Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I don't own The Little Mermaid.
Karin collapsed at a rock along the shallow waters of the beach. She took in deep breaths of air and looked up to the noonday sun. She was there . . . she was on land, partially anyway. Karin looked down to her waist and gasped at her lower half: two perfect slender legs with toes and ankles. Karin smiled and tried to talk, but no sound came out.
'Right, I sold my voice to get these legs.' Karin looked down at her legs then back out to the water. Byakuya floated there with his arms crossed. He looked back with his cold eyes and she glared as hard as she could.
"Brother what happened? One minute you're in the cave then we see you shoot up out of the water to the surf-" Rukia looked to Karin and gasped. "WHAT HAPPENED?"
"She sold her voice to get legs." Byakuya answered as Karin decided to test her legs out. She wobbled then lost her balance plunging into the water.
"Oh no, how did this happen?" Rangiku broke the surface and gasped at Karin as she tried to stand once again.
"She met Aizen," Jinta jumped through the water looking up at the taller merpeople. Renji and Chojiro were the last to rise to the surface and look around.
"He made a deal with her: she sold her voice to get legs and in three days she will be turned back into a mermaid and be enslaved to Aizen unless she gets Toushiro to kiss her." Jinta hurriedly explained taking a deep breath at the end.
"We tried to keep her safe." Rangiku lamented gazing at Karin as she became accustomed to her legs.
"Hello down there, what's going on here?" Kisuke flew down to a nearby rock formation and looked out over the group. He looked around the water then to Karin, and he nearly fell into the water in his surprise.
"KARIN! What happened to you? You're human." Kisuke exclaimed regaining his balance on the rock.
"She sold her voice to get legs and she has to get Captain Hitsugaya to fall in love with her within three days or else she will be a mermaid and belong to Aizen." Rangiku stated as she swam over to Karin and helped her onto the beach, where she landed on her bottom in the sand. Karin didn't mind too much seeing as she fell onto her back and started to make sand angels.
"Oh dear, this is bad. Well then, I guess we have to find him. I don't think it will take much for him to fall for her, again." Kisuke smiled down as Karin stood from the beach and dusted off the clinging sand.
"But, you certainly can't meet him in your current attire. It looks like you only have undergarments on," Kisuke's comment brought a red flush to the males' cheeks, except for Byakuya as he had his eyes closed with his right hand massaging the bridge of his nose.
Karin looked up to Kisuke and then back down to her skin. She only wore her red shirt that clung to her body, and small black shorts, also very clingy. Kisuke leapt off the rock and found a canvas that he gave her. She held the canvas in her hands and looked at him in confusion.
'What do I do with this?' Karin thought, thankfully Rangiku came to her rescue.
"Karin, come over here and I can fix your dress." Karin did as Rangiku requested and she waited for her to finish. When Rangiku was done, Karin wore the canvas like a type of kimono with some rope tying the outfit together.
"Now that your dress is fixed where is Captain Hitsugaya?" Rangiku held her hand over her eyes and looked along the beach. The sounds of a dog barking reached the groups ears before a silver dog darted around a cliff edge and paused at seeing Karin. It sniffed the air for a moment and leapt for the girl, effectively tackling her to the sand and proceeded to lick her on her face in his excitement to see her.
"Hyourinmaru!" Toushiro ran around the bend and gaped at his dog licking a human girl in the face. He was able to see Karin when Hyourinmaru stepped back and her smiling face took his breath away. Though he found it strange she didn't laugh or make any sound.
'Could she be the one I've been looking for?' Toushiro thought as he walked up to Karin.
"Here let me help you up," Toushiro bent down and Karin froze at how close he was.
'He is even cuter in person.' Karin thought as she was mesmerized by the color of his eyes, a crystal teal that seemed to shine and she could almost swear she saw her reflection through them.
"Excuse me," Toushiro asked, again offering his hand, this time Karin accepted and he pulled her to her feet. But, she stumbled into his arms and blushed in embarrassment. She was still getting used to the human legs.
