AN: OMG I was so inspired to write this that I didn't even try to write The Plan or Go Against the Grain (did get a little bit of Unlikely written, though) but here is an update I didn't intend to do. Haha. It was mostly inspired by a number of random sources, which I'll cite a little farther down. :DDD

Thank-you's for the last chapter:

Guest: Thank you~ I'm glad you enjoyed it. Haha.

Black Rose: Aww, thank you! I'm so glad you liked it. I'm quite fond of Yamamoto's perspective. Haha. And Masaki is kind of awesome, even though I made her up in my mind. Oh well. I hope she's as adorable to you guys as she is to me. XDDD

Guest: Thanks so much! :)))

Guest: Toushirou would make an awesome husband, right? LOL Or I'm delusional. I don't know. Haha.

nureen: Thank you. I try really hard to improve with each post. I think that they'd have an amazing love story. I guess that's why I enjoy writing them so much. Haha. Thanks for reading~

Summary: Medieval AU. Despite his reputed strength, Captain Hitsugaya of Seireitei meets his match in the most unlikely person: the alter ego of a rebellious princess.

Warnings: This was a mash-up of different inspirations. Credit for this story goes to a few things: a little bit of Autumn Dawn's Dark Lands (because I am a romance junkie), a smidgen of Avatar and probably a bit of Go Against the Grain (obviously, I'm in withdrawals with that story, haha). This is more of adventure than romance, but I like my action, shaken not stirred. ;)

October 2012 - Shadow General

It was too quiet.

That was the only thought that thrummed through Hitsugaya Toushirou's mind, as his eyes scanned the forest only to find nothing. But the feeling of dread was still there, potent and ringing in his ears. He burned with the knowledge that something was out there, unsettling his senses but not yet apparent. And while his band of soldiers were more than capable, they were a small group at the moment, only a quick moving tactic force that was sent to deal with a small territory dispute. There wasn't enough of them to deal with a full-on attack.

That was why he didn't expect to get away unscathed when the hidden army attacked, easily two-hundred men to his forty. But while they fought hard and valiantly, taking out the first hundred relentlessly, eventually they were overwhelmed. Lack of food and the fatigue from their last battle had left them at half-strength, as Hitsugaya cursed while bloodying one more enemy with his sword. However, his genius could only take him so far, as slowly each of his men was captured but not without taking a few enemies' lives.

"I suppose Seireitei is lacking in leadership if a child has taken residence as one of their commanders," a male voice drawled, his recognizable face partially obscured by a bone mask as Toushirou looked up at him from where he was forced to crouch. The legend went that Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez kept the white facet in remembrance of the first man he'd killed. Toushirou bit back the rebuttal that it was to hide his ugly face from the world.

"And I suppose Aizen has fallen pretty far to hire a mercenary in place of an actual leader," the younger man spit back, arms chained behind him and linked to his comrades. Even out of sight, he could practically feel Madarame's mad grin, a hard chuckle falling from the man's lips.

The punch across his face didn't sting nearly as much as Grimmjow's invasion of his personal space, blue eyes narrowing with a maniacal gleam. "I'm going to enjoy skinning you, Captain Hitsugaya. Making an example out of your hide will be the highlight of my week." That insipid smirk only had the white-haired officer scowling deeper, as he ran the statistics through his head.

As his gaze fell to the keys on his rival's belt, he considered his options. Stripped of their weapons and tired from a previous fight not even a day old, there was no way they could overpower them. Either they were going to have to outsmart the enemy or hope for interference from some straying band of warriors. He had no hope for the latter.

But it seemed that Fate wanted to prove Hitsugaya wrong on this occasion.

The whiz of an arrow shot one of the nearby guards down, perfectly leveled at his heart. A second one followed and quickly the group was in a mad dash to try and pinpoint their new adversary. It was only Grimmjow's presence that brought order, but it was enough time for Toushirou to get on his feet, grabbing a footman's sword form its halberd.

Tossing it over towards Ayasegawa, the beautiful soldier had already picked his cuffs early on, merely sitting and biding his time until the right moment. Taking the weapon and moving on to subdue a few reckless guards, he freed nearly a dozen men, who took the heat off the others before moving into the fray as one began freeing the rest of Seireitei's makeshift army.

