Angels' Will

Chapter 21

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I believe I updated in a reasonable amount of time this time, haha!

SeaShellSakura - You're welcome and thank you for reviewing! Haha, your last sentence made me smile!

broken-hearted heart-breaker - I'm glad you were happy and I am so sorry to have made you think that I had discontinued this story! My apologies! Thank you, I'm happy to know I can still write creatively well!

Thank you for all those who followed and favorited my story too! Support is support!

Ah, I couldn't sleep if I didn't do this update any sooner! I finished my summer hw, so I'm quite pumped to see how fast I can start finishing up this story. I don't know exactly how many chapters I have left to write, but I'll try for 3-5...maybe...

Yes, so please enjoy this chapter! I felt awkward writing some parts and I am hoping this turns out well even though it is quite short.

Toshiro grabbed Rukia's hand and pried it from his throat before swiftly jumping a few feet away. He stared incredulously at Rukia, his mouth agape. Rukia slowly swayed to her feet and extended her hand out to her side.

"Sode no Shirayuki," Rukia mumbled. Her white sword appeared in her hand and she brought it to point at Toshiro. "Darken to black."

Toshiro covered both of his ears as a high-pitched screeching sound filled the air. He squinted at Rukia's pure white blade and watched in horror as the entire sword turned black. Once the blade completed its transformation, the screeching stopped. Rukia leapt at Toshiro, still keeping a blank face. Toshiro quickly dodged her attack and jumped into the air.

"Rukia! Stop this!" Toshiro yelled in vain. He continued to evade her relentless swings and stabs. "It's me, Toshiro!"

Rukia did not speak. Her face remained a blank slate and she did not respond to Toshiro's voice. She suddenly stopped attacking and stood still.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro," Rukia called out. She slashed at Toshiro and quickly drew a circle with her blade.

Toshiro, knowing what would happen, quickly moved out of Rukia's range. He escaped Rukia's pillar of ice and shunpoed behind her. "Saj Sabaku!" Toshiro shouted and watched as golden chains bound her.

Rukia struggled a little before ceasing to move. Toshiro sighed and began to approach her, but he sensed a change in her reiastu levels which caused him to abruptly jump back. Rukia pulsed her reiastu into one big wave and broke the chains around her. They shattered and disappeared, leaving only sparkling dust.

Toshiro rubbed his forehead before letting a small smile show through. Of course Rukia could get out of something as simple as that. His smile turned to a frown as he looked back at the angel that was beginning to approach him. I'm sorry, but this is the only way.

"Sit upon the frozen Heavens, Hyourinmaru!"

"W-wait!" cried out Orihime. She moved to catch up to the man but proceeded to trip on her own feet.

Ulquiorra caught her and righted her before she could blink. "I'll slow down then."

Orihime looked at him and muttered, "T-thank you." Before he could turn away again, Orihime grabbed his sleeve. "Um, I'm Orihime Inoue."

"Schiffer Ulquiorra," he replied in a monotone voice. Ulquiorra turned swiftly and continued walking. He would rather not deal with this woman, but Rukia needed her so he would bear with it.

"Wait!"

Ulquiorra paused but did not turn around.

"I…How do you know Rukia?" Orihime finally asked.

"You do not trust me is what you're trying to tell me," Ulquiorra replied back.

Orihime remained silent and folded her hands in front of her. "Not exactly, I just want to know why you are taking me to her."

Ulquiorra half-turned and laid his gaze on Orihime. "Does it matter?"

"I need to know, she's…she's my friend," Orihime stated, keeping his gaze.

"All you need to know is that you will have to save her." With that said, Ulquiorra began to walk off again without sparing Orihime another glance.

Save her?

Toshiro's brow furrowed as his and Rukia's swords clashed together before both of them jumped apart. Rukia swung at his feet, but he jumped over and flipped above her. She brought her blade around and quickly tried to stab him in mid-air but failed when Toshiro flew a few feet away. Nothing he seemed to say got through to her and he was unwilling to fight her with his full strength. In short, he was unsure about what he should do.

"Argh!" grunted Toshiro as he shunpoed away from Rukia.

While Toshiro was lost in his thoughts Rukia had taken the chance to cut into his arm. The wound was not fatal since Toshiro had managed to act quick enough to get away. He gripped his arm as the blood flowed from the wound, wincing all the while.

He watched Rukia bring her blade to her face. She took her free hand and touched the still warm blood painting it. Her slowly traced the blade to the hilt, blood following the path her finger had laid. Suddenly shock filled her face and she dropped Shirayuki and gripped her head.

Blood? Who's blood is this?

Rukia's eyes began to gain some of their life back in them as she gripped her head.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Rukia screamed and fell to her knees.

She glanced up and saw Toshiro watching her with a worried expression while holding his wounded arm. No. Rukia looked at her blade and saw blood. She looked at her hand and saw blood as well. His blood? Toshiro's?

Toshiro began to slowly approach Rukia. "Rukia?"

Rukia barely heard her name being called as her vision began to blur. Tears began to fill the corners of her eyes. The collar around her neck though sent a small shock through her body causing her to scream once again.

This time Toshiro rushed to Rukia, but was forced back when she grabbed Shirayuki and swung at him wildly. "Listen Rukia! I know you're there!"

"No!" Rukia cried out. She stood up and her body moved into a rigid fighting stance.

