B-24. When They Are Young

DNK Moonbase

AlyakAm was locked back in her cell alongside Egroeg after she and Nerehc returned to Moonbase. "We don't have any idea how she escaped, Master Nerehc." Ininap said in her nervous tone. "We looked everywhere, we really did, b-but-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, take it easy, Stutters. It sounds like Medusa had something to do with it."

"A dark portal, to be precise." AlyakAm confirmed. "This petty fortress of scrap is nothing to even the simplest of a god's abilities."

"And what were you doing with that boy? Were you looking for one of the Thirteen Darknesses?"

"Yes, and I can safely assure you, you now have less of the quest to worry about."

"Then who was the Darkness in question?"

"Medusa says you don't need to know that, yet."

"Of course we don't. Ininap, I'm going back to the Posiverse. Cheren and Kayla said they might know where to look next. Let everyone know to watch out for Medusa." He began to walk away. "I should've expected her to look for loopholes in this deal…"

"Hm hm hm." AlyakAm chuckled.

Ininap turned to her curiously. "Eh he… What's so funny?"

"Nerehc is concerned for what conniving tricks Medusa has up her sleeve regarding this grand plan. He, like Medusa herself, is deceived into believing the latter is the mastermind. Her position is no greater than that of any of our father's 'associates.'"

"She is to our father what I am to AlyakAm." Egroeg commented. "Even I am smart enough to know this."

Ininap approached them. "You two know more about this prophecy than any of us, don't ya? Yer father knows… somehow, someway…"

"You are inferring what exactly?" AlyakAm asked.

"You know important answers." Ininap spoke seriously. "You can be a real big help to us. You can help us be prepared. You can help us save everyone."

"You are mistaken. There is no amount of preparing you could do and no way to save everyone. You can never comprehend what is to come."

"And you can? Are you two all right with what's going to happen? It won't affect you in any way?"

"…" Alyak took a minute to respond. "It doesn't matter if we are or not. And a weak person like you would only cower in a closet. If I decided to tell you, you would utterly give up and give in."

"I wouldn't. Not on my own… anyway…" Ininap turned away. "Not unless Nerehc does. I would follow where he thinks we should go. If he thought it was a losing battle… I would agree. If he thought we could win… I would let him use me as a shield if it would help him get there."

"You haven't a single speck of pride in your veins." Egroeg said. "What a pity. …" Alyak was staring at him. "What? I have more than she does."

"I'm not very smart or strong." Ininap stated. "Until I learn how to be… I'll trust Nerehc to guide me. Maybe you two should, too. Because it sounds like… you aren't sure what to do, either." She left the room.

Grayson Household

During a boring afternoon on a sunny day, Lee Andrew lay figuratively dead on the living room couch, lazily swaying his foot as his eyes leaned in the direction of the fireplace. His sister, Leanne came in and saw that his position did not change. "Wouldn't you rather be trying to build an upgraded 4x4 weapon?"

"Wouldn't you rather be acting like a snob at Guitar Hero?" the boy retorted.

"Lee, just because Wendy promised to magically spawn out of the fireplace to meet you, do you have to spend every waking moment waiting for her?"

"It's not like we got any fun missions. I thought we would be fighting swarms of bad guys from the Government or these Gnik people, but we're still just getting crappy Brotherhooders. I wish I could've gone to Magic World with Wendy."

"Just get up once in a while so you don't turn into a potato sack. Plus, you aren't doing her any favors. Once Haruka hears how much you're fixated on Wendy, she'll turn her into blueberry soup." On that note, Leanne left.

Lee passed off the conversation and continued waiting. After 10 more minutes, an emerald fire lit in the place. Lee got to his feet and gazed with eager blue eyes. "Uh!" Wendy popped out on her front. "So that's what happens if the other side is smaller than the first." Carla came beside her as Wendy looked up. Her face beamed. "Lee!"

"Wendy!" Lee exclaimed.

"Child, your feet are still in the fire." Carla said.

"NOIDON'TWANNALOSEMYFEET!" Wendy immediately scrambled out and hit the couch, toppling it over with her legs propped up. "I'm okay."

Grass hill

Lee and Wendy lay on the breezy hill and watched the clouds drift by. It was the same hill where they met before, when Lee tried to help Wendy with her powers. That day was only three months ago, but it felt like years to both of them. The peaceful atmosphere put Carla into slumber on Wendy's chest, leaving her and Lee to talk in private. "I still can't believe how far I've come." Wendy said. "Mr. Facilier taught me so much in just three months. I know magic, and Dragon Style, and I haven't even started my first year at Hogwarts."

"I sure feel jealous." Lee replied casually. "You're going on way cooler adventures than my team is."

"Mr. Facilier told me you guys were on a quest, too. The Seven Lights?"

"No, everyone else is on that quest. It usually matters if we have a Chosen One in our sector, which we don't. At least not at the moment. It feels like, until we actually know, the whole thing is random."

"So the Chosen Ones are the only ones who matter?"

"That's what it feels like. Take a look at Cheren, for instance, his family has a long record of always being Chosen. I guess if you're lucky enough to be friends with a Chosen One, you have a shot at making the books. But I can never see a reason to try and help out with this quest unless we were actually part of it."

"I can see how you would feel that way. But when you think about it, it doesn't make you much different from everyone else. There are billions of people in the world, and only seven Seven Lights. Imagine all the people who aren't concerned with this quest. They're probably worried about accomplishing something else. Like me." Wendy held up her Lamia Scale and softly rubbed it. "All I want to do is meet my family, make a lot of friends, and learn who I really am. And I guess somewhere else in the world, there are other people just like that. The world is a much bigger place than most people think."

