"Oi. Kasumi! Do you really think it will work out?" a modified soul that was residing in Kasumi's body asked the owner of the body, who was currently getting ready to jump out from the window.
Even though Kasumi was in her Spiritual form she didn't wear the uniform instead choosing some comfortable human clothes: black tank top, the same color leggings and flip flops. Her long light blue hair was tied into a messy pony tail.
"Of course, Aika," Kasumi winked. "I am not some loser Shinigami to crash into the ground."
"It's not what I meant," Aika protested while looking at the dark sky.
"Jeez, you know that they will never find out that I was out. Have some faith in me!" Kasumi assured the soul, who she called a friend after so many years together.
With one last mischievous smile Kasumi jumped down from the 15th floor of the hotel. For some reason Aika didn't find the grin as an assurance. It was more like a call for a trouble.
Troubles. Kasumi had an ability to find it even when it looks like there is none around. Strangely, she liked the thrill it gave her when she needed to get out of it.
And the Karakura, the city she was driven to was bound to have interesting stuff to happen.
This is exactly the reason why Kasumi felt excited when she sensed Reiatsu being emitted in the nearby area. Almost as if involuntary her body turned to side and rushed to the place of the interest.
"What the…?" Kasumi furrowed her brows when she didn't see a single hollow in the area. Her small body balance on the lantern as she looked around for the Reiatsu source. "They couldn't have gone too far," she mumbled and placed a pointer-finger near her lips, which means that she was thinking hard.
Kasumi pondered whether she should release a glimpse of her Reiatsu to catch attention of the source. As she was right now, Kasumi couldn't be sensed by any radar or person no matter how good another one is at sensing. It was her family trait, probably the one and only she liked. It gave her privacy.
However Kasumi didn't need to think long before she noticed that the stupid she was looking to the wrong place. All the action was taking place right below her.
The red headed man was fighting the one with bright orange hair, which made no sense to her – both of them were Shinigami. But even though the reasons for an internal fight were interesting, Kasumi has found it quite predictable. She guessed that the red head was a Lieutenant and the carrot was a rookie with a great uncontrolled power. She put her bets on the Carrot.
The more interesting one was standing still, though. No, it wasn't the worried as hell girl and it wasn't the half-dead Quincy on the ground. It was a man, who did nothing to help his fellow Shinigami, despite being a Captain and obviously seeing the losing side. Or not.
The red head's Zanpakutou was useful against an inexperienced kid and soon the carrot dropped to the ground.
"Oh, boy, did I guess wrong?" Kasumi muttered in disappointment. "And here I thought I heard that the Carrot, or Kurosaki Ichigo as I heard him to be called, gave a scar to the Menos Grande. Tch."
Kasumi could complain all she wanted, but she couldn't deny the amusement of the scene in front of her. A smile tugged her lips and she made herself comfortable on the lantern, her eyes following every movement made below.
The thing is… she forgot that she was supposed to stay unseen.
"Waah! Shunpo!" Kasumi cheered when the captain broke the Carrot's Zanpakutou. She didn't even care that originally she was on the carrot's side. "I thought, they will never go serious," she commented completely oblivious to the stares of the 4 Shinigami below.
"Who the hell are you?" Renji growled.
"Oh my. Didn't the carrot already intro-" Kasumi started saying, when she noticed that the red Shinigami was staring straight at her. She turned her head to see others do the same. "Ahaha~ Never mind me!" she laughed and scratched her head in embarrassment. "Do continue!" she waved her hand in dismissive manner.
"Answer me, you-" the red head started, but surprisingly Carrot listened to Kasumi and continued the fight. His broken sword swiftly made another scratch on Renji's face.
"You should have listened to me, Tomato!" Kasumi laughed out loud this time. What's the point in hiding if they are aware of one's presence anyway?
Renji probably would have snapped if his Captain found the conversation to his interest, but he didn't and Ichigo's falling body got Renji's and others attention.
"You're slow," the cold Captain commented, "even when you're toppling down."
"Byakuya aniki!" Rukia screamed in shock of seeing Ichigo go down.
A minute of silence followed. Even Kasumi bit her tongue to keep herself from making another comment.
"Is something wrong, Renji?" Byakuya asked seeing his Lieutenant in deep thoughts.
"No, sir…" he murmured and said that he could have finished Ichigo himself.
"Do you hear what you're saying?" Kasumi couldn't stop herself from interfering this time. "You were getting your ass kicked. Yes, he may have been a rookie, but his power is extraordinary."
"Get down here and we'll see who will win!" he growled pointing his finger at me.
"Hey, Tomato, isn't that rude? I mean, to point your finger at other person?" Kasumi asked innocently as if she didn't hear a thing about a challenge. At the same time her eyes carefully followed Rukia, who was trying to sneak past two Shinigami to get to Ichigo.
"Is it, Blueberry?" he smirked and got Zabimaru ready to attack Kasumi. It will surely reach her.
"Blueberry? Can't you think of something else? Like a name of light blue flower or something? I dislike blueberries a lot!" Kasumi blabbered, not even looking at Renji or the weapon that could soon become a death of her.
"You don't think that it's my problem, do you?" Renji smirked and without another word attacked Kasumi.
At a great speed Zabimaru cut through the young woman before she could even move. Blood was spluttering to every side… or so they thought.
"Hey, Tomato! How long are you going to grin?" Kasumi asked from behind.
Renji threw his arm backwards trying to cut the girl's head off, but Kasumi just laughed at his efforts.
"Ichigo!" Rukia's sudden scream has caught both of their attention. Apparently Byakuya wasn't as distracted by Kasumi as she thought. He stood in front of Ichigo not letting his sister come any nearer.
"Even if your punishment worsens you will still want to be by the side of this boy," he concluded the conversation Renji and Kasumi didn't hear.
"I see now, Rukia. This boy… resembles him, a lot." Byakuya stated making Rukia's eyes widen to impossible size.
"Hey, Tomato. What is this 'him' person?" Kasumi nudged Renji with her elbow like they were good friends.
"I wish I knew," he sighed and wanted to add something else, but realization hit him and he swung his sword at Kasumi again.
However… the battle obviously wasn't meant to be today as Ichigo demands attention again and again. In the end Renji and Kasumi were left standing and watching the scene in front of them.
How Ichigo wasn't dead at all and grabbed the fabric of Byakuya's robe. How Rukia had a change of heart and chose to come to Soul Society peacefully. How Ichigo refused to understand situation he was in. How Byakuya agreed to not make a final blow.
It all flashed like a movie in front of them.
"Renji," Byakuya called his subordinate.
"Yes, sir," he rushed to open the gates. "But, sir, what about the girl?" he hesitated to step in, though.
"She is just a mere viewer. Leave her be," the cold voice ordered.
"Excuse me! A mere viewer? I feel offended, you know!" Kasumi protested, but the gates have already closed and God knows how many words have reached them. "No manners at all," Kasumi complained as if they could hear it. "What kind of people are they? One is the girl, who saves the world, then the cocky Tomato and the cold and arrogant Captain! Where has the Soul Society gone to?!"
Kasumi turned to go back, but the glimpse of orange caught her attention again.
"Say, what to do with you?" she wondered loudly as she bowed lower near Ichigo.
"Take him to my house, of course," a male voice answered the question.
Kasumi flinched. The voice was oddly familiar.
"It's not him… not him… not him…" Kasumi murmured to herself and slowly turned her head to the side only to come face to face with Kisuke Urahara.
"Hello, my dear Kasumi-chan~! " he chirped.
"Oh God!," Kasumi resisted an urge to face palm. "Why are you here? Of all people, why you?"