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Grievances Kenpachi had returned to the White Room, but strangely, no one else was there. ... ... ... ... This wasn't the White Room. This was the wrong room. He turned left and right searching for a sign of anyone else. There was nothing to his west. Emptiness to the north. Loneliness in the east. Then, there came a bounding wind from the south, carrying cherry blossoms. "Head Captain," Byakuya called suddenly. Kenpachi turned around slowly. "It's good to see you, Kuchiki." Byakuya maintained his usual, stoic composure. "You've strayed from your path." Kenpachi remained silent. "You were once a man of pure, unswaying loyalty. Yet, you experienced loss and betrayed your comrades. It's unbecoming of you and unfitting of a man who holds the title that Genryuusai Yamamoto once held," Byakuya commented. "I'm nothing like him," Kenpachi retorted. "Clearly," Byakuya snapped back. "She gifted you great strength in her absence. She sacrificed for you, and you have desecrated that gift. How did your heart become so easily corrupted?" Kenpachi balled a fist. He quickly let it go. "To be honest, I don't know." Byakuya placed a hand on the hilt of his weapon. "That is the answer, Captain Commander. Because you do not know, you fell to the darkness." "Don't talk to me about turning to darkness, Kuchiki," Kenpachi growled. "You were dying in that castle, and you got desperate. You broke your loyalty, same as me." "You are correct," Byakuya said quickly. "Then why are you here right now preaching to me when you're already guilty?" Kenpachi asked. "I'm here to turn you back, Captain Commander. I refuse to allow you to stray any further," Byakuya said, his hand still on the hilt of his blade. Kenpachi scoffed. "Any path I choose is my path," he declared. "But..." Kenpachi said solemnly. "You're right. I gotta fix this." Byakuya rested his hands and lowered his guard. "You're already on the right track, Captain Commander." He turned on his heels, turning his back to Kenpachi, and vanished from plain sight. "Tch. Prideful bastard, even in death," Kenpachi said softly. "Kenny?" Yachiru called from Kenpachi's back. He turned around with a jolt. "Kid," he said solemnly. She sprinted toward him and Kenpachi stooped down. They embraced one another tightly, with Kenpachi's eyes welling up with tears. "Ah, Yachiru. I was sure I'd never see you again. When you died--ow!" She punched Kenpachi squarely in his head. A frown formed on Yachiru's lips. "Don't go killing me off so soon!" Kenpachi rubbed his head. "Huh?" "Don't you get it yet, Kenny? I'm your Zanpaktou spirit," she said as she bounced on her toes. "I'm not dead. I'm riiiiiiiiight here!" Yachiru said as she snatched Nozarashi from Kenpachi's back. "I hated to part from you, but I didn't want to see you go so soon. It took me a long time to learn to care for you, ya know." Kenpachi smiled. "So you're still here, huh?" Yachiru nodded with a big grin. Kenpachi's smile faded. "Then that means you saw everything, right?" Yachiru's smile faded as well. "I did." Kenpachi folded his arms. "I betrayed them. The Corps. Killua. Gon. They were all counting on me for my help." "And how do you intend to fix it?" Yachiru asked. Kenpachi scratched his head. "I don't think I can." Yachiru nodded. "That's step one." "Huh?" "Now, you need to let go," Yachiru continued. "Of what?" "Me. Those boys. Byakuya. You're tearing yourself apart because you haven't coped with the loss of your friends, whether they died by your hands or not. You can't let that pain tear you up and turn you to the darkness, Kenny," Yachiru stated. She stretched out her hands and returned Nozarashi to Kenpachi. As he received the Zanpaktou, Kenpachi held it lightly in his palms. "I can't get them to trust you again. But you can give yourself to the right cause, and go out swinging." Kenpachi gripped Nozarashi tightly now, before storing it on his back again. "You think if I throw myself at the enemy and die for my friends, they'll forgive me?" Yachiru shook her head. "No. But I think if you die trying to do the right thing, you'll learn to forgive yourself." She smiled at Kenpachi, who had just finished wiping his tears from his eyes. "Damn it, Yachiru. I miss you so much," Kenpachi admitted finally. She ran to hug him again and Kenpachi gladly accepted it. "Go, Kenny. You've got a lot of work to do," Yachiru said as she finally let go of Kenpachi. "I hope to see you again soon, kid," Kenpachi said as he stood up straight.