It sounded better in my head.

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns all of this. The idea is mine.

Karin tossed in her bed and opened her eyes to view the ceiling.

He was here. She could sense his reiatsu.

Quietly, Karin slid out of bed, treading carefully to the door. Her twin slept on peacefully.

Karin walked downstairs and reached the door, easily unlocking it and slipping out.

Hitsugaya Toshiro was waiting patiently, leaning against a tree.

Karin, slightly confused, moved forward until she was in front of him.

"Hey," Karin greeted after a long pause.

Toshiro nodded to her, his blue-green eyes studying her face.

"So. . ." Karin said again. "What are you doing here?"

Toshiro took a long time to answer. His gaze flickered to the waning moon in the sky.

"There's going to be another war," he said.

Karin stared at him, processing as she attempted to fight the panic rising in her.

"A group that call themselves the Vandenreich have declared war on Soul Society," continued Toshiro, his expression growing more tense. "The Captain-Commander told us to prepare for battle."

Karin swallowed past her anxiousness.

"Is Ichigo—?"

"Your brother will be needed in this war," Toshiro said, nodding.

Toshiro watched as Karin's jaw tightened.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" she inquired sharply.

"I thought you would want to know."

Karin crossed her arms against her chest, glancing at the sky.

Suddenly, she turned back to him, a fierce determination in her eyes.

"I want to be useful to the Soul Society, like Ichi-nii is."

The white-haired captain mulled this over for a minute, then advised, "Keep your eyes open. If things get bad, go to Urahara's shop. He'll know what to do."

Karin nodded.

"I should go," Toshiro murmured.

Karin bit her lip, then wrapped her arms around him.

Hesitantly, Toshiro returned the hug.

Her breath tickled his ear as she said, "Come back in one piece, okay, Toshiro?"

Toshiro blinked and Karin was pulling away, a small smile on her lips.

He remained still as Karin walked away, back to her home.

When she passed safely through the door, Toshiro withdrew his zankpakuto and unlocked the Senkaimon gate.

The door appeared and Toshiro went through, thinking hard about Kurosaki's younger, raven-haired sister.

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