"I guess you're right there." Lee rolled on his side. "But when the Seven Lights and Eight Firstborn Guardians happen to be people you know pretty well, it makes the world feel smaller. Even in the Kids Next Door, we have thousands of sectors, but there's only a few worth mentioning. That's why we have the Top 10 list. And MY sector wouldn't have gotten 10th Place back if Sector DR didn't turn evil. It makes me wonder if Cheren even remembers to check up on every little sector."

"He's the Supreme Leader, isn't he? Dr. Facilier once told me that Cheren is like… everyone's friend."

"Yeah, I guess he's pretty nice, to a fault. But you should've seen him when he first became leader, he was getting torn up. Like, back then he was trying to grant everybody's wishes like Jirachi. He got a lot of people to like him, but I can't believe that he could manage the entire KND the same way. If you want my advice, Wendy, don't make too many friends, because all those friends are gonna want things from you. Especially if you run a worldwide organization."

"I don't think I need to worry about that…" Wendy said sorrowfully.

"Hey, do you wanna join my family for dinner tonight?" Lee asked, sitting up. "We can introduce them to your weird cat."

"Don't call her weird." Wendy sat up, too.

"Alright, sorry. So, you wanna come?"

"Sure." She smiled. "I mean, if Mr. Facilier thinks it's okay."

"Cool, can't wait! Heh, if you're lucky, you'll get to see Diwata turn into a werewolf with us." Lee snickered.

"What do you mean?"

"Almost every night that wasn't cloudy, she lays outside and stares at the moon. I'm not sure if she's a werewolf or a Nine-Tailed Fox, but it creeps us out. You'll see what I mean if the sky's nice."

"Well, now I'm scared to come!" Wendy panicked.

"Well, ya better watch out," Lee got on all fours, "'cause I might be one, TOO! !"

"AAAAH!" Wendy fell on her front when Lee pounced on her. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" They laughed happily.

"Child, you're crushing me!"

"Oops, sorry, Carla." Wendy climbed off of her flattened cat.

EiznekCm House

Nerehc took a quick bath after returning home, and the wetness was still present in his hair by the time he was dressed. He went to his room and would enter the Posiverse through his dresser mirror to meet with Cheren again. He had laid his sword halfway in the mirror to keep the portal open for that reason. But Nerehc saw a different sword on his bed: it had a green hilt and was encased in a black sheath.

Nerehc picked up a note by the sword. It read, 500 years Karakura. Signed with a green crayon picture of a head with snake hair. Nerehc glared at her signature and focused on the sword, then took the Ocarina of Time out of his pocket. Medusa must know what they're going to do next.

En route to Sector JP

"So you think it's another clue?" Cheren asked. He, Nerehc, and MaKayla were flying to Japan in a S.C.A.M.P.E.R., which the former was piloting.

"Yep, Medusa must be on to us. I guess it's a good coincidence we were heading to Karakura, anyway."

"I don't think Medusa was talking about this Karakura Town." MaKayla replied. "When I was sucked into the Multiverse Portal, I landed in a different Karakura. The members of Sector JP were there, except they weren't Sector JP. It was an Original World."

"An Original World?" Nerehc repeated.

"Do you know about them?"

"The Moon Spirit Cresselia appeared and told us about them. And Lucifer mentioned that that's where the Darknesses come from."

"Then we really are on the right track."

"But why did you want to come to JP again?" Cheren asked MaKayla.

"Because if they have counterparts in Original Worlds, we could possibly use them to trace that universe again."

"Don't we have this sword to do that?" Nerehc asked. "Assuming you're right, of course."

"Yes, but I think Karin in particular would be suitable for the task at hand, given her position."

"What position?" asked Cheren.

"Oh, riiiight, she never told you!" Kayla cooed, pinching Cheren's cheek. "Well, you're in for a surprise."

At the moment, Sector JP's treehouse was taken over by monkeys, so the sector was forced to take refuge in a secret bunker in their local forest. A hatch on the ground opened to let the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. land in the underground hangar. The hangar turned dark when the hatch closed, so the trio entered a lit-up doorway to the hideout's living room. "Cherry Pie, welcome to the Secret Pad." Karin Kurosaki greeted with mock enthusiasm. Jinta and Ururu were seen playing games on a couch. "I don't suppose you're here to help us get those monkeys off our backs?"

"You're still having trouble with those apes?" Cheren chuckled. "I thought you would've called animal control by now."

"We tried to, but they have hypno beams at every entrance. Yuzu keeps getting hit and going Karate Mode."

"Unfortunately, we're here for a different matter." MaKayla said seriously. "I think it's time you revealed your secret, Karin."

"Secret?" Karin's brows twitched. Jinta and Ururu heard this and looked over.

"You have an affiliation with the Spirit Kids Next Door. Believe me, I have my sources, and I sensed the energy radiating from you during sector meetings."

Cheren and Nerehc raised a brow at Karin. She sighed. "Fine, but promise you two won't gasp and jump back in shock. Cheren, you remember that report I sent when we fought the Brotherhood leader a few months back?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I left out a little detail." Before their eyes, Karin FLASHED, and transformed into a ghost. She had a black robe, light-blue flames around her ankles, and a white aura around her body.

"YAAAH!" Cheren and Nerehc jumped back in shock.

"Ugh." Karin face-palmed. "S'yeah, the truth is I'm a Halfa – you know, like Danny Phantom. I do part-time work for the Spirit Kids Next Door, but I'm not allowed to use my powers against mortals. That's sorta why I never told you."

