The Lost Shinigami

by makoto x chelia

Takumi Urahara, believing himself to be a human who could see spirits yet with no real powers within the crazy world of Shinigami's, and Hollows, went through life trying his best with what little he had to work with, but that changed when he met a certain Shinigami, the same for Karin and Yuzu Kurosaki, and their adventure began, digging into his past, to fight for the future.

8. Memories of the rain part two

Hello, and welcome to the next chapter!

Clarent excalibur; Yeah, Nemu has some fun coming up. I just thought that's what Nemu would do, and repeat that back if she thought it was normal in the place she was in. Nemu's quite smart, so we'll see what's going to happen with her. That would be funny. I could see Nemu doing that pose~ He surely is, Giselle's going to wreck him. Yeah maybe she could, that sounds good to me!

Oblivious IJ; Liltotto is quite cute huh~? That's Nemu for you~ Giselle is quite fun huh~? And yeah, I suppose she is like Katsuki.

Skull Flame; Not exactly, but looks extremely like it, as we'll see this chapter. Yeah, Nemu is quite a good troll because she doesn't even realize she's doing it and yeah, she's quite interesting in a pairing. That's Takumi for you, he's always wanting to tinker with new things. It seems so, Liltotto is a Glutton after all. She could be, she could be something else, we'll see soon enough~ Yeah, here comes Giselle's anger.

ShadowUzumaki55; Thanks very much! Yeah, they're a pretty good team~ She is yeah, she's having the flashbacks, and she might talk to him about it in the future~ Karin's stepping up, and we'll see her step up even more in this and coming chapters. Yuzu's gonna learn about her powers too soon yeah. She does, and while she doesn't, Takumi appreciates Orihime's support, and when she does get her powers, she'll be very supportive. You never know, it might do!

Guest 1; Thanks very much! Yeah, he doesn't know what's gonna happen to him with Giselle there. Nemu's gonna be sticking around for a few chapters~ Yeah, they could notice a change within Nemu. She could do yeah, I could see that happening. That would be funny!

Miraculous Psychic Hero 100; Thanks very much! Yeah, Nemu and Takumi will have some rather interesting moments. I don't know yet about Liltotto. She could do yeah. They'd still have their interactions either way~

Guest 2; Thanks for the vote!

Silver crow; I'm glad you liked it! I thought it would be something like that hehe~ Yeah, her Bankai could be like that. Yeah he might very well do~ We'll be seeing Giselle with some Zombies in the future, she might amass a few during the Soul Society arc~ I couldn't reveal if they would or not~ Rukia and Takumi's relationship is about to get taken up a few notches. He has, this isn't him, this chapter will reveal about what's been going on. Nope, she gets them this chapter. I thought it would be nice for Yuzu to do that. It really shouldn't be huh. Yup, that's what he remembers for the time being. Liltotto is quite funny huh~ And Giselle's always a treat~ Nemu's just so fun with how she can be used for comedic moments, and also serious ones. It seems so yeah~ Rukia's feelings for Takumi are going to be shown in this chapter and how they've developed. They surely do love Masaki yeah~ He could have been, we'll be getting bigger hints this chapter. Maybe they could have been something to do with it, we'll find out more in the future. It is too bad that we didn't know what Hiyori's Shikai did, it's called Beheading Serpent, and since it looks like a saw, maybe it could act like a saw or something. It's going to be fun. Cool. Yeah, he could make something like that.

Guest 3; Sure, that would be pretty cool, thanks for the suggestions!

Guest 4; Sure, I could see that happening with Mizore and what not. That sounds great! She could be yeah, those ideas are really great!

Andrew123456; Thanks for the vote, and you're right, it would be more of a reason for Takumi to be there.

A fan; Yeah, he's great. Sure he could have done something like that~

Guest 5; I did know there was yeah, I've read the summaries of them on the wikia, and they sound interesting, filling in some gaps the manga left from what I can tell, and thanks for the vote!

Guest 6; Greatest fight...there's many great ones. I tend to like ones that have unique abilities in them, so I like the Soi Fon and Hacchi fight against Espada number 2, I like the one where they fight Tier, Ulquiorra vs Ichigo's pretty good. In the mangas last arc, I like the fight with Askin vs Urahara and Yoruichi the most.

Guest 7; Your guess is as good as mine, she had one in the past, she probably even achieved Bankai since she was a Captain, but for whatever reason she doesn't use it.

Guest 8; No, there's no way that Grand Fisher could defeat Giselle in a one on one fight. And yeah, it very well might piss her off.

Guest 9; That made me laugh, and I could totally see Nemu doing something like, maybe someone puts her up to it or something.

Darth revan; Thanks for the vote! And yeah, I'd probably have it that way it would bring quite a bit of funny comedic moments.

Well, with those lovely reviews out of the way, it's time to start the chapter!

---

Memories of the rain part two

With the morning coming sooner than Takumi would like, his eyes cracked open to see that Nemu was bent over his body, her boobs hanging down, and he noticed that she wasn't even wearing anything other than a thin towel.

"Aaah!"

Takumi shot up, but his face hit her breasts, and they jiggled, knocking his head backwards. Nemu released a small moan out of her mouth from feeling Takumi's head hitting her breast, it felt weird surrounding her body.

"Takumi-sama, I am currently reporting that the time is eight in the morning."

Takumi groaned, seeing Nemu still bending over his body.

"D-Do you have to be so close…?"

Nemu cocked her head towards Takumi since it seemed that she didn't mind that she was like she was.

"I was making sure you would be wake up at the optimal time. Considering different factors, as time of the day, the light peeking through the window, the time for you to eat, get dressed, and possibly bathe if that is something you desire-"

"Hold on, did you add 'sama' to my name?"

Nemu nodded.

"Yes, because you are Takumi-sama-"

"But, I'm not that special to have 'sama' on my name. Just call me Takumi-san or something. That's at least a little more casual, isn't it?"

"But, that wouldn't do." Nemu spoke as she placed a hand on her chest. "I cannot allow you to simply be called anything other than Takumi-sama. Since you saved my life, I owe a debt of gratitude."

Takumi didn't know why she felt like that. Even if he had saved her, it still was a little weird to someone like her.

"Even then, it seems like you're taking it a little seriously. I didn't save your life so you'd owe me a debt or anything."

Nemu found it odd that he didn't want her to do anything for him.

Usually, that's how it seemed to work. From what she had read, from what she had seen. That's just how it was.

But, it seemed like Takumi was a little different to what she was speaking about.

"I see...so, that's what you say. I wish to understand more about this concept."

"Concept?"

"These...kind words you're speaking to me, and acting as if we are equals, I do not quite understand."

"B-But, we are equals, aren't we?"

"I do not have an opinion on that or anything."

Takumi thought that was quite sad. She sounded as if she was near broken. How she spoke to him, Takumi thought that she was quite different, and how she thought they weren't equals.

If anything, he thought that she was superior since she was a Lieutenant.

"You can have an opinion, it isn't illegal or anything."

Nemu cocked her head, she didn't even understand what Takumi was trying to say. She had never been asked her opinion before. She was just told what to do by Mayuri, and now she was being asked for her opinion, it felt strange.

"I...I understand. Then my opinion is that we should leave after you nourish yourself."

"Y-Yeah, we should go and do that Nemu-"

Before he could finish, the door opened to reveal Orihime walking into the room. Since this was Takumi's lab and not the Urahara shop, where he thought Rukia was, he had kept Nemu there, while he also allowed Orihime entrance if she so desired.

Upon seeing Nemu bent over towards Takumi, her face flew through several shades of red.

"A-Ah, Taku-chan, a-and the new...e-erm...t-that's..."

"O-Orihime-chan! This isn't what it looks like!"

Takumi tried to persuade her, but Orihime saw that Takumi's body, at least his upper half, was naked, and Nemu was in a very tightly fitting towel, and how close she was to Takumi, it seemed like Nemu was almost coming onto Takumi.

"I-I see...I understand..."

"W-Wait..." Orihime left out of the room, while Nemu just stared blankly. "W-Well, that was awkward…?"

"Why?"

Nemu's question caused Takumi to release a small breath.

"B-Because of the situation we are in. Can't you see that you're nearly nude, and I am nearly nude under my sheet?" Nemu just blankly stared at him. "A-Ah, it doesn't matter I guess, it seems you aren't understanding these situations-"

"Sex."

"Pft!"

Takumi did a spit take, Nemu sat down on the bed, while Takumi could see water dripping down her very large and lovely shaped breasts. Her eyes and his met with one another, and Nemu's towel began to open.

"Did she believe that we were going to be entering intercourse?"

"I-I think she got the wrong idea about us yeah..."

"I see. Then, if it is sexual intercourse, I currently haven't had such things. May I ask, have you?"

"N-No I haven't!"

Takumi yelled back at Nemu who lowered her brows.

"I understand. I took my questions too far. I am sorry-"

"N-No, don't apologize, it's alright."

Takumi could see that it seemed difficult for Nemu to speak like she was, so he was going to do his best to make sure that she'd understand what was going on, and that she could speak her mind if she so desired.

"Then, please get dressed, so we can leave after you've eaten."

"Of course." Nemu made no effort to move. "Erm...is it okay if you leave the room?" Nemu stared at him without moving. "Are you not going to leave the room?"

"No. That Baldy girl is outside, and she, is very different to most people."

"I-I see...yeah, Hiyori-chan can take some getting used to, but she's a good person underneath it." Takumi sighed deeply, and pulled his body out of the bed, wearing nothing but his underwear, Nemu stared at his form with no real emotion on her face. "S-So you're just going to stare at me?" Nemu didn't say anything, and just stared at him. "I-I see..."

Takumi stretched his arms, and began putting on his robes. Nemu watched with her usual gaze. But her eyes were intense when she locked onto his crotch area, but she didn't show it on her face at all, she just kept her face the same as it usually was.

---

Takumi returned back to the Urahara shop, to get Rukia prepared for what was going to happen next. Orihime went with him, while Hiyori went with Nemu and Liltotto to make sure that they didn't discover Rukia just yet.

They walked into his bedroom, and saw…

Rukia wasn't there.

"Rukia-chan? You here?"

"Didn't you message her Taku-chan?"

"I did, but she didn't answer. So I thought it would be better to come and get her."

Orihime could understand that, but she couldn't see Rukia either.

