Some actions will have it's consequences.
(Post-Fullbringer Arc)
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Ichigo watches as Orihime is making zucchini bread with apple slices and cinnamon. "Uh, was there a reason you invited me over?" Ichigo asks.
"Of course, you're gonna help me eat this once it's finished baking!" Orihime laughs pouring the batter in the pan.
"Ha, right." Ichigo smiles and scratches the side of his face. A stuffed foot hits his face. Kon jumps down glaring at him. "What kinda questions that huh!?"
"Shove it Kon." Ichigo smacks the mod soul to the wall.
"Ichigo?" Her quiet voice has him looking over to her.
She is looking down at the bread pan, fiddling with an apple slice before lying it on the top.
"I'm sorry." She chokes up, she had planned to say more than just 'sorry.' Orihime turns from him trying to hide her face.
"Hime?" Ichigo is up from his spot at the table and next to her in a second. "Hey what's wrong? Sorry? That you're making zucchini bread with apple?"
That has her stuttering out a laugh as she's quickly wiping her tears away. "No, Ichigo, I-"
"Orihime, it's ok. Please don't cry. I can't stand to see you sad like this." Ichigo takes ahold of her hand and looks her in the eyes. "Ok?"
She nods and slides into a hug and they hold each other for a minute. When Orihime and Chad had recovered from the Fullbringers powers and found out what Ichigo had went
through Orihime snapped. Ichigo had never seen his friend look so distraught, not even after Ulquiorra or her time at Hueco Mundo had made her look so broken.
"Are you ok?" He asks her quietly.
"Oh I'm fine, thanks Ichigo." She smiles into him. "Oh the bread!"
She dashes to the pan and puts it into the oven that's now preheated, closing the door and turning the inside light on she turns back to Ichigo smiling. "It will take about 35 minutes!"
"Can't wait." Ichigo looked ready to say something more but was interrupted by none other than good ol'Toshiro who wasn't in his gigai and also holding his sword has Ichigo immediately on alert.
"And just what are you doing here?" Ichigo nags at the white haired man. "Is it a Hollow?" "Hello Captain Hitsugaya, is something wrong?" Orihime asks.
"It's your sister, she's hurt." Cold eyes cut to Ichigo then to Orihime.
"Karin!?" Ichigo is startled, "What happened?!"
"Take us to her!" Orihime says and is the first one out the door.
All three are running towards the house and they rush into the patient room where Karin is lying on the cot with blood drench across her shirt.
"God Karin!" Ichigo inside is frantic, his sister is dying before him. He lifts her shirt and find a deep gash in her side.
Orihime is on the opposite side of the bed and activates her powers quickly trying to heal as fast as she can. The wound was deep for a girl Karin's age and she's so petite and she's lost so much blood already, if Orihime didn't have her powers or was late... Karin would have needed to get to a hospital or would be dead soon enough.
She's finally done after what feels like forever and Karin is asleep on the bed. Ichigo and the Captain were waiting in the corner of the room standing still and quiet while she had worked. Once it's certain the young girl is fine, and after Ichigo hooks her up to an IV for hydration they leave the room to talk.
"So what happened?" Ichigo asks.
"I don't know myself I found her in an allyway lying on the ground." Toshiro says blandly. Truth was he cared for the girl and seeing her like that had made him furious and scared.
"You see anyone around her or anything?" Ichigo needs answers. Who would go after his sister, it had to be a tactic for him... or was she in trouble he didn't know.
Maybe it was just the wrong place and time...
"It could have been an accident, let's wait until she wakes up." Toshiro says the same sentiment. "If it's a human matter, the police will be involved."
"Actually, I don't know if that can be possible. She's fully healed and we never took pictures. The police won't need to be involved anyway. Once she tells me who did it I'm gonna take care of it." Ichigo glares at the Captain daring him to say anything.
Orihime comes back from quickly checking Karin, "She's awake."
They circle around the bed. "Hey kiddo, how you feelin?" Ichigo asks softly.
"Not bad at all, thank you Orihime." Karin wearily smiles, "Thanks Toshi."
Ichigo snaps his head to TOSHI? The Captain doesn't look fond of that nickname either.
Orihime takes hold of Ichigo's hand squeezing it tightly bringing him back.
"So would you mind telling us what happened?" Ichigo asks softly as he can muster.
Karin looked up to Ichigo and turns her head away before saying. "Can I talk to you alone, Ichigo."
Ichigo nods immediately,"No problem Karin, you guys.."
Toshiro and Orihime leave without complaint and wait outside, listening of course.
"The guy who stabbed me said it was cause you stole his weed." They hear Ichigo's sister say.
Orihime and Toshiro immediately look at each other and lean closer to the door.
"You see him, his face?" Ichigo whispers, he needs to calm down and think logical. He's stolen... if he's honest, quite a bit of weed over the last 17 months. But for them to go after his sister, it's unforgivable, if anything he thought they would go after him, how mistaken he was.
"I'm going to take care of this, Karin, don't you worry, ok?" He pats her head and pours her some water. "Drink up so you can get that IV out."
"Ichigo. What do I tell dad?" Karin asks.
Ichigo freezes cause he really didn't think of that. "You tell him you were attacked," 'because of me, goes unsaid,' "and that I am going to take care of it." He rubs her shoulder. "Get some rest."
He leaves the room and Toshiro and Orihime go into the other room.
"You guys can head out, I'll wait till my dad and Yuzu get back so I can explain." Ichigo's lips are in a firm line thinking of his next course of action after his family meeting.
"We heard your sister. You now understand what I was trying to tell you?" The Captain growls, "She was attacked because of your actions."
"Chill out, they would've attacked regardless." He mutters, even before he stole thugs drugs he was beating them down. Denial at it's finest.
"I feel I should stay too, just in case she wants to talk." Orihime says quietly before reminding Ichigo, "She's still just a kid, she's been through a lot today."
"You're right. Are you staying too Toshiro? I can make us some tea." Ichigo states as he makes his way towards the kitchen.
"No, I must leave, I also have something I need to do." The Captain says and looks towards the room Karin's in. Once he finds out who did this to her, he clenches his fist and looks towards her older brother. Oh how he would love to kick his ass too, but not today.
"Alright, I'm heading out. I'll be seeing you, and stay out of trouble Ichigo. You find them, wait for me."
Ichigo who is making tea looks over at that. "Will do." "Bye Toshiro!" Orihime waves goodbye.
—- [~~~]—-** * **
Meanwhile back at Orihime's apartment.
Crying on the kitchen floor is Kon, his arm all burnt with stuffing coming out of it and Urahara bending over him.
"You'll be fine... but it's a good thing we came when we did, eh Yoruichi?" Urahara picks up Kon and puts him on the sofa.
"Very lucky," Yoruchi takes a look at the mess in the kitchen. Black smoke on the ceiling and a very baked and burnt something or other in the oven. "What's this supposed to be? Smells awful!"
"Zucchini apple bread." Kon cries, "Poor Orihime she's gonna be so mad at me! I've never been so scared," He wails, "I tried to open the oven but when I did I fell in and my arm caught fire! I thought I was done for!"
Yoruichi awkwardly pats Kon on the head whom tries to reciprocate by lunging towards her chest for a much needed hug but gets tossed to the couch. "You're fine."
Urahara looks over to them. "Well, looks like the situation is settled for now. Let's go and look for her, better let her know instead of walking in blindly to this mess."
They nod and head out.