Ice Prince, Sakura petal and snow flakes

The Missing people and broken trust

Kiyomi was being trained for the special mission she had been assigned to.

The first phase of training got completed when she had mastered to sustain her consciousness while using her shikai, she had better control of her reiastu while fighting now and it took almost 3 months for the whole ordeal. Now she was to be trained by Sou taichou himself. He had most power full zanpakutou in soul society. It was elemental type soul slayer, named 'Ryuujin Jakka', the fire type zanpakutou was famous among shinigamis. He was no doubt the most powerful shinigami in soul society.

While in second phase, she had been told to avoid any battles and use of her zanpakutou outside the training grounds was strictly prohibited. She was also relived of her regular shinigami duties, training was indeed very exhaustive and she did not get to do any of her other reiastu consuming activities, she saw byakuya only during evening and sometimes in the time after dinner, they used to see each other secretly with Soura's help. Soura also became friends with Byakuya.

The second phase took about another 4 months and kiyomi was finally assessed to be ready for mission. She was given two days for resting and packing her things for heading out for the said mission, she needed to collect information and devices she had to use when she would be in the World of the Living. She had been forbade to make contact while she was in the Dimension of Hell, only when she was supposed to be in the real world she was permitted to contact Squad 1 and that too only case of emergencies. Small group of people was assigned as her squad to assist her mission. They were not from the Gotei 13 but trained specially for the mission so she did not know them. Captain Ukitake was told to be joining her squad for first week as to set up few things before the main event. She tried to spend most of her time in those two days with byakuya.

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Today was the day when kiyomi would head to mission.

Kiyomi, Byakuya, her squad of 8 people, Captain Ukitake, his third seats, Captain Unohana and her vice-captain Isane, Captain Urahara, Captain Yoruichi, Soi fon, Captain Kyouraku, Aizen were all gathered at formal senkai gate.

Kiyomi and byakuya were standing close to each other and whispering while talking so that nobody could hear them and figure out that they are in fact together.

"You know, when you told me about the mission and the period of minimum 20 years was required for mission, whole day I could not stop thinking about the fact that you would be gone for that long, how was I supposed to accept not seeing you for these many years! We were friends back then. And now that we are together, it's been killing me from inside. Kiyomi, how am going to survive?" Byakuya said with soft voice but stoic face. He was staring at the crowd keeping his usual cold demeanor but he was so troubled on inside. His Reiastu, though masked, was so unstable and giving small spikes of uneasiness which did not go unnoticed by Kiyomi standing next to him.

"It's the same here Byakuya, you remember, that day I asked you to have lunch with me, I was indeed figuring out what I was upset about. Now I know the reason, US" she replied softly avoiding looking at him and staring at the floor. Byakuya slipped his hand inside the pocket of his pants and took out something.

"I wanted to give this to you Kiyomi" Byakuya handed her a beautiful white bracelet with skakura petals as a design on it.

"It's beautiful Byakuya, it very much reminds me of Senbonzakura. And it will remind me of you. I am going to miss you both" she said smiling, finally looking at her lover. Her eyes were glassy. He nodded and said, "Go on and wear it. It would look more beautiful in your hands love." She simply thanked him and wore the bracelet, it looked graceful as all the gifts Byakuya has given her. She kept staring at it for a while. The chattering and noises of people talking were long forgotten, the memories of the time she had spent with Byakuya were flashing by her vision, clouding her mind. The very much cherished moments, his praising words soothing her ears, his arms holding her possessively, his eyes giving her warmth and love, his hand holding her own firmly when they walked together, these thoughts were breaking her resolve and she was feeling weak. She closed her eyes for a moment and fought back the tears. She opened her eyes and glanced at the crowd in front of them so as to take her mind off of Byakuya. She spotted Soura in them; she gave Kiyomi a sad smile.