Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach
"Hey Toushiro!" Karin ran up to him in a meadow. Toushiro looked around the area and blinked at the place. It was a meadow with yellow daffodils carpeting the ground with patches of roses growing in pockets around the area. Karin was wearing a red kimono as she stepped up to him. He blinked at her as he tried to remember what was going on.
"Karin?" Toushiro had a distinct image of Karin falling from Zangetsu after a gargoyle strike and gasping for breath as he carried her to a doctor.
"Are you alright?" Toushiro was almost scared to ask. She looked fine, her shoulder length black hair swayed in the breeze, and her dark eyes stared into his teal ones in confusion. She tilted her head to the side to get a better look at him.
"Of course I'm alright, Toushiro. You're here!" Karin beamed over to him and he could feel a blush color his cheeks pink. Her giggle nearly melted him to the spot. She was happy.
"So you're not hurt?" Toushiro asked, making her cease her laughter and stare at him in confusion.
"What are you talking about, Toushiro? You would never let me get hurt." Her words pierced his heart. It was true, but he had failed.
"I'm sorry, Karin." Toushiro bowed his head, unable to look her in the eyes in his shame. He swore to protect her and return her without a scratch. Instead, she was attacked by a gargoyle and it nearly killed her.
"You were injured by a gargoyle attack and I wasn't able to do anything to protect you." Toushiro lamented, refusing to look her in the eyes.
"Toushiro," Karin called to him but he kept his head bowed. "Toushiro," she called him again.
"Toushiro . . ." he blinked when her voice started to grow fainter. Snapping his head up, he gasped in fear that she wasn't in the meadow and it was different. Now, instead of the yellow daffodils covering the ground, brown grass crunched under his feet and the sky became darker with black clouds blocking out the sun.
"KARIN!" Toushiro frantically called for her and he started to run. He ran deep into the woods, following the faint whispers of her voice calling his name.
"I'M COMING! HOLD ON!" Toushiro screamed at the top of his lungs. Gasping and panting for breath, Toushiro ran harder as her voice became stronger and closer. He came to a stop at spotting Karin in a small clearing. She was standing before a dark shadow creeping through the trees.
"Karin, come here." Toushiro called as he walked toward her. She did not recognize his presence in the clearing. Her focus was on the black shadow as it stomped closer to her form. Toushiro caught a better glimpse of the creature and his blood ran cold. Black pillars of rock moving below a white mask with red markings darting through the tree trunks, a gargoyle.
"KARIN!" Toushiro ran up to her and blasted the monster with a powerful kido spell. He glared at the pile of dirt and stones littering the forest floor where the beast once stood.
"Toushiro?" Karin turned toward him and smiled. Toushiro immediately relaxed and returned her smile, happy that she was happy.
"I knew you would come. You're such a good friend." Toushiro had to turn his head to keep her from seeing the frown of disappointment darken his face.
"Karin," Toushiro looked back to her and she waited for him to speak with a smile brightening her eyes.
"Yes, Toushiro?" Karin stepped up to him.
"Karin, I . . ." his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and he wasn't able to speak to her. She simply waited with her smile brightening her eyes.
"I'm glad that you're okay. Let's go back home." Toushiro extended his hand to Karin and she approached. But before she could take his hand, a black tentacle-like arm wrapped around her waist jerking her into the air. A griffin-like gargoyle held her suspended in the air with the red eyes glaring down to Toushiro.
"NO!" Toushiro screamed and he raised his hand to attack but he was stopped when he was slammed to the ground by a black paw pressing him down. He craned his neck to look above him where the griffin drew Karin closer to him and opened his gigantic mouth.
"KARIN!" Toushiro struggled under the pressure on his back as he tried to wriggle free. "KARIN!" She was drawn closer to the mouth and his vision was blocked by a stone wing. Toushiro used all of his strength and was able to slip from under the beast but he froze in horror with a blood curdling scream followed by silence.
"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!" Toushiro screamed and fell off the bed onto the wooden floor. He sat up gasping for air and frantically searching the room.
"Where am I?" Toushiro mumbled before he remembered: he brought Karin to Kisuke Urahara and he saved her life. That was before Toushiro was shown to this room, and he must have passed out asleep.
