The next day the tension that had been there had eased, and it was stifling outside, as the sun beat down on Karakura harshly. The summer, was sultry, and oppressive, and no one dared to go to far outside in case of dehydration. The ground was hot, and it was as if it was on fire. You had to wear shoes, or you would burn your feet. Karissa sat outside of Uruhara's Shoten, a cool drink on a table beside the thick, blue blanket she lay on, getting the best of the sun. Her legs were bent, and she swung her feet in the air as she lay on her chest. In her hands was the new installment of the Dark hunter series. Her brown locks were piled on top of her head, in a large, straw sun hat. She had thick black sunglasses resting them on her nose. She wore a pair of white bikini bottoms, and a white bikini top. Around her waist, she had tied a white sarong. Her lips shone as she licked them, trying to get into her book. It didn't help, she found, as her mind kept drifting back to her time in Rukongai, when days like this came, and she was with her mother and father. Especially when she was younger. Unbidden, her mothers voice drifted into her head ... Karissa, sweetie... put your sun lotion on... Since she had been little that had been drummed into her, and now she put on her lotion like clockwork.
Yoruichi watched her from the safe shade of the Shoten, as Kisuke poured her another iced tea. She was in her normal form, because, as a cat it was too warm for her to have fur. She wore an orange bikini top, and black bikini bottoms, an orange sarong around her waist. Her dark purple hair was up, and as usual purple bangs fell around her dark skinned face. Her golden eyes shone with ingenuity and an acute sharpness. She smiled a thousand yen smile at Kisuke handed her an ice tea. His eyes travelled over to Karissa and he smiled as well. Yoruichi chuckled, and turned back to the object of her thoughts. "How long has she been sick, Kisuke?" Yoruichi pried, and Kisuke breathed deeply and dejectedly beside her. She looked at him, her pupils slitted. He looked down at his hands, and if she looked closely, she would have sworn she could see a tear fall down his cheek.
"About two weeks... it was just little things, like she began to get dizzy when she stood but... now it's worse... she gets blinding headaches, and hot flashes. Her legs swell and she gets muscle cramps in her feet. Her arms cease up, and her fingers go numb. She is too weak sometimes to even pick up her zanpakutou, and she... she is coughing up blood..." he says, and Yoruichi's chest heaved as she took in a loud breath. Kisuke looked at Karissa form, as she lay in the sun, and he stiffened. "She won't do anything to stop it either... she just..."
Yoruichi looked at the usually happy, cheerful man, and she could see just how hard seeing Karissa being ill was on him. Her eyes drifted to the girl, who was oblivious to it, as she read her book, enjoying the sun.
Karissa sighed, and dropped the book on the ground, before rolling onto her back, and shading her face from the sun by using her hat. As she looked into the darkness that was the inside of her hat, she thought about the first day she had spent in Soul Society. It had been raining...
A two year old girl toddled down the street's of Rukongai district 75. On her head, short waves of brown hair framed her face, and her dark eyes displayed her fear openly. She stuck her thumb in her mouth, and looked up at all the taller people, terrified and lost. Her freckled nose scrunched up. It smelled really weird. It was confusing for her, she was just a two year old girl. A heavy sheet of rain fell around her, and she was cold. Goose bumps covered her skin, under her thin white kimono, and she shivered. She looked up at the tall people, desperate for warmth. Then she saw a flash of golden blond hair, and a red kimono. She gaped, and ran after it, as fast as her little legs could carry her, across the hard rough ground. She stumbled twice, and screamed out mommy.
Jae peered behind her, and saw a little girl, her arms outstretched to her, running and stumbling forward after her. She screamed mommy at her. Her eyes widened as the toddler stumbled, and fell forward. Quick as a flash, she dropped her umbrella, and caught the little toddler. The toddler looked up at her, with big dark eyes, and smiled. Jae couldn't help but smile back.
"Mommy!" the little girl said happily, and she threw her arms around Jae's neck. Jae looked down at the little girls head surprised, but then smiled affectionately. The girl had called her mommy... No one had ever called her mommy before. She liked it, the way it sounded. To be someones mommy. She suddenly noticed that she was getting wet, and looked up. Rain poured down on them like a waterfall. She reached behind her and grabbed her umbrella, holding it over their heads, effectively stopping the downpour. The little girl played with the wet locks of golden hair, giggling. Jae gently pulled her away from her hair and stood up, the little toddler in her arms.