As his manacles fell from his wrists, it didn't escape the captain that the arrows were coming steadily and with deadly precision. Not one of Toushirou's men were hit, though it should've been difficult to miss them considering each was in close combat with more than one warrior out for their blood. Soon enough the small group had overwhelmed the undertrained cadets, their only true threat in the form of Jaegerjaquez and his swinging strength. He'd already claimed a few lives and Hitsugaya would be damned if he'd take one more.

It ended with Grimmjow's head severed from his body.

"Yo, Captain, we good here?" Madarame broke in, covered in the blood of the fallen and looking mighty pleased by the fact. The look in his eyes was so similar to Captain Zaraki's that sometimes he nearly disliked the man, though he was a nearly unparalleled combat specialist.

Nodding, Hitsugaya spared one last glance at the corpse of the hired hitman. "Yes, Madarame. We're heading home." But he didn't move immediately, as his eyes went up and right, towards the direction of their impromptu savior. The fact that the archer was still hiding up there didn't escape him, though Toushirou didn't understand why. His reward could be great if he wanted it. Yamamoto Genryuusai was nothing if not fair and would appreciate any man's brave act if it meant helping his army.

Of course, it wouldn't surprise the prodigy if he wanted to keep his identity a secret. After all, there were many who wouldn't want to be caught picking sides between his kingdom and Hueco Mundo, which had fallen and flourished under Aizen's dictatorship. And the only thing standing in his way of world domination was his nation's rival, the country he played traitor to four years ago. Gripping his hands at his sides, Toushirou let the glower fill his features for a moment before relaxing. There would be time for anger later. Right now, he had a job to do and a team to lead.

"Whoever you are out there, show yourself," he commanded steadily, eyes searching for any sort of movement in the green brush above. In reply, an arrow with a piece of parchment sailed to his feet. Untying the letter, his brow quirked up at the practiced script. The writer was educated, which was a bit odd considering that most wandering fighters were barely literate.

It was a plain and simple message. No.

"I like this guy. He's got balls," his bald companion howled, reading the message over his shoulder. Growling, Toushirou crumpled the note and tried again.

"We don't wish to harm you. We'd only like to meet the man who saved us," he tried again, but this one was the same as the last. The paper was signed off with two letters this time, initials of the name of some stranger who was not their enemy but who was also not their friend. Hitsugaya wasn't foolish enough to believe that they shared anything more than a common foe. He'd hoped that a face-to-face talk would've established a more tangible connection. But that time would come, he knew, as he glanced one last time at the foreshadowing words.

Soon, Captain Hitsugaya. – S.G.

Relaying the incident to the other generals and their commanding officer was first priority on Toushirou's list as he was summoned immediately once he crossed through the gates. While the battle had finished just as planned, the spectacle afterwards was a detour that needed explaining. And although his injured had been treated before the attack, the fact that they had help from some imaginary source had prickled some nerves since no one knew the man's intentions.

"It could be a trap," Ukitake spoke seriously, the sickly general known for inspiring men in the midst of despair and underestimated strength.

"It's not out of the realm of possibility, but it doesn't explain why he would refuse an invitation from Captain Hitsugaya," Kyouraku butted in, edging his friend out with an easy tilt of his head. His deceptively uncaring attitude hid the guise of a monster, as he turned his eyes to the youngest member in the room.

The man nodded in response. "It would have been more effective to make an alliance there than wait until I returned. In the middle of nowhere, we would be on equal footing. Here, I would have the obvious advantage."

"But he will have much more to gain, if he decides that he should align himself with us," Kuchuki Byakuya supplied, the handsome captain perfectly poised in his indifference. His words were an extension of what they were all already thinking. "Regardless if he is a mercenary without allegiance or the citizen of a smaller nation, we have much more to offer than anything he has to bargain with. Where Aizen would intimidate and eventually takeover, we provide protection and assistance that none of the smaller kingdoms can afford to pass up."

"It sounds as if your mysterious savior is biding his time," Unohana spoke softly, the world-renowned healer unusually sober. "Only time will tell if he is truly interested in aiding us or not."

