Greetings to all that are reading this story! I'm open to any suggestions and/or constructive criticism. It can only help so please don't be shy. I'm grateful to all that reviewed. It gives me happiness and a dose of reality. Chapter 2 is up for any willing eyes.
DICLAIMER: I own nothing. Don't sue me I have no money to pay any legal bills.
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Karin walked the familiar roads that led to her home where her family would be waiting. She went over the scenario that would happen when she walked through the front door. She would hit her Dad for his overzealous actions and then be fussed over by Yuzu for the little scratches and bruises from a particular hard game of football. However one reaction would be missing. Ichigo was currently missing again. He left handing out another lame excuse as to why he would be gone. Karin knew better than to think her brother was telling the truth. Nowadays it had to be shinigami related.
Karin had always known of spirits but chose to ignore their existence. Ichigo however chose to befriend and comfort those that wandered around after death In the moment she found out what her brother truly was she knew she could no longer ignore the dead that walked around her. After all her brother was part of that world she chose to ignore. The more she looked at the ugly truth about other monsters that came along with the spirits; the more concerned for her brother she became. Her was strong he had always been as long as she could remember he always was protecting her. Ichigo was so busy protecting everybody else who would protect him from harm. Karin was worried for the day when he wouldn't be able to be beat the monsters called hollows. . She kicked rocks alongside the road as she walked in frustration not really knowing how to handle the situation between her brother and the dead he walked among.
After her brother became a shinigami she chose to do everything she could to help her brother; anything that would make his job as shinigami easier. Anything that would ease her mind she would try. She could always sense when the hollows where around. She would feel that familiar slight pressure on her shoulders that she had come accustom to over several encounters. She started off small with the small hollows that would pop up around her home and friends. Karin soon learned she could channel energy into her football to destroy the hollows. It was nowhere near as powerful as her brother but it made her a little more confident in her ability to help her brother.
"Urgh. It got to be at least ninety degrees out here." She sighed stopping for a brief second to wipe sweat off her forehead.
It was true today had been an incredibility hot day. Maybe that's the reason her team had dropped like flies during the game today. She was not surprised when they didn't win. She rolled her shoulders trying to get the kinks out as she stood. She rubbed her shoulder where she knew was forming a bruise having acquired it after a particular hard fall during the game. The games really hadn't been the same since her one time team up with the elementary kid Toushiro.
That day was another eye opener in her short life time. Karin recalled the need to save her friends when the massive hollow appeared from the sky. She remembered the feeling when realized that her attaches did nothing to the hollow in front of her except piss it off. The size of her fright when she knew she couldn't stop it from killing her. Then the disbelief and surprise when the small kid she knew as Toushiro had saved her. The most shocking part was to see him in the familiar haunting garb that Ichigo wore. Toushiro too was a shinigami. She remembered how the fleeting hope swelled within her. She had found someone that could explain what was going on with her brother after another missing spree. Much to her disappointment before any real questions could be asked they disappeared.
After that day the realization set in that she was slowing losing sight of her brother. She was so weak compared to the dangers that were hollows. She couldn't seem to get to a level of high enough to stop the danger on her own. The enemies just got stronger and she seemed to just stay in one place. She seemed to lack that special something that made her brother light up the sky and one mention of his name cause a big reaction among the other shinigami and hollow alike.
Karin swept her eyes around her surrounding to see where exactly she had stop on her journey home. She smiled when she realized where she was. It was the same spot she had been when she had met Toushiro. Karin had met him here many times in their short time together. She remembered when he told her his reason for liking this particular spot. That sunset had been beautiful. Looking around at the scenery she had to admit the guy had taste for sights. The view was breath taking and heart wrenching at the same time. Most of her vision was filled that big bright blue sky. It was so massive it made her feel quite small. Leaning her elbows on the guard rail she leaned out to get a better view.
The sky brought a sadness to her jet black eyes as she glazed upon it. That sky was much like her brother Ichigo; both were was unattainable. The world he lived in, the dangers he lived through she could hardly begin to grasp. Karin felt the gap between her and her brother was widening. The harder she ran to catch up the farther the distance became. No matter how hard she tried to reach him he seemed to fade from her sight. Much like her brother no matter how much effort is put into trying to grasp it; the sky will never be tangible.
She was really starting to that resent that stupid blue that stared right back at her. Karin bounced her head back and forth trying to rid the depressing thoughts from her mind. No use dwelling on events she couldn't change. She would just have to keep on doing the best she could. Karin knew that her brother was just trying to keep her safe and he doing what he could to help did make her proud of her brother. Slapping her face with her hands realizing how stupid she was thinking.
"Alright no more losing in hot weather. It makes me cranky and no more late night romance dramas with Yuzu. It makes me depressing to my own ears." With that thought in mind she pushed off the guardrail and started to walk the last leg home.
