Disclaimer- I don't own Bleach.

Chapter 14

Don't Lose

"Oi, Hiyori!"

"Hey hold on, Hiyori!"

"Hiyorin!"

Love, Rose and Mashiro all shouted over each other as Hiyori's mask fully formed, partially hiding her face. Only Hachi, Lisa, Kensei and herself seemed to be unaffected by Hiyori's display. They stared up at the two and watched in silence as the blond girl continued to taunt Ichigo.

"You don't get to be one of us just by having a mask. The least you can do is transform for us. Are ya still scared?" she asked.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed as his grip tightened around his zanpakuto, but he didn't speak.

Sayomi looked over at Kensei to see that he seemed to be paying more attention now. He looked over at her from the corner of his eyes briefly before turning back to the two above them.

"I ain't as nice as Shinji. You can transform, or...I'll kill you," she said as she pulled her mask over her face.

There was a dramatic shift in her spirit pressure as she did, it surprised Ichigo whose eyes widened as he stared at Hiyori in disbelief.

Sayomi watched with a frown, in his surprise, Ichigo's guard had dropped and Hiyori had taken the opportunity to attack him. She slammed her palm into his stomach sending him flying into the concrete wall several yards behind him. He recovered immediately and was able to dodge the next fist she threw at him, but he couldn't evade the kick she sent at him right after. This time he collided with the floor just in front of Shinji, who was dusting himself off and muttering under his breath as he reentered the warehouse. He squealed in surprise and reeled backwards, falling unceremoniously on his butt in the process.

No one paid the blond any mind however, as Hiyori flew at Ichigo again. Their fight was rough, Ichigo was getting tossed around like a useless sack and Hiyori had yet to even draw her zanpakuto.

Everyone had strayed from the line they had been in on the first floor as the fight progressed. Lisa was now on the third floor leaning against a pillar, with her usual naughty magazine in hand. Shinji, Rose and Love were on the second floor watching the fight. Hachi was sitting on the floor on the first level trying his best to keep the barriers steady. Mashiro wasn't too far in front of him also watching the fight. Her and Kensei where on the first floor still, Sayomi leaning against Kensei as she craned her neck to watch the fight above her.

"You ok Hacchan," Mashiro asked as the older, large man made a small noise when Ichigo was sent harshly into yet another wall.

"Definitely not ok," he replied as sweat rolled down his forehead.

Sayomi glanced over at the man and sighed, she straightened up and walked over to him. She sat beside him, setting her zanpakuto beside her, and began chanting under her breath before slamming her hands onto the ground. She heard Hachi sigh in relief as she added two of her own barriers so that Hachi wouldn't have to expend so much energy. Just as she finished strengthening her own barriers she realized that Hiyori was in the process of unsheathing her sword.

She scowled, but kept the barriers she had worked on steady. She watched carefully as Hiyori renewed her assault on Ichigo. Ichigo was a bloody mess, his kimono was torn to pieces and there were cuts and bruises on almost every inch of him. He was out of breath and barely able to block and dodge Hiyori's attacks. By watching him, she could tell he was trying to figure out how it was that Hiyori was able to stay in her hollow form without going insane.

Sayomi growled as Hiyori landed a rather brutal hit to Ichigo's left side, blood spurted from his wounded shoulder and he cried out in pain. She looked over to Kensei who upon sensing her, turned to look at her, when he saw the look she wore he nodded and returned his attention to the fight, his body tensing.

"Sorry Hachi," Sayomi said as she released the barriers she had put up. At least the man was no longer sweating or as distressed as he had been. Picking up Fuyukaze and standing, she made her way to stand next to Kensei, her right hand firmly grasping the hilt of her sword as her left held the intricate sheath.

She was the first to move into action when Ichigo's spirit energy suddenly shifted and the white of a hollow mask began to coalesce over the left side of his face. Everyone else was too stunned by the sheer strength being emitted by the orange haired boy as he flew at Hiyori that they didn't move. Ichigo's hand clasped around Hiyori's throat as a harsh, crazy laugh escaped his throat. He slammed her into a wall and it was then that Kensei seemed to realize Sayomi had already moved. He flew after her and the others quickly followed suit.

