Bleach: Three Paths

by Getsuga Goon

What if Rukia arrived too late at the start of Bleach? You'd be surprised. The fates of the Kurosakis would be forever changed by this one event. Takes inspiration from the Bleach Fanfiction named "White" by Melkor's Mercy. [Cross-posted on Ao3.] Cover image by Chris-Jin on DeviantArt.

11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Discarded Heritage

Las Noches

In the depths of Las Noches, two tall Arrancars, one skinny and blonde with beetle-shaped mask fragments and the other large with an obscure mask fragment covering half of his face, chase after a smaller, female Arrancar with short brown hair and a mask in the shape of a human skull covering half of her face. The males wear the typical white outfits associated with the Arrancars in Las Noches while the girl wears a comparatively unique green dress with long sleeves, which hugs her skin. The two taller, male Arrancars fumble about, attempting to dogpile the girl when suddenly they trip on a strand of golden thread, previously invisible to their eyes, causing them both to fall flat on their faces.

"Heeyyy, no fair Roka! You promised no special powers!", the skinny Arrancar, Pesche Guatiche, complains, picking himself off the ground.

"Yeah, we never agreed to street rules! Y'know what I'm talking about?!", the larger Arrancar, Dondochakka Birstanne, declares upset at the apparent breach of rules.

The girl looks at both of them with a neutral expression, devoid of emotion, cocking her head slightly in confusion, "I thought the first rule of Eternal Tag was that there are no rules. You two merely lost and are being sore losers, trying to come up with excuses."

"Oof!", Dondochakka grunts.

Pesche adds guiltily, "Dang, she's got us there, bro."

The two brothers get up and move to start the chase up again but all three Arrancars present tense up as the familiar Reiatsu of a fourth Arrancar makes its presence known.

A silky-smooth voice calls out, "Well well, I thought I told Nelliel to keep her grubby hooves off of my property. Why is it that I find you two waltzing about these halls chasing after just that?"

Pesche snaps at the new arrival, "Roka doesn't belong to anybody, least of all you!"

The new arrival, a pink-haired, bespectacled Arrancar wearing a white Gi, takes issue with this statement, his face contorting into an expression of mild annoyance, "It was I who created the thing you see before you. It doesn't have a name and it has no rights. It is merely a tool I created to help me carry out my duties."

The Arrancar, known as Szayelaporro Granz, adjusts his glasses-shaped mask fragment as if to assert his words as absolute fact.

"Last time I checked, you weren't an Espada anymore, so you can't boss Roka around!", Pesche growls with a slightly condescending glare, reminiscent of his master, Nelliel.

Dondochakka decides to add his two cents, "Even if you were still an Espada, you can't treat her the way you do! It's just not right, y'know what I'm talkin' about?!"

"Silence, fools!", the Arrancar flares his Reiatsu, forcing the two Fraccions to their knees.

Szayel continues with a smile forming on his face, "Now be a good little spider and come here. I require your abilities to monitor a Hollow that's recently struck my interest."

Roka answers submissively, ever emotionless, "As you command, Master Szayelaporro."

As the two begin to walk away, Szayel turns around to regard the brothers, "Oh yeah, if either of you or Nelliel tries to steal my possession from me again, I might just have to inform Barragan of Nelliel's mutinous plans."

The two Fraccions gasp, completely blindsided by the threat.

"How would you know—", Pesche begins to ask before looking to the brown-haired female Arrancar with a sad look in his eye, "Roka…"

Roka gives the two an emotionless glance that the blonde Arrancar swears contains a glimmer of sorrow, "Forgive me. I appreciate the kindness Master Nelliel has shown me, but Master Szayelaporro is my one and true master."

The pink-haired Arrancar smirks, "This should prove to you fools without a shadow of a doubt that this thing here is my property."

Szayel turns on his heel and leaves as Roka follows. The two brothers watch them leave helplessly, cursing their powerlessness.

Night, Karakura Town

Two young-looking women carrying small luggage bags walk through Karakura Town during the dead of night. One of the women has long black hair and holds a flip phone up to her ear, narrowing her purple eyes hidden behind her glasses with a pink frame as she listens to it ring intently. This woman wears a modified black suit as her top and a matching black skirt tied to her waist by a belt with a pink, heart-shaped buckle—Bambietta Basterbine.

The woman accompanying her wears a short red tank top that exposes her stomach and short jean shorts that look like the legs were cut off. She has long and unique thunderbolt-shaped lime blonde hair and currently exhausted green eyes with dark rings around them, a sign that she has gotten very little sleep—Candice Catnipp.

Bambietta perks up as an automated voice picks up on the phone, greeting her, "HELLO. YOU'VE REACHED XCUTION. THIS NUMBER ISN'T SHOWING UP IN OUR REGISTRY. I TAKE IT YOU'RE A NEW MEMBER? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME."

The black-haired Sternritter raises a brow, "He isn't even going to instruct us himself…?"

The automated voice requests that the woman provide her name once again, prompting her to scoff before complying, "Bambietta Basterbine."

The voice is silent for a moment, processing the input, before responding, "BAMBIETTA BASTERBINE, I SEE. WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU. WELCOME TO XCUTION."

Bambietta wears a bored look on her face as the phone goes silent once again.

After another moment, the voice speaks again, "WELL THEN, MISS BAMBIETTA BASTERBINE. PLEASE HANG UP."

The woman's brow twitches, starting to become greatly annoyed, "Huh?"

The voice elaborates, "AFTER YOU HANG UP, CALL BACK WITH THE NUMBERS '00800' AT THE END OF THIS PHONE NUMBER. THEN PLEASE HANG UP BEFORE IT STARTS RINGING. THEN CALL THAT SAME NUMBER AGAIN, AND THEN HANG UP AFTER IT RINGS TWICE. ON THE THIRD CALL, YOU WILL BE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO MR. KUGO GINJO."

Bambietta grits her teeth as she hangs up, clearly angered by this process.

Candice raises a brow upon noticing the other Quincy's anger, questioning, "What's wrong? Did he not give us directions?"

The black-haired woman hisses as she begins to dial the new number, "I have to call this stupid automated number two more times!"

The lime blonde blinks andher expression becomes somewhat confused due to her being too tired to process this as Bambietta gets on the phone again, still immensely annoyed.

A Few Minutes Later

Bambietta hisses at the phone as she finally is in contact with the man she wants to talk to, "Did you make Yui and that boy go through this stupid process too?"

