Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
The soul reapers stared at the palace they were currently standing in.
"What just happened?" Rangiku asked the group. Everyone looked around at the hallway they found themselves.
"I have no idea, but we must find everybody." Captain Kyoraku responded looking around the elaborate hall in a palace.
"Where is Captain Hitsugaya?" Rangiku exclaimed looking around very worried for her captain.
"I don't know, but I'm getting worried too." Captain Kyoraku stated looking around the room. The last he remembers – they were standing in front of the gate and red smoke was pouring in, then it attacked them, it took Toushiro Hitsugaya first and engulfed the other Captains and Lieutenants as well.
"That red smoke grabbed Captain Hitsugaya first and swallowed him whole." Izuru exclaimed looking around the room as if expecting more smoke to pour out of the rooms and into the halls.
"What if he's hurt? OH NO! If anything happens to him then I'll be forced to do all of the paperwork for the division!" Rangiku screeched in the hallway hurting the ears of the group surrounding her.
"AAAHHHHHHHH!" A bloody scream echoed through the building scaring the soul reapers.
"That sounded like Soi Fon." Shunsui exclaimed running in the direction of the scream with Rangiku, Izuru, and Shuhei following close behind.
"SOI FON!" Shunsui burst through the closed room staring at Captain Soi Fon standing in front of a mirror in a powder pink floor length dress.
"What's wrong?" Shuuhei asked the frazzled captain.
"THIS!" She pointed at her clothing.
"It certainly is a beautiful dress." Shunsui complemented her earning a heeled shoe to implant into his forehead.
"IT'S PINK!"
"Yes," Izuru quietly stated.
"I DON'T WEAR DRESSES AND ESPECIALLY NOT PINK DRESSES!" She screamed again as she began ripping the offending dress off of her forgetting the men in the room. Looking up she glared at the group of men with daggers flying from her eyes.
"GET OUT!" Soi Fon's scream could be heard throughout the entire kingdom reaching as far as a cabin at the edge of the town.
"ICHIGO!" Rukia dashed through the little house looking for her prey, she found him staring into space in the living room.
"What is it?" Ichigo quietly asked shocked to be in this strange place.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Rukia leapt to him and tackled him into the ground and proceeded to beat him up.
"WHAT DID YOU DO!" Rukia growled picking him up from his shirt and glaring into his eyes.
"I don't know," Ichigo stuttered and stood up from the floor to try talking to her.
"Well, obviously you did something!" Rukia demanded allowing him to stand still clutching his shirt.
"Look I was reading this book and I kind of read one passage out loud. The next thing I know this red smoke pours out of the book and swallowed up my room and apparently my house."
"Red smoke?"
"Yes, red smoke, and I passed out after it swallowed me." Ichigo explained further looking around the little cabin.
"Ichigo," Rukia let him go allowing him to walk around the room. "What book were you reading?"
"It was a spell book."
"A spell book?"
"Yeah, the book was called 'Worlds of Azarath.' I read one of spells but nothing happened at first so I got angry and started to throw it out. That's when the red smoke came out of the book." Ichigo walked around noting there was no technology in sight and scratching his head at this mystery. Maybe he was dreaming and the smoke made him pass out?
"What spell did you read?" Rukia quietly asked looking around at a wooden table with a stone fireplace and a woven picture of Ichigo's mother on a wall.
"It was a spell to send Toushiro to a different world where he doesn't know my syster." Ichigo laughed as he looked around the little room.
"I guess it worked." Ichigo nervously chuckled looking around at his current predicament. He really didn't think this plan through at all.
"You guess it worked?" Rukia stared at the back of his head as he was looking into the kitchen.
"Yeah, I guess it did." Ichgio stated walking to the opposite side of the room looking up at the stairs and placing a foot on the bottom step to test the quality of the stairs.
"Ichigo," Rukia waited until he was looking her in the eye, "you sent us to a different world."
"Huh," Ichigo asked, apparently the smoke and the house hadn't made a connection yet.
"Ichigo, YOU SENT US TO A DIFFERENT WORLD!" Rukia yelled stomping up to the tall substitute soul reaper until she was just under his nose staring up at him.