Toshiro watched helplessly as tears flowed down the sides of her face.

"I-I can't…T-Toshiro…I can't…I can't!" Rukia stuttered out as the glimmer in her eyes faded and she lunged forwards towards him.

Pain filled Toshiro's expression as he was forced to fend off Rukia's attacks. Rukia's hurting. She's hurting and I can't do anything.

Though Rukia's face went back to being expressionless, tears still flowed down her both of her cheeks. The tears pulled at Toshiro's heartstrings and again he found himself lost in thoughts about how to save her, leaving him vulnerable.

"Wha-Ru-kia…" Toshiro gasped as he looked down at his abdomen.

Rukia had succeeded in stabbing him in the stomach. Blood begin to stain his clothing and drip onto the floor between the two. Toshiro locked eyes with her. Slowly, Rukia twisted the blade causing Toshiro to take a sharp intake of breath as pain spilled through his body. Toshiro placed both of his hands on the blade stabbing him.

Master! Hyourinamaru called from within Toshiro's mind.

This isn't the way I planned to do this, but if I were to die, I need to die knowing that you know. Toshiro smiled stiffly at Rukia as she began to drive the blade further through him. "R-Rukia, I l-love you."

Rukia remained without emotion and did not give any acknowledgement to Toshiro's words.

Toshiro took a deep breath and pushed himself further along the blade to the hilt where he quickly wrapped his arms around Rukia. Surprised, Rukia let go of Shirayuki and pushed against Toshiro's chest, but this just caused him to hold her tighter. He pressed her against the side of him farthest from the blade. For the time being, Toshiro did his best to ignore the pain he was feeling. He nuzzled his nose into her hair, taking the time to relish in the feeling of her being in his arms.

"Rukia I love you," he whispered again as Rukia thrashed against him, failing to break away. "Not because of our powers, but because I truly feel love for you and only you."

…love for you and only you…

Rukia stopped moving and felt herself taking control of her senses. A light cold and icy feeling began to flow through her veins at the words. She slowly moved so she could see Toshiro's face.

"Rukia?"

"Toshiro," Rukia managed to say in a hoarse voice. "You love me?"

Smirking a bit, he nodded. "I love you." Those words flowed easily off his tongue and he liked the feeling of saying them. His body was beginning to feel a little numb and his mind was exhausted, but he wanted to hear his words said back to him. Staring into her eyes that were slowly gaining back their shine, he asked, "And you Rukia?"

"I-I love you t-too," Rukia replied while a small blush tinted her cheeks. Looking down a bit she saw her sword in Toshiro and gasped. "T-Toshiro, my swo-"

"No, it's fine," Toshiro quickly replied. More blood spilled from his wound as he continued to hold Rukia in his arms.

"It's not fine!" Rukia scolded as she moved to grab her blade.

Ah, ah, ah, a different voice said in Rukia's head. Toshiro noticed Rukia's alarmed face and proceeded to call out to her. You're disobeying me, Rukia dear. You didn't kill him. Failure means punishment.

The collar around Rukia's neck made a loud snapping sound and Rukia began to scream. She fell to the ground gripping her neck as Shirayuki disappeared. Toshiro too fell and grunted from the feeling that was caused from the absence of Rukia's sword. He reached out to Rukia and held her against him as her body went through spasm after spasm.

"Rukia, what's wrong?" he asked urgently. I can't lose you.

It hurts! What is this? What is Aizen doing?

Rukia's own screams filled her ears as her body felt as if it was being set on fire and electrocuted at the same time. Her legs and arms felt numb and she found that thinking was beginning to become extremely hard. Toshiro's voice sounded as if he was yelling from a far distance.

"Come on!" Renji shouted to the others as they rushed through the castle grounds. "We need to find Rukia and Toshiro!"

"Orihime too," added Ishida.

"EH?" Senna exclaimed and quickly looked around. "She wasn't with you?" she asked looking pointedly at Ishida.

Ishida looked away in shame as Senna threw glares at him.

The other three hurried to keep pace with the red head. They had sensed the dropping levels in both Toshiro's and Rukia's reiastu. All them stopped however when a ball of pink cherry-blossom petals appeared before them. It slowly descended from the skies to land right in front of the group. The petals dispersed revealing non-other than Byakuya Kuchiki.

"K-Kuchiki-sama!" the group said in unison.

"Aizen is fleeing," Byakuya informed. "You all need to come with me."

"But Rukia-" started Ichigo.

"Will be fine, I assure you. Now come," Byakuya interrupted and ordered.

He flew off without looking back and reluctantly the other angels followed him.

Aizen cracked his neck. "Hmm, two princesses gone in one day."

Grimmjow frowned. "I would have loved to add a couple of nobles to that list."

Aizen glanced at Grimmjow who quickly shut up.

"Aizen-sama, we have guests," Stark reported as he rushed into the room from a nearby hallway.

Aizen smiled, causing all in the room to cringe.

Suddenly the ceiling to the room they were in broke as five angels came bursting in. They landed somewhat quietly before looking through the crowd they had landed in. Light shined on the five, giving them a heavenly look. The atmosphere was tenser than it had been before and no one dared to make a move.

"Ah Byakuya, lovely to see you again," greeted Aizen with a sadistic smile placed upon his face.

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'Til we meet again,

adieu!

-Shiragiku