Sayomi drew her zanpakuto letting the sheath fall to the ground as she flashed towards Ichigo. She had her zanpakuto at his throat a second after he pinned Hiyori to the wall. Yanking him away from the girl whose eyes were beginning to roll into the back of her head, Sayomi threw him towards the floor. She landed beside him just as everyone else surrounded them. Eight zanpakuto were aimed to kill if he so much as twitched.

Sayomi was knelt beside Kensei, who had also pinned Ichigo's hand to the ground with one of his booted feet. Fuyukaze was held in her right hand, angled across her body, her left hand between her chest and the silver blade, the tip of which was stuck in the white mask on Ichigo's face. Without hesitation she pulled her sword from the mask. As she did, the the mask shattered and crumbled to the ground. Her, Kensei and Shinji stayed in their positions, but the others withdrew their swords and stepped back. Sayomi turned and nodded to Kensei who withdrew his blade as well, and took his weight off of Ichigo's hand. He straightened himself up and stepped back as well.

She remained crouched beside Ichigo as Shinji stood up and began to walk away from them.

"You should get it now, Ichigo. That hollow in ya, isn't gonna be pushed down by your mind or body." Shinji said.

"Unfortunately, it's not that easy," Sayomi said as she pulled her zanpakuto away from Ichigo's face and stood up.

"What do you think, Hiyori," Shinji said as he turned to her, she was panting and looking at Ichigo in shock.

She didn't say anything as she wiped at her face with the red sleeve of her jogging sweater.

"We'll teach ya how to suppress the hollow," Shinji said before turning and walking from the group.

Ichigo blinked after Shinji before turning his eyes up to Sayomi's.

"I'm glad you came. You were beginning to grow too unstable, I would have had to kill you soon," she said to him.

He didn't reply to her statement only continued to stare at her.

"Come on, you're a mess. We need to get you patched up."

"Tell me again why this is necessary. I already told you he would be able to do this for days," Sayomi said as she tilted her head back to look at Kensei.

He was sitting on one of the chairs wrapping his hands in white athletic tape. She was leaning against his knees with her head now resting in his lap.

"Shut up," he grunted.

She stuck her tongue out at him childishly and went back to watching Ichigo huff and puff on the walker that Hiyori had stuck him on. Three days ago.

"I'm bored," she said after a few minutes as she leaned her head into Kensei's lap again.

"And?"

"Entertain me."

"Borrow one of Lisa's porn mags. She's supposed to be watching the shinigami guy anyway," Kensei answered.

"Shut up, you two are ruining it," Lisa said distractedly.

"He has a name," Sayomi reminded him. "It's Ichigo."

"Like I give a shit," Kensei grunted.

"You are no fun old man," Sayomi said as she stood up from the floor and dusted off her white tank top and light jeans.

"Screw you," Kensei grumbled.

Sayomi smirked and walked behind Kensei, leaning down, she whispered in his ear. "Now that might be entertaining."

Kensei's head snapped up as Sayomi began to walk away, a grin on her face. He stood up from the chair and followed after her. As they walked into the hallway Lisa began to shout out 'one-two' repeatedly to keep Ichigo 'on track' as Love had suggested.

Sayomi sighed when she heard Ichigo start yelling and Hiyori and Shinji joining in a moment later.

"I'm gonna kill that shinigami ass," Kensei said gruffly as they both turned around and walked back to the main room.

"Well, you'll have your chance soon," Sayomi replied as they walked in in time to see Shinji put a hand before Ichigo's face. There was a flash of light and Ichigo collapsed. Love caught him and slung his limp body over his shoulder.

"Let's go," Shinji said as he turned towards the stairwell that would lead to the underground training room.

Everyone followed after him, Sayomi walking beside Love as they made their way down the long flight of stairs. Once at the bottom, Love sat Ichigo down on the dirt and the all circled him.

"Hachi, throw up another barrier here too," Shinji said.

"Ehhh..."

"Don't 'ehhhh' me, it's not cute for an old guy to say eh," Shinji replied. "Also, I want you to seal all of his limbs."

