"Hey Misao, I might be going somewhere for a while." Ichigo sat next to me as I stared up at the clouds.

"Finally joining the circus?" I sarcastically reply, scratching my bare stomach. I'd taken my shirt off to reveal my bathing suit top at the heat in the air, tanning more.

"I'm being serious!" He hollers, whopping me over the head. I rub the spot on my cap he had hit, glaring as I sit up.

My short purple hair was up in a pigtail on the side of my head below my hat. "You didn't have to be so rough about it," I grumble. I notice how serious he really did look before stopping. I sigh. "What's going on bro?"

Kurosaki Misao, one of the first of the Kurosaki kids. I am the twin sister of Ichigo, and daughter of Isshin. Fraternal twins seemed to run in our family- take Karin and Yuzu for example as well as the two of us. My height is a short 5' 6", a good inch shorter then my brother, and I weighed a light 110 pounds, plus I was only 15, born on July 15th like him. I was as bad a troublemaker as my brother and my grades weren't any better then his, but I was strong like him to make up for everything. We were alike in every aspect except looks.

I had purple hair, he had orange. I had gray-green eyes, he had brown. I was tan, he was pale. I looked like a punk brat, only his hair did. The worst of all- we were both exceedingly loud and obnoxious when needed.

And we were both soul reapers.

I had inherited my ways from our father. Ichigo had gotten some of his from Kuchiki Rukia. I had control over my powers, though they weren't something exceedingly brilliant, unlike my brothers crappy powers and unreliable surges. The only time I think my potential really showed was when I was training with my brother or with Urahara.

"I have something I just need to do all right? You don't need to go."

That was how he all ways acted. He was so protective over me it was ridiculous when he knew good and well I could easily handle myself.

"Don't play me like that." It was my turn to hit him over the head. "You're going to go rescue Rukia, aren't you? Even so, she's my friend too and you aren't leaving me behind!"

"It's going to be dangerous and you'll only get in my way!" He growls.

"Shut up." I roll my eyes, leaning back again. "I'm going whether you like it or not."

"Hmph."

"You don't really think he'd leave with out cha, do you?" My American friend, Thomas Jasmine- or Riko as everyone called her-, questions. [Riko: Japanese for Jasmine.]

"Nah. He knows good and well I'd never allow him to live it down if he did." I stare at the stars above us, sitting on top of a random roof.

You see, Jasmine had a special kind of spirit energy. She could manipulate the shape of her body for a good period of time and even the shape of others that open to her to give them different identities. She wielded a pair of kodachi when she called out her power. She had a good flash-step, but her fighting was poor. I was the one that fought Hollows out of the two of us. She was the spy and intelligence usually behind anything.

Her normal form was pretty average though. She was my height and even my weight, her skin not quite as dark as mine but still peachy. She had short red hair and bright blue eyes and was the kind of person that was serious when only around me or when need be, but when around other people she acted like a lunatic.

"I haven't seen Uryuu around for a few days." She scratches her neck. "I wonder if he's training to go with Ichigo whenever y'all go."

"Probably." I yawn. "In a few days, you want to go to Urahara's place and play some cards with him? He invited me over. We're probably leaving the day after and such, you know."

"Def!" She grins. "I still can't believe your dad let you get that." She prods the visible black wings on my exposed back, a tattoo in permanent ink that had 'Kurogami, Fly Free' in Kanji on my lower back across the dimples near my rear. I was in only a sports bra right now anyways.

"It's only because he knows I'm not going to flaunt it." I shrug. "Plus, I told him I all ways wanted to remember the name of my zanpakuto. And that I only wished to fly freely in this life. He believes these wings are my freedom. He's a really great man."

"Well duh, it's Isshin-sama!" She openly laughs. "Dude, he rules."

"Yeah." I smile. "I'm off. I need to sleep some and it's going to take a while to get home."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, and I'll make sure to write down we need to go to Urahara's at the end of the week. Later." I grab a tree and jump down off of it, hitting the ground and jogging back home.

The end of the week was here before I knew it. Ichigo had been missing for a long time, but he made a point of seeing me finally. I knew he'd been training.

For some reason though, his words didn't sit right. That had been just yesterday too...

"Where have you been?" I shove my hands on my hips.

"You know..."

