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Sorry for such a late update! Dublin was awesome but I got pretty sick after so not done much!

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Chapter 42: Protector

"What..." Shinji breathed, not understanding what he was seeing. Blood ran down Ichimaru's blade, dripping off. Hearing a choke behind him, he whirled around and found blood running down Kirara's hand that was covering her mouth.

"It's quite amusing. Out of all of you failed experiments, I never expected the killer to be so protective," Aizen's words brought back one memory in particular from the night he betrayed them.

"Oh? Looks like there's a little fight left in her," Aizen commented as he easily pulled out of Kirara's grasp.

"I've had...worse..." Kirara coughed. "It was a crappy hit," she told him. Aizen smirked down at her.

"Of course, a trained killer like yourself would be used to taking a few blows like that," he commented softly. Kirara's eyes narrowed. She hated being called a killer. And he knew it.

When Kirara coughed again, it seemed to come from two directions, and Shinji looked around again, not breathing as blood began to soak her shirt, before she suddenly dissipated.

"You...talk too much...Sosuke..." Kirara's voice was strained, coming from nowhere, before a Zanpakuto materialised in the air and dropped to the ground below. Slowly a figure came into view from the feet up, and before long, Kirara was visible again, with Ichimaru's blade sword sticking through her stomach.

"Too bad I didn't get a good look at your Zanpakuto...that's quite the trick you have," Aizen commented softly. She tried not to react, but her eyes narrowed. "But in the end, as interesting as it was, it didn't really help you..." he said, before glancing to Ichimaru. His look was message enough, and Ichimaru yanked hard. Kirara couldn't even process the ability to scream in pain as his sword sliced free of her, and blood began to gush from the gaping wound.

Kirara staggered for a moment, trying to remain upright, but her foot slipped after a moment, and with a whimper, she fell backwards, blood spilling into the air around her.

"Kirara!" the scream echoed across the fake town as Shinji leapt through the air, using Shunpo to reach her and catch the falling woman. Once he had her secure, he moved down to a destroyed building, crouching as he supported her. "Kirara…" he breathed, staring at her as she breathed heavily.

"Sorry…Shinji…I guess I broke my promise," Kirara managed to say.

"Don't-"

"I just couldn't let Hiyori get hurt like that…" Kirara continued, tears stinging at her eyes. Pain burned her side, and a weight on her chest made it difficult to breathe. He stared at her, not knowing what to do or what could help.

"Hachi!" he yelled suddenly. "Use your Kido to-"

"He can't…his arm," Kirara's words made him notice. One of the large man's arms was missing, with a small barrier over what remained of it.

"Dammit…dammit…what can I do?" Shinji breathed, his grip on Kirara tightening as he tried to stop his shaking. The gaping wound in Kirara's side was one of the worst he'd ever seen. He didn't know how long she'd survive without help.

"Hey…" when her hand touched his face, his eyes shot open. "Keep calm, remember? Don't...listen to...whatever crap Sosuke says. That's what...you said, right?" Shinji stared at her as she grinned weakly at him. Her face was beaded with sweat, and her breathing was uneven as her other hand held onto his shirt as tightly as she could.

"I should have known you'd only listen to throw it back in my face," he murmured as he was reminded of what he told the group before they left.

"Always," Kirara's smile widened slightly, but faded just as quickly. "Hey…Shinji…I wanna tell you…" she tugged weakly on his shirt, and he leaned in closer as she whispered. His eyes widened, and he lifted his head to see her smiling again.

"You…you really are a master of driving me insane…" he hissed, his own breathing erratic at her words. "You couldn't have said anything before now? Why…why now…?" he demanded, his eyes clamping shut again.

"Never found the right time…" Kirara admitted, her voice quieter now. Her eyes were becoming unfocused as her vision turned hazy. She didn't know how much longer she'd be able to stay conscious. "I do though…" she chuckled.

"Dammit…me too…" he whispered back.

"Damn right you do," Kirara gave a small laugh, but it broke off as she flinched, jolting her side. "Damn…this…this really…hurts…" she admitted, her breathing growing even more unsteady. Shinji looked back up at Aizen, whose smile remained the same.

"What a fierce look," Aizen's words were soft, but could still be heard by everyone. "Your eyes look as if they've come back to life for the first time in a hundred years. Shinji Hirako. Do you hate me? If you do, then come at me," he flicked his coat back, revealing his Zanpakto. "I shall make an exception for you and fight you with my sword," he challenged. Shinji pulled Kirara closer for a moment, before carefully lowering her to the ground.

"Hachi?" Shinji called the pink haired man, who appeared nearby. "I'm sorry to ask this…but please...keep her alive," he requested as he started to stand. Blood stained his shirt, as well as his hands, but he didn't seem to notice as he lifted his Zanpakuto. Hachi nodded wordlessly.

"Hey…" Kirara grabbed his shirt again weakly. "Don't do…anything…stupid," she pleaded with him, the tears in the corners of her eyes growing.

