Playing with Fire (Rewritten)

Chapter 2: Reunion

" Me?" Her ears perked up and her shoulders tensed. She had been under the pretence that this had all been about Ichigo. Not the other way round.

Toshiro nodded, " This may seem out of place but I've been sent here to contact you." He began, pausing as trepidation filled her heart.

" Due to the rapid rate at which your spiritual energy is increasing. It's been concluded that you, Kurosaki Karin, are a potential threat to not only others but yourself as well."

" A threat... What do you mean?" Karin felt her breathing stop. The fact that his face was stone cold wasn't helping her case. " A threat? How!"

Just as she spoke, a wave of energy rippled throughout the area. A tire ruptured and bursts of vapour escaped, whining widely into the dead of the night. Her attention quickly shifted to the now flat tire, stumbling back out of shock at the result of her actions. Her knees buckled and, when Karin felt as if she was going to collapse, someone grabbed her.

" Stay calm." He soothed her, but sudden exhaustion had gripped her body. The world was darkening with only his face visible in her line of sight. Her eyelids grew heavy and not before long, Karin had fainted in Toshiro's arms.

That was the last thing that Karin remembered. By the time she woke up again, three faces popped up into her view. All of whom crowded around her as Karin quickly noticed she was lying on Ichigo's bed.

" KARIN!" Ichigo exclaimed, he hugged her almost instantly. When was it that Ichigo started acting like their father? She could barely breathe under his choke hold. By the time Ichigo finally loosened his grip, Karin straightened her posture and surveyed the room. To her right, Rukia and Ichigo sat silently beside each other while Toshiro was off standing at the end of the bed.

" What is going on right now?" She frantically looked around.
" I know all of this sounds confusing like why I'm wearing this but don't worry I can expl–,"

"No not that!" Karin cut him off as a startled look tackled his face. His face stuttered and stumbled on the many questions he had. " Why am I a threat? Toshiro just told me that I'm going to be a danger but I haven't had an issue all this time. Am I going to die?"

"You know Toshiro?" Ichigo asked but was ignored yet again. Seeing the look that Karin had, she seemed to be in no mood to answer. Instead, Rukia volunteered as she stepped forward.

" Since it seems like Captain Hitsugaya talked to you about it, I'll just go from there," she began, " As you may know now, your spiritual energy has been increasing exponentially. So much so, that the Soul Society has deemed it to be potentially dangerous. To prevent this, it has been decided to either to suppress it or contain it."

Karin felt her mind hurt just from listening. It was difficult to comprehend but she nodded anyway. Rukia continued, " To suppress it, we can place a binding on your soul to lessen its growth although it is an arduous procedure. "

" When you say arduous, how difficult it is going to be?"

Rukia bit her lip and answered, " I will not lie and admit that it is quite a painful process. The times we ever had to do this has been far and few, the last one dating back to 1000 years ago. Binding on a rapidly growing soul isn't natural and there's always a possibility of the soul breaking free...killing the person."

Tension befell the room. If the first choice already had "dying" as an option, she had no clue how much better or worse the second choice was. Karin frowned, " Rukia you're shitting me aren't you? Then tell me, how do I contain it?"

" Well...you can train to be a soul reaper like Ichigo." she said, pointing to him as if he was a prime and shining example, " You'll also have mentors who you are there to supervise like Captain Hitsugaya, and myself."

Karin could admit, the latter option sounded incredibly better than dying. However, she couldn't help but not put her full faith in this idea. " You've got to be kidding me... Either I could die or learn to kill monsters that I don't want to meet anymore than I am right now. Both options are trash!"

"...Trash?" Rukia's brows shot up.
"Here's the thing, I'm not going face-first into danger like Ichigo who is a self-righteous idiot. Unlike you, I don't want to become a soul reaper. I just want to be normal even if it means seeing spirits now and then. But I also don't want to die. The fact that I have to choose between these two options is insane to me."

Frustration grew evident on her face. She could see that they had gone quiet with a silence so palpable. No one dared to speak, except for Toshiro, who approached forward and spoke, " Then how about we make a third?"

" A third?"

" Yes a third," Toshiro repeated, " If you don't want to become a soul reaper, so be it. You can still train to maintain your power instead of sealing it away.

The Gotei 13 only seeks to maintain overall peace between the three worlds. I'll have it known as my authority as Captian that no one can force you to do anything you don't want."

His voice boomed and commanded the room. The proposition he made sent waves of shock to not only the officers but Karin as well. She felt as his eyes narrowed onto her and a heavy burden dawned on her at this very moment.
Struggling to make a decision even now, panic arose in her chest.

But before she could say anything, Toshiro spoke once again, " You don't have to choose now. We were sent here to monitor your spiritual levels so you'll have plenty of time to decide then. I believe that we have long overstayed our welcome and it's about time we leave."

Toshiro bowed to both Ichigo and Karin, ushering the rest before they all vanish in a flash. He peaked a small glance at Karin before leaving some departing wishes.

" Goodnight. We'll be seeing each other soon."

And just like last time, he disappeared.