The Defender
Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad 10, was in his office one afternoon writing some reports on the management of his Squad's performance in Hollow-slaying. It was peaceful until Rangiku Matsumoto, his 'trusted' Lieutenant, came in with a stack of paperwork herself.
"Well..." She spoke loudly. "I better get this paperwork done!" This deemed suspicious to the young Captain, but it was soon cleared when she piled her paperwork on Toshiro's stack.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Toshiro hollered. "You don't just say you're going to do work and throw it on my shoulders!" Rangiku groaned.
"I'm tired, Captain!" She complained. "I just wanna have a little lie down!" Toshiro was about to reply back, but didn't get the chance, when he seen a familiar face walk past his office: Byakuya Kuchiki. The task he was burdened with to cease Byakuya's attempts at Ichigo and Rukia were quickly remembered. He stood up from his desk to follow him.
"Alright, you can lie down for a while." Toshiro said hastily to satisfy his annoying big-chested Lieutenant.
"Yay~!" She cheered. And when Toshiro gone to follow Byakuya, she took out a bottle of Sake to waste herself upon. Toshiro kept a fair amount of distance between himself and Byakuya, keeping his Spiritual Pressure as low as possible, as he followed him down a few corridors. The pursuit continued, going outside and into the meeting room department, and soon after, he finally spotted him, go into one particular room. Toshiro crept to the door and silently pushed it ajar, not to buy anyone's attention...not that he had nothing to worry about: there was an apparent commotion, brought up by Yachiru as she was standing in the middle of the long table making a huge fuss.
"I can't believe I failed!" Yachiru whined. "It was going perfect! They were fighting like me and Baldy!" Ikkaku 'hmphed'.
"Oi! Yachiru!" Called Kenpachi. "Want to calm down already?"
"Zaraki too?" Thought Toshiro as he was peaking in to see how many were involved: Izuru, Shuuhei, Captain Mayuri, Nemu, Kenpachi, Yachiru, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Renji, and the most obvious, Byakuya. "He's gathered a lot! He began a club just to separate Kurosaki from Kuchiki?"
"The plan was adequate." Byakuya said. "But we need something to tempt Rukia to leave Ichigo for good."
"I say we need more information about the two." Yumichika said. "Without any intelligence on them, what hope do we have?"
"For once a Squad 11 member makes sense." Mayuri laughed. "I can send Nemu to the World of the Living to spy on them some more."
"Do what must be done." Byakuya said. "We must keep our distance until the two are comfortable once more. Acting now will only make them suspicious on our efforts; Rukia is already suspicious of Renji. If we gain fresh information, we shall act upon them. Meet back here in one week's time. Meeting adjourned." At this point, Toshiro heard enough and escaped.
"An entire club to take down Kurosaki and Kuchiki?" Toshiro thought, whilst heading back to his office. "Is there no end to Kuchiki's pride? This has gone on long enough. I need to warn Ichigo and Rukia immediately!" He finally returned to his office in order to arrange a Senkaimon to the World of the Living.
Only a few hours later that Toshiro entered the World of the Living through a Senkaimon to fulfill his mission in ending Byakuya's campaign. Quickly getting into a Gigai, he set off for the Kurosaki household, thinking of ways to explain to the two what has to be said. Before he had time to work it out, he was already at the gates of Ichigo's house.
"Alright." Toshiro sighed. "The truth is what they have to hear." He walked up to the porch and knocked briskly, waiting for a few seconds for Ichigo to answer. To his dismay, as well as surprise, it wasn't Ichigo that answered, but Karin. Toshiro gasped at her sight.
"That's right! I completely forgot about her!" Toshiro mentally thought. "Maybe it was better to take the window." Karin too gasped at Toshiro's sight, having experience with the Captain before.
"Hey! You're Toshiro!" Karin exclaimed with surprise.
"It's Captain Hitsugaya." Toshiro said, taking note of her similarity to Ichigo through constantly calling him Toshiro.
"Oh, right, sorry." Karin said, rubbing the back of her head in humility. "So what'cha doing here?" Getting back on his main job, Toshiro cleared his throat.
"Is your brother home?" He asked.
"Ichigo?" Replied Karin. "Sorry, he's away out with Rukia, dunno where they've gone." Toshiro cursed to himself. "What did you want to talk to him about?"
"I-It's nothing. I had something to discuss with him. But if he's elsewhere, I can come back later." Toshiro said, now preparing to leave.
"Would you like to stay here until he comes?" Asked Karin. Toshiro turned back to Karin who had a smile on her face, wanting Toshiro to be her guest.
"I'm in a hurry." Toshiro tried to persuade.
"For ten minutes then." Karin counter-offered. "With dad and Yuzu away shopping, it's kinda boring with no one else around." Toshiro's first reply was to suggest going with their dad and Yuzu in future, but had to stay his tongue on such a comment.
