DiNozzo and Ziva filled the front of the car while Karin and Hitsugaya sat behind them. Ichigo had protested the idea of being separated from his injured sister but reluctantly agreed to it. He didn't want to attract the unneeded attention.
Gibbs wanted to see how the older sibling acted when asked to be separated from his sister. Gibbs didn't think these kids were involved in the death of their victim, but he knew something was amiss. Hitsugaya and Ichigo acted too guarded and strange instances surrounded them. The young girl didn't act quite so guarded but she seemed to be aware of whatever secret they were hiding.
The two cars arrived at the NCIS building around the same time, Ziva had managed to get her car there slightly faster. The whole ride Karin was tense, the hollow didn't kill her but this woman's driving would.
The three found themselves in an interrogation room with Gibbs and Tony on the other side of the table.
Karin frowned and turned to her brother, "Did we do something wrong?" she asked in Japanese.
"No, we are somehow are related to their current case, I think," her brother replied.
Toshiro sighed and explained, "It's because I'm involved with them, so thus you two are now too."
Tony looked at the injured girl, she looked innocent enough. She didn't look like she could possibly be involved in this but she did know the strange white haired kid.
"How do you know Toshiro Hitsugaya?" The boss asked, directed at Karin.
She stuttered and mulled over the English words. Her class wasn't this advanced yet and she understood very little, "I am sorry, I know little English. Ichi-nee or Toshiro can translate?"
"How do you know Hitsugaya Toshiro-san?" the blue eyed man said in perfect Japanese, with an American accent.
DiNozzo looked shocked, since when could Gibbs speak Japanese? Not only was the NCIS agent surprised but the three across the table were as well. The thought suddenly dawned on each of them, so this man could understand their conversations?
Karin thought a moment, when did she first meet the small captain? She didn't need to lie, it was a normal meeting. The saving her from a hollow part came later, and that wasn't too normal. "I had dropped my soccer ball and Toshiro returned it to me. Then later he played for my team, and we totally destroyed those middle schoolers!" Karin smiled at the memory, "Without Toshiro we would have lost." And she might have been squashed by a hollow, but Karin refrained from mentioning that small detail.
Gibbs looked towards the white haired boy, now apparently a soccer prodigy, "What she said was true, but I have known Ichigo awhile longer," added Hitsugaya.
DiNozzo, totally lost, sighed, "It's like I'm watching a foreign film without subtitles…"
"How do you know Kurosaki Ichigo?" asked Gibbs, staying in Japanese.
Toshiro thought it over. He couldn't say Ichigo was a substitute soul reaper who saved Rukia from execution, "Work," is what he said, the truth in a very simple answer.
Sensing that the boy had started to guard himself Gibbs backed away, "Alright, we're done for now."
…
"Gibbs! You're back!" Loud music pulsed from the forensic scientist's lab filling the hallway outside.
"Turn it down!"
The music turned down to only slight background noise, barely audible.
"What do ya got?"
"Well, Ichigo Kurosaki and Karin Kurosaki came to DC today. Today! That would suck, ya know? First day you're here then BAM! Earthquake and injuries." Abby stopped her rambling as she noticed the seriousness on Gibbs face, "Anyway, they're both here legally. Karin has a twin sister and they live with their father in a small town called," momentarily forgetting Abby took a look at her computer screen, "Karakura Town. There's been a lot, and when I say a lot I mean a lot, of activity in that town. There's nothing specific but there's a ton of paranormal stuff and theories. Not to mention the earthquakes."
"Thanks, Abbs,"
"Gibbs! Is it true the brother has orange hair?"
Gibbs nodded slowly, "What is it, Abbs?"
"Japanese aren't usually born with that hair color," Abby stopped, "I'm just getting ahead of myself, probably has foreign blood," she stopped and shooed Gibbs out, "Go, go! You have a job to do!"
As the grey haired man left, the music turned up, loud, very loud, the way Abby liked it.
…
Toshiro, Ichigo, and Karin were standing by the desks of the NCIS agents. They were let out of the interrogation room but had nowhere to go.
"You didn't have to come," the captain said slowly.
"Of course we did!" Karin replied.
"Now you have been dragged into this, and you have been injured."
Karin brushed it off, "These injuries? They're nothing! I've gotten worse playing soccer."
"Did you know Gibbs can speak Japanese?" said DiNozzo, wondering what the Japanese kids were talking about.
"Would not surprise me," replied the Israeli.