A murmur of agreement coursed through the meeting room, as a pregnant silence took over them. But it was broken by Mayuri's words, the logical man a terrifying genius and bloodthirsty killer when he needed to be. Just the thought that he could kill in the name of science sent a cold chill down Hitsugaya's spine, as he listened with partial interest.

"Did you say that were attacked on the outskirts of Karakura's capital?" he asked, his grinning face searing Toushirou's patience. Truly, just a look at the man was enough to make his skin crawl, though he nodded silently. "There are rumors that Karakura has been hiding a secret within the walls of their largest city. It seems that ever since their prince, Kurosaki Ichigo, has risen to power, his duties to guard his home's borders have been split between meeting his people's needs and the military obligations he's famous for."

No one needed to ask what he meant by that. The former Crown Prince of Karakura was nothing if not a reputable warrior, one that could go head-to-head with anyone of them in the room. Somehow, he inspired loyalty that bordered obsession and a willingness to fight that made his already powerful troops that much more efficient and vicious. Even if their numbers were a fraction of Seireitei's, it would not be an easy win if their armies were forced to face each other.

"Are you saying he's found a replacement?" Kuchiki asked, raising an eyebrow curiously. The amount of emotion was enough to pique everyone's attention, as they knew the Kuchiki House had close ties to the Kurosaki Family.

"Not exactly, no," the odd man teased, his already wide smirk stretching disturbingly big. Turning to Hitsugaya, he shot him a gleeful look that only darkened the prodigy's sour mood. "They say that another has halved his burden, though his identity is unknown to the public. In fact, no one knows who the man is, what he looks like or if he even exists. But he must, since their country hasn't given up a single inch of their land to Hueco Mundo, and that's no easy feat considering their size."

"And who is this so-called commander?" Genryuusai wheezed, the first words he'd spoken since the beginning of their conference.

A sarcastic roll of his eyes. "An absolutely droll name, but it was the papers that had been given liberties with it. They call him the 'Shadow General,' a man who hides in plain sight and commands one of the greatest armies in the eastern hemisphere." The masked man snorted then, obviously finding the moniker ridiculous.

But Toushirou couldn't brush it off. Because the name on that letter was signed by that man, he knew it. Sending Yamamoto a telling glare, his baritone rung softly but surely in the large room. "I believe that we'll need to meet with Karakura's royal family, Captain Commander. I have no doubt they'll bring him along, if only for safety purposes." And, as the old man issued an order to have the invitation sent out, Hitsugaya could feel his blood burn with the knowledge that he'd meet his mysterious rival very, very soon.

"Please, Karin, just do me a favor and behave yourself." The exasperation in her brother's voice did nothing to quell the smirk on her pretty face, her china doll features twisted into something much more menacing.

"Considering that I'm the one that's going to be doing a good amount of the diplomatic work, shouldn't you be sucking up to me a little bit more, Ichi-nii?" she inquired innocently, holding the reins of her horse and riding in side saddle, as was expected of her standing as her nation's princess. But it was a terribly uncomfortable position, though she doubted any man knew it. Sometimes her gender was more of an obstacle than an asset.

The orange-haired ruler groaned, not liking the reminder. "If only our Old Man hadn't decided to up and retire, then I wouldn't have to worry about all this stuff. Everyone in court knows you should've been named successor, not me."

Biting her lip, Karin knew that it was true to some extent. While her brother had won their people's hearts with his courage and daring, he was no ambassador. Preferring to be elbow deep in labor rather than listening to his advisors, sometimes the youngest of the Kurosaki family wondered what their father had been thinking, choosing the most reluctant of his children as his next-in-line. But although it stung to be passed over despite all her abilities and hard work, Karin also understood what their father was seeking to gain from the unorthodox choice.

During times like these, when war was an imminent threat on the horizon, their small but prosperous country needed a hero, someone that would make them feel safe, even when the darkness descended upon them. It was a comfort she'd never be able to provide. Because while she was intelligent and persuasive, Karin was not the one leading their armies into battle and claiming those many victories. So while Yuzu had taken the more obvious route and entered marriage, the other Kurosaki twin decided to follow her brother down his path, helping to ease him into his new role. Unfortunately, his unwillingness made the last year's progress cripplingly slow.