"I encounter the Spirit KND during my regular trips to the Spirit World." Kayla said. "I got the tip from them."

"What, is she in trouble or something?" Jinta questioned.

"No, but we need Karin for a project. As a matter of fact, her uniform will work perfectly for this mission."

"What're we doing, exactly?" Karin asked. She hadn't really expected any sort of mission today, let alone one regarding her powers.

"We're going to find one of the Thirteen Darknesses." Nerehc confirmed, holding up the unnamed sword.

"We'll explain on the way." Cheren said. "Our next stop is Gravity Falls."

Gravity Falls; Portal Chamber

The triangle machine was still active and spiraling its neon colors, the only light in this dark, ancient basement. Mabel, Grenda, and Candy were sitting on the floor, holding fishing rods that were cast into the portal. "I bet if I eat a Dimension Bass, it'll create a wormhole in my stomach, and I'll be able to eat 10,000 cheeseburgers without exploding!" Grenda exclaimed.

"I just wanna put it on my wall and hear it sing." Mabel said with an innocent smile. "But it might sing in some garbly, other-dimensionly language."

"Mabeeeel!" Dipper cried, entering the chamber with Cheren's group. "I told you not to go dimension-fishing in the Multiverse Portal!"

"Relax, Dipper! It's not like we're going to catch the Time-Space drain plug with our fishing poles. Oh, I caught something!" Mabel quickly reeled hers in. An ant the size of a dog flew out of the portal, nibbling the lure. "WHOA! That is one ugly dog!" The ant spat out the lure and crawled back up into the portal.

"Sigh. Anyway, we've been studying this portal ever since Wendy and MaKayla made it out." Dipper explained as he led them into the secret room. The Master Emerald was still sitting in its power station. "Look at this." He showed them a scanner machine with a computer attached to it. "According to the journals, this device was meant to scan people or objects and detect duplicates of them in the Original Worlds!"

"Really? Try to scan Karin." Cheren ordered.

"Sure. Stand in front of it." Karin stood a few feet from the tiny eye-size hole, which shone a red holographic scan that swept down and up her body.

"Parallel detected in Original World 'Karakura.' Directing to targeted destination."

They went to look at the portal. The arrow in the circle of symbols pointed at one of a flame. "So it can." MaKayla observed. "But I think the portal has another purpose: it can travel through time."

"IT CAN!" exclaimed Dipper, flipping open Journal 2. He lit the purple light and showed invisible ink. "'While the portal can target specific universes, it seems that it drops me off at certain points in Time in those universes. Bill and I have built a device for an object called the 'Ocarina of Time,' which he says can be used to target specific times. But the ocarina in question has been lost for-'" He looked up when Nerehc held up the instrument.

"Not anymore."

There was a machine on the left of the main panel with a small, square-shaped glass cabinet. It was perfectly fit for the ocarina's size. Fi leapt out and said, "Master Cheren, I can use my telepathy and command the ocarina to transport the user 500 years in the past. Based on the structure of this device, there is a 70% chance that the vast chronokinetic energy contained in the ocarina will be transferred to the Multiverse Portal. This will, in turn, enable the portal to warp people and objects to the respective time date within the specified dimension."

"Sounds like a 70% worth chancing." With that, Nerehc performed the Song of Time, joined by Fi's marvelous vocals. When the ocarina began to glow, they set it inside the cabinet and shut it. It shone a bright blue light, and the energy transferred along the cords to the portal. The machine shone blue, as did the spiraling portal. Mabel, Grenda, and Candy shut their eyes from the blinding light and ceased their fishing.

"This must be it!" MaKayla exclaimed. "Karin, now's your chance, go in! Eventually, the portal should call you back."

"But I don't even know what I'm looking for!"

"You're finding one of the Thirteen Darknesses. His name is Aizen. You need to take him to the dungeons and find a stone pyramid."

"How do you know these things?"

"Because I was here before! This is based on the information I picked up."

"First we'll make sure the Darkness's location is on the dot!" Nerehc ran up to the scanner and presented the sheathed sword to it. The machine detected the sword's original location, and the destination of Dimension Karakura didn't change.

Karin faced the portal with nervousness in her heart. She took a breath to relieve this feeling, then transformed into a ghost. She flew headfirst into the portal and whisked across the Sea of Worlds. There were bubbles with images of a white-haired man, a strong man with a cocky grin, and a creature Karin recognized as a Hollow. She was nearly dizzied by the images in the Dimensional Byway before a great white light engulfed her.

Soul Society; 500 years ago

Karin woke up under a blue sky with clouds, having landed in an alleyway between old wood houses. She got up on her feet and observed her surroundings. She floated upward for a better view of the area. She was in a village of some sort, with a huge white castle-like structure in the distance. The village looked like something from feudal Japan.

"Hu!" Blue mist escaped from Karin's mouth; her Ghost Sense. It leaked out like a cracked bottle—Karin cupped her mouth shut. She landed on the ground and began to look for the cause that alerted the sense.

"What's wrong, Nerd?! Why're you so afraid, huh?" Karin heard a voice from around a left building corner. She peeked and saw a gang of large boys, surrounding a smaller boy with brown hair. They all wore ragged clothing and the small boy was the only one with shoes – brown sandals.

"Come on, guys." The boy's head was bowed, and he looked timid. "Can't we just forget about it?"

