Regardless

My breathing became agony. That damn agony separated my body from my brain, making it impossible for me to move. The rain pushed me harder to the ground falling to my bare bloody opened flesh in my stomach when I realized … it was over.

I couldn't do anything. Just watch how that man with his hair raised up in a spike gave his last glance at me, spitting to the ground before turning around. It was odd, seeing you insulting yourself like that. Like the taste of your own damn medicine. Worst of all, he stole my rightful place. It should have been me the one how looked down to a soon-be-dead-body on the ground. Me the one who scoffed disappointed in that guy's low potential. I, Kenpachi Zaraki, of all the Captains the strongest, how could I let this happen?

Nevertheless, he was stronger.

I never though that I would die to the likes of myself.

The intensity of me wanting to move my fingers and grab my Zanpak-to increase like the rain that kept me attached to the ground. My eyes urged to close my vision and so everything started to blur. Soon the man with the Captain's haori turned to a big white spot, walking away from me. My wet lips let out a thin and weak sign of breath. All over my mouth blood covered every surface inside, leaving a sour taste of agony beyond my control, dead near and impatient. Now it began a heavier burden to battle with my eyes preventing them to close or the pain to go any further.

It was the end anyway. Why did I continue urgently to fight against it? This kind of fighting is pointless. There was no fun in it. Just stress.

Then again, it was also stupid to give up so easily by him. I could still fight…but my body disagreed. Finally, a dark shadow covered my sight.

No more hesitates. No more thinking.

It was already happening.

A growled escaped from my mouth. More likely a sigh of relief of the pain I was compressing all this time. My muscles loosen pressure, my body calmed, the pain sharpened as it following its own course. As if it agreed with me for the first time.

Darkness conquered. The rain silenced…

KEN-CHAAAN!

My senses jumped. My eyes would have snapped open if they weren't so slow. A single cough emerged from my through as I blinked out the water in my eyes.

And then a blurry pink and pale spot stared at me down. Some of the water that fell in my face wasn't just the rain's. A strange shadow of surprise covered me.

…she was here? Was she…crying?

I wanted so badly to let go everything and give in to the pain when she was there all along waiting for me to budge!

My lips let slip a word that gave me the agonizing taste of, not blood, but guilt.

"Ya-chiru," I sigh, what the fucking hell was I thinking? How could I let slip to the oblivion all those decades fighting to survive together? "I get it…We've been together all this time. I-I can't just die here…"

My arms received the message and grabbed my Zanpak-to, and, before I knew it, I was on my feets. Ignoring the blood falling from my open wound and its pain, with both eyes on that one target…

My imposter froze in place and turned over to glaze at me from his shoulder.

"You wouldn't understand," I told him, lifting my Zanpak-to to the level of my chest, "but I can't die. At least not now."

"What?" the pointless version of me said. What an imperfect version of Kenpachi Zaraki asking stupid questions without a little runt to stand behind him and watch hopeful to see his Ken-chan win.

"You're not like me." I couldn't avoid a smirk draw in my face when I lunge to him with my Zanpak-to on top of my head, "I NEED TO WIN!"