(A/N: And I bring you another chapter! Do not fear, there will be another one posted almost as soon as I post this one! I'm in a writing mood today. What a way to bring in the new year ^_^ The action is about to begin to hold on to your horses!)

~Kana~

Chapter 24

Morning came and Kagome woke to the sound of metal shattering and a man grunting in pain. She sat and looked at the bars. Renji was on his feet, his hand no longer bound, holding his sword over his shoulder. Laying on the ground bleeding was the jailor.

"Let's go, Kagome." He looked back to see her finally awake.

She grabbed her zanpakutou off the second slab and followed him out of the now broken bars. Immediately, they were greeted by a small group of shinigami. They looked at the broken jail cell and at the two of them.

"Lieutenant…you're not supposed to leave." One of them stated.

Renji rested the blade of his sword on his shoulder and raised a brow. "Are you going to stop me from leaving?"

The five men reached for the hilt of their swords. "We were ordered to keep you in your cell, Abarai-san. Please, don't make us do this."

"Sorry, but I have things to do." Renji apologized before attacking. Kagome didn't know what to do, so she stood there and watched. Renji attacked only to debilitate, not injure. Soon, all five of them were lying unconscious on the floor without a single scratch on them.

Renji looked back to make Kagome was safe. "Keep your guard up. That little stunt will have the rest of my squad here in a manner of minutes. They won't let us leave without a fight."

Kagome nodded. She drew her sword and followed close behind Renji. Sure enough, a swarm of shinigami poured around the entrance to the barracks. The shinigami told them to turn themselves in and return to their cell. Renji just smirked before attacking. Kagome was content to let him do all the work, but things didn't turn out that way. Three shinigami appeared before Kagome with their zanpakutou's drawn.

Kagome looked to Renji, but he was busy with a handful of people. No, she wasn't the same girl as before. She could defend herself. She didn't need Renji, or anybody else to save her. She brought her sword up defensively. The men took it as a sign of aggression and attacked.

She blocked the first sword, sidestepped the second and ducked under the third. This was her first fight since her training with Urahara. He didn't so much as train her as he did push her into a corner and force her to fight back or die. He trained Ichigo the same way. These men moved like molasses on comparison to Urahara so Kagome knew she would be fine.

She made quick work of the three she was fighting and moved on to her next opponent. Before long, Kagome and Renji were the only two standing amongst a swarm of unconscious shinigami. Kagome felt bad, but none of them had any life threatening injuries and would all survive.

"You didn't do half bad." Renji complimented.

Kagome blushed. "Compared to my teacher, those guys were nothing."

He raised a brow. "Who is your teacher?"

"Urahara Kisuke. He only trained me for ten days, but it felt like months." Kagome explained as they walked casually from the battlefield.

"He did a damn fine job considering you just took out the fourth and fifth seat of my squad."

Her eyes widened. "Really? Wow…if I was able to do that, just how strong is Ichigo?"

Renji shook his head. "I don't know, but he's improving fast." Renji stopped in his tracks and scanned that area. Kagome did the same, checking for more attackers.

Renji's hand went to his sword hilt, but Kagome stayed relaxed. The reiatsu approaching wasn't hostile. Kagome went to run forward to greet Miroku as he rounded the corner, but Renji reached out and blocked her with his hand. The look on his face was dead serious.

"Stay back, Kagome." He warned.

Miroku came to a skidding halt and took in the sight before him. Renji stood protectively in front of Kagome with a slew of unconscious shinigami behind them. He couldn't help but shake his head and smile. Kagome had always been resourceful and could find help in the strangest places. He just got word that she'd been imprisoned for mouthing of to the squad six captain. He'd come to negotiate her release, but she obviously had things taken care of.

Miroku held his hands up in the universal sign for being unarmed. "Calm down, Abarai."

Renji didn't relax. Instead, he pulled Kagome so she stood behind him. He didn't know why he felt so protective of the little shinigami. "I am not going back, Miroku."

"No, of course not." Miroku smiled. "And I don't suspect, Kagome would want to go back either."