"Nuh-uh!" The largest bully, a fat boy with blue robes and budding hair, smirked. "We know what you did to those Shinigami chasin' after Kisuke! You got in their way and blew 'em back with your Super Reiatsu! Sōsuke, the mega freak who can't go nowhere wifout his Spirit Pressure over-pressurizing stuff! Well, c'mon, Sōsuke, show us your mega power!" The bullies surrounded the child and started pushing him around in their circle.

"Guys, stop! Really, I mean it- hey!"

"What're those kids' problem?" Karin asked herself with spite. "Hm, they're about to have another one-" She stomped up to them—the bullies were all blown apart by a sudden explosion, a small but forceful one. The boy was standing in the center where it came from, panting with anger.

"AHHH!" The bully screamed. "He really is a monster! RUUUN! Let the Shinigami get rid of him!" His friends followed his example and cowered away from the area, screaming.

Confused, Karin decided to approach the boy. He gazed up at her with nervous brown eyes, and moaned a faint "Uhhhhh…"

"Hey, I'm not gonna bully you." Karin said. "So close your mouth before a bug enters in."

He waited a moment before speaking. "…Are you… a Shinigami?"

"Shinigami?"

"Yeah… you're wearing the robe…"

"I am?" Karin looked at her black robe. "I guess I am… So, why were those guys picking on you?"

"Um…" He looked down. "Because of my Reiatsu."

"Reiatsu? …Hu!" Karin's Ghost Sense leaked out in a ceaseless fashion again.

"Yeah, I have really big Reiatsu. And it makes me…?" He looked up and saw Karin trying to hold her mouth shut.

The girl turned around and let the mist float out. Wait a minute… this is a Spirit World. Everything here… but this boy, he…

"Are you okay, Miss?"

Karin turned back to him once the Ghost Sense settled. "I'm fine. My name's Karin – Karin Kurosaki." She smiled and sat down. "What's your name?"

"It's Aizen. Sōsuke… Aizen."

"Aizen?" The name immediately rang a bell.

"Do you want something from me, Shinigami-sama?"

Is this kid really a Darkness? He's so small. But then again… "I was just looking around." Karin answered. "But tell me about this Reiatsu of yours, Aizen. You said it was really big?"

"Uh-huh." Aizen said in his timid voice. "I don't know why it is, I was just born this way. I was told my mom died giving birth to me, and my dad just… dropped me. And I can't control it most of the time. I can't…!" Aizen's hair started waving, and Karin felt an invisible force. "Aaaaahh… It's happening again!" He started panicking.

The blue mist leaked out of Karin's mouth again. "Hang on!" She shot ectoplasmic energy from both hands and encased Aizen in a green barrier. She found it difficult to contain the force, and the barrier was cracking from it. Karin managed to keep it steady long enough for the power to die down. After three minutes, she released the barrier.

"I'm sorry… It acts up on its own a lot." He said shamefully. "I… Wait… What was that spiritual pressure, Miss?"

"What? You mean that barrier I just did?" Karin replied.

"Yes… I've never seen Reiatsu like that. It doesn't feel like any…"

Karin wondered if it was okay to say where she was from. She decided not to and chose to alter her backstory. "I was also born with a strange Reiatsu. It's green-colored and behaves differently from normal Reiatsu. But it gave me an unfair advantage over everyone else; and I felt kind of bad for it." She was referring to her skill on the soccer field. "Not only that… my mother died because of my power." Karin said remorsefully.

"What did you do about it?"

The story was actually sensitive to Karin, and she felt awkward about editing it. "Well… I just learned to accept my powers. They didn't change who I was inside, and best of all, I could use them to help people. I'm not sure how to help you control your powers, but maybe you can think of them as a gift. In the future, they could help you do something phenomenal."

"Hmm…" Aizen bowed his head. "I never thought about it that way… The only thing I worry about is… how strong my power could get… I worry about what could happen because of them…"

Karin tilted his head back up, giving him an assuring grin. "If you're worried about it, then make sure it doesn't happen. Try to learn how to control them, try to get in touch with these powers. One day, you'll be able to do great things, and you'll be very thankful that you have them."

"You really think… that I can?"

"Sure ya can, Slugger!" Karin playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Just keep your chin up and believe in yourself a bit more!"

"Ah!" Aizen flinched, holding his shoulder. "Why did you hit me, Shinigami-sama?"

"What? No-no-no, that wasn't a hit!" she said quickly. "It was a shoulder bump! It's just my way of saying 'I have faith in you'!" Man, I really hope I'm not screwing up the timeline.

"Eh heh. That's a very odd way of saying that, Shinigami-sama."

"Please, just call me Karin. …Actually, call me Karin-san. I like being called that."

"Ha ha." Aizen blushed. "Ok. …Hey, Karin-san? What do you do for the Gotei 13? Can I ask what squad you're in?"

"Ah!" Karin jumped at the question that could easily blow her cover. "Well, I, uh… work in Squad 1 and I…!" She beamed at the opportunity at hand, "I work down in the dungeons! Checking on prisoners and… stuff! If you want, I can give you a tour of the place!"

"A tour? Are you allowed to do that?"

"Sure I am, it's no big deal!" Karin grinned, ruffling his hair. "But just in case, let's not tell anyone. But FIRST, I'm gonna quiz ya!" She winked and stuck her index finger up. "Where is the dungeon located?"

"U-Under Squad 1…" Aizen stuttered.

"Correct! Which is where, exactly?"

"Er… It's that big place right there." He spoke as if the answer was an obvious fact and pointed at the castle-like structure.

"YES, that would be pretty obvious to anyone that that… is where it is." Karin felt stupid inside. "O-kay, quiz completed, hop aboard and let's go!" Karin picked the child up and turned invisible as she soared across the village.