"Now then, what on earth to name you..." she pondered, as the little girl looked up at her.
"Ka! Ri! Sa!" she pronounced her name in syllables, unable to process it clearly as a full name. Jae smiled brightly, as she pieced it together, and looked at the little girl who had started to fall asleep.
"Karissa Ai Megami... my daughter..." she said happily, and she hugged the sopping wet bundle to her chest, her body heat causing Karissa to giggle and whimper in her sleep. A sudden thought crossed her mind, as she walked through the now empty streets of the Rukongai. How was she going to explain this to Li?
Karissa giggled under her hat, and sat up, her body dehydrated from the suns boiling rays. She groaned, and rubbed her head, feeling the beginnings of a headache forming in her temples. The heat around her felt heavy, and thick. She could barely breath in it. Her eyes softened, as she thought of her parents, before she slapped herself into snapping out of it. By now, the heat had induced a throbbing headache, that seemed to melt her brain painfully. She pushed herself up, her muscles numb because of the lack of movement, and stumbled forward a bit. She saw Kisuke start to stand and she smiled softly at him. She stumbled forward, and He quickly paced towards her, as she shook. He held out his arms to catch her, but she pushed him away.
"I can walk myself, Kisuke," she snapped, her tone harsh and cold, as she slowly staggered towards the house, perspiring furiously. Kisuke walked slowly behind her, ready to catch her if she fell, and Yoruichi stood ready to give her a drink when she reached her. Karissa's bow furrowed, as she wobbled slightly to her left. She forced her legs into working, and stood straight, her back arched perfectly, her shoulders pushed back. "I can walk myself..." she gnarled as she gently placed on foot in front of her. The ground burned the sole of her foot, but her eyes narrowed in concentration. Then, like a baby taking her first steps, she walked forward. Her feet cramped up, and the weight of her body caused her legs to go weak, but she pushed on, until she got to the shade of the house. Yoruichi beamed at her, as she took the drink, her arms heavy. She flopped down, and her gaze gently caressed the floor, as she bent her head sadly. "I'm sick, aren't I?" she questioned, her tone cold, and lost. Kisuke sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. She mewled to herself, as a hot flash hit her head. She grasped at it, burying her head in her hands, trying to push it away. She felt Kisuke slide his hand under her knee's and lift her up, bridal style, as he carried her through to the bedroom. Her eyes were closed as he lay her down to sleep, and he silently closed the door. He closed his eyes, and bowed his head, as he leaned against the wall.
"But you promised you would wait until I could go with you! Kisuke! Isshin!" Karissa stropped, storming up and down angrily, before she slapped the two boys upside the head. She stood defiant, yet it looked hilarious as she only looked to be ten years old. Her brown hair fell to her elbows, an light waves and curls, and her eyes were narrowed on the two treacherous older boys. Kisuke rubbed the back of his blond haired head nervously, under her glare. He looked to be fifteen years old, but she could still reduce him to that of a six year old with her holier-than-thou glare. Beside him, Isshin looked sheepishly at the shinigami academy walls, and at Karissa again. Her eyes narrowed even more on him, and her lips began to scowl dangerously.
"How could you do this!? You promised!" she snapped at them. Kisuke began to look guiltier and guiltier, as she paced, ranting. Isshin rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms. The two were in the blue boys uniform for the school. Too be honest, the outfits really showed off their arm muscles. But Karissa right now was only fifty years old, so she was thinking about how they had betrayed their promise, more than how good they looked in the uniform. Behind her, her mother stands tall (ish, as she is actually gotten quite petite over the years) her golden hair pulled up into a bun, her arm looped in her husbands, who did stand tall, proud of his little girl. Karissa spins and glares at them, her arms crossed. "Well, if you apologise, and promise to visit me the minute you have the spare time, I will forget you broke your promise," she stated, and Kisuke grinned at her. She smiled cheerfully, and threw herself at the two boys, hugging them tightly. The hugged her back, and kissed her forehead.
"Okay... the second we can, we will come back and visit. We promise," Isshin said, and Karissa snorted.
