One year ago

I hesitated.

My feet shuffled and my hand rested halfway through my indecisive action. Looking up, I stared at the big sign on the relatively small shop. Urahara shop, what was this place exactly? Why was my brother's presence here? I reached up, my hand stopped before the handle. Did I want to do this? Will this give me the answers I need? Will they help me become strong like my brother?

Cursing myself for my weakness and giving myself a long list as to why this needed to be done, I pushed the door open. There was no turning back, there was no room for hesitation. I needed answers to why brother could become a soul. I needed answers on what was it that attacked me and my sister the anniversary of my Kasan's death. I needed to become stronger because I hated being weak, and for my inability to save my family the way my brother did.

There was nobody in the store and I scoffed. Seems like I was nervous for nothing? I thought the store would be some secret and dangerous place, but it looked like an ordinary shop. Who left a store unmanaged? I looked at the products, some seemed normal, like candy and what not, others not so normal. I looked at a spray that said Ghost Repellent, I needed that.

"Ohayo! How might a humble shop owner like me help you?!" It took everything I had in me not to jump. I turned around to see a messy light blond haired man, his eyes shadowed with a bucket hat. He had a black coat on with green pants and a shirt underneath. On his feet lay wooden clogs, and I had a brief thought on how he ran in those shoes.

"Are you crazy you can't sneak up on people like that!" I yelled. The strange man put a fan in front of his face.

"Yare Yare, there's no reason to get angry, besides which lowly shop would let the store go unmanaged?" He said, I scowled this guy was kind of creepy, but I needed someone to help me.

"Are you the one who got Ichigo back his powers?" I asked, the guys mood changed instantly.

"And how may I ask, do you know Kurosaki-san?" He asked his voice becoming serious. I looked at him closer, I could see in his eyes he was knew much more than he led on.

"I'm pretty sure you already know who I am," I said, if this guy was as smart as I think he was, than he would know.

"It's nice to meat you, Kurosaki-san, I am Urahara Kisuke" the guy said in his cheer song voice. I sweat dropped, did this guy have multi personality disorder? My thoughts turned to the task at hand.

"Call me Karin, or else you'll get me confused with my brother," I said, "Ano...could you help me get stronger like him?"

"Naze? May I ask? Why would you feel the need to get stronger?" The store owner asked.

"Because..." my fist clenched, "Because I can't rely on Ichi-nii to protect me all the time, I need to be able to protect my sister, because...because I need to help my brother," My fists clenched tighter, "Ichi-nii's been fighting for a long time since even before he became whatever he is. He just kept taking on all kinds of burdens, always saying there was something he had to fight, something he had to protect," I looked at the store owner, "That's why I need to help him."

"Allright Karin-chan I'll help you," the Urahara said putting his fan to his face, "Demo...I won't go easy on you."

I smirked, "Don't worry, us Kurosaki's never expect anything easy."