They went unseen by the Shinigami guards, but they appeared to sense the Reiatsu emitted from Aizen. Karin phased them through the ground outside the castle and down several floors of what was clearly an underground dungeon. Karin and Aizen set foot on the 8th floor, the former lighting her hand green in order to see in the darkness. "I'm looking for a stone pyramid, is that it?" she mumbled. "Something like that shouldn't be too hard to…"

"Did you say something, Karin-san?"

"Um, I was talking about the… super rare treasure that is lost within the dungeon depths."

"Treasure?"

"Yes, it's a pyramid! It's an old legend that's told among us Shinigami, but no one's ever found it. I wonder if we'll be lucky enough to?"

"Heh, is this some sort of game, Miss?" Aizen smiled.

"Maybe it is! You should play along."

"Wait… I feel something." The boy looked left.

"What?"

Aizen entered an open cell that had nothing inside but dust and chains. He approached a dark hole in the corner of the room. Karin held her glowing hand over the hole, but could not see its bottom. "What do you feel, Aizen?"

"I don't know… but I wanna go down there and see what it is. Is it safe?"

"I'm… not sure. …But I wanna see what it is, too. Let's go down together." Karin picked him up and began to float down. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

"Karin-san… do you think the pyramid is down here?"

"There's a 70% chance that it is." (Play "Earth Temple" from Zelda: Wind Waker.)

Stage B-21: Dungeon Depths

Mission: Find the Pyrameglyph.

Karin and Aizen set foot on the bottom of the hole. The cave was full of dust and bones, and it was surprising to have faint light giving them vision in this dungeon. The first room was small and had a locked door—and it seemed Karin was unable to go intangible through it. She began to overturn the many small stones that were lain in the room. A dark scorpion with a skull mask jumped out of one of them and latched onto her face, but Karin was quick to yank it off and destroy the Hollow. "Look, Karin-san!" Aizen said, pointing to the key that was uncovered from the rock.

The two used it to unlock the door and go to the next room. They were on a platform over a wide room with many tall pillars that had mirrors on them. There was a Sun Switch on the other side, and it had a sleeping face due to no light. There was a light shining on a higher mirror, but it was faced away from the others, and all those mirrors faced random directions.

Karin kicked her soccerball at a mirror – the ball ignited like a comet from the force of the kick, and the mirror spun around before stopping to face another. Sadly, the mirror changed back after a few seconds. Karin saw a higher platform on her right and decided to fly up. With good precision, she kicked the ball around a sequence of mirrors, turning them one after the other, then she quickly hit the top mirror to direct the light all around them, eventually hitting the Sun Switch and opening the door.

The following room was even more wide, but the floor was covered in a blue fog. "Karin-san, that's Curse Fog." Aizen cautioned. "You won't be able to use your Reiatsu in it."

Karin examined the rest of the room, her eyes falling on the locked door on the other side. "But what choice do I have? Hop on my shoulders and I'll walk us across." Aizen complied, and was safe above the Curse Fog's reach as Karin stepped in. She felt powerless with the blue fog touching her, and hidden under its mist were black holes on the floor. Dark hands called Holemasters lunged out of these holes and seemed intent on grabbing Aizen, so Karin leapt away before they had the chance. She was forced to keep her eyes down in search of the key, dodging Holemasters every which way. She felt her foot step on something long, discovering the key.

Karin made her way to the ledge with the locked door and got inside. She and Aizen viewed a corridor over a chasm, in which the door was partway down on the opposite end. Blue Bubbles, skulls with the Curse Fog, were floating over the pit. Karin was unable to fly up high, for an unseen force was preventing her. She would have to glide across. She carried Aizen and maneuvered around the Blue Bubbles, having to wait for an opening between two of them and having to sink lower to get under three stationary Bubbles. She managed to land the platform before going too low and they entered the next room.

It was another straight hallway where the door was free for the opening. Karin smirked at the simple puzzle and walked forward proudly. Steps before touching the door, a ghost possessed her and forced Karin to go back. "Hey, get off of me! Stupid ghost, let me go!" No matter how much she tried to force herself around, the Poe wouldn't comply. Eventually, the ghost left her body on its own accord.

"Are you all right, Karin-san?" Aizen asked.

"Yeah. Boy, was that ever unpleasant." The two entered the door to a bigger room over a pit of Curse Fog. A bridge crossed over to a central platform, then a set of smaller platforms would lead to a door. Karin's Ghost Sense picked up more hidden Poes, waiting to possess her. She shot Ecto Blasts at the empty air, but they seemed to do nothing. "Ugh. I know more of those ghosts are waiting for me."

"Karin-san, I have an idea." Aizen said. "That ghost was making you go the opposite of where you wanted to, right? Maybe you can use that against them."

"Hmm… Good idea, Kid." Karin walked forth and allowed the first Poe to possess her. She tried to walk the opposite direction, but the Poe's will commanded her to keep forward. She moved carefully over the thin bridge with no railing, making sure she didn't shift left or right too much. By the time she was at the platform, the Poe abandoned her. Karin and Aizen then had to cross a series of platforms that would tilt under their weight. As Karin expected, a Poe possessed her, and commanding it to will her in the opposite direction required better timing and precision on these unbalanced footholds. Karin managed to reach the last platform, but in her attempt to step on the ledge, she stumbled and fell over. "AAAH-!"

"Karin-san!" Aizen grabbed and pulled Karin over to the ledge. The Poe left her body.

"Phew, thanks! Hey, how come those ghosts don't come after you?"

"Maybe my Reiatsu's too much for them." He blushed.

