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oolongway · 4 years

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b/c ive been suddenly smacked by my love for Kurosaki Karin and a super sudden return to bleach here’s some Shinigami AU Karin what-Gotei 13-division would she join ranking/HC and different zanpakuto i imagine her having with each division (and yeah yeah i know that’s not how zanpakuto works but hey this is my post lol)

1. Division: 11, Zanpakuto: Flame, really concentrated heat. Sword melts through rather than cuts through stuff. The more cuts she makes, the more the sword heats up and can release in one big fire wave.

I feel like Karin would fit right in here. She’s such a fighter and doesn’t take bullshit and her interactions with D11 seem like they’d be hilarious. It’s just... a feeling :0

2. Division: 2, Zanpakuto: Leg-enhancement based. Some combination of Iida’s leg boosting, maybe Lenalee styled boots or like mechanical styled boots. Also Sanji’s flaming leg stuff lol.

*claps hands* Heck yeah Shunpo Karin sign me up. I feel like body enhancement/physical fighting Karin fits in super well in D2. Also Soi Fon as captain teaching Karin the ropes heck yeah women raising other women up.

3. Division: 7, Zanpakuto: Sun/energy-based. Solar energy surrounds her and she basically becomes the human version of the sun. It’s a lion-dog.

I think this is a really interesting place for Karin because it’s all about loyalty and devotion and I’m sure that like speaks to something in her. It seems like a Division 11 lite but that’s not a bad thing. Also she can help them figure out a better way to sell the place other than “Be manly.” (”Iba-taichou, this is why you don’t have a lieutenant.”) Karin becomes lieutenant, helps bring more diversity into D7 heck yeah. Also dogs. All the dogs. (Okay I’m realizing this might be more higher than 3 than I initially thought whoops)

4. Division: 10, Zanpakuto: Gunpowder/Smoke based. Some combination of Bakugo and Smoker. Also imagine that this is one of the divisions where Karin tries to master more of her quincy powers, just due to the whole heritage thing hanging over this division.

Yo valuing your friends tho, again, probably an idea that is pretty appealing to Karin. Also her and Hitsugaya and Matsumoto interacting is nice. Also nice coming circle with a Shiba in D10 again. Prob why I don’t rank it higher is just bc I want to see Karin grow on her own and make new relationships besides the ones we see (I’m a sucker for weird friendships for my fave characters).

5. Division: 6, Zanpakuto: Something similar in name to Ichigo’s Zangetsu/Isshin’s Engetsu talked about in @derekscorner’s A+ post here

It’s the law and order (but also I feel like closest ties with nobility) division and I feel like that’s really interesting dynamic with Karin being a Shiba being nobility? Which is why I feel like this is the division where it would mostly reflect that? Karin learning to curb her rebelliousness into craftiness and bending the laws but still staying in the laws? Like??? what an interesting idea? Flip SS on its head girl. But mainly tho: SOUL SOCIETY SOCCER TEAM IS HEREEEEE (Also Renji & Karin shennanigans? Rukia joining in? Heck yeah??? This appeals to me more as I think about it lol)

The rest I don’t feel as passionate about but still got a few HCs for each:

- Division 1: Probably volcano based Zanpakuto. Feel like her affinity for fire/heat would be one of the strongest here. - Division 3: Coals based or maybe something like round crescent blade based. Maybe something like Rei’s flames from Sailor Moon. - Division 4: Fruit-based. Though really can’t imagine Karin with healing powers just bc I feel like it takes away from Yuzu’s domain. - Division 5: Oven like powers. Bonding with Momo is good. Also feel like she’d bond well with Hiyori so interesting with Shinji. - Division 8: Spring/summer flowers/fruit based? - Division 9: Probably another body enhancement type zanpakuto. - Division 12: Probably the other division where Karin taps into her quincy powers bc science resources *sparkles* Feel like her zanpakuto would reflect that with more accuracy/long ranged based powers. Ooh maybe something like Reira’s powers from Zatch Bell. Bonds with Uryuu (for many reasons aka “plz fight my captain again. end him”) Bonds with bby Nemu - Division 13: Also sun based? The more people she has to protect the stronger she gets? And/or the power also enhances her teammates? Hanging out with big sis Rukia nice nice.

