The enemy of my enemy

A month had passed since the war but it still felt like yesterday to him, picking at the hem of his once black robe he sighed leaning his head against the concrete wall behind him. He guessed he should be feeling lucky he was alive but he couldn't help feeling he'd be better off dead. He cracked his slate grey eyes open and licked his dry wind burned lips, he knew his normally milky white skin was scorched from the constant beating down of the sun and had recently been taking cover during the day only travelling at night. He knew he needed to find food and water and recalled there being a run-down convenient store nearby, at least that's what he thought he had heard Kurosaki call those sort of establishments they had in the living world. Yet there was nothing convenient of it as it was a hotbed of hollow activity, ever since the war hollows had come to the living world in droves; essentially turning it into something similar to Hueco Mundo. The hollows would screech and fight all day and all night and it was becoming tiresome to avoid them, he knew of course if he wanted to live he needed to evade them as he knew he would just be a tasty snack and in his condition would have a hard time standing up to them. Which is why he stayed in his little self-made cave most of the time, he had moved several large slabs on concrete into what could be best described as a tepee like structure, scraps of cardboard boxes and dried leaves made up his bedding and he had found an old worn out comforter in one of the homes he had stumbled across while searching for survivors. He had made a small door that could be propped against the outside so that to anyone walking by would think it to be just another pile of debris. He sighed deep in thought on how to get out of this hell. He was well aware this was no accident that he had been trapped here and left for naught with whomever else was unfortunate enough to survive this. Closing his eyes once again he drifted to sleep thinking to himself he would pick up some sunscreen and chapstick if there was any at the store when he went after dark, it was a small comfort but a comfort nonetheless.

"You work too hard you know?" Came the familiar warm baritone as a cup of tea was set by his hand. "Why don't you take a break and get some fresh air ne? It's no good to be cooped up in the office all day. "He allowed a small smile at his ever vigilant comrade and friend, the man seemed brash and rough on the outside but he really was quite intelligent and observant.

"Thank you, "he said and stood smoothing his robes and walked outside. The sun was shining brightly and the wind was crisp and pleasant, he was glad he had taken his vice captain's advice. Not so surprising was the pink kimono'd form reclining under a tree with a bottle or three of sake. He felt his step lighten at the sight of his unruly friend, settling down beside him he offered him a small nod of recognition, the man pulled up the brim of his straw hat.

"Coming to join me? Can I offer you some sake?" The raven haired man shook his head.

"Ah thank you, I wouldn't mind one if you please." The brunette looked shocked for an instant but quickly regained composure. Chuckling quietly he said

"I suppose this war is changing us all, for you to have sake. Tell me, how are you truly?"

He let out a small sigh "I am worried. I am afraid. Kurosaki and his friends charging in here made me realize just how much I have to lose. I feel more than anyone is aware of" he finished softly looking down into his drink. He felt the older man's hand on his shoulder.

"No my friend, we all know you feel you however do a better job of masking it. It is good to feel, to be afraid" he gulped his cup of sake "it gives you something worth fighting for."

"If I let everyone down?"

The brunette heard a touch of sorrow in his companions voice and smiling widely "you won't, there is no way you could let anyone down."

"How can you be so sure Shunsui?" He asked confused at the man's misplaced faith in him.

"Because you doubt yourself, that is why I know."

They had spent the afternoon drinking sake, or rather Shunsui had as he sat and tried to calm his mind. Wondering if what his friend said was right, if he wouldn't let anyone down yet he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he would let everyone down...Horribly.

His friend died because the truth was that he had indeed let everyone down. He was supposed to be powerful, the pride of the shinigami, now a broken and bruised man. He looked at his rough and calloused hands, covered in blood and blisters with the remnants of his once white gloves now stained pink clinging on his hands. There was no peace for him and he knew that it was nothing less than he deserved. Leaning his head back against the cold hard wall he let the tears he had been holding back silently flow down his face as his tired eyes gazed over the landscape. The tears made trails of water down his dusty face but the man refused to make a sound lest he give his presence away to the hollows nearby, his shoulders shaking silently, his hair a curtain of black falling in front of his face as he bent forward to cradle his face in his hands as he finally at long last gave into the emotions that had been consuming him before and after the war.

As the hollows wailed in the night, fighting and consuming each other one man finally realized his mortality, another his shortcomings, another his failure to protect what he held most dear and yet another realized he was all alone again.

So what did you think? There will be a chapter devoted to each character before we continue forward to give you some background and insight. Anyone know who this was?