This weather really isn't suitable for today. The sun's shining ever so brightly, not a single cloud in the clear blue sky. It would've been perfect weather for those going to the beach and having ice cream, not for a funeral for a loved one. I'm not one for crying but my eyes are stinging slightly, how does Mayuri keep such an emotionless face, even Byakuya is showing some sympathy.
It's been two days since the death of Lilly, today is her funeral. All the captains, lieutenants and Lilly's close friends have gathered today to say their final good-byes, all holding a single white lily flower. All the lieutenants standing by their captains sides, all looking down at the fresh, brown ground which has just been filled and the round, grey, cold, hard head stone with Lilly Hayter's name upon it. It was completely silent, not like most funerals where a vicar would do their religious speech or a family member talking about their deceased loved ones life. It was traditional in the soul society to have a funeral in complete silence. It was utterly quiet, the only sounds were the birds singing and some girls sniffing, trying not to cry. Kyoraku wanted to say his good-byes out loud so he waited for everyone to silently say their good-byes and then leave. In the meantime he kept staring at Mayuri, wondering why he showed no emotion. His face was neutral, his eyes are open and his mouth was almost as straight as a ruler, he kept looking around all around him, first looking at the ground then the sky then some trees and then people on the opposite side to him, he wasn't really focusing on Lilly's grave. He didn't show any signs of tiredness or emotion, it was strange as he was the one who truly loved her and yet he honestly showed the least amount of sadness. Rukia was holding on to Renji and he wrapped his arm around her, Byakuya standing next to his lieutenant ignoring what Renji and his adopted sister were doing. Yoruichi was hugging Soi Fon from behind, her arms wrapped around her waist and Soi Fon's hands on Yoruichi's arms. Momo buried her face in Hitsugayas chest whilst he stroked her hair. Even Nanao was leaning on her captains' arm, her face red and eyes watering. Yachiru was hiding her face in Kenpachi's shoulder.
Strange how the death of someone can bring everyone so close together. Even my sweet Nanao is scared to be alone... It sounds awful but I hope everyone leaves soon; I would like to say good-bye to Lilly and Sophie again.
At that point Ukitake took a step closer to the brown dirt and gently placed his single lily on the ground; he turned and slowly walked away, leaving. Kenpachi stood forward and dropped the flower on the ground, he shook his shoulder to get Yachiru to drop the flower, and she looked up. Her eyes were red and full of tears, her cheeks wet from crying and her nose was running with snot. She shook her head.
"C'mon... Drop the flower and say good-bye." Kenpachi loudly whispered.
"N-no! I-I-I don't wanna let go off Lilly." She cried, sniffing up her snot.
Ikkaku and Yumichika stood forward and gently placed down their lily, they both walked off out of the way of everyone but waited around for their captain.
"L-Lilly was m-m-m-mm-my friend!" She sniffed.
"She was everyone's friend... You can keep the flower then." Kenpachi whispered, trying to be quieter.
She shakes her head and drops the flower from his shoulder; he strokes her hair with his other hand and walks off, leaving complete silence again. After about ten minutes almost everyone has left after placing their lily on the ground, the only people left was Unohana, Isane, Mayuri, Nemu, Nanao and Kyoraku. Unohana whispered something to Isane; no one else could hear what she said. Isane nodded and placed her flower down and left. Unohana then placed her flower down and walked to Kyoraku, she stood on his left side as Nanao was holding onto his right arm. Unohana reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope.
"Lilly left this for you..." She said, softly. Giving him the envelope.
He looked at the envelope to see his name on the front of it, which was surprisingly written out very neatly, it, was a small, white plain envelope. Nanao stood up properly and wiped her eyes, looking at the envelope. Mayuri looked up and darted his eyes at Kyoraku.
"What is it?" Kyoraku asked, softly.
"She wrote this before she passed away. She told me to give this to you at her funeral..." Unohana replied.
Mayuri walked around the grave dropping the flower, whilst Nemu followed, he snatched the letter from Kyoraku. He read the name on the front.
"There must be some mistake! Why would she leave YOU a letter and not me?" He sneered.
Kyoraku snatched his letter back and put it in his pocket; Mayuri gave him a cold look then turned to face Unohana.
"So why does he get one instead of me!" He hissed.
"Although I have not read the letter myself, my guess is that she is saying good-bye to captain Kyoraku. If I recall her last moments were with you but she wished for me to give him this letter. I'm just fulfilling Lilly's wishes." Unohana replied, calmly.
Mayuri tuts rolls his eyes and walks back in front of Lilly's grave and crosses his arms looking at the headstone. Nemu stays a few feet away from Mayuri in complete silence.
"Captain Kyoraku. Once you are done would you come to my squad and send word for me that you've arrived... I wish to speak to you." Unohana asked, softly.
"Of course, I won't be too long." He replied.