That when she felt it. That familiar pressure on her shoulders except this time it was more like a freight train had made it way to her shoulders. She had never felt this kind overbearing pressure before. Her knees buckled almost immediately. Her descent to the ground was hard and swift. She used her arms trying to get leverage to heave herself back to her feet when she saw two feet in her line of vision. The amount of force it took for her to lift her head up to see whom the feet belonged to was agonizing. As she looked him up and down to the frown that never seemed to leave his face. He had a mask much like the hollows she had encountered but it was on the top of his head. The half helmet that covered a good portion of his black hair stood out almost mocking her. She found the oddest feature on this terrifying creature. Green streaks ran down his face as if he were crying. Karin questioned if a man with such an expression of indifference was possible of crying.
When she did finally reach the persons eyes she regretted it in an instant. Two depthless green pools stared back in to her black ones. The eyes held no emotion as they held her gaze sending a shiver up her spine. Dropping her eyes to the hole at the base of his throat she felt her stomach sink.
This man… no hollow was different than anything she had encountered. He was the reason she was struggling on the ground. The sheer amount of power this person had was terrifying. Karin knew she was trembling she wasn't sure if it was the pressure or it was because she was frighten. The man continued to look down at her with a slight frown on his face. Karin moved as quickly as she could under the pressure to inch away from the man that was causing her pain. For every inch she managed to shuffle back he moved a step forward.
Mustering up some courage she managed to croak out, "Who are you? And what do you want?"
"You." The man spoke with a bored tone in his voice.
With that one word Karin's blood ran cold. 'What the heck did this man want with her? She had nothing of value.' She renewed her attempts to get herself way from him. The man clearly didn't seem to care that she was trying to get away. He only made his way slowly to her again. That's when she felt the pressure begin to build dramatically. She couldn't breathe anymore. She let out shallow breaths and gasps trying to restore her oxygen supply. It was in vain for black spots began to make their way into her vision. She collapse on stomach as everything became black. The last thing she saw was those haunting eyes staring down at her.
The hands of Espada Ulquiorra made their way to the fabric of Karin's t-shirt grasping tightly onto it. He lift the small girl into his arms and turned back to make his way back to Huceo Mundo. He raised one arm from his cargo to open a swirling black portal back to his home. With no hesitation he walked swiftly though it as it shrunk closing Karin's only link to home right after him leaving no trace that either of them had even been there.
Ulquiorra wasted no time once he landed in the barren desert like setting of the Huceo Mundo in making his way to Los Noches the fortress where Sosuke Aizen resided. He knew he had to hurry to drop his cargo off with Aizen-sama for he had his part to play in the ploy with the rescue of the healer that he was suppose to be in charge of. He made his way through the halls of Los Noches. Avoiding the destruction caused by the shinigami in their attempt to rescue that idealistic women. He finally reached his destination taking the same arm that open the portal to push open the door led to Aizen-sama's chambers. The room that held the leader of the hollows was plain looking. It was furnished with an oversized bed, a desk full of papers and a table with a couple of chairs around it. Seeing the man in question seated at the desk looking over some papers. Ulquiorra made haste in dropping his cargo on the bed that was in the center of the room. He turned to face the man that had yet to acknowledge his presence. Scribbling something down before setting the pen down the man turned his chair to face Ulquiorra.
"Good you're here. Szayel had everything set up before he went to play with the shinigami and the Quincy. We will transfer her over to the lab after you go to the healer. We still have a long day ahead of us. The next few hours are critical." He gave a slight smile as he rose from his chair.
His companion shifted in silence while a small frown adorned his pale face. Emerald eyes slide to the left to look at the human cargo he had just disposed of on the plush bed just minutes earlier. She had not put up that much of a fight in her retrieval. She was barely able to move under his spiritual pressure she was quite weak. The child was nothing special in appearance a girl with shoulder length raven hair and a plain face. The only part that popped out was the agitated expression on her face as she slept. That certain expression Ulquiorra had seen only on a certain orange haired shinigami. Ulquiorra couldn't figure out what exactly Aizen-sama's plan for the girl was but if it involved Szayel Aporra Granz this girl was in for painful experience.
"Good work Ulquiorra. You almost were late. Grimmjow has already taken control of your charge. You need to go 'retrieve' the little healer now. Understand?" the man said resting his hands on the armrests of the chair.
"Understood Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra stated taking one last glance at the girl before swiftly leaving the room to put Aizen's little plan in effect.
Aizen stood from his chair making his way over to the bed where his treasure lies. He leans over the bed reaching out to stroke the silk strands of Karin's black mane. A content smirk makes it on his face.
"After long hours of planning I finally have you. You are going to raise all sorts of trouble for those shinigami. There is some much work to be done now. Your idiot brother is going to be so surprised." He chuckled as he stroked her hair a twisted smile crept its way back on his face.
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Now that's it for now. Tell me what you think. Until next time everybody.
