1Chapter Twelve - The Path With Least Bloodshed

She stood, midair, blood on her hands and Zanpaktou as she glared at Tosen Kaname. He stood, not far behind Aizen, with a dark and sad look on his face. Aizen glared at her, and she smiled.

So, he hadn't worked this into his plan, had he? He was, for once, taken by surprise at her strength. She lifted her chin and smirked evilly at Tosen. Her dark side was beginning to take over, longing for revenge.

This is what she had truely waited for.

"Kaname, Kaname, Kaname." She sighed. "Silly, silly, Kaname. Come here, sweetie."
He didn't move a muscle. She smirked before gathering Denkihime's electricity in her hand, sending it flying at him faster than he could move from. It his his arm, and she watched as he clutched his bicep in pain.

Suddenly, there were three female Arrancar's around her.

"Oh, dear." Aira sighed again, her power surging through her veins.

She released her reiatsu.

All three of the girls were sent flying back. Tosen had to brace against it as did a couple of the Captains and all the Lieutenants present. Only Yamamoto and Aizen still stood tall.

"Well." She smiled. "Traitor, looks like you're a little hurt."

She referred to Tosen.

"I have a question, Kaname." She lifted Denkihime up and traced the blade with her fingertip. "Where would that 'path of least bloodshed' be now? Considering, you know, Aizen-chan here plans to kill all of Karakura Town and anyone who gets in his way. That's a lot of blood. Last time I checked, Soul Society wasn't spilling the blood of innocent people. So...does it make you feel bad that you left us?!"

Her reiatsu went crazy again, her eyes glowing an even darker and more menacing blue-purple than before. She cried out as she felt a pain on her chest. She looked down, surprised that her Gentei Kaijou power limiter badge that she had forgotten to have released cracked on her chest. She laughed before whipping Denkihime in front of her.

"I'll make this quick." She said, her voice in double tones from the power.

She glared at Kaname with hate in her eyes. "Bankai."

Raising Denkihime above her head, she watched as it pulsed with Spiritual Energy.

"Jouchaku Soushite Denka, Denkhime!" She cried.

Denkihime didn't waste time. The blade scattered instantly into millions upon millions of super-charged blades. She knew, with one feel, that those blades could shock far beyond her level 3. Her eyes grew wide...

And then the thrust the hilt of her sword forward, but not towards Tosen, towards Aizen.

He looked shocked for a second before flashstepping out of the way.

"Aizen-chan." She tilted her head. "Why are you so afraid?"

She threw up a wall of blades when Tosen tried to attack her. "I don't feel like killing what was once an innocent man, today, Tosen."

"Stop this, Aira!" Tosen yelled. "Don't use up your power so quickly!"

"Since when did you start worrying about me, Kaname?" She demanded.

And then she launched herself towards Aizen, her millions of blades surrounding her. Aizen tried to block against her attack, but the blades came from everywhere. It was hopeless...

At least it seemed that way.

Aizen slashed through her defenses with his Zanpaktou, as she could only watch with wide eyes as he passed her in what seemed like slow motion, slicing her shoulder open.

But she didn't stop.

She whirlled, controlling Denkihime with her hands as she thrust her hands towards Aizen. He blocked again before passing her and cutting her other shoulder open.

She growled before rounding on him, staring him straight in the eyes as he got that smirk on his face.

"Did you think you could defeat me?" He smiled. "A simple little Captain like you? I don't have time for this. Kaname, will you take care of her for me?"

"Yes, sir." Kaname bowed his head.

He went after her, blocking almost as good as Aizen as she shot her electric blades at him. He got through her, slicing her left arm up before swinging down to put a nice gash on her right leg.

She cried out as she realized where he cut. She felt her leg go completely numb, unable to move it.

"Damn it, Tosen!" She cried. "Denkihime! Come!"

She raised her hilt above her head. Denkhime quickly gathered there before she sliced down on her opponent.

At a speed unknown to mere unseated Shinigami eyes, the Captain and former Captain went at each other.

On the sidelines, Rangiku was amazed. "Captain, did you know she had that much power?"

"Matsumoto, I don't even think she knew she had that much power." Toshiro said flatly.

Yamamoto watched in silence just as Soifon and her Lieutenant, Omeada, did. Ukitake gawked at her, Shunsui looking at Aira with pure interest.

"How long do you think she's going to last like that?" Ukitake asked him.

"I'm not sure." Shunsui commented. "But that's a good bit of power, and it doesn't look like she's getting tired. Just really, really angry."

"I would be two if my Captain left me without a word." Ukitake muttered.

Aira and Tosen backed off of each other for a moment, circling in the air.

Tosen had only gotten one good shot in, putting a little cut on her neck. But Aira had faired well. Tosen was bloodied up, spitting the red liquid out every couple seconds. He had one shoulder cut clean through, the other with a deep bleeding gash. He had a nasty cut on his torso and she had broken his right leg in two places.