They entered the door and gazed up a flight of stairs. "I got this." Karin picked Aizen up and flew up the stairwell at high speed. It was nice to know this room didn't weigh her down, for she kept flying and flying, the stairs and wall texture whipping past her. And she kept going and going and going… there were so many stairs. Why hasn't she made it outside at this point?

"Karin-san? Why do you keep flying in circles?" Aizen asked.

"What're you talking about, we're going straight."

"No we aren't, we're just flying in a loop. It's getting dizzy."

"What…" Karin stopped. The stairs and walls turned wavy.

"The door is down there. Just fly down."

The stairwell faded away, revealing the true, downward stairs that led to a door. "What… was that about…" Her mind still swimming, Karin floated down and entered the door. (End song.)

A dreary mist filled the room and dozens of skulls lay around the floor. Through the fog, they could see a triangular shadow. As Karin stepped closer, she could make out hieroglyphics on the pyramid and the eye on its tip. "Aizen… it's the pyramid!"

"It is?"

The dozens of skulls floated up. Karin readied her guard, expecting them to attack. One at a time, the skulls lit with a colored flame, starting from orange, green, blue, purple, then it repeats. Soon, all the skulls were lit, flying around the pyramid in a colorful circle. They stopped: all the skulls had goofy faces and began to sing loudly.

OOO, INTRUDERS WANDER TO OUR MIDST

To beat us with their groady fists

They really baked a nasty cake

Of one great big mistake!

A giant skull mask appeared above the pyramid and sang in a dark voice-

Well let's not let them run AROUND

We'll turn their ORGANS upside-down!

We'll stew their brains and crunch their bones

And see they never pay back their loans

Their SOULS- ARE- NOW- OUR- OOOWWWN!

All the flame skulls flew into the mask, which puffed a fat black body with a hole in its chest. The hole filled with a neon light composed of all the souls in this Hollow's body. The ghost cackled demonically and the battle began. (Play Jalhalla's Theme from Wind Waker!)

Boss fight: Jahollow

"If that isn't Most Creative Boss Name of the Year!" Karin retorted. The giant Hollow blasted colorful fireballs as Karin flew up and around him. She shot Ecto Blasts at his belly, but they merely bounced off and shot herself. Jahollow flew over to smash Karin under his belly, but she had flipped over to push against his weight with both feet. She kept him high enough to quickly fly out, letting him plop onto nothing. When Jahollow recovered, Karin blasted twin Ecto Rays at his chest, the Hollow shaking from the unbearable pain. The light of the neon chest grew brighter until he exploded. The colorful skulls scattered and flew around rampantly.

We're SEPARATED all around

Master Jahollow has fell down

Run away, up high, up low

Before she deals her fatal blow!

"Unfortunately for you, I see a bunch of moving balls!" Karin flew around and, with power and gusto, kicked as many of the skulls as she could. Each one ricocheted around the room before shattering, and Karin took delight when their flames made many a colorful flame-line during their bounce-around. After striking six skulls, Jahollow's face returned, and the remaining skulls reunited at his core, reforming his body.

Karin blasted at his chest, but the Hollow pulled his belly up to shield his chest. Jahollow began to inhale, creating a vacuum that Karin tried to outrun. When the Hollow ceased, it released the condensed air at the ground, blowing several tornadoes of dust. Karin was swept up in one of the whirlwinds, spinning around and around before she was forced against the ground. Jahollow seized the chance to smash her.

Karin forced twin Ecto Rays up to push the fat ghost off. As she gasped for breath, she took note of how she pushed him off. She flew level with Jahollow and shot twin rays, pushing him once more. She pushed him above the pyramid, flew above, then pushed down so the pyramid's tip pierced his belly. The Hollow exploded, freeing the rainbow skulls as they flew rampantly again. Karin tried to beat her record, kicking each skull that crossed her vision. She was able to beat nine skulls, leaving four more. Those four flew into the Hollow mask once it returned.

Jahollow turned invisible and reappeared behind Karin, possessing and forcing her to fly in opposite directions. She smirked, having already encountered this trick, so she faced Jahollow's direction and fired- "AAAH!" She shot herself with the Ecto Rays and flew back. The curse must redirect her aim, too. When she recovered, Jahollow immediately possessed her again. She managed to face up at him and would shoot herself in order to forcibly shoot him. However, Jahollow saw this trick and broke his control, letting Karin shoot herself again.

"Karin-san!" Aizen ran up to her.

"Aizen?"

"Karin-san, let him possess me!"

"What? I'm not gonna risk you like that!"

"Please just let me!" The child looked fearlessly as Jahollow approached. This new prey was brimming with Reiatsu, and it looked so delicious to the Hollow's dead eyes. Jahollow cast its possession spell on Aizen—immediately the monster was overwhelmed, and exploded from the radiating power.

Karin seized the chance to kick and destroy the last four skulls. Only Jahollow's skull remained, and Karin smirked at his helpless state. "Don't worry, this is only an accident." Karin tossed her ball up and kicked it at Jahollow's face with full force. Like many kids from the soccer field she can't remember, his skull broke. "Nothing a trip to the nurse's office won't fix." (End song.)

"Hey, Karin-san!" Aizen yelled excitedly. "I did it, didn't I?"

Karin bashed him in the head. "OW! Is that your way of saying 'yes'?"

"NO. That was my way of saying that was a VERY risky move!"

"B-But I-"

"And I'm proud of you for it." She smirked and tilted his head up.

"Ah… hehe." He blushed.

"Honestly, you reminded me of one of my teammates."