"Are you sure?" Ichigo asked, still thinking he was dreaming this entire cottage. Rukia growled under her breath clenching her hands into tight fists with steam pouring from her ears with her temper growing.
"YOU IDIOT!" Rukia let her temper erupt with fists and kicks leaving a pained and bruised Ichigo twitching on the floor.
"Now, I am going to…" Rukia paused blinking at Ichigo then looking around the house.
"You and I are here…" Rukia stated and watched Ichigo painfully nod his head.
"Then who else is here?" She ran to the kitchen looking around, she didn't see anyone. Then she ran up the stairs, but still nobody was up there. She jumped over a whimpering Ichigo and dashed out of the cottage. Rukia looked around the cottage and her mouth dropped open at the scene before her. There was a long winding road leading down to a golden palace towering over the land. The land she was standing on was a farm with cows lowing in the field and a little girl singing as she skipped into the yard. It was Yuzu.
"Yuzu!" Rukia ran up to the girl as she held a bucket of milk in her hands. "I'm so glad to see you. It's a relief to know that Ichigo and I aren't the only ones here." She sighed but Yuzu simply blinked up at her then her smile lit her face up once again.
"Oh Rukia, you say the strangest things. This is only a dream. I guess I was so tired I fell asleep at the kitchen table. Well, I better go take this milk into the kitchen. I wouldn't want it to spill." Yuzu happily skipped to the kitchen and continued her singing.
'She thinks this is a dream. It's probably for the best.' Rukia frowned at the yard. If Yuzu was here, then did that mean Karin was here as well?
"Heads up!" Karin yelled from a side of the yard just before a soccer ball struck Rukia on the side of her face.
"Sorry, Rukia," Karin ran up to the fallen soul reaper and carefully removed the soccer ball from her friend's face. "Are you okay?"
"I think so, Karin." Rukia blinked up to the other Kurosaki sibling. "I'm so glad that you're here too." Rukai smiled up confusing Karin.
"Okay, I guess I hit you a little too hard." Karin stood up and walked into the kitchen.
"Karin, you need to do your chores." Yuzu called out to her sister from the kitchen. Karin turned around and headed around the yard to do as requested.
...
"Okay, we found Captain Soi Fon. So, where are the others?" Captain Kyoraku massaged the dent that Soi Fon's heel left within his forehead.
"So, where is Captain Hitsugaya?" Rangiku complained to the small group.
"Don't worry, Rangiku, we'll find him." Izuru consoled his fellow Lieutenant.
"But how," Rangiku complained again.
"Maybe we should ask someone." Shuuhei suggested to the group.
"And who should we ask Hisagi?" Rangiku asked in irritation. "As far as I can tell, there is not another soul in this castle except for Captain Soi Fon and you three." Rangiku growled.
"Why not ask Captain Hitsugaya?" Shunsui asked; he was still a little dizzy from the concussion Soi Fon had just given him.
"Huh?" Rangiku grunted looking up the hall and who should be walking down it: Toushiro Hitsugaya . . . dressed in a blue and white prince's outfit complete with golden cuffs reading a book in his right hand.
"Captain Hitsugaya! I'm so glad to see you safe!" Rangiku ran toward him but was stopped with a frosty glare in her direction.
"Rangiku have you been drinking again? You know my father won't allow me to enter the army." Toushiro stated in his annoyed tone.
"What?" Shunsui asked, he rubbed his eyes and ears to make sure he was hearing correct.
"You too, Shunsui," Toushiro shook his head from side to side, "it will not do for the Captain of my father's guard and the nanny to be drunk again. If my father hears about his, he will put the two of you into the stocks. Although given your history, I'm surprised the two of you still work in this castle." Toushiro stated shocking the group of four into silence. He shrugged his shoulders at the gaping mouths and continued down the hall opening his book once again.
"Did what I hear just happen?" Shuuhei asked.
"I think so," Izuru gulped. A sort of choking sound came from Shuuhei as they mulled over Toushiro's speech, soon he couldn't hide it and burst out laughing.