"I know you from somewhere," Toushiro stated and Karin's eyes lit up in excitement. Maybe she could get out of this jam this very day.
"What's your name?" Toushiro eagerly asked as he stepped closer to her, praying that this was the girl who was speaking to him yesterday.
Karin mouthed her name then her face fell into a frown, she had no voice.
"You can't speak?" Toushiro's question held disappointment and he was heartbroken.
"Then, you could not be the girl I was with yesterday." Toushiro answered then Karin got an idea. She could use her hands to talk. She tried to motion that she was swimming in the sea, rescued him, brought him to shore and waited for him to wake up, but she was terrible at charades and so she soon gave up on this avenue.
"I don't know who you are, but it looks like you need help. Come with me," Toushiro gently led her further inland to his castle, seeing as he is the prince of this kingdom.
"Well, that went better than I could have hoped." Rangiku whispered as she and the other merpeople hid from the humans.
"Yes, now we just wait." Byakuya exclaimed then noticed that they could not follow on land.
"Lieutenant Sasakibe, could you follow Karin and tell us where she is staying?" Byakuya requested and the little crab obeyed, running up to her before they disappeared into the grassy ledge leading to higher ground.
Toushiro brought Karin into his castle and she was taken care of with a bath, new clothes, and a room where she could sleep over the next few days. Later that night at dinner, Karin joined Toushiro with Uryu, Captain Unohana, and Momo Hinamori as she served the food – still walking in her sleep.
Karin had lost Chojiro and she was curious as to where he had gone, little did she know that he was finding it was a bad thing to be a crab on dry land. It was terrible to be a crab and wind up in the kitchen.
"Look, Kenny, you forgot one!" Yachiru in her pink cook outfit and little white apron happily grabbed Chojiro from the floor and walked over to the giant captain, currently holding a giant meat cleaver.
"So you have, Yachiru, just put him down here and we'll serve him to the group." Kenpachi motioned for a tray beside the stove where Yachiru happily obeyed.
"WAIT!" Chojiro screamed before Yachiru let him go.
"Lieutenant Sasakibe," Kenpachi looked down at the crab from his uncovered eye.
"Captain Kenpachi! You're the cook!" Chojiro screamed up to him.
"Yes I am, and I'm not half bad at it," Kenpachi smiled brandishing his giant meat cleaver in the air. "I've already cooked loads of fish, some pork, and I've stuffed a few crabs."
"Crabs!" Chojiro gasped at the dressed dinner entrees on a nearby plate.
"Yep," Kenpachi explained then his devil smile slowly disappeared. "Hey you're a crab." Kenpachi stared down at the crab in Yachiru's vice-like grip and an unusual thought came to him. "Gee, I hope I didn't cook anyone we know. Since you're a crab after all, I wonder what other people wound up being." Kenpachi looked down to the tray of food as the kitchen door swung open and Momo walked in to retrieve the tray of cooked crabs.
"Oh well, too late now." Kenpachi exclaimed and Chojiro fainted in Yachiru's hands. Yachiru and Kenpachi were left in the kitchen staring at a passed out Chojiro.
Karin found the dinner to be excellent, although she did not eat the crab; she was more than happy with the vegetables and salad that was presented to her. She walked into her room in a night gown and jumped in happiness that Chojiro was on her pillow, passed out again.
Chojiro woke up for enough time to see Karin safely in bed then he fell back to sleep. Who knew passing out from near heart attacks could be so tiring?
The next morning the merpeople met at the shore and contemplated their predicament.
"Okay, so Aizen gave Karin three days to fall for Toushiro." Rukia summed up their facts to the group, now including Kyoraku.
"Well if Aizen counted yesterday as being the first day, then we only have two days left: today and tomorrow." Kyoraku explained and brought everyone's spirits down.
"Thank you, Captain Kyoraku, for that depressing thought." Byakuya sourly noted to his fellow captain. Kyoraku looked back to him with a bored expression.
