Goddess Among Men

Chapter 3: You Didn't Say Goodbye

Kenpachi crumpled the letter in his fist. It couldn't be real, it wasn't real. She promised to return to him. It had been months and not even a single letter. This wasn't the letter she had promised him. His jaw clenched tighter than his fist. She was stronger than this, how did it even happen?

She promised she'd come back to him.

Shunsui tipped his hat down over the sadness etched into his eyes.

"I knew how my sister felt about you. I thought you should know." Kenpachi growled and tore the letter in half. His legs almost gave out underneath him but he knew Yuna would laugh and tell him how weak he was being. He braved himself against the doorframe and closed his eyes tightly.

"What happened?" Kenpachi forced the words through his teeth. Shunsui sniffled and cleared his throat.

"A midnight raid on the Palace. The guards said she leaped into action and took the most damage." Kenpachi turned his head sharply. "She sacrificed herself for her fellow guards."

"Bullshit." Kenpachi stood straight. "And you are fuckin' stupid if you believe it." Kenpachi brushed past the other man and out into the deck.

"Zaraki." Kenpachi froze and looked over his shoulder at Shunsui. The other man still had his back turned but Kenpachi could see his tensed shoulders. "She's gone. She's not coming back. We are having a service for her in our family home. Please feel free to join us."

Shunsui tipped his hat and disappeared like air. Kenpachi clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes. His chest hurt. Not like a blade to the chest, which he had taken countless times.

This hurt worse.

His breath hastened. He couldn't hear himself think. The only thing he could hear was her voice.

I'll be back. I'll be back. I'll be back.
~~~
Kenpachi hardly wore all black. It made him sweaty and stuffy, he'd rather go shirtless to be honest. He glanced into the cracked mirror hanging on the wall. He had to crouch to examine his hair. It was limp and hung between his shoulder blades. No bells. She liked his hair down better anyway.

The earth itself seemed sad. The sun was hidden behind dark clouds. The air was still and no bird chirped. Yachiru wasn't her bubbly self. She wouldn't even ride on Kenpachi's shoulder. She walked side by side, her little legs carrying her heavy heart. The division members didn't train, they stayed inside, some prayed and some just silently stared at the wall.

Yuna had an impact on the 11th Division. If she wasn't training with them, she was sharing a drink with them.

Kenpachi stares at the directions Shunsui had written for him and looked back up to the huge house in front of him. A maid approached the tall metal gate and opened it. The screech made Kenpachi's eye twitch.

"This way." Kenpachi followed the small woman silently. Yachiru suddenly reached up and grabbed his sleeve and gave a small tug. Kenpachi looked down and gave a sad smile and held her hand so gently. He was so big in size but his heart was bigger for the little girl by his side.

The doors to the mansion were wide opened and hushed whispers could be heard from outside. Kenpachi sported Shunsui from across the room. He didn't wear his hat or his floral clothing. His hair was down in a low ponytail and his eyes were sad.

Shunsui talked with a group of people that seemed to be hanging on his every word. Shunsui noticed the rustled captain standing awkwardly in the doorway and excused himself.

"Ah Captain Zaraki, I'm really glad you could make it. Please, come join us." Shunsui kneeled down to Yachiru. "Hey kiddo, Jushiro has some sweets just for you. He's right in the next room." A spark of Yachiru's personality came back as she skipped through the crowd of people and into the room across the hall.

Shunsui cocked his head and smiled softly. "I'm really happy you could make it. I know it's what my sister would've wanted." Shunsui turned with his hands behind his back. "Let's head to the garden, it's far too crowded in here."

The two captains snuck out the back door and into the fenced in garden. It smelled so sweet and the floral blooms were a stunning contrast against all the black inside. Shunsui day at the bench under the looming Sakura tree and stretched out like a lazy cat. Kenpachi took a seat on the edge of the bench, elbows resting on his knees.

"I lost my brother a few years back." Shunsui plucked the hair pins out of his hair and examined the accessory. "Yuna was devastated. She had a much better relationship with him than I did. Then again, Yuna could make best friends out of any enemy." Shunsui glances over at Kenpachi.

"She sure was different....fuck I miss her." Kenpachi rubbed his arm and stared at the pond in front of them. "How do ya do it?"

"Hm?"

"Act so happy."

Shunsui chuckled.

"I'm an old man, at least that's what Yuna used to tell me. I can't let this get me down. She'd kick my ass if I mourned her for more than a few days." Sadness swept over Shunsui again. "But she was the only close family I had left."

Shunsui sighed and placed the hair pin back in his ponytail. "She loved you Kenpachi. At first I didn't really understand but the more you two grew closer, the more I saw that smile come back to her face." Shunsui stood and dusted off his pants and kneeled down to pick a yellow daisy.

"The rest of the guest should be showing up now." Shunsui rested the flower on Kenpachi's clenched hand. "Take your time. This was her favorite place to come and read." Shunsui left and began chatting with the last few guests.

Kenpachi walked towards the pond and sat the pretty flower into the water. It drifted for a few seconds before a curious koi poked its lips up and bumped the petals. They scattered and left nothing but stem to sink.

"I'll find out what really happened to ya Yuna. They took your life, my woman away. I'll make them feel hell."