Slow review for that chapter... anyways, seems i'm not going to summer school after all. i think my parents forgot, or maybe it's because of my cold... oh well. as long as i don't have to go!

and since i'm so happy right now, i decided to update even though the review requirement was not met.

So here's chapter 10.

ENJOY!:D

and i expect 7 reviews for the new chapter to come out SEVEN!

Chapter 10: A Late Night Visitor

"Nice going Ichigo!" Rukia yelled at the strawberry before her, her arms crossed and face looking angry. "You got us kicked out, are you happy now?!"

Ichigo looked down.

"Seriously, I can't believe you'd pulled out your zanpakuto in the middle of the store like that," said Renji.

"What was going through your head Ichigo?!" Tatsuki asked. "You don't just suddenly pull out a katana in the middle of a public place and try to kill someone with it. That's crazy!"

"But-!" Ichigo protested as he pointed towards the sitting Toshiro, who was putting ice on his bused head with Rangiku standing to his left and helping him while Karin, holding Sho in her arms, stood to his right. "He was with my sister! And was all over her. You want me to just sit still and watch?"

"He was only hugging me as a thank you, Ichi-nii," said Karin. "He's just a child after all, and children carves love and attention, Ichigo. Or are you trying to tell me that you're a child too, since you keep doing this, hah?!"

"Wha-?" Ichigo began as he looked at his pissed off little sister.

"Next time you try and do something like this Ichigo, think first!" Rangiku yelled at him as she helped Toshiro. "Had Taicho not intercepted you and got kicked off to the side, you could've seriously hurt Karin-chan and Sho-kun!"

"It's a good thing that Hitsugaya-taicho was quick to think up of a plan and bind you down with those cloth," Rukia added. "Otherwise, you would've trarrorized the interior store!"

"Actually, those weren't my doing, Kuchiki," Toshiro spoke up. "That was Karin's."

"Hah?" The others looked at him.

"Her shikai, has that ability," Toshiro explained. "Mine are chains, hers are red and white cloth."

"Oh." Realization drowned into their eyes.

Karin and Toshiro looked at each other before looking down at Sho and remembered back to what happened.

Flashback

Toshiro walked up to Karin and Sho as they picked out a watermelon to take home.

"This one!" Sho shouted as he pointed to a watermelon. "It's the biggest one. I can eat a lot of it!"

"This one?" Toshiro pointed to the one Sho wanted. Sho nodded his head and Toshiro pulled it up and took the basket from Karin. He smiled at Sho after putting the big melon into the red basket.

"Oh, sorry," the man apologized to Karin when he bombed into her from behind. "Oh, it's you again. Hello."

"Hello," Karin smiled. "Shopping for food with your family?" She looked behind him to his wife and child, a little brown haired girl of about 8.

The man gave her a big smiled. "Yes," he answered. "It's been mouths since I've come home, so the family's having a big dinner to celebrate my return. Now, if you'll excuse me." He bowed and left with his family.

Karin, Toshiro, and Sho looked on.

"They look happy," Karin whispered with sadness in her eyes.

"Okaa-san," Sho said and tried to comfort her by hugging her.

Karin smiled at her son's action. "Thanks Sho," she said as she held him up into her arms and let him hug her.

"Toshiro!" They heard a voice coming from behind Toshiro and they all looked towards it to find an angry Ichigo making his way over to them, Zangetsu in his bankai state in hand.

"Kurosaki," Toshiro said as he blocked them before Ichigo pushed him off to the side, casing him to crease into a stand and hit his head hard on it.

Ichigo was still coming strong for Sho in Karin's arms and Karin moved back a bit, holding Sho protectively, when, out of no where, a red and white cloth came out of tin air and bound Ichigo to his place as they tied themselves around him.

"Hey, wha-" said Ichigo as he watched the cloth slither up his body and tie him up.

"Kurosaki," Toshiro said as he got up, eyes hidden behind his bangs. "What hell are you doing?!" He shouted, his eyes now opened and seemed to be flashing blue as the temperature in the room suddenly dropped to below freezing.

End Flashback

Karin sighed. 'Baka Ichigo,' she said in her head. 'He gave us away.'

"Well, lets go back now," said Toshiro. "I think we have enough for one day."

And they all walked back home, not aware that a shadowy figure was watching them from the shadowed alleyway.

"So, the shinigamis have come, hah," said the figure before looking back to the crops of a dead woman on the floor. "Tech, I have to be more careful." And he left, leaving the messy body on the ground.

Up on top of a building, a black haired man stood, his black coat flopping in the hot, summer wind as his brown eyes, which almost seemed to flash red, watched as Karin, Sho, and Toshiro disappeared, a deep frown on his pale face before he turned away and left.

