Chapter 14:

Kira darted around buildings, trying to escape. Hisagi was being ruthless. He was really out to kill him. He looked back over his shoulder. Hisagi was still there, firing off kido after kido at his friend. Kira darted around a tall narrow building, coming around the other side to attack. Hisagi was already there, waiting for him. Their swords came together in a violent clang.

"Hisagi, please!"

He didn't answer him. His expression never changed. Determination was all he had now. He wanted him dead.

"Shuhei!"

They sprang apart, Hisagi forcing him back with a trust of his sword. Kira skidded backwards through the air, his sword still placed before his body. Looking over his blade, Kira could see Hisagi's determined expression leaking out traces of sorrow.

"Izuru…" Hisagi held his sword loosely in his hand, letting the point drag in the air as he moved his body. "I don't want to do this. I don't want to kill you."

"Then why are you doing this?"

Hisagi looked around at the mass of Soul Reapers each occupied with their own battles. "… Because Yumichika asked me to."

Kira started to lower his blade, but not his guard.

"He told me to do this and…" Hisagi's hand started to shake, making his sword rattle quietly. "I know this is wrong. I know I shouldn't be doing this."

"Then why are you?" Kira was pleading for an answer. He wanted to know the logic behind all this madness. Why did friends have to fight friends?

"I must!" Hisagi shut his eyes tight as if convincing himself that all this was justified. "Yumichika has given me a task and I will do it! I cannot disobey! No matter how much I'm against it!"

"Why?"

Hisagi turned back to face Kira. His sword had stopped shaking. "Because I am loyal to him."

Kira couldn't understand.

"I'm loyal to him, Izuru! I want to serve him and make him pleased with me! I look only for his approval! I admire him! I've never felt such overwhelming desire before in my life. All that I do, I do for him! I do it because I love him!"

Kira's face wrinkled. "Huh?"

"N- no, not like that. I mean… You know what I mean!" Hisagi tried to recover from his faux pas. "Think of your parents. When they tell you to do something, you do it, right? A- and you seek their approval, right? Loyalty and love. Devotion. That is how I feel. Even if it is something I'm dead set against, if it's for him and his sake, I will do it. No matter how much it pains me to do so!"

Kira looked upon him with pity. Hisagi truly didn't want to continue this fight but he had no choice. The venom he was infected with wouldn't allow him that. Hisagi was going to keep fighting until it was done and over with. But he could also understand how Hisagi felt. Such devotion and loyalty. He once felt the same way about Gin. He would blindly follow his orders, never fully knowing what he was doing or the consequences of his actions. He just did as he was told, even if he knew that it was wrong. Now Hisagi was in the same position.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this, Izuru. I really am. But…" Hisagi lifted his sword to him. "I'm going to have to kill you if you don't lower your weapon and go home. Please, I'm begging you."

Kira refused. He knew this fight wasn't over yet and he had to finish what he started. "I'm sorry, but I cannot do that. I have to ask you to lower your weapon, Shuhei. Please."

It was a standoff.

"I'm not going to let you interfere with Yumichika's plans. I'll make sure he sees them through to the end."

"And I can't let you continue what you're doing. I have to stop you and make sure Yumichika doesn't succeed."

"Then you know what that mean."

"… Yes."

"A fight to the death between us."

"Exactly."

Hisagi held his sword tightly. If this was a fight to the death, then there was no doubt in Kira's mind that, as much as he hated it, Hisagi would have to end up unleashing his zanpakuto's power. Kira really didn't want it to come to that. He didn't want to kill Hisagi. He was innocent in all of this. He was a victim. However, maybe he didn't have to kill him in order to stop him. With his zanpakuto, he could render him helpless by making all his body parts too heavy to move. That seemed like a good plan. All he had to do was make sure that he could get close enough to do it.

He held his blade sideways and called out its name. "Raise your head, Wabisuke!" His blade flexed and curved into a hook shape, ready to slice.

Hisagi knew about Kira's power and wasn't going to let him get close enough to use it. "Bakudo 62, Hyapporankan!"

Kira daftly flashed between the glowing rods towards Hisagi. As he raised his sword, Hisagi raised his own. They clashed together. This was just what Kira wanted. The more he had to block, the more Wabisuke would cut into the blade, making it heavier. This was perfect. As he moved to raise his sword for another attack, he found that it wouldn't budge. Glaring up at him was Hisagi. He had one hand on his own sword and the other on top of Kira's, keeping it in place.

"What are you doing?"

"If I keep your sword like this, you won't be able to cut anymore, will you?" Hisagi was planning on keep their swords connected so Kira couldn't raise it again. Hisagi's hand started to glow red. "Hado 31, Shakkaho."

Was he trying to break the sword using kido?

The blast hit the back of Kira's zanpakuto, causing the sword to vibrate in his hands, shaking him. Fighting to hold on, Kira didn't notice the second attack hitting him at point blank range. Part of Shakkaho had reflected off his blade and hit him in the face, scorching his hair and skin. The pain was too much to stand and he let go of his sword, stumbling back.

