forgive me if I do get some facts wrong... I haven't read the manga in a while. Otherwise, this is semi-AU.
Omake
Jinta creepily – his synonym of casually – stared from afar behind a rock as the two sister meditated. His eyes were the size of hearts as he stared at the goddess next to the raven haired demon. "Today, Yuzu will finally admit that she likes me back!" He confidently said. It was a strange fact that while Shinigami meditated, their exterior persona travels into the depths of the soul to speak with the zanpakutō leaving behind nothing but the raw emotion underneath to speak for her.
If he were to confess to her now, surely he would get the response he wanted other than her red faced Sorry Jinta-kun, but I'm not looking to date right now's before she scurried off. "Uh... Jinta, are you sure you wanna–"
Jinta cut Ururu off by pulling at her pigtails hard. "Get behind me, satan!" He threw her to the side by the pigtails. "You will not stand in the way of true love!" Jinta ran, leave a dust cloud behind and Ururu sweat dropped.
"But I've heard the underlying persona left is–"
"You truly are an idiot." She heard Yuzu's voice say in a monotone.
"Brutally honest." Ururu completed sadly.
Jinta stood there, mouth agape and a twitch in his jaw and an arrow in his chest as Yuzu sat there, eyes closed completely but the emotionless-ness was there. "You annoy me." Another arrow shot out of nowhere and pierced him.
"Heck, you disgust me." And Another.
"I never liked you." And another.
"If I had a yen for every time I wanted to slice you with my katana, I'd be a millionaire." Three more.
"I only used you for sweets as a kid." Ten more.
"You smell like tempura..." Jinta sighed in relief. That was not too harsh. Tempura was actually his favourite food. "I despise that oily gunk with a passion." A thousand arrows shot through him and he crumbled to the ground.
"My heart..." He wheezed.
"I tried to tell you." Ururu sighed.