"Freedom," Kasumi cheered silently as the noise of Seireitei reached her.
She turned to random direction and started walking leisurely. The interesting part of this all being that none of the passing Shinigami thought that she was out of place.
"Hmm, who should I visit first?" Kasumi thought out loud while wondering through the random streets. "Should I annoy Byakuya today?" she wondered, an evil plan already forming in her head.
She didn't waste any more time before running to the all-too-familiar mansion. She swiftly jumped over the fence, completely unnoticed by guards, and landed on Sakura tree branch.
While Kasumi was looking for any sight of her target another thing has caught her interest.
"Dad, what the hell are you doing here?" she murmured at the sight of her father sipping tea with what she thought to be Ginrei Kuchiki.
Kasumi recalled him talking about an appointment with important people. She just never thought that Ginrei Kuchiki was the one he paid a visit. It looked suspicious to her and she had a feeling that somehow it will affect her.
Sadly, her intuition is usually right.
It didn't take long before she was sure that Byakuya wasn't invited to the little meeting. Not only that, but he wasn't in the mansion at all.
"Just my luck," Kasumi muttered, but then an idea came to her mind. 6th division.
She decided to jump over the fence at the same place she got in. Piece of cake, it was. She landed softly in the middle of the street and looked back.
"I'll have to warn them about these useless guards someday."
She jumped on a nearby rooftop and sped towards where the 6th division should be. Kasumi soon noticed that she was being followed. And no, it wasn't someone trying to keep up. It was someone, who actually was keeping up with her speed. That is if not getting closer with every passing second.
Kasumi panicked for a second. She wasn't here longer than 24 hours and was about to get caught disobeying father's orders.
She glanced up at the sky. It was gradually getting darker, but it still wasn't dark enough.
"Looks like I'm having a race here," she smirked, letting herself to feel the excitement instead of fear. She couldn't ask for better activities for the night than this. Even annoying Byakuya wouldn't have provided so much excitement. She could only hope that whoever was following her was easily convinced or is mentally weak.
Kasumi increased her speed and landed in between houses to provide herself with some cover. The pursuer followed and was coming closer with every passing second.
"Oh no, you don't," I glanced back for the first time and nearly cursed. It was a captain after her. She didn't look long enough to make out who it was, but his – she was sure it was male – robe caught her eye immediately.
Now the panic was tugging her mind even more. Not only she was going against her father, but was getting into trouble with captain as well. The 6th division was long forgotten by her.
Turning around the corner, Kasumi resolved in using Shunpo. Hopefully, she'll loose the captain in the maze of streets.
*Oh, come on!* Kasumi thought as she felt the pursuer Shunpo just as fast as her. *Slow down, will you?!*
She has probably run around the whole Seireitei before she deemed it dark enough for a safe getaway – or more like her last resolve. She was using her full speed for some time now and she was nearly sure that with the way she was going she could rival Yoruichi. But then again, this certain captain could too.
Kasumi concentrated on what she's about to do. A technique that was called Mist Face. It was one of few abilities that only Seika did posses and now it was coming really handy for Kasumi.
Her reiatsu sparked a bit and her body dissolved into dust in a matter of seconds. For someone who never saw this technique before it must have looked like her spirit was destroyed or something of that sort. However someone more experienced could see the big amount of black dust. It looked like it was being carried away in the wind, while in reality it was the young Seika travelling in the high speed, just invisible to other's eyes.
Kasumi reappeared on a rooftop half of mile away from where she disappeared. She looked around and tried to sense her pursuer.
"Looks like I got away," she sighed in releaf.
"Did you really?" a cold voice asked from behind her making her freeze on the spot.
"Didn't I really?" Kasumi retorted using the Misty Face again.
Unsuccessfully. Before Kasumi could disappear fully, he caught her arm. It broke her concentration and she returned.
"The famous Misty Face," the voice said.
Kasumi flinched at the mention of her technique and cursed silently. Seeing no other way out, she stood straightly and prepared to face the captain.
"You must have seen it before to recognize it so easily," she said as she turned around, her arm still tightly in his hold.
It took every piece of her will not to widen her eyes and react calmly.
It was Byakuya, who just chased her all around the Seireitei.
"I did," he answered and she saw the recognition come to his eyes.
*Does he remember me?* Kasumi thought, half expecting him to remind her how she proudly showed him the Mist Face a hundred years ago.
"You're the one from the Living World," he said. "What are you doing here? Or better yet, what were you doing in my mansion?"
Kasumi sighed. It would have been too good if he remembered her. She looked gown at his grasp and if reading her mind it tightened even more.
Nope, no easy escape.
"Oh, come on," Kasumi couldn't take it anymore. "Is your memory really that short? Where did that sweet invitation which sounds a lot like 'you can come to my mansion anytime you want' go?"
Byakuya didn't look moved by her words. If anything, he was looking at Kasumi sternly and not believing any word she just said. Oh, the insult to his memory didn't help either.
"Okay," Kasumi mused, seeing that she was yet to trigger his memory. "How about that? I was the first one to show you the Mist Face. No, I thought of even better one. I was the first one to see Senbonzakura."
A minute of silence passed as Kasumi watched Byakuya think intently. And then his eye twitched slightly.
"Kasumi Seika," he said, recognizing her finally. He couldn't help, but think that it was stupid of him not to put two and two immediately after he saw her blue hair.
"Oh, look. You're memory isn't that bad," Kasumi smiled.
"You're still annoying as ever," Byakuya commented, releasing her arm. "What are you doing here?" he asked motioning Kasumi to jump down the roof and walk the street.
"Define here."
"Both," he shot back, already following her mind.
"I'm here because you chased me and I ran," Kasumi shrugged and only smiled when he glared slightly at her. "I was actually looking for you in your mansion…" she started, but then remembered her father talking with Ginrei Kuchiki. "Hey, do you know why my father would meet Grandpa Ginrei for?" she asked.
"No. I take it you're in Soul Society because your father made you go," he guessed and Kasumi could swear there was some understanding in his voice.
"That's right," she sighed. "Nothing has changed."
"I can see that," he looked down at her.
"I have no doubt," Kasumi smiled, understanding that he was referring to her running around secretly. "Hey, Byakuya."
"Hm?"
"Could you perhaps keep it secret that I was out tonight?" Kasumi asked. "And that I was out back in the Living World as well."
"Don't I always do?" he retorted with a hint of smile.
"Thank you," Kasumi smiled wider," You know I'd hug you right now like I used to, but now there's quite an image to maintain."
"That never stopped you before," Byakuya muttered, before adding," I'd rather you not go all childish again thought."
"Never stopped you either," Kasumi shot back, but didn't attempt the said move.
"Kasumi-sama?!" another voice interfered making two nobles turn around in sync. Both Kasumi's and Byakuya's faces turned cold again at the familiar face.
Hello, there!
Sorry for not updating for so long. It's just stressing and all right now.
I just wanted you to know that I didn't forget this story and will still update whenever I can.
To HarunaOno : Thank you for the first review! I hope that you will find this whole story just as interesting as the beginning or even better ^^
- GirlGalatea