"Are you ready to back down, Kaname?" She panted.

He got a morose look on his face.

He struck her again, this time getting luckier and knocking Denkihime out of her hands. She fell back, gathering reishi under her so she wouldn't fall completely. She was left defenseless as Denkihime fell to the ground.

"I will make this quick." Tosen said solidly.

He held his sword towards her.

"Smash her limbs, Benihiko." He said quietly.

His sword vibrated for a second, and then he swished his katana around him in a semi-circle, forming a barrier of blades.

She gasped and felt tears in her eyes. She gave up. He didn't want to live anymore if she couldn't at least do this. Because if Aizen won, Nova died. And if Aizen won, her world would lay in ruin.

God, she would miss Nova...She wished she could kiss him one last time. Or maybe unzip his mask, just once more. And see him blush...

She was lost in images of her Nova as Kaname slashed Benihiko sideways, and then watched as the blades all rained down on her.

She braced for the pain...

Then arms were around, pushing her down to the ground. She opened her eyes to see Nova's eyes, wide as they looked deep into hers. She gasped as she realized that the blades that had been coming for her had hit him.

But he looked back, as did she, following his gaze to where Gin was. He was blocking Tosen's way with blades sticking out of him like nothing she had ever seen before.

"No!" She gathered reishi under her feel and pushed her and Nova back up. "Denkihime!"

Denkihime shot from the ground to her hand, and she pushed Nova onto her back as she struck Tosen from the side as Gin distracted him.

She put her blade to his throat. "Don't move."

Tosen froze.

"Drop your Zanpaktou." She demanded.

He let it fall from his hand towards the ground.

She sneered at him. "What kind of man are you? Save your own life, but would kill your friend if he got in your way? You've been hanging with Aizen too much."

At that, she moved her Zanpaktou from his neck and stabbed him twice in the torso before he could blink.

He gasped, feeling his spiritual power draining out of him.

"It's time to fall, Tosen." She muttered. "The path you once walked in now not only soaked with the blood of the innocent, but with yours as well."

Tosen looked at her briefly, his blind eyes feeling her pain. "I'm sorry...Airashii."

She looked away as he fell ten thousand feet to the ground.

Gin was barely holding up, all those blades inside him. Aira rushed to him, her hands careful not to move him.

Nova let go of her back, settling to hold onto her arm.

"Gin, are you okay?" Aira asked.

"Hell no, I ain't okay." He laughed, blood pouring from his mouth. "It's my time to go, I guess."

"Gin..." Aira sighed. "Arigato. You saved me. And Nova. I owe everything to you."

"Why don't you just...do one thing?" Gin touched her hand lightly.

"Anything..." She whispered.

"Make sure Aizen dies..." Gin muttered. "I don't care who does it...But he has to pay. For what he's done to me...to you...to everyone. Please."

"Of course." Aira sniffed.

"And I'm sorry, Aira." Gin choked. "I'll see ya later."

"Yeah..." She half smiled. "See ya."

She held back the sobs as Gin faded into reishi. She turned back and buried her face in Nova's chest.

"Shhh..." He whispered, holding her tightly. "It's okay."

"I'm sorry I left you, Nova." She lifted her head and pressed her lips to his cheek.

He took off his mask as her lips searched for his, and he kissed her. He kissed her like he had never before. This kiss was filled with everything inside of him and more. It held his life, his feelings, and his heart. She tangled her fingers in his hair, holding on for as long as she could before she knew she had to let go.

"I love you." She whispered as thier foreheads touched.

"I love you, too." He placed his hand on her heart and she smiled.

"This is the only chance I'm going to get to take Aizen out..." She whispered, looking away.

"No, Aira." Nova shook his head. "You heard him, it doesn't matter who does it-"

"But I'll feel a lot better if I do it." She bit her lip.

"He's too strong, Aira..." Nova whispered.

"I know." She looked up at him with all the strength she could gather. "Please let me do this, Nova...Please trust me."

Nova looked away, his eyes shining. He took a shakey breath before looking back at her softly.

"I trust you." He half-smiled. "So, you need to come out of this. Promise me you'll live."

She smiled. "I promise I'll live. For you."

He kissed her softly before touching her face. "Good. Now, live for me. And fight for Gin."

Aira kissed him once more before standing. She watched as Nova disappeared into his own dimention, but knew he would be watching.

She turned back to Aizen, her eyes burning.

Comments:

SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG!!!! I know it's been forever, but I forgot to post this!!! GOMEN NASAI, GOMEN NASAI, GOMEN NASAI!!! haha...Hanataro moment. :P

If you read this before I fixed it...: No idea how that one part from my other story got there. Sumimasen!