A Bleach Fan Fiction.

Written by trekkiexb5.

Hitsugaya/K. Kurosaki friendship. Rated T for language.

DISCLAIMER: If Bleach was mine, the musicals would be on Broadway.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This story is completed on paper. I will get the chapters out as soon as I can and my Beta can get them done. Maybe a week between chapters.

flashback

Zanpakuto voices

CHAPTER FIVE:

SOJURO KUSAKA

"Toushirou!" Kusaka's screams echoed in the cavernous room. "I'm the rightful owner of Hyorinmaru!

"Why are you interrupting?"

"Give me another chance!"

"TOUSHIROU!"

"Toushirou!"

I woke up with a start, sitting up and scrambling for my Zanpakuto. Well, I tried, but was interrupted by a white hot pain across my belly. I let out an agonizing groan and clutched my stomach.

"Toushirou?" Karin's voice floated over the pain. I blinked, vainly clearing the spots from my vision.

"Sorry," I mumbled, the room finally came into focus. Karin was kneeling next to me, her ebony hair only half covering the worry decorating her face. "I sat up too fast. It's okay." Not really okay, but she cannot do anything about it.

She pursed her lips, but nodded. "I let you sleep in. You really needed it. I got up a few hours ago, and while I was getting cleaned up, those two weird girls showed up…"

"WHAT? WHEN?" I shouted. Damn!

"It's to the south," she replied.

"Damn!" I swore, smacking my head. We just came from the south. They were far south, too.

"Look, there's some hot water." I opened my eyes and looked up at her. "I found a bucket, and I cleaned it out. Only a few faucets in the building work. I warmed up some hot water and put it and your mostly dry clothes in the bathroom. There is no reason to chase after them now. They are too far away. Might as well get cleaned up and eat."

She was right, they were too far away. I don't know why they went back south, but I did know they were trying to lead me somewhere, hopefully to Kusaka. It didn't make sense that they would backtrack suddenly.

She stood up and held out her hand. I took it gratefully and after she handed me Hyorinmaru, I stumbled into the bathroom. Stripping the human clothes off, I used the soap and hand towel from the toiletries kit Karin so thoughtfully left in here and wearily washed myself off.

As I toweled dry, I took a long hard look at my self in the mirror. I looked terrible. Black circles around my eyes, multiple bruises and abrasions, and under a swath of bandages that were slowly turning red, the wound. A wound I knew, despite all of Karin's care, was festering.

I sighed. I chose this path. I have to walk it to its end. I quickly got dressed in my uniform, complete with the undergarments, and toed my tabi on. I walked out with the clothes from yesterday and the bag of toiletries.

I thanked Karin, and sat down for our meager meal. We were silent, lost in our own thoughts. There wasn't much to do; we were in a holding pattern until…

"My brother…" Karin murmured.

"Yes, and Rukia Kuchiki."

"Are they fighting those girls?"

"I believe so, feel how their reiatsu fluctuates? That's a strong indicator of a battle."

We sat for a minute or two, staring into space as we concentrated on the distance battle. Then… My eyes widened at a sudden burst of spiritual pressure, uncomfortably familiar spiritual pressure…so much more powerful than before… "Kusaka."

Karin stared at me, eyes widening. She stood up, gave me a determined nod, and said, "I'll start packing."

So Kusaka showed himself. He is preparing to move soon, very soon. Suddenly, Kusaka's spiritual pressure skyrocketed, and Ichigo's dropped to almost undetectable.

Karin stopped, mid-fold. "Ichigo!" Her face was horrified at the thought of her brother possibly being dead.

"He's still alive," I said. She whirled to face me. "He's very tough. I can still feel him. Most likely he's unconscious. Don't worry; he'll make it out alive."

She nodded and continued to pack, her face now tense with worry. Less than a minute later, Kusaka's reiatsu appeared close by, very close by.

"It's time," I said. She nodded in response.

I debated for the last time whether Karin should come with me. I doubted she would leave me now, and frankly, I did not want her to leave. I was putting her in danger, but those Arracar girls, still fighting with Rukia, might use her or even kill her if I wasn't near Karin. They haven't hurt her yet, so I suspect Kusaka wants me to bring her with me. Probably for blackmail purposes. Regardless, I was relieved that this would be over soon, one way or another.

"And Karin?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you…" I sighed slightly embarrassed. "Would you help me get my waraji…err sandals on?" I just couldn't bend over anymore.

She gave me a soft smile. "Okay."

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

We soon carefully worked our way down the office building. We passed through the trashed and graffiti foyer, and ventured outside. Kusaka was in the adjoining building, a big boxlike structure with a collapsing glass roof. It was dark and ugly.

I didn't understand it. He appeared in the building next door, why? I suspect he knew where we were the whole time. My tracking of the Arracar females was mostly a feint; I was trying to avoiding shinigami patrols. They disappeared and reappeared too much to be an exact guide.

He must know Karin was with me. I do not know if he would use her as a possible hostage or just to twist the knife, so to speak, but the minute she started walking with me, she was doomed. Sending her away, would not make a difference.

What was he thinking? Why was he alive? What's his plan? If he was the friend I knew long ago, I think he would not have gone through all this. His behaviour so far, has been tainted with seemingly evil intentions. Revenge is possible, considering Central 46 had him executed. Was it jealously? I did, after all, make captain, breaking records as I did at the academy. Did he covet that? Or did he just go mad? Any or all of these could be the truth. I had so many questions.

Time to get some answers.

