AN: OKay, here ya go.
Disclaimer: To tired to give one.
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2 weeks later
"How are you liking your stay so far?"
Karin's cup clinked on it's saucer, the heavily sugared and creamed tea sloshing around dangerously. Ignoring the possible accident, the girl reached for another cookie. Stuffing it in her face, she responded to the thirteenth captain's question with a small spew of crumbs. "Pretty good."
Ukitake chuckled lightly. "That's good to hear, my dear." The last two words sent a thrill of happiness through Karin.
Captain Ukitake was the only person so far who had respected her wishes of informality, most needing to be reminded after an initial slip up or just plain refusing. The man was also one of the few that showed the young girl respect, actually listening to the words she spoke. For that, he had become someone Karin felt comfortable confiding in, from her homesickness to everyday occurences.
That good feeling was quickly ended by the exact man who caused it.
"Have you heard any news of your friend?" he continued, watching the child across from him carefully.
Karin ducked her head quickly. "Nothing," she gritted out, scowling. Eyes burning with frustration, she raised grey eyes to her companion. "I don't get it, Mai passed over a week before I was brought here. Shouldn't her…. scent be…fresher or something?"
Ukitake felt that familiar ache in his heart.
No, it wasn't for his newest tea companion, it was for her plight. Children were such a precious thing, especially in the Seretei. Being attacked by your own hollowfied mother, then being sent to such a new world was extrememly traumatic. The fact Karin seemed to care so much for the girl, it just gave Ukitake hope. Hope for a future where shinigami aren't power hungry monsters, lovers aren't torn apart, the souls they're supposed to protect in pain, stuck with an aftermath worse than the war itself.
Since that first day, when she had come to him in panic, looking for a place to hide from Mayuri, the thirteenth captain had felt a certain amount of affection for her. But the feelings intensified after he really got to know Ichigo's little sister, the girl eventually letting slip she was looking for a spirit, one of the few burials performed by her in the human world, eyes burning with determination.
To the two-thousand year old man, Kurosaki Karin was strong yet fragile, hiding behind one of the toughest skins he had ever seen. To Ukitake Jushiro, she was a member of his division.
Taking another sip of his tea, the white haired heart throb calmly stared back at a desperate shinigami. "I am sorry, but no. There are so many souls that pass over every second that it's almost impossible to track a single one down." Keen eyes caught tiny fists curling in on themselves, nails carving crescents into callused palms.
Another thing Ukitake had discovered over the past few weeks, was that the girl in front of him hated feeling useless. Understandable, considering she had such great potential yet hadn't done anything productive in days.
"This sucks," Karin muttered, glaring at the table.
Seemingly unable to take sitting any longer, she jumped from her pillow, beginning to pace around the small garden where they were set up. Irritated, the teen let a small kick rip at the grass.
Watching serenely, Ukitake only spoke once his companion had calmed to just standing, eyes on his koi pond. "Karin," he began, "have you ever thought of bringing more people into this? Maybe, another captain who's more capable of actually doing something?" Smiling lightly, the ill man added, "As you already know, I'm too unfit to even exit the barracks, much less search for a spirit thread."
Snorting, the Kurosaki didn't even turn. "The only captain that's taken any liking to me is Zaraki, and you know he can't really help. He and Yachiru'd probably get lost the first foot out of their division." A small chuckle came from the table. "Nope, sorry Shiro, but you seem to be my only friend in this whole place I can trust." Tossing her hair, grey eyes gazed at the sky, scowl firm.
Stop it, you're turning into Ichigo, a whiny voice spoke up.
Am not!
Are to.
Not.
To.
No-
"That's not what I've heard." Karin's head snapped toward the old man, eyebrows furrowed. "From the few reports I've heard, you have done exceptionally well in most of your….classes. You won over several individuals, including Captains Unohana, Hitsugaya, and Sui-Feng. That is very impr-"
"Woah, woah," a loud voice cut off the calmer. "Who were the last two?"
Yeah, I wanna hear this.
Hush you.
"Captains Hitusgaya Toshiro and Sui-Feng." A loud snort. "Why is that funny?" Ukitake wondered, perplexed by the hunched over girl, shoulders shaking. "They might not look it, but they're both experienced and-"
Karin cut in quickly, controlling herself. "No, no, that's not it. It's just…well, most of the time I get the feeling they hate me. I'm pretty sure Shorty wants to kill me." A wicked grin spread across her face.
Captain Ukitake chuckled. Young love. "Well, they do initially come off like that to most, but let me assure you, they have the utmost respect for you." His face was the picture of earnest.
"Sure," Karin drawled. "And I was nowhere near the 12th Division when all those animals escaped."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Nemu?"
"Said Yachiru had a question about making candy. The kid dragged her to a candy store for two hours."
Yeah, but they never gave us our chocolate, Hi no Shinzo complained, pouting.
Nodding his head in satisfaction, the ancient shinigami continued. "Back to my point. In our weekly captains' meetings, Sui-Feng has praised your quick mastery of hand to hand combat and, specifically, shunpo."
"And another piece of the Taskmaster dies," Karin muttered.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I love Taskmaster!
You're thinking of that perverse shojo character from Captain Shunsui's new column.
Oh.
Giving her a sharp look, the thirteenth captain went on, sipping his tea first. "Unohana says your kido has improved tremendously, healing being the exception."
The raven haired girl shuffled her feet in embarrassment. The Fourth Division captain was a sweet lady and, personally, Karin loved her, but the fact that the young shinigami literally could not heal did not please her teacher. It was almost as if that part of her shinigami transformation had been left out.
Ignoring the lack of a sarcastic comment, the speech kept coming. "Obviously, Zaraki has enjoyed your company immensely, praising your…..fighting spirit. And as for Captain Hitsugaya….well, he might not show it, but I've known him long enough to see that he is impressed." Pausing, a pensive expression settled on Ukitake's face. "Actually, I believe he would be your best option for finding this child."
Almost choking on her own spit, Karin did a double take. "What? Shorty? Are we talking about the same guy? Always scowling and yelling at me?"
*Cough* Threatened to throw you off a cliff. *Cough*
"Of course," was the blasé response, brushing off any other comments. "Hitsugaya did grow up in the Rukongai district, he's very attuned to the goings on as well. And, he's very adept at finding particular spirit threads, which is an extremely hard task in itself." The old man poured himself another cup.
A scowl formed on his companion's face. "Yeah, but he can also be a total jerk. He got angry at me today because I accidentally got his prissy little jacket dirty. Really!" The pacing began. "I was just doing what he said and he was stupid enough to step out of the protective circle! I told him he'd burn but did he listen? No!"
Eventually, the rant dissolved into mutters as the fiery shinigami kept walking back and forth, occasionally waving her hands, scowling. "Now, I might make jokes and stuff, but he is really starting to get to my last nerve." A pause. "Oh, be quiet Hi no, you're no help eith- Hey! That was uncalled for!"
Ukitake just sipped his tea. Karin would eventually realize she needed Toshiro's help, and when she did, Rangiku would be a little less richer.