Fearless and Tearless

Chapter 9

Don't go up there!

Karin's P.O.V

Right as I opened my eyes, I knew that I fell asleep. The first thought that popped into my head, was why was it nighttime, from the way it looked outside the window. My second thought was why was I in a chair. With my eyes still halfway closed I looked at my Ichi-nii. I held back a grunt. His mask was still on! What am I supposed to do? What if he wakes up, and is only a hollow and doesn't remember me and attacks?

Calm down dude! I sat there in shock. That was not Miyuki's voice.

Calm down Karin, he won't forget you.

Miyuki… who was that?

Who was who?

Karin was dumbfounded, Never mind.

Hey, I'll let you in on a secret! You can go into your brother's inner world if you like!

There it was again! Who are you?

What do you mean Karin? Ok… I'm officially going crazy.

I was about to have a mental meltdown, when I sensed my brother move. I whipped towards him and looked. His mask was still there, and he was waking up.

I'm not afraid of any hollow, so I kept my ground and stayed in my seat. The hollow woke with his black and gold eyes staring at me.

"Uh, hello, Ichi-nii, or hollow." I mumbled, staring into his eyes, there was something about them.

"Why hello Karin." Ichigo's raspy hollow voice said. "How are you? Oh, stop being so stiff; I'm not going to hurt you. That stupid Ichigo won't let me."

Well at least I know he remembers me and is not Ichigo. "Um, where is Ichigo, if you don't mind me asking?"

Hichigo sat up. "He's somewhere, recuperating."

"Recuperating? Did he get hurt?" I was almost frightened from thinking the worst.

"Eh yeah, sorry I don't know when he'll come out. Could be any second now or a few years."

"What type of injury would take him out for a few years." Apparently the hollow wasn't one much for talking and just shrugged. I sighed right back. "Well you can't be walking around here with… uh…you know, your mask. Also, your personality is too different from Ichigo's."

'Then I'll stay here." He said lying down on the bed again.

"Uh, ok. I might stay in here too, I can't do anything with my body right now."

"Whatever." Christ, I hate when people say that!

Ignore him Karin-chan.

"Can I ask you a question." He didn't say anything so I continued on, "Can you go into other people's inner world?"

At that he finally paid attention to me. "Where did you hear that from?"

A little shocked that he paid attention I responded, "Someone told me."

"Hm…No I cannot. There is one hollow that could do that though… but it's just a legend. From what Ichigo was thinking sometimes, there was a zanpakutou that could go to other's inner minds too. Now that I think about it, they're both just legends."

"Interesting." I muttered while standing up

"Why the sudden interest?" he lay back down again.

"Eh, no reason, just curious."

"Oh, one more thing! The hollow should be a guy, I think. The zanpakutou is definitely a guy."

I hoped that my shoulders didn't deflate. I was kind of wishing that I had that zanpakutou. Maybe I can find the soul reaper who has the abilities to go inside other's inner world and ask him to go to Ichi-nii's. Also, my hollow is a definite girl. Damn it.

"'K thanks, I'll be right back." And with that I slipped outside the door and locked it with a trick I learned from Ichi since I got his room. I descended the stairs and saw that Yuzu wasn't there. I went into the kitchen and found a note on the refrigerator. It said: Karin-chan! I'll be back soon, but I was going to hang out with some friends, but be back before dinner to make it! B-bye!"

Since no one was around, I spoke aloud, instead of in my head. "Ah damnit!"

"Karin what was with the sudden interest in the hollow and zanpakutou earlier?"

"Holy crap!" I whipped around and my zanpakutou was standing right in front of me. "What the hell?" She looked kind of wrong being inside my house and then her wings were like ka'bam!

"Haha, you don't sound very happy to see me Karin-chan." Miyuki said walking over to the couch and sitting down.

"It's just I wasn't expecting you to pop out like that. By the way, how did you do that?" I asked, my heart settling down.

"Well, first off, I materialized. Not many Shinigami can do this, but you can. I think you did it unconsciously this time though."

"Did what?"

"Materialized me! I think you called me out here."

"I see…um well now what?"

"Back to the original question." She got up and walked straight to me.

"Nothing, I was just wondering, besides aren't you supposed to hear and know everything I think?"

"Yeah, but this time you," she poked me in the chest, "somehow hid it from me. I don't know how that's possible, but you did." She walked past me looking into the refrigerator for something.

"Really? I can do that." All she did was nod. As I was trying to ask a question, a completely random thought popped into my head. "Since Ichi-nii's spiritual pressure is not being suppressed in any way, then that guy from earlier is going to come, isn't he?"

"Well, he did say that he was looking for Ichigo."

"Ah what am I going to do? OK, first dematerialize or whatever you call it, but please just do it. Now, I have to go back upstairs because in only that little moment with that guy, I memorized his reiatsu, and he's coming, and fast." I didn't bother to check is Miyuki was gone; I just headed up stairs.

I practically shot myself through the door, "Hey hollow Ichigo, can you like, hide your spiritual pressure, because some guy with an impressive amount of reiatsu is coming."

"Hm… even if I could I wouldn't. Let the runt come, I want to fight anyway." Hichigo was now inspecting the room.

"So you don't know how?" He just sheepily shrugged. Great… I guess I could lend him that bracelet, Urahara made for me a few years ago to suppress my reiatsu, but it wouldn't fit him, and I'm pretty sure I would have to fight him to put it on.

Yeah, I don't think that's such a good idea, since he seems opposed to hiding his reiatsu in the first place.

Let him run wild! There was that voice again.

"OK, well I'm pretty sure that guy is from Soul Society, and is the Captain of the 10th division, from what Ichi-nii told me, so just hide when he comes ok? Let me handle it."

"No! Let me go and fight his a-" I gave him a look, and for some reason it shut him up. I don't know how, but I was glad. "Ok, I'll stay here."

"Thanks." I headed downstairs to open the door, and made sure to hide my reiatsu because I knew he was going to knock in 3… 2….

Knock, knock. I opened the door. "Why hello there, it's a nice surprise to see you here."

"Don't play dumb with me, I know that Kurosaki is here."

I didn't know whether or not to act ignorant, but when he came inside the house, I decided to drop the act. "Fine, he's here, but what do you want?" I was trying to stall, because even though he probably knows about the hollow inside my brother, I don't want him to see him like this.

"So he is here…"

"You didn't answer me!" I blocked him from trying to go upstairs. He tried to shove me to the side, but that was a mistake. I used the force from his swing at me against him by using the momentum and turning his arm in a circle forcing to his knees. "Sorry, I take lessons."

"You don't know who you're messing with little girl."

Yeah, neither do you. "You can't just barge in here and demand something from me."

"Yes I can," and because I let me guard down, he pushed me back and headed up stairs.

"Shit," I mumbled under my breath. "Don't go up there." He ignored me and just kept going. I quickly got to my feet and ran after him. I was too late though. Click! He twisted the knob and opened the door. I was right behind him when he did. Ichigo was standing there, but he was facing away from us. I assumed that he still had his mask on.

He turned around. I was wrong. His mask was gone and it left a face of a very confused Ichi-nii. "The hell?" I almost screamed. This is getting interesting!

I have to apologize once again for this being so short, but I also want to thank all of you who have stayed with me from chapter 1! Please review!