Chapter 14

When Kenny came up to me, I asked with shock, "How did you get healed up so fast? I was possitive that the bankai I used would have been very effective and would've have you'd knocked out for several days!"

"I'm one the strongest Soul Reapers around here, remember?" Kenny said. He told me, "If you want to save Ichigo, you'd better hurry. Everyone was told by the black moth that Ichigo's execution will be in five days."

Youriochi handed over some sort of bone to me as she said, "Ichisan, take this. Your father used this years ago to try to save Rukia. He was badly injured and was out of his mind back then. But seeing that you're stronger than he is, I'm positive that you'll actually be able to save him."

I took it and grabbed Kenny as I cried out, "You're coming with me! I need your help in finding Orihime!"

Kenny skidded to a halt as he said, "She should be at the tower you were at earlier. I feel her spiritual energy around there at the moment. Ichigo's out talking to her, but tied up."

I put the bone thing around my wrist and ran out the entrance. Soon, I was flying and I headed straight towards the tower I was at when I passed out. By the time I arrived, Orihime was already in trouble, because she was having hard time avoiding attacks from a blonde haired Soul Reaper who had very squinty eyes and smiling from ear to ear. My dad fell to his knees as he gasped, crying out, "Gin! Get away! I feel higher spiritual energy! It's higher than my own daughter's as well! This one could defeat you with one attack!"

I landed besides my dad as I told him, "How is my spiritual higher than my own, dad?" When Orihime turned around, I smiled up at her as I said, "Hello, Orihime! How have you been doing since you left me to fight with Kenny?" As I got up onto my feet, I told Orihime, "Take care of my dad while I fight this guy, Orihime."

As I walked up to the Soul Reaper and got ready fight him, my dad yelled at me furiously, "Ichisan! Get away! He's one of the twelve remaining captains! You know very well yourself that I was going to leave my captain spot to Kenny once I get executed!"

"You're my dad and I'm not giving up on you after you looked after me all these years! I promised Rukia that I would save you! Most importantly, I swore to my soul that I will save you no matter what happens to me!" I yelled back at him. I sneered at the blonde haired captain, "Bring it on, pretty boy!"

The smile of this captain grew bigger as he said, "Oh! A tough girl!" He looked past me as he said to my dad, "This your kid, Captain Kurosaki?"

My dad lay where he was as he begged, "Please, Gin! Please don't attack my daughter! She doesn't know what she's doing! All I taught her was to use bankai with my zanpaku-to while I was a Soul Reaper! She doesn't know how to summon her own! Please! I beg you!"

I turned half way around as I told my dad, "I'm sorry you haven't been there to see me summon Takikanto for first time, dad." I hit my zanpaku-to to my right as I yelled, "Ruler Of The Jungle!" When the lion form of Takikanto appeared, I saw that my dad looked shocked while the captain named Gin started to smile with pleasure. I snapped my attention to the Soul Reaper as I asked, "Sorry, but my dad never talked about you. What did you say your name was again?"

"Gin. Captain Ichimaru, for you," he responded. As he took his own zanpaku-to out, he added, "The one who will kill you!"

I flung my zanpaku-to foward and hit it point down as I yelled as loud as I could, "Shikai Juu Raikou Dageki Raishuu!" Just as Ichimaru started to charge right for me, he fell into the crack that was being made.

Ichimaru jumped out about a minute later as he yelled at me, "You'd wish you hadn't done that, kid!" When he came down, he was right above me and had his zanpaku-to coming down first, just so he could try to cut my head open as he finished me off.

Takikanto jumped and knocked Ichimaru to the side as she roared, "No one attacks one of the best Soul Reapers I'm their zanpaku-to, Ichimaru, and you know it!"

Ichimary still had that huge grin on his face as he said, "Of course I remember, Takikanto, but you have forgotten to have your quote-on-quote side-kick on their guard!"

He threw his zanpaku-to right at me and caused injury to my leg as the blade slashed across half way deep into my leg. As I fell on my knees, screaming with pain, I heard my dad yell with terror, "Ichisan!" I got back up on my feet, but leaned on my uninjured leg.

I yelled at Ichimaru, "You'll pay for it! What you did to my dad! Especially what you did to my mom! No one teases Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki in an evil way and gets away with it!"

