Chapter 7: Confronting the Beautiful Moon

While Kisuke decided to finally see Mizuki to get his memories back, Isshin and his family were having a nice dinner at a sushi restaurant. They were enjoying each others company as tonight just felt like a normal night for them, especially Isshin. He had long since forgotten what a happy and stable family felt like. After Masaki died, he felt as if a part of that normal life he had wanted died with her. Sure he had two beautiful twin daughters that he loved unconditionally, but he always felt like he wasn't good enough anymore. That all has changed now that Mizuki, Ichigo and Ayame were in his life now. This just felt right to him.

Family, and a nice, big one at that.

As they were eating, Isshin couldn't help but try and one up Ichigo in the silly male department. Both men had been getting the girls to laugh all nigh, even getting Karin to chuckle under her breath a few times. Unbeknownst to them though, Kisuke was on top of a building across from the restaurant. He was watching them all with interest.

Karin and Yuzu were developing some spiritual energy. Not much to be on the soul society's radar, but enough to see ghost and hollows in detail. This was too quick to be normal and most likely had something to do with the other two twins.

Those two he didn't know much about, just that they were somehow related to Mizuki. Whoever they are, their excess spirit energy was seeping out and effecting Yuzu and Karin. That could be a bad thing later on down the line.

Last was the very woman he had came here to see. Mizuki Munkatta. She looked close to the way she did when he first met her, just a bit different now. He sighed as he saw how close she was with Isshin, putting two and two together, he realized that those two older twins must be from her and Isshin. If that were the case, then he really needed to get down there fast and talk to them, but he just couldn't do it. He didn't know why, but for some reason he just couldn't go down there and face her. Why exactly couldn't he? There was no telling, but all he knew was that he needed to talk to her.

Back down with the six, Mizuki felt a familiar presence she hadn't felt in so long. This caused her to glance out the window and see the form of the boy she knew back then all grown up. She smiled as she stood up to excuse herself from the others. As she left to get to a clear space, she felt Kisuke's presence leave and used sonido to reach him. To say that the man was shocked to see her was an understatement as she appeared right in front of him with almost no warning whatsoever.

"Wow." Mizuki started as she looked to the man with a kind eye. "You really have grown so much since last I saw you Kisuke."

Kisuke stood there with a confused look. He removed his hat as he figured it wasn't necessary right now and looked to her with an almost sad eye. "I remember you," he started, "but not a whole lot."

Mizuki smiled to him that same gentle smile she showed to him all those years ago. "It's because I still need to unseal them." She went over to the edge of the roof and sat down, patting a spot next to her. "Come on, sit down."

Kisuke felt no ill will from her words or in her body language. She continued to smile at him as he made his way over to her and sat right in front of her. She continued to smile as raised her hands to his head and gently placed them onto him.

"Now relax." She started. "Close your eyes, and let your instincts guide you, okay?"

Kisuke nodded to her as he shut his eyes and took a few, deep breaths. He relaxed himself as Mizuki closed her eyes as well. Her hands began to glow a faint, pink color as she began to release the memories of her time with Kisuke back then to him now. What Kisuke saw made him nearly tear up. In the memories, Kisuke saw himself as a kid spending all of his time with Mizuki. This was long before he ever met Yoruichi or when he became a soul reaper or even an academy student for that matter. When all that was important to him was having fun in his life and learning new things, and it was always with her.

Then came the bad memories. The ones that Mizuki sealed away.

Kisuke saw that she had been found by a squad of soul reapers and had to fight them off while protecting him. She won the fight thanks to her incredible strength, but because of this she had to leave him. The goodbye was what really caused Kisuke to tear up as she had given him a kiss on the forehead and said that his life would be better off if he didn't even remember her. That was when Kisuke opened his eyes and saw Mizuki removing her hands from his person. He saw her look away for a moment out of what he could only assume was shame, but that didn't matter to him.

"You were wrong." He started as Mizuki looked back to his eyes and saw a mixture of sadness and joy. "I think my life would have been better if you were still in it." Without warning, Kisuke hugged her.

Mizuki smiled as she hugged him back. She was contempt with the way everything was now. She had her family, the man she loved for so long and had two beautiful children with, two half daughters that would do great things in the future, and the boy now grown man that she cared for a long time ago. She was happy, at least until she felt many spiritual pressures not that far away from them.

Kisuke let her go as he felt it as well. "Oh no." He started as he looked back to her. "They're here for you?"

"No." Mizuki started as she stood up with Kisuke following, still worried for her. "A soul reaper girl saw Ayame in action not long ago and most likely informed her captain. This must be a party to find her."

"What are you gonna do?" Kisuke asked her as he remembered she always had a plan back then.

Mizuki smiled as she knew he was worried about her. "Don't worry Kisuke. Everything will be alright." She placed her hand on his shoulder, not really caring if he was taller than her now. "Go on home, I'll deal with this when the time is right. Okay?"

Kisuke nodded to her and left the rooftop without using shunpo. He was a little worried for her but remembered back then how powerful she was. He could only shudder at her strength now.

Once Kisuke had left, Mizuki focused on who had shown up from the soul society. It was no one too troubling, just a small five man unit of seated officers and a lieutenant. If that was all that Genryusai was sending, then she should feel offended. Only seated officers and a lieutenant? Not even one captain? The nerve. But then again they were looking for her daughter, not her, so that could be forgiven for now. With a smile, Mizuki used sonido to get back street level and re-enter the building. She sat back down to her seat next to Isshin as the small group had continued their fun times.

Been a while since I updated this one. Lol.

You guys are awesome and as always,

PEACE!