Rangiku was quiet. Misaki didn't understand what made Rangiku this determined to follow Aizen and the other Soul reaper, and she didn't know if it was okay to even ask her. Misaki turned to look at Rangiku and she looked almost out of it. "Rangiku?" Rangiku stopped running and clung on to her right hip which wasn't fully healed. "Rangiku!" The woman collapsed and Misaki caught her. Misaki began healing her and Rangiku looked on, at the girl. Misaki could tell she was grieving about something but wasn't sure if it was alright to ask her, considering the fact she knew almost nothing about her past. Only the fact she was Toshiro's hyper lieutenant. "Rangiku…can I ask you what's bothering you?" Rangiku's gaze didn't waver. "It's okay if you don't tell me. I mean, it's your secret after all." "It's Gin." Misaki cocked her eyebrow, not knowing who this Gin person was. "The man with Aizen, he's Gin." Misaki gasped. What would Rangiku want with Gin? "Rangiku-""I need to ask him why. Why he joined Aizen. I need to ask him, there has to be a reason." Rangiku said, her body shaking. "He always did things like this, even when we were little. He always went away, not telling me where. One day, he just appeared in a Soul Reaper's uniform and became a Soul Reaper. I followed him, I always did. Now, I need to know why." Misaki didn't understand what was happening. Did Rangiku love Gin? "He saved my life. I didn't know when my birthday was. I started counting my days only after meeting him. He was everything to me, and I was…" The healing process ended and Rangiku got back up. "Some part of me knows he's not evil." Misaki gasped. She began thinking in the same perspective as Rangiku and came to a conclusion. Gin did save her life once, didn't he? Maybe he was good after all?

Isshin head-butted Ichigo and Ichigo yelled out in pain. "You didn't hear me?" Isshin asked. "We said, we would protect Karakura town!" Ichigo's eyes widened and he turned away. "It's no use. There's no way we can do that." Ichigo muttered. "You don't know that!" Isshin yelled. "Yes I do! You felt it didn't you? There's no way we can beat a freak with reiatsu like that!" Ichigo yelled. Isshin's eyes widened. "I see. You didn't understand his reiatsu did you?" Isshin stood up. "I'm going." Isshin turned to see his son. "What will do you if you don't come?" Ichigo glanced at his father. "Cry?" Ichigo's eyes widened with terror. "You will sit there and cry because you couldn't protect anyone?" Isshin yelled. "Think about what it means that Aizen is heading for Karakura town in Soul Society. If you don't go, it means everyone you wanted to protect, and everyone else in Karakura town will die by his hand." Ichigo didn't want to even think about it. "Dad, open the Senkaimon." Isshin smirked. "You don't have to tell me."

Misaki could feel Aizen's overwhelming spiritual pressure in the real Karakura town. "Rangiku, he's after someone." Misaki said, and as she concentrated her senses, she noticed who it was. "Tatsuki! Rangiku, we have to save them!" Rangiku nodded and ran toward the direction Misaki was leading her. 'She's not afraid, at all…this girl is really brave.' Rangiku thought to herself and followed. And in a distance, as Misaki saw a big man's staff almost incinerate, she muttered, "Victus Contego." And the man backed away. Rangiku and Misaki stood in front of the humans and Rangiku spoke, "I made it in time, Aizen…Gin." Misaki saw the look on Gin's face, and frowned slightly. 'What's he planning? Why doesn't he have that grin on his face anymore? Why doesn't he look evil to me anymore?' Misaki thought to herself, and turned to Tatsuki and the others. Tatsuki was shocked to see Misaki and when she was about to speak, "Tatsuki, please, run away from here." Misaki said, and Tatsuki was too shocked to move. "You'll die if you're here! Just run!" Misaki yelled. Then the big man didn't listen, and Rangiku held on to his face and yelled, "Shut up! Don't just stand there talking! Take those two kids and run away from here! Do you want your moustache plucked out, your hat burnt and your sunglasses crammed into your face so no one recognizes you anymore?" Rangiku yelled and the man picked the two and ran. Tatsuki stared at Misaki's back and thought to herself, 'So even you're in this with Ichigo…'

"Misaki. Go with them." Rangiku said, and Misaki looked at her face. 'I don't really want to leave her alone, but…' She believed Rangiku and some part of her told her that Gin wouldn't harm her. "Alright. Be careful, Rangiku." Misaki said, and ran off.