"Remember the last time you promised me something?" she mocked, and Isshin looked confused until Karissa punched him in the arm and hugged him. "I'll be seeing you," she giggled happily, before she ran back over to her parents, waving them on their way. "Now go away so I can make friends with kids my own age!"
The two laughed humorlessly, suddenly feeling apprehensive about leaving her alone, in case she did actually replace them. She rolled her eyes, and fired a kido blast at them, while her mother laughed gleefully, her laugh like bells ringing. She continued to fire the blasts at them, until they were forced to run into the school. They could still hear her laughed as they went to the administration halls.
Kisuke stood straight, and walked through to the shop, where Tessai was clearing up. Outside, wearing large hats and holding electric fans and water guns, Ururu and Jinta argued. Youichi was still in her bikini, but she wore a sheer orange dress over it. She was looking out the window, a thoughtful look on her face. He took a seat beside her, and she looked at him briefly, but meaningfully, before looking out the window again. Kisuke followed her gaze, and soon found himself reminiscing again.
Karissa smiled at him, her teeth pearly white, and her hair floating around her in soft curls. Kisuke gaped at her, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets. She blushed under his stare, and tucked her bangs behind her ears nervously.
"So, it's been a long time, hasn't it?" she voiced, her tone shaky. Kisuke was still gaping at her. Karissa began to get angry, and kicked him in the face. "PAY ATTENTION, YOU BAKA!" she shouted, getting the attention of the others around her. She blushed, and they raised an eyebrow at her.
"Karissa?" came a questioning voice, and Karissa looked around to see who it was. Her eyes fell on the tall, muscular build of Isshin. She grinned cheekily at him, and her brown eyes shone with happiness at seeing her old friend. He rushed up to er and gave her a huge bear hug, choking her slightly. "It's been forty-eight years! What have you been doing? How is Jae and Li?"
Her face saddened, and she looked at her feet. "They died, er, 23 years ago. That's why I became a shinigami," she vocalised, sadly, and looking at her feet. The she noticed where his hands were drifting to. "ECCHI!"
She shot her foot up, and it made contact with his groin. His hands shot to his groin, cupping his balls as he fell to the ground whimpering in agony. Karissa growled at him, and threw a piece of paper on him before walking away. She she walked past some of the other male shinigami, some of them wolf whistled, and one even had the audacity to slap her arse. She stopped, and peered over her shoulder, her eyes black, and threatening. Suddenly, she was on top of the male who had slapped her bum, her zanpakutou at his throat. She looked feral, her hair falling around her like a soft silk sheets of brown. The man under her stared up at her terrified, as she pressed down on him, her now voluptuouscurves pressing against his form. She grounded into him, before she scowled at him. She brought her lips down to his ear, and gently kissed it.
"Just like i thought..." she breathed into his ear, and he shuddered, as she pushed harder on her zanpakutou, "All talk and no show, must be overcompensating..." she whispered, before licking his ear, and vaulting of him, doing a back limber onto her feet. She giggled, and sheathed her zanpakutou, noting the astonished looks she was recieving. She rolled her eyes, and proceeded to do a handspring, flyspring aerial, before bowing and rushing off. Kisuke looked to his right. She saw Ukitake fuki-taicho, and Shunsui fuki-taicho staring after her form, as she ran back to the 6th division. Isshin placed a hand on his shoulder, and looked at him.
"Well, she has changed..." he said, and Kisuke nodded.
Kisuke smirked at the memory, just as Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki limped into the shoten, covered in blood. Rukia looked worn, her shinigami robes torn and shredded, as she carried Ichigo's fallen form over to them. Blood trailed behind them, all the way from the door way, and she panted, as she held Ichigo's arm over her shoulder. Ichigo's feet scraped along the gorund, and she carefully placed him infont of Kisuke, who snapped Tessai over. The burly man came and picked up Ichigo, and carried him through to the room opposite Karissa's. Rukia fell to her knee's in front of Kisuke and Yoruichi, who had snapped out of her trance.
"Uruhara! Espa-Espada!" she gasped, before she blacked out from blood loss. Kisuke's eyes widened, and immediately sought out Karissa's room. Yoruichi was immediately out of her gigai and of the door, while Tessai came and collected Rukia's unconcious body. Kisuke went straight to Karissa's room, to wake her.