"I'll take care of that part. Just take care of the barrier," Sayomi said as she lowered herself onto her knees a few yards in front of Ichigo.

"Yes ma'am," Hachi replied.

Sayomi clasped her hands before her and began to chant. "Walls of iron sand, a priestly pagoda, glowing iron clad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end." As she chanted, little balls of light slipped from between her entwined fingers, they collected above her hands and formed five balls of bright light, "Bakudo seventy five; Gochuu Tekkan!" And with that she slammed her clasped hands into the dirt. Five large iron pillars formed above Ichigo before slamming down onto his body. One on each arm and leg and the last one at his neck.

She stood up again and walked over to Shinji just as Ichigo's body began to shake and tremble. The iron pillars holding him down began to shake as well. She actually had to shield her eyes a moment later when his spiritual pressure increased so dramatically a wind was stirred up around his body. Using his arms Ichigo began to lift his upper body as his white and red bird like mask formed over his face.

"How are we going to do this," Sayomi asked Shinji.

"Open up the wall over here, Hachi. It was my day on watch so I'll start," Lisa called answering her question.

"Just don't kill him," Shinji replied.

"That's assuming he doesn't kill me first," Lisa stated as she walked through the opening in the barrier around Ichigo. The pillars had all broken now and Ichigo stood up, grabbing the zanpakuto beside him and flying at her.

Sayomi walked over to Kensei who was sitting in the dirt a few yards away. The rest of the group was scattered around either sitting in the dirt or on one of the many boulders in the large room.

"Ten minutes," Sayomi asked.

"Yeah," Kensei answered. "I'll go after Lisa."

"I'll go last," Sayomi said.

Kensei looked over at her, wondering just what she was up to now, but said nothing. She was looking straight ahead of her, her attention focused on Ichigo as he fought Lisa.

There was a flare in Ichigo's reiatsu as the orange haired boy came to a sudden halt. Lisa watched him cautiously, her zanpakuto held out before her.

"Has it finally began," Shinji asked.

'Don't lose, Ichigo. I don't want to have to kill you,' Sayomi thought. 'Don't lose.'

No one responded, but Kensei looked over to Sayomi again. Her eyes had narrowed slightly and if he hadn't known better he would have thought she was bored by the look on her face. He did know her better though, and the look on her face, though blank, showed her concern for the orange haired boy.

'What do you think, Fuyukaze,' Sayomi thought. 'At the moment he's still not at full power, he will be when we go in though. If we go last I don't intended to let anyone else fight him again. Obviously why I said I would go last. I meant it.'

'He's getting stronger rapidly, but we should be fine. If need be though you may have to change yourself,' Fuyukaze replied.

'I will, but only as a last resort. I don't want to kill him.'

'You may have to though, if he can't-'

'He will.'

'Of course he will.'

"Two...One... Ten minutes. Hey Hachi, open it up," Kensei shouted as he stood up from the ground.

"Kensei," Sayomi called as he walked forward, he turned back to look at her but her eyes were still focused on Ichigo. "Don't kill him."

Kensei scoffed, but otherwise ignored her. He flew through the opening in the barrier just as Ichigo was about to attack Lisa head on. Kensei flashed in front of the wounded girl and his elbow collided with Ichigo's stomach. The force sent Ichigo back a few feet in the dirt.

"Time's up," Kensei said to the out of breath Lisa. "Switch places."

"Hey Shinji, how are we dividing the breaks," Lisa asked as she exited the barrier.

Shinji opened his mouth to speak, but Sayomi cut him off.

"Including myself, there are eight of us. Eight, ten minute intervals. We can't count Hachi since he's concentrating on the barrier. That also means that it's likely one or two of us might not get a turn."

Sayomi went back to watching the fight, scowling when Kensei introduced himself and told Ichigo he was going to kill him. She watched as Kensei slashed through Ichigo's left shoulder, blood spurted from the wound for a few seconds before a white substance ballooned from it, healing it. Her brows drew together at this new information. Super accelerated regeneration wasn't unusual for a hollow, but he wasn't even fully transformed yet.

