Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo.

A/N: Please let me know what you think.

Chapter I

"GOOD MORNING, MY BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER KARIN!!" boomed Lord Isshin as he pranced into his child Karin's room, drawing back the thick curtains to let the sunlight in.

"THE SUN IS SHINING, THE BIRDS ARE SINGING AND --" a well-aimed pillow hit the overzealous duke's face, sending him flying straight to a wall.

Karin took another pillow to shield her eyes from the glaring light. After a minute of tossing and turning, she hissed when she realized she couldn't go back to sleep. Sitting up slowly, she rubbed her eyes, trying to find whatever had caused the earlier commotion and make it pay for doing so. She soon found the source of the noise in the form of her father, who was slumped at the foot of the wall facing her bed with her pillow still stuck to his face.

Karin sighed before counting to five in her head. One, two, three, four, fi--

Isshin jumped back to life, the pillow falling from his face as he stood, revealing a goofy grin. Karin then covered her ears, fully knowing what would happen next. "THE FLOWERS ARE BLOOMING, ALL FOR YOU!!"

Karin could never fathom why her father was the man in charge to rule over Karakura, what with all his foolishness and tomfoolery. He was now doing a tap dance around the room, and Karin knew from experience that he will sing moments from now. And sing he did.

Deciding she could stand no more, Karin yelled a less-than-hearty "Good morning, goat-chin" over his off-key voice singing some lousy aria. It worked wonders, sending Isshin back to her side with a more somber expression, though he was still wearing his goofy grin.

"Good to see you up, little lady," he said, ruffling her hair. Snapping his fingers, a line of maids entered Karin's room, carrying an assortment of luggage and piles of clothing and shoes. Before Karin could ask what was happening however, Isshin was already taking her to the dining hall.

Breakfast was rather uninteresting, and as always, Isshin chattered to his heart's content while Karin tried to zone him out. Looking over the long table which could seat around fifty people, Karin suddenly missed her siblings. It was easier to ignore her father when they were around, since Ichigo could very well already shut Isshin up by this time, and she'd have Yuzu to talk with too. But now, there was only her and her father, who was still enjoying himself by twittering non-stop.

'Stupid marriage,' Karin thought. But then, she knew she couldn't blame her siblings for getting married.

Karin was 15 when Ichigo tied the knot; he was pretty much head-over-heels with Rukia, the sister of some all-powerful duke, and well, he deserved that happy ending considering everything he went through for her. She had thought that he would live in Karakura, considering he was the next duke and all, but instead he opted to settle in Sereitei, and came to visit only once in a while, with the missus in tow. Karin was now used to not having Ichigo around.

Yuzu, however, was a different story – she had only gotten married three months ago, and Karin was still feeling lonesome after her departure. And she also felt worried that her sister may not be happy with her marriage – it had been something like a rush job, after all, so that she'd be spared from Karakura's marriage law.

Now that Karin thought about it, she knew that, had it all gone fine, she's be a missus by this time too. She groaned at the thought. Never mind if she'll be some poor lady. She'd rather be one than marry some jerk. And besides, how would goat-chin fare if she'd leave him too? Despite the fact that her father was somewhat weird, Karin loved him. She felt a pang of sympathy for him when she imagined him sitting alone in the fifty-seater table. One look at him changed her mind, though. He was still talking. Apparently it wouldn't matter even if she left or not – he'd still be having fun even if he were alone.

"… and I said, 'Oh, wouldn't it be lovely!'" Isshin finished his morning-mono-dialogue with a huff of air. "Now Karin, I have some news to tell you."

Karin now paid attention to her father. He could still talk?!

"I'm sending you away for the moment."

'Ah, that explains why my things were being stuffed into bags.'

"You're going to your brother in Sereitei," Isshin continued, his eyes tearing up, "and… OH KARIN, I CAN'T TAKE IT!! I'M GOING TO MISS YOU!!"

Isshin tried to hug his daughter all to no avail as Karin shoved a foot into his stomach.

"MY DAUGHTER IS SOOOO CRUEL!! MASAKI!!" Isshin bellowed. "OUR DAUGHTER IS GOING AWAY AND SHE CAN'T EVEN GIVE HER DADDY A HUG!!"

Isshin ran to the big canopy bearing her mother Masaki's picture which hung behind his chair, wailing away. Guards then came rushing into the hall, wondering if some intruder had killed Karin and caused the duke to go ballistic so early in the morning.

"What's wrong, Lady Karin?" the leader asked while looking strangely at his master.

"It's nothing… just the usual. You can leave us now," Karin replied, and the guards hurried out of the hall, some of them whispering to each other.

Karin glared at her obnoxious father. Leave it to him to embarrass her every single day. When he showed no sign of stopping after she counted to five, she approached him, and crouched down to his level. "So why don't you come along, oyaji? And why am I going there?"

Isshin then drew out a handkerchief from nowhere and blew his nose. He then resumed being his old, asinine self, standing up and ushering Karin out of the dining hall.

"Oh, nothing. I just want to know if I'm a grandfather already, that's all… and you need a vacation! Now, all of your things have been packed up, and the carriage is ready to whisk you away. All that is needed is that you get fixed up. I wouldn't want people in there to think that I am not looking after my daughter well. And who knows? Maybe when you come back, you'll no longer be a miss Kuro--"

This time, Karin thrust a loaf of bread into his face.

End of Chapter I