"I suppose I can stay for ten minutes." Toshiro said, not wanting to offend Karin.
"Great!" Karin cheered moving aside to let Toshiro in. Toshiro accepted and came in.
"So, this is Kurosaki's house." Mumbled Toshiro.
"Would you like tea?" Asked Karin, snapping Toshiro back to reality.
"Oh, sure..." Toshiro replied. Toshiro was then escorted to the living room where he made himself comfortable on the sofa. Five minutes later, Karin returned, holding a tray that held two cups and a teapot. Once Toshiro settled into his warm tea, Karin sat beside Toshiro, crossing her legs to face Toshiro and decided to probe further.
"So what was it you wanted to speak with my brother about?" Asked Karin.
"Like I said, it's nothing important." Toshiro replied.
"Is it Soul Reaper business?" Asked Karin, slightly more serious. Toshiro was reluctant to this question, seeing as 'Soul Reaper business' was off-limits to humans; but with Karin being the sister to the Substitute Soul Reaper, he found it okay to tell.
"In a way, yes." Toshiro replied.
"Then you can tell me." Karin replied, more closer to Toshiro. "Please." Toshiro sighed, losing his composture in the Kurosaki's determination.
"Alright." Toshiro said, finally giving in. "Have you noticed occasions where your brother and Rukia have argued?" Karin blinked at this.
"Today, or in the span of since she came here?" Asked Karin. This slightly alarmed Toshiro.
"What did they argue over?" Toshiro asked seriously.
"I think it was something about what t-shirt Ichigo should wear while going out." Karin replied. Toshiro calmed down.
"Those are natural then." Toshiro laughed. "Well, can you remember an occasion when Rukia was most heart-broken with your brother?" Karin paused for a second to think.
"Now that you mention it, she was quite sad at Ichigo a few days ago." Karin said slowly, remembering the occasion when Rukia wouldn't leave her cupboard for days.
"Well, here's why." Toshiro said. "This is what I was going to tell Ichigo." Karin paid full attention to what Toshiro had to say. "There are people where I come from that are trying to stop Ichigo and Rukia's relationship." Karin widened her eyes at this.
"How? Why?" Karin asked seriously. "Ichigo's never been this serious about a girl in his life, why would someone try to make them hate each other?"
"I don't know that myself." Toshiro lied. "But they're making plans that would turn the two against each other." Karin gasped at something.
"A week ago, Ichigo said Rukia was going away for a few days because of an illness. But when he got back, said it was nothing. Was that...?"
"Yes." Toshiro replied. "One of them poisoned Rukia through her food and attempted to frame Ichigo in doing it." Karin gasped.
"That's horrible!" Karin whsipered in shock.
"It's happened in the past, and Ichigo and Rukia only got out of it by luck. It won't be enough any more, and eventually they'll succeed."
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Karin asked.
"Not right now."
"Well, you were going to tell Ichigo, right?" Karin said. "Once he gets back, I'll tell him all you've told me."
"I don't think that's wise anymore." Toshiro said, thinking of the logic, now that he's settled down from the shock of Byakuya's measures. "If they do find out, it will cause a panic. Right now, the people doing it are acting against orders. If Ichigo and Rukia do something rash against them, it would give them an excuse to separate them."
"Good point." Karin said. "But what can we do other than sit back and watch them turn on each other?"
"There is something you can do." Toshiro said. "If you see anything out of the blue with them, I want you to do anything in your power to set them right, okay?" Karin smiled in determination.
"Right! I'll protect them no matter what!" Karin spoke with high determination. Toshiro smiled to this.
"You have the same look as your brother..." Toshiro said with a smile. He then finished the last of his tea and stood up. "Well, I better go. I can rest easy knowing you've got a handle on things." He headed for the door.
"Wait a second." Karin said, running towards him. "What if I can't do anything to help Ichigo?" Toshiro turned to Karin.
"Do you have a cellphone?" He asked.
"Yeah, who doesn't?" Karin said, showing him her cellphone. Toshiro took it a second and put a small device into it. He gave her the cellphone back along with a written number.
"If you see anything going on between the two that looks suspicious, call me on this number. I'll do my best to take over." Toshiro said. Karin looked to her phone and smiled.
"It's not everyday a boy gives me his number." Karin teased. Toshiro gaped with a blush.
"Don't misunderstand!" Toshiro yelled through embarrassment, but then lowered his voice. "This is for Kurosaki's sake." Karin just laughed.
"I'm just messing." Karin laughed. Toshiro headed for the door.
"Thank you for the tea." Toshiro said and turned back to Karin. "And remember, I'm counting on you." Karin gave a heavy blush at Toshiro's reliance on her. With one last glance, Toshiro left the Kurosaki household and prepared to head back for the Soul Society, with knowlede that Ichigo and Rukia were in good hands.