"When you said you were just in time, did you mean in time to save those humans or in time to prevent the destruction of Karakura town and prevention of creation of the Ouken?" Aizen asked. "Either way, you're wrong." Rangiku stared at the man. "What's the matter? Is talking to me difficult?" "Captain Aizen." Gin spoke. Aizen listened to him, "Sorry about my old friend here, I'll take her over there." Gin said. "Alright. We have a lot of time, have a nice chat with her." Aizen said. "Is it an inconvenience?" "Not at all." Gin smirked, and swiftly carried Rangiku away.

"Let me go!" Rangiku demanded. The two landed on top of a secluded building and Rangiku was already worn out. "You can barely stand. Why did you come here?" Gin asked. "After you disappeared, I made a Senkaimon and came here. After all, I knew the exact location of Karakura town." Rangiku said. "I didn't ask you how you got here. I asked you why you came here when you can barely stand." Gin asked, still smirking. "Isn't it obvious? Because of you." Gin's smirk died. "Now I can finally ask you…why are you following Aizen?" Gin didn't smirk. "Why did you…betray Izuru when he had such high hopes on you?" Gin could laugh. "Are you serious? Is it really Izuru whose faith in me was betrayed?" Rangiku's eyes widened. Gin came closer to her, and placed his hand on her chest. "Ah, I honestly don't know why you came. Listen, Rangiku." Gin said, and pointed his sword at her. "You're in the way." And Rangiku fell.

Misaki ran with the man and Tatsuki looked like she could move. "Can you move, Tatsuki?" Tatsuki nodded and jumped off the man's hold. As they ran, they saw Keigo, and soon they saw Mizuiro and Chizuru as well. But she didn't look too good, and Misaki could only guess why. "Misaki?" Keigo was shocked to see her. "She knows everything, Keigo." Tatsuki spat, and Misaki flinched. "I'm sorry." Tatsuki turned to Misaki with tears in her eyes, and "What am I to you, Misaki?" Misaki's eyes widened. "I thought we were friends!" Misaki looked down and Keigo placed his hand on her shoulder. "Misaki, it's good to know your safe." Misaki smiled. "I'll explain everything once all this is over. I promise." Tatsuki smiled a little. Then Misaki and the others could feel Aizen's spiritual pressure. "He's here!" Keigo yelled and Misaki and the others ran the other way and Aizen was standing right in front of them. Misaki held on to the jewel she was holding and stepped in front of them. "You're no match for me, Miss Otonashi. Although, I should kill you. It'll fuel Ichigo Kurosaki into being a complete perfection of what I thought out, and you'll be the key for that to happen. You are his lover after all." This earned gasps from the folks behind her. "Aizen…I'll never forgive you…for what you did to my brother…" Misaki squeezed the shard in her hand and said, "Acus Morti." Needles flew at Aizen and she muttered, "Illuminare Caecus." A bright light surrounded them, and Misaki and the others ran. 'I know I'm not strong enough, but I can hold you off until Ichigo gets here.' But that wasn't enough.

Aizen kept his pace and soon Gin entered the scene. Misaki's eyes widened and she wondered, 'Rangiku? Where's-'"Captain Aizen." Gin said. "So, you're back. What of her?" Aizen asked. Misaki's eyes were still wide. "I killed her." Misaki gasped. 'No…no…he couldn't…' Misaki couldn't feel Rangiku's spiritual pressure anymore. Gin and Aizen spoke and Tatsuki turned to run before she heard Gin say, "What will you do once you kill them?" Why? Why did Misaki think he was still good? He didn't feel evil anymore to her. He killed Rangiku, and yet, Misaki felt Gin had a kind heart. What was this feeling? Then she saw Gin touch Aizen's blade. Misaki's eyes widened. 'What is he doing?' And then the strangest thing happened.