#bleach #kurosaki karin #karin kurosaki

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shogetsus · 5 years

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Stripes of Auburn, Eye of Sapphire

8. Mai

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Summary: “Well, never in my life I thought I’d say this, but they say there’s a first time to everything.” In a blunt motion, Masamune pulls his sword away, snorting through his nose in kind of disbelief. “Welcome to Japan of the past, Mai.”

After appearing to assume she poses no further threat, he slides his sword back into its scabbard, and it’s only then when she remembers to breathe again. Her shoulders slump in exhaustion, elbows unable to hold her weight anymore and collapsing on the tatami mat.

“That’s… the worst welcome I ever got in my whole life…”

Mai

“Damn, I should have drawn a map. This castle is huge!”

Just walking alongside Hideyoshi and Mitsunari around the near labyrinthine hallways and insides of Azuchi Castle had taken the whole rest of the day. By the time Mai finally returns to her room, she’s exhausted to the core, already anticipating a fair share of blisters on her feet thanks to those damn sandals the maids have gotten her.

Be as it may—and that also could apply to the choice of footwear and clothing of the period she’s stuck in—it’s only safe to admit she won’t be going close to having everything figured out in a day or two. Either way, it’s not truly something to be bummed out for, given it’s actually tomorrow when she’ll be up to starting her real job as chatelaine.

Oh, well. At least there’s something to look forward to.

Thankfully, Nobunaga’s retainer and his aide had comprehensively leaned her in on her work; in which she’ll be assisting the residents and tending to any possible request, as well as keeping a watchful eye on the youngest warlord around, overseeing that he has an overall healthier lifestyle. While Mitsunari has made his complaints clear to both his superiors and persisted on his opinion for the task being unbefitting of someone of her rank—regardless of just recently being appointed to—in the end, Mai managed to ease the young man and convinced him they could work together just fine.

Kicking herself out of her sandals, she drops unceremoniously onto the futon spread in the middle of her lavish room, tiredly pulling at her obi. Next follows the bothersome task of removing all the regal hair adornments one by one and after, stripping off layer after layer of her Princess-like—and quite literally!—kimono. It’s once she’s extricated herself and is left with her under kimono when Mai feels several pounds lighter, sighing deeply.

“No wonder why women here go around as slow as turtles…” She muses to herself, glimpsing a wardrobe nearby with sleeping robes, but allowing herself a moment before rising and walking over.

The last thought swirls for a while, something she’d noticed even in the short time of her arrival to the Sengoku period. It’s a stark contrast of the modern lifestyle she’s used to, one of which people couldn’t allow themselves a bare moment of reprieve if they intended to not fall back on their day-to-day activities; like rushing to catch a bus, or hurrying to fall in line before losing your spot.

Perhaps there’s more to it—but that’s something Sasuke would be able to answer, not her—but somewhat, it surely has to be the lack of the usual rush what makes her feel as if the whole world currently runs in a sort of slow motion before her eyes. From talking to taking into menial tasks, every movement appears deliberated, measured to the last moment. And as irrelevant as it may be, to Mai it’s a strenuous feeling at its best, not doing any good to her ever anxious mind.

I know I can make it, but if anything, today has taught me just how high a hurdle that’s going to be. Ugh, wish I had something to smoke. Popping her joints, she spots her bag nearby, still lying where she’d set it down in the morning. “So much for getting ready for this job, though. My dream one literally feels 500 years away now…”

Setting her test piece, Bearsace, next to the dim light, she then pulls her sketchbook out, flipping through her old designs mindlessly. The motion gives her a sort of peace of mind, recalling some doodles as attires she’s specifically handmade for a couple of her most precious friends. “Hah, Kaoru will have a field day when I get to tell her—“

Her musings come abruptly to a stop at the sound of someone arriving to her room. “Mai, I’m coming in.” The unexpected visitor has the decency of announcing himself… until said decency all but disappears when the door of her room is practically kicked open.

A shriek is caught in her mouth, staring wide-eyed to none other than Masamune Date, the blue of his eye gleaming wildly, even in the dim light of her place. “Ma-Lord Masamune…?” She corrects herself quickly, her instincts advising for being as formal as she could manage, “It’s late at night, was there something you—“ All of a sudden, the glint of metal flashes before her eyes, “S-sword!?”