"I say not to kill him, so what does he do?" Sayomi grumbled to herself as Kensei sent a blast of energy at Ichigo. "Blows his limbs off instead." Not that she was surprised, Kensei's fighting style was rather straight forward and brutal. He liked blowing stuff up and ending his fights quickly.

"Hey, hey," Love started to say worriedly as Kensei attacked yet again.

Sayomi was off the ground an instant later, her lips drawn in a thin line and her eyes narrowed slightly. The arm that Kensei had just blown off had begun to regenerate, but instead of an arm, a large mouth formed out of the white substance and attacked Kensei.

"What the hell," Kensei cursed as the thing came at him. He raised his combat knife like zanpakuto and blocked the mouth from being able to bite his head off. Grunting, Kensei sent another energy bast through the mouth, splattering it over the area.

Ichigo's face was now completely masked and his left side and arm where also now covered in the white armor like skin of a hollow.

"Well, that was a pretty quick transformation," Kensei said with a smirk.

'Don't get cocky now you fool,' Sayomi thought, 'He'll kill you. I told you not to underestimate him, do you see why now?'

"When my turn comes around again, I'll be sure to end this," Lisa spoke up.

Sayomi's light blue eyes trailed over to the bruised and scratched girl. "You won't be taking another turn," she said.

Lisa looked over at her in surprise, but Sayomi's eyes were already back on the fight.

"I'll take care of this myself, if it comes to that. No one else but me will be killing him," Sayomi said, although everyone knew it was an order. Her face had hardened and her eyes were now distant as she contemplated her options.

She thought of all the others and how long the transformations had taken for the rest of them. The longest had been her. Barely, Hiyori had been only a few seconds behind. It had taken almost seventy minutes for her to beat the hollow inside of her. By that time she was almost a full hollow and she was very close to being killed by Kensei, who had insisted on fighting her out of turn.

She hadn't known it then, but he was already in love with her. He had apparently loved her for years, he just never said anything. After all, she was engaged to a nobleman who was a captain and the head of his clan. All he felt he had to offer was himself, which since she was already spoken for he didn't feel would mean anything.

When she had found out that he had loved her she had been surprised. They had worked together for years before she had been promoted to his lieutenant and then to captain of the tenth squad after her father's death. In that time though he had never once said anything to make her believe they were anything but friends. Their friendship was a bit twisted. They fought constantly and both felt they were always right. They would spar a lot which was good for both of them, it helped Sayomi learn to control her short temper and become a better and more skilled fighter. Kensei on the other hand just liked the time he got to spend with her, she challenged him and would actually stand up to him. If he wasn't in the mood though, she would back down immediately, she may like to fight, but she wasn't an idiot. Fighting him when he was seriously pissed off was not a good idea.

They had worked well together despite their many quarrels, they were serious when they needed to be and could easily join together to accomplish any task they were given. She knew that it would have been hard for him to see her killed by anyone else's hand, so he wanted to be the one to deal the finishing blow, if it came to that.

Luckily for her it didn't. Barely, a few more seconds and she would have been blown to pieces by Kensei's zanpakuto, Tachikaze. She didn't remember much of that day, she didn't care to. It had started out like the majority of those days did for her. Her waking up alone and with no one to go to, no fiance, no family and no home. She had been betrayed by her own family, her own flesh and blood that she hadn't seen in years and she would never forget that night. The night changed her entire life. In some ways it was better, she had Kensei now and she didn't think she would change that. She had been happy for a little while. Now though she knew it was all coming to an end, she no longer cared about living. She cared about her revenge. She didn't care about the other two traitors, she only wanted to get her hands on the one. The one she called her brother.

And she would do anything to get to him. She had formed her resolve and she was going to kill the man that had smiled at her as she lay in a pool of her own blood after having attacked her brother as the newly awakened hollow in her tried to overtake her. He had cut her down himself and would have killed her had Kisuke not come along with Tessai.

