Disclaimer: I own not Bleach.

Yeah, well I lied. I know I should be studying and stressing but here's the newest update.

I got this from the quote "When you die there will be two dates on your gravestone but to your friends, the only thing that matters is the dash between them." or something like that.

And since many shinigami die 'glorious' deaths well...

I really need to stop writing this angsty stuff. However there's another I am working on and I hope I can post it soon!


Genre: Angst

Sun and Moon

Her Taicho


If you read the history books the Shinigami Academy currently had, the most recent and the most painful chapters would be on the Arrancar War. Or, to the scarred survivors, the Bloody War, Years of Carnage (that one was hardly used) or just The War.

Nine years the Arrancar War had lasted. Nine years of suffering, fighting, and constant deaths of comrades.

Her taicho was one of them.

They had lost a great many of shinigami and even those with the rank of taicho did not escape without casualties. They had lost Kurotsuchi-taicho (no real loss to any but Nemu), of course the three traitors, amazingly Yamamoto sou-taicho, Soifon-taicho, Zaraki-taicho along with Yachiru, Nanao fuku-taicho, Kira, Abarai...

And juu-bantai taicho, Hitsugaya Toushiro.

The remaining taicho and fuku-taicho did not remain unscathed. Kuchiki-taicho now has slightly impaired movement with all limbs but his right arm, his sword arm. Others were not as fortunate.

Unohana-taicho suffers from many burn wounds from cero blasts that she gained trying to protect her subordinates with her own body; Komamura-taicho is blind and deaf on his left side, and Kyoraku-taicho is disabled by the complete loss of his right arm, rendering him at half power without his double zanpakuto.

The health of Ukitake sou-taicho is even worse and unable to properly feel anything below his waist; Hisagi, now a taicho, became mute from a near fatale attack that damaged his vocal cords and Isane fuku-taicho's movements are now impaired as well.

She herself was suffering a broken heart.

The constant pain in her knees and lower legs does not match up to the searing hurt at the loss of her taicho. Dear Shiro-chan, who had, lo and behold, done as he had always sworn and grew taller than her six years ago. He had stood a proud three inches taller.

And did he grow into a looker.

The genius boy had suddenly became a man. Of course with the war going on, he had to mature fast although he was already mature long before the start of the Arrancar War. But then he had the face and body to match.

They'd already had a strong bond and, surprisingly, it had been Toushiro who had made the first step. It was something they never regretted.

Five years ago, it became official: two of the major heartthrobs of Sereitei, Hitsugaya Toushiro and Matsumoto Rangiku, were a couple.

It was something that always made her smile despite the loneliness and despair she was in. How she longed for it to be just a dream and she would wake in his strong embrace, smiling down at her gently. How she longed for him to poke her playfully and say with mock seriousness to stop letting her mind wander and listen for once.

"Rangiku?"

Jerking, she whirled around before relaxing. She attempted to smile although it came out more of a grimace.

"Yes I'm done, Momo."

She checked herself one last time in the mirror. Toushiro and Momo had been childhood friends, as close as siblings as you can get in Rukongai. Toushiro had always been protective of Momo and Momo was the only one besides herself that Toushiro had completely lowered his guard around and allowed to see his heart clearly. Momo was the only one she could go for a weekly visit and comfort each other as they fell asleep crying.

There, she was ready. With a shaky sigh, Matsumoto reached over and put out the lamp.


The procession was a dark, somber affair. All shinigami in stable conditions attended, their bodies scarred by the war that had just past. The taicho and fuku-taicho were at the front, leading.

Some shinigami surrounded the group, holding up great banners of each of the divisions. They marched alongside the higher up shinigami and it took two shinigami to hold the banners of the divisions who had taken the worst blow.

Ichi, ni, san, roku, juu, ichijuu, nijuu,

One, two, three, six, ten, eleven, twelve.

All the divisions whom have lost their leaders.

The symbol of the tenth brought a burning to her eyes and throat. Whether it was to break down crying or screaming, she fought it, holding it back. The kanji rippled from the wind, a silent testimony to her fallen taicho.

Ukitake sou-taicho stood before them and said the prepared formal speech honoring their fallen brothers and sisters. Honoring the humans who died and now officially resided in Sereitei, encouraging a weak smile to the aforementioned souls. Inoue and Sado had died but they had it easy, they still had their afterlife to live.

On and on the man went, facing his grim equals. Matsumoto knew they must be feeling the same way she was.

Screw the damn speech!