We entered the building; the tarnished sign on the unhinged door reading that this was a warehouse at one point. We needed to go down. We found the staircase. As the heavy metal door squealed on its hinges, we could barely make out a vast cavernous room with large concrete pillars that stretched down into the darkness.

"Wow," Karin gasped. "That is deep."

I leaned against the wall, searching my pocket for the sash that normally held Hyorinmaru and the sunburst brooch that Captain Issin gave me as a reward for earning my first seated position in the squad.

So long ago.

As Karin watched, I pulled Hyorinmaru from its scabbard, which vanished, and tied the sword to my hand. I placed the brooch on the back of my palm.

"Why?" She asked as we started our journey into the abyss.

"So I won't drop my sword if I parry and the opponent's swing is too hard."

"Oh, that's pretty smart, Toushirou."

I grunted, and concentrated on the rickety metal staircase. "Look," I said after a few flights, "Whatever happens, stay behind me. This is probably going to get very dangerous." She nodded, a serious look covering her features.

How deep was this warehouse? And why would anyone need something this big? For what? After fifteen flights of stairs we finally came to the bottom. Light was dimly piercing the pillared room, probably from the broken roof above. The sound of water dripping, most likely from my little weather malfunction last night, could be heard.

The room was impossibly large. Echoes of footsteps bounced around the darkness. The massive pillars created pockets of total shadow. I heard Karin whisper, "Dwarrowdelf." Not sure what that means or if it is some kind of modern slang. We walked further into the room, knowing he was here, somewhere.

"It took you a while, but you finally found me, Toushirou." I whirled to the sound of the voice. Karin, startled, quickly ducked behind me. She listened well. Out of the humid gloom walked Kusaka.

"Kusaka!" I knew it was him since the attack on the caravan, but still, hearing his voice and seeing his face surprised me.

"I wounded you with Hyorinmaru for a very good reason. I was sending a message. What better way to tell you that I was alive?"

I don't know, showing your face would have worked. Heck, a letter would have moved me into action.

His head cocked to one side. "Oh, Toushirou, you brought your little human girlfriend, how sweet! Does that shinigami girlfriend know about her yet?" His voice was mocking.

He was just trying to get a rise out of me. I ignored it and started to ask my questions. "What is this about then?"

"Well, my old partner, life has certainly led us on a strange journey, to get us to this point."

What the…? Just answer my question already. "What do you mean?"

As he turned from me, he laughed, not exactly a pleasant laugh either. "You know full well what the 13 Court Guard Squads are like. In fact, you have seen first hand the things that they are capable of. Despite that, you hung around anyways. Why did you do that?"

My reasons are my own. And I wasn't going to…

He turned to look at me, interrupting my thoughts. "Is it that innocent childhood friend of yours? Does she know you have a pathetic human little girlfriend now? Or she hasn't recovered yet?" Momo? How did he know about her being…? Suddenly I smelled Aizen's hand in this.

I decided to react the way he wanted me, too, to see if he would give up more information. Risky, especially with Karin here, but there is a war coming very soon, and any clues on what or how exactly Aizen was going to carry out his plans could save thousands. "Momo has nothing to do with it," I answered, keeping my voice even. "Now where is the Ouin?"

As he raised his hand from behind his cloak, a soft warm yellow glow emanated from it. "I'm holding it right here in my hand. Its power makes it the perfect tool to realize our dream!"

As I suddenly had visions of a sober Matsumoto happily doing all the paperwork as I propped my feet on my very empty desk, I realized my dreams needed serious work. As I mentally shook paperwork heaven out of my head, the Ouin's glow rapidly got brighter.

"Our dream?" I asked. I wanted to know what Kusaka thought our 'dream' was. I was willing to bet it didn't involve paperwork and Aizen's, Ichimaru's, and Tosen's heads on a pike on the West Gate. "How do you know about the Ouin's power? And what are you planning to do with it?"

The light and noise was getting louder. I felt Karin clutching my cloak in the back. Her reiatsu was broadcasting fear.

"Don't get so excited. You'll find out soon enough." He paused, and then added, "I'll even let your little girlfriend join the party. Now then, let's get going!"

Going? Going where? Then I have the horrible realization he was using the Ouin to open a gate. I quickly reached behind me and grabbed firmly Karin's hand. "Don't let go, no matter what!" I yelled at her over Kusaka's laugh and the noise from the Ouin. The Spiritual Pressure was intense and I tried to shield Karin as the light and power grew rapidly.

After an eternity of whiteness, the light and noise faded. As my eyes readjusted, I felt around for spiritual Pressure. There was thousands upon thousands. The taste of reishi in the air. The smells. My vision cleared. I knew exactly where we were.

"Toushirou," Karin whispered, terror seeping into her voice. "Where are we?"

"We are on Sokyoku Hill," I answered, awe in my voice. I looked at her frightened face.

"We are in the Soul Society."

XXXxxxXXXxxxXXX

Points for catching a reference to my favourite books.

About the scabbard. It disappears and reappears all the time in the series. The movie it is the same. Heck, due the fact the sword is almost the same height as him; He draws it by lifting it through the scabbard. I conclude that the scabbard is actually part of the Zanpakuto. That would make sense, if you look at Ikkaku's for example. However, I haven't fond anything for or against this. So I took artistic license and allowed Toushirou to have control over his scabbard.

Issin is mentioned by first name rather than his last. I am not sure what his last name is at this moment, but I am thinking that Kurosaki may be either a fake name for when he came to the World of the Living or his wife's maiden name.