"What's so funny, Shuuhei?" Izuru asked and all his friend could do was point at Rangiku.
"You're his . . . ha-ha-ha-ha . . . nanny . . ." Shuuhei gasped between bouts of laughter while Rangiku became even angrier. She felt in the middle of her back for her zanpaktou, but it was not there.
"Where's Haineko?" Rangiku gasped. Shuuhei immediately sobered and looked for his sword. As Rangiku realized, none of the soul reapers had their swords on their person.
"Let's go find Toushiro's father and ask what's going on." Shunsui demanded as the group stalked off in one direction. The group toured the same hall several times until they finally bumped into another servant – a soul reaper in the fourth division – and they were directed to a large throne room.
"Now, Toushiro, I know you don't like the idea but it's for the best." The group stopped just short of the door as they recognized a voice. Shunsui almost couldn't believe his ears. It wasn't possible for the father to be . . .
"Father, you know I hate the idea of marriage and especially of looking for a wife at my age." Toushiro complained to the older man.
"I know, you've said that but I assure you that you will enjoy this ball." The group crept to the doors and peeked through a crack and sure enough the father of Toushiro Hitsugaya was none other than Jushiro Ukitake.
"I doubt it, father. I'll be in the gardens if you need me." Toushiro disappeared through a door at the other end of the room. The group was frozen in shock until Jushiro called to him.
"You may enter," Jushiro called and the doors suddenly swung open. "I'm so glad to see that you're here Rangiku, and you too Shunsui. It's good to see you, Izuru, and Shuuhei. Are you doing well?" Jushiro calmly asked almost like it was any other day.
"I think so, but I really, really hope that I'm drunk right now." Rangiku stated to the group.
"Same here," Izuru and Shuuhei agreed at the same time.
"Sadly, I must say you are not dreaming. This is very real. I don't know how, but that red smoke transported us to this dimension." Jushiro answered motioning toward the courtroom.
"Who else is here?" Kyoraku was the first to ask.
"Everyone that disappeared in the smoke," Jushiro smiled to the group.
"That's a relief." Izuru answered.
"A relief? Are you kidding me!" Soi Fon stomped into the room wearing a ninja shirt and pant suit all in a lovely shade of pink. "Are you calling this a relief?" She motioned toward her clothes.
"Since we're all safe, Soi Fon, then yes it is a relief." Shunsui answered. Soi Fon ignored him and pointed a dangerous finger in Jushiro's direction.
"I want out of this hell hole right now, Ukitake!" She demanded to the older captain.
"I would love to assist you, Soi Fon, but I'm afraid we're stuck here until Captain Kurotsuchi can find a way to get us back." He frowned to the group.
"Then tell him to hurry up." Soi Fon growled low in her throat. The others unanimously agreed.
"Hey, did you say there was a ball tonight?" Shunsui asked his old friend.
"Yes, that's right." Jushiro nodded. The other soul reapers stared at Shunsui all curious as to his thoughts.
"And Toushiro is a prince. . ." Kyoraku drifted in his thoughts.
"Yes."
"This ball is for him to find a bride?"
"Yes, and he positively hates the idea as you've just witnessed." Jushiro sighed motioning toward the closed door. Rangiku thought Captain Ukitake was taking this "father" role just a little too seriously.
"This sounds familiar." Shunsui cupped his chin in his hand desperately trying to capture the thought that stays just out of arms reach.
"Now that you mention it," Rangiku put her index finger to her chin in deep thought. 'Prince . . . a ball . . . find a bride . . . gather ladies throughout the land. . . Got it!'
"I've got it!" The other turned toward Rangiku. "I know where we are, I think. We are in the story Cinderella."
"What's Cinderella?" Soi Fon asked the lieutenant.
"It's a story about a little cinder girl who goes to a ball where she falls in love with the prince of the city. She has to leave the ball in a hurry, dropping her shoe on the way out and the only way for the prince to find her. In the end he finds her and they ride off into the sunset." Rangiku explains in a dreamy state.
"So, if Toushiro is the prince . . ." Jushiro started.
"Then who is Cinderella?" Shunsui asked and Rangiku answered with a smile lighting up her face.