"Ah, I should have figured. When are we leaving?"

"Soon." He had a thoughtful look on his face. "Hey Misao..."

I was so used to him saying that I took no mind to the tone he used. Usually it was the same, but I guess I did realize a bit of wavering in it. I shrug it off.

"Hmm?"

"You know I do... love you right?"

"Well obviously." I roll my eyes. "What's gotten in to you, Ichi?"

"Nothing." He scratches his head. "I'm going out."

"'Kay, I have to get to Urahara's tomorrow. See you there?"

"Sure." He gives me a quick hug, savoring it a second before kissing my cheek. "Night sis. Love ya."

"Love you too, Ichi." I blink as he leaves the room. I flop into my chair. "That was weird..."

"Yo, Urahara! We're here!" I holler. "Got the cards?"

"Of course I do." He was sitting in the floor, his hat still securely on his head.

"Don't cha ever take that damnable thing off?" Riko glares.

"No, for I have no scalp! Ooh!" He wiggles his fingers. I flick him in the head.

"Idiot." I sit in front of him. He dishes out the cards. "Game?"

"Poker. Strip poker."

We glare. "You pervert!"

"Hey, I'm just living!" He smirks. "Scared, Mi?"

"Oh it's on. You're going down!"

"WUAAA! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M AGREEING TO THIS!" Riko hits herself in the face with her hand, sighing loudly. "LET'S DO IT TO IT!"

Two hours later and I believe Urahara had gotten us to our underwear countless times. We refused to strip down any more, and he constantly complained about how some Yoruichi chick would have done it. The few times we had gotten him down to his boxers and finally made him lose another round, we ordered him not to take the rest off. He only laughed at us.

Ichigo still wasn't here yet. I was waiting to celebrate us leaving tomorrow.

"Yo, where's Ichi at?" I finally ask, sitting in my bra and underwear with a single sock on.

"He hasn't gotten here yet. Neither has any of the others." Riko was bouncing slightly, holding her cards close to her face since Urahara had a tendency of cheating.

"Uh, let's just say you win this round." Urahara was about to take his hat off- again.

"No, wait a minute." I glare, standing up. "Urahara Kisuke, you tell me where my brother is right now or I'll hurt you!"

"Ah come on Mi! You know you can't hurt me! You love me!"

"Wanna bet?" I shove my hands on my hips. "Tell me where my brother is."

"No," he states.

A second flashes and I've given him a good twenty goose bumps on his head. "I say again, Urahara, tell me."

"No." He sniffles as he rubs the bumps.

Riko had been laughing at him for a while, and finally she pulls me down and whispers in my ear. I smirk at her, nodding. She was still at least in a shirt with her underwear.

I sit right next to him, pouting. "Kisuke... please tell me where my brother went?" I flutter my eyelashes while peering up at him innocently.

He deeply laughs, acting dramatically nervous. "What are you doing Mi?"

"Please?" I scoot closer to him. "Pretty please?"

"Mi! No!"

I get really close to his face. "Please?"

"Soul Society!" He finally reveals to me.

The room is instantly silent. I was no longer pouting or whining to Urahara. Riko was no longer laughing her ass off at the display. And Urahara had begun to sweat as I stand slowly.

"...what... did... you say?"

"M-Main priority?"

"No, you didn't." Riko had to get her words in as she stares at my standing form as I hovered over Urahara. A dark cloud was behind me, my eyes shadowed.

"You said 'Soul Society'. Urahara, if you don't tell me right now how to get to my brother, I'll hurt you so bad you'll wish you were never born."

"Do you really need to go to him that bad?"

"Yes."

"Train with me for one week in my special room and I'll make sure you're strong enough to go. Then you may go."

"Five days."

"Seven or none." He sighs and I reluctantly agree. "Can you find someone to train with, Riko? I take it you're going with her."

"Hell yeah I am!" She leaps up, yanking on her skirt and socks. I pull on my pants. "And yeah, I'll train with my Grandpa."

"When do we start?" I was still giving Urahara a very evil look.

"Immediately." He drags me with him. "Night Riko!"

"Uh, bye?"

I was in for hell, but I had heard a few words that inspired me to actually endure. And worst of all, they were from Urahara himself.

"Your brother will need you, Mi. Let's actually work hard. Come..."