"I knew it!" Hisagi tossed Kira's sword away and came after him with another attack. "I knew you wouldn't be able to stand it!"

As he raised his sword, Kira fought back with his own kido. "Bakudo number 8, Seki!" A round shield appeared around Kira's wrist, blocking Hisagi's attack. He wasn't done yet. "Bakudo 21, Sekienton!"

It was like a red smoke bomb had gone off in front of his face. Hisagi couldn't see anything, but he knew what Kira was planning. "You won't get away!" He targeted a shadow moving around behind the smoke. "Bakudo number 30, Shitotsu Sansen!"

Three beams of light shot out, attempting to pin the target down. But the attack kept going, missing the shadow.

Suspecting that Kira would try to sneak up on him from behind, Hisagi turned around and waited for him. As he raised his sword, he felt something cut him from behind. As he turned, he suffered another cut on his left leg. He jumped out of the smoke and into the air. Kira followed him with his sword.

"I knew you'd do that," Hisagi said. "Cleaver use of the smoke bomb technique. But it's not good enough."

"I know that." Kira pointed his hand. "Bakudo 63, Sajo Sabaku!"

Yellow light wrapped around Hisagi's arms, binding him. Kira took this chance to cut Hisagi's right and left leg again. Hisagi started to kneel, but he refused to give up the fight. The loyalty to his master was too great.

"I'm not losing to you!" Hisagi flexed his arms and snapped the spell. He grabbed his sword and sliced into Kira's chest, exposing his skin. Kira leapt away, but Hisagi followed him. "You won't get away!"

Kira kept running, trying to lose himself in the crowd. Hisagi kept on him, ducking around Soul Reapers, all trying to fight for their master. Kira kept running until he reach a cluster of tall buildings he could use for cover. He stopped running and turned.

Hisagi kept running and used the momentum to power up his attack. Kira blocked with his sword while Hisagi pushed against him. He was aware that he was cutting into Wabisuke, but no longer cared. He was going to win no matter what.

Kira found himself sliding back. He dug his heels into the air, trying to slop himself. He had to get some distance between himself and Hisagi. Keeping both hands on his sword, he used another kido. "Hado 58, Tenran!" The tornado-like blast forced Hisagi back, sending him flying like a leaf in the wind. This gave Kira enough time to prepare for his next attack.

Recovering, Hisagi came back at Kira at full speed. "I'll kill you! I swear I will!"

"Then you'd better hurry and catch me." As Hisagi sped towards him, Kira allowed himself to fall through the air towards the ground.

"Not so fast!" Hisagi did the same, following him.

Kira twisted his body around so that he was now falling head first towards the ground. As Hisagi caught up to him, Kira corrected himself and landed in the middle of the street below. Kira stood still and watched as Hisagi came at him again, only to stop himself short of the attack. "What?"

"Why did you stop?" he asked.

Kira pointed straight up. "Haven't you noticed where we are?"

Hisagi followed his finger to a streetlight above their heads. "So? That's a traffic light. I know about them."

"Then you also know what happens when the light turns green?"

"Of course I do, I'm not stupid."

Kira looked at the ground where Hisagi stood. "If that's the case, then I wouldn't stand there if I were you."

Hisagi looked at the ground. He was standing in the middle of a one-way street and the light above him just turned green. He looked to his left and saw a large city bus come speeding towards him.

"Don't expect them to stop," Kira added. "You know how the living can't see us."

Hisagi's eyes widened and made to jump out of the way, but his left leg wouldn't move. It was too heavy to lift. He hadn't noticed how many times Kira had cut into that leg. He knew he was cut at least twice, but what he didn't know was that he had managed to stealthily cut him four more times while they were in the air nearing the ground. Not only that, but he had also cut into his right leg, tripping it up and his sword a grand total of three times without him realizing it. All that extra weight on his person made it impossible for him to dodge the bus. All he could muster was a whimper before the bus slammed into him at 40 miles an hour.

Kira watched from the sidewalk as the bus slowed to a stop and pulled over, feeling like they had hit something. There was no man, but there was a Hisagi shape imprint on the front of the bus. Hisagi lay in the middle of the street, unable to move his body and moaning in tremendous pain. Kira sighed and went over to help drag his friend away to a safe place. This fight was over.

Byakuya's fight was nearing an end. Or so it would seem. Granted Byakuya was a captain and powerful as much as he was skilled, but fighting a lieutenant like Iba wasn't easy. It proved to be exceedingly difficult with an expert in both kido and flash step. After battling for what may have been hours, both were left panting. Byakuya knew that Iba had lost all sense of reason and there was no point in trying to bring it out of him. He understood that if stabbed by that stinger, he would most likely be the same way himself. Who knew what he might end up doing?

"Tetsuzaemon Iba."

He mopped the sweat from his brow. "Yeah?"

"We can stop if you like."

