Chapter 25

"So, you finally decided to your bankai. Looks a little bland to me," Katsu said. "That doesn't mean you'll be able to beat me."

She lunged, attempting to strike her. Kirie moved to the side just in time, avoiding the blade. A surprised look appeared on Katsu's face as she barreled passed Kirie. Blood suddenly spurted from her arm. She stopped and looked over at Kirie's calm, and collected face. She then felt a burning sensation on her arm. She glanced down at her arm, and saw ice crystals forming at a rapid speed around her wound. Her eyes then met Kirie, and her right hand. At the base, where her hand met the sai's handle, started to freeze as well. Just as rapid, if not faster, than Katsu's wound. While the ice stopped freezing around her wound, the ice on Kirie's arm kept spreading, all the way to her wrist. Kirie's hand was frozen, clamped to her sai.

What kind of bankai is this? Katsu said under her breath, barely audible by anyone. Not only does it affect her speed, but whatever she wounds with her twin sai will be frozen. But, why is her hand freezing as well?

"If you are wondering why my hand is frozen, it's because Yakkaina No Kori No Hahen wants things done fast. In order to do that, it figures freezing me as well as my opponents will make things go a little faster," Kirie explained. Katsu still had a look of confusion stuck on her face. "You see, whenever I make and attack on my opponent, no matter where on your body, not only will you start to freeze around your wound, but so will I."

Kirie then disappeared from view. She reappeared directly in front of Katsu, swiping both of her sai at her. The wound formed an "X" on her chest. As Kirie backed away quickly, the ice began to form. "No matter where I hit you," she said. "You will freeze." The ice took the shape of the "X" on her chest. The pain burned and pinched, as if there were a million torrid needles being stuck in her chest. The pain surged and spread up her neck. She fell to one knee, wanting to hold her chest, but not wanting it to hurt anymore. "Until you're nothing but a cold statue."

The ice on Kirie's hand began to grow and spread. It looked like it was almost painless to her. The ice grew slowly up her arm, wrapping it in a cold, hard ice armor. The ice shards spread up her forearm, stopping short at her elbow. Her skin started to turn pale. Her eyes looked cold, and unfeeling. Katsu smiled, trying to hold back a laugh. Unable to control it, she burst out in creepy laughter.

"You, you think you've won, huh? It's far from over, girl!" Katsu staggered to her feet, and slowly took her hand up to her chest. She slowly took out the ice shards, one by one, hissing at the pain. Once the last of them were out of her chest, she took a hold of her Zanpakuto. She pointed it towards Kirie, calming her laugh down. "Joust" she chuckled. The blade glowed, and split. One side morphed into a wide, flat shield, the other stretched and thinned out to a point, forming a long jousting stick. Kirie's expression looked unamused, and bored.

Toshiro wanted to help out, and interfere. But, Kirie's bankai fascinated him. He'd never seen something that can be as powerful, yet so deadly. The way she looked so cold, and bored with her enemy, made him wonder what she has up her sleeve. He stared at the ice that had frozen on her arm. It freezes much faster on her than it does on Katsu, and with a wider area. He found his eyes trailing away from her arm, skimming down her waist, and stopping at the hem of her skirt. He watched it as it flowed around in the breeze, hoping the breeze would catch it just a little more.

He broke his gaze when he watched Katsu jump towards Kirie, rushing at her while she was covered by her shield. Kirie shifted to the left, but Katsu's shield followed. Kirie lifted her frozen arm, and bashed it against her shield. Unlike Katsu's ice on her chest, it didn't break a part so easily. It barely even cracked. Her hand suddenly shot out, and a hole appeared in mid-air. A Hollow crept out from it. Toshiro had his Zanpakuto ready, unsure if she was going to send it after him or Kirie.

"You know what to do," she hissed. The Hollow let out a blood-curtling screech, then disappeared.

He held up his guard, waiting for the Hollow to appear somewhere. Nothing happened. His eyes widened, as he realized where the Hollow was headed. He jerked around, and left the scene as fast as he could. He needed to get to her parents, before the Hollow did. He left Kirie alone, hoping she could handle Katsu without his help.

They were still there, sitting still and quiet behind the dumpster where he had left them. He let out a small sigh a relief. They still had that fearful look on their faces. He untied their mouths, and motioned them to get up.

"It's not safe for you two to stay here alone. You must come with me," he said.

"Wait," Kirie's mother said. "Is she okay?"

Toshiro forced a slight smile at her. "She's fine. Now, come on. We need to leave, and hurry." He turned to lead them away, when a rumble made him lose his balance. He heard the faint growls and grunts behind him. He stood there, not wanting to turn around, knowing very well that there's a Hollow standing behind him. Kirie's parents rushed past him, almost cowering behind his small body. He withdrew his Zanpakuto, and turned to face the beast.

"Stay behind me, and wait here until I am done," Toshiro ordered.

He jumped at the monster, expecting to make one big slash through its mask and be done with it. But, the Hollow raised its large, meaty hand and swatted Toshiro away like a fly. He went crashing into the building next to him. The force of the blow made a large hole in the wall. As he pushed the rubble off of him, and tried to clear away some of the dust, he searched around for the Hollow. It was gone, along with Kirie's parents.

"Damn it," Toshiro breathed.