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I tried to make this one for Christmas. It was a busy time in my house…

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Mental Strength

After two hours sleeping, Karin and Tōshirō are awaken by the alarm. They are not at the top like usual but still in a better condition compared to their initial conditions today. Now they are at the training ground, readying themselves for the match.

Yoruichi herself is having a hard time to predict their upcoming match. As a teacher, she has her confidence on Karin, but then again, Tōshirō is not the youngest taichō of all time for nothing. And she is sure his reflex was honed by Isshin himself. The friendly match is a very interesting one, that's for sure.

Yoruichi is the referee and also medic for this match, as Tōshirō and Karin banned the others to watch. They freaked out and banned Kisuke along with others when they saw Kisuke with recording devices. The devices are frozen right away by Tōshirō while Karin pointed the possible places for hidden cameras. More frozen devices were found.

Tōshirō doesn't let Urahara record his match with Karin because he doesn't want to give Isshin satisfaction or ammunition to Matsumoto. And he is still wary of Urahara, he is a cohort of Kurotsuchi after all. It's best to give him as minimum information as possible.

Karin knows that the video probably on her father order, for whatever stupid reason it is. Of course she will not let the video to exist. If Oyaji wants to see it, he has to see it with his own eyes. No video. As she will let him knows about her secret training when she knows almost nothing about him. It's freaking unfair of him.

Yoruichi ask them. "Now that the video cameras are secured and frozen, let's get down to event of the day, shall we?"

Karin nods. "Un."

Tōshirō says, "On your mark, Shihōin."

"Fine. This match is with no time limit, the first one who landed the first three blows will win. You will also win if your opponent is knocked out. One round only." She eyes them for confirmation. They nod. She gestures her hand. "The match will start in three… Two… One… GO!"

Instead of sending blows, Karin and Tōshirō are assessing each other and searching for an opening. It's interesting tactic, especially when they tend to make the first move in battles. They are moving in circle, calculating and predicting the opponent movement. Karin uses utsusemi in order to land a surprise blow on Tōshirō.

While Hohō and Hakuda are not Tōshirō's strong points, he can handle ambush easily, as his former taichō and his current fukutaichō are well versed in Hakuda and like to 'make sure that he is on guard' as part of his past training. He has a great reflex thanks to that. He deflected Karin blow easily and throw a kick swiftly.

Karin reflex is honed greatly during her training. She can easily dodge and negate most of her opponent movements now, but landing a blow to Yoruichi is still an unlikely thing to do. Her teacher skills are on another levels, still way up high. It also irked her that Shinigamis are so freaking hard to punch when they are alert. She knows that they are like military squad members, so it's expected, but still.

The rally of punches and kicks continues for half an hour. While their reflexes are on par, Karin's stamina is still nowhere of Tōshirō's. The strain of using shunpo in human body is catching too. Recognising her declining performance, he asked her to forfeit.

Karin, being a stubborn soul she is, does not agree with him. "I can still go on."

Tōshirō hits Karin lightly with a much faster pace at three places. "See? You should have forfeit. It's my win either way, Kurosaki."

Annoyed when she realized that Tōshirō deliberately adjusting to her speed, she narrows her eyes. "You can still move faster than that, can't you?"

Tōshirō smirked for a second before being stern again. "For a short amount of time, yes. My stamina is still restricted compared to other taichōs. My power is still not enough."

'He is just like me and Ichi-nii. We desperately train to be stronger.' Karin draw a deep breath and out. She declares to them. "I want to be stronger. I will become stronger. I'm going to protect my family." She ask Tōshirō especially. "Do help me in my training from time to time, okay?"

Tōshirō appeared to be in deep thought for a while. Then he answers, "I'll try to make a yearly visit."

Still not knowing the extent of soul age, Karin shouts, "Yearly?!"

Tōshirō adds with serious face. "If you want more training, it's your turn to visit me in Soul Society."

Karin reminds him. "You need to know that Urahara-san is not going to turn me to Shinigami prematurely. How can I visit you there?"