A long, drawn out ‘shiiiink’ resonates in her ears, her breath hitching in fright. Even when her natural reflexes prompt Mai to bring her forearm to her face, the sleeve of her under kimono presses onto the border of the blade, but the motion goes fast enough to bring the very sharp tip of the sword pointing at her neck. What the heck!? Why is he pointing a sword at me!? And what in hell he’s looking so smug about!?

With utmost care, she tries pushing the blade away as inoffensively as she can, but Masamune doesn’t relent, pinning her in place with his single eye. “I have a question for you…” His characteristic haughty smirk fades away, the lamplight dancing over his warlike features. A shadow ghosts over his gaze, igniting it further, somewhat attesting he’s been in this situation many times over.

What in the seven hells did I do?

She leans further on her back, struggling to stand some ground, “A-and just what do you think you’re doing!?” Yet his blade follows all the same, barely pressing onto her throat.

“I think I’m making myself perfectly clear.” Clear that he’s totally crazy, yeah! But she doesn’t even dare saying her thoughts aloud; his blazing glare reflecting in the polished gleam of his sword, almost feeling as if he’s trying to look straight into her soul. “I heard you claim coming from 500 years in the future. Now, is that a made-up story or not?”

At first, Mai blinks in disbelief; as far as it goes, she’s aware she’s promised Sasuke not mentioning a word about it again to anyone. Regardless, that shouldn’t count at all in the frightening situation she’s suddenly into, with a fucking sword threatening to slice her throat open, no less.

But what if he doesn’t believe her and guts her either way?

Well, only one way to know. Here goes nothing…

“It’s true,” She breathes at first, heart trying to hammer its way out of her chest, swallowing hard and doing her best to sound more believable. “It’s really true!”

Masamune studies her meticulously for a time stopping moment, the grip on his blade firm and unfaltering. She gulps again, hands curling into fists at her sides, feeling herself becoming smaller and smaller within each second passing.

But then, like the moon revealing itself past a cloudy sky, a crescent smile slowly appears on his mouth, the fierce look in his eye all but fading with the next blink.

“I see…” She can practically see the gears running in his mind, but can’t even bring herself to breathe, less to speak a single word. “Well, never in my life I thought I’d say this, but they say there’s a first time to everything.” In a blunt motion, Masamune pulls his sword away, snorting through his nose in kind of disbelief. “Welcome to Japan of the past, Mai.”

“That’s… the worst welcome I ever got in my whole life…” She croaks, feeling sluggish as a noodle, bringing her trembling hands to her face as the brunt of the situation begins settling in.

Masamune’s low chuckle reverberates on the room. “I knew there was something rather unique about you,” He says amusedly, “Having you here will really make—huh?” His ponderings come to a sudden stop and she feels him approaching carefully, kneeling next to her on the mat. “Are you alright?”

Peeking past her fingers, Mai gets a glimpse of him, staring back at her in genuine confusion. Not long after, she realizes her cheeks and palms are wet with tears, the stressful moment appearing to have gotten the worst of her.

It’s easier to lash out at him. “Why, of course not! You scared the fucking hell out of me!” She sobs, quickly rubbing her face and save some dignity on herself. “Did you just need to point a sword at me to know that!?”

A sort of realization comes onto Masamune, scratching the back of his head in an awkward manner. “Ah, well. Yeah, sorry about that. Get yourself in my place for a moment, though,” He tries to reason, “Your story seemed so farfetched I needed to be sure you were telling the truth,” He says matter-of-factly, sneering just slightly, “Hard to lie with a blade at your throat…”

“You could have just asked, you know…” To be quite honest, she’s not truly mad at his approach—all things considered, and mostly his solid reasoning, pretty much according to the current culture—but rather stunned.

Sure, she wouldn’t absolutely have prodded him the way he did, were she in his place; but facts are, resorting to violence may most likely be the only thing these people know to do. And she couldn’t possibly blame Masamune for that. At the end of the day, it’s safe to say that shocking scene has been only a product of cultural differences.

That doesn’t take away the fact Masamune must probably be crazier than the lot of them, though.