The voice of Ginjo finally speaks from the phone, "No, this process is special for you, darling…~"

The woman blushes as she barks back angrily, "D-don't give me that crap! Just get to the point! I'd like to get some sleep tonight!"

Behind her, Candice nods in immense agreement as she looks ready to keel over due to her lack of sleep.

Ginjo sighs on the other end of the line, "Fine… here's what you'll want to do…"

1 Hour Later, Naruki City

It took the Quincies quite some time to find the exact location Ginjo told them to go, having to evade the swarm of Shinigami patrolling the Tokyo area aggressively. Of course, Bambietta's annoyance has only grown during this time, making her extremely irritable, now at the end of her fuse, so to speak.

The women find themselves at the entrance of an alley, seemingly without any Shinigami in the immediate vicinity. They look around briefly before Bambietta looks down at the Xcution card Ginjo gave her, where she has written down a description of the location.

The black-haired woman sighs before walking down the alley, "This seems to be it…"

Candice follows after her as the pair continue to walk down the alley, looking back and forth in interest as there seems to be some trash and other discarded items lying against the walls. After about a minute, they reach a dead end, right in front of a dumpster loaded with garbage.

This makes the lime blonde raise a brow, "Uh, Bambi… I don't think this is the right place…"

Bambietta narrows her eyes, looking at the dumpster more carefully before immediately widening her eyes as they also contract.

The black-haired Sternritter balls her hand into a fist and grits her teeth together as she trembles in rage, finding a note posted to the front of the dumpster, reading, "Oops, faulty directions! Please send us another call… Xcution."

The lime blonde is about to read the note as well before flinching as Bambietta, now suddenly holding a blue ball of Reishi in her right hand, shouts in rage, "SCREW YOU!"

Candice is unable to stop her colleague from throwing the ball of Reishi at the dumpster, which upon contact, quite literally causes the entire thing the explode, creating a loud 'boom' noise that echoes throughout the streets of Naruki. Further, a literal dumpster fire is what is left of the dumpster, making a trail of smoke rise into the sky.

The lime-blonde woman gawks in horror as a young feminine voice calls from not too far away, "What was that?!"

Bambietta turns around, an immense look of anger still on her face as her tantrum is far from over. The black-haired woman begins to march down the alley, perhaps to face whoever that voice belongs to; however, she doesn't get far as she is suddenly zapped by a small bolt of blue lightning, striking her directly in the back. Bambietta's eyes soon roll into the back of her head as foam forms from her mouth before falling to the ground, her body spasming all the while as if hit by a taser. Behind her, Candice has her finger pointed at where her companion was previously standing, clearly temporarily paralyzing her. The lime blonde bends over and throws the other, still spasming, woman over her shoulder before a shadowy portal opens underneath her and consumes her, making the pair disappear.

Soon after the Quincies hide in the shadows, the form of Kenpachi with Yachiru on his shoulder slams on the ground in front of the literal dumpster fire, an excited toothy grin on his face as he is always ready for battle.

After a moment, the captain's excited look fades to one of disappointment as he looks around in confusion, "Huh? Where did that Reiatsu go? Are you sure something strong was here?"

The pink-haired girl, and thesource of the voice, purses her lips as she pouts, "I know you felt it too, Kenny! They must have gotten away..."

At this point Ikkaku, Yumichika, and multiple other Shinigami from Squad 11 are at the end of the alley, looking confused as well.

The bald third seat questions, "What are your orders, Captain?"

Kenpachi looks back at them as a determined smirk forms on his face, "Spread out and find whatever that was. They can't have gotten far..."

The Shinigami then do as ordered, leaving the alley in hopes of finding something to fight.

Naruki Outskirts

A shadowy portal forms in the middle of a forest clearing on the outskirts of Naruki City, the form of Candice, with Bambietta held over her shoulder, rising from it. As the portal closes, the lime-blonde woman throws her companion in the dirt, landing on her back.

After a moment, the woman rubs her hands together, causing small blue sparks to flash between them before placing them on the other woman's chest and thinking, "CLEAR!"

Bambietta's body spasms as the small blue bolts act to reset her body, making her regain consciousness. Her eyes widen as she gasps, breathing somewhat heavily for a moment.

After her breathing settles, the black-haired Sternritter frowns at her partner, hissing, "How dare you use your Schrift on me!"

Candice scowls, barking in a hushed voice, "Well you were beyond stupid to use yours in the open like that! The Shinigami are looking for us now!"

Bambietta widens her eyes before looking to the ground, stating distantly, "Oh..."

The phone in the black-haired woman's pocket suddenly starts buzzing, making her whip it out as she sees it is from Xcution.

Candice immediately swipes it before hissing, "I'll handle the damned phone calls from now on since you clearly can't keep a level head!"

With that, the lime blonde answers the phone, growling, "Alright, Mr. Ramen, tell us where to go for real this time!"

1 Hour Later, Outside Xcution Hideout, Naruki City

Eventually, after about another hour of following Ginjo's orders while stealthily evading the Shinigami, the pair of Quincies finally reach the hideout, prompting Candice to immediately knock in a specific manner on the door.

After a moment, she can hear a multitude of locks being undone before a blonde boy with ablack trench coat and hat opens the door—Yukio. The sight of the boy causes the women to raise their brows, wondering if they are at the right place since this seems to be a normal kid.

Yukio looks back and forth before looking up slightly to ask the women, "Are you two here to join Xcution?"

The two Quincies nod, both widening their eyes slightly as they realize that Yuzu is not the only young child within this organization. After a moment, the blonde boy opens the door further, allowing the women to enter and take a look at the hideout, making their surprise rise.

Candice whistles as she notices the bar and the various liquors it holds, "Damn! This is the fancy shit! How can you all afford this?"

The blonde boy shrugs nonchalantly after redoing the locks, "I am the CEO of an extremely successful company, so I'm rich. Feel free to drink whatever you want, by the way. I'll just have someone from the company buy more for us once we're out…"

The lime blonde smirks in satisfaction as she glances at the boy, muttering, "Well, don't mind if I do…~"

As Candice begins rummaging through the bar, Yukio seats himself on the couch, beginning to boot up his Game Boy for some late-night gaming.

Bambietta frowns before glaring at the boy, asking, "Boy… I don't see Kugo anywhere… where is he?"