Remaining upright, Sayomi watched as Kensei was replaced by Mashiro, Hiyori, Rose, and then Shinji. After Shinji, Love was going to take his turn. By then sixty minutes would have passed, if by seventy minutes Ichigo hadn't won his fight he would need to be eliminated, it was almost certain that by then he would be a full hollow. As it was now at almost sixty minutes he was almost entirely transformed.

Love stood up after a nod from Kensei, Sayomi gritted her teeth but said nothing as the tall man entered the barrier and Shinji exited. With a quick glance back at Kensei who wasn't really paying her any attention, Sayomi walked closer to where Hachi sat on the ground as he kept watch over the barrier.

"When I tell you to, open a door for me. Do not let anyone else in after that, understood," Sayomi asked.

Hachi started slightly at her command and tried to stutter out a refusal, but after looking up to see her face he nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"Good," she replied.

Kensei looked over to Sayomi who was talking quietly to Hachi, he saw the surprise and fear on Hachi's face as she said something to him that he apparently didn't like. The large man then tried to stutter something out but a single look from Sayomi was enough to get him to nod in approval. He stood from his spot on a ledge in a boulder and made his way towards Sayomi.

Sayomi saw Kensei walking towards her and growled. "Open it," she hissed.

Hachi did as he was told and a door opened in the barrier a few feet in front of them.

Kensei started shouting at her as she flashed to the door, Hiyori stood up and shouted as well. As a matter of fact, the only one not shouting, besides Hachi of course, was Shinji. He sat on the top of a near by rock watching calmly as Sayomi flew towards Love, her hand going to the hilt of her zanpakuto that was now hung over her back on a silver chain, the hilt over her right shoulder. She drew the sword in a fluid move as she appeared before a surprised Love. The sunglass wearing man started to protest as Sayomi knelt to block a blow from Ichigo's sword.

"Sorry Love," she said as she kicked Ichigo away and turned to shove the stunned man out the open door. "Close it!" She shouted.

The second Love stepped out of the barrier the door shut and a very pissed off Kensei was glaring at her from just beyond where it had been. He turned back to Hachi and ordered him to open the door back up.

"Leave it," Shinji called calmly. "She's just going in a little early. Besides she ordered him not open it again"

"I don't give a shit," Kensei shouted. "She's coming out of there when her turns over."

"I'm sorry," Hachi said. "But I won't be opening the door."

Kensei opened his mouth to argue, but was interrupted when Sayomi suddenly spoke. Her voice was low and cold.

"If anyone steps in this barrier before I say so, believe me when I say, I will kill them myself. I will take care of this from here." She stated.

"Are you going to let her do this, Shinji," Hiyori shouted.

"We don't have a choice. Even if she didn't kill us for stepping in that barrier, he would," he answered as he nodded in Ichigo's direction.

Kensei clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes angrily as he watched Sayomi dance around Ichigo.

Sayomi fought Ichigo for several minutes, keeping track of time in her head as best she could. If she was right it was almost sixty eight minutes since Ichigo had begun the transformation. She had been in the barrier for almost four minutes. She had a few scratches on her arms and a pretty good gash in her neck. Blood was staining her white shirt and running down her arm as she faced Ichigo, who as far as she could tell, was now completely transformed.

'Dammit,' she thought as she gripped Fuyukaze with both hands.

She grunted as one of Ichigo's hands, that were now more like taloned claws came at her chest. Stepping to her right and spinning she was able to avoid the claw, but not the taloned foot that came at her next. She bit back a cry of pain as three large rips spread across her right side.

"Sayomi," she heard Kensei yell.

Falling to her knees, she grasped her side with her left hand, blood poured over her fingers, staining her clothes and the dirt beneath her.

Putting the tip of Fuyukaze in the dirt in front of her, she hefted herself up. Taking a deep breath she steeled herself for the next attack, her face went blank and her eyes became emotionless as she watched Ichigo. She could hear Kensei arguing with Shinji to make Hachi open a door, but Shinji wouldn't listen. He sat completely still and watched.