"Who else? It's Karin, of course." Rangiku stated in triumph.
"So, we get Karin to this ball and make sure Toushiro falls in love with her then we get out of this hell?" Soi Fon asked irritation lacing her voice.
"That's the theory in any case." Kyoraku answered the grumpy captain.
"Let's get this over with." Soi Fon grudgingly exclaimed.
. . . . .
"Okay, it looks like your entire family is here, Ichigo." Rukia surmised to the bruised teen. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, Karin ran in to answer it. Hanataro stood in the door and handed a letter to Karin.
"This is an invitation to the prince's ball tonight." Hanataro shyly exclaimed with a slight bow.
"And who is this prince?" Ichigo grumbled.
"Toushiro Hitsugaya." Hanataro answered and immediately ran away from the little cottage, but no matter how far he ran he could still hear Ichigo.
"WHAT!" Ichigo yelled shaking the wood bracing in the ceiling.
"You heard him, Ichigo." Rukia smirked at the orange haired teen.
"Karin," Ichigo stomped to his little sister, "I forbid you to go to this dance." He shouted in her face, Karin calmly looked up at him a bored expression on her face.
"I don't want to go anyway." Karin's answer surprised the both of them.
"You don't," Ichigo asked in surprise, he blinked his eyes a couple of times.
"No, I don't."
"You sure," Rukia asked the young Kurosaki girl.
"I'm sure. Why would I want to be around a bunch of snobby girls drooling over some spoiled rich kid?" Karin griped handing the letter to Rukia.
"I'm going out to play soccer." Karin answered the two. Ichigo thanked the stars that his sister was a tomboy. The rest of that day, Ichigo was on cloud nine that he didn't have to worry about Toushiro hitting on his sister.
"We're leaving for the ball, Karin." Yuzu called out to her sister who was kicking her soccer ball in the back yard. "Are you sure you don't want to go?"
"I'm sure, Yuzu," Karin called into the cottage, "you go and have fun."
"Alright," Yuzu gathered a simple shawl over her shoulders and followed Rukia and Ichigo out to a waiting carriage drawn by two horses and driven by Yumichika with Ikkaku as the footman.
"What are the two of you doing?" Rukia pointed to the two.
"We don't know, but Captain Ukitake suggested we play along until Captain Kurotsuchi can find a way to get us out." Yumichika answered.
"Besides, there's nothing else to do." Ikkaku complained as he shut the door after the three piled into the covered carriage. Karin waited at the door as the carriage drove off. She closed the door and walked back out to the yard. She picked her soccer ball up and started juggling it with her feet.
"This is getting a little boring," Karin stated when she heard some rustling in the bushes nearby.
"Who's there?" Karin demanded holding her soccer ball with her foot. She was prepared to bean anyone if they were stupid enough to attack. The figure coughed in the bushes and Karin was able to make out a tall figure dressed in white, he looked to be about six feet tall, with teal green hair flowing along his back. The figure stepped from the shadow and Karin was able to get a good look at him: tall man with teal green hair with an x scar crossing his nose, he was wearing a white and gold samurai outfit and held a short, silver blade with a four pointed star at the very tip of the blade.
"Hello," Karin greeted the strange man and she relaxed her stance.
"How are you?" The man breathed in a deep breath and continued "my name is Hyourinmaru." He introduced with a bow. Karin recognized the name but couldn't place it.
"I'm good. My name is Karin. It's nice to meet you." Karin answered with a small bow of her own. Then the two looked at each other for a few minutes.
"So, what are you doing here?" She asked.
"I am here to see that you attend the ball tonight." Hyourinmaru stated.
"No thank you," Hyourinmaru nearly tripped over his still feet at her matter of fact answer.
"Excuse me?"
"I said I don't want to go. I'm not interested in wearing a frilly dress or walking around in shoes that make my feet bleed. So thank you, but no thank you." Karin answered. Hyourinmaru sighed, she hadn't changed one bit: still to the point and not one to beat around the bush.
