╭Temporarily Here╮

Chapter 18

✨Karin's P.O.V✨

Looking around, I found this place spacious and unique from any other place I've ever seen. Then again, I've never seen a training ground before; just soccer fields, if that counts. I wouldn't have seen one, previously, if not for the circumstances we were in. Honestly, everything feels so different after that early test that captain made me do. I looked around noticing a certain wave of reistu - I think that's the name - coming from each and everyone of them: Yuzu, Tatsuki, Muzuiro-san, Keigo-san and his sister. Some were weaker than the rest, but all of them had that bottling inside them. I could feel it.

I wasn't sure if it was normal to understand their emotions, because there was a certain way those waves felt. Like Keigo's reistu would move around energetically making it obvious it was his.

Mizuiro's was lingering around, calm, but once in while would move as if restricted - he might've been thinking hard on something. Yuzu's was just as jumpy as Keigo's, but I didn't have to rely on this reistu to know she was excited. She was nervous too, I knew.

Tatsuki's surrounded her protectively, barely moving around. It was sometimes rapidly swirling around her and then slow the next. As expected from someone with experience like her, she was on guard, but let her guard off sometimes.

Keigo's sister didn't have much reistu; in fact, I think she might've had the least. Yuzu's was just a little more than hers. Asano-san's reitsu was in constant rapid movement. It was as if an angry woman was shouting in my ears. It took all of my being to hold back. It was overwhelming, not just Asano-san's. I guess the best way to put it is: as if you were a mind reader, hearing everyone's thoughts at once. And you can't stop it.

Except I'm able to block most of it; being a part of the Kurosaki family had its perks.

Some time passed and we were still waiting for the 'trainers'. I'd scrutinized every inch of the training ground by now, and that's why - when I had seen a familiar face - I was significantly surprised. Not to the point that I was shocked; it was just unexpected to see him here so quickly. I was always used to seeing him in between huge gaps of time, but I guess since I am in the Soul Society, it was only natural. "Toshiro!" I waved. A smile was plastered on my face.

I don't know. I just seem to be in a more friendly mood. A familiar face from long ago. It brings my old self with the old memories. Plus, I never have reasons to smile these days anyway.

I was trying to be subtle either way, because I got an ear full from Yuzu last night. The girl was screaming out fantasies about my nonexistent love-life. I was barely able to fall asleep with all her squealing.

Sometimes I wonder about her. Knowing her, she was probably running her mind to the wildest ideas again at that very moment. "Huh, who's the little kid?" Keigo's sister questioned. I saw Keigo himself look at Toshiro before his eyes widened and he pointed a finger at Toshiro. "Hey, it's you! The little guy from high school. You were with Ikkaku! He even called you for that match we had to win!"

"Well, you had to expect he would be a Soul Reaper if he had been a friend of Ichigo's and this Ikkaku guy," Mizuiro intersected effortlessly in the conversation. "Wait, this little kid is a friend of my beloved Ikkaku?"

"And, you'd think she would have a better memory than me," Keigo mumbled, stone-faced.

Mirth took over my genuine - but small - smile. As expected, he snapped, "I am not a little kid!"

Everyone's reistu spiked in surprise. Toshiro's voice was slightly more mature than expected, but held a childishness when he had raised his voice. It was something I haven't seen in a long time. His reaction are always worth watching. Yuzu had spoken after processing. "Toshiro, it's nice to see you again. I thought you broke up with Karin, but seeing that you're a Soul Reaper, like Ichi-nii, I understand that you're just really busy."

"Not this again." Toshiro sighed. I shook my head. "I gave up already. She's delusional."

"Oh, you know him too?" Mizuiro-san asked, his friendly smile never seeming to falter. "Wouldn't she naturally know him?" mumbled Keigo-san with a raised eyebrow.

"Nah, we met on our own terms," I answered. I then pointed at the aforementioned teal-eyed male, "He's a captain and apparently, much older than he looks, Toshiro Hitsuguya."

I said his last name slowly; it made it unfortunately obvious that I had almost forgotten his last name. I had just always called him by his first name too many times to be used to saying Hitsuguya. "So captains are those people like Kuchiki-san?" Yuzu, who stood between both Tatsuki and I, whispered. Tatsuki shrugged, "I don't know. He must be one of the strongest Soul Reapers, I guess. Maybe a rank as a leader or something?"

My guess is Toshiro heard them and explained with a look of irritation. Always remembered him - in our short meetings - being a grouch, so it was expected. "Captain is a rank given to skillful and strong Soul Reapers. There are thirteen Captains in total to lead and represent their squad. I'm from the tenth as suggested by my white hiaori, but I would say there are more capable captains than me in strength."

I didn't know much of the systems here either. It hadn't peeked my interest and I never really thought about it too. Though, considering we would be here for a while, we should probably get accustomed to the new environment. And, wait... did Toshiro just degrade himself? I scowled, which was a regular expression for me these days.

"Oh, I kinda get it now," Tatsuki said. Yuzu followed with a nod. "I'm a bit lost." Keigo ruffled his brown locks in frustration. His sister's eyebrows furrowed, "Of course you don't!"

❄ Toshiro's P.O.V❄

This was going to be a handful. I was the monitor, albeit the Soul Reapers in charge of training them were late. Very well. I decided to take the initiative and explain what would be on the agenda for training. A few details, at best. A few of them were quite slow, which was the only problem.

I only observed silently as they got into an argument. Kurosaki had weird friends from the living world.

"I will explain a few things about this training program as your instructors are late," I said, raising my voice enough for them to stop their quarreling.

"Hold up, so you're not the one going to teach us?" The young lady standing next to Yuzu Kurosaki asked.

"No, I will not. While all captains are capable in strength, each have their unique roles and traits. That leads me to Squad Four, they specialize in the medical field. A group will be send from that squad to teach you the basics. Once you are ready, we will bring in more people from different squads to teach you the next phases."

Asano, I remembered him from the visits to Kurosaki's school, lifted his hand up and inquired: "Not to be rude, but, why are you here then?"

"As I said, you are to move to next levels of training," I started - though I do not appreciate speaking about something I was not obliged to speak about so much, "I will monitor your progress and report to the higher-ups if you are ready for the next step. I will be able to request specific individuals to train you and have authority to accept or decline requests all the same."

I glanced at Karin. "That is my job."