"Never! Don't insult me!" Ida stood up shakily. "I'm just getting started. There's no way in hell I'm giving up a perfectly good fight! A true warrior never gives up! He fights to the end!"

"It wasn't my intention to insult you. Merely to spare you further humiliation."

Ida shot him a look that would have sent most men running for the hills. Snarling and ready to put Byakuya in his place, Ida raised his sword. "Let's finish this!"

"Very well." Byakuya held up his own blade, murmuring the release command softly. "Scatter, Senbonzakura."

A maelstrom of pink swirled and dance majestically around Iba. He ignored the beautiful dance and charged towards Byakuya. He tried a kido before the actual attack to hold Byakuya in place. Byakuya flashed away before he could and reappeared behind him. As expected. Iba changed the direction of his attack and bound Byakuya's arms to his sides using kido. Iba turned and attempted to slice him across the chest, but the pink petals blocked him. Acting as a shield, they protected Byakuya from the attack. Rotating in the air, they attacked Iba back. Like razors, they cut into his cheek and his bare arms.

Still bound by kido, Byakuya stood calmly, not seeming to care. "I told you that I wanted to spare you. You cannot win."

"Stop being arrogant!" Iba, slashed the flowery attack away with his sword. "You haven't won yet!"

A wall of pink separated them, hiding Byakuya from view. When the petals moved on, Byakuya was free and standing on another building. "It's not arrogance. It's truth."

"Then come here and say that!"

"Why? So I can lower myself to your level?" Byakuya scoffed. "Hardly."

Iba lost his temper. "Shut up!"

Before Byakuya could blink, Iba had slammed into him full-force and into a building. Gripping Byakuya by his hair, he repeatedly bashed his head into the side of the building. As blood rolled down his face, Byakuya managed to lift his hand and point it at Iba. "Hado 4, Byakurai."

The lightning blasted Iba in the face and sent him reeling backwards. Byakuya turned and got ready for another strike. Curving his sword to the side, the pink petals began to swarm around them, spinning at an incredible speed.

Noticing the pink surrounding them, Iba laughed. "You're an idiot."

"How so?"

Iba pointed. "That's how."

Byakuya looked down. Another kido had been set into place. How did he not notice it before? "Bakudo 61, correct?"

"Yes. Now you really are helpless. You can't move at all." Iba smiled. "This fight is mine."

Byakuya closed his eyes. "Not even close. Though I must commend you on this."

"What the hell are you talking about? I've got you pinned!"

"Correct. I'm pinned." Byakuya looked up at the pink petals still spinning above them. On cue, they swirled towards Iba, engulfing him in pink. He slashed at them but it was no use. Though he may have been pinned, that didn't stop Byakuya from attacking. As the pink attack started to clear, he readied himself for another kido. "Bakudo 63, Sajo Sabaku. And Bakudo 75, Gochutekkan."

There was nothing he could do against the two kidos combined. Wrapped up in the first kido, the large pillars pinned him in place on the building below them. Unable to move or maintain focus, the kido binding Byakuya faded, freeing him. Byakuya stood above him and watched the Hollows swarming above them.

"This isn't anywhere near over yet," Byakuya breathed.

When Ichigo opened his eyes again, he felt a lot better. He sat up.

"Wait, I'm not done," Rangiku told him. "You're still-"

"I don't care." Ichigo struggled to his feet. "This has to end. Renji and Rukia… they've…" He couldn't finish. "I have to do something!"

Linnette hurried over the them. "I see someone coming this way!"

They looked up. It was Renji and Hitsugaya.

"Oh, crap…"

Renji looked down upon Ichigo with hatred and malice. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this!" He whipped his zanpakuto in their direction.

"That frozen thing must have worn off." Which meant Cedric wasn't too far behind.

Victor attempted to lift Linnette into his arms, but she pushed him away. "No! We're staying in this fight and helping Ichigo and the rest."

"I'll do the fighting. I need to get you somewhere safe."

"No! I'm staying!" She stared Victor down. "Please…"

Torn over what to do, Victor let out a heavy sigh. "I will protect you with my life. You know that."

"So will I."

Everyone looked at the speaker.

Ichigo gave a smile. "I'll look after her, too. You don't need to worry, Victor."

Victor's face showed a rare state of bewilderment. Ichigo wanted to protect her, too? Did he understand what she meant to them? Did he truly care? Did he understand his feelings? His desire? Victor's open mouth closed and he gave Ichigo a small smile. "Yes."

Linnette jumped up and down happily.

Victor smiled, patting her head. "Fight together, correct?"

"Right!" she smiled back. "At each other's side, right?"

He nodded. "I'm never leaving you, Linnette." He looked back at Ichigo, seriousness in his eyes. "Ready?"

"Are you?"

Victor took his stance, giving his unspoken answer.

Ichigo looked back at the Soul Reapers closing in on them. Feeling everyone stand behind him, even the ones with little power and no fighting skill, made him feel stronger. Even now he still wasn't alone. He raised his sword.

"Bankai!"

Yay! Kick butt, Ichigo! Go, go, go!

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