Yukio doesn't take his eyes off his game; however, does raise a brow at the woman using his boss' given name before answering nonchalantly, "Ginjo is out right now."

The woman's eye twitches in mild annoyance as she further questions, "Well, do you know when he'll be back?"

The blonde boy continues to keep his eyes on his game, responding in a slightly annoyed tone, "In the morning, I guess… are you done squawking at me now? I have a lot of grinding to get done before I fight the Elite Four…"

Bambietta's expression shifts to one of anger as she looks ready to throw another tantrum, "S-squawking, you say…?!"

Before tensions can escalate further, a feminine voice calls out from further back in the hideout, "Don't mind Yukio, he's just our resident pain in the butt."

The Quincy women look to find a pink-haired twin-tailed girl wearing a black gothic dress and white hat approach them before introducing herself with a slight smile, "I'm Riruka Dokugamine. I just want to start by saying it's nice to have more girls around, especially ones as pretty as you two!"

Bambietta huffs as she crosses her arms, "Of course, you should be happy! Honored, even!"

Meanwhile, Candice wraps a strand of her unique hair around her finger, smiling in slight pride, "Well, I'm glad someone notices the effort I put in to look good…"

The twin-tailed girl points to a room in the back, "In any case, that is where you two will be staying. Make yourselves at home."

The black-haired Quincy scoffs as she walks past the Fullbringer girl, "Don't get too chummy with us! This is only a temporary arrangement!"

The Quincy's comment makes Riruka flinch and frown as she watches her walk into the room, "What the heck is your deal?! I was trying to be nice!"

Unlike her companion, Candice jovially calls from the bar as she pours herself some liquor, "Ah, don't mind Bambi, she's just my pain in the ass!"

The woman's comment causes Riruka's eyes to widen briefly before she starts giggling, finding the comment hilarious in context.

As the pink-haired girl approaches the bar, the lime blonde introduces, "I'm Candice, by the way. Seeing as I'm gonna be here for a while, I don't suppose you'd tell me how things are run around here?"

Riruka nods as she takes a seat at the bar, "I'd be happy to. Now, for starters…"

The exhaustion and anxiety begin to leave Candice's eyes as she listens to the girl explain the ins and outs of Xcution, already beginning to see it as a new, albeit temporary, home.

Almost 2 Days Later, Urahara Shōten

Three days have passed since her training started, and Karin still has not been able to obtain her Shinigami powers. The girl grimaces with fear as her chain of fate is now nearly entirely gone, clutching desperately onto the Asauchi, which she had removed from the ground earlier, in her bound hands. Karin starts to scream as her chain begins to eat itself away rapidly, a sure sign that the final stage of encroachment is imminent. Rukia moves to help the girl, but Urahara puts an arm in front of her, preventing her from entering the depths of the shaft.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! SHE'LL DIE AT THIS RATE!", the raven-haired woman shouts as Karin's screams can still be heard from the bottom of the shaft, causing Orihime and Tatsuki, who had just arrived and are still wearing their school uniforms, to rush over as well.

"What's going on?! WHY IS KARIN SCREAMING LIKE THAT?!", the karate girl shouts at the shopkeeper.

Urahara opens his mouth to answer the two girls' questions but stops when he notices the auburn-haired girl jump into the pit without hesitation. Both he and Tatsuki call for the girl to come back but to no avail.

Once at the bottom of the shaft, Orihime gasps at the sight as Tessai lands on the ground behind her.

The man addresses her with urgency in his voice, "Stand back, Miss Inoue! I will handle this."

Karin gasps as the last of the chains is devoured, finalizing the encroachment. She looks up to Orihime and Tessai with a look of pain before awhite sludge substance is violently hurled from her mouth, covering her entire face.

"Oh no—!", Rukia shouts, knowing what this means.

The auburn-haired starts hyperventilating, tears beginning to fall from her eyes as she attempts to crawl away from the girl in a feeling of both sorrow and fear.

"Stand behind me! You don't want to get caught in this!", the man shouts as he performs some kind of hand motion.

"Bakudō Number 99, Part 2. Bankin (Constriction Ban)!", the bespectacled man plants his hands into the ground before continuing.

"First incantation: Shiryu (Bandage)!", prompting bandages to wrap around Karin's body from head to toe.

The man struggles to hold the girl in place, "I won't be able to hold this for much longer! Hopefully, Miss Kurosaki can connect with her Zanpakutō or…"

Orihime sees the dreadful expression on the man's face, prompting her to wear one of her own.

The group at the top of the shaft observes in silence, anxiously awaiting what comes next.

?

Karin finds herself lying against a massive tree as she comes to. Around her, there is an endless body of water, accompanied by a seemingly equally endless amount of fog above the surface, stretching out in every direction, with the only plot of land being the small grassy landform where she currently is, which is mostly taken up by the massive tree. She looks upward, beyond the many branches of the tree, and can see a dark sky that is illuminated by the light of a bright blue moon. She then stands up, having taken in her surroundings.

"Ok, this definitely isn't that shady guy's shop… what is this?", the girl questions, quite confused.

"Karin…", a voice calls out to the girl, prompting her to look to the side.

"Who said that?!", Karin demands, not seeing anyone there.

The girl stands in silence for a while, not hearing or seeing anything around her for what feels like ages. Eventually, she decides to regard what Rukia had said to her earlier. She closes her eyes and focuses intensely, taking in her surroundings. Her mind goes completely blank as she becomes one with her surroundings.

After a while longer, a red ribbon suddenly appears in the girl's mind, causing her eyes to shoot open, "There!"

Karin jerks her head to the side, focusing on the fog. As if on cue, a young woman emerges from the fog, walking on the water's surface with a great amount of grace, as if such an unnatural act was second nature for her. The girl inspects the woman more closely, noticing that she has long blue hair, the same color as the moon above, with deep green eyes. The woman's hair is tied into loops by emerald hairpieces the same color as her eyes in three different locations, one in front of each ear and one at the back of her head. The woman also wears a dark blue kimono, which looks quite expensive, and equally blue sapphire rings, one on each hand.

"All in all, she looks like a noblewoman…", Karin thinks to herself.

The woman gives the girl a somewhat smug smile, "Well, I'm glad you think so, Karin. I do hope this means you'll finally give up on your foolish tom-boy ways and become a much more proper woman. Boys will prefer that much better, you know."

