A/N: Hello my fellow Hitsukarin/Hitsurin fans! I'm sure your all wondering why in the name of Soul Society I'm writing ANOTHER fic when I have so many others that need love and attention. Well, I'll be working with those too! I'm not abandoning them, don't worry, but this idea popped up into my head and I need to get it out of my system. Blame Tite Kubo and Muramasa for this one! XD And please note, this story is mainly about Hyōrinmaru, but is cleverly disguised as a Hitsukarin/Hitsurin.
PS: this a multi-pairing fic! More details later!
Disclaimer: As usual, I do not own Bleach. If I did, Hyōrinmaru would have replaced Hitsugaya by now and Hanatarō would have been sold to Zeph-chan to do with as she pleased. ;D And Xiph would own Shinji too...;D Hitsurin has been coined by Xiph unless otherwise noted.
超越愛：朱雀と青龍
Transcending Love:
The Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon
Chapter One
Of Siblings, Bucket-heads, Comfort, and Medicinal Mishaps
"To every man there is a cause which he would gladly die for,
defend the right to have a place to which he can belong to
and every man will fight with his bare hands in desperation
and shed his blood to stem the flood; to barricade invasion."
--Gekijōban BLEACH: The DiamondDust Rebellion:
Mō Hitotsu no Hyōrinmaru
"Karin-chan, Ichi-nii has disappeared again!" Karin groaned at her twin's distressed calling. Her idiotic big brother has vanished yet again, leaving her sister and eccentric father in worried
tears while he saves the world from hollows with his shinigami powers.
Of course, she's not supposed know that last part…
"That idiot!" Karin yelled, punching the kitchen table and causing her breakfast to tremble.
"K—Karin-chan!"
"Sorry, Yuzu, I'm just pissed is all." No, that was not all. Unlike most of the time, she didn't feel Ichigo's reiatsu, which terrified her. The only other time this happened is when he went to either the shinigami world or some other freaky undead realm. She really hoped it wasn't some freaky undead realm…
"I—I know, but," Yuzu started, but hesitated, "This time feels different."
"What'dya mean?" Was Yuzu becoming spiritually aware?
"It feels like he doesn't exist anymore," Yuzu cried, tears starting to pour down her face, "Usually I can feel him no matter where he is! His presence has never completely disappeared before!" Karin was gobsmacked. She has NEVER been able to keep track of her brother entirely, but Yuzu can!? She can't even see spirits properly!
"I—I don't know what to say, Yuzu," she whispered as her twin continued to sob. Sighing, Karin decided it was time for some action. "I'm gonna go look for him."
"WHAT!?" Yuzu cried, "You can't! You don't even know where to start! Plus it's dangerous!"
"I'll be fine," Karin said firmly, putting her hands on Yuzu's shoulders and forcing her to look into her eyes, "And I know just where to start."
"Then promise me you'll be safe," Yuzu stated, her tone suddenly becoming firm. Karin blinked in surprise at Yuzu's attitude, but smiled confidently.
"I'd worry more about Ichigo! When I get my hands on him I'll beat him up worse than any yakuza guy for making us worry!"
It was a quiet day at the Urahara Shōten as Kisuke Urahara sat in the doorway of his shop. He had to remember to thank Tessai for taking the two brats with him to go shopping this morning! Urahara sighed in delight as he took a sip of his nice, hot tea. Ah, yes, this was the life!
"Oi, Bucket-head!" So much for a quiet afternoon.
"Well if it isn't Ms. Kurosaki," Urahara smiled playfully, whipping out his trademark fan, "What brings you to my humble shop?"
"Look, Bucket-head," Karin growled, stomping up to the front door, "I don't really know who the hell you are, but I've spent enough time with the brat to know that you folks ain't normal!"
"What's so abnormal about a candy store?" Urahara asked innocently, fanning himself.
"The proprietor and the fact he stinks like a shinigami." Urahara nearly gagged on his tea as he was taking another sip. He didn't expect her to figure out the fact that shinigami existed so quickly, yet alone figure out he WAS one.
"And what makes you say that?" Urahara asked, regaining the miniscule amount of composure he had lost. Karin's eyes narrowed.
"The fact that you asked that question," she drawled, "and the fact that your reiatsu feels like Toshiro's, and he conceals his."
"Toshiro, eh?" Urahara chuckled, "So you've met Mr. Freeze already, huh?"
"Yes," Karin snapped, "Now I need you're help."
"Let me guess," Urahara said cheerfully, "You want to find your brother, right?"
"Yes," Karin said, hope bubbling up slightly in her chest, "do you know where he is?"
"Nope!"
"AGH!!!" Karin screamed in exasperation, grabbing Urahara's haori "WHY NOT!?"
"Because he went running off somewhere when he got to Soul Society," Urahara answered, completely unfazed. Karin's eye twitched.
"I thought you said you didn't know where he was," Karin growled.