"Kuchiki-chan? Are you here?"

Takumi looked around the area, and then sensed for her energy…

But he couldn't sense anything at all.

He couldn't even feel her energy anywhere near the Urahara shop.

"D-Damn, she's not even here...where has she...she's not gone to try and take out the Hollow on her own, has she…?"

"But why would she go without you Taku-chan?"

"She's been acting strange, I should've guessed that something like this might happen...what is she thinking? Just going off to fight a Hollow like this without her powers..."

"She's like you then, Taku-chan."

Takumi's eyes glanced at Orihime.

"What do you mean?"

"Because you are who you are Taku-chan, you'd also go off on your own if you were worried about the others. Kuchiki-chan also probably thought the same thing, and wanted to protect you from whatever is worrying her."

"Even then she's not at full power. If this Hollow is as bad ass as Nemu-san has mentioned, then she's in danger. I'll get my Father, could you also call Hiyori-chan and let her know what's going on Orihime-chan?"

Orihime nodded "Right away!" and got on the phone while Takumi went to his Father. He hoped that he wouldn't be too late in saving Rukia from whatever she had going on inside of her head, it seemed insane to him.

---

Meanwhile Karin came back to the grave site, to see that Giselle wasn't around. It was just Yuzu on her own, looking at the grave with a disheartened expression on her face.

Yuzu however gained a small smile towards Karin.

"Giselle-san said that she thought we needed a moment alone."

"I guess that we do...Yuzu, I didn't mean to worry you. It's just, that day..."

"You think Mom died because of you."

Karin tried to stiffen her resolve, but it crumbled in the end.

"Y-Yeah...because I did kill her...Mom died, because I saw that girl...that girl stood there, she could have drowned...if I didn't go down there that day...Mom wouldn't have come after me...she wouldn't have died by something..."

"Giselle-san thinks it might have been a Hollow."

Karin's face didn't change.

Yuzu could tell that her suspicions from before where confirmed.

"You already thought about it."

"After hearing about them from Takumi and the likes, I thought about it more and more, and then thought about how Mom suffered those wounds. It wouldn't of just been from jumping into the river for us..." Karin's eyes turned more teary as time went on, her voice was heart breaking to listen too. "...I killed Mom Yuzu...why don't you hate me…?"

Karin just couldn't get why Yuzu didn't blame her. No one blamed her. It seemed insane almost. It was driving her nuts that no one was blaming her for this.

Yuzu, as kind and understanding as she always was, walked over, and gently embraced her sibling.

Karin sobbed while Yuzu kept on hugging her tightly.

"Don't say that Karin, you didn't kill Mom. She didn't die wanting you to cry, she loved us...and she died...but, she didn't die because of us...she saved our lives Karin. She gave us a chance to live..."

"But, if I didn't go and try to save that girl then..."

Yuzu's hand overlayed with Karin's own, giving it a gentle squeeze. She was showing a kind smile, her face caused Karin to feel light building up within her, her body twitching and her eyes fluttered at the feelings that were stirring within her.

"You were doing what Mom and Dad always taught us to do, to help anyone that we could. She wouldn't want you to blame yourself for this, you know? She'd want us to be having fun. Like when we went to the beach, remember?"

Karin sniffled, looking at her sister with tears flowing from her eyes, but a happy smile appearing on her face.

"Or when we went to the amusement park, and Dad nearly fell off the ride."

Yuzu giggled as tears came to her eyes.

"I remember Dad crying "Masaki please save me!" and somehow, she managed to pull him back in, Mom was so strong, wasn't she?"

"Very strong, stronger than I could be. She's very strong Yuzu..."

"Yes, she is very strong. And I am so happy that we got what time we did with her. And that's why I keep saying, Mom wouldn't blame you. I don't blame you, and neither does Dad. So please stop blaming yourself for this. That night with what happened, if it was a Hollow...then that was the Hollows fault, not yours."

Karin truly was glad that Yuzu was as kind as she was. The gentleness of her voice made her feel amazing. The kind words also drew her in and caused her feelings to burst outwards, to finally feel good again. She had closed herself off from the others, even her own sister.

But Yuzu was still persistent as she ever was, in her eyes she was like Masaki, with how she drew everything into her and made them feel so good.

But then they stopped when Karin saw the girl.

The girl with short black hair in a bob cut, and her eyes on the young girls form.

The girls eyes went towards Karin who felt a pulsation within her.

"Karin…? What's wrong?" Yuzu glanced in the direction Karin was looking, seeing that the young girl was there. "Oh, who's she anyway? She looks lost."

"That's...that's her..."

"Her?"

Karin barely could nod.

She felt like she was staring at the past, the past she'd rather forget.

"...Yes, that girl...that's who I saw that night..."

"You saw her that night...t-the night Mom..."

"Yeah...that girl, was the same one that...it was her...Yuzu..."

Yuzu placed a hand over her mouth, and both were stunned by seeing the young girl.

Then they both heard a dark chuckling.

Even Yuzu was hearing it.

"So, two twin souls again. I remember feeling this a few years ago..."

"Karin...that voice..."

Karin glanced at Yuzu and saw that she wasn't wearing any of the equipment that Takumi made so that she could see and hear spirits. So if she was hearing this, it meant that Yuzu's power was growing, and growing. But the young girl was just stood there, staring at the twins, it didn't make sense.

"It was desolate...that voice was...we should get out our-"

Before she could say anything, a heavy pressure caused both girls to feel like weights were pressed on their chests. It felt like something was trying to crush it despite nothing touching them. Sweat poured down their faces.

"K-Karin...I feel heat in my chest...it feels like I'm burning from the inside out...what's going on here...Karin…?"

Yuzu felt like she was going to pass out from the heat.

She felt like she was going to incinerate from the inside out.

"Y-Yeah, this Hollows power must be crushing us. I-I remember hearing about this from Kuchiki-san, that spirit pressure can immobilize those who are incredibly stronger than...stronger than who they're fighting. I guess, this Hollows pressure is stronger than we've felt before..."

Karin and Yuzu gripped their chests.

Karin saw a large foot pressing against the ground. It cracked the earth easily, the foot more resembled an animals foot than anything, but on a larger scale. Yuzu also felt like something was crawling across her skin.

Then she felt the presence moving closer, and closer, so she pushed Yuzu to the side, only to receive a batting of the Hollows hand to her torso, causing her to cough up bile, and flung her through the air, slamming against a gravestone, making her cry out.

"Karin!"

Yuzu rushed over, but Karin yelled "Don't! Get out of here!" and tried to stand, only for the Hollows hand to slap her body, bringing it up into the sky, and then she was thrown down to the ground.

"Yuzu...run..."

Karin whimpered as the Hollows hand forced itself against her body. Smashing her body downwards into the ground, she didn't even have time to access her sword.

The pressure of the Hollow was strong, and now she was being crushed by the Hollow itself.

Yuzu, seeing her sister on the ground, went to take out her bow, when a tentacle from the Hollow shot around her neck, and lifted her up into the sky, strangling the young woman, tears rolling down her face, and she clutched at the tentacle to try and get it off, but she couldn't get it off.

"A-Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

"Yuzu! No! Yuzu!"

Karin tried to push the Hollow off her body, but she couldn't in the end. She was being crushed, and she was going to die if this continued.

She didn't have the power that Takumi had.

That Giselle had.

She didn't have the skills they had…

No.

She did.

She did have that power.

She had the power to change this right there and then.

She had it on her.

The thing that could turn her into a Shinigami...

---

As that happened, Rukia walked around the town, hoping she'd be able to find the Hollow before Takumi could find it. Hopefully, she thought that she'd be able to take it down. To save him, like she wasn't able to save Kaien from what had happened to him during that faithful night.

She walked through a quiet area, trying to lure out the Hollow by increasing the power she had left, to lure him towards her. She had a bag on her back, she had the gun equipped to her hip, and she was ready for any challenge.

"Come on, come out you stupid Hollow..."

Rukia thought to herself, scanning the area with her eyes.

She couldn't see anyone around really.

She thought that this would be a good place to have a battle. It seemed to be a deserted area of Karakura. She thought she'd have the advantage here, she thought she'd be able to win if she could get the drop on the Hollow.

However, she didn't expect what happened next.

Her watch began to beep.

"...A Hollow..."

She muttered, looking around, hoping it was that Hollow.

The area began to light up, and a large oval barrier surrounded her. It spread off to a good distance, right down the several buildings. It seemed to be cancelling out spiritual pressure she couldn't even sense anything outside of the barrier, so it was safe to assume that she'd also be blocked from the outside world.

"So, you came on your own..."

Rukia felt chills going down her spine.

It was the same voice as back then.

It was the voice of the Hollow that had killed Kaien.

"C-Come out right now!"

Rukia demanded, only to hear a large crashing behind her.

The ground shook, so did her soul.

Slowly, she turned around towards her, and her mind was almost blown.

It was him.

It was the exact same Hollow.

No...something was different.

The fur was different, but beyond that, she was witnessing the very same Hollow that had killed Kaien. She didn't think it was now that she saw the fur, but the appearance beyond that was actually scary.

"S-So, you're the Hollow...t-that wants Takumi...w-why do you want Takumi…?"

Rukia's voice quivered.

She hated it.

She hated that she couldn't control her urges to feel fear.

It ran deep, and it was almost uncontrollable.

Rukia steeled her will the best she could, gripping her hands together tightly.

"Takumi, is a very tasty soul. I want to have that souls power."

"Souls power...his souls power...do you know...do you know about Takumi..."

"I know all about it, Rukia Kuchiki. I know how you felt about seeing him that day, learning his name among other things, you recognized him didn't you? And I know how you lost your previous friend, your precious Kaien Shiba." Rukia felt a pulse coming from her heart, tears coming from her eyes. "And you're going to have to watch again, as I take Takumi Urahara's power away from you hahahahahahaha!"

Rukia felt her heart beat increasing.

Her body felt like it was on fire.

She felt like she was dying.

She didn't want Takumi to die like Kaien.

She didn't want to lose him like she lost Kaien.

"N-No...you wont take Takumi! I will stop you right nooooooooooooooooooooooow!"

Rukia lost it.

She couldn't handle it someone being taken away again by a Hollow like this.