"Karin," Toushiro stood from the floor and winced at the pain in his leg. That was going to be a bruise after his little three foot fall off the bed. He took in his surroundings: a small room with a bed and a shuddered window with rays of sunlight peeking through behind him. To the left side of him there was a chester with a small mirror propped up against the wall. That was all the furniture in the room as the right side was bare of any decoration. Toushiro walked up to the door and gently slid it open to peek outside into the hallway. As he stepped out of the room, Kisuke approached him.
"Good afternoon, Toushiro." Kisuke waved his fan to him with a wide smile. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thank you. I'd like to go see how Karin is doing." Toushiro answered as a small boy with red hair stepped up behind Kisuke.
"Of course in due time, but first you eat." Kisuke proclaimed with his fan sweeping in a wide arc.
"I'm fine. I need to see Karin first." Toushiro explained and tried to step around him, but he was blocked by Kisuke.
"You need to eat first." Kisuke explained with a tap of his fan on Toushiro's forehead.
"I'm not hungry," Toushiro exclaimed before a very loud grumble echoed through the hallway.
"My goodness, I don't recall a lion coming this far into the kingdom. Why it must be right outside my door," Kisuke peered out a window, pretending to look for the imaginary cat.
"There are no big cats around here," Ururu quietly exclaimed as she walked up to the small group.
"Is that so, Ururu," Kisuke peered at the small girl from under his hat as she nodded her head. "It must be a bear then, especially since it's so close and so loud." Kisuke smiled down as Ururu joined the red haired boy.
"Not a bear," the red head exclaimed as the grumble echoed through the room once again. Toushiro glared down at his stomach and his cheeks gained a small touch of pink.
"Then what could that loud growl be Jinta?" Kisuke asked, pointedly ignoring Toushiro as the boy continued to look down in embarrassment.
"I'm guessing it's the stomach disagreeing with the head." Jinta answered with a rather large smirk considering his size.
"I would have to agree. So then Mr. Hitsugaya, what say you to that meal?" Kisuke asked looking Toushiro in the eye.
"Let me see Karin first then I'll eat." Toushiro answered with a hard glare into Kisuke's eyes.
"Kid's got a one-track mind doesn't he?" Jinta answered. Toushiro glared at the boy in annoyance.
"So it would seem," Kisuke answered staring at Toushiro glare at Jinta. "I would let you see her, but she needs rest and you need food before you pass out."
"I can eat later." Toushiro exclaimed as he tried to walk by, but he was cut off by Tessai.
"It can wait 30 minutes, she's not going anywhere." Jinta said as Tessai loomed over Toushiro.
"I will eat easier after I make sure Karin is alright," Toushiro stated in finality.
"Looks like I can't change your mind." Kisuke lamented as Toushiro stepped between Jinta and Tessai.
"Tessai, please restrain Mr. Hitsugaya so that we make sure he eats." Tessai locked his arms around Toushiro's chest and hoisted into the air.
"HEY! LET ME GO!" Toushiro screamed, kicking against Tessai's legs in an attempt to get free.
"Ururu please go set the table. If Mr. Hitsugaya will not choose to eat, then we will have to feed him." Kisuke exclaimed walking toward the living room and kitchen. Ururu and Jinta walked ahead and Tessai followed, still holding a struggling Toushiro. They stopped in front of a table set for two people with two chairs on opposite sides pulled out for someone to sit. Tessai forcibly sat Toushiro in the seat and held him down.
"Alright, alright, I'll eat something." Toushiro yelled when Ururu began carrying a plate to him.
"I knew you'd see things my way." Kisuke smiled walking around the table, tapping Toushiro's forehead with that pesky fan as he walked to the second empty chair.
"You may release him, Tessai." Kisuke ordered as he sat down across from Toushiro.
"Yes sir, Kisuke," Tessai removed his hands from Toushiro's shoulders, and he glared up to the dark skinned man as a plate was set before him. Toushiro looked down to the plate that was filled to the rim with rice, chicken, steamed carrots, some broccoli and, what he guessed to be, mini dumplings piled on top. He flexed his shoulders to stretch out the kinks before he picked up his chopsticks.