Renji couldn't keep surprise off his face. He knew Kagome? She did say she had been parading around as a squad ten member, but she didn't mention actually knowing anybody. He tightened his grip on his sword, only to have Kagome reach up and touch his arm. He looked back at her.

"It's ok Renji. Miroku won't hurt us."

"And how do you know that? He's a lieutenant and we just broke out of jail. He's obligated to force us back in and seal off our reiatsu." Renji explained.

Kagome couldn't argue with his logic. "That would be true if he were just any lieutenant." Kagome flashed him a smile and stepped around him so she could give Miroku a hug. "I'm so sorry for running off earlier!"

Miroku laughed. "Kagome, you were always getting into trouble. I figured since Inuyasha wasn't here to bail you out this time, that I'd be the knight in shining armor." Miroku hugged her back.

Kagome squeezed him extra tight to show her appreciation just as she felt a familiar hand on her butt. Miroku, being the pervert as always gave her butt a healthy squeeze before finding a fist in his face.

Kagome stood there, shell-shocked. Renji stood over Miroku as he laid on the ground, holding his nose. Renji's face was bright red and he was lecturing Miroku.

"You lecherous imbecile! Keep your paws off my Kagome!"

Miroku and Kagome blinked in surprise at Renji's choice of words. Renji didn't seem to notice how he worded things and kept going. Apparently even in death, Miroku still had wandering hands.

The yelling stopped when the three of them felt oncoming powerful reiatsu. Renji looked over at Kagome. "We need to go."

Miroku stood up. "You tow go, I'll take care of things here. Kagome, please save Rukia. I'll talk to my captain and see if there is anything we can do to help. I know he doesn't like what's going on to begin with. Besides, I'm sure you didn't get the message, but the date of the execution's been changed again. It's tomorrow at noon. You are running out of time."

"Tomorrow?" Kagome's jaw dropped open. She looked up at Renji. "We have to tell Ichigo!"

Renji nodded in agreement.

"Just so you know, Kagome. Your friends, Chad, Ishida, and Ganju have been taken into custody. They are unharmed, but after you save Rukia, I suggest you find them." Miroku said just before Renji grabbed Kagome's hand and took off in the opposite direction of the approaching captains.

When they were far enough out of range, Renji stopped to catch his breath. Kagome bent at the waist and rested her hands on her knees.

Noon tomorrow…is that enough time?

"Can you track Ichigo's reiatsu?" Renji asked, interrupting her thoughts.

She nodded. "Yeah, he's not too far from here." She pointed to the east and they started in that direction at a much slower pace.

Almost an hour later, Renji busted through an opening in the earth. He grabbed Kagome around the waist and jumped through the hole. They landed in a cloud of dust and Kagome recognized the terrain immediately. It looked just like Urahara's training facility under the shop. The biggest difference was the sheer amount of swords sticking out of the ground.

She spotted Ichigo fighting with an older man wearing a black trench coat and glasses. By the feel of him, it was Zangetsu. Also there was a dark skinned woman with purple hair and cat yellow eyes. Kagome stared in shock. The reiatsu emitting form the woman was the same as Yoruichi. Yoruichi was a male though…Kagome shook her head and checked again. No, that was definitely Yoruichi. Strange…

Renji smirked when he noticed what was going on. "I was wondering what you could be doing in this place. IS that the true from of your zanpakutou? So, you're hiding here and training for bankai? That sounds interesting. Count me in." Renji unsheathed his sword, released it and balanced it on his shoulder.

Ichigo turned and looked at Kagome and Renji. Relief passed through his eyes when he saw her, but he was shocked to see her with Renji. "Renji…"

"'What are you doing here?' is probably what you want to say. Heh, the reason is simple. We don't have much time left. So I was looking for a place to train in."

"No time? What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"Alright, I'll tell you. Rukia's execution date has been changed again. The execution will take place at noon tomorrow." Renji explained.

Yoruichi, Zangetsu and Ichigo stared at Renji and Kagome in shock and fear.