"Hehe…" Aizen turned and faced the stone pyramid. Karin frowned as he approached it, looking as though he was in a trance.

"Aizen… you feeling okay?"

He stopped before the pyramid. "I'm fine." A dark aura appeared around the ruin. With the gray mist out of the way, he could see the text. And Karin could tell that he could read it.

Do not deny the powers in your veins. Let them be yours, and know that the only force in this world is absolute power.

The eye on the pyramid tip glowed and the dark aura entered his body. Karin suspects the mission is now complete.

Sōsuke Aizen awakened as a DARKNESS. Only 7 more to go.

"…Karin-san."

She was silent, almost fearing what he would say after that. "Er… yes?"

"…Do you think… I can join Gotei 13?" He turned to her with a smile, holding a green-hilted sword in his hand.

Karin was shocked. "Where did you get that?"

"It just appeared… heheh. Maybe it's a Zanpakutō. I wonder what it does?" He drew it.

The Ghost Sense leaked from her mouth again—a dizzying sensation fell over Karin. "Karin-san?" The world turned blurry, her feet felt cold, she was smelling delicious cakes and pastries. "Karin-san, what's wrong?" She could taste that cake, too. Mmm, it was so good. She wanted to keep eating it. She wanted to keep-

"Karin-san!" The feeling was gone. She was on her hands and knees, facing Aizen directly. He had sheathed the sword.

"Nn… sorry." Karin got up. "Let's get you out of here." She carried Aizen and flew up through the ceiling, phasing through all the many layers of spirit-rock until they made it above the surface. "Sigh, THAT time it works. Aizen, it was great meeting you, but I'm afraid I can't stick around. If you want to join the Gotei, you should talk to one of the higher-ups."

"Karin-san… why did you lie to me?"

Her heart skipped a beat. "Uh… What?"

"A minute ago… you said you were from a different universe. Here to find me."

She bit her teeth. "I didn't say that!"

"But… you did. Or was it… your mind?…" Aizen looked at the sheathed sword he was holding. He faced Karin again and yelled, "Karin-san, who are you really?!"

"…Sigh." She calmed down. "Aizen, I'm sorry. You're right, I'm from a different world. I was on an assignment to help you… 'awaken' yourself."

"What does that mean?"

"I… don't really know myself. I couldn't explain it to you, and… I don't think I should. Aizen, I think you should forget that you met me. Just remember what I taught you."

"Karin-san…"

A ray of light pierced through the sky and shook the ground. "Uh-oh! I guess that's my way back!" Karin exclaimed. "Good-bye, Aizen! Who knows, maybe we'll meet up again! Until then, see ya!" She flew into the portal, which then vanished after a few seconds, the tremors ceasing.

"Good-bye… Karin Kurosaki." And from then on, Aizen never mentioned her to anyone. But he remembered her name to this day… Kurosaki.

Portal Chamber

"Heads up, girls! Mabel's got herself a ringer!" Mabel exclaimed, standing firm as she reeled her fishing rod with gusto. "We are gonna EAT tonight!"

None other than Karin flew out of the portal. "PLEH!" She spat the lure out of her mouth. "Dammit, I'm not a fish!"

"We caught a ghost with a fishing pole!" Candy beamed. "Take THAT, Jack Fenton!"

"Karin, you made it back!" Cheren exclaimed. "What was it like? Did you meet the Darkness—did you find the pyramid?"

"Good, I think, and yes. I found Aizen like you said. He read the Gibberish Pyramid and then darkness flew inside him."

"That about sums it up." Nerehc said. "You guys were right, then. The Darknesses really are through this portal."

MaKayla approached it, staring at the swirly vortex. "But why? The Original Worlds were said to be secluded from our dimensional plane. According to legend, the gods designed this universe from what existed in those universes. So why are the Darknesses in those worlds? Who would've decided this?"

"The only thing we can do now is find them." affirmed Nerehc. "Cheren, you and your pals focus on getting the Lights. Me and my operatives will keep using this portal to find the Darknesses. I may have to rely on Medusa to send me more artifacts."

"But what about the ocarina? You won't be able to target the dates without Fi."

"So leave Fi here."

"Ghh!" Cheren flinched. He took out his sword and held it aloft. "Can I do that?"

Fi jumped out. "Master Cheren, in the same manner that I was commanded to guide Sector V to Solana, I can remain in this chamber if you so need me to. If my advice is not needed, you may take the Master Sword whilst I remain and obey the requests of Not-Master Nerehc. If it is your desire, let it be so."

Cheren hesitated to answer. Fi's advice was helpful, whether or not it's needed most of the time… Without her spirit in the sword, he would feel a tad lonely. But for the sake of finding all the Keys… "Okay, Fi. Stay here and do whatever Nerehc tells you."

"Understood, Master. I hope that we may reunite soon."

Cheren faced his Negative. "Bring her back as soon as you're done, got it?"

"Relax, man, I will." Nerehc smiled. "My sword's cooler, anyway."

"Ha ha… Well, good luck, you two." He, MaKayla, and Karin left the cave.

Fi turned to Nerehc and said, "Master's Wannabe Nerehc, I am at your command."

"Well, this is gonna be fun." He sighed in exhaust.

Somewhere in Europe; 96 years ago

The waves smashed against the cliffside on this gloomy, stormy day. A person's voice could roughly be heard down here. If someone were to fall into the raging sea, nobody would hear them scream. It was a sea that Davy Jones loved to sail.