"Now enjoy your meal, and feel free to eat as much as you like." Kisuke stated as he picked up two chopsticks and slowly began to eat. Toushiro dug his own chopsticks into the plate and picked up a small piece of chicken. Kisuke smiled when he saw Toushiro blink at the taste and started to eat faster.
'Not hungry huh?' Kisuke thought as Toushiro continued to eat. The full plate of food disappeared into Toushiro's stomach within seconds. Kisuke nodded to Ururu for her to give Toushiro another plate. Another full plate was set before Toushiro as he took a long gulp of water.
Kisuke slowed his pace of eating to give his guest more time to eat and for his comfort. Jinta leaned against a wall watching the back of Toushiro as he continued to shovel the food into his mouth. The group, Kisuke included, had eaten an hour ago, and Jinta was still stuffed. Jinta blinked at Kisuke as he slowly ate his food.
'Kisuke can't be hungry, but I guess he needs to for the kid to eat his meal.' Jinta thought with a glance to Kisuke then looking back to Toushiro. Jinta gaped as Toushiro began his third full plate of food.
'Working on his third plate?' Kisuke thought as Toushiro continued to consume the rice balls, broccoli and carrots leaving the chicken puffs for last. 'When was the last time he ate?' Kisuke thought when Toushiro set aside the third plate to accept a fourth offered by Ururu.
Kisuke spotted some red spots on the inside of his left hand. Kisuke knew those spots only came from those using a great number of kido spells.
'Looks like an over use of Shakkaho,' Kisuke thought as he watched Toushiro. 'He carried Karin to my doorstep and he looked fine, he didn't show any signs of fatigue. It was only after he began to rest that his exhaustion finally caught up with him.' Kisuke remembered the first time he saw Toushiro at his doorstep this morning.
Kisuke watched Toushiro's hand. 'Those red welps are from the shakkaho spell then, those red bands along the center of his palm are from a type of kido net. I am sure of it. Now what could he have possibly come up against that would require such a strong binding?' Kisuke paused with the chopsticks resting on his chin as he thought over this boy and his friend.
'Karin had a dragon skin wrapped around the wound. This could have come from a dead dragon, but the scales were still adhesive and still very flexible. If the dragon were dead, then the scales would be crumbling into dust. Dragon skin is made up of layers of layers of plaque that are pushed to the outer skin to create the scales. The constant blood flow is what continually replenishes the dragon scales and gives it the strength and contractility. Dragon skin rapidly loses the contractility minutes after the heart has stopped pumping. So, the dragon gave the girl a piece of skin. A dragon must have brought them to Rukongai, especially since the small pieces of rock from the skin came from a mountain pass many miles away.'
Kisuke watched Toushiro put down his fourth empty plate and was given a fifth plate to Jinta's surprise, evidenced by the jaw drop and wide eyes the red head was giving to the white haired boy.
'Five plates and he still isnt full?' Kisuke bowed his head to hide his crafty grin. 'This kid is very strong. What I wouldn't give to train him if only for a few weeks.'
"When was the last time you ate kid?" Jinta asked from his spot on the wall. Toushiro paused with a piece of chicken inches from his mouth as he turned back to Jinta. Toushiro was confused, to be sure he hadn't eaten that much. He looked back to the table and blinked at the empty plates set aside to the right of him. He counted four empty plates then he looked at the half eaten plate before him.
"Please continue your meal," Kisuke motioned with his chopsticks when Toushiro set his chopsticks on the plate.
"I wasn't aware that I had eaten that much." Toushiro explained looking at the empty plates. "I should not have eaten that much."
'I don't want to eat all of their food. It doesn't look like they have eaten anything.' Toushiro looked around the room and was feeling the eyes on the back of his head.
"We have already eaten our meals. Ururu cooked a little too much," Kisuke caught the boy's attention. "We have enough food for a small army. So, if this food doesn't get eaten, then we'll be eating leftovers for days. So you're welcome to as much as you want." Kisuke explained and waited as Toushiro reclaimed his chopsticks to finish this plate.