"Don't give me that look, Kuchiki. We wouldn't even be in this mess if you hadn't got all 'obey the rules' and let that stick up-"
"IS THIS REALLY NECESSARY?" Yuroichi interrupted the male captains as she crossed her arms in the water in annoyance.
"We have to find some way for those two to get together. Now, who is on land?" Yuroichi asked the group. They all looked up when Urahara poked his beak into the water. All the gathered merpeople took this as a cue to speak to him.
"Okay, I've just finished going around the castle and counting the people we know. Uryu Ishida is Toushiro's butler, and he understands the situation. I'm pretty sure he'll do all he can to see that Karin and Toushiro have as many chances as possible to get together." Yuroichi nodded her head in agreement as the other merpeople listened in.
"Uryu has told me that he is sending the two of them off on a tour of the kingdom and then later this afternoon they will have a dinner at a lagoon. That will be the best place we can find to get those two together. How does that sound?" Kisuke looked around.
"How long will it be until they are sent to this lagoon?" Byakuya asked the seagull.
"Like I said later this afternoon, Uryu did not give me an exact time. But, I'll find out then come and get you guys. It's going to take a lot of work to get Toushiro to kiss Karin."
"Tell me about it," Rangiku sighed to the group. All eyes turned to the strawberry blonde mermaid. "Captain Hitsugaya didn't realize he loved her until he nearly had a heart attack when he had this freaky dream that Karin was crushed by a menos grande." Rangiku exclaimed.
"Maybe we can arrange for a menos grande to appear?" Shunsui voiced his opinion and he was promptly attacked by Yurouichi.
"We can't do that, Shunsui! Since you've forgotten we don't have our zanpakuto so if a hollow does appear then we are all doomed. I haven't been able to perform any type of kido spell since we started in this crazy dimension." Yurouichi sadly looked at her hands and sighed in frustration. "I am not comfortable with being this vulnerable."
"Okay, the hollows are out," Shunsui exclaimed rubbing the lump that was growing on the top of his head.
"I guess all we can do is just wait for this afternoon and try to help the two fall in love." Rukia sighed and everyone agreed with solemn nods of their heads.
Nightfall seemed to come in a flash and the merpeople found their way to the lagoon where Toushiro and Karin were in a boat on the water. Karin was looking around, admiring all of the weeping willows and various birds flying around them as Toushiro rowed the boat.
Kisuke landed in the water as the merpeople peeked their heads just over the surface, making sure to keep hidden.
"This is going to take forever. He's not going to do anything." Kisuke complained.
"What do you suggest we do, Kisuke?" Yurouichi asked as the seagull held a crafty grin and flew from the water to land on an overhanging branch.
Kisuke hid his mouth with a wing and mouthed the words: watch this. Kisuke opened his mouth and squawked out so many odd notes it sounded like an animal was dying.
"What is that? It sounds like that animal should be put out of its misery." Toushiro stated as they passed under the tree where Kisuke was "singing". Karin picked up a rock that she found in the shallows and hit Kisuke in the butt so he jumped from the branch and fell into the water.
"Kisuke that was horrible!" Yurouichi growled at him.
"Well, all I'm trying to do is make a romantic mood. I don't see you coming up with any ideas." Kisuke pointed a feather at the merpeople as they rose above the surface to watch the boat.
"You've got the right idea, but the wrong person singing." Shunsui stated, making a point to look at Byakuya. Byakuya looked at Shunsui and slowly blinked that the other merpeople were giving him the same look.
"What?"
"Brother, I happen to know that you have a beautiful voice. Maybe you could sing and create the proper mood."
"What's wrong with my version?" Kisuke pouted.
"Kisuke, I will drown you if you make one more comment." Yurouichi threatened, she was finding this ideal tiring and the thought of Aizen winning ticked her off to no end.
"Why not make someone else sing?" Byakuya complained and Shunsui glared at the noble merman.