The woman raises one of her hands above her mouth as she snickers, acting all pompous. A vein can be seen pulsating from Karin's forehead, having just met this woman and already deciding she thoroughly does not like her.

"Shut up! Who are you and how do you even know my name? Where are we anyway?!", the girl fires off in quick succession, prompting the woman to lower her hand, staring at her now with a soft look, not unlike one of a parent patiently listening to their ignorant child prattling on and on like they know better.

The blue woman speaks in an equally condescending tone, "Oh Karin, that should be obvious by now, shouldn't it? Just think back to the last thing you remember."

Karin starts to think back to the last thing she remembers—Orihime and Tessai standing before her with looks of dread and her Soul Chain completely spent.

"I should be dead!", the girl blurts out, causing the woman to continue smiling in amusement as the girl continues, "…but I'm not… wait…"

Karin wears a contemplative look, recalling how Rukia told her to reach out to her Zanpakutō, "Are you… my Zanpakutō?"

The woman places a finger on her chin as she also wears a contemplative look, "Well, I suppose you could say that I am… but you also could say that I am not, it's up to you, really."

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you my Zanpakutō or not?", the girl asks, beginning to get agitated as she hates dealing with confusing riddles.

The woman shifts her gaze upward, prompting Karin to follow her gaze. What she finds baffles her. Standing casually on one of the branches is a tall man with long brown hair and sunglasses, adorned in a black, tattered flowing coat. He also has a light, grizzled beard, and wears a look of dead seriousness. The man briefly matches the girl's gaze before acknowledging the blue-haired woman.

"Just tell her the truth… we haven't much time.", the man states in a deep, intimidating voice.

Karin raises a brow as if to question what the man means but chooses not to comment, shifting her gaze back to the woman in front of her.

The woman pouts, "Oh boo! You are so serious. Can't I just play around with her a bit more?"

The man's gaze remains unflinchingly cold, which prompts the woman to let out a sigh, "You're no fun… but I suppose you're right, we don't have much time left so I guess I can make this simple, just this once."

Karin leans towards the woman, awaiting her explanation.

"The two of us are the source of your spiritual powers and this world is a representation of your true nature—your inner world, if you will. So, to answer your earlier questions, we are, in a way, both your Zanpakutō. This place is within your soul. If you want to get out of here and prevent yourself from turning into a Hollow permanently, you will need to make the connection between us official."

The black-haired girl raises a brow at this, prompting the woman to snicker as if to take this as an invitation to poke fun, "Oh! Of course, you are free to die and become a Hollow. After all, your dear brother met a similar fate, didn't he?"

Karin glares at the woman angrily, "What did you say?"

"I'm pretty sure you heard me…", the woman giggles.

The bearded man sighs, "There isn't any time to waste. Awaken your Shinigami powers if you wish to save yourself. Your inner world is already collapsing…"

The young girl looks around the small island they are standing on, noticing that it is starting to sink. The sky itself seems to be flaking away into the darkness.

The woman looks back at Karin casually, "Make your choice now, Karin… accept us, or become a Hollow."

Urahara Shōten

Karin's body shakes about violently, making it even more difficult for Tessai to hold her back.

The man shouts, much to the horror of the spectators, "I CAN'T HOLD HER BACK ANYMORE, I'LL NEED TO FINISH THE KIDO!"

The man immediately follows up with successive incantations, "Second incantation: Hyaku Ren San (The Hundred Gate Bolts)! Final incantation: Ban-Kin-Tai-Ho (Constriction Seal)!"

The man's chants are followed by a flurry of pins jamming into the form of the young Kurosaki from multiple directions. After that, a large metal cube falls from the top of the shaft, slamming on top of the girl's form. Orihime is completely silent at the point, with horror-filled eyes, only the rushed pace of her breathing can be heard.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! I thought you said you were training Karin! It looks to me like you just killed her!", Tatsuki screams, as she grabs the collar of Urahara's green Haori aggressively, pulling him close before raising a hand to strike him.

"Another Shiba… I…", Rukia murmurs as her head drops down in shame.

Urahara simply tilts his head towards the bottom of the shaft, "It's not over yet…"

The karate girl lets go of his collar, letting her hand fall to her side, as both she and the raven-haired Shinigami stare at the shopkeeper in momentary confusion.

All of Tessai's restraints can no longer hold the girl back as she manages to break free of them, sending debris flying across the landscape of the training area. The man promptly grabs Orihime and leaps out of the shaft, placing her on her feet next to Tatsuki, who stares down at the shaft with a look of disbelief, which Rukia wears as well. After an explosion of Reiatsu, Karin leaps out of the shaft, appearing before them dressed in black standard Shinigami attire, with a Zanpakutō, formerly the Asauchi, strapped to her back.

Urahara whistles at this, "Congratulations, Miss Kurosaki. You're officially a Shinigami."

Rukia, Tatsuki, and Orihime wear faces of relief, proceeding to congratulate the girl as well.

The shopkeeper decides to add, unwisely, "I'm impressed. I half expected you wouldn't make it!"

This earns the man a prompt punch to the back of the head from both Tatsuki and Rukia.

"I might have deserved that…", the man states jovially, rubbing the back of his head as the two females proceed with scolding him.

The auburn-haired girl hadn't left Karin's side since she ran to her, asking with tear-filled eyes, "A-are you sure you're alright?"

The young Shinigami awkwardly looks away from the older girl's gaze, rubbing the back of her head, "Yeah, I'm good. Never felt better, actually!"

"That's good. I'm so glad you're alright!", the older girl states emotionally, giving the other girl a smile as she now lets the tears of joy flow freely.

"Don't worry about it, really.", Karin asserts, not wanting to be a bother to the girl in front of her.

This causes Orihime to chuckle.

"Hey, what's so funny?!", the black-haired girl with a defensive frown.

The auburn-haired girl shakes her head, "Oh, nothing… it's just… I thought that sounded exactly like how Ichigo would respond."

This causes Karin to blush slightly, both honored and embarrassed to be compared to her brother in such a way.

"Yeah, you're right Orihime. I thought so too. But, I mean, it makes sense because they are siblings after all…", Tatsuki states, amused as she makes her way towards the new Shinigami.

Rukia looks at Karin with a soft expression, reminiscing on her own past, when she was surrounded by supportive people like that.

The woman softly walks up to the trio, causing them to pause their conversation, as she assumes a more serious look, "Come up to the top of the shop when you are ready to leave. I'll escort you to your father."

