Memories

Prologue - The Funeral

"Byakuya, will you do me a favour? Each year, on my birthday, could you lie cherry blossoms on my grave? Just so that I know that someone is still thinking of me when I'm gone." With a sad smile in her eyes she turned to him.

"You're here again."

Byakuya started. Turning around he saw his fellow captain of Squad 13, Jushiro Ukitake, standing there with a bouquet of larkspur and forget-me-nots. Slowly he came to where Byakuya was sitting.

"She's been gone for so long, why do you still come here?" Jushiro queried, trying to look into Byakuya's eyes as if hoping to find a answer to some question he had asked long ago.

"The same reason you probably come here every year too." Byakuya answered, his head still turned away.

"Yeah, probably. The only difference being though that I am her brother and you are not." Jushiro looked as if he was deep in thought. "You know, with all respect Byakuya..."

Byakuya looked up in surprise as Jushiro called him that. It had been years since they had called each other by their first name. To be accurate, 62 long years.

"...but why do you come here every year? This time of the year is the only time that I ever see you not wear that icy mask of yours."

Byakuya smiled sadly.

"You know that she always wore that expression when she didn't want people to know what she thought?" Jushiro was wearing a sad smile himself.

"Yeah, I remember all right." Both men turned away, looking at the beautifully carved headstone, remembering.

Strangely the sun was shining that day. It shouldn't have been. It should have been raining and pouring in streams. The sky should have been grey and stormy and a wild storm should have been going on. But no. Instead it was one of the prettiest days in the years so far. The cherry trees had just started to blossom and the birds were singing in the trees. It was as if the world was mocking her death. Byakuya looked up towards the sky, wondering if things would be all right again.

Picking up the bouquet of cherry blossoms he started to move towards the door. A sudden stab of pain stopped him in his tracks. Wincing he held his side. He hadn't completely recovered yet and Captain Unohana had actually advised that he stay put in the infirmary and not move around to much. But this was one thing that he absolutely couldn't miss.

He arrived at the graveyard and noticed in surprise the large amounts of people that had gathered there to wish her a final farewell. Putting on the mask that he had seen her put on so many times he started to walk towards the congregation. He went to stand next to his grandfather as well as his captain of the 6th division, Ginrei Kuchiki.

Ginrei looked over to his son standing further back. When his grandson had joined him he had been incredibly pleased to see him wear a mask of indifference. The same could not be said of his son. His son was looking incredibly sad at how Byakuya looked. Maybe it had been for the best that she had died, maybe Byakuya would then learn that one had to always hide his emotions. His brow furrowed at that thought. For the past year Byakuya had been wooing another girl and quite frankly he hoped that his grandson would refrain from doing that any further. She was a servant after all!

Byakuya sighed quietly. He hadn't talked to Hisanna recently but he probably should. However going over to her would probably just remind him of the painful gap Ari's absence had left in his heart. He had been surprised when Ari had introduced them both. He had instantly been annoyed at that she might be match-making since he obviously wasn't intrested but Hisanna had become a surprisingly good friend. In fact she was standing over by crowd right now, crying, something he wished he could do.

The service then began. Byakuya felt his blood boiling as the service dragged itself on. All of those things that they were saying. That wasn't how they had percieved her throughout her life. Lies sure as hell wouldn't help. He wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to keep this facade up. When would this false play finally stop?

The service lasted for another two hours. Byakuya waited until everyone else had gone before he went to the headstone.

"Sorry to disappoint you Ari." He whispered softly, "I won't be able to put the cherry blossoms at your grave on your birthday. But I will be able to on the day you died. You won't be forgotten."

Byakuya opened his eyes. 62 years after Ari's death and he still couldn't figure out why he came here every year. He knew, as all those around him did, that he generally wasn't a very sentimental man. He had come to love Hisanna and had eventually married her, even if that marriage had only lasted for five years. Hisanna had reminded him in many ways of Ari, the fire in her eyes, the compassion she had for those she held close to her heart. He didn't like to think that he might have cared more for Ari than he had believed at the time. But now, looking back on how things had been...

"She was a truly remarkable person. Even after her death, she manages to keep you lost in thought." Byakuya looked up in shock, he hadn't realised that Jushiro Ukitake was still sitting next to him.

"Well, I must be going now, after all, I didn't take my day off like you did." Jushiro smiled down at him as he stood up. "You know, maybe you should stop pretending that you don't care, you only hurt yourself and I'm sure that Ari wouldn't have wanted that."

Byakuya stared after Captain Jushiro Ukitake of Squad 13 until he had vanished around the corner.

A/N: Oof, that's the first chapter done. =D Just some information here; Larkspur stand for a beautiful spirit and forget-me-nots for "remember me forever".