Rating: T [It's not quite mature, but I can't really see it being anything lower]
Words: 1,620
Disclaimer: In my opinion, it is no longer needed after the first chapter, so it will be removed after this.
Summary:
It's been a while since that night between the Ninth Espada and the darker Kurosaki sister. Karin's pushed it to the back of her mind, practically forgotten about it. Things are only going to turn sour now when the Ninth Espada finally falls in battle against the infamous shinigami from squad thirteen.

I probably need a beta-reader if it feels like my own spelling skills are failing me, but for now, I don't think I have much to worry about, so I'll let you lot enjoy the writing below.

The day was normal, like always. Ichigo had been missing for days-his body was there, but it wasn't the same without him in it-, although with how little the guy was home these days, it was pretty much the same as if he wasn't there. They'd never talked about what happened, fear still keeping the twin Kurosaki children from bringing up that time people were being hunted down by others who were decked in white and black.

Karin had thought back to the man from the park all those weeks ago. Then she'd let the memory slip away, too late to say anything and unwilling to crumble her resolve to handle it herself just yet.

After helping out the Karakura Raizers and everything else that had happened, things seemed to go back to normal in the Kurosaki household. As normal as it could get that is and it stayed that way for a bit.

She gasped, hands clawing at the center of her chest, just below her neck. Yuzu jerked in her seat, wide eyed. "Karin!" The raven haired twin continued clawing at where her soul chain would be, mouth opening wide as she tried to catch her breath.

This pain, this pain was terrible! Everything hurt, but this spot here was worse then anything. It was as if something was pushing its way into her very being and oh god the pain, the pain! Tears sprung to her eyes, but not once did they fall, remembering that promise all those years ago. There was buzzing, no, ringing in her ears and she belatedly realized that her sister was talking.

"-s wrong! Tell me what's wrong Karin!" Yuzu had moved from her seat, a hand on the raven haired ones back, trying to sooth her pain, but not knowing how. Suddenly Karin's throat ached with a passion she'd swore would split it open and Yuzu was shaking.

She'd been screaming, she didn't know how long-Yuzu probably didn't know either, the only thing they could focus on was the pain that wrenched its way from the stronger girls throat.

Of course he's on the other side of town, was the same thought going through both girls minds as the darker haired twin was getting more and more lost in the pain. "Stupid goat face." She rasped, shocking them both to their very cores at the fact she could even get those three words out. Dark grey eyes were open more, a hysteric edge tugging at the bottom of her eye lids. Flashes of somethings-A sword, a woman, a flower, a red colored tube, gothic tattooes, white uniforms, Rukia, her brother-Ichigo, his friends, her friends, an old man, a young one, a lull of something terrifying reaching out to her with icy hands-as if death itself had come for her, so many things assaulted her brain and another scream tore from her throat, one hand releasing the skin that had been scratched raw with bleeding cuts to grasp at the side of her head.

Out of everything in her head, one thing stood out the most. A man in a frilly white outfit that reminded her of her older brother, but five times as deadly since everything about him screamed he'd gladly kill her in a heartbeat. Tears sprung to her eyes again and some actually fell as a heartwrenching scream tore from her very core. "Th-that bastard!" He said he'd never let me have it! How dare he die and leave me with something I don't even want!

In the back of her head, she realized that even if all her hair had fallen infront of her eyes. It still wouldn't be this dark.

"Karin! Karin! Karin!" Yuzu... I'll be fine, please. Just let me rest. If only for a little while.

-
She'd hadn't known what to do. There was nothing there for her to sense, so it hadn't been from the other world. Even with that thought in mind, Yuzu stared at her sister, silently pleading for her to hold on. She'd moved her twin to Ichigo's bed, probably because they missed their brother, and had bandaged up the injuries Karin had inflicted on herself. The lighter twin sighed, resting her head on the back of her brother's chair, sitting backwards in it to keep a vigilant eye on her sister.

"... Dad doesn't know about those pictures you found Karin." She giggled, unsure of what to do and how to act right now, so she did the only thing she could think to do. "The ones with mommy in them. I remember how you laughed your butt off at the ones where she was spraying graffiti all over a wall. You laughed even more when the next one was of her spraying dad's shirt with it." Her eyes light up with the gleam only those who were still getting over grief had in them. "She looked so bored, remember? The lolipop stick, you always say it's a cigarette, but it's not Karin. Heehee, the stick was poking out as if she couldn't care less what he had to say about defacing public property." A groan and she looked up, tears falling quielty from the memories she'd subjected herself to.