Takikanto got off of Ichimaru as she snapped, "You have to leave all your life in my hands, Ichisan! Have you forgotten already?"

I shook my head as I whispered, "No. You still have my life in your hands, Takikanto, but my dad's life is in mine. I'm the only one who can save him!" I looked at her and asked, "Do you trust me? Because I trust you with all my life."

She smiled and disappeared. I felt her grab the zanpaku-to with me as she said, "Then it's time you unraveled the true power of bankai. Use the same one you used on Kenny."

I yelled at top of my lungs, "Bankai!" When a huge lion and a huge dog appeared besides me once more, I saw that Ichimaru's eyes grew wide. I spat in his face, "Why do you look so surprised, captain? I thought you have seen Takikanto's powers before!"

My dad started to gasp for breath even harder and I saw that he was sweating with no end. Orihime gulped as she pointed upward. She quietly told me, "Ichisan-san! Look what's happening to your bankai!"

When I looked up, the dog and the lion had emerged, but that was not all. Their front feet were the feet of a bird and had wings of a bold eagle. To top that, it had tail of dog, lion and a serpent. I asked in terrified tone, "Takikanto? What's going on?"

The only response I got from her was, "Ichisan, don't lose your trust in me! You have finally reached your highest point of bankai! I can help you save your father! Are you with me or will you just chicken out like only other Soul Reaper I had worked with in the past?"

I took a deep, calming breaths as I told her quietly, "Which one did you say I should use? The one used on Byakuya or Kenny?"

"Try the one that you used on Byakuya first," she quickly said.

I ran foward and cut Ichimaru across his chest and backed off few steps before I quickly muttered, "Bankai Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!" The creature that had formed recently had been broken apart into small pieces and attacked Ichimaru. Renji quickly got in front of Ichimaru as I cried out with fear, "Renji! Get out of the way!"

But it was too late by the time the warning reached him. Not only was Ichimaru attacked and screamed as though he was being stabbed with small pieces of glasses, same thing was happening to Renji as well. When the attack was finished, I ran over to Renji and he weakly told me, "I'm sorry, Ichisan, but I didn't think what I was doing. If I die like this, I just want you to know that I love you."

When he passed out, All the other Soul Reapers started to arrive, including Rukia. I heard Rukia shrilly cry, "Renji! Wake up!" She ran over and shook him hard as she shrieked, "Renji! Renji! C'mon! You can't die! Open your eyes!"

As my eyes started to fill with tears, I picked up Renji's motionless body and carried it over to my dad. I ordered him, "Grab on to my heel and don't let go." My dad looked bewildered as I yelled once more, "Dad! Do this for me! I still haven't completed my training of bankai! If you trust me, you will do this for me! I still need your help!"

My dad looked away as he told me, "My apologies, Ichisan, but I can not come with you. I will take my death honorably like any other Soul Reapers would."

I clenched my teeth as I said, "Fine! But remember this, dad! I'm not giving up on you! You always supported me and was always there for me when I needed you the most! I'll come back to get you as soon as I can!" I let a short scream of anger as I raised the arm with the bone thing tied around it and I flew once more, but with Renji over my shoulders.

When I got to where Kenny and Youriohci were, they seemed shocked that I brought Renji with me. Kenny asked, "Wasn't it Gin that you attacked?"

I gently put Renji down as I told him, "Yes, but Renji got in the way and my bankai attacked both Renji and Ichimaru."

Kenny hurriedly said, "I'll get some of the fourth company people!"

Youriochi ran after Kenny as she yelled, "No! No one can come here! I'm not allowing you to bring anyone here! You hear me? Are you listening to what I'm saying, Kenny?"

I just sat next to Renji as tears streamed down my face. I beat his chest as I yelled, "Why, Renji? Why did you have to block my attack? You wanted to save my dad! I know you did! So why did you have to block it, you idiot?" I buried my face into his chest and started to cry my eyes out. No matter what I said, he didn't wake. No matter what I did, he did not move. All I heard was his steady breathing. All I saw was his chest moving up and down steadily and barely unnoticeably. Even though I knew he was knocked out cold and hopefully will awaken soon, I cried in his chest. I didn't know whatelse to do. Up to this point, I considered myself a tomboy, but I guess I was wrong all these years. I just wished everything went the way I wanted to go : the right way.