"What are you doing here!?" Karin spun around and ran towards her old friend. "You look different. Did you get a haircut? It looks good!" "What the hell, Karin!? Why are you talking so much?! Oh crap! I'm blushing!" Karin laughed awkwardly and looked down at her shoes.
"Well someone seems very excited to see me." Toshiro smiled and crossed his arms, moving his eyes over the blushing girl.
"Ha! You just surprised me! That's all. Don't get excited." Karin threw her hands on her hips in an attempt to look superior.
"Right." Toshiro spoke skeptically as he began walking to the soccer field. "Wanna play?"
"Well...I...Uh..." "I'm pretty beat from the game I just played, but... Oh, who cares! I can take him!" Karin tossed her backpack on a bench and reached back to tighten her ponytail. She approached Toshiro and began stretching. "Let's play!" Toshiro smiled, shaking his head.
"You really are just like your brother." He grabbed a soccer ball and kicked it to Karin. She effortlessly stopped it.
"What do you mean?" Karin began kicking the ball up and easily hitting it with her knees.
"You never know when to stop."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Karin let the ball fall to the ground.
"It means that you don't know when you have reached your limit. I know that you just finished a game, yet you still agreed to play against me. You ignore your body's constant urging to rest, just like Ichigo." Toshiro watched as Karin smirked.
"That's because were tough!" Karin brought her arms up, flexing her tiny muscles.
"Hmmph, yea." Toshiro strolled towards Karin and kicked the ball away.
"What are you doing?" Karin tilted her head slightly, squinting against the falling sun. Toshiro moved to stand in front of her. His small body was now blocking the sun. "He's seems different. But, it's a good different. He seems more mature, and he looks great. Really great. The hair will take some time getting used to, but it definitely suits him. And his eyes! They are the same intense yet beautiful eyes that I remember. They always come across cold at first, but there's a kind of warmth that quickly takes over. Maybe it's because he's with me...?"
"Karin?" Karin shook her head to clear her thoughts. Toshiro had both hands placed gently on her shoulders.
"Sorry. Umm, you never told me why you are here." Karin brought her eyes to meet his piercing ones.
"I have orders to monitor someone with very strong spiritual pressure here."
"Oh? Do you need help finding this person? I can help!"
"I've already found them." Toshiro turned away from Karin and began walking to the bench where her backpack was.
"Who is it? Can you tell me or is it confidential?" Karin raced to catch up with Toshiro, watching as he picked up her backpack and casually slung it over one shoulder.
"It's you." He turned to watch her face turn from excitement to confusion in an instant.
"M...Me?" "What the hell? Why do I need to be monitored? Am I gonna end up being a soul reaper like Ichigo?" "Does this mean I will become a soul reaper!?"
"No." Toshiro watched as she tried to hide her disappointment.
"Then, why do I need to be watched?"
"Because, it's dangerous for someone with that high amount of spiritual pressure to run around unprotected. Hollows will be especially attracted to you."
"But, aren't there other soul reapers assigned here to kill the hollows?" Karin tried to grasp everything Toshiro was saying.
"Well, yes. However, the Head Captain thought it would be best if we sent someone to watch over you specifically, and since I have a lot of experience in the world of the living, I was the most logical choice."
"So, you are basically here to babysit me...?" Karin couldn't hide the irritation growing in her voice.
"No. Don't get any ideas that I will be playing the role of a babysitter. I'm here to make sure you stay out of danger while trying to figure out why you have such immense spiritual pressure."
"And what happens when you find out why I have strong spiritual pressure? Are you gonna do some kinda experiment on me to take it away?"
"Of course not. I will teach you how to control it." Toshiro sighed while trying to stay calm at the hounding questions. He stopped walking when he realized Karin was no longer beside him. He looked back to see her standing a short distance away, trembling with anger. "Karin?"
"This is dumb! I can protect myself! I'm older and stronger now!"
"Karin, I'm not saying that you can't defend yourself. But, hollows aren't to be underestimated. You know that. I was given orders to monitor you, and I intend on doing just that. Besides..." Toshiro looked down. "I couldn't bare it if something happened to you," he mumbled and quickly began walking again.
"Ah! What did he just say!? He couldn't bare it if I got hurt!? He really cares about me? Maybe he likes me? I...I kinda like him..." Karin relaxed her hands and trotted towards Toshiro. "Sorry. I guess I am just like Ichigo. He always gets angry really fast. Anyway, what should we do?"
"He's hot-headed. Don't worry. You are not THAT much like him. As for a plan, I believe we should wait a few days to see if you attract any hollows and then go from there."
"Okay. Where are you going to stay?"
"That is not something you need to worry about." He flashed a quick smirk to her before quickening his pace.
"Fine, whatever." She huffed and ran to catch up with him.
"Right. I will know if you are in trouble, so you don't have to worry." Toshiro handed Karin her backpack and headed away from her house.
"You sure you don't wanna just stay here!?" Karin called out to her friend. She watched as he waved his hand, never turning around. "I guess not." She mumbled and walked into her house.
"I'm going to bed," Karin called to her sister and father as she placed her bowl in the sink. She groaned as she forced her sore legs to move up the steps. "Maybe it was a good thing that I didn't play that game with Toshiro." She threw her hands up and yawned, stopping for a second to peer into Ichigo's room. "I wonder where he is," she whispered as she continued to her own bedroom.
Once she made sure her door was locked, she changed into her pajamas and hopped into her bed, snuggling close to her blanket. Minutes passed while she lied still, staring at her ceiling. "Ugh! What the hell?" She sat up in her bed. "Why can I sense him so close to here? Is he...?" Tugging her blanket tightly around her, she got out of bed and opened her window. She placed her free hand on the side of the window and slowly stepped onto the roof. She moved cautiously to the figure sitting on the edge, his feet dangling. "Why are you up here?" She carefully sat down beside him and tugged her blanket closer to her. "It's cold."
"The cold doesn't bother me." Toshiro glanced at Karin. "What are you doing up here?"
"I could sense you up here."
"You could? You must be much stronger than I thought. I was masking my spiritual pressure."
"I told you!" Karin stopped to sneeze. "I'm tough!" Toshiro smiled and pulled her blanket back up over her bare shoulder, letting his hand linger on her back for a moment.
"And just what the hell are you doing with my sister!?" A familiar voice growled from behind them, causing the two to jump in fright. They carefully hopped up and spun around.
"Look who finally decided to make an appearance." Toshiro threw his hands into his pockets and stepped forward.
"Yea, well I've been busy... I can see you have been busy too, Toshiro." The familiar face cocked both eyebrows and gestured towards Karin and Toshiro.
"How many times am I going to have to tell you?" Toshiro's eyebrow twitched. "It's Captain Hitsugaya to you, Ichigo."