'I can't believe I have eaten five plates of food and I don't feel full in the slightest.' Toushiro mulled over this feeling as he finished off the last broccoli spear.
"That was very good. Thank you for the meal." Toushiro recalled his manners and his appreciation over the food.
"You're welcome, now as Jinta asked I, too, would like to know how long it has been since your last meal." Kisuke asked as he set aside his own empty plate.
Toushiro thought over the last two days. He left Karakura two days ago. Yesterday they were at Ryu Manako and, now that he thinks about it, he did not have a drop of food. Then there was that wild oxen Hyourinmaru dropped at their feet, so that was his last meal. Toushiro cleared his throat before he answered.
"The last meal I ate was the night before yesterday," Toushiro stared at the table so he would not have to look anyone in the eyes.
'Over one day without food and yet he was able to fight with a strong enough kido to wound his hands and still have the energy to bring Karin here.' Kisuke watched the top of his head as he stared at the grain of the wood table.
'The potential in this kid is monumental,' Kisuke smiled under the brim of his hat as his mind played with the idea of training Toushiro and molding his fighting ability.
"Now that the bottomless pit you call a stomach has been partially satisfied, we can continue." Kisuke exclaimed bringing Toushiro back to reality.
"Right, may I go see Karin, now?" Toushiro asked and Kisuke nodded.
"Alright, I did say you could see her after you ate."
"Here we go again," Jinta sighed as Kisuke and Toushiro stood from the table.
"Follow me," Kisuke led Toushiro down the hall and stopped in front of the second door on the left. Kisuke opened the door and Toushiro quietly stepped in.
Karin was sleeping on the bed with a blue cover pulled to her shoulders. Toushiro stepped up and looked over Karin. She was sleeping soundly. Her skin lost the gray tinge of sickness and was replaced by a healthy pink. Her breathing was easier too; there was no rasping or wheezing from her. He looked back to her face and was relieved that she was not sweating anymore. A strand of hair fell across her cheek and Toushiro gently pushed the lock behind her ear before he could catch himself. Her even temperature he felt through his fingertips was further assurance that she was better. As she moved to roll on her side, Toushiro caught a glimpse of bandages along her chest just below her collarbone.
'Where did those come from? She did not have any injuries to her chest when I brought her.' Toushiro frowned then turned back and silently walked into the hall. He stood before Kisuke with a scowl on his face.
"You refer to the bandages on her chest?" Kisuke asked, but Toushiro remained silent, darkening his glare to the man.
"Of course," Kisuke removed his fan and motioned toward the room. "The venom that was damaging her system had reached her lungs just as we began the treatment. The only way to remove the venom was to drain it from her chest. The place I bandaged on her chest is where I inserted the needles to pull off the venom. If I had not done so, then Karin would have died." Kisuke calmly explained. Toushiro bowed his head in the middle of his explanation.
"Thank you," the gratitude in his voice made it difficult to keep his voice from cracking. "I don't know how to thank you for saving Karin." Toushiro finally answered as he looked back up to Kisuke.
"There is no need, I'm glad she is doing well so far. But, this is only the beginning."
"I remember," Toushiro sighed in relief, "what happens now?"
"Now we have to give her a series of treatments to remove the remaining venom in her body."
"What do you mean there is venom in Karin? I thought you said it was drained off." Toushiro stated in surprise.
"I only drained the venom off of her chest, and that was 40ml by itself. I also pulled another 40ml out of her arm where the venom was introduced. She easily has another couple of liters poisoning her blood even as we speak." Kisuke watched as Toushiro fell into despair.
"It's going to be alright," Kisuke placed his hand on the boys shoulder. "I will remove all of the poison from her, but it will be a long process and it will take time. You saved her, Toushiro." Kisuke quietly explained. Toushiro slowly raised his head and a sad look darkened his teal eyes.
"I didn't save her, Kisuke, you did."
"But, you are the one who brought her. I could have done nothing without her being in my home." Kisuke pondered whether or not to tell him that she barely made it in time. She only had a few hours before the venom would have killed her, and even that was a stretch. One look at Toushiro berating himself was enough for Kisuke to decide that he didn't need to know how close she came to death's door.