“Alright, my turn for the questions,” Mai decides after recovering some of her composure, “Does this mean I get to live, right?” She gestures vaguely between the two of them, “And… you really believe me? Just like that?”

At her skeptical tone, he breaks into his now characteristic musical laughter, relieving the mood furthermore. “Really, how could I not?” He retorts, shooting her an obvious look, “Of all the possible stories you could have made up, yours is the most absurd I’ve heard in my whole life. No person would have come up with such a crazy tale, so that can only mean one thing…”

“The way you say it, to me can only mean you think I’m crazy,” She quirks a brow, uncertain.

“Nah,” He shakes his head, “Your body language also told me you’re telling the truth. And looking as terrified as you just were to a sword can add up to the fact it’s probably the first time you’ve ever been threatened like this.”

As crazy as he may act, he’s making a lot of sense. Huh.

Masamune shrugs nonchalantly before dropping onto his back on the mat next to her, turning on his side and supporting his head with a fist. Thankfully, he seems to be aware of her need of a personal space but is not as compliant as to leave her alone on her misery.

“So, tell me lass, what’s life in the future like?”

The bluntly straightforward way he makes that question takes her aback, stammering a little, not prepared at all to another prodding from his part. His mouth curls into an innocent grin, staring attentively and all but looking like a child getting ready to hear his favorite telltale.

“… Uh, what?” As much as a part of her craves for a more casual conversation and settling into a sense of normalcy, she’s not quite certain how… appropriate answering that would be. “Um, I don’t know about that,”

Last time they met, Sasuke worried a lot about keeping his historical impact at a minimum, and as far as fictional stories went regarding that specific subject, there’s always been one basic ‘rule’, if any, and that’s been trying to keep any possible influence whatsoever to interfere with the natural course of events. Otherwise, chaos unfolds and ‘history as its known changes forever’.

Ugh, but what do I know, really? Last week I was traveling to Kyoto for my final interview, and now I suddenly am a sort of time-traveler having a conversation with a legendary samurai and daimyo of 500 years in the past.

“Don’t know about what?” Masamune wonders, quirking a brow. “I just want to know, is it better or worse than it is now?”

“You mean to ask if the country is still at war?” She ponders about it for a moment. How much harm would it be to let him in on that, in all honesty? What could truly change for a person to have knowledge of events several generations after their own? And once again, only one way to know…

“Um, well, wars and fighting are not lost to mankind, even in my time. There are still multiple conflicts around the globe, but about our country most specifically, um, well… we’re not.” Masamune’s face softens just slightly, somehow goading her on, “In fact, if you must know, Japan has been at peace for the last 70 years, all things considered.”

The mention of the word ‘peace’ appears to strike a chord deep within him, his gaze dropping elsewhere. A long current of emotions seem to cross his sapphire eye—from a sense of utter disbelief to a fierce spark of pride, to a wave of unadulterated joy; almost too much for Mai to take them all in.

“… Really? That’s… wow, that’s definitely something,” For all intents and purposes, he seems to have been rendered speechless, his entire face brightening in awe. “No, not just something, it’s incredible, lass!”

The sight of Masamune grinning from ear to ear, the dim light of her lamp haloing his wild chestnut mane, makes her heart skip several beats. However, it’s the intensity of his eye what somehow draws her in—an inner fire within, burning so bright like a torch, a sense of determination coursing through.

For some reason, though, it ends up being too much and she can’t look at him for much longer, a slight blush creeping on her cheeks, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You think so?” Her mouth feels dry all in a sudden, clearing her throat awkwardly. “I mean, on second thought, that’s a big deal, sure…”

Ugh, what am I thinking? It sure is. These guys only know about war and violence. Something like that must surely sound like a game changer to them…

Thankfully so, Masamune doesn’t let her fret too much about it, something else catching his attention. “Huh? What’s that?” Following his gaze, Mai notices he’s catch sight of her sketchbook—open and thrown onto the mat next to her after his abrupt entrance. “Are those paintings?”

“Yeah, that’s my sketchbook. It’s what I use for making clothes,” She brings it onto her lap, busing herself with flattening a crumpled page, somewhat feeling self-conscious. “I’m a, uh, you could say seamstress of some sorts. This is full of my rough designs,”

The comment makes him turn to her, then onto her sketchbook. “Hold on a moment. Are you saying you drew these?” To her surprise, he looks nearly shocked by that fact alone. “Let me see that!”