Renji continued to speak. "I don't really want to admit it, but the fact is that I can't save Rukia at my current level. So I came here to train. Don't worry. I won't get in your way. I have reached the stage of materialization of my zanpakutou's form. I'm pretty close to getting bankai myself." On cue, Zabimaru made himself visible behind Renji. "Right here, like this. I'll start my training. Ok?" He gave Kagome a smile before walking off in the opposite direction of where Ichigo was at.

Yoruichi was stammering. She was in shock and didn't think Ichigo would be ready in time. "Noon tomorrow…that's not good."

"You're the one who suggested this training method. So you shouldn't give up before everyone else." Ichigo said, turning away from her, holding a sword out at arm's reach.

"But Ichigo what if you still can't get bankai by tomorrow?"

"I said it before. We can't waste time worrying about the 'what ifs'. The deadline has been changed to noon tomorrow. So what? All we have to do is finish before noon tomorrow." Ichigo brought the blade parallel to his chest and smashed it with the palm of his hand.

Kagome felt a swell of pride in her chest. Ichigo's determination to win and succeed was contagious. It made her want to train as well. She looked between Ichigo and Renji, not sure how to go about doing that. They were both bankai training. She wasn't powerful enough for something that extensive.

That's not true, Kagome. Midoriko spoke in her mind.

Kagome gave a glum smile. Both boys are so much stronger than me, I'll never achieve bankai before them or by noon tomorrow. I'm not strong enough. Renji said it himself. I'm only around fourth seat strength.

Kagome could feel Midoriko shaking her head in disagreement. No, what he said was you took out his fourth and fifth seat officer with no problem. That, in my opinion places you at the same level as Renji, a lieutenant.

Kagome nodded. If that is the case, Midoriko, will you help me achieve this state? Not for me, but for Rukia's sake?

Kagome's zanpakuto started to glow a light pink just before Midoriko materialized beside her. Midoriko looked between the other two zanpakutou and nodded in greeting.

Yoruichi noticed the materialization of Kagome's zanpakutou and her eyes widened in surprise. Urahara told her about Ichigo's rapidly growing powers, but he didn't mention anything about Kagome's power. Yoruichi knew Kagome's power was special, but she never thought the girl would be possible of materializing her zanpakutou so quickly. It took shinigami years to achieve such a state and Kagome and Ichigo both were doing it after a month.

"Kagome, shall we go train?" Midoriko asked.

Kagome nodded her head. "Yeah." She walked away from Ichigo so he could resume whatever training Zangetsu was putting him through. She could feel both men's eyes on her and it made her nervous. She continued to walk until she could no longer feel Ichigo. She turned and looked at Midoriko. "What do I need to do?"

Midoriko drew her sword and pointed it at Kagome. "Your powers are great, Kagome, but you don't use them to the best of their ability. You hesitate and doubt yourself. You have an underlying fear that you aren't strong enough, that you will mess up. The truth is Kagome, the only reason you struggle is because of that self doubt. You are on the same level of power as Ichigo.

"The times where you show extraordinary power is when you disregard your doubt and have a goal in sight. Usually this is when you are protecting something. Think back Kagome. The first sacred arrow you fired was to protect your friend Sango and her little brother. It was to save Miroku, Inuyasha and Kirara. If you hadn't fired that arrow the miasma would have kill everybody you cared about. Deep inside you knew and did what needed done. You weren't thinking 'what if I fail?' you were thinking 'I have to save them'.

"Deep down, Kagome, you already know how to use bankai. This training will help you understand that. Everything you need to know is buried deep in your heart and soul. Discard your fear, your self-doubt, and you will learn the bankai release."

Kagome just nodded her head, knowing everything she was saying was correct. She unsheathed her blade and held it defensively. She had until noon tomorrow to learn bankai. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

No fear. No doubt. Only determination and success. Nothing else. I can do this. I have to do this. Rukia's life depends on it. Steeling herself for a long day of training, Kagome opened her eyes. "I'm ready."