Petals Chapter 11: Epilogue, a bleach fanfic

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or its characters as they belong to Tite Kubo, but I do own my Original Character in this story, Kohana Hisakane. I don't own the character of Nozomi. She belongs to Fairy In a Pink Shirt. I don't own the character of Shizuka. She belongs to Mini Aizen. I don't own the lyrics, either. They're the translation of the Bleach opening "Ichirin no Hana" by HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR, but they fit Kohana and Kenpachi so well so I had to use them.

Epilogue

A woman sat there, watching the TV. She had bright pink hair that slowly, but surely faded to red at the bottom. The back of her hair was long, while the front was cut short. Her hair was spiky and obviously had huge amounts of hair spray in it. It wasn't an unusual sight, though. She always wore her hair like that. It never changed. Another thing that never changed was her use of bright red contacts and the fact that she almost constantly wore the color black in one form or another. Tonight she wore a black halter top and matching black skinny jeans. Her outfit had bits of blue all over. The most prominent blue was the string of blue pearls around her neck.

"Ayase-san? What is this band?"

The pink-haired woman pointed to the TV screen. As soon as she said those words, an older woman came over to her. The woman had dark blue hair and was rather solemn with the way she dressed. The pink-haired woman thought that her manager, Ayase Nozomi, took her job way too seriously.

"That band?"

Nozomi pointed to the man on stage with the incredibly spiked hair. He grinned as he sung and played guitar. He wore leather, yet he acted like he was wearing a simple pair of sweatpants. His band mates, a pretty boy bass player with purple-ish hair and a bald, rugged guitar player also wore leather. She couldn't tell if the drummer wore leather or not.

"Well, Hisakane-san, don't ask me why, but they call themselves Eleven Dead Souls."

The blue-haired woman opened her lap-top to find out more information about the band. She smiled at the pink-haired woman, Hisakane Kohana. Kohana always smiled when she saw her good friend and manager's smile. It had the power of relieving her.

"They are in need of a drummer. Apparently their old one quit not too long ago and they still have to finish their tour. You want me to schedule a time in which you could audition?"

Kohana looked at the TV again. The man on the concert DVD allured her. Out of all the up-and-coming bands her manager had made her look through, hoping one would suit her, she had picked this one. It was all because of that song.

"Yeah. Call in and tell em' I'll have all their songs memorized in exactly one week."

The two women smiled and Kohana resumed watching the DVD from the beginning. She wanted to know everything about Eleven Dead Souls and their badass vocalist.

She sat there. The lights were intense. The crowd was screaming after their last song. Now it was time for their finale. They would perform their hit, the song everyone wanted to hear. Kohana smiled as she began the beat.

You are the only "you"
There is no such thing as your replacement
Don't wilt away, single flower

You are like a flower
That bloomed in a dark shadow
Even though you're in a place you didn't wish to be,
You can't move because of your roots

She heard him sing. Zaraki Kenpachi, the badass lead vocalist for Eleven Dead Souls. Somehow, Kohana had become their drummer and now was in this band not only with Zaraki Kenpachi, but with two other men as well. The guitarist was a bald man by the name of Madarame Ikkaku. She didn't get along too well with him, but had to admit he was damn good at guitar. He was almost as good as Kenpachi. The bassist was the pretty-boy of the group. He was the main one who attracted females to the group because both Ikkaku and Kenpachi didn't give a shit about appearance. Ikkaku and Kenpachi were in it for the music just like Kohana, but Ayasegawa Yumichika was in it for the adoring fans.

Just spit out your closed-up feelings

I'll accept all of your pain and suffering
So please don't cry
Please smile, single flower

The crowd was in an uproar. The lights were hot on Kohana's skin as she felt the rhythm and beat of the music. She loved drumming. It was her life, her reason to exist. She had missed it for so long. Ever since that accident, she hadn't touched a set of drums. Not until the day after she saw her new band play on TV. She wasn't going to touch another set of drums for the rest of her life, but that song moved her. She had to be a part of this band. She had to meet the vocalist, the person she knew wrote the lyrics, even if he probably wrote the lyrics for another girl. She had to meet him.