"I don't! I just know where he was last," Urahara chuckled, "You need to work on rephrasing your questions!"
"Fine," Karin grumbled in defeat, "could you help me get to Soul Society then?"
"I'm afraid not!" Urahara said, "You see, even if I could help you, which I can, Ichigo would kill me if he found out I helped you."
"No," Karin said, smiling wickedly, "he'd be too busy running from me."
"Ah, I see," Urahara muttered, "Okay, then, the real reason I can't help you is that the shinigami are caught up in this little problem and they tend to smile upon ryoka even less favorably than usual during a crisis."
"Crisis?" Karin gasped, "Then I gotta get there stat!"
"You really are like your brother, y'know?" Urahara grumbled.
"Just shut up and open a portal, okay?" Karin snarled, "Or I'll stop buying candy here!"
"You're a cruel human being," Urahara pouted, "I might let you go if you promise me one thing…"
"And what is that?"
"I want you to…"
Rukia sighed. It has been hours and there was still no sign of Ichigo! She was really worried. It was hard to lose his constantly leaking reiatsu, which means something bad had happened.
"You're worrying about him." It wasn't a statement.
"I'm sure Nii-sama will be fine, Hanatarō-san," Rukia said confidently as she turned to the source of the voice.
"I was talking about Kurosaki-kun," Hanataro murmured shyly, "you get quiet when you're worrying or thinking about him." Rukia blushed. Was it that obvious?
"I—yeah," she sighed, "I lost his spiritual pressure."
"He'll be fine," Hanatarō said in a surprisingly firm voice, "I've healed him before so I know it takes a LOT to even knock him out."
"H—Hanatarō-kun…" Rukia whispered, "Thank you…"
"Y—you're welcome, Kuchiki-san," he replied, blushing furiously and fiddling with his hakama. Rukia smiled for the first time in hours.
"I should have known better than to think he would get hurt so easily," she jokingly reprimanded herself.
"Y—yeah," Hanatarō mumbled, still a little red from Rukia's thanks, "i—it's kinda hard to kill idiots…"
Rukia laughed heartily.
"I couldn't agree more!"
"MATSUMOTO, STOP DRINKING THE MEDICINAL ALCOHOL!!!"
"You mean this isn't sake?" A vein popped in Hitsugaya's forehead at his lieutenant's stupidity.
"No," he growled, "why would Unohana-taicho keep sake in the medical squad?"
"Oh my God, I'm in trouble," Matsumoto squeaked, clutching her throat in horror.
"You'll be fine," Hitsugaya grumbled, "Now hand me whatever you didn't drink so I can clean this guy's wounds!"
"Why do we have to help out anyways?" Matsumoto complained, handing the sterile alcohol over to her captain, "Why not someone from the 4th Division? You know, someone who knows how to use this stuff."
"The only person who doesn't know how to use medicinal alcohol is you, Matsumoto," Hitsugaya answered curtly, "Besides, everyone has their hands full."
"But we weren't hurt that badly," Matsumoto protested, "Only Saskibe-fukutaicho and Kommamura-taicho are still injured, as is Rukia-chan!"
"Matsumoto," Hitsugaya said slowly, starting to lose his patience again, "Those are only the seated officers you're counting…ARE YOU FORGETTING THE HUNDREDS OF UNSEATED AND LOWER RANKING CASUALTIES!!!???"
"Oh yeah!" Matsumoto said, completely oblivious to Hitsugaya's rage, the short captain lost all of his bluster.
"'Oh yeah,' she says," Hitsugaya moaned.
"I—is everything alright in here, H—Hitsugaya-taicho?" Vice Captain Isane Kotetsu poked her head into the room and saw an oblivious Matsumoto, a pissed midget, and one terrified patient.
"Yes, Kotetsu-fukutaicho," Hitsugaya said shortly, blush threatening to overtake his face at being caught losing his temper, "D—did you need something?"
"A—ah, y—yes," she said nervously, "Um, there's a ryoka who, um…has been reported shouting obscenities at other shinigami…"
"A foul-mouthed ryoka?" Hitsugaya asked, "Ayasegawa and Madarame from 11th over to deal with them."
"B—but sir," Isane stammered, "they ARE the ones being cursed at!"
"Nani!?"
A/N: And so ends the first chapter! Tune in next time for Giants and Grannies, Big Bald Wolves, Prissy Peacocks, and Moon-Eyed Dragons!
Zaph's Japanorama Encyclopedia, Dictionary, and Other Important Notes: 1. Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon- Suzaku and Seiryuu; the Guardians of South and East, Fire and Water (Wood in some legends). Represent Yin and Yang by symbolizing Marriage and Conflict. Are typically used as symbols of Love (everbody say, "awwwwwwwwwwww!!!" =3). 2. Nani- For those of you who do not watch ANYTHING in Japanese, it means "what?" 3. Hakama- They're the shinigami's pants...