Unohana then nodded and left. Kyoraku pulled the envelope out of his pocket and opened it.
"You going to open it now?" Nanao asked.
"Well why not?" He replied.
"But captain! She did that especially for you moments before she passed away and you're just going to read it here?" She shouted.
She was getting frustrated and Mayuri turned his head round at Nemu, giving her a cold look.
"Nemu! Stop being so useless and go tell them to get lost!" Mayuri shouted.
"Yes sir..." She replied.
She began walking towards Nanao and Kyoraku.
"We heard you Kurotsuchi..." Nanao sighed.
Nemu stopped dead in her tracks, waiting for further instructions from her master.
"So you don't want to know what this letter says?" Kyoraku said.
Mayuri darted his eyes at Kyoraku who was quickly reading the letter. Kyoraku finished reading it and looked at Mayuri staring at him; Mayuri quickly turned his head round acting like he didn't care.
Oh he definitely wants to know what this letter says, he's just acting hard. Strange her handwriting is a lot messier like I expected at first, maybe Retsu wrote my name on the envelope.
"Well I'm going to read it out loud anyway, so if you don't wanna hear it covers your ears!" He shouted. "Not that you have any..." He said, under his breath.
"Dear Kyoraku, this isn't how I wanted to say bye to you but we can't do anything about that now can we? I'm not going to write down a bunch of sad stuff or talk about our happy times, although we did have a good laugh getting drunk and hiding from Nanao..."
Nanao crossed her arms and huffed. Mayuri couldn't help but listen to what Kyoraku was reading out. Kyoraku continued.
"I'm not sure if you know but me and Mayuri were planning on going to the 'Golden Palace' to celebrate my birthday. Of course that's not going to happen so I would like to make a request. Would you take Nanao there in place of me and Mayuri, I want you both to enjoy yourselves like how me and Mayuri would've..."
"She wants me to go on a date with you!" Nanao gasped.
"Yeah... Looks it..." Kyoraku replied, softly.
"Well that's out of the question!"
"Is that all the letter says? Tsk, she wasted her time... Nemu go back and sort the squad out! I'll be there in twenty minutes!" Mayuri shouted, interrupting them.
"Yes master..." Nemu replied.
She then bow down to her master, stood up and then left the three by themselves.
"Nanao... Would you please go back to our squad and sort everything out, I'll be back soon and I'll take you to the 'Golden Palace' tonight so-"
Nanao quickly interrupted Kyoraku.
"But captain! A date is-"
He quickly interrupted her.
"You're not going for me! We're going for Lilly! She wanted someone to enjoy the experience she was going to have and she wants us to go in her place, so will you please do as I say. Not as your captain but as a friend, will you go to the 'Golden Palace' with me tonight for the sake of Lilly!" Kyoraku slightly snapped.
He was getting frustrated and Nanao understood that this meant a lot to him.
"... Of course captain, I shall return to squad 8." Nanao replied, softly.
"I'll knock for you at your place at seven my sweet Nanao!" He grinned.
Nanao clenched her fist and gritted her teeth and then turned and left.
"That idiot! Making me feel bad for him then he grins like a madman!" She hissed under her breath.
Pffttt I think I should talk to Mayuri, he doesn't look it but I know he's incredibly upset.
He walks up to Mayuri who's looking at the gravestone. He stands next to him looking at the gravestone then looks at the one next to it a few feet away. The name read Sophie Penn.
"I've always wondered... Why is Lilly's name spelt incorrectly?" Kyoraku asked.
"Who cares? She's dead and you're worried about her name being spelt wrong!" Mayuri snarled.
Kyoraku sighed, he realised that small talk wasn't going to help.
"...This is the second time I've said good-bye to her..." Kyoraku said, quietly.
"Tsk, if you're looking for sympathy... You're looking in the wrong place." Mayuri hissed.
"You can drop the act now." Kyoraku said, coldly.
"Huh?"
"Look I know exactly how you feel..." Kyoraku replied, sympathetically.
Mayuri turned around, grabbed his captains' coat and pulled him close to him; he looked at him directly in his eyes, filled with anger.
"You have NO IDEA HOW I FEEL!" Mayuri shouted.
"Actually... I do... I use to date Sophie..." Kyoraku replied, quietly.
Mayuri's eyes widen, he grits his teeth in anger. He pushes Kyoraku away and begins walking off.
"Fucking idiot... Can't even say good-bye to my fiancée without him trying to make ME feel bad!" Mayuri hissed out loud.
Kyoraku simply sighed, adjusted his clothes and stood in front of Lilly's grave.
"Typical... We get you back, just a couple of months later you end up leaving again..." Kyoraku quietly speaking to himself.
He looks at the letter and reads it again.
Sheesh she's asked me to do quite a bit! I'll do mine and Nanao's date first and I'll do the other thing she wants me to do after. I better go see what Retsu wants...