"Wait, if you're here to help me get to a ball, then wouldn't that make you a fairy godmother?" Hyourinmaru blushed deep red and was thankful that Kazeshini was miles away. If anyone found out, the other zanpaktou would never let him live it down. It wouldn't matter how many he would freeze, or even how many would stay frozen. Oh well, on to business.
"Sort of," Hyourinmaru took his time in answering. "Now, you're going to this ball whether you like it or not." Hyourinmaru demanded.
"Oh yeah, and who's going to make me?" Karin glared up at him and set her soccer ball to kick him in the face. He had thoughtlessly awakened the famous Kurosaki anger.
"Well, I certainly can't make you, but I believe you would enjoy yourself if you did go." Hyourinmaru answered succeeding in easing her temper.
"I don't think I'll have a good time. I'll just be bored," Karin walked around kicking her soccer ball in a small circle.
'How do I get this girl to that ball to meet Master Hitsugaya?' Hyourinmaru watched Karin bat the soccer ball around some more. 'What would Master Hitugaya do?' The answer flew past his leg when Karin kicked her ball a little too hard.
"Karin I know for a fact that prince Toushiro is a wonderful soccer player." Hyourinmaru gained her attention when she froze in her tracks looking up to him.
"Really?" Hyourinmaru nodded his head to confirm his statement.
"Who would have thought a prince would know how to play soccer." Karin mused tilting her head up then she smiled up to him.
"Alright, I'll go to this ball."
"Excellent, come on." Hyourinmaru started to lead her away when she pointed something out.
"Wait a minute, I don't know much about balls but even I know you can't show up to a ball in rags." Karin answered. Hyourinmaru looked over her outfit and as she pointed out she wore rags: a short kimono torn at the knee (most likely by sliding on the grass to score a goal) and another tear at her sleeve.
"That won't do at all," Hyourinmaru agreed looking between Karin and then to his "wand".
'Master Hitsugaya, you better be grateful for what I do for you.' Hyourinmaru thought as he rose his wand and called his shikai release.
"Reign upon the frozen kingdoms," a blast of snow and ice swirled around Karin but Hyourinmaru glared at his wand since that was not the proper release. He heaved a sigh then looked toward Karin. Hyourinmaru blinked at her appearance. Karin was wearing a simple pale blue dress with a gold chain draped around the waist, the sleeves of the dress draped past her shoulders and the sliced pieces of fabric were dipped in silver. Looking down, he saw the hem of her dress also had a layer of silver just above the seam. He looked to her face and saw the left side of her hair was held back with a four point star hair comb. Hyourinmaru couldn't tell if she wore any make-up but she had crescent moon earrings nestled on the lobes of her ears. Karin inspected her outfit and had to smile. She liked the dress, but she was curious as to the shoes. Lifting her dress up she watched an ice slipper glint in the moon light.
"Ice slippers?" Karin asked looking up to Hyourinmaru.
"Yes," Hyourinmaru cleared his throat, "so that your feet won't hurt during the evening." Hyourinmaru watched her twirl around and had to shake his head still flabbergasted that his power could make such a beautiful dress.
'She will certainly catch Master Hitsugaya's eye.' Hyourinmaru hid a small smile.
"Now how will I get to the castle?" Karin asked and noticed that Hyourinmaru held this far off look in his eye. She snapped her fingers to gain his attention.
"Yes," Hyourinmaru shook his head of the spell.
"How will I get to the castle? I certainly can't walk." Karin explained looking between her cottage and the Castle which was far enough, she didn't want to think about how long it would take. Besides, ice shoes or no ice shoes, her feet would be bleeding and sore if she walked like this.
"Let's see what I can do." Hyuorinmaru looked over his wand and walked a small distance away toward the side of the cottage facing the castle.
"Reign over the frosted lands," again a blast of ice and snow shot from the wand to collect and swirl around a portion of the yard. He growled at the wand since that wasn't the correct release either.
"What are we doing here?" Haineko asked sitting in the driver's seat of a silver white carriage with wheels in the shape of snowflakes she was wearing a powder blue dress suit. The silver carriage was pulled by two horses: one was red and the other was cream with a plume of feathers tied to his mane.
"Why am I a horse?" Ruriiro Kujako screamed and neighed.