He shakes his head. "Forget it. It will be dangerous for you to be in Soul Society at any time. Your brother is infamous. Jūichibantai and Jūnibantai will hunt you for different reasons when you put your feet on Seireitei."

Karin nods in understanding, as she have heard bits of his brother crazy trip to Seireitei. "Thank you for the info. I'll be careful when I have to enter Seireitei."

Tōshirō replies, "Do that. Meanwhile, my fukutaichō will probably visit Karakura in March. Matsumoto can be your sparring match, I suppose."

Karin smirks in anticipation. "I'll be waiting. Is Matsumoto a girl, boy, man, or woman?"

Tōshirō scowls when explaining. "Woman. She is a noisy, nosy, and lazy lady. She have a blond hair with blue eyes. You can spot her right away when you see her."

Yoruichi clear her throat. They turn to her. "I have been assessing your movements in the match. Do you guys want to hear that?"

Tōshirō says, "Of course."

Karin adds, "Tell us."

"To put it shortly, your techniques, strengths, and reflexes are great, but there are still many that can beat you at Hakuda. Of course, as young'uns, you will grow and work out to be the best. Now, I want to ask you. What is the most important thing in battle?"

Karin asks, "Between physical and spiritual strengths?"

Tōshirō answers bitterly. "Conviction. But conviction is nothing without strengths to back it up. That's what I learned from the latest war."

Yoruichi nods. "Conviction. Nice word to call it. You can also count it as mental strength. Aizen was hard to defeat not only because he is strong and resourceful, but most importantly, he attacked people psychologically and crushed them when they are down. Even when you have the ability to overcome the challenge, when you are not mentally ready, you can't overcome the challenge."

'It's true that I was breaking down when I know that I gave a critical strike to Hinamori. And crushing me was so easy after that.' He studies Yoruichi, wondering how she can be so strong, mentally and physically. "Can I ask you something, Shihōin?"

Karin listened to Yoruichi's words carefully and she understand as people can overcome brute strength with strategy or breaking the traps with physical strength. But you can't let the mental down. It's the first step to doom. For example, how can Asian soccer teams win over the favoured teams when they are already think that they will lose? There is no way you can win after that.

Yoruichi nods. "Of course you can. I can't promise that I will answer, though."

"How can you believe completely in Urahara no matter what happened? You even left everything for him." 'What I can do to reach that mental level? I'm well aware that my mental strength is probably the weakest one of all taichō. I need all my strength, physical and mental to complete my bankai.'

Yoruichi answers calmly. "Hmmm… Well, I believe in him. I know him, we did train and grow together in my mansion. There is no way he can change and do something like that without me realizing his change. I'm his best friend. I'm his guide post. I will take him back if he lost the way. So I saved him from his sentence. I would rather leave Seireitei than abandon him. It's just like that. Hard to explain."

'They completely believe one and another. Even I can't do that with my family.' Karin sighs and says, "I wonder if I can have a conviction like you one day, Yoruichi-nee. I'm a lucky one to have you as my sensei."

'I don't think we have to worry about Kurosaki. She will certainly grow stronger. I have to strengthen my mental if I'm going to be Kurosaki's family acquaintance. They are one crazy family.' Tōshirō informs her, "You will succeed, Kurosaki. And I will help you if you are stuck."

Karin fumes. 'Why boys like to be white knight like Ichi-nii and Tōshirō?! We are not living in fairy tale world, for God's sake!' "I can do it myself! Don't you dare to help me unless I allow you! I'm not a helpless girl."

Tōshirō smirks then says, "Okay. I won't help you unless you beg for it."

Karin is ready to reply when Yoruichi adds with a serious expression, "I wonder when you will strong enough to protect me."

Karin is going to be stronger and she will shut them up. "I'll reach that point! Please guide me to reach that point, sensei!"

Yoruichi is nodding her head while touching her chin. No wonder she can pass as a male cat. She is so old-man like sometimes. "I understand. Let's start then. Ah! Tōshirō, you will be my assistant for today!"

He give her an icy glare and says stiffly, "Fine. But call me Hitsugaya, Shihōin."

I wonder if the chapter ending is good enough… I'm not really happy with this chapter… What do you think about this chapter?