"You're our king now so act like one, you big baby," she said as she nudged him, nearly tipping him off his steed. Her giggle was contained behind her hand, as they approached the awaiting gates. The guards gave them a sparing glance before lifting the white slab, allowing the guests to be greeted by a number of handlers and a representative to bring them to meet the leaders of Seireitei.

From a distance, the discussion room was filled while the windows remained open, as both the captains and their lieutenants got good looks at the new arrivals. And while they were well aware of Ichigo's attractive façade, the young woman at his side and in the midst of his men was a new addition.

"Who is the girl keeping company with young King Ichigo?" Soi Fong asked, her eyes narrowing as her subordinate gushed over the beautiful woman. She delivered a hard punch to Omaeda's jaw for the ogled noblewoman.

A slight shift of Byakuya's eyes confirmed his suspicions. "That is Kurosaki Karin, his younger sister. She will be the one doing most of the dealings with us."

"But I thought Ichigo was the ruler of Karakura, Onii-sama," Rukia butted in from beside Ukitake, as she attempted to catch a glimpse of the party from her seat.

"It seems that Princess Karin is the more tactful of the two. While her brother was handling their armies and working among his people, she was running the palace and passing legislation on his behalf," Mayuri answered, his knowledge extending and well researched.

"Then why did he become ruler when it was obvious that she was more suited?" Matsumoto chimed in, her blue eyes lighting curiously in question. Beside her, Hitsugaya's eyes were closed in meditation, though he listened with interest to their rampant conversations.

A slow smile filled the masked face. "I suppose we'll have to see and find out."

Luckily it was a short wait, as their rep announced the Kurosaki's arrival. With welcoming gestures, Genryuusai introduced his officers sitting at the table but passed over the lieutenants to save time. Ichigo did the same with his small party, mentioning his sister and his two generals, Ishida Uryuu and Sado Yasutora, before taking a seat on the opposite end of the table.

"Thank you for accepting our invitation on such short notice, King Ichigo," Yamamoto offered, a pleasant way to start the conversation. The almost clumsy nod that he gave was supplemented by Karin's careful reply.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Sovereign Yamamoto. We're honored by your interest in our small country's security," she spoke easily, back straight and with all the grace her heritage had entitled her with. Everyone's eyes settled one her, a mix of surprise, uncertainty and expectation, as she shot their leader a kind smile. A warrior came in many different shapes and forms. Karin's was just a bit different from most.

"From what I've heard, your country has done much for ours as well." The insinuation of Hitsugaya's rescue was subtle, as he fished to see if it was truly their general that'd protected his own. But Karin gave nothing away, as she smiled politely and spoke in her own cryptic code.

"Whatever we might have done is not known by me, but perhaps you mean one of our men." And immediately everyone knew she was playing the same game, as Ichigo watched her with narrowed eyes. It wasn't safe to speak of their secret weapon so openly, especially not at a table where they were guests and not comrades. But Karin was testing the waters just as Genryuusai was, seeing how far she could go without inciting his well-known temper.

"Yes, one of them saved a number of my troops from harm."

"We'd been briefed on the skirmish just outside our castle's borders. We're glad to hear it was solved in your favor."

"If I may ask, is there any way I may meet the man who assisted Captain Hitsugaya and his team?"

A secretive smile passed across her features. "Why, the Shadow General is here and listening to every word you speak. You may say whatever you need to, Sovereign."

"Ah, but he will not hold council with me alone?" With watchful eyes, Karin knew the ancient man was using his grizzly appearance to appear much weaker than he actually was. But she was no fool to allow one of her own to be alone with him, not when negotiations hadn't even gotten under way.

"Please forgive our terrible manners, but we are not allies just yet, Sovereign. Perhaps, if things go well, a private introduction can be made. Until then, I'm afraid my brother and I will do our best to be fitting company." The gleam in her midnight eyes closed the subject with no small amount of finality, as the Captain Commander nodded stiffly and turned toward Ichigo to discuss the matters of what could be their treaty.