"That's your job Princess," he leaned back in and kissed her softly. He then rested her carefully down on the ground again, and stood up. Hachi approached, fear in his expression as he sat down beside Kirara and Shinji leapt into the air.

"Shinji...you idiot..." Kirara murmured, her eyes closing as she finally gave in to the darkness overwhelming her.

Nerves made Kirara's stomach squirm as she looked around the massive grounds of the Academy. She tugged at the red trousers of her new uniform, disliking them immensely. They were too baggy and messed with her movement. She'd always hated wearing trousers.

'Complaining will not make things any better, Kirara,' the deep, male voice in the back of her mind spoke up. It was still odd to hear the voice that was new, yet very familiar to her. She'd been certain she was going crazy when he first spoke.

'I know...it just makes me feel better,' Kirara responded mentally. The voice just hummed in response, a noise that Kirara had quickly figured was how he portrayed his irritation. She continued to look around as people walked by, some shooting her curious looks as they noticed the sword carried over her shoulder. Turning, Kirara walked over to a tree and jumped up, catching a branch and pulling herself up. She took a seat, her legs swinging in the air as she looked around from her new vantage point. "Huh. Nobody else seems to have a Zanpakuto with them..." she commented aloud to herself.

'I imagine it is due to us being a rarity. Few learn the name of their Zanpakuto so early,' the voice spoke again in response to her comment. 'Remember what the 3rd Seat of Squad 1 told you?' he asked.

"Oh yeah," Kirara nodded, thinking of the encounter with Kuroro Tsukino, who had explained what was going on to the confused girl when they met. "I wonder...if anyone is going to be any fun around here," she wondered, watching as people walked by, introducing themselves to other new students and talking amiably amongst one another. Nobody seemed to notice the girl sitting in the tree.

"Well, judging from you talking to yourself, I think you will be," she glanced down to the person who had spoken. A young man was leaning against the tree trunk, looking up at her with a confident smile. His hair was a pale pink colour, falling into his eyes. Kirara arched an eyebrow at him. "Sorry, was I interrupting a private conversation?" he asked, looking amused.

"Sort of," Kirara jumped down, and his smile dropped. "What?" she asked as his dark brown eyes grew wide.

"Well it's just…" his confident attitude was gone, and his eyes were focusing on the spot above her left shoulder. "Is that yours?" he asked curiously. Kirara frowned, not understanding, until she glanced over her shoulder and saw the handle of her sword sticking up.

"Oh, yeah, he's mine," she nodded in confirmation.

"Wow…that's incredible…" the young man breathed. "I've never seen a Zanpakuto up close…" he edged a little closer, and Kirara raised an eyebrow at him. "I mean yeah, I've seen Shinigami with them, but you're only a new student too, right?" he asked. Kirara just nodded, and the young man stepped back. "Sorry, got a little carried away. I'm Haruhiko Hayashi," he introduced himself, his smile returning.

"I'm Kirara Yamada," Kirara smiled at him once he stepped back. "So, you're new too then?" she asked, putting her hands behind her back.

"Yep!" he nodded eagerly. "I'm pretty excited, especially for the Zanjutsu training," he smiled widely.

"Me too," Kirara confessed. "I was hoping to try out my Zanpakuto, but it doesn't look like there's anyone else who has one," she shrugged.

"Well you're definitely going to be the talk of the Academy," Haruhiko laughed. Kirara blushed at the thought. Kuroro had told her that it was a rarity, but she hadn't thought it was that unusual.

"Whoa, another one?" they glanced around as another young man approached. He had dark brown hair that spiked up, looking intentionally messy. He ran a hand through it, which made it look even messier. His eyes were bright blue, darker than Kirara's, and were filled with surprise.

"What are you talking about, Kohei?" Haruhiko rolled his eyes at the vague comment. The newcomer didn't reply, smiling at Kirara instead.

"Hi, I'm Kohei, Kohei Shimada," he introduced himself with a smile that was more carefree, where Haruhiko's was confident.

"Kirara…Yamada. You said 'another one'. Another what?" Kirara asked him curiously, tilting her head.

"Another Zanpakuto," Kohei grinned. Kirara's eyes widened, and Haruhiko scoffed.

"No way, Kohei, your lies are ridiculous," he told the shorter student, who flushed in embarrassment.

"I'm not lying! Look, over there!" he pointed fervently, and the two followed his indication.

'Oh, it looks like he's right,' Kokoro no Kage hummed as Kirara saw another student standing nearby, surrounded by a small group. By his side, rested a Zanpakuto. Kirara didn't reply, watching the young man with blond hair almost as long as hers, tied out of his face. As if sensing her gaze, he glanced up, and his grey eyes met Kirara's pale blue ones. A shiver ran down her spine at the intensity of his stare. Kirara then blinked, before suddenly pulling a face, sticking out her tongue at him. The young man jolted, his eyes going wide in alarm as Kirara turned, walking away.

