Kiku didn't want the night to end. She wanted to stay by Ikkaku's side no matter what.
"Hey, Ikkaku, want to play pranks on the humans?"
He smirked.
"Looks like you're turning into the Squad 11 type."
"Better than the Ikkaku Madarame type!"
She darted off as he chased her.
The first target was a plump woman talking on a cellphone with five bags filled with clothes.
Kiku went over to her left side as Ikkaku went over to the other. They screamed at the top of their lungs.
To ordinary humans, they can't hear Shinigami but if one's close enough, they hear a ghostly wail.
The woman shook and looked around.
"I swear I just heard something! I-I think I'm being haunted!"
Kiku laughed as she started tugging at the woman's hair.
"It just touched me!"
"Don't call my woman an 'it!' " Ikkaku yelled in the woman's ear.
The woman started a fast walk down the road as Ikkaku and Kiku laughed.
Next up were four teenage boys who were planning on sneaking in to the movies.
"The back way is over here."
Ikkaku knocked over a trash can.
The boys all turned around and looked scared.
"M-Maybe we should go."
"Paying won't be so bad."
"You guys are pussies!"
Kiku shook the fire escape on the next building.
"Keichi! I'm seriously going to kill you if thats you!"
Ikkaku put his hand on the tough one's throat.
"D-Do you guys feel it getting colder?"
Kiku splashed into a puddle and sent the boys running.
Ikkaku laughed and went over to Kiku.
"There you are."
Yumichika jumped down from a building.
"Hey, Handsome."
"Flattery will get you no where, Kiku."
He faced Ikkaku.
"Mizuho keeps scaring your gikon. Good news is she can't believe what a pansy you are. Bad news is she might be looking to get rid of us."
Ikkaku looked over to a depressed Kiku.
"I'm sorry. What if we-"
Kiku mustered up a fake smile.
"I'm fine. You go on."
Kiku missed the Seireitei but knew now that Karin and Yuzu admired her so much, she couldn't just leave.
She got out of the bathroom after getting ready for bed and looked out her window. It was going to rain and she was thankful she wore a thicker pair of pants with her t-shirt.
Kon was walking along the streets, grumbling.
"Kon?" she yelled out the window.
"Princess!" he said happily.
He climbed the rain gutter and crawled over to her window.
Thunder boomed overhead as Kon hopped into the room.
"What are you doing out here?"
"Ichigo is such a jerk! I'm running away!" Kon huffed. "Don't try and stop me."
Kiku laughed and hugged Kon.
"But if you run away, I can't hug you."
Kon laughed embarrassedly.
"Well, who am I to object?"
She carried him over to her bed.
"No funny buisness, you lion pervert."
He nodded and curled up underneath her blankets.
"Ichigo never lets me stay in his bed. Yours is so big and warm."
Kiku smiled.
"Thanks for coming over to keep me company."
Kon blushed, or as much as one could for a stuffed animal, and cleared his throat.
"I-I told you. I was-"
She kissed the top of his head.
"Whatever you say."
She turned around coiled the sheets around her.
"Kiku?"
"Yeah?"
Kon made sure she couldn't see his face.
"Thanks for helping Ichigo's family."
She listened as he tried not to sound sentimental.
"Yuzu doesn't look for me to play with as much because she's gotten new friends. You gave her more confidence. And Karin isn't as mean and screaming anymore because she wants to be more like you. Even the old man seems a little calmer now that you help him out."
Kon shifted the covers.
"I guess...all of us like having you around. Especially Ichigo and me. But...you're going back to the Soul Society soon...aren't you?"
Kiku's heart slammed in her chest.
"Not now."
"But soon?"
Kiku tried to fight back the tears escaping her shut eyes.
"No. I want to stay here...maybe learn more about human life...but I also miss the Seireitei. I can't even remember the last time I fought with Captain Zaraki."
Kon fidgetted.
"I-I didn't mean to make you feel guilty. I-I meant that...no matter what...you'll have a home here...even if Ichigo's a jerk."
Kiku laughed and wiped her eyes.
"Goodnight, Kon."
"Yeah yeah. Just don't go spreading it around that I'm a nice guy. I got a reputation you know."
"Kon."
Kon laughed in his sleep.
"You can't paint the koala purple."
Kiku gently tapped him.
"Kon."
He opened his eyes and saw Kiku was out of her gigai.
"What's going on?"
"I'm going to the Seireitei with the others. Would you like to come?"
"Yeah!" he said getting up quickly.
They stepped out of the bedroom and Kon saw Captain Hitsugaya, Renji, Rukia, and Rangiku were already there.
"Where are Tweedledee and Tweedledum?"
Kiku shrugged.
"I don't know."
"Ikkaku, we have to get going."
Yumichika was out of his gigai and ready to go. Ikkaku was out too but...not so much ready.
"Tell me!" he yelled at the gigai.
The gikon bawled and tried to hide underneath the bed covers.
"Come on! Grow a set already, will ya?!"
"Scary!"
"If you don't man up, we're gonna get kicked out of here!"
"Darling! Are you ready for breakfast?"
Ikkaku and Yumichika jumped out of the window and shot over to Kiku's apartment.
Kiku sensed them coming and opened her window.
"Hey there," Ikkaku said picking her up.
Yumichika squeezed by them and looked over at Kon.
"What's that thing doing here?"
Kon pointed angrily.
"Kiku invited me so back off!"
Kiku laughed and wiggled unsuccessfully to get out of his grasp.
"Ikku-kun!"
He rubbed his face against hers.
"That's my name."
Her hands held the back of his 'not bald' head.
"I promise there will be time for this when we get to the Seireitei."
"And we don't need to see this," Rangiku said covering Captain Hitsugaya's eyes.
"Matsumoto...."
------------------
Kon rode on Kiku's shoulder as they walked into the Squad 4 building.
"Home sweet home!"
Four nurses looked over and saw Kon.
"Aw!"
"How cute!"
Kiku handed him to them, where they al hugged him. He laughed happily.
"He talks?"
"Adorable!"
"Would you guys mind watching Kon while I report to Captain Unohana?"
"We'd love to!"
Ikkaku kissed Kiku on the cheek.
"We'll be over at our Squad."
"I'll be over later."
Renji scratched the back of his head.
"I need to check in with my Captain."
------------------
"Everything seems to be in order. Although, I do not fully support the idea of you merely staying in the Human World."
Kiku nodded sadly.
"I will allow visits during the week but anything more may become troublesome. If those children do admire you so, it would be a shame to disappoint them with your absense.
"Karin was able to see me in my Shinigami form once."
(Flashback)
Karin was playing a game with her group of friends. A mix of military, soccer, and tag. Kiku didn't want to interrupt the game but sat close by to watch.
Karin had been maneuvering the ball through the trees when she saw Kiku in the tree.
(End Flashback)
"She didn't say anything about it."
"Are you concerned?"
"I worry about her developing spiritual pressure. If Ichigo was a Soul Reaper since birth but his powers didn't come until later, I was wondering...the chances of Karin being a Soul Reaper."
Kiku looked up to Captain Unohana.
"I would like permission to watch over Karin."