"You sound like a horse too," Hozukimaru nickered beside his cream partner.
"You two stop that arguing. You just have to grin and bear it." Haineko ordered from the driver seat.
"Easy for you to say since you're the driver," Ruriiro Kujaku complained and snorted pawing the ground. He obviously hated the idea of being a horse, while Hozukimaru was more relaxed in this role.
"Come now, it will be over soon." Zangetsu answered from the back of the carriage as the footman.
"Karin, are you ready to go?" He stepped down and bowed low to her. Zangetu was wearing a silver blazer with black pants and his sunglasses, Karin thought this strange since it was so late at night.
"Yeah, I guess so." Karin answered. The other zanpaktou spirits smiled at her appearance and Haineko winked at Hyourinmaru giving her silent approval.
"This way, my lady," Zangetsu led her to the carriage and helped her up before he closed the door.
"And Karin, this spell will only last until midnight, so you must be back home by then." Hyourinmaru ordered as the carriage drove off.
She was the last to arrive at the ball, looking up to the golden doors Karin suddenly became shy and started backing away until Zangetsu came up beside her. He led her to the doors and opened them; then he walked her to the stairs where all of the attendants looked up, including Toushiro. She blushed and carefully walked down the stairs. Toushiro started toward her leaving all of the other young girls as he walked straight toward Karin. He met her at the bottom of the stairs and he bowed low.
"My name is Toushiro Hitsugaya. It is a pleasure to meet you," he took her hand and led her out to the dance floor. Karin was very nervous, she now only realized that she had never danced before in her whole life – another reason to be a tomboy.
"I've never really danced before," Karin shyly confessed and he smiled to her.
"It's okay, just follow me." Toushiro answered and they slowly danced around the room to a gentle music. The soul reapers around heaved a long sigh.
"They are such a cute couple." Rangiku giggled with a cup of sake in her right hand. Kyoraku was right beside her with another cup of sake in his left hand.
"Yep, looks like we'll be out of here in no time." Kyoraku stated in relief.
"What about Ichigo?" Izuru brought up one very important point. The group looked around and spotted a red faced Ichigo glaring at the pair dancing around the floor.
"I'll take care of it." Kyoraku stood up and walked away from the dance floor for a few minutes. He returned to his same spot. "It's been taken care of," Shunsui smiled to the group as they looked on in confusion.
"I can't believe she came here when I told her not to," Ichigo steamed with his arms crossed. Yuzu and Rukia were standing on either side of him. Both girls were ecstatic that Toushiro and Karin had found each other. Nobody noticed the pair of hands that grabbed Ichigo from behind and dragged him from the dance floor.
"Oh come on Ichigo, they're a cute couple," Rukia turned to him only to find he had disappeared. Rukia shrugged her shoulders he would show up soon enough.
Ichigo was dragged out into the courtyard where he saw a wide tree standing in the middle of the yard. However, it was only when Ichigo walked forward that he noticed it was not a tree at all but a man: Kenpachi Zaraki.
"Hello Ichigo," Kenpachi smiled down to him.
Karin was still dancing with Toushiro when she heard the clock ding. She looked up to a conveniently located clock which showed the time to be 11:55pm. The spell would wear off in five minutes.
"I have to go, I'm sorry." Karin excused herself as she turned and ran to the stairs. She ran up the stairs but tripped on the top losing one of her shoes in the process. Karin continued on outside where Zangetsu met her and she flew into the carriage as the clock struck midnight. She had reached her cottage and had stepped from the carriage just as the clock struck the final bell of midnight. Her dress fell into drops of snow and the carriage and everyone disappeared in a swirl of snow and ice.
"I had more fun than I thought," Karin smiled to the sky. "Thanks, Hyourinmaru." She walked into her house and looked at her feet – she had lost one slipper. She thought it strange that she never noticed it had been missing but it was much too late in the night to worry over it.
The next morning, Toushiro had the entire castle running around trying to find the girl he had danced with last night.
"Father, we need to search the entire kingdom." Toushiro begged his father who was all too happy to comply.
