Chapter 21

The Hollow-like person was surrounded by a cloud of ash so thick, he could barely see the voluptuous beauty. He shrieked as the ash cut deep into his skin like a blade.

Rangiku Matsumoto watched as the ash wounded her opponent. This attack was the special ability of her shikai. Her zanpakuto, Haineko, would turn into ash and with the flick of hilt, Rangiku could cut anything the ash landed on.

Rangiku allowed the ash to draw back. Her opponent was still alive, though his entire body was caked with blood.

"D-Damn you," he said. "DAMN YOU!" He raised his zanpakuto.

Suddenly, a crescent moon shaped blade with a second fused to the back was pushed into her opponent's neck. The man slumped to the ground, dead.

"Worthless piece of shit," a seven foot tall man said.

"Nnoitra, you didn't have to kill him!" A beautiful woman with turquoise hair and a crimson line that stretched across her face walked up to Nnoitra.

"Shut the fuck up, Nelliel," Nnoitra said. "Di Roy was losing to a Soul Reaper with barely any spiritual pressure! And she's not even a captain!"

"But the Soul Reapers are regaining their spiritual pressure," Nelliel countered. "It's not Di Roy's fault that their power is increasing!"

"So? He still should've been able to finish her. That's what we've been training for!"

As the two bickered, Rangiku raised Haineko. Their voices faded as a giant ash cloud engulfed them. Rangiku flicked Haineko's hilt. After a moment, the ash dispersed. Rangiku's blue eyes widened.

No one was there.

"HA! Did you think a dumb trick like that could touch us?" Rangiku whirled around. Nnoitra and Nelliel were standing behind her. "Maybe Nelliel would fall for it, but I certainly won't."

Nelliel glared at Nnoitra and then glanced back at Rangiku. All of a sudden, Nelliel disappeared from Rangiku's sight. Thinking quick, Rangiku turned around and blocked Nelliel's zanpakuto just in time. The impact forced Rangiku to slide back. Out of the corner of her eye, Rangiku saw Nnoitra bring down his zanpakuto. Rangiku leaped up and felt the blade graze her shoulder. Ignoring the sting, Rangiku flicked Haineko. Nnoitra and Nelliel disappeared into the ashes.

"Not good enough!"

Rangiku inhaled sharply. Blood trickled out of her mouth as Nnoitra's zanpakuto sliced her back. The only thing she heard was her heartbeat as she fell to the ground.

Strong arms wrapped around her and gently placed her on the ground.

"Rest, Rangiku. I'll take care of these people," Captain Gin Ichimaru said.

"G-Gin…" Rangiku breathed. Relief washed over her. She hadn't seen Gin since the beginning of the battle and had been worried about him.

Gin faced Nnoitra and Nelliel.

"A captain? This is getting interesting," Nnoitra said.

The smirk on Gin's face grew bigger. Gin always smiled and for some reason, he kept his bright blue eyes narrowed into slits. That, added with his shady personality, was unsettling for most people. Rangiku, on the other hand, always found Gin attractive.

"I suppose it is," Gin said. Then, to Rangiku's surprised, the smirk disappeared from Gin's face. "You hurt Rangiku," he said in a dangerously quiet tone. "I'll never forgive you for that, even if you beg for mercy."

"As if I will!" Nnoitra said. "I wouldn't be surprised if Nelliel got down on her knees and begged for mercy, but I sure as hell would never do that!"

"Nnoitra, shut up," Nelliel said. She sheathed her zanpakuto and charged at Gin.

Attacking a captain without using her zanpakuto? What is she thinking? Rangiku wondered.

Gin pointed his zanpakuto, Shinso, at Nelliel. Shinso glowed white and extended at a rapid rate. Nelliel jumped onto Shinso's blade and daintily ran across it. Gin shortened his zanpakuto. Before the tip of the blade reached Nelliel's feet, she leaped up and brought her foot down on Gin. Gin blocked the attack with his arm and stabbed at Nelliel. She did a flip in the air, successfully dodging the attack. She landed next to Nnoitra.

She's fast.

"You're fast," Gin said.