She took out several small bombs made for Hollows, and launched them at the Hollow before her, who swung its tentacles on its back, but the bombs exploded, and caused the Hollow to bite bit with its mouth opening and shot off a sphere energy towards her, Rukia taking out her gun, and shot off a Chappy shaped blast at the Hollows energy attack, the attacks cancelling one another out, but the pressure forced her backwards, knocking her onto her butt.

"Mere trinkets wont be able to save you."

Rukia grimaced at the sight of the Hollow.

But she couldn't give up now, she wouldn't be able to do that.

She aimed her gun for the Hollow, while taking out several bombs for her to use against the enemy Hollow.

"Maybe not, but I can't allow Takumi to die, there's simply no way. And to a Hollow like you, I will slay you before you could even leave this barrier!"

Rukia charged forward and shot off her gun, trying to take down the Hollow…

---

"Damn." Takumi scowled, as he, and Orihime were running through the city. "I thought I felt her pressure, but it's completely disappeared. She might have found the Hollow, and it's hiding her spiritual power." His eyes went towards the left, and wondered what was going on. "Rukia-chan, where are you…?"

"Taku-chan, you can't sense her anymore?"

"No. I thought she was over towards the left, but without sensing her...I'm sure that a Hollow is stopping me from sensing her. I need to find her, and stop her from doing something reckless. With Hiyori-chan and the others checking the other half of town, and my Dad checking near the school...I don't know what we should do..."

Takumi racked his brain to try and think of where he would need to go.

What he could do to find Rukia, and make sure that she was alright.

His mind filled with thoughts of her being attacked and killed by a Hollow.

He couldn't allow that to happen.

There must be something…

Then it came to him.

"Spirit ribbons."

"Spirit ribbons? What are they Taku-chan?"

"It's basically spirit energy formed into ribbons, and that people can track down others based on their spirit ribbon. It's a high level sensing technique, even if her power is being hidden, combining spirit ribbons with some Kido that Hacchi-kun taught me, I hope that I can find her. And I remember Rukia-chan telling me about them. Shinigami's are red...and even though her powers aren't fully returned, she would still be considered a Shinigami...so, lets hope I can do it..."

Takumi cupped his hands together, and concentrated.

He closed his eyes, and hoped to find Rukia.

Orihime watched on curiously, and couldn't help but feel like Takumi truly was trying his best to find Rukia, and wondered what place Rukia held within Takumi's heart, the place she held, and if she herself also felt like the same.

Takumi felt the energies circulating his form, while Orihime noticed that something was happening to Takumi.

Something around him was glowing.

Something different was happening.

He was murmuring something that sounded like it was a Kido spell.

"Taku..."

Takumi's eyes opened, seeing many ribbons around him, seeing that the red one was towards the left at a 90 degree angle, grabbing it, and yanked it, allowing him to feel Rukia's presence nearby, and what was happening.

"Found her! Yes, lets go Orihime-chan!"

"Y-Yes!"

Takumi and Orihime took off running, hoping they'd be able to find her in time before she would be killed.

---

Meanwhile, Giselle walked down the hill to go and meet Isshin, sensing him there.

The Hollow hadn't been felt yet by her, so she met with Isshin and sat down beside him on some steps, seeing that he was smoking, and that she herself had her elbows on her knees, and her face in her hands.

"So, you've taken up smoking."

"Hah, Masaki said that I looked cool when I smoked. It was the first, and last compliment that she gave me!"

Giselle tittered slightly.

"I suppose so. That's how Masaki-chan saw you."

Isshin glanced at the young woman who looked outwards at the sky that was slowly darkening.

"So...you're wondering about Masaki aren't you? About her death."

"To be beaten by a Hollow doesn't make sense. She was easily Lieutenant level, with her skills, and powers if not more. So, why would a normal Hollow be able to kill her?"

"That day, I felt that Masaki was in battle with a Hollow, but I felt her winning the fight easily, and by that time, I didn't have any powers anyway so I couldn't help. But then I suddenly felt Masaki's powers disappearing."

"Disappearing?"

"Like they had been stolen away from her. And then I felt Masaki's crying from my soul...and I knew that she was gone."

Giselle's eyes narrowed considerably.

"Her powers disappeared...and this happened around the same time...did His Majesty do this…?"

Giselle murmured aloud, while Isshin gave her a curious look.

"So, what are you going to do now? Since that Masaki is gone. I am surprised that you're still around."

"I don't know." She revealed sadly. "I came back so we could go back to what we were before. We could be friends again, and fight off Hollows, I was going to show her my power and we'd be able to grow stronger together. I didn't realize that her children also had powers. You must realize it as well, with Karin-chan and Yuzu-chan."

"It's one of the reasons that I had Urahara-san have Karin the ability to awaken her powers. She's going to awaken them one way or another, I just asked that he helped her awaken them with whatever items at his disposal, and with Takumi-kun now a Shinigami, perhaps he could keep my girls safe, and vice versa."

"Certainly, they have quite the unique relationship. And Yuzu-chan, it seems that she's like her Mom. Awakening some of her Quincy powers." Giselle's eyes turned towards Isshin. "So, do you want me to train her in being a Quincy?"

Isshin paused.

Having Giselle training Yuzu in being a Quincy.

He was sure that Masaki would be happy with that.

"I'm sure Masaki would..." Giselle's face changed, her eyes narrowing for the hill. "...what's wrong?"

"A Hollow is up there with your daughters. It feels strong."

"Yeah...I'm sensing it now...Karin, Yuzu..."

Giselle stood up, and stretched her arms.

"I'll go, stay here for now. You don't have any of your powers, so let me handle this. A single Hollow of this calibre wouldn't be able to defeat me. Even though it does feel quite powerful, it shouldn't be on the level of a Gillian, and I've taken that down before."

Giselle began skipping forward with a grin on her face.

Isshin however bit his lower lip, and hoped that his children would be alright.

---

Rukia continued her fight with the Hollow before her.

She had been forced into a building through the door that looked to be like a large office building, but it had been abandoned, and her head was bleeding. She felt dizzy, she felt sick from what was happening with her and the Hollow.

"Give it up, Rukia. I'm going to devour you, then I'm going after Takumi Urahara. You can't stop me."

Rukia narrowed her eyes, getting to her feet, and then placed her hand outwards.

"Hado 4: Byakurai!"

She hoped that it would work, and it did. Pale lightning came out of her finger, and shot for the Hollow. The bolt of lightning neared the Hollow who let out a large, and merely swung one of its hands at the lightning bolt, shattering it with a single attack, Rukia grimacing.

"That wimpy lightning was supposed to detain me?"

"Supposed to detain you? Of course not. I understand my limits, but I'm also regaining my powers. Because of that, I might just be able to beat you yet."

"Hahahaha!" The Hollow laughed out loud. "Are you dreaming girl?! I am beyond you! I am powerful! You are nothing but a child with no kind of power at all! I will devour your soul, and end your entire existence right now!"

Rukia pulled backwards, as the Hollow opened its mouth, and shot off a blast of energy, so Rukia dodged to the side, the energy smashing through the wall behind her, crumbling it down, Rukia spun her gun in her hand, and shot off a Chappy face blast at the Hollow, who snickered, and allowed its tentacles to form a wall between him, and the energy blast.

"You can try, but you wont succeed!"

Rukia threw several exploding spheres towards the Hollow as its tentacles had been blown off from her attack, who swiped forward with its remaining tentacles on its back, destroying them, yet they were powerful enough to destroy the tentacles.

Blood shot out of the tentacles that the Hollow had blown off and were regenerating.

When the smoke cleared from the explosion, he saw that Rukia was already gone.

"You can't escape me!"

The Hollow busted through the door, smashing apart the wall due to its size unable to fit through the door, and saw that Rukia was flying up the stairs as fast as she could, so he grinned, and allowed his hulking body to chase after her form.

Rukia got to the second level, and casually allowed one of the balls she had to hit a nearby support pillar, causing it to explode, and destroyed it, causing the area to shake around, but when she went to move, the Hollow burst up from the floor, and swiped at her, Rukia jumped back, but a large claw mark sliced right through her arm, her blood splattered across the ground, and she held her arm tightly.

"D-Damn..."

"Hmph, is that all you got bitch?"

Rukia grimaced, but she didn't give up, and ran in the opposite way down the corridor.

The Hollow sighed, and chased after her form, but he had a sadistic expression on his face, seemingly enjoying the fact that Rukia was trying her best to get away from him, but he thought that it was all for nothing.

Rukia continued going up the building she was in, while destroying the support structures along the way, avoiding the blasts of Hollows the best that she could do, but she got banged up, slammed against the floor, and cut across her body, but she still continued going forward.

She still did her best, and tried her best to win the fight.

And then when she got to near the top of the building, within a corridor, Rukia was slapped with a tentacle once more, and forced against a nearby wall, making her spit out a little bit of blood. She gripped her body tightly, but she also noticed the heavy shaking of the area that they were occupying, and the ground was breaking.

"Only delaying the inevitable."

Rukia stood up, panting from what she was feeling at that moment.

"I don't think that's true, I think that we're having a ball."

"Hah, cracking humour now. You truly are amazingly naive, aren't you Rukia?"

Rukia pulled out her gun but the tentacle on its back came out, and whipped her hand so hard that the gun flew out of the window behind her. Rukia grimaced at the sight, and pulled out a single sphere from her pocket.

"Amazingly naive. I think you've got that wrong."

The Hollow cocked its head.

"Oh? Why's that then?"

Rukia chuckled, seeing the ground coming up underneath them, so she threw the sphere at the Hollow, while jumping out of the window. The Hollow went to follow, when the ground underneath him, and dropped his body through the floor, as the building came toppling down on top of him.

Rukia herself spun in the air, aiming her hand downwards, channeling all of her power into her palm.

"B-Bakudo 37: Tsuriboshi!"

A star like net came out from below her and the points dug into buildings nearby so it could stay in place, a small version of the normal size at that, but it was big enough to catch her body, and allowed her to land on it without hurting herself.

Rukia panted.

With the bleeding she was going through, the fact that she had been attacked, and she had drained her power…

But she was happy.

She couldn't sense the power of the Hollow, and could see the collapsed building before her.

That was her plan the entire time.

She had been weakening the support structure of the building and luring the Hollow into a false sense of security, so that when the structure of the building was going to collapse in on itself, she'd get out while distracting the Hollow.

