"Karin!" Ichigo was about to catch her before she hit the ground but stopped when he recognised the signs as she leaned forward slightly, looking concentrated on something.
"Ka-chan!" Yuzu was about to run over but Ichigo told her to stay back. Haruki held Yuzu back before she would make a rash decision.
"Kurosaki—"
"She's an epileptic, stop. Give her space." Ichigo held Isane back as his sister fell to the floor with a hard thud.
"Epileptic?" Ichigo could only imagine how new the array of human conditions may have been to her.
"It's a condition caused by damage in the central nervous system. It causes her to have seizures when overstimulated. She was born with it." Ichigo broke the chains in her back, turned her to her side quickly and loosened the clothing around her neck before giving her space before she started to convulse and foam at the mouth. Ichigo quickly removed the top of his shihakusho and put it under her head to stop her from thumping her head against the ground continuously "Yuzu! How long was the last one?"
"I can't remember. It was three years ago!" Yuzu called out and Ichigo hissed.
"Chad! Time!" He told his friend because he didn't have a watch on his. Ichigo noticed that she had a nose bleed.
"Is the nose bleed normal?" Isane pointed out
"No, it isn't." Ichigo noted. "Chad, time!"
"45 seconds." He announced and she was still convulsing on the floor. The movement slowed and she halted to a stop but she was completely unconscious after. Her nose was still bleeding. "1 minute, 24 seconds."
"But her nose..." Isane pointed out
"It probably broke during the fall. She's had a head injury before. It happens." He said before wiping her mouth and nose with his shihakusho. He checked her pulse and leaned over to check if she's breathing. "She's not breathing. Her airway is blocked." Ichigo said before turning her over. "Isane, do you have a defibrillator and a nebuliser at the fourth?"
"I'll get them right away." Isane stood up and flashstepped off the hill while Ichigo pressed down on her chest. He had done CPR a couple of times. He learned it from his father and a CPR course in middle school and they also had to go over it again when he started med school. He had to renew his certificate every year but in all the times he administered it, never once to his little sister. It almost felt too surreal when it was someone you knew personally and he had to remember to keep calm and think of her as a patient right now and not his little sister. He kept count and did it over and over again at a steady pace and before he could hit thirty, Isane had returned with the equipment.
"Chad, I need you here to keep time." Ichigo called and his friend wasted no time coming over. He opened the bag and put on gloves while Isane opened the top part of her robe to expose her chest and placed the blood pressure wires where they needed to be. She placed the nebuliser over her mouth as well. "Isane, charge level."
"Right." She said as she fiddled around with the device buttons while Ichigo placed the paddles where there were supposed to be. "Clear." He announced when he administered the shock to her chest.
"She still not responding." Isane said after checking the rate on the machine
"Time." He looked at Chad.
"It's been a minute." Chad said.
"Clear." He tried again and nothing. "Raise to 200." Isane followed and he pressed the paddles against her again. "Clear." He shocked her but nothing. "Come on, damnit!" He was starting to get frustrated but Chad immediately caught his attention and shook his head at him. Ichigo understood and calmed down, feeling a lump form in his throat before proceeding to start chest compressions again. "Please wake up." He pleaded with her as he completed the cycle and Isane gave him the paddles again.
"Clear." He announced again and admitted the first shock of the cycle and this time, the machine started to beep and Ichigo released the long, baited breath he didn't know he was holding in. Isane moved the nebuliser away from her mouth and Karin started to cough. She rolled over and coughed out blood while Isane started packing the equipment.
Ichigo carefully picked her up. "Chad, take her to the fourth. I'll be with you in a minute." Chad nodded before taking Karin carefully and following Isane down the hill. The anger that bubbled up in Ichigo after the anxiety passed was evident as he stood up but Yuzu was already there, standing in front of him as if to stop him.
"Onii-chan... leave it alone." Yuzu sighed. "They've done their worst..." She looked at Haruki who ran over to them. "Let's just... make sure she's okay."
Ichigo looked at her then at the captains. "I have unfinished business here. You and Haruki should go be with Karin"
"But..."
"Now." Ichigo commanded. They could see the amount of anger in his eyes and they decided not to be here in case things went south so they obeyed and left.
"So much for a trial." A man shackled, kneeling next to his leg joked.
"Shut up!" Ichigo kicked him in the head and he groaned and moaned sadly. "I fucking hope you're proud of yourselves! Give yourself a nice pat on the back, will ya?" He yelled at the other captains.
"Ichigo... I know you're upset but-"
"27." Ichigo interrupted Shinji.