"You need to sing it, because we wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for you." Shunsui exclaimed pointing a finger in the merman's face. Byakuya sighed in annoyance pushing Shunsui's finger from his face.
"Oh, alright, if I have to," Byakuya swam closer to the edge of the boat and looked around the water.
"We're going to need some music." Byakuya explained.
"Okay what do we need?" Yurouichi asked as they all joined Byakuya at the surface.
"We will need some percussion," Byakuya motioned for some empty turtle shells for drums.
"Per-what?" Renji asked.
"Drums, Renji." Rukia answered and Renji gave an "oh" face.
"Strings," Byakuya blinked at the crickets rubbing their legs together into a musical beat. "Odd," was the only comment before he moved on to the next item.
"Wind instruments," Byakuya plucked some reeds and played a trill of notes similar to a flute across the plant. He passed the instrument to Shunsui who blushed at the noble.
"Thought I didn't know of your hobby, Shunsui?" Byakuya asked the captain of the eighth division.
"Your division is directly across from mine, and your music carries across to my room in the squad in the middle of the night. You play pleasant music to sleep to," Byakuya complemented as everything was in place and he started to sing. Yurouichi and Rangiku were thunderstruck at Byakuya's velvety, smooth voice filling their ears.
There you see her
Sitting there across the way
She don't got a lot to say
But there's something about her
And you don't know why
But you're dying to try
You wanna kiss the girl
Toushiro stared at Karin with the words in the back of his mind. She noticed him look at her and smiled over to him. He gulped and pointed to a tree.
"Oh look it's a golden crested sparrow!" The mermaids sighed with a hand to their forehead.
"This is going to take more work than we thought." Rangiku whispered. Yurouichi decided to help Byakuya to help the mood.
Yes, you want her
Look at her, you know you do
It's possible she wants you, too
There is one way to ask her
It don't take a word
Not a single word
Go on and kiss the girl
Sing with me now
Byakuya motioned for the other merpeople to help him.
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
My, oh, my
Look at the boy too shy
He ain't gonna kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Ain't that sad
Ain't it shame, too bad
You gonna miss the girl
"I want to know your name. Maybe I could guess?" Toushiro asked and Karin nodded her head.
"Let's see, Yuzu . . . No . . . Momo? No . . . Rangiku?"
"He remembers everyone else but not her?" Rukia whispered in annoyance.
"Her name is Karin," Rangiku whispered into from the water.
"Karin?" She nodded her head and clapped her hands. "That's a nice name, Karin." The two held hands as the boat floated into hanging willow leaves.
Now's your moment
Floating in a blue lagoon
Boy, you better do it soon
No time will be better
She don't say a word
And she won't say a word
Until you kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Don't be scared
You got the mood prepared
Go on and kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Don't stop now
Don't try to hide it how
You wanna kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Float along
Listen to the song
The song say kiss the girl
Sha-la-la-la-la-la
Music play
Do what the music say
You wanna kiss the girl
Toushiro and Karin leaned in toward one another.
You've got to kiss the girl
They moved closer and closer.
Why don't you kiss the girl
They closed their eyes as the gap quickly closed between the pair.
You gotta kiss the girl
Go on and kiss the girl
They were inches then centimeters apart when . . . the boat overturned and deposited the love birds into the water.
"NO!" Rangiku exclaimed, "it was about to happen. They were about to kiss and this whole thing would be over."
"Well we tried," Shunsui stated as he threw the makeshift flute to the seafloor.
A pair of eels drifted to the surface on the other side of the boat as Toushiro struggled to help Karin out of the water.
"That was too close." Aizen growled from his cave staring at the crystal ball. He was shocked that Byakuya sang to the pair and even more so that his voice was so smooth and handsome.
"I was not expecting for there to be any type of spark." Aizen mused stroking one of his green spikes of hair with a black tentacle. He was annoyed that his hair was still in the spiked, neon green Mohawk of the accidental do from this morning.