Though she didn't anticipate being banged up like she was, she was glad that it was finally over.

She hopped off her star, and landed on the ground, and felt pain running through her.

"That should do it." She muttered, only to hear rumbling behind her from the building. "No..." Rukia's daring eyes shot back to the building, only to see that within the broken rubble, the Hollows body lifted upwards and she saw that it had some large wounds, but they were regenerating, her eyes tangled with fear. "N-No...you couldn't have survived..."

"Sorry Rukia, it seems your plan didn't work."

Rukia pulled backwards.

She was sure it would work.

It would have beaten a normal Hollow…

But this wasn't normal.

This was a monster.

The Hollow let out a howling call, and charged forward.

Rukia gritted her teeth, and went to move, when a call came out "Rukia-chan!" causing her eyes to shift towards the right hand side to see Takumi, and Orihime outside of the barrier, banging on it, trying to get inside.

"W-Why did you even come?!"

"Seriously?! You're asking why a friend comes to save another friend!?"

Rukia's eyes lowered, while the Hollow smirked.

"Oh look Rukia, your shining Knight has come to save the day." Takumi and Orihime glanced at the other, confusion within them both. "Don't worry, Rukia here-"

"Shut up!"

Rukia snapped at the Hollow, but the Hollow grinned.

"Secrets, we keeping them Rukia? Don't you want Takumi to find out the secrets you've been keeping?"

Rukia's eyes narrowed, while Takumi's eyebrows lowered.

"D-Don't you dare say anything."

The Hollows eyes waved around, turning to Takumi who took out his Zanpakuto.

"Watch, as I kill this girl, and then I'll kill you!"

The Hollow turned on Rukia, and its fur came out, and slammed Rukia down onto the ground, Takumi and Orihime gasped, while Rukia didn't let out a cry, but she did slightly whimper at the feeling she felt.

---

"Nwhaaaaaaaaaaaa! G-Get off me!"

Karin was being crushed by the Hollow that was also strangling Yuzu.

Seeing her sister in despair, she was sure that this Hollow was unlike any that she had dealt with before. Then the Hollows form began to come into view, it wasn't invisible anymore, she could see it in its entirety.

It looked like a giant hamster with bird like feet, that were red. The fur was brown, from what she could tell, and its mask making her feel sick, disgusted. She hated seeing this Hollow, she hated this Hollow more than she thought possible.

Her eyes also ran over the Hollows fur, and gripped it tightly.

"L-Let go of my sister damn it!"

"What did you say?" The Hollow announced as the girl they had saw had the skin flip around, and become like tassels, and from the head, a red line attached itself to the Hollows head. "Did you see my lure? You must've seen it before."

"Lure..."

"That's right, my lure. I use it to bait in tasty humans like you. But when you said you recognized it, I just decided to strike you right away."

"Recognized...yeah, I recognized...s-so you use that to lure innocents to your side to kill them..."

The Hollow chuckled darkly, as Yuzu continued being strangled. She barely could breathe. She looked ready to pass out, she looked as if she was going to die.

"My favourites are kids, and by the way, my name is Grand Fisher, it's better if you know the name of your killer, isn't it hahahaha..."

Karin felt a pulse from her heart.

She felt like she was going to die.

The intensity of the feelings flowing from her, and her own body…

This was it.

This was the Hollow that had killed her Mother.

Now he was threatening to kill her sister…

No, she couldn't lose Yuzu.

Tears came from Karin's eyes as the Hollow opened its mouth wide, revealing another mouth inside of its large mouth, Yuzu's eyes widened with fear, her body convulsed, and she tried to get out of what was happening.

Karin knew she had no choice anymore.

Desperately, she went into her pocket despite being crushed, and fished out what Kisuke had given her.

"Come on...come on..."

Karin murmured again and again, trying her best.

"N-No! Stop it!"

Yuzu screamed as her body drew closer and closer to the Hollows mouth. It seemed like she could indeed see him without any equipment now.

Karin's fingers managed to grab the sphere, and she brought it to her mouth.

She briefly thought about her life being different...but her sister was in danger now. She had to save her no matter what else happened. And she also had to grab this Hollow, and punch it right in the face to stop it from doing this.

She slipped the pill down her throat, and swallowed it whole.

Then she felt a pulse erupting from her heart.

Power swelled from within her, encompassing around her form.

It felt like a dream.

It felt like this was what she had wanted her entire life.

Then an eruption of energy surrounded her, blasting off the Hollow off of Karin's body, a whirlwind of energy surrounded her being. The Hollows body was slammed against the floor, and Yuzu was flung away from the tentacle, dropping her body to the ground.

"Iyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Yuzu cried out, anticipating that her body was about to hit the floor.

But then, she felt an arm wrap around her body, and brought her down to the ground safely.

Yuzu's eyes shot for the being responsible, and saw that it was indeed Karin.

But, Karin had been through a change.

She was wearing a similar outfit that Takumi wore, his Shinigami robes. And in her hand, was a large sword.

Her Zanpakutō was a standard-looking katana, but oversized, with an equally-oversized brown sheath hung by a strap across her back and over her right shoulder. It had a rectangular bronze tsuba with gently inward-curved edges, a stylized flame pattern on the long sides, and a simple decorative slit on the short sides. The hilt's handle had a red wrapping and two light blue tassels attached to the handle's base, which was decorated with a flame design on its short sides.

Karin held the sword on her shoulder, and Yuzu in her other arm, placing her down onto the ground.

Grand Fisher looked disgruntled by what he was seeing before him.

"You're a Shinigami?!"

Karin adopted a smirk.

"Yeah, now I am. And you're in for a world of pain."

Karin glanced at Yuzu who peered up at her sister.

"Karin...you're the same as Takumi-kun."

"Yeah, I now have the same power as him. And look at my bitchin sword, it's huge!" Karin swung her sword outwards, and cleaved into the ground. "And it feels like I'm carrying nearly nothing, its not even hard to swing. Maybe because I've been used to swinging my other sword. Damn, this is quite cool." Karin twitched her neck at the Hollow. "Yuzu, stay back here, I'll deal with this bastard Hollow. For killing Mom, he's going to pay for this."

"Y-Yes, I understand Karin."

Yuzu pulled backwards, seeing that beside her, was Karin's other body, her Gigai essentially. Yuzu held onto the Gigai of Karin while Shinigami Karin walked forward, swinging her sword left, and right, ready to take on the Hollow, while Grand Fisher narrowed his eyes, seeing the confidence within Karin, it seemed like it was going to be dangerous.

"Now come on!"

Karin rushes forward, feeling her speed increasing by the second, and got close to the Hollow Grand Fisher. She swung her large Zanpakuto towards Grand Fisher, who pulls backwards, while sending out his fur towards her in the form of spear like protrusions.

Karin spun her large Zanpakuto, and swung it towards the left hand side, her Zanpakuto slashed through the fur, but the other fur got close towards her, only for Yuzu to have fired off an arrow which pierced through the Hollows fur near Karin, allowing her the time to slice through the rest of the fur, and swung for the Hollows body once more, only for Grand Fisher to manage to pull away.

"Yuzu..."

"I'll support you from here Karin! Let me help you too!"

Karin glanced at her sister, seeing the convictions that she had, so she nodded her head.

"Alright, I'll leave it to you Yuzu!"

Karin leaped forward, and forced her Zanpakuto towards his chest, but his speed had increased and he avoided it, allowing his fur to swirl around, and shot for her like a tornado. Karin however remained vigilant, facing in the direction of the fur, and swung her sword downwards, cutting the tornado of fur in half, and then swings left and right, slashing the fur apart.

However, Grand Fisher's claws thrust forward, and went right for Karin's chest.

Karin gritted her teeth, but then as the claws extended to stab into her form, Yuzu's arrows pierce the claws of Grand Fisher, allowing Karin the time to get close, and spun around, swinging down her sword for the mask of the Hollow.

"I'll kill you for what you did to our Mom!"

Karin spinning like a top, came down heavy with her sword.

She was sure she was going to succeed.

But surprising her, was Grand Fisher, grabbed her sword with his hand. Nothing was on the hand, no power or anything, but the blade didn't cut the Hollows hand at all, and he tightened his hand around the blade, pulling Karin closer.

"Ngh….g-get off you bastard!"

Karin attempted to pull her sword away from Grand Fisher, but Grand Fisher was quite strong, and could pull her closer.

"Karin!"

Yuzu fired off a few arrows towards the Hollow, but his fur extended into a wall, which pierced the wall of fur, but didn't get any closer, however it did distract Grand Fisher long enough for Karin to yank her sword away, and saw his hand stretching out, so she got close, and swung down her blade hard, slicing off the hand of Grand Fisher, with blood shooting out of its hand.

"D-Damn you girl!"

Karin wasn't done though, and turned her blade to the Hollows body, and swung forward, but the Hollow leaps upwards, and got to a nearby set of trees, and shot off its fur like a spear, Karin putting her sword in a defensive position, the fur was strong, and pushed her backwards a good portion, skidding past her Mother's grave, but she still managed to hold her ground, swinging her blade outwards, dispelling the fur away from her body.

"Karin, you cut off his hand! Then maybe we will-"

"Win?" Karin and Yuzu glared at Grand Fisher, revealing the stump of a hand. "This isn't anything to me. We Hollows have a special power that allows us to regenerate quite fast. So, watch this. My hand is going to reappear."

Yuzu and Karin watched with horror as the hand bubbled up, and form his bird like claw once more. The redness of the tips of the claws drew worry from the pair, but they didn't care in the end, and had to do something against this Hollow.

Then rain began to pour down from the heavens.

Karin and Yuzu remembered the day their Mother died.

It rained at that time too.

It felt like this was their chance.

It was their chance to get revenge for their Mother.

To protect their Mother.

To keep their Mother's memories alive?

"For Mom?"

Karin's question was met with a nod from Yuzu.

"For Mom."

They pulled closer to the Hollow, who gave a surprised face.

"What are you girls planning?"

""This is for our Mom!""

Yuzu unleashed arrow after arrow, a barrage of them towards the Grand Fisher.

Karin at the same time came running closer, leaping up towards the Hollow, and swung her sword towards Grand Fisher who pulled backwards, the sword going by the bridge of his mask, as the hailstorm of arrows came closer.

