The battle went from bad to worse. Orihime was no match for Zenou. He was about to finish her off, but Ichigo stepped in the way of the attack and the injury seemed fatal. Orihime reached out and placed her hands on the sides of his face to make sure he was still conscious. Zenou pulled his hand and Ichigo collapsed over Orihime.

"Ichigo, hang in there." Orihime said as she grabbed her zanpakuto. "Maybe I can use my zanpakuto to heal his injury." She placed her sword over the wound and prayed it would work. The sword glowed brighter and the injury was healing. That was much to her relief.

"Why?" Zenou said. "Why would he step in the way of my attack like that? Why would you risk your life just to protect her?"

"Because…" Ichigo said as he was able to speak. "It's because….I love her."

"Love?" Zenou questioned. It was an emotion he wasn't really familiar with. "Love makes you willing to risk your own life for someone else?"

"Of course if you truly love someone." Orihime said. Zenou never experienced that feeling before. He couldn't tell if that was true or not.

"Zenou!" Riesin called out and got his son's attention. "I think you've play around with them long enough. Put an end to this now before they ruin everything."

"Yes, as you wish." Zenou said. He unfolded his wings and flew up to the air.

"Are you serious? You're still going to listen to him?" Orihime said.

"Don't." Ichigo said as he tried to sit up. "Zenou, your father really doesn't care about you. He's just using you." Zenou wasn't really listening to them. He held out his right arm and began to build up power. "Orihime, forget about me. Just go and save yourself."

"No, I won't leave you." Orihime said.

"It doesn't matter if you run or not." Zenou said as the energy build up into a large black and purple orb that he held out with just one arm. "This will be the end for both of you." Orihime didn't care if she died, but she had to protect Ichigo like he did for her. She tried to stand on her own two feet and raise her zanpakuto, but her body felt too heavy for her.

"What can I do? Ichigo is in terrible shape." Orihime said. "If I don't do something, we're both going to die."

"Orihime, forget about me. I'm begging you to save yourself." Ichigo said.

"Even if I could, I can't and won't." Orihime said. "My body feels too heavy for me to run and I would never do something so selfish."

"You're truly willing to risk your life if it means you can protect him?" Zenou said. "I don't understand how that can be."

"That's love. Hasn't your father ever done something like that for you?" Orihime said. "Hasn't your father risked anything like his life or his health if it means you're protected?"

"I don't think so." Ichigo said. "I just heard from Riesin that he never really cared about Zenou. It was just the power he wanted." That was quite the surprise to Orihime. It just confirmed everything Orihime heard and thought about him. Zenou was being hesitant to unleash the attack because this was a subject he knew nothing about.

"Father never did something like that for me." Zenou said.

"Zenou!" Zenou looked over to the side as he saw his father jump up to the roof of a building for him to speak with his son. "Stop stalling. Erase them now."

"Right." Zenou agreed. Orihime didn't know what she can do to convince Zenou. She figured that if she was going to die here, she would at least die with the man she loves. "Farewell."

"Don't do it, please." Zenou held his attack off as he saw Yuzu come out of hiding. She ran out in front of Orihime and held her arms out to shield her. "Yuzu!"

"Yuzu, what are you doing?" Ichigo said.

"Yuzu, get out of here." Orihime said.

"I highly suggest you do what they tell you. This is no place for a mortal like you." Zenou said.

"What are you waiting for?" Riesin said. "She's just one girl. Just erase her with the other two."

"Father, she has nothing to do with this." Zenou said as he truly wanted to spare Yuzu.

"Why do you care? She's an inferior human." Riesin said. "I don't even sense any power coming from her. It should be as easy as taking a puff of breath. Strike now!"

"Zenou, please don't do it. You don't have to do what he says." Yuzu said.

"I gave you an order! Are you disobeying your lord?" Riesin said. Zenou didn't know what to do. He wanted to do what his father is telling him, but he doesn't want to hurt Yuzu.

"Yuzu, what are you even doing here? You need to run." Ichigo said.