"Who could have thought the ice shrimp had a heart?" Aizen mumbled as he watch Toushiro drape a blanket over Karin's shoulders and help her into the carriage to return to the castle.
"Something must be done. I can't allow them to fall in love. I will have that key to open the upper realms and become the king of all Soul Society. And, Karin will give me that key. So how do I do such a thing?" Aizen mumbled again as his tentacles vainly tried to smooth his unruly hair.
"Gin will pay for this treachery!" Aizen screamed as his mind moved through various scenarios to punish Gin for his undignified hairdo.
"If Momo were here, then I could use her to get back at Gin." Aizen exclaimed then blinked as a wicked though entered his mind.
"Momo is here," Aizen smirked and the perfection of his scheme even surprised him.
Later that night, Momo drifted over to a pier near the castle and stared out at the sea.
"Momo," she blinked at her name being called by her ex-captain.
"Momo," she looked around and blinked as a figure rose up from the water.
"Aizen," Momo whispered as the shadow disappeared from her eyes and the sleep spell was broken over her.
"Is that really you?" She asked as the octopus man settled on the water.
"Yes, it is I, my dear Lieutenant." Momo nearly fainted at his kind words.
"I'm flattered, but" she looked at the copper helmet he wore, "why do you have a helmet on your head?" She asked and blinked that Aizen blushed for a moment.
"I did not wish to be recognized by the other captains."
"You mean Captain Unohana?" Momo whispered and Aizen nodded his head. "What do you want?"
"I want to help you get close to Captain Hitsugaya." Aizen answered and he smirked as she blushed staring into the water. "I know of your crush on him, Momo. I have always known." Aizen smiled then frowned that Momo had become depressed.
"Yes, but he does not see me the same way. The one he likes is Karin Kurosaki." Momo explained, completely oblivious of the dangerous information she presented to the evil ex-captain.
"Is that so?" Aizen smirked cupping his tentacle under his chin. "That doesn't matter. I have a gift that can make Karin disappear from his mind forever." Aizen exclaimed (Ichigo would be ecstatic with this news).
"You do?" Momo walked toward the end of the pier so she could get closer to him.
"Yes, simply wear this conch shell and I guarantee that he will forget Karin exists. His focus will be on you alone." Aizen extended the glowing conch shell holding Karin's voice toward Momo with one of his black tentacles.
"Okay, Aizen, I will." Momo accepted the necklace and draped it over her neck. Immediately, she began to glow with a golden haze emanating from the conch shell. She held the shell in her hand and smiled to the object.
"Very good, Momo," Aizen smirked and drifted away from the pier as she continued to cradle the shell in her hand.
Omake
*Aizen is still floating away from the pier when his helmet cracks and falls off his head.*
Momo: O-O *Stares at the glowing neon green spiked Mohawk lighting the water above Aizen.*
Aizen: Is there something the matter?
*Momo points to head in silence. Aizen touches his head and his eyes go wide.*
Aizen: O-O. This?
*Momo nods.*
Aizen: This is a new style I am testing. *Coughs in awkwardness.*
Momo: It looks odd on you. *Points and smiles.*
Aizen: This was an accident, Momo.
Momo: I like it on you. It makes you look nicer.
Aizen: You really think so? *Stares at Momo in surprise.*
Momo: Yes, then again you would look good even if you were bald.
*Glares at Momo then disappears under the water.*
Aizen: Apparently I messed with her mind a little too much back in Soul Society.
A/N: Here is another section of The Little Mermaid. This section is becoming a little longer than I originally thought, but I don't want to rush this section through. So, I guess you guys will have an extra treat with a fourth section. I promise that the little mermaid will be complete in the next chapter. Then we can see how Toushiro will take to Aizen knowing about Karin. That will be an interesting conversation.
Let me know what you think of this chapter.
A/N2: I gave you Byakuya singing "Kiss the girl". Let me know how you think he did.