Grand Fisher's speed kicked in, avoiding the attacks all together, only for Karin to have predicted that, and thrusted her foot into Grand Fisher's mask so hard that it began to crack, Grand Fisher's eyes widening, and saw Karin's sword heading for the mask of the Hollow, so his fur came out, wrapping around Karin's wrist, and yanked her upwards, lifting her body into the air, and swung her high.

"A-Aaaaaah! S-Shit!"

Karin let out a yell, while in the air.

"I've got you Karin!"

Yuzu to fire off some arrows for the fur, cutting through the fur of the Hollow, dropping Karin from the air, who came down with her sword like a guillotine.

"You girls are really pissing me off..."

Grand Fisher growled and went to attack the incoming Karin, only for Yuzu to fire off some explosive arrows for the Hollow, stabbing into the fur of the Hollow, exploding inside of the fur, allowing Karin to slice down, cleaving off the entire arm of the Hollow, and then kicked outwards, smashing her foot into the Hollows upper body, her surprising strength knocked the Hollow backwards, and into a few trees, Karin looked down at her body, and smiles.

"Damn, being a Shinigami is quite good."

Karin slightly praised herself, and saw the Hollow attempting to move backwards while its arm began to regenerate once more.

Karin and Yuzu shared a look, before changing for the Hollow once more.

"You damn little bitches! I'll eat your souls!"

The Hollow using its tentacle to try and grab Karin, only for Karin to dodge left, and swung her sword downwards, slicing through the Hollows tentacle, and Yuzu fired off an arrow at close range, piercing the healing arm of the Hollow, allowing its progression to be halted for a few moments, allowing Karin to get close…

But the Hollow smirked, and raised his hand, the claws came out, stretching to an unusual length and headed for Yuzu.

Yuzu, not able to move as fast as a Shinigami, couldn't dodge it in time, so Karin got close to her, putting herself between the two, and took the claw strike head on, stabbing into her shoulder, making her cry out.

"K-Karin!"

"Don't worry about me! Just make sure it dies!"

Karin's body erupted blood, as the fur came out of her body, only for the fur to try and strike her across the cheek. Yuzu however appeared from behind, with an explosive sphere attached to her arrows, and fired it off at the fur, causing it to explode, with water spreading around from the area, since the fur was wet with the thunderous rain, allowing Karin to place a hand on her shoulder, grimacing.

"Karin...are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry about me."

Karin gripped her sword, ready to strike the Hollow.

However, just as she was going to move, the Hollow released a chuckle.

"Anger fills your minds. It is simple as that. Predictable, is what I can see from you both. That's why you're going to lose."

The Hollows lure springs forth from his head, and then his hand wrapped around the head of the lure.

They watch as he does something to the lure, twisting his fingers across the lure, and then drops his hand from the lure, to reveal the face of Masaki, Yuzu and Karin's Mother, understandably, both girls looked on with shocked eyes.

"M-Mom..."

Karin murmured, Yuzu placed her hands to her mouth.

"M-Mommy..."

The lures eyes went towards the pair, and a gentle smile appeared across the face of the woman.

"Karin, Yuzu."

It was her voice.

Their Mom's voice.

They nearly collapsed onto the ground, and wanted to cry.

Seeing their Mom now...it was amazing, and also gut wrenching.

---

Takumi and Orihime watched with horror as Rukia kept getting attacked. Takumi couldn't handle it, seeing Rukia being in pain, being attacked, and bleeding. His sword came out, swinging his sword at the barrier again and again, but it bounced off the barrier, he couldn't get through.

"There's no point trying. A sword like yours isn't going to be getting through my barrier. It can hold off powerful Shinigami, even up to a Lieutenant levels of power, and you certainly don't have the power to stand against me like this."

"Damn it!"

Takumi didn't give up.

He spammed every Kido he knew.

He spammed his sword techniques to slice the barrier.

But he couldn't get through.

He was helpless to watch Rukia getting beaten by the Hollow.

Orihime also saw how Takumi was even crying seeing Rukia being brutalized by the Hollow, and being unable to do anything.

Rukia though still didn't give up.

She tried her best to fight the Hollow but she couldn't in the end, she was exhausted, and couldn't do anything against it.

"No...Rukia-chan..."

Takumi didn't know how to win.

He didn't know how to save her.

He simply didn't have the power…

"Power..."

His eyes went towards his sword.

Then he remembered his Zanpakuto spirit, so he sat down on the floor, laying his Zanpakuto across his lap. Orihime didn't know what he was doing, and could only hope that he was up to something she didn't know about.

"Taku-chan..."

Takumi closed his eyes, and allowed his mind to go to his inner world.

To find her once more.

To get to her…

---

Then his eyes opened, feeling a hand on his shoulder, and saw his Zanpakuto spirit. But he also saw that clouds were up above and rain was beating down onto them. The booming of the thunder caused him to feel weird inside.

His body was soaked to the bone within seconds due to the speed of the rain.

"It's raining, do you know why?"

The girl spoke to Takumi while he himself gained a question mark.

"Why's that?"

"Because your heart is crying. It reflects here what's going on inside of you. You are suffering. Why do you suffer so?"

Her gentle voice didn't display urgency, unlike Takumi's own.

"Rukia-chan's gonna die! I need to save her!"

"Saving her...you need to save her."

Takumi took the young woman by her shoulders, and desperately peered into her eyes.

"Please...please help me save her..."

He begged.

In the end, that's all he could do.

He had nowhere else to turn.

He needed her.

"How can I help you?"

"Your name...your power. You said you'd need to see my resolve, my strength...but, I can't wait to show you that anymore. I don't have the power to save Rukia-chan, but with you...with your power, maybe I would be able to save her! Maybe this isn't what you had in mind when saying that I needed to satisfy you but-"

The young woman allowed her arms to wrap around his form, pulling him closer, and his head bounced off her breasts. Her soothing fingers flowed through his hair like sparks of electricity flowing into his entire being.

"Satisfying me only needed for me to see your resolve. Seeing you now, I can see your resolve. I know you more than you think I do, and for you to say these things, it means you're truly passionate. And you wish to save that Shinigami girl, don't you?"

"Yes...I need to save her."

The girls lips curled upwards, lightly kissing the young boy on the cheek, making his face turn slightly red.

"Then, tell me one more thing?"

Takumi cocked his eyebrows upwards in perplexity.

"What?"

"What's my name?"

Takumi suddenly felt the information flood into his head.

He knew it.

He knew her name.

"Your name is..."

---

Back in the real world, Takumi rose his blade high into the sky, and allowed his energy to surround his form.

He got off the ground, and his smirk grew on his face.

"Ravage! Kinhime!"

A flash of lightning spread through the sky, and shot down onto Takumi's sword. Rukia, and the others watched as the sword turned beautifully golden light almost like pure energy, with sparks of lightning spread outwards, which began to take form. It zigzagged into the blade of a lightning bolt, and was about the same size as his katana beforehand, but its spiritual pressure had changed. The guard looked like spikes coming out of it, with eight being the maximum.

Orihime watched with happiness, seeing the sword, it looked beautiful.

Rukia with blood dripping off her lips, and she smiled while shedding a few tears.

"Kinhime, otherwise known as the Golden Princess, one of the most beautiful Zanpakuto rivaling Sode no Shirayuki. Even looking at it now, it makes me teary eyed. It's so beautiful, even the way the blade turns, the way it leaves sparks as he swings it, and the elegance behind the way he moves, as if he's merely dancing with his Princess. Now I do know who this person before me is...I definitely understand this person now. Takumi Urahara, with his Kinhime, is about to play with his Princess, and no one gets in the way of his time with his Princess, even Hollows..."

Rukia watched as Takumi raised his sword up into the sky.

"Burst Kinhime!"

Takumi swung his blade outwards, and a burst of bright brilliant lightning spread outwards, and slammed against the barrier. The lightning blast managed to shatter the barrier all together, the Hollows face turned downwards in worry and slight fear.

"N-No! You couldn't have! You've awakened your Shikai?!"

"Yeah, and now my Princess wants to play a game till the death, she's kinda crazy like that. Shall we see who survives?"

Takumi nodded with a smile, and disappeared, only to appear before him, and swung his sword outwards, shooting off some blasts of lightning, which wrapped around the body of the Hollow, and flung him away from Rukia's body, slamming him across the battlefield, smashing his body into a nearby building, breaking the wall of it, and caused the building to shake.

"Takumi..."

Takumi leaned down to Rukia, and saw the wounds across her body, as Orihime came running over, and looked over Rukia's wounds.

"Kuchiki-chan, are you okay?!"

"I-I'm..."

Rukia didn't know what to say.

Takumi glanced at the Hollow who had sparks across its body, and took out a vial of liquid, tossing it to Orihime, who began placing it over the wounds Rukia had.

The Hollow scowled towards Takumi who twitched his eyebrows at the Hollow.

"Y-You bastard! How dare you do this to me?! I will completely obliterate you!"

The Hollow opened its mouth, and began forming a Cero.

Rukia grimaced, and called "Takumi!" but Takumi gave her a smile, and stabbed his Zanpakuto into the ground.

"Protect Kinhime!"

The lightning surrounding the blade formed a wall before him, and the others. The Cero shot forward, and clashed with the lightning barrier that had been formed, forcing against one another, and then cancelled one another out.

"Amazing...but Takumi, you can't fight this Hollow, it's too powerful."

"Yet, you went to go and fight it on your own."

Rukia lowered her eyes.

"I...I knew that I was fighting a strong enemy, but I knew this enemy well. I knew I could...I thought I could take it down but..."

Takumi glanced at the young girl, who seemed a little disheartened, so he turned back to the Hollow before him. The Hollow placed a hand beside him, and then a hole opened up, revealing Hollows after Hollows that all looked the same.

Takumi ground his teeth, as the Hollow smirked.

"You might've been able to beat me, but can you take these all?"

"So you're the one that gained these Hollows. I heard from a Shinigami that you can enslave Hollows that are weaker than you are."

"That's true. I leave a piece of myself inside of them, and they mutate to look the same way. They might appear to be clones, but they are different Hollows, they are just my Hollows, they have the same pressure because that's my pressure inside of them, they look similar as that's what they transform into once my power takes effect." His eyes went to Rukia who narrowed her eyes. "You know this form, doesn't it look so much like the one that you killed inside of that man? I'm...you could say a distant cousin of that Hollow. I've evolved, and changed shape. His ability to control others by invading their bodies, is what I'm doing with these Hollows, though I'm more powerful than that Hollow was."