"What you're doing is dangerous, Karin."

Smirking to herself, the young woman didn't need to see who was speaking to know who it was. With the moon highlighting above them, the alto was clear in the crisp fall air. It was a tone that spoke of warm childhood memories and laughter and sisterhood. To say that she was happy to hear from Lady Rukia after all this time would be an understatement, but the circumstances weren't the same ones that she'd recalled so fondly.

"I see you're worrying needlessly again, Rukia," she said, allowing the smaller woman to fall in step beside her. Out of the corner of her eye, she felt a pang of jealousy at the breeches she wore, ones that wouldn't get caught if she took long strides. Mentally, Karin cursed the baby blue dress that hugged her womanly figure and softened her already feminine looks.

"I know what you're doing," the older woman continued, shaking her head fretfully as Karin came to a stop beneath a large tree, bathing them in darkness. "You and I both know the secret you're hiding, the one that only your family knows."

She lifted an eyebrow, inquisitive. "And how would you know that?"

"I only needed a few rumors and a couple of firsthand accounts to figure it out. Even as I child, I knew you were capable of much more than you let on. What I can't believe is that Ichigo would allow something like this to continue."

"'Ichigo,' huh? What happened to 'Your Majesty'?" Karin chuckled, remembering how Rukia had stumbled over the greeting when she and her brother had greeted them earlier in the day. While she'd blushed a mortifying red, the young ruler looked at his friend as if she'd grown an extra appendage, frowning as he told her to never call him that again. It seemed that first loves never truly died.

"We're talking about you right now, not him!" she hissed impatiently, though Karin had no doubt she was blushing even under the cover of night. The only thing the princess could do was shrug her shoulders before turning her back to her friend.

"I'm good at what I do, Rukia. And I'll do whatever it takes to protect my country."

"Even assume an alter ego to do it? You'd take your brother's place on the battlefield when he cannot?" The accusation blistered almost as much as the guilt, as Karin remembered the devastation in her family's eyes when they'd unmasked her. After taking a beating in battle, she'd returned home bloody and with broken bones, her sister's crying in her ears as the brown-haired girl called for their parents and a medic.

But even worse than their angry sadness was Ichigo's torn look of betrayal, as he stared down at her from the edge of her bed and gave her a full once-over. Because he hadn't known that he was leading her into war, disguised as one of his own hand-picked soldiers, and she'd nearly died in her fear of being exposed. And even though he forbade her from taking another step in the direction of battle, Karin fought him every single time, putting on her armor and daring him to stop her.

She was too educated about war to be left at home, had too much working knowledge to not be there to guide his armies as effectively as they needed to be. They were too small of a nation to fight long-winded battles and remain intact. They needed to be smart, efficient, kill as many as they could in as little time as possible to safeguard their men. Under the disguise of the Shadow General, she was a war lord on par with her brother, though no one was aware of that other than a choice few.

"They'll find out, you know. If I already have, then the captains will discover you soon enough." It was a warning, plain and simple.

With a small, sad smile, Karin turned back to her. "I hope so, Rukia, I really hope so."

She hadn't realized just how famous the military leaders of Seireitei were. Even as she explored the citadel and the training grounds that easily dwarfed the castle she called home, Karin couldn't get over how everyone's eyes followed the man behind her. And if she wasn't well acquainted with how deadly he was, then Karin would swear they were watching Hitsugaya Toushirou because he was ridiculously attractive and for no reason else.

Well, it would explain the women's swooning at least, she thought with some trepidation, as yet another girl stopped what she was doing just to follow his form with her eyes. And, by the numerous glowers she was receiving, she was the eyesore that needed to be removed as soon as possible.

"Don't let them bother you."

The whisper ghosted into her ear, shooting down her spine and causing her to halt abruptly. She could feel his heated presence behind her, seeping through the cotton of her dress, as she rubbed her ear uncomfortably. A part of her wasn't sure if she wanted to wash off the feeling or rub it further into her skin.

"Captain Hitsugaya, I am fully capable of taking myself around, you know," Karin explained with a smile, trying to look disarming. The lack of change in his façade had her tsk-ing mentally, as she bit the inside of her cheek.