Karin nods in acknowledgment, prompting the woman to walk away towards the exit. The conversation continues as the two older girls begin to say their farewells.

Behind the group, Urahara pulls a jewel-like object out of his robes and regards it with a serious expression, "It's fortunate I didn't have to use you… Hōgyoku… the circumstances would have become much more complicated if I did…"

The shopkeeper immediately places the object back in his robes before he walks toward the exit himself, away from the high schoolers and newborn Shinigami.

A Few Minutes Later

As Karin and Rukia leave, Urahara sighs deeply, taking a seat in front of his shop next to his ever-trustworthy feline companion. The two sit in silence for a while before the shopkeeper decides to break it.

"So… have you been keeping an eye on her sister?", Urahara blurts out carelessly.

Yoruichi, not in the mood for their usual games, gets straight to the point, "I have tried; however, I'm afraid the individuals she is now spending her time with are quite cautious, and…"

The shopkeeper glances down at his friend, "And what?"

The cat narrows its eyes, "Some of those individuals worry me… I mean, the boy's best friend seems to be attempting to keep her from any negative influence, but as a young boy himself, he can only do so much…"

This prompts Urahara to smirk, "Could it be that you are yet again being overprotective of an impressionable young woman? Oh, Yoruichi, you sly little cat you—"

The man's teasing is interrupted as the cat scratches him across the face, causing him to yelp before grabbing his face in pain.

"I'm serious, Kisuke! Those people are dangerous!", the cat asserts with a serious tone.

"Wow… they must be really bad to have you this spooked… what do you plan on doing about them?", the shopkeeper asks, opening the first aid kit Ururu brought him after seeing him get scratched.

The cat sighs, "I plan on confronting the girl when the troublesome people aren't around. Maybe I can talk some sense into her, as Ryuken seems to be completely oblivious to her actions… as soon as I mentioned her name, he told me not to meddle in his affairs..."

Urahara shakes his head, "Can't say I can judge the guy, personally. I doubt I would make a very good chaperone, myself."

The cat jabs, "That's putting it mildly."

The shopkeeper pretends to look hurt by this, "Oof… but really, be careful Yoruichi. I don't want you biting off more than you can chew. If they are a threat, please come back for my help. Worst case scenario, we get their help."

The cat shakes their head, "I'm not sure they would be too eager to help a girl they don't even know on your request, Kisuke. They might even still hold somewhat of a grudge against you for your hand in what happened back then… but, still, your concern is appreciated. I'll let you know at the first whiff of trouble."

The cat walks away, leaving Urahara to contemplate the past by himself.

Seireitei, Soul Society

All is tranquil in the Squad 13 Barracks of the Seireitei before the Senkaimon opens, revealing the forms of four Shinigami. The first ones to emerge are Captain Ukitake and Rukia, who politely greet the guard. The next two to emerge causes the guard to sweat drop, really wondering if these are the two Shiba Clan members he heard about.

"Good job, Karin! I never once doubted you!", Isshin states, hugging his daughter close to the point of smothering her, "My beautiful daughter is now just like her dear old dad!"

"That's not a good thing, you old goat! Let me go!", Karin shouts, clearly embarrassed, as she grabs the man's face and slaps it with more force than she meant to use, sending him flying into one of the walls of the Squad 13 Barracks.

Suffice itto say, the tranquility has been interrupted.

"Oh damn! I didn't mean to use that much force…", the black-haired girl says, feeling slightly guilty.

Isshin, however, immediately gets out of the rubble before sending her a thumbs up and a goofy smile, "That's my girl!"

Karin gawks in confusion about how he could just get up from being sent into a wall like that.

Rukia cracks a grin at this while Ukitake chuckles, "It seems things are about to get livelier around here. Shall we introduce her to her relatives?"

The young Shinigami looks up at her father, slightly confused, "You never told me we had relatives here…"

Isshin rubs the back of his neck, "Well, I was going to tell you, but I guess I forgot to mention it… while you are here, you will be staying with your cousins. You'll also be inheriting the family name—my last name."

Karin decides to take this opportunity to probe her father for answers to something that has been bothering her, "So, Dad, I've been wondering… what happens to people who are killed by Hollows? I mean, what would've happened to Ichigo's soul?"

Isshin wears a stern expression at this. Ukitake and Rukia give each other a look.

"We'll be waiting up ahead for you two… when you're ready.", the white-haired captain states as he and his subordinate distance themselves from the Kurosakis.

The black-haired girl can hear her father's fist crack as he balls it up before he lets out a long sigh, "Typically, the souls devoured by Hollows become part of the Hollow itself, making it even stronger as a result. Most likely, Ichigo became a part of the Hollow."

Karin furrows her brow, "But you said earlier that Hollows were humans originally and that if a certain soul is strong enough, it will take over and become the dominant personality… and from what I understand, Ichigo's soul should be way stronger than most people. Couldn't he—"

The girl can't even finish her sentence as the idea of her brother becoming a Hollow is too sick to stomach.

Isshin also has a negative reaction to this thought, "Karin, even if somehow Ichigo was living on in Hueco Mundo, with White back I highly doubt that…"

The man's eyes widen suddenly, "Wait… White could be…! NO! If that's the case, then…"

Isshin then looks away, placing a hand on his mouth as his daughter's eyes widen in horror, realizing what he was getting at. Flashes of the night Ichigo died rush through her mind as she imagines the exact same events could have happened to Ichigo a second time in Hueco Mundo. The girl is breathing heavily, starting to feel dizzy, as she starts to fall to her knees, but her father catches her.

Isshin worriedly asks, "Karin?! Are you alright?"

This snaps the girl out of her trance, "Yeah… I think I'm okay."

Isshin helps her stand back up and after making sure she is okay once again; they link back up with Rukia and Ukitake. As the group makes their way through the plaza of the Seireitei, Karin can't help but take in the view around her for the first time since arriving.

The white-haired captain notices her look of amazement and offers her a friendly smile, "Interested in the Seireitei, I take it?"

The girl addresses the captain with an embarrassed look, having been caught red-handed, nodding with some vigor.

He nods, "Well, I'll break it down for you: the Seireitei, where we are now, is the headquarters of the Gotei 13—the sworn protectors of the Soul Society. This is likely the safest place in existence from any kind of Hollow attack, due to the Seki-Seki barrier we have set up. It rejects all spiritual energy trying to get in—which includes Hollows. I should also note that it is the home to the Four Great Noble Clans, which at one time included the Shiba Clan, who you and your father are members of."

