When Toshiro reached his quarters he was confronted by non other Rangiku and she gasped at the sight of him, before breaking out in laughter. "Where were you last night Captain?" She asked with a smirk on her lips.

"You don't need to ask that do you?" Toshiro turned a bright red before pushing his lieutenant aside so he could enter his quarters. Rangiku followed him inside, the smirk not disappearing for a second.

"Your right, but it's no fun when you just say so right away Captain."

It was Toshiros turn to smirk, for once he had bested his lieutenant. "Anyway, have I gotten any notices about the tux I ordered?" He asked while searching through his dresser for his spare shihakusho and his spare haori.

"For the ball you mean?" She questioned knowingly. Toshiro had appeared to have no interest in the ball now and intrigued her that her captain had suddenly asked about it.

"Yes for the ball Masamoto." His voice was filled with annoyance as he pulled out his spare uniform.

"Oh does that mean you've asked Karin to go with you Taicho?" Her voice filled with excitement as she realised what had captains words had meant. The only reason he was showing interest in the ball was because he could take Karin with him, oh finally after three and a half years of trying, and failing, to get them together it worked. She was defiantly going to have a long chat with Karin later.

"So have you?" He asked once more while making his way to the bathroom to change. He closed the door and removed his ruined uniform, the forgotten diary falling out when he did. "Shit," he said, but not loudly enough for Rangiku to hear. He had planned to return that.

"Arr," she paused for a second in thought, "yes they did. They said for you to pick it up tomorrow around noon."

"That's good and I will need to ask Karin before that then." He finished dressing and left the bathroom placing the dairy down on his dresser.

He hadn't realised that Rangiku was in a state of shock. "You still haven't asked her?!" She roared.

"Well I didn't think it would be that much of a problem, I had completely forgotten until about an hour ago. Either way Karin doesn't seem like the type of person that would go to a ball." He dropped himself on his couch and hung his head back to see Rangiku standing over the top of him, hands on her hips.

"It doesn't matter if she wants to or not. You have to go and I would be pretty shocked if the one I loved didn't invite me to go with him." She said with a you-don't-get-it look.

"I don't think that she would say yes anyway." Toshiro shrugged.

"You idiot, do you know how much she loves you!?" She screamed, surprising her captain. "Or is it something else perhaps?" She said quieter now.

Toshiro froze, maybe she was right, maybe there was another reason why he didn't want to ask her.

"Perhaps you don't have the courage to ask her." Toshiro went red before turning around to face her properly and screamed.

"I have plenty of courage!"

"Or is it your scared how her overprotective brother will react to the new relationship?" It was then that it clicked. Again the thought was running through huis head, how would people react, no! How would Ichigo act?!

Toshiro felt a shiver go up his spine at the thought, he would be murdered. But he would defiantly ask her tomorrow. He had to. He was so engrossed in thoughts similar to this, debating with himself with what to do that he didn't realise that Rangiku had left.

By the he time had gotten to the office he knew his plan. He would ask Karin to go with him and present her with something that held a piece of his heart. Something that would mark her as his, that would always be with her. He just had to make it now, he knew what it was and how to but it would take some time. As he was sitting in his office completing paperwork he heard a knock and welcomed the person in. To his surprise it was Karin and she was smiling like crazy.

As he saw her, a small smile spread across his own lips. "Um Toshiro I would like to request a break from squad activitys for the next three days."

Toshiro was stunned, Karin never asked for time off. "Why?" He asked.

"I have gotten permission to go to the world of the living for the next three days." He froze, three days. The ball was in four, so she would be coming back on the day of the ball.

"Sure, but before you go."

"Yes."

"Will you um…" Toshiro suddenly got red and Karin had to hold back a laugh. She loved seeing him blush. "Will you accompany me to the ball?" Now it was Karins turn to blush, going an even darker shade of red than Toshiro. She had hoped that he would ask, but had never actually believed that he would.

"Of… Of course," she said trying to sound confident, and failing.

With that she turned and left before waving a quick goodbye. Toshiro was about to stop her but didn't manage to in time.

It was a few hours later when she arrived in the familiar Karakura town. She was filled with excitement and after grabbing her body went straight to her house. She didn't bother knocking, instead walking straight in to see Yuzu and Issin sitting at the table and eating diner peacefully. They saw her immediately and were filled with excitement straight away.

"Karin, what are you doing here? It's only been a few days!" Issin said jumping the pore Karin.

"Can't breathe," Karin responded trying desperately to push her dad off. When she was finally able to move again she punched him in the face before hugging refer sister tightly. It had only been a few days, but before that it had been a few years.

"Karin," Yuzu said melting into the hug.

"Yuzu." Karin pulled away from the hug and gave her sister a large smile. "Well you know how a ball was on our birthdays." Yuzu nodded, "When Ichigo asked to be exempted from it, they said that both of you could come to the ball." Yuzu suddenly grinned, her smile insanely big.

"Yay, yay. Is it really true?" Yuzu asked jumping out of her seat.

"Yep." At then go second Karin said her dad jumped on her, trapping her in a bone gripping hug. "Let go." She said as her face begun to go purple from lose of oxygen.

"Yay, we get to go to the soul society and to a ball, to celebrate my daughters 21st birthdays." He said loosening his hug just enough for Karin to breath. When she finally had enough energy left she pushed him away and pulled a chair out to sit down.

"Yeah and I get to stay here for the next few days so I can escort you guys to the soul society."

"Does that mean I get to help you pick your dress?" Yuzu said, knowing that she would be able to dress her sister up like a doll.

The smile quickly faded from Karins face, on no. Shit now I'll be stuck being dress up like a doll. Dawn it," she thought as she closed her eyes.

"Yay I get to dress you up!" Yuzu said.

The night continued like this before finally they decided to go to bed, after some arguing deciding it go shopping the next day.

Then enemy morning Karin woke to see Rangiku. She let out a small scream before finally sitting up and facing the smiling woman. "What are you doing here?" She asked, her teeth dripping with venom. Rangiku put her hands up in defence and with that annoying smile said.

"When I found out the news I decided to come help you with choosing your clothes."

"More like, you wanted to come get your own cothes."

"Fine," Rangiku begun. "Your right, but the clothes here are so nice!" She said a large smiled apon her face. Karin simply laughed.