"But it was my decision to accompany you, Your Highness." But he didn't say why, not because he didn't want to but because he couldn't. Only one week in her presence and he was inexplicably drawn to the young royal, who hid her thoughts with practiced ease and looked around her as if she was afraid something might come out of the woodwork to get her. She was much too guarded to be a normal girl, too sure of herself at twenty-two years of age. He had no doubt that she was hiding all the answers to his questions.

"Those are your troops practicing now, right? Shouldn't you be the one instructing them?" she steered the conversation, hoping that he'd take the hint and leave her alone for a bit. She wanted to take in and appreciate the enormity of the arena, but it seemed that her babysitter wanted to ruin her fun.

"My troops can handle one practice on their own."

"Oh?" She looked down at one particular person and shot him a knowing smirk. "Then what about your lieutenant, Captain Hitsugaya?"

At the sight of his frantically waving subordinate, the bleach-haired general bit back a growl, as the busty strawberry blonde yelled her greetings excitedly. "Ignore Matsumoto. She's always like that."

"Kind of hard to ignore her when she looks like she's about to have a panic attack."

His reply was lost as a shout from the stadium was heard, as both of them looked around to see where it had come from. But it was too late to do anything about the stray arrow that had missed its target, going straight for the young princess, who could only watch with morbid fascination. Jerking forward, Toushirou reached for Karin to pull her to a safer distance—

But then she caught it around the middle.

"Your squad needs way more work if one manages to hit the stands when their targets are a good thirty feet away," Karin snorted, stabbing the point into a bench to make it look as if it'd landed there only moments before, just as an apologetic boy came running up. The cadet was barely an adult, a child if she'd ever see one, as he bowed profusely and spit out every excuse in the book.

Choosing to ignore the stunned but imploring look on Hitsugaya's face, Karin faked a breathless voice, as she held a hand to her chest in discomfort. "I hadn't seen it coming and I was terribly frightened. But I'm fine, thanks to your captain here, so please don't feel too bad. I'm sure you'll become a much better shot with some practice."

Pretending to have difficulty pulling the arrowhead from its etched hole, she handed it to warrior-in-training, along with a shy smile. The flush of red and a promise to improve himself 'for her highness's honor' nearly had her laughing, as she waved the star struck boy away. The blistering glare her escort was giving her only made her grin wider, as he crossed his arms over his chest and looked the woman up and down.

His next sentence had a decisive bite about it. "So, are you going to tell me your secrets, Princess, or will I have to fight you for them?"

A slight pout of her lips. "You would fight a defenseless maiden just to get an explanation or two?"

"No, not a defenseless maiden, but I certainly wouldn't mind putting to rest your identity, Your Highness. Or should I say it's nice to finally meet you, Shadow General?"

Not even managing to look put-out, the raven-colored girl turned away with a flip of her hair and sway to her hips. The heated look she sent him from over her shoulder nearly had Toushirou at her beckon, but her contrasting words cooled the fire just as quickly. "Let's see if you're man enough to handle me, shall we, Captain? From previous experience, it seems that you might not have the guts for it."

Biting back a snarl, Toushirou followed after her, intent on proving her wrong.

Only her brother managed to work up a sweat like this, but after weeks of training with Hitsugaya Toushirou, Karin could understand why they called him a genius. Although he lacked the speed Ichigo was known for, he made up for it with his perfect form and sound understanding of the basics. She'd known of his reputation before but she'd underestimated just how worthy an opponent the older man was.

Blocking his thrust, she came at him with an overhead strike, one he dodged with grace unfitting his tall, lean frame. Karin should've had the advantage on the agility front, but he was nimbler than he looked and he easily outweighed her. Sometimes Karin wondered if he was toying with her, which only made her come at him harder, more furious than before.

They'd been training together in secret for almost two months, with Toushirou learning just how experienced she was and wanting to gain more from her, to know more about her. And although Karin had said she'd whip him into shape jokingly, she found that his form had no frills, no excess, nothing that required any critique. He was a perfect machine and she hated how she could only just keep up, never gaining the upper hand no matter how many times they traded blows.

But what she hated even more were those eyes of his.

