III. Silent night

It was clear night and the sky was dark blue, like velvet. Not even a single star was on its canvas as Kenpachi rushed across his Division's yard.

The darkness wasn't too bad, as the result of the dull lights of torches placed here and there. Yet, the big man wished today had been a little bit darker and the sky wouldn't have been that clear. He hoped the sky would've been filled with storm clouds, lightning flashing and a terrible rain. He wished the atmosphere of his Division wouldn't have been so sleepy, even if it was the middle of the night. That the Division would've been full of noise and shouts, maybe even the occasional cursing.

As the Eleven Division's man finally reached the front of one shoji door, he prepared himself before opening the shoji. And there, near of night lamp was a bed and in it a small girl. A girl whose cheeks were unusually pale and a wet rag had been placed on top of her forehead. Silently, Kenpachi walked up next to Yachiru's bed, taking her small hand into his. The small hand felt sticky and somewhat still so cold.

"Hang on there, Yachiru."