I wanted to see your innocent figure
That looked as if it were about to wilt, one more time

I want to become your strength

Even if there comes a time
When the whole world becomes our enemy
I'll protect you

When they met, Kenpachi, already familiar with Kohana's drumming in her previous band, welcomed her with open arms. His band mates were a bit opposed to the idea of letting a girl in the band, but they agreed after hearing Kohana's drumming that she was amazing. Even though she was a good six years older than Kenpachi, Ikkaku and Yumichika, she was in the band because of her drumming skills. She also didn't look twenty-seven. She looked even younger than Ikkaku or Kenpachi. It was probably because she was a woman that she aged so well.

YOU SHOULD NOTICE THAT THERE IS NO OTHER
YOU SHOULD NOTICE THAT THERE IS NO NEXT TIME
YOU SHOULD NOTICE THAT THERE IS NO OTHER
YOU SHOULD NOTICE THAT THERE IS NO NEXT...
TIME NOTICE THAT YOU SHOULD NOTICE THAT
NOTICE THAT THERE'S NO OTHER

He began screaming, something that soothed Kohana's soul yet made the crowd want to fight each other. It was a normal occurrence. The crowd always wanted to fight each other at their shows. It wasn't good for the crowd to be peaceful. They needed to be in an uproar. Kohana felt the last part of the song, the last part of the rhythm flowing into her. They were almost done.

You are the only "you"
Till now and from now on
Even if there comes a time
When the whole world becomes our enemy
I'll protect you
So don't give up, single flower

Kohana closed her eyes, trying to block Kenpachi from her vision. She just was in it for the music, she reminded herself. Kenpachi was the lead vocalist and surprisingly had a lot of adoring female fans. He didn't have as many as Yumichika, but still had a lot. She reminded herself that inner band romances didn't work. The emotions affected the band's performance, the publicity would be a nightmare and not to mention the tension that would occur if a break-up ever happened. Kohana was too smart and experienced to fall for a band member again. Yes, again, she was way too smart to fall for a band member again.

Yet, she had fallen for a band member again. It all happened after she had asked Kenpachi who he wrote that song for. He told her straight-out: "You," and Kohana couldn't believe it. She barely knew this man. He then explained the whole story. He had always been infatuated with Kohana. She grew up in the same town as him and he saw all her earlier shows while he was in high school. When she finally got her big break to become a celebrity, he was excited. He wanted to get into music in the hopes of meeting the woman of his dreams and playing a show with her, but when he heard she got into drugs and was being sent to rehab, he was disappointed. He almost gave up faith until the accident happened. While Kohana was in rehab, her band got into a very bad plane accident. None of them survived. He saw on the news how horrible Kohana looked and so he wrote that song for her. He wrote it in admiration. It became an unexpected hit, but Kohana didn't pay attention to hits after that accident. That's why it took her so long to discover it.

"Thanks for comin' everyone. I hope you guys had a fuckin' good time."

Zaraki Kenpachi spoke as he took his guitar off and quickly exited stage right. Kohana followed after him while Ikkaku and Yumichika looked around, confused by the quick exit. Kohana ran to catch up with the band's vocalist. She ran until she was caught off guard.

"What the hell-"

She was cut off by a hot and steamy kiss as she turned around, the result of all the unbridled feelings that formed in both Kohana and Kenpachi throughout the show. They stood there in the cramped hallway kissing each other for what felt like a lifetime.

"Oh God, we should really stop doing this..."

Kohana moaned as she pushed the larger man off of her. Unfortunately, though, because of the cramped space and of how big he was, she didn't push him that far at all. He still had his hand on her thigh.

"Why? It feels so damn good. It feels like it was fuckin' meant to be."

The pink-haired drummer moaned as the larger vocalist kissed her again. It was more gentle this time, but good all the same.

"Hold it, you two! Save that for when we get back to the hotel!"

Kenpachi and Kohana broke apart as both their band mates along with a few other people stood in the hallway, trying to get by. Kohana blushed, wondering how much they saw. Kenpachi sighed as he walked forward, away from the object of his desire. Yumichika approached Kohana as she also turned around and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You two should really try and control yourselves backstage, you know...If the already suspecting Ayase-san or the press found out about your relationship, you two would be in serious trouble..."

The pretty-boy bassist commented as he looked at his friend. Kohana looked down at the ground.

"Don't be telling her that, Yumichika! As long as they're in love and are determined to stay like that, it shouldn't matter! Isn't that right, Ikkaku?"

Kohana turned back around, noticing the orange-haired woman who hung all over Ikkaku. She was Tajiri Shizuka, Ikkaku's self-proclaimed "girlfriend" and over-all nuisance to Kohana. She wore a revealing black tank-top that had the words "Eleven Dead Souls" written on it in bright, blood red letters. Her orange and unruly hair was even more of a mess today. Kohana had a good idea of what she and Ikkaku did after the show. Yumichika probably also caught them going at it as well.