The way Toushirou's irises would flash jade in triumph, flare emerald in annoyance, turn forest in excitement, she watched each emotion with avid interest. And slowly something inside her began to lust after the handsome soldier, the way he took complete control and refused to give her any, something that would've frustrated her with another man.

Even when she was debating during peace talks and listening to the other side's story, Karin hated the loss of power, hated letting someone direct the conversation away from her goals. The fact that she could let him strip her of that need and replace it with something else entirely should've had her reeling, running in the opposite direction. But she couldn't, not when he smirked at her, watching her with eyes rapt with attention, as if she was the only thing that mattered in the world. A part of her wanted him to feel that way about her forever, and that scared her to the core of her bones.

It was that feeling that had her dropping her weapon to the ground, causing a flash of bemusement to light his face, as he faltered in his steps. Instead of a straight jab or a fatal roundhouse, Karin rushed at him, forcing him to wrap his arms around her middle to stop her. But before he could ask her what was wrong or what the hell she was thinking, she shut him up.

Passion had always been a thing of action in the Kurosaki family, something that overtook them and carried them even when it went beyond the borders of propriety. As she pressed herself to the young commander, Karin mused that maybe she should've thought this through and not let her adrenaline take the reins. Because she didn't know what she'd do if he rejected her kiss, didn't know how she'd continue their friendship if he outright refused her.

But then Toushirou parted her lips, and suddenly Karin couldn't care less about the rest of the world.

Under the guise of the Shadow General, Karin went to war alongside Seireitei's Gotei Thirteen and her brother's armies. She traveled with them, using the excuse that she was working as a nurse to the soldiers and wanting to do her part as she could. And she did, whenever she wasn't wounded herself. She brought out food and blankets, offering comfort to those who couldn't be saved and trying to help those whose villages were ransacked and destroyed.

In those months, she didn't catch even a glimpse of Toushirou and although she wanted to ask, she never did bring it up with Ichigo. The poor guy was already on the end of his leash, knowing that Rukia was out there as well and not being able to protect her like he so desperately wanted. She had a feeling that if news got out that Rukia was hurt, then he'd pack up his camp and trail after her by himself. Because where words failed him, the way he acted when it came to his first love spoke volumes for the young man's affections.

And slowly, as the months turned into a year, the enemy fell one by one, one camp after another. They reclaimed smaller countries and restored power to their ruling families, who willingly signed treaties and supplied foodstuffs and materials as needed for the soldiers. Eventually, it all came down to Aizen in his castle, taking out the last of his minions before disposing of him for all the world to see.

From across a crowded throne room, as people whooped and cheered, throwing their arms around each other and saying their prayers, all Karin and Toushirou could do was smile forlornly at each other before turning away.

"Oh, isn't this romantic, Karin?"

"Yeah, if you like story books and magical elves," she yawned, her sarcasm dripping as the events in the foreground played out. As the last day of their victory's celebration came to a climactic end, the highlight belonged to the tournament down below, as men fought valiantly for their country's pride and the hand of a maiden in the crowd. But while the dark-haired princess was more interested in the free-for-all going down, she had the distinct feeling that Yuzu was referring to the latter part of the previous statement.

Though peace had descended after their decisive win, Karin's secret was still locked up tightly behind bars. A part of the reason was because she hadn't wanted the backlash that came with hiding herself while another simply didn't want to take away from the victory that'd taken place. In the end, the Shadow General was neither a mystery nor a necessity anymore. So she decided to let her alter ego die in battle, a fitting end for her larger-than-life persona.

"Oh come on, Karin. Don't tell me that you wouldn't want to be the prize for any of those men down there," her twin badgered, pouting cutely as Karin snorted. Being some idiot's trophy was never in her plans, not in this lifetime.

Beneath her breath, Karin muttered unkindly. "I'm better than all those guys down there."

"What did you say?"

"I said, no, because I have self-esteem and I don't have to be won by some guy to feel loved."

