A/N: This could have been a lot longer, but I decided to split it into two parts, as I think it's more effective like this. Also, thank you so much to everyone who read, reviewed, alerted, and favorited this!

EDIT: One Last Time is officially complete, but it has a successor of sorts in my new story Continuous.

Part 3

The spirits' master stands frozen, limbs shaking, knuckles turning white from how tightly he is grasping the baseball bat. Abruptly he charges forward, aiming to free his younger sister from the grasp of the hollow in front of him, but is only able to register a blur as the creature's hand sweeps forward, knocking him off his feet and snapping the baseball bat neatly in two. The impact winded him, as did the original blow, and blood flows sluggishly from a wound on his temple.

Tensa is worried now, and though his companion seems not to be, the zanpakuto can tell by the hollow's reiatsu that he is. Their master is not fighting back, and the attacking hollow is coming for another attack.

The black-haired shinigami slices through the hollow's arm with disturbing ease, and Tensa decides he likes her.

"'The enemy of my enemy is my friend,' right?" Shiro's voice startles him, and Tensa goes to reply, but both spirits are buffeted by a wave of horror, and their master's words.

"This is my fault? The reason my dad's almost dead over there, the reason Karin and Yuzu are covered in blood… it's all…"

"Wait- I did not mean…" The little shinigami is sent flying, and their master stands up, hands empty.

"Hey you… You want my soul, right? Then fight me face to face! No one else has anything to do with this! Try killing me and taking my soul!"

"Fool!"

The original fear coiling in the pits of their stomachs that Tensa and Shiro had been feeling when their master offered himself to the hollow has been swiftly replaced by horror as the tiny shinigami's blood paints the road scarlet. Their master's confusion and fear is palpable as the short black-clad figure slumps to the ground.

"You… idiot…" The shinigami's voice is rough with pain as she reprimands their master, and Tensa's heart goes out to her. It may be the chance of a lifetime for him and his master, but he wishes it had happened without anyone getting injured.

"Unfortunately, I am no longer able to fight the hollow… now all of us can only wait…until we become it's food…"

It's my fault! Everyone'll die! Their master's pain and guilt threatens to overwhelm him, the trembling starts again, and the human is dangerously close to tears.

"…Do you want to save your family?"

"Is there a way? A way to help them? Tell me!"

"There is a way… no, to be exact… I should say there is only one way…" The little shinigami unsheathes her zanpakuto and holds it out in front of her, surprisingly steadily. "You… become a shinigami!"

Shock surges through their master's body once more as the words sink in. "Wha… What are you saying? How can I…"

"You can!" The little shinigami's voice is steady, certain, as she speaks. "Pierce the middle of your chest with my zanpakuto and I will give you half of my shinigami power. That way, you will attain the power of a shinigami temporarily… and will be able to fight the hollow on equal terms."

"Is it really okay… to do something like that?"

"…I do not know. Of course, this is a plan set up anticipating your high reiatsu… The percentage of success is not high… If it fails, you will die."

A shiver of fear runs up their master's spine, hearing that if he takes the suggested route, it is more likely that he will die than it is he will be able to save his family.

"However, there is no other way! There is no time to deliberate."

"Ichigo…" Their conversation is broken by Tensa's master's sister crying in her sleep.

"Yuzu… Are you having a scary dream?"

"Don't come… It's dangerous… Hurry and get away, Ichigo!"

Dammit… Why are all of them worrying about me when they're about to die? Their master's mind is starting to calm down now, to slow and start to think, what can I do? …Makes me, who's being scared for myself, look stupid! His decision is made, and he walks forward, regaining a shred of the confidence that scattered when the hollow destroyed the baseball bat. "Give me the sword, shinigami! Let's give your idea a try!"

"…It is not 'shinigami. It is 'Kuchiki Rukia'."

"I see… I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. Let's pray this doesn't become the last greeting for the both of us."

"The hollow's coming… If we don't hurry…" For the first time, a sliver of fear is apparent in the shinigami's voice, and Tensa's master hesitates as he touches the zanpakuto's hilt. Then, the hand grasps the blade firmly.

"…Let's do it."

"Yes."

The hollow screams.