Tousen steps back in shock as blood spurts from across his arm and chest. Zaraki doesn't let him go far, however. He still has a grip on Tousen's wrist, which is keeping the 9th Captain's sword lodged deep in his own gut.

Zaraki shows no sign of pain, "My eyes... are able to see now. My ears work too..."

"Is it because I caught hold of you that I'm able to see? Or is it..." He uses his grip on Tousen's sword arm to draw the bloodied sword out of his own body, "is it because I'm in contact with your sword that I'm able to see... Well, it doesn't matter either way."

Zaraki pulls the sword out completely and faces Tousen with his characteristic, half-crazed smile, "C'mon. Come at me again. I've figured out the trick. Before it pierces me next time, I'll be able to grab your arm." He releases Tousen's wrist and backs off, once again plunging his senses into the abyss - but this time, he does it willingly.

Shit... Tousen breathes heavily as blood pores down his arm and chest. I must not lose... His senses waver dangerously as he raises his blade again, I... must not lose... to the likes of you.... He readies his stance and lunges at Zaraki.

And then... everything fades into the distant past; to a night shared under the unseen clouds and the bright stars, when Tousen seemed to be nothing more than a teenager, a blind youth with short, messy hair.

He sat there with his head bowed and his hands resting on a short walking stick. A woman with long dark hair and pale skin sat beside him with her chin raised to the night sky.

The young woman spoke up, "I can see the stars, Kaname."

"Yeah," Kaname replied.

She was a beautiful person.

"I love the night sky, Kaname," she said.

"Yeah," Kaname said gently.

I do not know how she looked.

"After all," she said, "the night sky resembles the world."

But she was a beautiful person.

"Everything is wrapped in darkness and there are many flecks of light, but there are clouds that try to conceal them," she says. "Right, Kaname?"

"That's right," He did not look up at the sky because there did not seem to be any point in him doing so; but he seemed very content, as if her mere presence was enough to calm him and make him feel whole.

"You know, Kaname," she looked over at him, "I want to become someone who removes those clouds, so that not a single light will vanish. I will whisk the clouds away, Kaname."

She was a person who called my name countless times. Her voice was so pleasant that no matter how many times I tried, I could never bring myself to tell her that I actually love clouds.

"That's wonderful," he said.

Time passes... and then Tousen stood there facing her with his blank white eyes wide and lost.

She stood facing him with her arms behind her back, "I'm going to get married, Kaname." She turned her head to the side as she continued speaking, "He's a Shinigami. Yesterday, a notice arrived that said I passed the Academy. I will be a Shinigami too. I will be a Shinigami and battle Hollows. I will create peace. I wanted you to be the first to know, Kaname."

"Congratulations," Tousen tried to smile, but it seemed difficult to hide the sadness on his brow. "I hope that if there is anything I can help you with..."

She smiled, "Thank you but stay here as you are now, Kaname. Every once in a while, I will come back. I want you to listen to my stories."

She said "I promise" and there was a smile in her voice.

Kaname stood on the hill they used to sit on to enjoy the night air. He was alone now that she had left.

And ever since then she never came back.

Time passes... Tousen knelt down and gently held her limp hand by the tips of his fingers. He pressed his hat against his heart out of respect for the dead. Flower petals fell from the wooden casket as droplets of tears joined their descent.

It was her husband that killed her.

She reproached that man for murdering a colleague over a meaningless quarrel, so he killed her as well.

She who wished for world peace more than anyone, she who held more righteousness than anyone, she who chose to fight for that sake could not even fight.

Was something missing? Is it not enough to wish for peace just by having a sense of justice?

If so, then I want power. I want the power to grant peace.

If justice is lacking, then I will become that justice.

Tousen stood above her open casket filled with flowers. A sword rested in the casket at her feet.

He reached over and took up the Zanpaku sword... the same one he fights with today.

Then I shall wipe out all of the evil in the world until nothing remains, as if they were merely clouds.