"Nelliel, you couldn't even scratch him! You really are worthless. Let the expert swordsman show you how it's done!" Nnoitra said.

Nnoitra ran towards Gin with his zanpakuto raised. Gin extended Shinso. The tip of Shinso crashed into Nnoitra's zanpakuto. The tip slid down slightly, emitting a horrible scratching sound that reminded Rangiku of nails on a chalkboard.

Nnoitra grunted with effort as he tried to push Shinso away.

Gin's smirk returned. "Bankai."

Shinso glowed brighter and shot through Nnoitra's zanpakuto, breaking it in half. The blade shoved Nnoitra back and blood spurted from his chest, but the attack didn't seem to be inflicting serious damage on him.

"AHHH!"

Nelliel's gaze followed Nnoitra until he crashed through a store. She looked back at Gin.

Shinso went back to its original form. "Kamishini no Yari," Gin said. A bead of sweat rolled down Gin's face.

Using his bankai must be tiring for him now. Rangiku thought. I should help him. Rangiku shakily stood up and tightened her grip on her zanpakuto

Nelliel sighed. "And you call me weak." She held her zanpakuto up horizontally. "Declare."

A hazy smoke emanated from it as the zanpakuto glowed.

"Gamuza."

The glow intensified into a huge burst of spiritual pressure.

Rangiku's eyes widened. Gin's expression remained the same.

Nelliel looked like a centaur except, instead of a horse body, she had the body of an ibex. She had white spaulders on her shoulder and the bone on her head grew horns. In her hand was a green lancer.

Nnoitra limped out of the store. "Oh oh Nelliel, using your second form already? If you're so strong, shouldn't you be able to take down that captain without releasing Gamuza?" Nnoitra taunted.

"How many times must I remind you that a barbarian has no right to talk to a warrior as if he were the warrior's equal or superior?"

Nnoitra's lip curled. His teeth glinted. "Why you-"

He was interrupted by a giant cloud of ash that swallowed both him and Nelliel. Rangiku flicked Haineko's hilt.

Gin raised Shinso and extended it. Whatever the blade made contact with shattered. Gin retracted the blade.

Gin suddenly whirled around and was met with a punch to the face.

"Gin!" Rangiku cried as Gin soared through the same store Nnoitra crashed into. She glanced at the attacker.

It was Nelliel and there wasn't a single scratch on her perfect body.

But how? Why is it that my shikai has not scratched them at least once? Are they just that fast?

Gin flash stepped behind Nelliel and swung his sword. Nelliel countered with an uppercut.

SNAP! Rangiku's eyes widened as the top half of Shinso snapped off and flew into the air. Gin frowned.

Nnoitra loomed over Gin and brought his zanpakuto down. Gin flash stepped above Nnoitra.

Gin pointed a finger at Nnoitra and Nelliel. "Bakudo #4, Hainawa!"

A rope made of spiritual energy crawled out of Gin's fingers and entangled Nelliel and Nnoitra. Nnoitra and Nelliel struggled to free themselves.

"Now, Rangiku!"

Rangiku pointed Haineko at the struggling opponents. The ash engulfed them. Rangiku flicked the hilt.

Gin flew down next to her and stared at the ash storm. He wiped the blood from his nose. His frown was still glued to his face. After a few heartbeats, Rangiku dispersed the ash. Nelliel and Nnoitra were still there and their bodies were scratched. Unfortunately, the cuts weren't deep.

Nelliel groaned and finally freed herself from the rope. Nnoitra did the same.

Nelliel faced Nnoitra. "Nnoitra, blast your Cero at me!"

Nnoitra hesitated for a moment before open his mouth, revealing a pointy tongue. A yellow Cero shot from his tongue. Nelliel opened her mouth and…swallowed it?

Nelliel turned around and opened her mouth. A much larger Cero shot from her mouth.

Gin flash stepped onto a short building. He froze.

Rangiku had stood near Nelliel and was not fast enough to dodge the attack. An intense heat burned her skin as the Cero blasted her. Rangiku was thrown in the air and felt Gin catch her.