"27?" Shunsei echoed in confusion
"Yes, 27. 27 missing humans identified so far amongst thousands of DNA markers from the blood sample in the factory. The first identified were children... 10 and 12 year old sisters." Ichigo announced and the captains looked surprised. "Save me that surprised face bullshit! You knew! Tatsuki sent Yuzu the fucking report and she came here with it! She gave it to you."
"But this is the first—"
"Gramps, you didn't even bother reading the report Yuzu gave to you, huh?" He interrupted Suì-Fēng.
Yamamoto looked Ichigo dead in the eye and said: "I had other pressing matters."
"Pressing matters like what?" Ichigo asked. "There are thirteen divisions with hundreds of shinigami in each! What fucking pressing matters did you have when you can't even divide your labour? Hell! I heard the 10th did most of the work anyways." He turned to Hitsugaya. "And don't take that as a fucking compliment, I'm more pissed at you than the rest of them." Hitsugaya did not even look him in the eye. "When you sent Karin to the twelfth instead of to someone who knew what they were doing... what was that? When you blocked everyone here when we know that Aizen isn't here anymore, what was more pressing than that... killing a child?"
"You have no idea the sacrifices I make—"
"Fuck that self righteous bullshit! I'm tired of hearing that speech from you over and over and over again! Don't you get tired of saying it when you know it isn't true? What sacrifices? List them for me." He hissed and the sōtaicho remained silent. Ichigo scoffed before picking up his shihakusho and putting it back on. "We're finding Aizen and killing him. And that better be the last I hear of this place." Silence persisted again. "Well?!"
"We are going to follow the lead of the humans that have disappeared because so far, that's the only lead we have." Yamamoto said. "According to your friend and your sister's drawings, there was multiple people taken."
"No shit, Sherlock! We all fucking know that! What do we do next?" Ichigo asked and for the first time, Ichigo could see the guilt plaguing his features... but Ichigo couldn't give a fuck or a rat's ass. Not once had the downplayed the attack in his sisters... but twice. The first time was out of their hands... he could understand because the instigator who took Yuzu wanted him. This time was unacceptable. This time, it was obvious that Karin had absolutely nothing to do with the situation outside of Aizen needing her for whatever reason. They failed to keep Aizen in check and they failed to conduct proper justice despite being such sticklers for the law.
"I don't understand what he would want them for." Rose sighed.
"Isn't that the point of looking for him?" They were annoying him with all these dumb statements. "They took Karin, didn't they?" Ichigo claimed
"To be fair... she's not like other humans. She must have served a different purpose and we just saw why." Shunsei said
"They tried to take down Seireitei's defences completely: the soul seal and the walls." Ukitake-taichō said. "According to Hitsugaya-taichō, it looks like they were planning an invasion."
"Maybe they're using these humans to create an army?" Shinji said
"Why humans and not hollows?" Suì-Fēng asked.
"Oi! Why are you so quiet?" Ichigo turned to Tōshirō who sighed before shaking his head.
"When Kuchiki-taichō was in the land of the living, he noted a lack of pluses... and some shinigami who lost communication with others." Tōshirō looked to Ukitake-taichō. "You might want to... contact them since they're your... subordinates."
"What?" Jūshirō questioned in shock
"And you didn't tell us this?" Kensei wondered, stupefied and Tōshirō sighed.
"I forgot and I was focused on other things while everyone else was here acting like we didn't have a crisis on our hands." He said.
"That sounds like something important to tell the court no matter what." Suì-Fēng said.
"Oh, so now you want information, Madam Let's-speed-things-along." Ichigo snapped at her and she avoided his loaded gaze. It was clear no one wanted to deal with Ichigo in this state.
"Kuchiki-taichō, you didn't mention it either." She noted as Byakuya remained silent. Honestly, Ichigo wondered what was going on in that head of his.
"I. Forgot." Tōshirō hissed. "I had to act without much aid or support from the court anyways. Anytime I brought forward anything of substance, it was shelved. Why waste anymore time?"
"Can we get back to the point here?" Ichigo was getting impatient with these people.
"The lack of pluses is abnormal and with missing humans who were probably tortured, we can expect the worst. Even then, people die every day. It's a natural process so a drop in plus activity is worrisome." He said. "Meaning that balance isn't being maintained somewhere."
"And if the balance collapses then... all three worlds would cease to exist." Rose said thoughtfully. "And it would be overrun with hollows."
"That's what I think. There must be more to the story though— hollowfication is something Aizen specialises in too..." Tōshirō said. "Either way, the human world is the biggest place of interest. Because of their failed attempt to take down our defences, they must've regrouped."