"Yeah. I guess it wouldn't matter if they're determined..."

Ikkaku sound forced as he said those words. He looked at his girlfriend and smirked. Her bright green eyes glowed as she smiled back.

"What would a groupie know about love, though?"

Kohana laughed as she walked forward towards their tour bus which would take them back to the hotel they were sleeping in for the night.

"Hey, I already told you I'm no groupie! I'm here to stay, dammit!"

Shizuka cursed, but then felt the hand of the man she loves grasp hold of her arm, pulling her into a kiss. It confirmed to her that she was no groupie and that Ikkaku did have feelings for her.

"Not you guys, too...Come on...Come on...Save it for later. Let's get back to the hotel."

Yumichika said, trying to hurry everyone a long. Sometimes when he saw Ikkaku and Shizuka or Kenpachi and Kohana together he would get lonely. He didn't have anyone special like that. Although he would begin to feel better after reminding himself that he had all the groupies to himself. He enjoyed having freedom.

Kohana rested her head on his arm as they walked to their hotel room. Kenpachi smirked, loving how peaceful she looked. Everything about being with this woman who was his new drummer felt so right. He loved her, which was surprising. Zaraki Kenpachi had never loved anyone in his whole life.

"Kenpachi, do you think we'll always be together?"

She spoke up, causing the couple to stop only a mere two feet from their room.

"Yes, always."

Kenpachi stared at her, then took out the key to the room. He opened the door to find loads of various gifts all over the place. There were two beds. Originally, this was supposed to be Ikkaku and Kenpachi's room, but Kohana and Ikkaku changed the room assignments around. Now this was her and Kenpachi's room.

"Aw, look at these! Blue cornflowers...I didn't know anyone besides you knew they were my favorite..."

The pink-haired woman smiled as she looked at the vase of blue flowers. They were her favorite type of flowers, but she had never told anyone besides Kenpachi how much she loved them.

"That is rather odd. Is there a card attached?"

The large man said as took off his jacket, placing it on the bed they weren't going to use.

"Yeah. There is. I can't quite understand it, though."

"Really? Let me see..."

The couple looked at the card. It was a picture that looked like it had been drawn by an infant. There was Kohana and Kenpachi, drawn in stick figure form. In the middle of the couple was a small, pink-haired girl and to the side was a load of men. Kohana could make out Ikkaku and Yumichika somewhere in the group. Up in the sky of the picture were two words: "Yachiru's Family."

"Yachiru? Well, you know, I always liked that name. If we ever have a daughter, let's name her that..."

Kenpachi said, looking at the picture more intently. Kohana smiled at her lover's comment and stared at the flowers. Whoever sent them to her must have been a long-time fan of hers. They had to be.

"Hey, Kenpachi, did you hear something just now?"

Kohana looked around, swearing that she just heard the laugh of a little girl.

"Nah. I didn't hear anything, my little flower."

He said, grabbing hold of Kohana and kissing her passionately. Kohana could've sworn there was someone watching over them, but for now it didn't matter. They were together. No one would stop them this time. They felt like they had been together for an eternity. Neither lover knew that in a previous life, they had been together. Both were attracted to each other, just like they had been before. Time didn't matter, age didn't matter and appearance didn't matter. What mattered to them was feeling and connection and the fact that they could be together and no one would get in their way. Kenpachi reminded her that if anyone tried he'd kill them, but now instead of being a promise it was more of a threat and Kohana couldn't stop laughing and hope he wasn't serious.

-end Petals-

A/N: Well, there it is! I hope the epilogue makes up for the last chapter. Kohana and Kenpachi do end up together. Yes, Kenpachi dies six years after Kohana as do Yumichika and Ikkaku. How did they die? Did they die before or after Aizen, Tosen and Gin died? Did Grimmjow kill Kenpachi? What exactly happened to Grimmjow? What happened to Yachiru after Kenpachi died? Well, if you want these questions answered, read Inviting Luck. It will answer em' eventually. That one is gonna be epic and will have a somewhat happy ending. Ch. 2 is up for that story. Now, I'll go work on Waiting. I enjoyed Petals and Flowers and I hope you did, too! Thank you everybody! Reviews are nice and appreciated. :)