He was in an opened field of green, holding his zanpakuto in his hand. Then, he dashed at his victim, striking her head in the heart.

Suddenly, his eyes turned from cold to shock and sadness. "~," he whispered as he took his zanpakuto out and couat the black haired woman's, worried in his eyes.

"Let's not meet again in my next incarnation," said she with her usual warm smile as her deep, oceanic blue eyes looked up at him with wrath before she closed them and fell dead in his arms.

The man cried as he nodded, compelling himself to his lover's last dying wish.

Then scene changed from an opened field to a green forest as the man watched from the shadows as his lover once again took at blade delivered to her heart once again, but this time, it was her own zanpakuto used by another girl, who smiled at her victory. He watched as her blue eyes meet his deep green ones before she fell to the floor, dying in her own pool of blood once again.

Then, another scene changed, but this time, the woman was in a white hanfu as another man held her bloody figure up for him to see, a red sky in the black ground as the man smiled at his victory.

Toshiro quickly got up, sweating. "…A dream," he whispered as he closed his eyes and tried to calm his heartbeat.

After a moment, Toshiro pulled the covers off and got up, quietly leaving the room.

He opened the door to Karin's room and walked in, sitting himself on her bedside as she watched her sleep, hugging their son in her arms. Toshiro smiled warmly as he bushed Karin's hair.

Karin moved a bit at the contact. "Toshiro," she whispered out as she opened her eyes.

Toshiro smiled. "Hey," she said.

"Um." Karin turned to look at him. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" she asked.

"Nothing, just wanted to see you, is all," he whispered as he leaned down and kissed Karin on the lips.

"Toshiro," Karin said, a blush on her face when he moved away and started kissing down her neck. "…Stop," she moored out after some time passed, her cloths now disoriented. "Rangiku and Sho are here… ah, and Ichigo is bound to come in to cheek soon…"

Toshiro frowned. "Fine," he said as he moved back and strained his cloths.

Karin watched him. "Bad dream?" she suddenly asked.

Toshiro stopped and looked away. "Yeah," he answered.

Karin got up. "It is about that again?"

Toshiro nodded.

Karin smiled and brought her arms around to hug Toshiro from behind. "It's okay," she whispered to him warmly, her eyes closed and a warm smile on her face. "That was in the past. It's not going to happen again."

Toshiro turned around. "But I let you-!" his eyes showed much sadness as he looked at the woman in front of him.

Karin put up a finger to hush Toshiro. She shook her head at him. "It's fine," she said, her deep blue eyes now looking at his green ones. "I was the one who asked you not to come. I was the one who said I didn't what to meet you in my next life. I was the one who took the blade, so it wasn't your fought that I died, Toshiro."

"But I couldn't... didn't do anything," Toshiro hugged Karin back. "I killed you, Karin. And I let you be killed right in front of me. I couldn't save you even though I'd vowed upon my entire soul existence to protect you." Toshiro's grip tightened.

Karin smiled up at him while Toshiro tried to fight back his tears. Karin kissed his cheek. "It's okay, Toshiro," she whispered. "You're doing everything to try and save me right now aren't you? You even used a forbidden spell too no less. I'm sorry I made you go through such things, Toshiro." Karin hugged him as Toshiro cried in her arms.

Toshiro closed the door behind him and looked back at it before pushing off and walking back to his own room. He sighed once he closed the door behind him. It was already 4 in the morning. He'd been in there for 2 hours and Ichigo didn't come by again after 1, which was lucky for him, because if he saw anything… Toshiro sighed and moved towards the window, opened it up before climbing out and up to the roof to see to his visitor.

"Hey old friend," greeted a male's voice once Toshiro got up to the top. "Long time no see."

Toshiro looked up and found, sitting on the roof with a sake bottle in his hand and some more around him, was a blond haired teen around Toshiro's age with blond hair and sky blue eyes.

"Rokudaime (6th)," Toshiro nodded. "Or should I call you Hiroki instead… many even your-."

"Would you like me to call you Jack then," Hiroki countered, a smile on his face.

"Hiroki it is," Toshiro whispered as he sat down next to the smiling blond. "What are you doing here, you canny fox?"

Hiroki laughed. "What? Can't I come and visit a friend who I haven't seen in a long time?" he patted Toshiro on the back.

Toshiro scrolled. "You saw me in the Village just 13 years ago."

"But that was 13 years ago, Toshiro!"

Toshiro sighed as he grabbed a bottle of sake. "You're actually here to see how Karin's doing, aren't you?" Toshiro asked as he poured himself a cup.