Karin was confused by some of the terms the veteran captain used, but her attention was once again grabbed at the mention that her family was once among the nobles, "Wait, so we're nobles?!"

Isshin rubs the back of his neck, "Not exactly… not after I left Kukaku and Ganju to fend for themselves… I'll have to apologize to them once we get there and explain things, they'll probably be angry at the sight of me."

Both Karin and Ukitake sweat drop at this, while Rukia casts her head slightly towards the ground at the mention of the Shiba siblings. The captain glances at his subordinate before guiding the group towards the outer gate of the Seireitei.

Hours Later, Rukongai, Soul Society

Several hours pass and Karin can't help but gawk at the sight of the building in front of her. The main building itself is a seemingly unassuming traditional Japanese-style abode; however, it is juxtaposed by two massive stone arms coming from the ground, holding up a banner that reads 'Kukaku Shiba' and an equally massive chimney-looking structure.

"This is the place…", Ukitake notes casually, as if he's been here many times before.

As the group approaches, Rukia stops, hesitant to continue forward.

The captain regards Isshin and Karin, "Could you two wait a moment?"

The veteran then approaches the raven-haired woman.

"I can't do it, Captain… I can't face them!", the woman cries out in a tone soft enough such that the Kurosakis can't hear.

Ukitake gives her a gentle smile while placing a hand on her shoulder, "Come now, Rukia. You know that you'll never get closure for this if you keep running away."

The woman looks up to face her captain—who in many ways is like a father to her, before nodding and hesitantly walking towards the entrance with him.

Suddenly, the voices of two individuals can be heard from overhead, "Who dares trespass on Master Kukaku's residence?!"

At the top of each of the stone arms stand big buff men with handlebar mustaches and unique-looking hats.

Isshin looks up at the two, regarding them, "Been a while, hasn't it, Koganehiko? Shiroganehiko?"

The two struggle to recognize the man at first, but after another moment they seem to figure it out.

"Impossible! Master Isshin?!", they reply, noticing Ukitake and two other Shinigami with him.

The man waves his hand carelessly, "Yeah, it's me. A lot's happened, as you could figure. I'd appreciate it if you could let us meet with my niece."

The two jump to the ground and bow vigorously, "Of course, Master Isshin, right this way."

Karin looks around the house as they enter and descend some stairs, unable to ignore the distinct smell of ash within the chambers.

As they enter a larger room through sliding doors, a surprised gasp fills the room, "No way! UNCLE?! Is that you?!"

A dark-haired, busty woman who had previously been sitting in the middle of the room jumps up and runs over towards them with a surprised face. She has quite a striking appearance, wearing a white skirtanda sleeveless red top. Further, she has several bandages covering various parts of her body—the most notable of which is on her head and ankles. Upon looking at her shoulder bandages, Karin's eyes trail down, instantly noticing that the woman is missing her right arm from the elbow down. She can't help but stare at the wrapped stub awkwardly as her father addresses the woman.

"Kukaku, I'm glad to see you're still doing well since I've been gone. Where's Ganju? There's some stuff I wanted to talk about if you'll hear me out.", the man states in a casual tone.

Kukaku immediately places her hand on her hip and leers at the man, "This has got to be some kind of joke. Why did you come back now after all these years? I see you're wearing that Shinigami get-up. You mind explaining yourself?!"

Isshin sheepishly rubs the back of his neck, "I've been reinstated as a special captain. I know I've been gone for over twenty years, but there's a good reason for it. I lost my powers in the world of the living after saving the woman who eventually became my wife, Masaki. I only recently reacquired them."

"What the hell?! I think you better start back at the beginning… what made you rejoin? I'm surprised they didn't execute you for going AWOL for twenty years," she shakes her head, not entirely understanding him.

"You may have heard about the Hollow White who has caused trouble in the living world recently. Well, that's the same Hollow that I fought over 20 years ago, or at least a spiritual successor, anyway. It attacked Masaki and infected her somehow. Since she was a…", Isshin glances at Ukitake, recalling that they are not alone in the room, before choosing his next words carefully, "…uh, well, she was a spiritually inclined human, which meant the Hollow went after her. The Hollow was quite fearsome, so it took all of my power to defeat it. Somehow, it was able to return recently, explaining why my powers have returned to me."

Kukaku stares at her uncle in mild disbelief before her face shifts into a smirk, "Ah, so you used that final technique of yours, I see… Well, shit. The Shinigami probably weren't happy to learn that you abandoned your post to save some human from a Hollow."

The bearded man takes this as his cue to continue his explanation, "After I saved her, we assumed the Hollow was gone so I eventually ended up settling down with her and we got married. We had three children… seems like a Shiba tradition."

"Three children? Oh, I'll bet those Shinigami bastards didn't like that!", the woman laughs, still ignoring the other three in the room, causing Ukitake to sweat drop.

Suddenly a large burly man with long black hair wearing tan and green robes bursts into the room, "YOU HAVE CHILDREN, UNCLE?!"

Kukaku stops laughing, shifting her gaze onto the new arrival, "There you are Ganju… what were you doing hiding in that other room?! Take a seat and shut up until we get to hear the end of the story!"

The bandaged woman motions for the man to sit down. Karin can see some resemblance in this Ganju man's face in comparison to her father. They definitely have a similar facial structure.

Ganju reluctantly crosses his arms as he leans against a wall, "I'll stand…"

Before Kukaku can voice her disapproval, Isshin decides to answer Ganju's question, "Yes, in fact, this girl here is one of them. She and her sister are my young ones. They're fraternal twins. Go ahead and introduce yourself."

Karin steps forward somewhat nervously as her cousins gawk at her.

She takes a deep breath and speaks, "I'm Karin, it's nice to meet you."

"Your daughter's a Shinigami too?!", Kukaku asks, surprised.

"Wait, so where are the other two then? And what the hell is she doing here?!", the younger Shiba man wonders as he shoots a glare at Rukia, causing her to flinch.

"Shut up, Ganju, and let him talk," his sister commands.