"So we focus on finding them in the world of the living." Gramps said. "Hitsugaya-taichō, your division of speciality is espionage and considering how you worked effectively to curb the invasion, it will only be fitting that you are selected to head the investigation." He nodded. "However, you will work in cooperation with Kuchiki-taichō seeing that the two of you work well together. Him and a unit of both your choosing will go to the world of the living and be your eyes and ears."
Tōshirō looked confused. "Excuse me?"
"You will oversee the investigation from here." He said. "This is in case another uprising is to break out."
"But there is no point in me being here for that. I can command my own unit." He said.
"Soul Society is your priority. Under no circumstances are you allowed to leave. Do you understand?" He said with finality and Ichigo noticed him ball his fists in anger. "As for the situation surrounding Kurosaki Karin, I will question her myself carefully in accordance to Kotetsu-fukutaichō's guidelines."
"My guidelines, bitch!" Ichigo spat. "Do any of you know anything about epileptics? In fact, what stopped you the first time?" Yamamoto sighed.
"You are all dismissed... all except Kurotsuchi-taichō. The three of you will see judgment another day after thorough discussions." The sōtaichō announced. Before anyone could take the chance to leave, Ichigo grabbed Tōshirō by the collar.
"What the—oi!" Ichigo did not care and dragged the pipsqueak off the hill.
Hitsugaya-taichō didn't bother to fight as Ichigo dragged him out of the hall. It was bound to happen and to be fair, he deserved it. He felt useless the whole time. He couldn't even defend her. He couldn't do anything when she fell down, sick. He just stood there and watched. But to his surprise, Ichigo did not attack him. He let go of him at some point in the streets and turned to look at him. "Talk!" He ordered him and Hitsugaya sighed, fixing his haori.
"Was that a seizure?" He asked and Ichigo raised an eyebrow at him. "... She told me she has those sometimes I've never seen her have one that... severe. Is she going to be okay?"
Ichigo sighed. "Ah. She'll be fine. If you know, she probably has told you that they aren't typically life threatening. I can't even believe it never crossed my mind that she didn't have her meds on her."
"... This is a mess." Hitsugaya huffed but Ichigo did not stray away from his original line of questions.
"Stop stalling and tell me what I need to know." He hissed at Hitsugaya. The young captain pushed his hand away from him.
"What do you need to know?" Tōshirō asked.
"Stop acting like a wise guy—"
"I understand you are angry. You have every right to be..." He huffed. "But I can't tell you something if I don't know what you want."
"And why is that?"
"Because I want to help you." Hitsugaya sighed. "I want this to end just as much as you do. Be angry all you want. I'm not going to stop you. But what matters at the end is making sure Aizen suffers."
Ichigo sighed, calming down a little. "I'm glad we're on the same page." He looked at the younger man and huffed before socking him in the face. It almost knocked the wind right out of him. He didn't even see it coming.
"Ow!" Tōshirō hissed, holding at his nose. "What was that for?"
"You're still a dirty little shit for screwing around with Karin." Tōshirō winced. He was dead now that Ichigo knew... truly dead. "I told you, if you want to be around her, you better keep her out of danger."
" ... I'm sorry." He sighed
"Where the hell were you?" Ichigo asked and Tōshirō frowned. "Well?"
"I was here." Hitsugaya admitted
"So you're only in the human world when it's convenient for you, huh?" Ichigo hissed and Hitsugaya remained silent. "I swear to God if you were fucking around with her—"
"I promise you, I wasn't." This time, he had to speak out against it. Karin meant so much to him and he already felt guilty enough as is.
"Then what were you doing with her?" Ichigo asked. "Why was a shinigami Captain hanging out with a human?" Hitsugaya remained silent. "I thought you would tell me what I want to know."
"I said need." He corrected
"Don't get smart with me on semantics, you moron." Ichigo said.
"I'm sorry but I'm not discussing what the nature of my friendship with your sister was especially when I haven't talked to her about it either." He said
"Nature of your friendship? What nature? Aren't friends just supposed to be friends?" He scoffed. "You were fucking around with her, you—"
"Listen, you're angry. I get that... you have every right to be. But right now, me and Karin and whatever the hell you want to call it, isn't the point of what's happening." Hitsugaya sighed. "Now, if you want to talk about Aizen and how we're going to catch him then fine, but right now, if you don't have anymore questions then I have a division to get to."
He turned to leave and Ichigo scoffed. "I know you know where your priorities lie... I just hope you didn't make Karin believe any false promises." That actually hurt more than the actual punch but Hitsugaya left.