Gin gently lay her on the street. "R-Rangiku."

Rangiku coughed out blood and sat up. "I'm fine Gin. Really, I am."

Rangiku clutched her abdomen. Her hand became sticky with blood.

"Rangiku, rest. I'll handle them," Gin said.

"No Gin, I'm fine!" Rangiku stood up. Her right foot stepped back as she found her balance.

Gin hesitated. "OK, fight if you want. But if the battle gets too intense, I want you to leave."

"But-"

"Rangiku, that's an order," Gin said sternly.

Rangiku stared at Gin. It was rare to see him so serious.

"This is getting boring!" Nnoitra declared. "Let's just end this quickly."

Yellow spiritual energy gathered around him. Nnoitra lifted up his zanpakuto. "Pray, Santa Teresa."

Spiritual energy flowed from the blade. An extra set of arms sprouted from Nnoitra's body. His clawed hands each carried a giant scythe. The scythes resembled the appendages of a praying mantis which made Rangiku's stomach churn. She absolutely hated bugs. Two horns resembling crescent moons grew from Nnoitra's head. Several tendril-like appendages extended from the sides of his abdomen.

Nelliel rolled her hazel eyes. "Hypocrite," she said. "You criticized me for releasing Gamuza, yet, you just released Santa Teresa."

Nnoitra glared at her. "I just want this battle to end now! Watch closely Nelliel, this battle will end in a flash. You don't want to miss it."

Nnoitra charged at Gin and vice versa. Nnoitra swung Santa Teresa. Gin dodged all of his swings.

Rangiku sensed someone standing behind her. She turned around.

"You should learn to focus better," Nelliel said. She raised her fist.

Quickly, Rangiku raised Haineko horizontally. Nelliel smashed her fist against Haineko. The blade shattered.

Rangiku felt her nose break as Nelliel socked her. She soared through the air but quickly regained control of her body. She glanced at the hilt Haineko's blade used to be attached to and her heart wrenched. Looks like I have to rely on Kido now.

Rangiku tossed the hilt aside and pointed her palm at Nelliel. "Hado #58, Tenran!"

A tornado fired from her palm. Nelliel veered to one side. Rangiku's palm followed Nelliel, but the tornado couldn't even brush her.

Rangiku stopped her attack and pointed her finger at Nelliel. "Carriage of Thunder. Bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudo #61, Rikujokoro!"

Six wide beams of light charged at Nelliel from all directions. The beams shattered when they collided with each other.

"I think it's about time I made my attack," Nelliel whispered into Rangiku's ear.

Eyes widening, Rangiku flash stepped away. Sweat rolled down the side of her head.

Nelliel lifted up a green lancer. "Lanzador Verde."

Nelliel thrust her lancer at Rangiku with unimaginable speed. Not a single thought crossed Rangiku's mind as the lancer drilled through her chest. She saw her blood burst from her chest.

The pain came once her body hit the ground. It felt almost as if her heart just exploded.

Before Rangiku's world turned white, she saw Gin get impaled by Nnoitra's zanpakuto. His eyes widened, revealing their brilliant blue color.

"Matsumoto, where are you going?" Toshiro asked.

Instead of wearing her black kimono, Rangiku wore a yellow blouse and jeans.

Rangiku placed her hand on the door knob and looked down. Her pretty blue eyes teared up. "I want to see Gin just in case one of us doesn't make it back tomorrow…"

"Both of you will come out of that battle alive," Toshiro said fiercely. "You may go visit him, but you don't have to worry about losing him."

Rangiku's lips smiled, but her eyes didn't. "Thank you, Captain. Even though you yell at me a lot, you've been kind."

Before Toshiro could say anything, Rangiku opened the door and walked out. She closed the door quietly.

The night was very peaceful and warm. Rangiku felt another wave of sadness. Tonight would be the last night she would spend in Seireitei. As she walked to the 3rd Division barracks, she drank up everything in her path, from the light glowing in the other squads' barracks to the leaf on the ground.

Rangiku stepped into the 3rd Division barracks and knocked on Gin's door.