"I was getting to that… Yuzu, my other daughter, is mostly a normal human, inheriting many of my wife's characteristics, particularly when it comes to cooking skills, I'd say.", Isshin pauses, suddenly feeling homesick, before continuing, "She only has mild amounts of spiritual awareness. Nothing enough for her to develop powers, I think. She's back in the world of the living. I have close friends keeping an eye on her for me while I help hunt down that Hollow."

Kukaku hums before asking another question, "So whatever happened to your wife anyway? Will we ever get to meet her?"

The woman shifts about, perhaps anxiously. She seems to be ignoring Rukia's presence as best she can.

The bearded man shakes his head, "No… unfortunately Masaki died to a Hollow from what I've been able to gather. I did some digging and learned that it went by the name of Grand Fisher. It wasn't particularly powerful, but it was still enough to take my wife away from me…"

Isshin's eyes seem to drop at this, his mood plummeting. Karin, meanwhile, looks shocked at this revelation as she previously had no idea her mother was killed by a Hollow as well.

The girl can hear the voice of the woman she met earlier, her Zanpakutō, in the back of her head, "Fret not, Karin. For I, and the old grump (I guess), are here to help you become strong now! You can put those Hollows in their place in due time!"

Karin's hand balls up into a fist, "The Hollows… I'll defeat them all! I will avenge Mom and Ichigo!"

Kukaku sighs, rubbing the back of her head, "Sorry for bringing up a sore subject…"

Isshin regains his composure and shrugs, "It's fine…"

"So, who's your third kid?", Ganju interrupts, attempting to lighten the mood by changing the subject.

However, this only seems to have made things worse, as Isshin clenches his fist until cracking can be heard with a serious expression on his face, causing his nephew to flinch.

The bearded man explains as calmly as he can, "My oldest… his name was Ichigo and he died the same way as his mother—Hollow attack… He was born spiritually adept, and I think that's what made him a target to Hollows. Before he died, I was thinking about telling him the truth about everything… the Soul Society and whatnot. It's just… I didn't want to force onto him a life he might not have wanted. Unfortunately, my inaction is what led to him being eaten by a Hollow… it happened right before I got my powers back…"

There is dead silence for a moment before Ganju decides to speak once more, "I'm sorry for your loss…"

At this point, Kukaku has gotten out her pipe, smoking on it anxiously, before deciding to speak, "It seems we Shibas are cursed to lose our loved ones to Hollows…"

There is another long silence before Isshin takes a deep breath, deciding to change the subject, "There's a favor I'd like to ask of you two."

The woman eyes her uncle seriously, "Anything for you, Uncle, you should know that by now…"

The bearded man nods, "I'd like you two to keep an eye on Karin for a couple weeks during the registration processes for her admission into the academy and as a citizen of the Soul Society. Captain Ukitake and I have to return to the world of the living to ensure White's capture, so I'll also be leaving Rukia here to act both as her escort and to teach her the bare bones basics—as she will decide if Karin has what it takes to attend the academy. I hope that's alright."

"Like hell it is!", Ganju blurts out, enraged.

The man stomps towards Rukia, who is quivering next to her captain.

"Ganju, stop!", his sister calls out to him.

The young Shiba man growls, "No! You can't just expect me to be fine with our brother's murderer watching over our younger cousin unsupervised! This woman means death for the Shibas!"

Karin is surprised at the revelation, looking back to the raven-haired Shinigami, who is not denying the claim but is wearing a face full of guilt.

Isshin sighs, "I've said what I've come to say. You take care, Karin. I'll be back to see you as soon as I can…"

The bearded man kneels next to his daughter and ties a purple charm around her neck, "This is a talisman your mother gave me a long time ago—it will bring you good luck."

This grabs the attention of both Ganju and Kukaku, who watch Isshin ruffle his daughter's hair.

Karin looks down at the talisman, "I can't—"

Her father insists, "Keep it, really. If I can't be around to help you, then at least your mother can in some way… take care, Karin."

Isshin gets up and heads out of the room, "I'll be waiting outside, Captain Ukitake."

Ukitake gives the man a curt nod before turning his attention back to the Shiba siblings, who once more glare daggers at the woman next to him, "I know you two must hold your reservations about Rukia, but believe me she wants to make amends… that's why she is here—"

Rukia interrupts her captain by tugging on his sleeve and shaking her head, prompting him to look at her with a face of disappointment and confusion.

She shifts her attention to the Shiba siblings, "What he said isn't wrong… it seems wherever I go, I only place your family in harm's way… or worse…"

The raven-haired woman looks directly at Karin, "Karin, I'm sorry, but your brother's death was my fault too."

This causes everyone in the room to let out a gasp of surprise, Ukitake feeling thankful that Isshin wasn't in the room to hear that.

"What do you mean?! I saw Ichigo being dragged away by a Hollow that night! I didn't see you anywhere!", the young Shinigami starts hyperventilating, completely thrown off by the raven-haired girl's words.

"That's just it… I didn't get there in time, so your brother paid the price! I—", Rukia chokes on her words before continuing, sobbing all the while, "I'm so sorry—all of you I… I am the reason you'll never get to see either of them again! I'm sorry!"

Ukitake places a hand of support on his subordinate's shoulder. Ganju stands in silence, bewildered to find the ice-cold, heartless murderer he remembered sobbing like a baby in front of them, begging for forgiveness. Karin's expression softens, recognizing that the older Shinigami is blaming herself for what happened more than anything.

Rukia regains her composure, "I-I'm sorry… I never meant to hurt either of them, but my incompetence ensured I'd be nothing but a bother… for that I'm sorry, I'm not sure I can ever make it up to any of you… I understand if I'm not worthy of—"

"What is this?! The world's longest apology?! I'm not interested in your words, Shinigami!", Kukaku growls.

The raven-haired woman instinctively responds, "Uh—I'm sorry!"

The Shiba woman gets up from her seat and approaches the Shinigami with an unreadable expression.

"Hey…", Ganju calls to his sister, but she doesn't show the slightest intention of stopping.

As Kukaku is in front of Rukia, the Shinigami can't help but avert her eyes from the taller woman's gaze, "I'm sor—"

Before she can finish, the Shiba woman punches her in the face, causing her nose to bleed. Karin and Ganju cringe at the sight, while Ukitake restrains himself from lashing out at her out of respect for her brother, choosing to remain out of it for the time being.

Kukaku shouts, "Y'know you only have to say it once! Saying it over and over again like that is annoying—it pisses me off seeing something so pathetic!"

