"This is all your fault!" Karin screamed as we turned a corner sprinting towards the school. "If you hadn't decided to sleep in we wouldn't be running to school." She elaborated, "Relax Karin we're going to make it." I felt a bead of sweat slide down my cheek, why was it so damn hard to run in a Gigai? We whipped around another corner and finally saw the school gates, I looked down at my watch, "See we have three minutes to spare." She growled and started running faster, I easily kept up with her and it wasn't long before we were racing through the school. The bell rang just as we charged into the classroom and dropped into our seats. "Cutting it a little close aren't we Hitsuguya? Kurosaki?" The teacher said lifting an eyebrow, "Toshiro decided to sleep in." Karin explained and I scowled at her.
"That's no excuse." The teacher replied turning to the board. She started the lesson, but everyone just stared at Karin and me for a few more seconds before turning their attention to the teacher.
Shortly after starting school it became apparent that all of the kids believed the lies that were passed down by their older siblings. And whenever Karin got into a fight everyone would bring up stories of how her brother had been just as bad. This led to speculation that Karin would turn out just like her "delinquent" brother. It didn't help when they also found out that I was living with her, and that was when the rumors really started flying. The latest one I had heard was that Karin and I were sleeping together, we both acted like it didn't matter but I could see that it bothered Karin deeply. I constantly cursed Kurosaki for building up such a horrible fake reputation that got linked back to Karin. Then I would curse myself for escalating the situation, I constantly offered to move out so that she could try to regain a normal life but she would always insist that it wasn't a problem and that it was impossible to be normal when she could see spirits.
I ripped a piece of paper out of my notebook and started writing a note. Thanks for throwing me under the bus! she smiled and replied No problem, maybe next time you won't sleep in
It wasn't my fault! I got a page to go fight a hollow, and I didn't get back until two in the morning.
That's not my problem. It's your job to kill them, so don't go complaining about it.
I'm not complaining!
Could've fooled me! Speaking of hollows why haven't the Arrancars shown up?
Don't jinx it! You sound as though you want the Arrancars to appear.
No I'm just wondering about how much longer I have to babysit you.
I crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it at her hitting her in the head. She scowled and threw her own paper ball back at me which I dodged with ease. "Kurosaki! Hitsuguya! If you don't want to pay attention then you can spend the rest of the class hour in the hall." The teacher said pointing towards the door, keeping a straight face we walked out into the hall. When the door was slammed shut we burst into fits of quiet laughter. "So if the Arrancars don't show up, then do you have to go back to the soul society?" Karin asked quietly. Was I mistaken or was there a hint of anxiety in her voice. "I'm not sure. Maybe if they don't show up for a few years but the odds of that happening are very slim." I leaned against the wall and slid down till I was sitting on the floor. Karin followed suit sitting next to me. We sat in silence, while most people would have felt awkward this felt natural for us. She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, "Are you okay?" I asked, "I'm fine. You just woke me up when you came in at two this morning and it took me forever to get back to sleep." She yawned and I chuckled, "I'm sorry."
"S'okay." She murmured. It wasn't long until Karin started snoring lightly, and I laughed quietly. A few minutes later she shifted in her sleep, causing her head fall to the side and land on my shoulder. I froze unsure of what to do, I looked down at her trying to see if she was a awake and maybe pulling a joke on me. Nope, she was fast asleep with her mouth hanging slightly open. I relaxed a little and smiled seeing how peaceful she looked and decided just to leave her be.
Karin's questions about the Arrancars had brought up some of my anxiety, and now in the silence with nothing to do that anxiety was starting to eat at my sanity. It had been almost a month since I had arrived in Karakura town and with each passing day that an Arrancar didn't show up I always found myself becoming more uneasy. The wait was the worst part about any long term mission, it was enough to drive any soul reaper crazy.
However while a part of me wanted to finish the mission, another part almost hoped it would never end just so I could spend more time with Karin. I shook the thought from my head; I was here for a mission and that was it,I couldn't act on my emotions no matter how strong they were. And that in itself was its own kind of torture.
The day proceeded normally; we ate lunch together on the roof, we passed notes in class, and I watched Karin at soccer practice. But there was one thing that was different. As the day continued I began to feel as if something was weighing down on me. And by the time we were walking home I was so restless I was twitchy. "Toshiro?" A hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder and I spun around shocking Karin, I let out my held breath, "Sorry," I murmured running a shaky hand through my hair. "Can you feel that?" Karin asked seriously, "It's as if the air has become thicker and I can't help but feel like something is squeezing my heart and lungs." I looked at her shocked, so it wasn't just me, Karin could feel it too. Suddenly Karin gasped and pointed to the sky over my shoulder, I turned around swiftly and saw the sky open up revealing a dark hole, and from that hole two Arrancars emerged.
Without wasting any time I separated from my body and drew my Zanpakuto. As I was about to leave Karin quickly grabbed my wrist, "Toshiro don't go! There are two of them and only one of you." She looked genuinely worried and I felt my heart throb, it was so tempting to just listen to her but I had my duty to fulfill. "Karin I have to. Don't worry I'll be fine, their spiritual pressures aren't that high, it'll be easy." I gently removed her hand from my wrist, "Stay here." I ordered, she looked at me defiantly, "No, if you go then I'm going too."
"You'll only get in the way."
"And you'll only get killed if you go alone." I didn't have time for this and I knew that if I didn't do something she would only follow me. I gathered a ball of yellow light in my hand and made a triangle, "Bakudo number 30 Shitotsu Sansen!" I threw the triangle at Karin and she gasped as it pinned her to the wall behind her. "I'm sorry, but I promise I'll be back soon." and with that I flash stepped away.
I stood there pinned to the wall and all he could say was "I'll be back soon". Damn it he was going to get himself killed and there was nothing I could do! I tried breaking free of the annoying Kido but it was just too strong. Closing my eyes I pinpointed his Spiritual pressure the way Rukia had taught me. His spiritual pressure flared and I knew he had released Hyorimaru, but then I felt heavier and darker spiritual pressures collide with his and I could only guess that the Arrancars and changed into their full release. Worry and fear seized my body and I started shaking with the weight of the Arrancars spiritual pressure. I tried to focus on Toshiro's spiritual pressure alone but it was difficult because of the battle, it became easy feel whenever he would attack and his spiritual pressure would flare again. I began to relax thinking that he could win this battle, and I started contemplating what I would do to him when he came back and released me. Beating him to a bloody pulp sounded like a suitable punishment, I decided smiling. But then my smile faded and I felt fear grip my heart.
Toshiro's spiritual pressure dropped drastically, almost disappearing completely.
A/N- Thank-you to everyone who gave me such positive feedback! Please don't kill me for leaving a cliff hanger…I just couldn't help myself! If you like it please leave a review explaining why…if you don't like it please leave a review anyway telling me what I'm lacking!