"Have you heard from Matsumoto?" As Toshiro said this, Gibbs returned from Abby's lab.
"We found her in Kyoto. She can't remember anything," Ichigo replied quietly, but not quiet enough, as Gibbs had heard it.
"DiNozzo, McGee, you'll both take a kid home," Gibbs said, referring to the two boys.
"I've always wanted a kid; I'll name him Tony Jr."
"What about my sister?" Ichigo asked.
"She'll go with Abby for the night," Gibbs figured it would be better for the group to stay separated but also he wanted to give them decent living arrangements.
"Does Abby know Japanese?" Asked Ichigo, trying to make sure his sister was in good hands.
"A little," Gibbs lied.
…
DiNozzo took home the substitute soul reaper and McGee got the young captain. Abby took home a nervous Karin, who knew that this woman did not speak Japanese well.
"You want the couch?"
"Why would I want your couch?"
"No, I mean to sleep on," DiNozzo clarified, noticing the translation errors.
"Sure."
Ichigo didn't plan on sleeping. Him and Toshiro needed to talk and ever since the captain had gotten this new gigai his reiatsu had been continuously leaking out or building up. Luckily for Ichigo it happened to be leaking out so he could trace the captain. Ichigo left his human body. He watched as his arm gently fell off the couch and his face was void of emotion. Ichigo saw Tony's head poke around the corner of his apartment and look at his sleeping body, now without a soul. The NCIS agent quickly returned to his own room.
…
Karin Kurosaki sat in black, over sized, pajamas. It was a night shirt that was more like a dress, and pajama shorts that were more like pants. Abby had given her the bed or so she thought. Their conversations were in broken, mistranslated language and gestures. Abby had tried using Google Translate but it only got right the very basics and Abby's pronunciation wasn't great. She tried though.
Abby was washing her clothes, which were slightly bloodied from the hollow attack. While she was doing so Karin took off the bandages that covered part of her face. She left the one on the back of her head, figuring it was more serious but thought what could go wrong? with the ones covering part of her face.
When Abby entered the bedroom she sighed, "You're supposed to leave the bandages on to stop infections!"
Karin only recognized you, to, stop, but everything else was gibberish.
"I guess letting them air out a night won't hurt you…"
…
Both McGee and Toshiro were sleeping on the couches, except Toshiro wasn't actually sleeping. He could sense the approaching reiatsu of the substitute soul reaper. The home of McGee was a decent sized place, there were a lot of computers and Toshiro thought he might have seen an old type writer. McGee was laying on his side in a not-so-deep sleep.
Toshiro felt a breeze brush against his neck and turned towards the window, "Kurosaki Ichigo."
"Toshiro-kun."
"Why are you here?" The white haired captain spoke in Japanese, frankly he was tired of having to constantly translate and not recognize some words.
"We need to talk," Ichigo replied.
"About what? Why couldn't this wait?"
"I need to know that Karin isn't in danger. I brought her along with me, I'm responsible," His tone held guilt, but Toshiro knew that it wasn't Ichigo's fault.
"I don't know," Hitsugaya told the truth, he didn't know what was in store.
"What's up with these guys?" Ichigo asked, changing subject, and motioned to McGee, "Why are they so interested?"
Toshiro sighed, he knew that they looked and acted suspicious. If he were investigating he probably would do the same as the NCIS agents, "We seem to be the only lead on a case they are working on. I was found injured at the scene of the crime and now you two show up."
"What's he doing here?" Asked a groggy McGee.
The two soul reapers stopped, their minds registering what the NCIS agent had said. Slowly Toshiro spoke in English, "I'm here because your boss told you to house me," he said carefully.
McGee shook his head confused, "No, I meant the other one," he said looking straight at Ichigo Kurosaki.
…
Karin felt it. She always felt it. It was far but coming closer, another hollow. The young Kurosaki leaped from the gothic styled bed and ran to the window. She saw the glowing, yellow eyes of a beast in the distance.
Abby, hearing the footfall of the young girl knocked quietly on the door, "Hey you okay in there?"
When Abby heard no reply she cracked open the bedroom door. She saw Karin standing at the window, her body was tense.
"Hey, Karin-" Abby said approaching Karin.
And the she saw it. Abby saw the tortured, yellow eyes full of malice in the distance.
"What is that?"
"You can see it?" asked Karin in English, at least she could ask the important questions in the foreign language. Even if this was the only moment those words were important.