Sayomi's eyes widened as Ichigo held out a hand before him, she could feel the spirit energy he was collecting and she immediately raised a hand to her face. As she pulled down on the air, a white mask began to form over her face. The whites of her eyes darkened and her pupils narrowed into slits. As the mask came together it was revealed to be very feline like in appearance with black stripes on the cheeks that looked like whiskers. It had thin, sharp needle like teeth across the mouth and narrowed eyes. There were also three black dots spaced over the forehead and two cat like ears that stuck up from the mask as it curved over her forehead. The mask didn't cover her entire head, just her face and the crown of her head where the little ears were.

She put her left hand in front of her just as Ichigo fired off the cero he had been preparing.

There was shouting and yelling from outside the barrier trying to force Hachi to get Sayomi out. They were all drowned out though as a static like sound crackled loudly before there was a loud explosion. Dust and debris clouded the air in the barrier making it impossible to see what the outcome of the blast had been. The entire room fell silent, listening for any sound of life from the other side of the barrier.

Sayomi stood stock still in the midst of the dust and smoke listening and waiting. Her zanpakuto was held out before her as she lowered herself into a defensive crouch. Her eyes scanned the area as the smoke and dust began to clear, but still nothing happened.

She gasped in surprise when a white hand wrapped around her throat and lifted her from her crouch.

'Shit, shit, shit,' she thought frantically as her air supply was suddenly cut off. 'How did I not sense him? I'm the most sensitive here and I couldn't even feel a thing. It's good no one else was in here, I think they'd be dead by now.'

In her current position, cutting through his arm would be difficult so instead she settled for twirling her sword in her right hand to gain some momentum, as the hilt slid over the back of her hand and back into her palm she struck out at Ichigo. She sliced through the tough armor on his side, causing him to screech loudly and drop her.

She landed in a semi-crouch, her head tilted up to watch as Ichigo's side regenerated instantaneously.

'Dammit, he's a lot stronger then I thought he'd be,' she thought to herself as she side stepped and flashed away from a head on attack.

She spun and aimed her zanpakuto for Ichigo's throat, but it was easily blocked when he grabbed the blade with his hand and wrenched it away from her. He tossed it aside carelessly and tried to grab her. She disappeared from her spot in an attempt to reclaim her discarded zanpakuto. Ichigo was right behind her and she knew it. Growling, she turned abruptly and swung a fist at his head. It was grabbed and twisted painfully. She didn't scream or show any hint of pain as the muscles and tendons tore apart. Tearing her hand away from him and letting it hang limply at her right side, she spun again and flashed towards her zanpakuto.

"Get her out of there," Kensei shouted.

"Shinji, you gotta get her out. Now," Love yelled frantically.

The dust and smoke finally cleared and Sayomi was now visible to everyone. She wasn't much worse than she had been moments before the blast, but it was obvious she was being overpowered.

She picked up her zanpakuto and swung around in time to block the talons coming at her. She wasn't as skilled with her left hand, but she managed to slice through Ichigo's arm and quickly land another blow to his side. She jumped backwards as Ichigo tried to retaliate and shoved his talons toward her throat.

"I'm sorry Ichigo," she said as he flew at her while howling loudly. Holding her sword steady and not moving as he charged at her Sayomi prepared to strike out at his mask, she would have landed the hit too, if he hadn't disappeared at the last second. Her eyes widened and she was jolted forward suddenly.

Looking down, she saw that one of Ichigo's taloned hands was protruding grotesquely from her stomach. She coughed up a stream of crimson as he withdrew his hand. She struggled for breath as everyone outside screamed and yelled at Hachi to let them in.

"No," she shouted. "This is my fight. He is my friend, I will deal with this. Remember who I am you fools!"

No one heeded her shouts and continued to badger Hachi to open a door into the barrier.

"I've had enough of this," Sayomi said as she pushed herself up from the ground.

The hollow Ichigo cackled wildly as he prepared to fire another cero at Sayomi, the shouting behind her intensified, but she held her ground. Holding Fuyukaze in front of her, its blade parallel to the ground she pointed a finger towards Ichigo and gathered a stifling amount of energy into her own cero. Just as she prepared to fire the cero, Ichigo's armored body began to tremble.

Sayomi's eyes narrowed and she dropped her hand.

"Get her out," Lisa yelled.