Rukia picks herself off the ground holding her nose to help stop the bleeding, "Wait, does that mean…?"

The bandaged woman nods, "Yeah, I forgive you. Your captain here had already told me about what really happened a while back, so I decided that if you came here and uttered even a single word of apology, I would forgive you."

The raven-haired Shinigami seems at a loss, looking at Karin and Ganju as well.

The young Shinigami shrugs, "Well, I'm not sure what happened with my cousin, but I know Ichigo's death wasn't your fault—if anything it was mine because he died in my place…"

Karin's gaze is now distant, earning her a look of sympathy from everyone in the room.

Ganju turns to face the Shinigami now, "If sis says she forgives you, then I guess I can too."

Rukia bows, "Thank you! I promise to protect Karin to the best of my abilities!"

Kukaku glares at her, "You'd better, or else I'll kick your ass again."

"I second that.", her brother casually adds.

The Shinigami manages to offer them a light smile, "I'll try to meet your expectations."

At this, Ukitake decides to announce his leave, "Well, it looks like everything has wrapped up here quite nicely, more or less. I think I ought to take my leave now, Isshin might be getting anxious. Best of luck to you, Karin. I look forward to seeing how far you've come when next we meet."

The man gives them a slight bow before giving a nod of farewell to his subordinate.

Once he's gone, Kukaku regards Karin with a smirk, "So kid, have you ever set off any fireworks?"

Seireitei

Isshin and Ukitake are traveling back through the Seireitei towards the Squad 13 Barracks but are cut off on the way.

"Hey… you two just got back. You ought to rest up here a bit before returning to hunt that nasty Hollow.", Captain Shunsui Kyoraku states to the two men, sincerely offering them his hospitality.

"I just might have to take you up on that, Shunsui.", Isshin states happily.

This earns a grin from the veteran captain, who leads his two friends to his quarters.

The men sit around Kyoraku's desk, which might as well be his drinking table, given that alcohol is the only thing on it, save for some food and tea, which earns the white-haired captain's attention.

Kyoraku smiles jovially at his best friend, "Now, I know you prefer not to drink, Jushiro, so I had some tea and rice cakes prepared beforehand—your favorite, I believe."

Ukitake gives his friend a smile at this, "You really didn't have to go through all this trouble on my account, Shunsui."

"Don't act so modest—I'd say you've earned it, what with you volunteering to spend so much time in the world of the living hunting down that nasty Hollow… that on top of your condition makes a guy worry he'll wake up one day to find his best friend dead on the ground….", the brown-haired flower man tilts his straw hat over his face to hide his expression.

The white-haired captain's expression softens, "Shunsui, I thought I made it clear at the captain's meeting: I can handle myself."

"Yeah, I know… But I just can't help it. I'm a pessimist at heart.", Kyoraku grabs the sake and pours it into cups for both Isshin and himself.

The Shiba man grabs a cup, sampling it, before speaking up, "You don't need to worry about him, Shunsui. If anything happens, I'll get him off the frontline as soon as I can."

The brown-haired bearded man nods in appreciation at his younger friend while taking a drink of his sake.

"In any case, it's been far too long since I've had a drink with you, Isshin. Still like the taste of sake?", the captain probes.

Isshin nods with a smile, "Yeah, sake is pretty good. Although I've had all kinds of other drinks from the world of the living that are just as good, some I'd say are even better. Some examples I can think of off the top of my head are vodka, wine, rum, and beer, among others."

"You don't say…", Kyoraku leans forward, taking great interest in the variety of alcoholic beverages in the world of the living, "I'll have to try some of those next time I have the chance to go to the world of the living."

Ukitake shifts awkwardly, feeling out of place due to his limited experience and knowledge of alcohol.

The flowery captain notices this and pours sake into a third cup, "Here, Jushiro, try some."

The white-haired captain holds up his hand to reject the beverage, "No thanks, Shunsui, I'd rather not."

Kyoraku shrugs carelessly before drinking the cup himself.

Isshin slaps Ukitake on the back in support, "That's probably for the best! You can get addicted to this stuff really easily and I don't think we need to add alcoholism to your list of medical conditions!"

"Yeah, that would be quite bad…", the sickly captain sweat drops while nodding in agreement.

Suddenly, the door to the office slides open, and a bespectacled woman in Shinigami attire marches in, scolding Kyoraku, "Just what is going on in here, Captain? Drinking with on-duty officers again? You should be ashamed, projecting your bad drinking habits onto them!"

"Ah, you're no fun Nanao. But of course, I do like your serious side…", the captain states a bit flirtatiously.

Nanao frowns deeply as she continues to scold him, "That reminds me! We've received numerous complaints from female officers about you hitting on them while they were on duty. How many times must I explain that distracting on-duty officers—not to mention harassing them—is strictly forbidden!"

Kyoraku pouts, "Aw, c'mon Nanao! Can't a guy just appreciate alcohol and women?"

The strait-laced woman snaps back, "If you're that desperate, there are plenty of whorehouses in the Rukongai!"

Isshin stumbles to get to his feet, which causes the two to pause their bickering.

The Shiba man squints as if to think of what to say as he feels a bit tipsy from having many cups of sake, "I'd love to stay here and keep chatting, but your vice-captain is right. We should probably be heading back to resume our hunt."

Ukitake helps him maintain his balance, before they both bow, thanking Kyoraku for his hospitality.

"Good friends like you are welcome anytime!", the easy-going captain calls out to them as they leave.

Nanao adjusts her glasses, correcting her captain, "Actually, they aren't welcome when they are on duty, so no, they are not welcome 'anytime'."

"Always so technical… still, I hope the two of them don't push themselves too hard out there. For their sakes and the humans'…", the Squad 8 captain and vice-captain are silent as they watch the two men fade from sight.

Author's Note:

Characters from Hueco Mundo will be popping up here and there throughout this arc to provide short updates of relevant things happening on the Hollow side of things. Szayel specifically I am building for a plotline coming up in the next arc.

About the Hōgyoku: this was the object Isshin was referring to a few chapters back. The idea was that if Karin failed in her training in the Shattered Shaft and started turning into a Hollow, Urahara would use the Hōgyoku to stabilize her like what he did with the Visoreds. As he states in the chapter, this scenario would have complicated things greatly, but Karin would still be alive. Urahara would have additional contingency plans that would follow based on how Karin would end up after that, but I don't have to write or think about them too much since everything worked out.