Sacrifice
It finally happened. Her inner hollow had taken over. She had lost in a battle of strength and instinct. Why had this happened? I just can't think of how Shi managed to take over. The only thing I can do now is watch as Shi carries out her plan to slowly kill everyone I ever came to care for. The people slowly came to mind; Ichigo, dad, Yuzu, Karin, Rukia, Rangiku, Shuhei, practically the entire seireitei, my friends from Ichigo's school, and Renji. What could I do to save them? I have to do something. An idea came to mind, it was the only thing I can think of but there had to be something other than that. There had to be something that wouldn't cause the others so much pain.
While Shi was in charge, I could only watch as she ripped apart and destroyed the rukongai districts one by one, killing any soul reapers that tried to stop her. Eventually, Ikkaku and yumichika were sent to try to stop her. Once they arrived they immediately recognized the hollow as Shi. Shi was a unique looking hollow. She looked like a really big wolf, with her fur as black as night. Her hollow mask had 3 large blood red claw marks from the top left down to the bottom right. She had white armor around her front and hind legs protecting the tendons that when cut could have crippled her legs. The armor had red in splatter patterns spaced out over it. Other than that she had no other bone like armor. Yumichika had immediately used his soul pager to notify Ichigo and the others and request backup. Ikkaku on the other hand had charged in and began attacking. He for once allowed yumichika to join in the battle because of the fact that I was a captain and Shi was of vasto lorde class, they probably didn't want to kill me either.
Shi had injured both Ikkaku and yumichika, but they were still fighting. "I want all of your friends here before I kill any. That way it will be even more painful to watch for you, former queen" she cackles. "Please don't do this!" I begged. "No can do horse, I need to watch you suffer." Shi for a while waited for the others to show up, by toying with the two squad eleven members.
Once they arrived, Ikkaku and yumichika backed off while Renji rushed forward. Some of the others were about to rush in as well but, rukia held up a hand, "let him fight alone this is a battle of pride for him" she said. "He is fighting against Shi to get kage back, if he isn't the one to save her he will wallow in the fact that he wasn't strong enough to save her for the rest of his of his life. If she dies today he probably will as well, but he should at least get the chance to try." she stated. The others backed off and nodded their agreement, this was his fight and they should respect that.
He was holding back to try and allow me a chance to gain control again. I was fighting as hard as I could on the inside. I wasn't winning, and I couldn't think of any other way to defeat her. Renji eventually fell. Shi walked right up to him and smirked. "Why not kill this one first? How does that sound horse?" she remarked. "No! Renji!" I cried. "So this is the right one to start with!" she cheered happily "Why don't we get started then?" "NO!" I shrieked. As she opened her jaw to bite down on him she suddenly froze "Wh…..wha…what is going...on?" she stuttered. "How are you forcing me back?" she screamed. Suddenly becoming calm she stated "Oh, I see. You are just able to temporarily gain control to save lover boy here." "No matter I'll let you say your goodbyes, but then I'll kill them all" she cackled. I slowly shifted back to my human face. "Renji" I almost whispered. "Kage" he croaked, starting to try and sit up. "No don't" I said "Renji…. I'm not going to be able to beat Shi. You know that right?" I said tears starting to fall from my eyes. "No, you will kage. I know you will." "Renji, just don't forget me and always remember that I love you with all of my heart and soul. I always have and always will." I said to him looking directly into his sad brown eyes while backing up. I could hear Shi screaming in my inner world "what are you doing! You aren't planning on doing that, are you? You'll kill us both!" "Kage, are you sure?" "I know for sure Renji, but can you promise me you won't forget?" I asked, the tears now falling freely "I promise kage, and I need you to know that my feelings are the same. I love you as well, with every fiber of my being." I began to do the chant for hado number 98 making sure that it would backfire and destroy all of my vitals. I finished, it destroyed more than I expected but immediate death was guaranteed. I shifted back into a soul reaper falling backwards. My last thought was that I had succeeded in protecting them, all of them, especially him.
Renji crawled over and laid her head on his lap. He used two fingers to close her unseeing eyes her zampactos had already faded away, her body would soon follow. He bowed his head and wept. He cried for a warrior, one who gave up her own life to save him and everyone else. He cried for his one and only true love. Renji cried for Kage. As her body began to disappear, it slowly began to rain. How fitting, even the world was weeping for this warrior. The last of her body turned into the specks of light that would become a part of the soul society and rose into the sky. Renji's lonely cry of "Kage!" echoed through the empty street with only the rain to answer his call.