"Forget it. I'm not going anywhere." Yuzu said. "I'm tired of you and Karin risking your lives while I can't do anything. This time, I'm putting my life on the line."

"Why did you even come all this way here?" Zenou said. "You have no power to fight me with."

"I didn't come all this way to fight you. I only want to talk to you." Yuzu said. "Zenou, you don't have to do this. You don't have to do what that man is telling you."

"Zenou, don't listen to her. She's nothing. Do not disobey me." Riesin said.

"No." Yuzu said. "Zenou, I came here because I think you a poor man who has been misguided and I want to help you. I overheard what your father said to my brother. He doesn't care for you at all. It was only the power that he wanted all along."

"Don't let this girl fool you." Riesin said, but Zenou was still refusing to unleash his attack. Riesin was growing irritated. "You better have a good reason for not following through."

"When I was at a weak point, Yuzu tried to help me even though she didn't know me." Zenou said. "She taught me about kindness. She's done what no one else has for me."

"Kindness? It's a weakness." Riesin said. "Emotions cloud one's judgment and causes people to make foolish mistakes instead of doing the smart decision."

"Zenou, you don't need to do this." Yuzu said. "He doesn't care about you like a father should. You can stand up to him."

"Yuzu, are you risking your life for these people because of love?" Zenou said.

"Of course. I love my brother." Yuzu said.

"I've never experienced love before, at least I don't think I did." Zenou said.

"I'm sure you did." Yuzu said. "I know I don't know you that well and I know I don't know your mother, but I know she loved you." That caught the peak of Zenou's attention.

"How would you know that if you don't know her?" Zenou asked.

"I overheard what Ichigo and that man were talking about." Yuzu said as she turned to him and glared daggers at him. "I also heard that he's the reason your mother is gone. He's the one that killed her."

"What?" Zenou said.

"He was afraid your mother would teach you about the value of life." Yuzu said. "He didn't want your mother teaching you about kindness."

"Father, is this true? Did you really take my mother away?" Zenou said, but Riesin refused to answer.

"See? He doesn't care about you at all." Yuzu said. "Just look at him. He's nothing like how a real father should be. Real parents support and help their children, but he's just ordering you around. He's not even addressing himself as father. He's addressing himself as your master. Zenou, I know you don't remember much about your mother, but you must have some memories of her buried somewhere inside you. She wouldn't have want you to become this."

"Mother." Zenou said as he thought back. Hearing all this was bringing back a memory of him as a small child with his mother. She seemed happy and he remembered something he told her.

'I love you, Zenou. I know you'll be a kind, loving, and caring person. That's all I ever want you to be.'

"Zenou, that man is just using you. It's your power, not his. You're stronger than him." Yuzu said. "Don't let him control you."

"Enough of this." Riesin said. "It's all just nonsense. Zenou, she's nothing. She's a foolish girl. There's nothing she knows about you. Your power is absolute now. Your power will control the entire world. Show her no one can control you."

"You're right, father." Zenou said as he moved his arm and aimed at him to his horror.

"What are you doing? Don't point that thing at me!" Riesin said.

"No one can control me." Zenou said as he unleashed the orb and it was heading for Riesin.

"You insufferable fool!" Riesin said as he tried to stop it, but all pieces of his Shun Shun Raikko were destroyed and the attack kept coming. Riesin screamed in horror as he was absorbed into the attack and forever gone. Yuzu and the others were amazed by his power.

"Now to make this right." Zenou said as he held out both his hands and they were glowing. He clapped his hands together and sent out a bright light through the entire city. When the light cleared away, buildings were restored, the injuries were gone, the city was restored.

"He restored everything." Ichigo said as he and Orihime were back to full strength. Zenou flew down and landed on his feet. Yuzu and Orihime ran out ahead and got in front of him.

"I knew you would make the right decision." Yuzu said.

"You did it. You stood up for yourself and set yourself free." Orihime said. "Thanks to you, this is all over."

"No. This isn't over because I'm still upholding my father's legacy and defied my mother." Zenou said as he treaded a couple steps. "Orihime, please…..kill me."

To Be Continued…