Hiroki laughed. "Hey, I haven't seen her far longer then you, you know. Beside, I missed her. She's my top student after all…"

Toshiro looked at him. "Is that the only excuse you can give me? Her being your top student?"

Hiroki smiled. "Okay, so many it's because she's my favorite baby cousin…"

"Aha." Toshiro closed his eyes and drink his sake.

"Oh lighten up, Toshiro!" Hiroki said. "Didn't you just go at it with my little sister? Gees."

Toshiro looked at him. "Sorry, but I'm not you, General Summer."

Hiroki smiled. "Okay, so what if that's true and you are my opposite? After you do something like that with the person you love, you should feel happy! Like your complete." He then opened his eyes and glared at Toshiro. "Or are you saying that you don't love Karin anymore, General Winter?"

Toshiro smiled a bit. "Ah, you're tails are showing, Hiroki."

"Hah?" Hiroki looked behind him to see that indeed, his tails were showing. Just as suddenly as they had appeared, the yellow fluffy fox-tails were gone like they'd never appeared, leaving no trace behind what so ever to be found. "Thanks."

"Yeah. What are friends for?"

"So, about Karin…" Hiroki looked at Toshiro.

Toshiro sighed. "I dreamt them again, Hiroki. Those dreams… those… memories…"

Hiroki looked at his friend sadly.

"But this time, I think I saw the future too, Hiroki. I didn't just see the past frozen in ice… I saw... a possibility…." Toshiro said.

"What was it?" Hiroki asked, moving closer.

"I saw… Karin dying again…" Toshiro answered. "But this time, she was going to be given to… given as a sacrifice for his revival, Hiroki." Toshiro looked up and Hiroki once again saw the Toshiro that not many have seen. This Toshiro was broken; he was pale, sad, and lonely with no idea about what to do next.

"Toshiro," Hiroki went up and comforted his old friend. "It's okay. It's only one possibility right? Remember, the future can change."

"But what if it is true?" Toshiro asked. "What if-… what if Karin really will become the final key-."

"She will not!" Hiroki yelled. "We'll protect her. It is the duty of the Heavenly Guardians to protect her, the last princess of Celestial. She won't die. The King won't have it. Knowing that genius uncle of mine, he won't just let his last daughter die like that. He won't give her up that easily… not after losing the queen…"

Toshiro nodded and Hiroki smiled. "You're right," Toshiro calmed down. "Thanks, Hiroki. What would I do without you, my friend?" Toshiro smiled at Hiroki.

"You'd be stock, that's for one," Hiroki said and they both laughed.

"...The moon's beautiful tonight," Hiroki remarked as he looked up to the full, blue moon. Toshiro also looked up. "It's going to be a new moon tomorrow."

Toshiro looked down. "I know,' he said.

"Last night was a red moon, tonight is a blue moon, and tomorrow is a new moon…" Hiroki looked towards the next house beside them. "He's not going to last long, that man."

"Yeah," Toshiro agreed. "He'll probably have to give in and hunt again soon. Most likely, it'll be during the new moon tomorrow." He took another cup of Kitsune sake.

Hiroki smiled. "This is what happens when you've been reviled by the Red Blood Stone. In order for one to maintain their body, one must hunt." Hiroki took a cup and drunk it down. "Aahh, it'll be a fun game to watch, won't you agree, Nanadaime (7th)?" he turned to look at Toshiro.

"…It would be…" Toshiro agreed. "If the one who holds the stone and is doing this was not the man I happened to have sealed away all those years ago, in a block of ice on top of the northern realm mountain…" Toshiro took another sip of his sake. "And had he not been after me and Karin… if it wasn't he who holds a grudge, then yes, it would be fun…"

Hiroki laughed. "You're still the same old Toshiro who's both my best friend and worst enemy alright, you slithery Ice Dragon."

"Speak for yourself, you trickery 9-tailed Kitsune (fox)," Toshiro said, his eyes closed as he took another sip of sake. "Good sake..."

Hiroki smiled. "Thanks! I brought your favorite!"

Toshiro smirked as he played with the sake in his cup by moving the cup back and forth. "Karin won't be able to stand it," he remarked.

Hiroki chuckled. "She may have the family blood, but she is still her mother's daughter," Hiroki said as he looked up at the night sky.

Toshiro chuckled. "Yeah. The only liqueurs she can hold in are plum and sakura sake... Plum, the divine fruit of Heaven..."

"... You know why he chose this time to take his revenge, right?" Hiroki asked as he gazed at Toshiro out of the corner of his eyes.

