It Was Always You
Written by Illuminate the Shadows
Prologue
Year 196
It was a cool night, stars glistening overhead. The branches of the sakura trees that bowed over the garden waved in the breeze, releasing petals that twirled to land in the pond beneath. The moon was round and swollen in the sky. Ominous.
She stood on the wooden deck outside of the barracks, alone – or, she felt alone. Not even one of the hundreds of shinigami in Seireitei could understand her past, her feelings, the decisions she had made. Nor could they comprehend the consequences and devastation that came with such decisions. True, some of the happenings had been out of her control. His decision had been out of her control. He had been determined. But she could have made the decision to let him leave her life. Many shinigami here would call it betrayal. They would say she was disloyal. But she wouldn't take back any of it.
She smoothed a hand down her silky kimono to her abdomen. Everything was different now. She had matured greatly in the past year. Her life no longer revolved around drinking sake and luring unsuspecting men into her clutches. The war had changed her. Haineko would definitely enjoy teasing her now. She felt the cat stir within her – at least, she was fairly certain that was her zanpakuto. A sigh escaped from between her pink lips. There wasn't much left for her now. She had lost her best friend.
Her fingers clutched at the material covering her swollen navel. Her voice was but a whisper.
"But his spirit will live on in you."