In the present, Tousen attacks Zaraki with all his strength. His blade makes a clean, straight path to its target.

I shall put all my righteousness on the line for this.

Zaraki grabs Tousen's hand just as he had before - this time, however, Tousen isn't even able to spill his blood before he is caught mid-strike.

There is a long pause between the two men as they are both aware of what will follow. Zaraki's hand tightens around Tousen's to the point of nearly crushing his bones as Tousen seems to brace himself for Zaraki's final strike. When it comes, Tousen bloodied form falls forward and the dark balloon tent that encompassed his Bankai explodes outward into thousands of pieces.

Komamura sees the destruction of the Bankai from a short distance away, "Tousen...!"

Tousen still stands. He is torn up and bloody but he still grips his Zanpaku sword tightly, despite the uncontrolled trembling in his arm. "...Not yet..." he puts his other hand on the hilt to steady it. "It's not over yet...!"

Zaraki stares at him for a moment and then looks away. "I quit. This lost its fun. How can you expect me to take on a half-dead opponent? I'm out of here." He turns to leave, "It would be boring if you died. You see, if people died I wouldn't have anyone to cut down anymore."

Tousen rushes forward and presses the tip of his blade against Zaraki's back, "I'll stop you...! I put all my righteousness on the line... I have to stop you...!"

"...What a waste..." Zaraki turns back to him and raises his sword, "If you want death that badly, then I'll give it to you."

Komamura appears between the two opponents without warning. He pushes away Tousen's sword and raises his free arm to block Zaraki's attack. He's nearly too late. Zaraki's blade manages crack Komamura's helmet.

Tousen looks up at him, "...Komamura...!"

"...Enough already," Komamura pushes away Zaraki's sword as he looks down at Tousen. "Your feelings will not make sense to this man. Give up now."

"...Komamura..." Tousen bows his head, his voice pained, "...I...!"

"...I understand," Komamura assures him as the helmet covering his head starts to crack and break apart. "Don't say anything." The chunks hit the ground.

Zaraki takes a good look at Komamura and grins, his interest in the battle revived, "...You're a surprise. So that's the kind of face you've got under that mask."

Komamura turns to look at him. His head is no more and no less than that of a large, wild fox. "You don't seem all that surprised..." he notes.

"Well," Zaraki looks up at him, "appearances don't have anything to do with a battle. The question is whether or not you, with a beast's body, have the strength of a beast. That's all."

"...To be caught up by superficial strength and fail to evaluate the depths of your enemy's power is your weakness, Zaraki," Komamura says. "I am not as kind as Tousen is." He calls out, "Bankai"

The floor rumbles and cracks as Komamura's Bankai emerges. Zaraki's eyes widen in pleasure and amazement almost as if he were a kid on Christmas morning, "Hohh...!"

Komamura pulls his sword back and readies his stance. Behind him, a soldier in dark armor several hundred times his size mimics his exact movements, "'Kokujyoutengenmyouou'"

"Now let's get started, Zaraki Kenpachi!" Komamura bellows, "This is the fight to the death that you love so much!!!"


(1) I certainly didn't expect Komamura to be a fox-creature until I saw it. I wonder what his story is...
(2)Actually, "Kokujyoutengenmyouou" is meant to be just a name... but just so you know, the order & meaning of the kanji of the name goes like this: Black-Rope-Heaven-Use-Bright-King. It doesn't make much sense even if I were to call him Bright King of the Heavenly Use of the Black Rope.... so I'm not going to try and think about it too hard. XP

Note:
- The title for this chapter really had me wondering... the Frankenstein reference probably meant Komamura... but "Lady Lennon"? Is that supposed to draw a parallel between Yoko Ono and Tousen's former love? I'm not sure...
-I was listening to Shiina Ringo's "Gips" while reading the flashback and I liked how it fit. Kaname Tousen is such a cool character. ^_^

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