Takumi clutched his blade tightly, as the Hollows came out of the hole that had been summoned, and some came right at him. He knew that fighting them all would be annoying, and could prove to be difficult, he was sensing strong spirit energy from them.

He went to move when…

"Have this!"

Hiyori, who was in Shikai, came swinging down, and cleaved through a good chunk of the Hollows going near Takumi.

"Executing."

Nemu comes sweeping down, with her leg extending outwards, and swings it outwards, smashing through the Hollows faces, and killed them off, as Liltotto appeared behind Rukia, and Orihime, shooting off a few arrows towards the incoming storm of Hollows.

"It seems that we're a little late to the party."

Takumi placed a hand on his chest, smiling at the sight of the girls being there.

"I'm glad you're here. I've got to slay the Hollow, can you handle its little buddies?"

Hiyori smirked, and swung her sword around like a tornado, cleaving through the Hollows that were coming near them.

"As if you have to even ask something like that Baldy!"

"Yes, please slay the Hollow immediately. The blonde Baldy and I will handle this with the girl that eats a lot."

Hiyori snapped her eyes on Nemu, but she was busy taking down the Hollows the best that she could.

Takumi smiled at the comrades that had come to help, before Hiyori snapped her eyes to him.

"Come on Baldy! Don't just sit there with your damn Princess, move your ass, and kill the Hollow already! Or, shall I do it for you Princess?" Hiyori smirked out. "I know, it must be so tiring for you, but people like me have no problem when it comes to things like this. So you just sit back and-"

"I'm going now!"

Takumi glanced between them all, before rushing forward. Rukia looked on with worry while the trio of girls managed to take down the onslaught of Hollows. Using his incredible speed, Takumi got through the Hollows, and to the main Hollow before him, and slashed at him with sparks of electricity shining gloriously.

"F-Fuck!"

The Hollow pulled away, and his hands showed some acidic properties.

"So you have the same acid like ability as the others?"

"That's right, now burn in-"

Before he could finish, Takumi appears before him, and says "Strike Kinhime!" and the lightning around the blade glows, and the sword itself begins to move faster, as if it was a bolt of lightning through the sky, and leaving behind a light path of electricity, his sword cleaved through the hands of the Hollow, dropping them to the ground.

"Sorry, but my Princess isn't having any of this."

"M-My hands! My hands! You've cut off my hands! But surely my regeneration will..." He looked down at his hands, and saw that they weren't regenerating. "B-But why?! You couldn't of done something, could you?!"

"High speed regeneration, that's what you Hollows use. I know all about it. And my sword has just shocked every cell near your hands, or what used to be your hands, to a point where they can't be fixed normally. It wasn't just a simple slash, my sword, cleaved right through your hands and to put it simply, shocked your cells into a state that they couldn't regenerate so fast, putting them into a necrosis type of state, isn't that amazing? Using my knowledge on the anatomy of Hollows, and my swords abilities, I'll cut you down until your body turns into a state of nothingness."

The Hollow couldn't believe it.

The sword itself had stopped the Hollows power to regenerate to a degree that he could feel his body attempting to repair the damage that Takumi had done to it.

The Hollow howled into the air, and shot off its tentacles at Takumi who raised his lightning blade, ready to strike down the enemy.

But Rukia recognized something else.

"T-Takumi! No! If you touch those tentacles, your Zanpakuto will-"

"Too late!"

Takumi cut through the tentacles, but the Hollow didn't seem to care.

Rukia's eyes widening, remembering this happening with Kaien.

Seeing his Zanpakuto disappearing, and then the Hollow coming back to take over his body.

The same thing was going to happen to Takumi…

He was going to be taken over after his Zanpakuto was going to disappear.

"N-Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

Rukia's scream alerted the others to what was going on.

The Hollow began laughing...but stopped when seeing that his Zanpakuto hadn't been destroyed.

He was confused.

He didn't get it.

But then he saw at the end of his tentacles, that sparks were coming off of them, only for Takumi to swing his sword outwards, and a curved bolt of lightning flashed through the area, slicing through the tentacles all the way down to the body of the Hollow, forcing it to the ground.

"Nemu-san told me about the reason why she was chosen to find this Hollow, and slay it. Because it had the unique ability to destroy Zanpakuto, and she doesn't fight with a Zanpakuto so she didn't have to rely on that at all. I saw how willing you were allowing your tentacles forward so I guessed that's how it activated. So as I cut through your tentacles, I used lightning to extend from the blade, creating a miniature field of electricity so your tentacles couldn't get through, and then allowed the lightning to sharpen to cut through your tentacles, so I've taken your power away now."

The Hollow looked afraid.

Takumi's blade was fantastic.

Yet, scary.

He was scared.

He was going to lose.

Rukia watched with renewed hope, as Takumi rose his blade into the air, and allowed the lightning to gather around his blade. Its sparks surrounded his form, and some stray bolts hit the ground, and caused it to shake around. The roaring sound of thunder came from the blade.

"My Zanpakuto controls thunder and lightning. And its gathering electricity now, for maximum voltage."

The Hollow pulled backwards, feeling afraid of what was going to happen.

"S-Stay away from me!"

The Hollows fur came out towards Takumi, in thin yet strong looking stabbing motions. Takumi went to move, when Hiyori came from the left, and cut right through the hair before it could touch Takumi's body.

"Got your back!"

"I as well, will detain the target."

Nemu appeared behind the Hollow, and forced her foot against its legs, breaking its legs so it couldn't move anymore. The Hollow howled out dangerously, Takumi could feel the power of the blade reaching its maximum, so he strolled forward towards the Hollow.

"W-Wait a second! I can tell you things!"

"Not interested."

"B-But, you can't kill me! I'll summon more Hollows to fight you and..."

The Hollow attempted to open a portal to summon some Hollows, but Liltotto fired off some strong arrows, and pierced the head of the Hollow, forcing it to release a small cry, and pulled backwards, while Takumi spun his sword in the air, lightning becoming a circle in the air.

"Sorry, but that's not going to do. You might be strong, you might have allies, but I have allies too. And you've caused Rukia-chan pain, now I'm going to execute you. With this attack, you'll be finished!"

Takumi thrusted his sword forward, and a huge bolt of lightning rips out of the blade, and wraps around the Hollow. Entering its systems, and forcing its eyes to shake around, its internal organs being shocked to the degree that they burst from the intense power of lightning, the heat of the lightning causing its body to become a crispy husk.

Even with its defences, it was beaten by Takumi and the others, and then, Takumi casually sliced it apart, causing the two halves of the Hollow to disappear into the ether, while Rukia watched on with shocked eyes.

It didn't end up like Kaien.

He didn't die.

Takumi's Zanpakuto didn't disappear.

---

Takumi then turned towards Rukia, and walked forward as the sky opened up, and rain began to pour down towards them all.

Orihime gave a gentle smile towards Takumi, who did the same, bending down to Rukia who peered up at him with wavering eyes.

"Dummy."

Takumi lightly tapped her head.

"Ow..."

Rukia groaned, Takumi placed his hand on top of her head as the water had already began soaking her hair.

"Idiot, you had us all worried. Going off on your own, what were you thinking?"

"...I had to defeat the Hollow...that Hollow was...it was..."

"You recognized it, didn't you? You seemed to know its powers when Nemu-san hadn't told me at that point so I couldn't of told you anything. So, want to explain? Do you have history with that Hollow?"

Rukia's face turned downwards, tears dancing between her eyes as the rain also washed over her face, cutting through her was emotions she hadn't dealt with in her life, the loss of Kaien, the loss of her friends, and now, the potential loss of Takumi, and how he had saved her.

It took a lot to reduce Rukia to tears.

Takumi knew she was in true pain.

"...That Hollow reminded me so much of someone that died...someone that I didn't have a choice but to kill...I had to do something...I couldn't let you suffer the same fate as what happened to him...what happened to Kaien…I had to kill this Hollow on my own...but in the end, I couldn't..."

Takumi inhaled slowly, pulling closer, and rubbed her head gently.

"You're silly, you can always come to me with any problem you have." Rukia felt a pulse from her heart. "You are one of those types of people that want to protect others. Did it never occur to you that you're one of the people that needs to be protected too?" Rukia's eyes widened with shock, and realization. "We're a team Rukia-chan, if one of us is sad, we're all sad, we fight these things together. I don't know how normal Shinigami's do it, but we're here for you, you don't have to face this alone."

"T-Takumi..."

Rukia allowed a stray tear or two to fall from her eyes, Takumi's fingers slowly go over her face, Rukia being entangled within the warmth that was Takumi.

"You're not alone anymore Rukia-chan, you don't have to take on the world alone. I'll always be here for you Rukia-chan. You can rely on me, you don't have to worry about me disappearing, okay? Don't do reckless things like this, we can deal with any problem together. Come to me, and I'll come to you if we need help. That's what it means to have friends, you know? So, how about it? Deal?"

Rukia's eyes began shedding a few tears.

It seemed so simple, yet it was so powerful. The fact that he was there for her. He didn't die by the Hollow.

Takumi inhaled slowly, and pulled Rukia close, allowing her to cry on his chest.

Orihime, Nemu, Liltotto and Hiyori watch as Rukia sobs against Takumi's body, until she ended up passing out from her wounds, and the fatigue that she had felt.

Takumi embraced the young woman, and carried her bridal style, using some of his medicine to do a quick first aid on her so she didn't suffer too much.

"Poor Rukia-chan, she felt so alone all this time. She was scared that I'd end up the same as that man she was talking about...she only wanted to protect us. It seems like she doesn't have anyone else to rely on...maybe she's hardened her heart."

Orihime leans onto Takumi's shoulder, and peered at the sleeping Rukia.

"Kuchiki-chan, you truly don't have to be alone anymore. We're all here for her now, aren't we Taku-chan?"

"Definitely, we'll be here for her now." Takumi's eyes go to the sky, and he felt something. "That pressure..." His eyes went towards the graveyard, the place he could sense Karin, Yuzu, and Giselle. "It's coming from Karin-chan and Yuzu-chan's position. Though Giselle-san is also there...even then, we should probably go and make sure that they're alright."

The others nod, and all go towards the Hollow that was showcasing pressure.