"She is going to live, Toushiro. Remember that, and think about it when you go back to sleep, it might help keep the nightmares away." Kisuke grinned as Toushiro slightly blushed. He was hoping no one heard his nightmare.
"I'll try, Kisuke." Toushiro answered then looked back to the closed door. 'We are not going back home for quite some time.'
"Kisuke, I need to send a letter to our hometown to let them know where we are so they're not worried." Toushiro requested motioning to Karin in her room.
"The most reliable form of communication would be through Kukaku Shiba. She is what you might consider the mail carrier in Rukongai. You can find her place just inside the gates, opposite the bakery. She is fast and her prices are reasonable." Kisuke answered, and it was now that Toushiro ran into a more pressing problem: money. Karin and Toushiro did not have much money between them, and now, all the coin they brought is in their bags . . . with the dragons . . . somewhere between here and Ryu Manako.
"Kisuke, I dont have any money on my person." Toushiro slowly stated, praying that Kisuke wouldn't kick them out due to lack of funds.
"I sort of figured that when you walked up to my doorstep without any bags. Well, you don't have to worry about my charges. I won't request money for my services. However, Kukaku is a different story she will charge you and she won't complete your request without payment." Kisuke explained to Toushiro. He was curious as to Kisuke's charges, but he could worry about that later. Right now he needed to get a letter to Karakura.
"I can lend you the money for sending a letter to your home town, and I'll even provide you with a job so you can earn more money for your trip back home."
"Kisuke that is generous of you, and I will pay you for your services." Toushiro bowed to the older man. "Now what are your charges?" Toushiro was taken aback with a crafty grin that reached his eyes so they sparkled from the shadow of his hat.
"I only ask this of you, let me train you." Toushiro stared at Kisuke in disbelief.
"Excuse me?" Toushiro blinked, Kisuke did not just say the payment is to be trained.
"Let me train you," Kisuke grinned like a madman from under his hat. "You have so much potential, Toushiro. Think about it: you have continued without food for over 24 hours and yet you were able to fight, with some powerful kido spells if I might add." Kisuke turned Toushiro's palms up showing the red welps and bands in both hands. "Your kido spells were so strong that they caused these burns, looks like Shakkaho," Kisuke followed the bands of red with his fingers, "and these bands are from several powerful kido nets. If I had to guess, I'd say these marks came from trapping a dragon." Toushiro stared at Kisuke and his knowledge. "I have some salve that will clear those marks right up."
"Then, you carried Karin to my very doorstep without even a stumble from fatigue. You did not show a minute of your exhaustion until you sat on my couch. Finally, just now you ate five plates of food, enough for a small family, and yet you are still hungry." Toushiro's stomach then decided to remind him of the deprived nutrition.
'Shut up, stomach.' Toushiro thought in answer and looked back up to Kisuke who was getting very excited.
"This act shows the great power that sleeps within you. All you need is the proper teacher to draw it out. So, Toushiro please let me be that person to draw out and mold your true strength. This will be all the payment I require for staying in my home, treating Karin, providing you with healthy meals, ensuring you acquire a job, and seeing you safely depart from Rukongai. How does that sound?" Kisuke finished his petition and ended up backing Toushiro into the wall. Kisuke continually grinned and his eyes nearly begged Toushiro to accept.
'All he wants to do is train me and that will pay for everything?' Toushiro wasn't too sure about this but Kisuke seemed so eager, and it looked like Kisuke would not let him move unless he agreed.
'Well, it won't be too bad. It will certainly be cheaper if that is the only cost. That means the money I earn from this job he will provide can be used for our trip back to Karakura for food and staying in any kingdoms or villages we pass on the way.' Toushiro looked up at Kisuke and he beamed down to the young boy.
"Well, what do you say?" Kisuke asked pulling out his fan and opened it to fan his face.
A/N: Here is the next chapter. I have been struck by inspiration and so the next chapter should come out sooner. Let me know what you think of this chapter.
I would like to take a moment and thank all of my reviewers. This is my first story that has gone above 100 reviews. You guys make me so happy, and as always I welcome your comments and opinions of this story.
This story is inspired by Dreamworks "How to train your dragon."