Ignoring Yuzu's indignant sputtering, Karin refocused half-glazed eyes on the whittled down six. While it was an honor to get this far, only the champion was allowed his pick from the most sought-after women in the world. Popular opinion noted that bets were set on Hinamori Momo, the adopted daughter of a nobleman from a kingdom up north, being the favorite, as she was known for both her intelligence and good humor on top of her beauty.

But as her eyes strayed to a familiar head of white, Karin hoped they were wrong, or at the very least Hitsugaya would lose. But, as terrible as that sounded, it didn't look like a plausible ending. With Ichigo already setting his sights on Rukia, there was no one of note among his competitors. Even Abarai Renji and Ishida were nuisances at best, but they were no match for the young, prodigious captain. The fact that he and Hinamori had history also made her stomach knot in uncertainty.

It was only moments later that he was declared the winner, as he shook hands with the last of his fallen comrades before accepting the applause that came with his triumph. She wished she wasn't so desperate for a sign, as she leaned forward a bit to try and make out what he was saying to the announcer. As the crowd began to quiet, the ringleader of the events presented Hitsugaya, earning the screams of adoring women and riots from boisterous men.

"Captain Hitsugaya of Seireitei, you are today's victor. In honor of your valiant effort, you have been given the honor of choosing the woman you most desire," the energetic man teased, the cries of excitement echoing into the afternoon air. But while his eyes scanned the balconies of eligible women, Karin included, she saw how they lingered on Momo in a box to the far left. And she hated how she felt let down, betrayed by his wandering heart, even though they'd shared nothing but a common goal and a handful of kisses.

"Have you made your decision?" Yeah, the bastard has, Karin pondered angrily, making a move to stride out and collect herself. She wasn't hurt, not really. Her pride perhaps but not her heart, definitely not that. Because then that would mean she'd liked the piece of scum who'd trained with her, laughed with her, pulled her into corners and kissed her with warmth she'd never known before. She'd foolishly thought that nothing would change even if they hadn't had much correspondence in the last year, that they'd be the same people when everything fell back together again. For once in her life, Karin had miscalculated and it was going to cost her...

"How is it that I call out for you and you still don't hear me?"

"Toushirou!" Nearly stumbling back in her chair, a wide-eyed Karin looked into the irritated eyes of Hitsugaya Toushirou, leaning on the banister of her family's balcony. Covered in dirt and sweat, he wasn't fit company for his own horse, let alone royalty. Somehow, that only managed to make her heart pound harder, knowing that he'd scaled a few stories to see her personally.

A scowl flitted across his features. "I called you, Shadow General, and you didn't answer. Since you weren't coming, I came to get you myself."

Buzzing filled her ears, as the crowd picked up on what the commander was saying, spreading it around like the juicy gossip that it was. But Toushirou only had eyes for her, his lips quirked upwards as he extended his hand in invitation.

"Come, Karin. I've come to claim my prize."

He was forgetting who she was if he thought she'd be swayed by a barbaric (though somewhat romantic) gesture like that. Moving to stand before him, Karin wrapped her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, watching his eyes darken as she pulled him close enough that their lips brushed lightly. But her words weren't nearly as sweet as her actions.

"You have your work cut out for you, Captain. I won't be any man's prize until he bests me in a fight." And with nothing more to say, Karin pushed him off the ledge, smirking deliberately as she turned away and treaded towards the stairs. Her brother's teasing lilt slowed her down.

"Toushirou's gonna be pissed when he gets a hold of you," he shook his head, trying to imagine the kind of reaction the temperamental warrior would have. Looking back at him from over her shoulder, she picked up his sword and tossed it over her shoulder.

"I hope so, Ichi-nii, I really hope so."

AN: I wrote this in one day. Amazing, right? So proud~ ^^ Please drop a line if you guys enjoyed. It's hard to feel inspired without reviews and not just for me but for anyone who writes. It's a little disconcerting to write as much as I do and it feels like no one reads it. :( And for those of you that do review regularly, thank you so much for your support! I read them all the time because they help motivate me, knowing that people are waiting for an update.

Also, a bit of bad news. I'm going to have to prolong The Plan's epilogue because I spent all day doing this rather than finishing it up. Sorry guys. :(((( However, it will be done by this weekend! Look forward to it. ;)

Thanks for reading, everyone! Until next time~