Ukitake sou-taicho was speaking out of the amazing deeds the fallen and the living had done. Glancing back, she could see the young faces of greenhorn shinigami who were fortunate to not have a taste of the war beaming and glowing with awe. She turned away, her throat parched and she swallowed thickly. Beside her, even Ikaku, replacing Zaraki-taicho as Eleventh Division taicho, was just as tense, veins visible on his scarred bald head as he determinedly stared at the speaking man.

"...our comrades had battled valiantly, fighting against the evil that was threatening..."

She clenched her fists and resigned herself to her fate despite the raging emotions within her.

Who cares if they fought valiantly!? They were fucking dead!

No more Abarai to join her in a daily activity of avoiding paperwork. No more Kira to be with her and Hisagi as they drank their asses off. No more plotting with Yachiru to 'help' their respective taicho.

Taicho...

The speech finally had ended. She stood in front of the gravestone made of gleaming marble, a small memorial to each one of the fallen. She knew that others were wandering around, the seasoned war veterans visiting their friends, some openly sobbing. The rookies had headed back to celebrate this day like a festival, a thought that made her stomach churn.


She stayed for a long time. Sometimes she wandered over to where Abarai's memorial was, Kuchiki-taicho standing with a comforting hand laid on the shoulder of his mourning sister as Ichigo knelt beside her. Inoue and Sado were there too and offered her a slight smile which she returned. Thrice to Kira's, where she found Momo the third time and together returned to Toushiro's.

Matsumoto was there even longer than Momo. The younger woman had stayed with her for an hour before suddenly giving a shaky excuse and ran off, her shoulders trembling. The woman sadly watched her friend as she retreated, unable to hold her tears any longer and no doubt was going to lock herself in the old house she had spent most of her childhood with Toushiro.

She wasn't alone in the large graveyard that had no bodies. It was at the top of Sokyoku hill in Sereitei, replacing the execution grounds. She knew there was still people there in the sea of memorial stones but even if Momo had stayed, she felt alone.

Because she wasn't with Toushiro.

Sometimes she wondered if she could turn the blade on herself, joining Toushiro wherever he had gone. But Haineko's heavy paw and sharp words knocked her to her senses. Her zanpakuto was right. Toushiro wouldn't have wanted her to do that.

Still didn't make it any easier to bear.

Silently, she knelt. A pale calloused hand reached out and traced the inscriptions on the plain stone.

Hitsugaya Toushiro

Juu-bantai taicho

Wielder of Hyourinmarou

And that was it.

She gritted her teeth and her fingers dug into the dirt.

What the hell was this?! Tears sprang unbidden and soundlessly dropped. So this was it? Three measly lines describing a great man and no doubt other great men and women.

Nothing about him.

Nothing about how he had first become her taicho, with those furrowed brows and frowning mouth. Nothing on his favorite treats, favorite hobbies, favorite anythings!

Hitsugaya Toushiro hadn't just been the wielder of the most powerful ice zanpakuto as of yet and a taicho.

He had been her taicho.

She had been his fuku-taicho, his only fuku-taicho. Only she had seen the delight brightening his features when he had first seen his new division, she being at his side and had promptly hugged him much to his dismay. Only she had seen how he had reacted when his division had won in an annual Inter Division Tournament the first time under his command, being the one who accompanied him back to their headquarters. Only she...

The childish joy appearing when she brought him some melon, the smile threatening his lips whenever he berated her for not doing the paperwork, the gentle touches, the fleeting kisses and most of all, the love burning in his eyes...

All of that couldn't possibly fit into three lines.

Her mind made up, she unsheathed her sword and released her fiery zanpakuto. Haineko quickly went to work, knowing want her mistress wished for.

Matsumoto left soon after that, to find Hisagi or Kyoraku-taicho and drag them out to down some sake. Maybe get Ikaku to come along. But first she would have to find Momo.

She left with no lighter a burden in her heart but she let the small smile on her face show her satisfaction.

For now there wasn't three lines engraved on the stone of the man who was once known as Hitsugaya Toushiro, juu-bantai taicho and wielder of Hyourinmarou, the strongest ice zanpakuto Sereitei has ever known. Now there was four.

Hitsugaya Toushiro

Juu-bantai taicho

Wielder of Hyourinmarou

My taicho


Five pages but I want to leave this as it is. Input is greatly appreciated.

As for why Matsumoto only addresses certain captains as taicho is that she had always called them taicho. Hisagi and Ikkaku, although captains themselves, were once her equals and she is quite more familiar with them than the other taicho.

Er, yeah. Hope this is okay for now!