Toshiro sighed and looked up at the blue moon. "Yeah," he said. "It's summer after all. I'm weak during the summer... But Karin on the other hand." He smiled a bit.

Hiroki looked at Toshiro out of the corner of his eyes before taking anther bottle of strong sake. "She would be," Hiroki agreed, "if she isn't... as sick as she is right now..."

Toshiro looked down.

"Found the cure yet?" Hiroki asked.

Toshiro scoop his head. "No," he answered. "The only thing I can do to keep her by my side, is to freeze her in time..."

Hiroki looked at him. "...Oh look at the time!" Hiroki suddenly said as he took out a gold pocket watch from within his orange kimono. "It's already this late? I have to go, Toshiro. Clan meeting after this." He got up, turned into a yellow, medium sized 9 tailed fox and leaped away into the sky.

Toshiro watched after him as he flew off towards the moon. 'A new moon hah,' he thought. 'That's the time that darkness consumes all...' Toshiro took out a sliver stringed necklace and looked at the blue crystal with a gold ring complete with a red gem in the middle, sealed inside it. 'Karin...'

The 4th Shiakge walked into the dark meeting room and went up to the three other Shikages left.

"Is it done, Minato-nii?" ask the Shikage standing to the left as he stepped out of the shadow, his chocolate brown eyes on his older brother's form.

The blond haied man turned his blue gaze over to his younger, black haired, half brother and nodded his head.

"Yes Subaru," he answered the 13th Shikage. "The gate has been sealed Off. Oz went to Earth to meet up with the others already, and Killua is on his way back to finish up the paperwork he left behind, I believe, with Honoka and her father, the high general commander, Verius Zen, coming along as well."

The 1st Shikage suddenly roused from his throne at the head of the room. All the Shikages turned his way.

"Kazuya?" Minato questioned as Kazuya walked pass him. "Where are you going?"

"Sorry Aniki," came Kazuya's plain words as he walked out. "I need to step out for a bit."

"...Where's he going all of a sudden?" Minato questioned as he watched after his younger brother's, in the body of a 13-year-old boy's, leaving form.

"Most likely," came other voice as an 11 year old boy with black hair and wearing big, round glasses over his gray eyes stepped out of the shadows, "to see Miyuna," said the 2nd Shikage.

"Eriol," Minato greeted his old friend.

Kazuya stood in the darkness of the Abyss, just outside the big, white gate. He put his hand on it and looked up, his eyes sad.

"Father," came a males' voice.

Kazuya turned his head towards the voice to find his 3rd son standing there, wearing a black cloak and holding onto his red scythe.

"Oz," Kazuya said to his son in the body of a 15 year old boy with Kazuya's blond hair, but his mother's, deep forest green eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"My job? As the 9th Shikage, I'm task with watching over the affairs of the Abyss, remember?" Oz questioned.

"Oh, that right. I've been gone for so long that I've forgotten, sorry." Kazuya turned away.

"... Here to see mother again?"

"..."

"... I saw Karin today," Oz went on. "Sho's as cute as ever... Aniki talked with Toshiro for a bit."

"... I see," Kazuya said. "So the God of Winter is protecting her still... Good." He looked down with warm, sad eyes

"...Father, you know how to cure Karin, don't you?" Oz questioned his father, who appeared as though he was but a boy no older then 13. "Isn't that the reason why you disappeared? You went to fine a cure for Karin, right?"

Kazuya looked up with a sad smile on his face. "As long as the God of Winter continues to freeze Karin's time, everything will be fine," Kazuya said before he turned away and left.

"...Father," Oz watched after his disappearing father. "But Toshiro can't keep doing this forever..." he looked up at the big, white gate, his green eyes sad. "He can't keep Karin's soul from dying forever..."

I reveled a lot in this chapter. So figured anything out yet? If not, then let me help you with...

*Story Question time!

1. What did Karin mean when said said Ichigo gave them away.

2. Who do you think is the shadowy figure in the Alleyway?

3. Who do you think was the guy up on top of the building?

4. What do you think of Toshiro's dreams? What does it mean?

5. Any Idea why Hiroki called Toshiro 'Jack' and Toshiro called the blond 'Hiroki' when he had other names? (Hint, Toshiro controles ice and winter. Hiroki is a trickster fox, know any trickster god?)

6. What's Hiroki's relationship with Karin?

7. Who is Karin and Toshiro? (make a list if you have to)

8. What does Toshiro and Hiroki mean by 'hunt'?

9. What is the Red Blood Stone?

NOTE: If anyone what's me to do a charator profile and a family tree or something, then...

~*~REVIEW!~*~ S must be at lest 7 and up for a new chapter to come out.