Gin's Zanpakuto went through Aizen's chest. Misaki gasped, and stared at the man, wide eyed. 'Gin…what is going on?' Misaki was confused. Gin grabbed the Hogyoku, and dashed toward the girl and grabbed her as well. Misaki yelped and Gin held on to her, as tight as he could. "You shouldn't have come here." Gin said. "She told me…she always knew…you weren't evil…" Misaki said, in between tears. "She's not dead." Misaki smiled slightly. They stopped behind a building and Misaki stared at the Hogyoku in Gin's hands. "It's over now…" Gin said, and Misaki sighed before gasping. "That-That spiritual pressure!" Misaki said, and the Hogyoku began to glow. Misaki was wide eyed and didn't know what to do. As she slowly turned to face Gin, Aizen stood there, wings emerging from his back. Misaki's eyes widened in terror and before she could say anything, Aizen slashed Gin across his chest. "Gin!" Misaki shouted. "Fear is necessary for evolution. That one is about to be destroyed that very moment. Thank you Gin, thanks to you, I have finally transcended both Soul Reaper and Hollow." Aizen said, and Misaki fell down to her knees. Gin lay flat on the debris and Misaki cried. She was helpless, and she knew she was going to die now. 'Ichigo…where are you…?' She thought to herself. "Gin!" Misaki could hear someone shout. She looked to see Rangiku. 'Rangiku…' Rangiku cried, and her tears fell on Gin's face. Misaki bit her lip and looked away, unable to watch.

Then there was a sudden blast to the left. Misaki turned to see someone she desperately wanted to see. 'Ichigo!'

But he looked taller, and his hair was longer.

Misaki blushed. He looked very handsome, even if it wasn't the time to be noticing things such as those.

Ichigo turned to Tatsuki and Keigo's side and said, "Tatsuki. Keigo. Mizuiro. Chizuru. Kanonji." And he stared at the other Soul Reaper for a full second. "Imoya." That was obviously not his name. "Guys stay here, just don't move." Ichigo said. He turned to Misaki and the girl blushed as he smiled at her. "Misaki, use a barrier on them will you?" Misaki got up and walked to Tatsuki's side and muttered, "Aeternus Contego." A sphere enveloped them. "That's my girl…" Ichigo said to himself, and Misaki heard it. But there was a slight catch. She couldn't feel his spiritual pressure. Why didn't he have any spiritual pressure? "Ichigo." Ichigo turned to face the girl, with a smile. Misaki smiled, and "Come back to me." Ichigo nodded.

Ichigo pressed on to Aizen's face and dragged him off somewhere, and Misaki's eyes were wide at his speed. "He looks better with longer hair." Misaki muttered for no one to hear and smiled. She walked to Rangiku and held her close. "I'm sorry, Rangiku…" Rangiku cried. Like no tomorrow, and Misaki remembered the words her brother spoke to her before he died. 'Wherever Magic is found, Misery follows.' Misaki bit her lip and thought, 'What these two shared, was more than Magic itself.' Misaki let go of Rangiku and turned to Gin. Misaki took a deep breath and muttered, "Tergiversatio vitus." Rangiku was wide eyed. "Misaki-?" "I'll save him Rangiku." Rangiku swallowed hard. 'I'll definitely save him.' The jewel in her hand glowed and slowly, Gin's dead finger, flinched. Rangiku placed her head on his chest, and gasped. Misaki sat back down, panting. Gin was alive. Barely, but he was breathing. And that was probably enough.

A/N: Yes, I saved Gin. I'm under complete denial that he died. He's just...gah! I love him okay? Him and Rangiku are my most favorite anime couple! There! I said it! *phew*
Reviews please! Two more chapters and this story ends. :)
Thank you all for reading!