Her odd stammering doesn’t seem to come to a stop anytime soon, and Masamune opts to just snatch it from her hands. The too eager and childish-like look on his face slowly shifts into sheer curiosity and rapt concentration, flipping through the pages, studying her sketches intently as he had studied her not so long ago. Mai feels herself growing apprehensive, not truly liking the tight knitting of his brows, bracing herself to bolt out the bare second he makes whatever threatening move.

No, really. If he points his sword at me again, I swear to the gods, I’m so out of here. Jumping through the window sounds pretty tempting…

But her jaw drops to the floor when their eyes meet and she finds Masamune literally beaming at her. “You’re really talented, lass!” Wait, what? Did she hear him right? “Sure, some of these are odd, even more than what I’ve seen the Westerners wear, but they’ve got a lot of appeal. And the color, wow, you really got a good eye for it.”

Mai gapes at him for the whole course of a minute, snapping her mouth shut once she becomes self-aware. “I… thank you?”

“I’m serious. No craftsman in our time would be able to come up with something as innovative as this.” Masamune insists, nodding eagerly. “I like your style a lot, you’re really special!” It’s truly unexpected for him to like them that much, but she can tell by the appreciating look on his face he’s not really saying those things to impress her. “You know, I’m taking this one!”

… And just like that, he rips a page out of her sketchbook, the genuine smile on his lips never faltering.

The noise of paper ripped out echoes all around the room, her eyes almost bulging out of her sockets. “Hey! W-what? Y-you’re just taking it?”

“It’s not like you’re losing anything,” Masamune says with a shrug, folding it and tucking it into his kimono. Well, actually I am! I’m specifically losing one of my designs to you! “Alright, sorry to bust in on you like that again. Get some sleep now! Tomorrow’s a big day!” Before she can say anything else, he removes himself from the tatami mat, patting her head as a gesture of farewell.

And then he’s gone, the sound of his steps fading as he disappears past the hallways of the castle. I. Just… What?

Several minutes go by with a stunned Mai left staring at her door in complete disbelief. What in all hells and heavens just happened? He comes into my room, threatens me, welcomes me, compliments me, then takes my stuff!

Looking down at her sketchbook, abandoned and open at the feet of her futon, she notices at least he put on the effort of tearing the page cleanly along the perforated line. As much as she doesn’t truly feel upset by losing one of her sketches, she slightly regrets not having taken a look at what he precisely took away.

This isn’t the young upstart I remember from all the samurai dramas. Or maybe he is, but this one is just, just… wild!

Hurricane Masamune has just left her in shambles, that’s for sure. But to point out one thing, he actually complimented her. It shouldn’t be a big deal and yet, it’s somewhat weird. The interviewer for the design job she’s applied to not long ago—that is, without counting the current 500-year slip—had also been impressed with her, but on a sort of dry, professional level; not just that effusively.

Well, I surely must be going crazy, but having Masamune praise my work actually felt nice. Is it the eyepatch or what? Anything sounds good coming from a man with an eyepatch, right?

The moon sets on its peak and she opts for slipping into her futon, still contemplating the crazy turn of events that was the entire day, staring idly at the roof with Bearsace tucked in on her side. All in a sudden, her life has taken a flip of 180 degrees; from being named a ‘Princess from afar’ to having a new job, to… a full section of its own entitled Masamune Date—the first person who’d looked at her work with complete, unrestrained admiration.

It’s really hard for her to have a single consistent thought of him at this point; they have barely met after all. And sure, his compliments and easygoing demeanor aren’t enough to make up for holding her at sword point, but for one, it’s not difficult to understand where he was trying to get at with the whole display. Seems reasonable he even did that, to some extent.

With that thought and the memory of his handsome face smirking down at her, she’s able to relax again and slowly drift off to sleep.

#Cassie writes #Stripes fic #Ikesen #Ikemen Sengoku #Ikesen Masamune x MC #Ikesen Shingen x MC #Mai Mizusaki #Ikesen fanfiction #SPOILERS: Masamune's route #Ikesennw reblog

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