---

Back with Karin and Yuzu, they couldn't believe that their Mom was there before them.

Yuzu wanted to believe the lie.

She truly did.

Even Karin felt her resolve falling.

The will to fight...the will to get rid of the Hollow, would mean they wouldn't see their Mother again.

It felt sickening, it felt disheartening.

Yuzu's feet carried her forward, her hands twitching, and her body couldn't stop heating up from seeing her Mother.

Karin watched her sister move forward, her hands going towards her Mother's face.

It seemed that Yuzu wanted to believe the lie.

She wanted to give into the lie.

She wanted to be lost in the lie.

"Mommy...I-I'm sorry...I'm so sorry I haven't been stronger...I'm so sorry..."

Karin briefly closed her eyes, ridding her tears that she threatened to shed, then opened her eyes to see that Yuzu had gotten close.

"Yuzu, don't cry now, I'm here..."

Karin felt her hands tightening on her blade.

It was a lie.

All of it was a lie.

Seeing this was a complete betrayal of her Mother, and also, hurting Yuzu more than a wound ever could.

"Y-Yuzu! Get away from her!"

Yuzu's eyes went back to Karin, and Karin saw something profound.

How she was crying.

"Karin, its Mom..."

"No, it's not." Karin breathed out her sadness. "It looks like Mom, it sounds like Mom. But, that isn't Mom. She never could be Mom. Mom was kind and gentle...there's no kindness within her voice. It is only the sound of her voice, there's no emotion behind her."

That's what Karin thought to be true.

No, she knew it was true.

Yuzu didn't know what to do.

She wanted her Mother.

She wanted to believe Karin.

In her heart of hearts, she knew that Karin was right.

"Don't listen to her Yuzu." The lure Masaki called, drawing Yuzu closer. "Come to me Yuzu, come and help me Yuzu. I need your help."

"Mom...t-that's...you're not my Mom..."

Yuzu denied her.

"N-No! Yuzu!"

Karin rushed forward, while Yuzu slowly moved backwards.

However, the lures shot forward, Standing before the lure, Yuzu became worried at the lure, who smiled back, only for the Hollow to thrust its claw right for her chest.

"No Yuzuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

Karin yelled as loudly as she could, knowing she wouldn't make it in time.

She wouldn't be able to save her sister.

She was going to die…

But then an arrow came from the side, slicing right through the claw of the Hollow, and then through the Hollows arm, cutting it off from Grand Fisher's body, who released a howl, Yuzu's eyes snapping back to normal, as Karin got close, and hugged Yuzu tightly.

"Who did it?! Who did that to me?!"

Grand Fisher shot his eyes for the culprit, seeing that it was Giselle with her bow and arrow at the ready.

Her eyes looked pissed.

She looked ready to take down the Hollow.

"I did it to you, Grand Fisher. Escaped people for over fifty years by using your disgusting acts to stop people hurting the ones they love, it's a despicable act that I hate so much." Giselle pulled closer, pulling back her arrow. "So, you're the sickening Hollow that decided to rob Masaki-chan's life from her?" Yuzu and Karin both looked down. "And now you attack her daughters. You are disgusting. You truly are disgusting."

Giselle's eyes narrow even more, seeing the Hollows body moving towards her.

"So you're a Quincy girl?"

"That's right, I'm a Quincy, trained by a very powerful Quincy. I'll use my training to destroy you."

Laughs came out of Grand Fisher.

It was clear that he was taking Giselle lightly.

Giselle didn't like that at all.

"I'm not a newbie, you can't kill me. I'll show you that my Sensei taught me everything I need to take down a piece of shit like you."

"Like you-" Giselle appeared before him with her fast movements, her arrow pointed at his torso. "-can!"

Giselle releases an arrow deep into the Hollows body, ripping right through its body, tearing half of the Hollows body off his torso, blood soaked the ground, and Grand Fisher screamed loudly at the attack he received.

"Seriously, are you this weak?"

"S-Screw you!"

Fur from the Hollow came out like a whirlwind, heading right for Giselle in an attempt to crush her.

But her speed was beyond what Grand Fisher could deal with, appearing behind the whirlwind of fur just before it could pierce the ground, and pulled back her arrow once more, more arrows forming around her bow.

"As I said, you are too weak to beat me. And definitely, you'd be nothing compared to Masaki-chan."

Giselle unleashed a barrage of arrows in a single pull. The arrows all spread outwards, and stabbed through the torrent of fur that was digging into the ground, puncturing different places on the fur, and then with a final arrow she drew, the large arrow, she shot it forward, and cleaved through the majority of the fur, Yuzu and Karin in awe at her power.

"Wow...she's strong..."

"She definitely is. I'm glad she's on our side."

Karin murmured after Yuzu, who looked at Giselle with appreciating eyes.

The Hollow growled dangerously, spitting out a large volume of blood that hit the ground like a stone. Giselle however just pulled back her arrow once more, Grand Fisher panicked even more, seeing that Giselle was going to attack.

But then he thought of something.

He placed the Masaki lure between Giselle, and himself.

"Please, please don't do this. You can't hurt me, can you? Giselle, it's me, Masaki, I really love you."

Giselle's eyes didn't waver.

Unlike Yuzu and Karin who had already been tricked for even a brief moment.

Giselle seemed resolve.

"You dare use Masaki-chan before me. Before her daughters. That's sick, you truly are a monster that's befitting a Hollow."

"Y-You aren't even thinking about..."

Grand Fisher breathed hard, while Giselle saw the tentacles trying to get close to her. Giselle however, just twitched her hand, and shot off several arrows to cut through the tentacles, and got close to Masaki before her.

"Masaki-chan, it's lovely to see you again. But, I know you aren't the real Masaki-chan. I'm so sorry I didn't save you. I wish I had been here when Grand Fisher attacked, maybe you could've introduced me more to your children, and we could've done more together."

Grand Fisher now was panicking.

He could feel the power of Giselle growing.

It was more than he had anticipated.

It was on a different level to Karin and Yuzu.

"S-Stop! You can't do anything to me!"

Masaki's lure cried out, but Giselle shed a single tear.

"I truly am sorry Masaki-chan. But I'll keep your girls safe now. And I've found love. Isn't that amazing? I guess that I fell for a Shinigami as you did." She was whispering so Karin and Yuzu couldn't hear what she was saying. "Goodbye Masaki-chan."

Giselle pulled her arrow, and shot through Masaki's lure. The arrows energy destroyed the lure all together, Karin and Yuzu watched on with unsure feelings, but they could see how hard it was for Giselle to even do that as well, so it made sense in their eyes that she was truly trying her best.

The lure had been destroyed, the arrow continued on, and shot for the Hollow. Despite its body regenerating, it hadn't fully regenerated at that time, so when the arrow came close, it cut off the Hollows left leg, and also left arm due to how the Hollow was hunched over, forcing the Hollow down onto the ground.

"S-Stop it! Stop this right now!"

Grand Fisher attempted to attack her, only for Karin to come out, and slice through the fur that had come for Giselle.

Giselle paused, glancing at Karin and Yuzu, and then to herself.

Her mind thought about Masaki, and how she wanted to get revenge for her.

But, she also realized that Karin and Yuzu deserved it more.

She was their Mother.

To Giselle, Masaki was someone that couldn't be replaced.

But to them, to Karin and Yuzu, it was the woman that gave birth to them, the woman that they loved.

Giselle noticed that Takumi, and the others had arrived. They didn't say anything, they were flabbergasted that Karin was wearing Shinigami robes. Rukia was within Takumi's arms, and Orihime was on his back, it seemed they had flash stepped to that location.

Giselle lowered her eyes, then looked towards the twins.

"Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan. You want to kill this Hollow? It took your Mom away from you, so it's only right that you both take down this Hollow. You did well against him on your own, you had him on the ropes. If he didn't play that dirty card of Masaki-chan, then you would have been able to deal heavy blows, so what do you say?"

Karin and Yuzu glanced at the Hollow, then towards Giselle.

They then stood up, and turned their weapons on Grand Fisher.

Grand Fisher felt fear coming over him.

He didn't want to die.

Especially now.

He couldn't.

He tried to stand, but his leg hadn't fully regenerated.

He couldn't even go into his lure either.

He was terrified.

"N-No! D-Don't come closer! Stay away from me!"

Grand Fisher's fur came out slower than what it was before. Possibly because of the wounds it had received, it was slower than it was, so Karin managed to get closer, and dodged out of the way, getting closer to the Hollow.

"You stole our Mom from us! As if I'm going to simply forgive that!"

Grand Fisher panted hard.

But he still had one thing left.

The tentacle that he had came out to try and grab Karin around her throat.

"I don't think so."

Yuzu shot off an arrow and with precise action, the arrow cleaved through the tentacle, blood shooting out.

The others watched on as Karin got closer and closer.

"W-Wait a second! You can't! I've evaded Shinigami for fifty four years! You can't be the one who takes me out!"

"I'm afraid I am….no, it's because of me, my sister, and Giselle-san. She gave us this opportunity, and now we're going to take it." Yuzu appeared before her, gripping Karin's Zanpakuto along with Karin herself. "You stole our Mom from us, you hurt everything and everyone. You've done this for the last time."

"This is for our Mom."

Yuzu finished off, Grand Fisher's eyes displayed his fear. He convulsed on the spot. Due to the fact that he hadn't been healed yet, he was at their mercy, there was nothing they would be able to do now.

Then it was over.

Karin and Yuzu plunged the sword through Grand Fisher, right through his mask, and he screamed into the rain, and then they swung their sword upwards, cutting the Hollows head in half, and its body began to disappear into nothingness.

Karin and Yuzu stared down their Mother's killer, and just smiled.

Not just from killing him, but from saving every other future victim that he would have killed.

Karin and Yuzu then fell to their knees, holding onto one another's hands, and wordlessly embraced the other.

Giselle watched the girls embracing, and smiled softly.

But then she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning to see that it was Takumi.

"Are you okay?"

"It wasn't my kill in the end, it was theirs, for their Mom."

Despite her saying that, Takumi could see that Giselle was slightly disheartened. But he also saw her looking at both Karin and Yuzu, almost longingly.

Takumi tapped her shoulder, and chuckled lightly.

"Thanks for saving them."

Giselle pulled her cheeks, and gave a bright smile.

"Of course!"

