The Rain before the Sunshine Volume 1 (Bleach FanFiction)

Promotion.

She took her time in the bath, soaking before finishing up and getting out. She had already washed her hair before so her body was all that needed to be washed. She dressed back into the same clothes she had on before, leaving the front open for a breeze, no sleeves on her kimono anymore, making the cool spring air flow through the openings. She left her room with her sword, no need for something to happen to that since people were letting themselves into her own room.

She now could not wait to move, away from everyone, so she did not have to worry about someone shredding her clothes or doing something brazen like trying to damage her sword, which was an unspoken rule not to touch someone else's sword with such intent unless you are out to kill.

She left her hair the way she had it before and she went to her favorite training spot, hoping that her absence hasn't changed anything. She did not intend in actually training, she just wanted to relax before the ceremony.

She hopped down to the clearing, stepping to the center, letting the breeze blow around her, cooling her warm skin. She closed her eyes to savor the moment. Her hair blew across her face, her senses were all out, keeping a lookout for anyone who wanted to approach.

She felt ikkaku approaching, but stopped at a distance that was safe to assume he did not want to be seen. What a creep. Why was he just watching, she could not come to any other conclusion other than he was a stalker.

So she ignored him, he was of no known threat to her so she just left him be, she will ask him whats up later. She stayed in that one spot for a few extra moments before finally sitting, crossing her legs.

She soon relaxed completely, laying on her back with her legs and arms stretched out. She stared at the sky above her, watching the clouds slowly float across the sky. She imagined many strange things that the clouds formed into. She has not sat like this and entertained herself with shapes in the clouds since she was a child.

She lost track of time by watching the clouds, even let her guard down, letting Ikkaku sneak up on her and lean over her, blocking her view of the blue sky dotted with clouds.

"Hey, it's almost time for the ceremony, you should hurry up and get there, before you're late."

"Oh, well if it isn't my new stalker, i was wondering when you would come out of your hiding spot," she teased, watching his face scrunch up, a glare set in his eyes.

Carrin laughed as he leaned away, looking out at the trees in the distance,"Shut up, i was just making sure you were alright, you seem different."

Carrin sat up, looking into her lap,"i'm fine, if anything i will be more of myself now than i have ever been around you guys. Kenpachi helped lift a large burden over my shoulders. Now i am free," she said, getting caught up in the moment.

There was a brief pause before," What the hell kind of explanation was that, are you always going to speak in riddles now," he asked annoyed, not pleased with her way of speaking.

Carrin stood, smiling at Ikkaku," who knows. I haven't been myself in so long i can't even remember how i was before. Maybe i was always this bad with words," she mused, watching as Ikkaku just stopped and started, looking shocked.

Carrin frowned, patting her cheeks, checking for anything off," what, something on my face. In my teeth? I don't recall eating anything yet," she confessed, watching him do a one eighty as he quickly glared.

"Why the hell do you never eat," he yelled, pointing his sheathed sword at her.

Carrin shrugged, scratching her head," a lot of crap has happened this past week, i just forgot," she confessed quickly realizing her mistake when he yelled even louder.

"Your saying you haven't properly eaten this entire week?!"

He sure did worry a lot,"i had some candy from the lieutenant," she defended.

"Idiot, candy is not nutritious, you need to eat you moron," he growled grabbing her by the arm yanking her towards seireitei," Let's go, there will be food at the ceremony celebration, get the formal crap over, the faster you can eat."

"Wow, you sound like a mother," she said, biting her lip to keep from laughing when he reacted immediately.

"Shut up, if you weren't such an idiot i wouldn't have to worry so much," he growled.

Carrin let loose, letting herself laugh, feeling relaxed and content, a feeling she was grateful to have felt again after so long.

Ikkaku glanced over his shoulder, shooting her an irritated look that soon fell to the tiniest smile, that he swiftly hid by turning forward quickly.

He pulled her all the way to the Captain's quarters, where she was formerly named 2nd seat officer by a couple of lieutenants from other squads that she could not say she knew. She was given a small patch to sew just on the inside on her kimono.

Next was the celebration that really just consisted of few Squad members, ikkaku, ayasegawa, and the captain and lieutenant. Normally other squad members would be present, but considering she sent probably about half of the squad to the fourth squad to get patched up, none of them could show their faces anyways.

There was a large feast and she dug into the food, being completely consumed by her hunger by the sight of delicious food. She stuffed her face heartly, ignoring the jabbs of the lieutenant and her two friends that she seemed to have, all calling her a pig at the amount of food she was consuming.

The night stretched out, the alcohol was brought out and soon everyone, except the ones who did not come and the captain and lieutenant, drank to their hearts content.

It did not take Carrin long to get wasted, sprawled out on the floor, mumbling incoherent words and slurs in english, her legs still crossed even while laid out flat on her back. She was truly enjoying herself.

She raised another small saucer of sake in the air," shot number i-don't-know," she yelled, sitting up just enough to get all the liquid in her mouth before laying her head back on the mat under her. She let out a whoop as she let her arm fall to her side, dropping the small dish on the ground.

Just as some else poured her another off to her side, she pulled her arms out of the arm holes of her kimono, pulling it off. Both Ikkaku and Ayasegawa spit out their drinks, yelling.

"What the hell are you doing woman!"

"Don't undress here!"

Carrin laughed them off, waving her hand in the air," Relax, relax, it's hot. All your yelling is making it hotter, so shhhhhhhh." she drawled, smacking a finger to her lips.

"Idiot, you're completely wasted, you only drank four shots," Ikkaku yelled, throwing something over her to cover her tank top. She narrowed her eyes at him, he was acting like she was completely nude.

She pulled off the small blanket that he got from who knows where and threw it back at him," i said it's hot, don't put a blanket on me, baldy~. Plus, i've never drank before, so leave me be," she slurred out the last line as her lids began to feel heavy.

"Just because it's your first time, doesn't mean you need to push it," ayasegawa said, shaking his head at her, but a smile in his eyes.

"Feather head, shut up," she grumbled, forcing her eyes to stay open.

Ayasegawa shot her a glare," 'Feather head', how mature."

Carrin rolled on to her side slightly to use her remaining strength to sit up, swaying to stay upright,"meany, don't need to be such meanies all the time," she grumbled before finally losing the battle to complete intoxication, her face smashing into the table so hard everyone and everything on the table jumped.

She heard a lot of cursing and grumbling, but she passed out before getting any last words in.