Exiled

Zanpakuto:

Kariuzu woke up on the floor of the statue in the graveyard. Her back hurt and her arm was sore, and her eyes were puffy. She sat up and sighed. She'd cried herself to sleep, again. Shinji was becoming an issue for her mind. She couldn't understand his resentment and self-loathing. She couldn't understand his absolute disregard for her. She stood up and walked forward, her feet caring her to one of the gates and she looked up. The young white-haired captain sat on the top of the gate, looking down on the other side. She jumped up and looked down, watching the people move around.

"Oh, Lady Shiba." He spoke looking at her.

"Captain." She nodded at him with respect. "Any sign of them?" 

"Hard to say since we don't know what they look like." He responded. 

"Sorry about that, but I don't know what most their normal spirit forms even look like." She replied with a sigh.

"You knew that one boy, Jo." He added. 

"I'd seen him, he was one of the few that wasn't a fan of body switching. Because of what happens to humans. So he spent more time in spirit form. Only a few of them, Taki didn't like that though." 

"Makes sense, especially if he didn't trust you either." The captain added. "What Shinji said to you yesterday was quite rude." 

"Yeah, he is just angry with me." She responded, sitting next to the captain. 

"Why would he be angry?"

"Because I let him believe I was dead, we were close." 

"Isshin isn't angry with you." 

"My loving brother doesn't do anger very well. He almost never gets mad. And it's not like he didn't do the same thing." Kariuzu supplied. 

"He did do that. He used to be my captain." He laughed. 

"Of course he was." 

"Shinji is kind of a hard to read fellow. After what happened with Aizen, he doesn't trust many people, but I wouldn't expect him to not trust you."

"No one is to blame for Aizen, but Aizen." Kariuzu sighed. 

"I don't disagree with you, actually." He responded. "Could have to do with his hallow side."

"It's not like that was his fault either. Honestly, people need to stop blaming themselves for other people's decisions." 

"You should probably take your own advice." He stated, and she looked at him. "What happened to those people isn't your fault either."

"I don't know what you mean, Captain." She said. 

"You blame yourself for the souls lost all those years ago. It wasn't your fault. You tried to stop it, but you couldn't and there was nothing more you could do." He stated, looking out at the sky. "I don't mean to speak so bluntly, Lady Shiba, but I think the reason you stayed so long with them, was because you felt responsible for what happened to them."

"Uhhh-" She looked at him and thought about it.

"I do apologize, Lady Shiba, if I offended you." 

"No, Captain. You are probably right. Maybe I stayed away for that, and the fact that I was angry that what happened was our only option in the first place." She supplied. 

"It isn't a wrong way to feel about it. I'm quite angry about how it all went down, but it was a different time and situation." He supplied with a dismissing wave of his hand. "But you can't change the past." 

"Maybe so." She responded, looking down at the ground below them. "You are quite an interesting guy, Captain." 

"That's a first. Most call me cold." He replied. 

"That's because you are, Toshiro." Karin Kurosaki said, stepping up, and pressing a kiss to the captain's forehead. He smiled, deeply while looking at her. 

"Ah. Well, I should head out. Thank you for the conversation, Captain." Kariuzu said with a smile, jumping off the wall and looking back up at the couple, before feeling the stab of envy took her heart. She sighed before going towards the squad 8 training ground, where she saw Ichigo with Isshin. 

"Sis!" Isshin called out, with a goofy grin on his face. 

"Hello, Isshin. Hey, Ichigo, do you think I can use your cave training grounds to get a handle on my Zanpakuto."

"Of course." Ichigo smiled at her, and she could see the Shiba clan in him. She took off, heading towards the cave to train. 

Kariuzu stepped into the damp cave, a place where she trained all those years ago with Shunsui. She rolled her shoulders, feeling the spiritual pressure, as she straightened out her arms to the side, closing her eyes she felt for the familiar sealed boxes. She knew it would take time to unlock the seals on her zanpakuto, but she had to release them. She felt for her energy and started pushing at the locks, feeling one give after the other, before pausing for a breath and unlocking the last one, she shuddered as she felt the familiar pressure from her weapon. 

"Release!" She called out and felt the hidden doors at each hand open up and the hilt of her swords started pushing out and she pulled them from their seal. Revealing two zanpakuto's. She sighed at the familiar weight, glad to finally have them returned. 

"Welcome home." She whispered to the weapons and felt them hum in response as she strapped them criss-cross across on her back. She suddenly felt stronger, and more in control with the return of her weapon. Her two blades that wielded so much power. "I've missed you both so much." She whispered, feeling the familiar hum from behind her. 

She drew both blades in perfect harmony and began practicing her swings falling into familiar steps and patterns, her feet moving flawlessly. 

"Wail, Skeletal Nights!" She cried, and the wind blew fiercely as her blades transformed, the two simple katana's changed into one long great large blade that was longer than her. Skeletons danced across the blade, she gave the sword a swing and a gust of wind, left marks on the walls, before skeletons began to dance in the shadows of the cave, and came out. She smiled at the power, before releasing the power, returning them to small katanas, which she placed back into their place on her back. She sagged against using so much strength at once. She let out a grateful sigh as she sat down, letting her mind grow blank as she was transported to her inner world. 

"You've finally returned from your long mission, master" The voices were spoken in harmony.

"Yes, I am, Tessel Skel, Skel Bone." She responded, looking up at the two boys that were her zanpakuto. 

"We are glad to finally return to you, master." They spoke, and she smiled. 

"I've missed you both. I can't stay for long, but I'll visit you soon." She finished as she let her concentration to fade. She stood and walked out of the cave, before something powerful hit her, knocking her out.