Takumi looked at the girls once more, at Karin in her Shinigami robes, and then at Yuzu with her bow beside her. Takumi also knew exactly now what was going on, but he didn't reveal anything, and just kept his eyes on the girls, while carrying Rukia in his arms.

---

Later on, with the rain subsiding, Giselle and Isshin stood together, under a porch with a shrine behind them, with Yuzu and Karin sleeping together nearby. It seemed to have taken a lot out of them, both physically and emotionally, Isshin gave his daughters a smile.

"So, they finished off Grand Fisher."

Giselle nodded while playing with her hair.

"Yup, he's gone from this world now. Masaki-chan would've been proud, you'd be proud of them too."

"I'm sure...and Karin became a Shinigami then."

"Are you displeased?"

Isshin shook his neck.

"No, it was her choice. I'm glad she had that choice, I couldn't deny her of her power forever, so I'm glad I spoke to Urahara-san about it. Karin is going to be a fine Shinigami. Though I'd like her to be taught about sword skills from-"

"Me perhaps?"

Giselle, and Isshin shot their eyes towards the shrine, and behind the wall, Takumi came out.

"G-Geez, I didn't even sense you."

"Sorry about that, I wanted to speak to you, but I ended up overhearing your conversation." His eyes went to Isshin. "So, you're the reason Karin-chan is a Shinigami."

"A-Ah, I don't know..."

Giselle lightly taps Isshin's stomach.

"Don't be foolish, it's pretty clear he's figured it out."

Isshin gives in, bowing his head.

"Yes...I'm the reason she's a Shinigami."

"So, you were a Shinigami in the past, and you met a Quincy girl, and had twins, right?" Giselle wore surprise on her face, Takumi chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I got it from a few things, your attachment to Yuzu-chan and Karin-chan, how you even were invited here in the first place, since if you didn't know Masaki-san, it wouldn't make sense why you'd be here. It made sense when I heard from Yuzu-chan that you were friends with her Mother, so she was a Quincy. Amazing, so a Shinigami and a Quincy got together. I'd like to know the circumstances behind that, when you're ready of course."

"Hahaha, I see. Then maybe I'll tell you. But, until I'm ready, could we keep this between us? And not tell the girls?"

Takumi ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"It isn't my place to tell them your secrets, I wont say anything."

Isshin looked relieved.

"And if she asks you about her latent Shinigami power?"

Takumi chuckled, while twirling around playfully.

"Perhaps, being close to a Shinigami like me, and Rukia-chan, allowed some of our power to push her own latent abilities to transform into a Shinigami. If she hadn't been around us, she might've not gained the power, but because she already had high spirit energy, and our locations near her, and the existence of Hollows, caused her own power to take on Shinigami's powers. Doesn't that sound satisfying Isshin-san?"

Isshin lightly chuckled.

"Yes, that sounds perfect. Also...please, will you watch over my daughters too? I know you're a Shinigami, and I've heard from Giselle-san here that you awakened Shikai, so could you protect my girls? And if it isn't too much trouble, train Karin in the ways of a Shinigami? Also, Giselle-san...Yuzu's like her Mom, I'm sure Masaki would love you to pass on her teachings to her daughter. If you could...please teach her."

"Hey, I'm still learning myself. But, I could teach her everything I know...and yeah, you didn't have to ask, I'll keep those girls safe."

"Yup, I'll teach Yuzu-chan~ Leave it to me~"

Isshin adopted a wide smile, as he pulled out a cigarette, and lit it up.

"Masaki always said I looked cool when smoking. What do you think?"

Takumi and Giselle glanced at the other, then chuckled together.

""Definitely cool.""

Isshin, Takumi, and Giselle began laughing together, and soon turned into a burst of laughter.

---

Sometime later on, Takumi watched over Rukia, who was laying asleep, while Nemu watched on from beside him. Takumi could see Nemu's eyes on her form, and then he tapped her shoulder, Nemu's eyes going towards Takumi.

"What are you going to do now Nemu-san? Since the Hollows been slain."

"My mission was to check on Rukia Kuchiki-san and also defeat the Hollow. The second has been accomplished, the first has yet to be accomplished. Though, I couldn't help but notice that she hadn't been in her Shinigami form. Conclusion, she has lost some of her powers, or suffered a wound which forces her to be in a Gigai."

"...And what do you think is the truthful one?"

Nemu looked Takumi up and down.

Nemu blinked at Takumi, then at Rukia.

"Do you care for the one known as Rukia Kuchiki-san?"

"Of course I care about her."

"I meant in a romantic sense."

Takumi felt a pulse from his heart.

Feeling something for Rukia…?

Did he have feelings for Rukia?

He had never considered.

He had already accepted he had feelings for Orihime, but for Rukia as well…

"T-That's...I erm..."

"May I add, I owe you one more favour."

"You do…? Why's that?"

"Because, you took care of the Hollow I was sent to take down. Since you accomplished my mission for me, I have decided that I owe you this favour, so you may ask me to do one more thing for you. I am also staying behind for a few more days to confirm the Hollow has indeed disappeared."

Takumi furrowed his eyebrows, then bowed his head.

"Could you please keep Rukia-chan's condition a secret? Maybe, lie about it, and say that she's been busy with Hollows to contact the Soul Society, and as far as you could tell, it was her and she had her full powers."

"I shall fulfil your request."

Takumi breathed in and out with a renewed sense of happiness.

"Thanks Nemu-san, I knew you were a good girl inside!"

Nemu wasn't used to being praised like she was.

It usually was Mayuri calling her useless, or him pulling her along with him.

That's what her normal was.

But, this was different.

This was...something kinder, softer.

"May I ask, are you not concerned for your own well being?"

Takumi gained a slightly confused face.

"Why would I need to be worried?"

"Because you are Takumi Urahara from-"

Before Nemu could finish, Rukia shot up from the bed, Takumi gave Nemu a curious look who stared blankly back at him. But then he went to Rukia's side, placing a hand on her forehead, causing her cheeks to turn slightly red.

"W-What are you doing…?"

"I'm checking your health, and if you have a fever. We were outside in the rain so I was just making sure." Takumi gave her a cheery smile, Rukia in turn bit her lower lip, Takumi understanding what she wasn't saying by her actions. "I know you're hiding something from me. I've known for a while now." Rukia stiffened, only to see his smile towards her, with his tongue sticking out. "I'm not a complete dolt you know? I saw the way you reacted to my name when you first heard it, and how you've been having verbal banter with my Father along with the looks, and how the others like Hiyori-chan are with me, I've suspected it for sometime now."

Rukia looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Takumi, I...the thing is, I didn't intentionally...it's just..."

Before she could continue, Takumi petted her affectionately.

"But I can see that it's hard for you to talk to me about. When you're ready to tell me, I'll be ready to listen. Until then, we can go about our business with fighting Hollows like usual, as partners, okay?"

Rukia's lips curled upwards, and she began laughing.

"I'm sorry, I was so foolish. I thought I could take it by myself...I just didn't want to lose you, like I had lost Kaien."

"So, was Kaien-san your boyfriend?"

Rukia punches Takumi in the jaw, forcing him to the floor, while Nemu watched with no emotions, but her eyes did display slight surprise.

"N-No! He wasn't my boyfriend! He was married to someone else! He was the first person to actually speak to me normally after I was accepted into the Kuchiki family and helped me achieve Shikai, that's all!"

Takumi shrugged off the punch as if it was nothing, sitting back up.

"I-I see, and he died to a Hollow like that one. You were worried about him destroying my Zanpakuto, did it do that to Kaien-sans?"

Rukia hugged her knees.

"He did more than that to Kaien...he destroyed his Zanpakuto...and then...he...he..."

Takumi could see that it was hard for Rukia, so he gently embraced her, Rukia fell against him.

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna push you to talk about anything you don't want. But remember, you can tell me when you're ready. I'll always be here to listen."

Stating it once more, that he'd always be there to listen, she believed him.

His words felt like velvet in her ears.

His warm embrace.

It was so comforting.

She was sinking into his warmth.

She hadn't ever felt quite this close to someone before...

But then it hit Rukia.

Her eyes went up to Takumi who smiled down towards her.

She could feel her cheeks turning redder by the second, his gentle fingers brushed against her skin, and made her feel quite good inside.

"Oh no...what is happening? My heart rate has increased...his arms around me feel different...they feel….good, so warm...protective...kind...gentle...his smile towards me...I haven't felt quite like this before...he saved me...he got hurt just for me...he keeps doing reckless things for me...and he knows I'm keeping something from him, and still...he doesn't hate me. He doesn't want to force it out of me...he's waiting for me to tell him...Takumi Urahara...you truly are crazy...but, the truth is...maybe I'm beginning to like you more than I probably should...but I can't help it. I'm sorry Inoue...I truly am."

Rukia felt something stirring inside of her.

She didn't want it to happen.

She already was aware of what Orihime felt for Takumi, and didn't want to come between that.

But she couldn't help it.

She was falling for Takumi.

---

End chapter!

Wow, quite a bit happened this chapter! Rukia, Karin and Yuzu confronted things from their past, a Hollow that looks very close to the one that had killed Kaien came to terrorize Rukia, which we'll get more information about later on in the story, who fought it off the best she could, and showcasing that her powers are returning, and by the end, she realized that she's beginning to have feelings for Takumi. Karin awoke her Shinigami powers, and together with Yuzu beat back Grand Fisher long enough for Giselle to come in and beat him down till he couldn't do anything, allowing the twins to avenge their Mother. Takumi also learned the secret of Isshin and Masaki, but has promised to keep it a secret, Nemu also is sticking around for a little while, and hinted at things to come, the same with Rukia. Takumi also awakened his Shikai! Kinhime also known as Golden Princess, I thought that was fitting since his Father's is called Benihime. But that doesn't mean the lightnings only going to be gold, people have asked about different coloured lightnings, and I can't spoil it, but somethings will happen that showcases different colours.

Also, thanks to everyone that voted, it seemed pretty unanimous to me, so yeah, female Toshiro is a thing, the banter between her, and Rangiku is going to be quite fun to write.

Well, until next time, thanks for reading!

Takumi; Orihime, Rukia, Yuzu, Karin, Nemu, Giselle, Soi Fon, Yoruichi, Hiyori, Nelliel, Tier, Rangiku, Toshiro (fem).