It wasn't often that Davy Jones sailed this close to land, but he agreed to at the request of his new master. Negatar Gnaa stared at the cliffside as the Flying Dutchman drew close to it. "I cannot go any farther without alarming the town." Jones said. "Why did you wish to sail this way, Lord Gnaa?"

"I feel a voice calling to me." Gnaa said solemnly. "A voice… in the darkness."

"I, too, feel it, Master." Phantom Gnaa hissed, holding his master's shoulders. "Let us go."

The phantom carried Lord Gnaa across the waves and the rocks, and set him on a thin path along the cliffside. Lord Gnaa entered a cave where he felt the darkness emanate. It was very dark, and the only areas that had a hint of light were a dull gray. Tiny drips of water echoed across the dank cave. Gnaa's only guide was the darkness that called for him.

He found the source between a group of crystals that gave off a gray glow. It was a small boy of nine years old, with dark hair and dull clothes. He looked up at the figure with an arrow on his head. Negatar Gnaa stared at him blankly and spoke in a whisper, "Why are you down here?"

"I'm hiding." The boy said lowly.

"From who?"

"I'm hiding from the world. I don't belong in the world. The world… hates me."

"Why does the world hate you?"

"I can do things that others can't. I can make things move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who are mean to me. I can make them hurt."

"…I can do things that others can't as well." Gnaa said. "I can feel the darkness in people's hearts."

"Is that why you're down here?"

"I came down here because I felt the darkness in your heart. I can feel the darkness clouding you. I can feel it… becoming you. The world has given you pain. It has made you want the darkness."

"Then… what am I to do?"

"…Embrace the darkness. Welcome it. And it will always be with you. It will always help you…"

"Would the darkness… be my friend?" The boy stood. "Would it… talk to me?"

Phantom Gnaa rose from the ground before him, a body of black mist with glowing eyes. "Yes… it would…"

The boy looked down at his feet. His own shadow appeared to stretch away from him, acting on its own. When the boy looked up, the stranger was gone. He walked forward slowly, the sound of his footsteps mixed with the echoing droplets. The child looked right when another part of the cave glowed. Down the passage of crystals was a stone pyramid.

The boy approached the strange ruin. It must have sat in this cave for thousands of years. And yet, it looked so… clean. The cavern droplets did not wither away its text or its form. But some droplets seeped into the engraved letters and the eye on top. The crystals brimmed greater, giving everything in the cave a bright gray. They highlighted the pyramid's perfect form, and the letters clear enough for him to read.

The light shall fade… only darkness can live forever. Do not let yourself fade. Reject the light… Rejoice the darkness…

The dark aura from the pyramid flew into the boy's body. He understood the text's meaning… he let it sink into his mind.

Tom Riddle awakened as a DARKNESS. Just 6 more to go.

The Flying Dutchman sailed away from the land, soon to be gone with the storm. "There should be a number of worthy shadowbending teachers in Britain. Many of the wizards and witches are-ah." Davy Jones said.

"I have already found a worthy teacher." Gnaa smirked. "Now it is a matter of…" he looked back and faced the cliff, "waiting."

Same cliff; present time (Play "Organization XIII" from Kingdom Hearts II.)

Ninety-six years later, waves were still mercilessly smashing against the cliffs. Some of the rocks had eroded away. Medusa stood on the edge and felt the forceful wind. Behind her, Baby Chernabog was asleep, kept warm by Pandora's flame. Medusa looked back at them for a moment, then faced the horizon. "Let me ask you something, Thanatos… When is a person most susceptible to the darkness?"

"The answer is obvious, Medusa!" said the snake on her shoulder. "It's when they are young!"

"Correct. A child is always most vulnerable to darkness. An undeveloped mind is an open mind. Even Firstborn like Jirachi can be easily fooled. That's why many of these Darknesses realize their destinies when they're young. And it is why, even as they have become adults, the light has never reached them. True, the Seven Lights can try to avoid the darkness all the same… but all that matters is destiny is truly set in stone. Then it's survival of the fittest."

Outside Sector JP's hideout

It was a cloudy and chilly night in the forest. Karin's teammates have gone to sleep, but she was outside, waiting. Her Spirit KND mentor, Yachiru, flew down from the trees and set foot, making a salute. "You called me, Karin-chan?"

"Ha ha, hi, Yachiru." Karin smiled. "Sorry if you were busy… but I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure, anything!" The pink-haired girl smiled brightly.

"Do you know anything about anyone named… Sōsuke Aizen?"

"Aizen… hmmmm…" Yachiru stroked her chin. "The name sounds familiar…" She paced left and right. "I think I read it in a book… OH!" She perked up. "Right! It's a story about a man who challenged the gods, nearly 10,000 years ago! His name was Sōsuke Aizen!"

"Do you know… what it was about?"

10,000 years ago…

He woke up in a desolate field, lost and confused. He didn't know how he landed here… there was a great flash in the sky and that was it. Dust blew in the wind, and swords were impaled in the ground, marking the places of fallen warriors.

Aizen heard a pair of footsteps behind him, but did not turn to see their owner. "It was a bloodthirsty battle." Medusa said. "But I'm sure it was nothing… compared to your power."

"…That's a shame." Aizen turned around. He was a handsome man with smooth brown hair, sharp brown eyes, and a sleek white robe. "For a second, I was… upset."

"I feel it in your heart. The irrepressible urge to unleash your unending power. But striking at mortals would be like… striking at empty air. You want beings that you can call equals."

"Equals… So there is more than one?" Aizen was humored at the idea.

"Of course… And I would be happy to take you to them." She smirked maliciously. "But first… I want to test your power."

"I can't believe it took all the gods together just to beat him!" Yachiru said.