Bleach: Some Time With Toshiro

Day 7

   It took a while to carry Toshiro home, but I managed. I had changed back into my human form and opened the door to the clinic.
   "HELOOOOOO KARIN!!!" Dad shouted, trying to punch me in the face. I dodged it by collapsing on the ground with Toshiro on top of me.
   "Help," I said, looking up at him. "Dad. Ichigo. Please."
"Toshiro?" Renji said. He, Rukia and Ichigo walked around the corner and saw us lying on the floor
"What happened, Karin?" Ichigo asked as the three ran over. "Why are the two of you covered in blood?"
   "Couldn't... protect... him..." I said, tears forming in my eyes. I clenched my fist and slowly got to my knees. I then pulled Toshiro up and started walking towards the room he was in before.
   "Karin!" Ichigo shouted. "Tell me what happened!"
   "I will later!" I shouted, stopping in front of the door. "Please, Ichigo. Just leave me alone for a few minutes." I opened the door, walked inside and then closed it behind me.
   "You didn't have to shout," Toshiro said into my ear. His breath tickled my ear and I turned my head to look at him.
   "Your awake," I said. I then looked away and the tears came back to my eyes. "I didn't show up in time to protect you."
   "I'm a Captain," he said. "I've been on death's doorstep more than once."
   "But Captain's need help sometimes too!" I retorted. I took a deep breath and helped him over to his bed. I made him lay down and take his shirt off so I could re-wrap his bandages. He did what I told him and winced in pain when I started peeling the old ones off. They were covered in blood and dried onto his skin.
"Ow," I heard him say under his breath. I ignored it and started cleaning the blood off his chest and back. I then bandaged up all his cuts and other wounds.
"There," I said when I was finished. He sighed and lay down, putting his arm over his eyes.
"Thanks a lot," he said, "for saving me back there. I'm still too weak to perform my final Banki form. Damnit! But first, tell me where you got that Zanpakuto."
"Kisuke gave it to me," I said. "Its name is Mirokumaru."
   "The Wind Elemental type?" Toshiro asked, sitting up. I nodded. "Did Kisuke say how he got it?"
   "No," I said. "Why? Is it a bad Zanpakuto?"
   "That Zanpakuto was in the hands of a girl who died about two or three years ago," Toshiro said. "How did Kisuke find her Zanpakuto? She should be alive anymore. The Valley of Screams was destroyed when we went to rescue her."
   "What do I do with it?" I asked. "Am I going to die then?"
"I don't know," Toshiro said. "I don't know anything for certain. Just be careful with it." I nodded and he sighed.
"What?" I asked. "What's the sigh for?"
   "Nothing," he said and lay down. "I'm going to get some rest. Come visit in a little while." I stood and walked over to the door. "One other thing," he called. "Tell Ichigo that I'm sorry for staying so long." I smiled.
   "I'm speaking for him when I say this," I said. "We don't mind at all. You can stay as long as you like." I opened the siding door and walked out, closing it behind me. I felt Ichigo and the others' presence upstairs and decided not to disturb them. I went into the kitchen where Yuzu was making dinner.
"How's Toshiro?" she asked when I sat at the table.
"He's doing alright," I said and then realized that was the first time Yuzu said his name.
"Ichigo is upstairs," she said, stirring a huge pot of stew. "Along with a black haired girl, orange haired woman and pink haired man. I think they wanted to talk to you."
"KARIN!!!" Ichigo hollered form upstairs. "COME UP HERE!!!!" I groaned and stood, going to the staircase. I went up to his room and opened the door. Sure enough Rukia, Ichigo, Rangiku and Renji were sitting in his room.
"What?" I asked, leaning against the closed door.
"How's Captain Hitsugaya?" Renji asked.
"He's getting some rest," I answered.
"How did you find him?" Rangiku asked. "Who hurt him? When did it happen?"
"It's been happening during the past week," I explained. "A guy named Seji is doing it to him. I don't know why he's targeting Toshiro, but that's why he's all cut up like this."
"Thanks, Karin," Ichigo said. "You can go now." I blinked at him.
"So I give you all that information and now your kicking me out!?" I shouted. "No way!" I folded my arms and closed my eyes, waiting for him to respond.
"Why should we tell you anything else?" he asked. I opened my eyes and glared at him.
"Ask Kisuke!" I burst out. "He'll tell you if I'm qualified or not!!"
"Fine!" he shouted as I stormed out of his room and went into mine. I shut the door and plopped down in my bed. I inhailed and caught the sent of Toshiro. Tears came to my eyes and I remembered seeing him getting cut and beaten. I clenched my fist.
"I will never ever let you get hurt like that again," I growled, glaring out my window.