" 'm not dead Yuzu." Brown eyes went wide as a grunt was sounded and the invalid was pushing the covers off and trying to sit up. A crashing noise and the kinder twin was standing next to the bed, the chair twisting off the floor and landing with a final 'Chthunk' close by.

"How dare you act like that after worrying me so badly!" Immediately the anger was gone and Yuzu was leaning, embarrassingly close, as she checked her sister over. "What happened downstairs Karin? You were acting so weird-" Pale lips twitched upward at the word, remembering a night from so many days ago-was it a month or less? Maybe it was more? "I mean I know you can handle yourself, but with Ichigo being gone-" A snort from Karin, she winced since the path was a certain depth beneath her injuries.

"He ain't gone, he's just... Stupid." The corners of a mouth bent down, frowning, and the raven haired one clamped up. No need to set off her dear sister a second time, at least not so soon that is. "I don't know what happened." The mouth folded more, they both knew she was lying and Karin cringed, I just really hate lying, but she still refused to look at her sister through out the speaking process. "... I'll be fine Yuzu, I promise." Her twin gave her that look, the one that always knew when there was something more that wasn't being said yet it never failed to stop asking the questions that wouldn't get answered just yet.

"Just... Don't pull an Ichi-nii, alright?" Karin grinned weakly, propping her elbows on her legs and her chin on her hands as she turned to look at her sister. "I mean it Karin, don't do anything stupid."

"Right right. I'm in permanent denial, remember?" They both smiled lightly at her attempt at lightening the mood. "Although... I do have the sudden urge to swing something around. Do we still have that old baseball bat?" Karin frowned, she'd wanted to mention something about swinging a sword around, but that would only renew Yuzu's concerns and attempts at answers. Although the fact it was a sword in her head and the kinder sister had mentioned their fowl faced older brother. Eyes grew wide while Yuzu was turned, distracted by something or another-possibly lost in her own thoughts.

Sometimes he's carrying that giant sword. Other times it's like he was just there when it happened, even if he's saying he wasn't. The one on the bed froze, more things coming to mind. Ichigo's mysterious sword, his black clothing, how him and everyone else seemed to never realize she knew more then she let on unless she'd told them point blank. "Something I don't plan on letting you have. Ever." The animosity at the mere thought of sharing whatever it was. "Sorry Karin, but Nejibana seems to have taken a liking to you, although why, I'll never know so..." That damned wink, she hated it still. "I expect you to take care of her when I finally die, but don't worry." He was worse then any woman she'd ever met with how often his mood had changed that day! "You're not getting her for a very long time." A derisive snort, it was bitter and grieving and had the sublte connection of something she hadn't yet consciously thought. "So much for a very long time you bastard."

"What Karin?"

"It's nothing Yuzu."

"... Okay."

Maybe I'll get to be in two places at once, like Ichigo can be sometimes. Her mouth twitched upward, finally relaxing from the tense posture she'd settled herself into. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens after this.

Yuzu was too kind, too gentle to get involved with-with whatever this was and Ichigo had his own problems to bare in this world. Karin felt it only right to shoulder this newest burden with as much of her own strength for as long as she could. After all, If Ichigo could do it, so could she.

Even if it meant having a very angry twin when she finally found out what her sister was keeping from her.

"Karin?" She blinked, turning her head to look at the fairer twin, head inclined to the side to show the other girl she had her attention. "... Uh..." The worried expression told the darker one all she needed to know.

Will you end up like Ichigo?

A derisive snort and a hollow laugh. "I'll try not to, but monkey see, monkey do."

I would have added in the fight between Aaroniero and Rukia, but... I'm ashamed to admit that I've never seen the fight with my own eyes, I was tired from being up all night when I initially wrote this... *winks* Plus doesn't it just piss you off that I'm leaving all the good parts out for you to fill in the blanks yourself?

Hopefully having the sweeter Kurosaki twin getting some "screen time" will at least leave you all content!

Yuzu & Karin: *wearing their nurses outfits as they push a hospital bed with their unconscious father on it*
Yuzu: *beams, smiling wide as she runs backwards*
Karin: *frowning, looking bored out of her mind*
Yuzu & Karin: Thank you for reading, please take the time to review if you really want to say something about this!
Yuzu: Oh no, Karin, he's waking up!
Karin: *closes her eyes* On it! *brings her fist up and brings it down on his forehead, effectivly keeping him out cold as they vanish around the corner of the scene/screen*