Gin opened the door. His smiled widened. "Good evening, Rangiku."

"Gin!" Rangiku latched herself onto the captain. He slowly returned the embrace.

Still holding onto each other, they walked into Gin's bedroom and lay on his bed.

"Rangiku," Gin said. "Don't say that."

Rangiku shook her head. "Gin, I know I'm going to die. That's why I wanted to see you."

Gin sighed. "You're usually so cheery and optimistic. It pains me to see you like this. Do you want me to give you some dried persimmons?"

"No. I just want to talk."

Gin ran his fingers through Rangiku's hair. "Remember the day we first met?"

Rangiku smiled. "September 29th. It was on my birthday."

Gin chuckled."You were lying on the ground, starving. I gave you some dried persimmons and after we greeted each other, I asked you when your birthday was. You said you didn't know so I decided to make that day your birthday. It was so long ago. We were just kids then, but even then I thought you were the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

Rangiku's cheeks grew warm. "Remember when we joined the Soul Reaper Academy? You graduated after only a year and became the 3rd seat for the 5th Division. By the time I graduated, you were a lieutenant and by the time I became a lieutenant, you were already captain."

"Yeah I was a prodigy. But then Toshiro came and stole the spotlight." Gin chuckled. "Man, at that time he was only the 3rd seat and did more paperwork than you or Captain Shiba."

"Oh god, Captain Shiba did absolutely nothing. He just made perverted comments about my boobs and goofed around. I was sad when he disappeared though."

"It's because you could never hate anyone," Gin said. "You get annoyed at people and maybe dislike them, but you never hate anyone. I really like that about you."

Gin reached for his bedside table. "Rangiku, close your eyes."

Rangiku obeyed. She heard Gin open the drawer and close it.

"Now open them."

Rangiku opened her eyes and gasped. Gin was holding a shiny diamond ring up to her face. The diamond was huge and the band was studded with crystals.

"Gin…"

"Matsumoto Rangiku," Gin said. The smile was gone from his face. "I love your smile. I love the way you toss your hair, your free spirit, the sensitivity you have for other people's feelings. I love your strange taste of food, your passion for dancing, shopping, and drinking. I love you. For my whole life, I've been avoided for my creepy ass smile. But you were never intimidated by me. You enjoyed spending time with me and would smile instantly when you saw me. I love you, Rangiku. If something happens to one of us, I want to be able to part ways as fiancees, not boyfriend and girlfriend."

Rangiku's eyes clouded with tears. "Oh Gin, of course I'll marry you."

Gin beamed and kissed her forehead. He slid the ring onto her ring finger.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Nnoitra picked up the captain and tossed the body next to the woman's.

"Weak pieces of shit," Nnoitra said and spat at the fading bodies.

Anger swelled up in Nelliel. "Nnoitra! Even though they're the enemy, you have to show some respect!"

"They were weak Nelliel! They don't deserve any respect, especially from me!"

Nelliel walked up to Nnoitra and slapped him across the face. "They sacrificed their lives to protect this town. They deserve plenty of respect. Much more respect than you could ever receive."

Hatred was written all over Nnoitra's face. "Oh shut up, Nelliel. Just shut UP. I don't need someone like you scolding me or trying to teach me how to be a "better" warrior." He raised up Santa Teresa. "In fact, I don't need someone like you in my life at all."

He brought Santa Teresa down. Nelliel flash stepped away next to the woman's body. She pulled her lancer from the Soul Reaper's chest as Nnoitra charged at her.

"AIEEEEE!" A thrilled screech rang through Nelliel's ears.

Nnoitra turned and was met with a zanpakuto that slashed his chest. The attacker was a massive Soul Reaper with spiky black hair. The number eleven was written on the back of his white captain's haori.

Nelliel watched as the man beat the living shit out of Nnoitra. After way felt like years, he lifted up the half-conscious Nnoitra and sliced his neck.

Before Nnoitra's head hit the ground, Nelliel dashed off into the woods, never to be seen again.

Poor Gin and Rangiku :( In the real thing, Gin would've owned Nnoitra but sadly Hayate played dirty. Review?