"Sayomi," Kensei shouted as she turned towards them and crouched, tucking her head into her chest and hiding her face behind her arms, not a second later an explosion tore through the barrier.

"What the hell happened?!"

"Where is he?!"

"Sayomi!"

"Hachi," Shinji said calmly.

"Yes sir," he replied as he released the barrier.

Everyone was in an uproar as they ran towards where the fight had been taking place. Swords were drawn and not a single person was going to be holding back.

"Stay back," they heard Sayomi shout.

Surprised by the sudden order everyone halted in their steps. There was a sudden gust of ice cold wind and all the dust began to clear.

Standing before them was Sayomi, her back to them and blood staining her white hair from the large rip in her back where Ichigo had stabbed her. The mask that had been covering her face was gone and her pale skin was dirty and smeared with blood. Dirt clung to the crimson liquid pouring from her many cuts. Her breathing quickened and her shoulders were rising and falling rapidly. Her right hand hung uselessly at her side and her left grasped the hilt of her sword that looked as if it where about to fall from her grasp. In front of her, facing them, was Ichigo. There was a cracking noise as the white armor that had covered him fell and shattered loudly, most of the pieces disintegrating before they could hit the floor.

"Ichigo," Sayomi asked.

"S-Sayomi," he questioned back, blinking at her as his eyes cleared and returned to their normal amber color.

Sighing, Sayomi dropped her zanpakuto as Ichigo fell face first into the dirt. She followed suit, dropping to her knees, her head falling into her chest.

"So how do you feel," she asked through her raspy breaths.

"Great," he replied, his voice was strained and tired.

She chuckled. "Good."

"Are you-"

"I'm fine," she cut in. "I'm stronger than I look."

Ichigo's eyes showed the guilt he felt at knowing he had been the one to hurt her, unintentionally, but that didn't matter to him. He was the one who had hurt her, it was his body, his hands, his sword. They might not have been the best of friends, but he still didn't wish to harm her.

Kensei glared at Ichigo as he walked over to Sayomi and knelt by her side. He carefully leaned her against him and lifted her into his arms as she passed out. "Stupid, stubborn woman," he grumbled under his breath as he made his way to Hachi.

"Will she be-"

"She'll be fine," Shinji said, answering Ichigo's question before he could fully ask it.

"Good," he sighed before drifting into unconsciousness himself.

Sayomi groggily blinked her eyes open and and winced when she tried to move her right hand to rub at her eyes. She moved a little, to see just how badly torn up she was. It wasn't as bad as she had expected. Her right arm was bandaged and splinted, her stomach was wrapped in thick bandages as well. Her whole midsection hurt, she wasn't that surprised since she had been clawed and then stabbed by Ichigo. Other than that there were a few minor cuts and some bruises.

"What the hell where you thinking?"

"Not now Kensei," Sayomi said as she raised her left hand to rub at the bridge of her nose.

"You almost got yourself killed. I think I deserve to at least now what you were thinking," he snapped.

"I was thinking that if he was going to die it should at least be by the hand of someone he knows and not a stranger. Satisfied? Now leave me the hell alone, I'm not in the mood for this," she said as she turned her head away from Kensei, who was glaring at her from his seat against the wall by her door.

"What exactly are you planning?"

"Right now I'm planning on kicking your ass if you don't leave me alone," she snapped.

"You distance yourself until the day before he shows up. The day you ran out to watch his fight with the Arrancar. What happened?" He asked gruffly.

"Nothing," she stated.

"Bullshit. Something happened and I want to know what."

"Too bad, there's nothing to tell," Sayomi replied.

"You're lying. If you betray us Sayomi, I will never forgive you. Remember that," Kensei said as he stood up and left her room, slamming the door behind him.

Sayomi sighed as she closed her eyes. "Well at least that makes me feel a little bit better."

'I told you they would catch on to what you're doing,' Fuyukaze said snidely.

'I don't want to hear it Fuyukaze. I don't care much anyway, at least now I know he will hate me in the end. It'll be easier that way than thinking he still loves me. I might just be able to move on that way.'

'He'll always love you. Love doesn't just die.'

'We'll see about that.'

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