"Of course, Toushiro," Ukitake beamed to his "son", "I will see to it that every available servant is sent out to search the entire countryside. Do you have any name for the servants to seek the young maid?"
"I never thought to ask her name, all I have of last night is a slipper made of ice. I find it quite odd that it hasn't melted." Toushiro took the slipper out and turned it in his hand admiring the design.
'That's because Hyourinmaru's ice will only melt when his master wills it.' Ukitake smiled and sent for his servants. Just as he promised, all the servants searched the entire countryside. Toushiro went with the last group consisting of Rangiku, Captain Kyoraku, Izuru and Shuuhei to the last cottage: Ichigo's home. Toushiro politely knocked on the door and was greeted by Ichigo with his arm taped up and in a sling with a band aid under his eye. Toushiro recovered from his shock and finally spoke to him.
"Excuse me I came to ask if you have any sisters or daughters that attended the ball last night." Toushiro politely requested.
"The only girls who attended are my sister Yuzu, and my friend Rukia. No one else attended." Ichigo rudely answered.
"May I ask what they look like?" Toushiro inquired of the girls' description.
"Yuzu has light brown hair, and Rukia has short black hair and violet eyes." Ichigo purposely ignored Karin because he really didn't want Toushiro getting near her.
"Thank you," Toushiro bowed when a soccer ball flew over Ichigo's head only for Toushiro to catch it in his hand.
"You have a sister who plays soccer?" Toushiro asked the beaten Ichigo.
"Yes Yuzu." Toushiro blinked at his answer looking down at the ball he had a small memory of a black haired girl kicking a soccer ball at the back of his head. He believed he kicked the ball with a back flip. Toushiro blinked again.
"Are you sure there are no other girls in this cottage?" Toushiro asked with a captain's tone ringing in his voice.
"I'm sure," Ichigo slammed the door on his face. This act also brought back another memory, this time there was a pasta dish before the slammed door and again a soccer ball popped up.
'Who is that girl?'
"I guess she's not here," Izuru sadly exclaimed. The men could swear they heard a small growl in the backyard before a black haired girl was nearly thrown into the front yard. She glared at the backyard then turned around to face the guests. She saw Toushiro and put on her bored expression. Karin still wasn't ready to introduce herself, especially since he was still a stranger.
"Were you at the ball last night?" Toushiro asked, this girl was far too familiar for him not to have met her.
"No, I wasn't," Karin answered only to hear deep voiced grumblings. The group could make the word stubborn from a nearby bush.
"What's that?" Rangiku asked for the group. Everyone shrugged their shoulders.
"Alright, I thank you for your time." Toushiro turned for the carriage until he felt a strong gust of ice cold wind. He turned around and stared at Karin in the dress she wore last night and holding a sign that read: "I danced with Toushiro Hitsugaya." Karin glared back to the bush and the bush only chuckled in pleasure.
"Hi, Toushiro," Karin looked back to him. He smiled at her once again, she blinked that his eyes seemed to soften when he smiled. For some reason, she liked it.
"Hi," Toushiro looked at her and a name popped into his head, "Karin." She blinked over at him in surprise.
"How did you know my name?" Karin asked. The soul reapers around her only smiled.
"I know more about you, like you love to play soccer and you hate to wear dresses because you're a tomboy." Toushiro stated looking at her amazing dress. He was curious as to how she got into the dress. Karin pointed behind her where a tall man wearing white and gold stepped from the bush.
"Master Hitsugaya, Karin is very stubborn." Hyourinmaru stated to Toushiro.
"Yeah, I know." He answered and he approached her.
"Toushiro," Karin blinked up at him and some memories broke through her foggy mind: a baby, pasta, Romeo and Juliet, then a kiss. She blushes a deep red and Toushiro blinked at her curious as to her blush.
"Can you cook spaghetti?" She asked to which Toushiro laughs and gently kisses her on the lips. Karin kissed him back and she remembered everything.
"I can't believe the only thing you remembered about me was the spaghetti." Toushiro complained to her.
"Well, I also remember the baby." Toushiro glared at her and she laughed at the memory.
"What's this about a baby?" Kyoraku asked breaking the two up. Toushiro Hitsugaya growled and he glared up at the taller soul reaper captain.
"Please don't mention that horrid assignment ever again." Toushiro requested slightly blushing.
"Congratulations the prince and Cinderella are matched up, now how do we get out of this hell pit?" Captain Soi Fon appeared before the group and Toushiro blinked at her appearance.
"One word Hitsugaya and I swear to wipe you out of existence." Soi Fon threatened and Toushiro instantly shut his mouth and encouraged Karin to do the same.
"Speaking of clothes, Hyourinmaru, can you please give me my old clothes back?" Karin asked lifting an edge of her dress up.
"Just keep that dress in a safe place, Hyourinmaru. It looks amazing on Karin." Toushiro flirted winking at his zanpaktou. Karin elbowed him in the stomach.
"You'll not see me wear this dress ever again." Karin answered as Hyourinmaru changed her clothes to the regular shirt, shorts and sneakers. Ichigo suddenly decided to make his appearance.
"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, the two of you will not be together!" Ichigo screeched running out to the front yard where everyone seemed to gather. All of the soul reapers that had been captured in Seretiei along with the Zanpaktou spirits and Kon appeared on Ichigo's head.
"Are we out yet?" Kon asked the group.
"What are you talking about Kon?" Toushiro asked the little stuffed lion.
"I'll tell you, Captain Hitsugaya," Rukia interrupted shoving Ichigo to the side. "Ichigo here did some spell to transport all of us into a different world through a spell book. According to Ichigo a red smoke spilled from the book and swallowed his house." Rukia explained.
"And all of us in Soul Society," Toushiro answered remembering the feeling of the smoke grabbing his ankle and the memories of Karin disappearing. He gently held her hand to reassure him that she was here and not his imagination.
"Ichigo that was a stupid think you did." Rangiku chastised the young man.
"Now tell us what spell you used and maybe that will get us out of here." Ukitake demanded as Kurotsuchi finally joined the group.
"Wait a minute," Toushiro looked up to Captain Ukitake.
"Yes, Toushiro," Captain Ukitake kindly looked down to the young soul reaper.
"If Ichigo says the spell again, won't that just send us to a different world?" Toushiro asked and the blood drained out of every person's face in the group.
"It was: A world in which these two separate is the place I seek. World of Azarath make thine choice. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Ichigo repeated the spell before anyone could stop him. The red smoke engulfed everyone once again, and the group disappeared.
Omake:
*Soul reaper captains glare at Ichigo.*
Kuchiki: Ichigo, how could you do this, again?
Soi Fon: How could you be so stupid? *Still in pink outfit, so especially angry.* YOU PUT ME IN A PINK DRESS!
*Lunges for Ichigo but are in zero gravity so instead runs into Kenpachi Zaraki.*
Kenpachi: This would be a good place for a fight.
Kuchiki: Kenpachi I have decided you may fight Ichigo, and it doesn't matter how badly he is injured.
*Ichigo stares in horror as Kenpachi approach along with Soi Fon.*
Ichigo: Wait, how is this fair?
Toushiro: You brought this on yourself. *Swims away with Karin and they both watch as the fight begins.*
*Dust up as feet, arms and legs go kicking out of the dust. Punches and groans are heard from painful blows. Ichigo floats down covering his eyes and see Soi Fon and Kenpachi were fighting each other. Now both are passed out.*
Toushiro: How did that happen?
Karin: Dumb luck.
*Ichigo glares at the two and remains curled up in a ball.*
*On another continent far away from Japan:*
*Cowering figure nursing bump growing on head.*
Cloaked figure: Do not ever go into my room again.
Cowering figure with a bump: Okay.
Cloaked figure: You will find my book.
Cowering figure with bump: But that could take weeks or months, if I find it at all.
Cloaked figure: Then you better get started. And, don't come back without my book.
*Cloaked figure disappears in a shadow.*
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A/N: Okay, here is another chapter. Like I said I've had this story playing out in my head for quite a few weeks. Let me know what you think of this story.
A/N2: I'll tell who the figures are in the next chapter if no one guesses it.