"What was that about? Do you know him?" Haruhiko asked curiously as he jogged after her.

"Nope," Kirara shook her head, smirking very slightly.

"Then why did you do that?" Kohei asked her, exchanging baffled looks with his friend on Kirara's other side.

"To make things fun!" Kirara exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "Why else would you do anything?" she asked them. Both stopped, watching her, before laughing and hurrying after the strange young woman again.

Natsuki's heart slammed against her ribs as she struggled to contain her anger. After Kirara had fallen, Shinji had faced off against Aizen, but even his Shikai hadn't been enough to take him down. Below, Komamura and Shuuhei had gone up against Tosen, and won. Now, they were standing between Aizen, and Ichigo, who had arrived and began to attack immediately.

She wanted nothing more than to go after Ichimaru and skewer him, but one look from Soi Fon had stopped her. A quiet warning beforehand was lingering in the back of her mind. To charge in recklessly would mean death. She had to be patient.

Ichigo stared up at Komamura, who had stopped his blade as Ichigo's resolve faltered at Aizen's taunts.

"Concentrate, Ichigo! Don't let him get into your head!" he warned.

"Captain Komamura..." Ichigo murmured.

"The Captain's right," Natsuki's soft voice made him look around as she approached. "Aizen is good at that. He'll get inside your head and mess up your thoughts so you can't fight," she warned him.

"If you let him do that, he'll destroy you for sure," Komamura finished for her. "You mustn't let your guard down," he said, and Ichigo returned his gaze to Aizen, who had his back to them. "Keep your mind clear. I know why the Captains who went to Hueco Mundo sent you here first. You haven't fallen victim to Aizen's Shikai," he reminded Ichigo. When everyone else appeared in front of them, Ichigo's eyes widened. "Our job is to make sure you remain unaffected by that weapon."

"Ichigo. We will all fight to protect you," Hitsugaya vowed.

"You're gonna fight to protect me? What are you saying?" Ichigo demanded, incredulous. "It's just crazy! Look at you! You're all in terrible shape!" he exclaimed. Everyone who remained on the battlefield possessed some sort of injury; their clothes torn and bloody.

"That's a matter of perspective," Shinji glanced to him. "We think letting you fight alone would be crazier. Besides, if we allowed that, we wouldn't be able to settle our own personal grudges with Sosuke," he looked back at the man who had once been his Lieutenant. "It would be selfish to take him on by yourself. This is a battle for all of us," he breathed. Without waiting for Ichigo to speak, Hitsugaya flew at Aizen and smashed his sword against his.

"He's right," Natsuki smiled, walking past and holding her sword up. "Trust in us Ichigo, like we trust in you," she glanced over her shoulder and grinned at him.

"Natsuki..." Ichigo stared at her. She watched as Hitsugaya was joined by Kyoraku, and soon Komamura leapt past as well.

"That guy sure loves to talk a lot, doesn't he?" Shinji commented. "Man Ichigo, why didn't you bring Orihime with you when you came for this fight? I mean, doesn't it make perfect sense? If she was here, she could have healed all our injuries. Then we would have been in great shape to help you face Sosuke," his voice was nonchalant, but his gaze was on the ground below. The other three Vizards who remained on the main battlefield were silent.

"Hirako..." Ichigo stared at him.

"But," Shinji rolled his eyes, glancing over his shoulder. "You did bring back Captain Unohana, who is more experienced, so I have to give you credit for that," he shrugged. On the ground, Hachi looked up as the dark haired Captain of Squad 4 approached him. The healer's eyes were filled with worry as he focused the small barrier around Kirara, whose breathing was still erratic. "Now that I think about it, that was definitely the right choice for this battle. Listen to me Ichigo," Shinji sighed. "We're going to protect you as much as we can, just to make sure, you're fighting to protect what's important to you," the four Vizards then leapt to join the battle.

"And he says Captain Komamura loves to talk a lot," Natsuki's chuckle made Ichigo look to her. "Thanks, Ichigo. For bringing the Captain back with you," she turned her head to smile at Ichigo. Relief welled inside her at the thought of the healer Captain returning, but it didn't mean they were out of the woods yet. "Bounce, Tsuki no Usagi!" she unsealed her Zanpakuto, and wielding the powerful blade, she leapt through the air to join the battle.

'We can do this Natsuki!' the young girl's voice in the back of Natsuki's head called confidently. The air took on a chill as Hitsugaya summoned his Bankai and went all out.

"You're right," Natsuki breathed, leaping up.

Sniffing as she tried to stop crying, Natsuki rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand as the occasional sob heaved from her chest. Her blonde hair, usually up in pigtails, clung to her face like her soaked clothes did to the rest of her body. She shivered as the wind blew past, already biting from the late Autumn weather.

Another sob escaped and the tears continued to roll down her cheeks despite her attempts to stop them. The little girl slowly made her way through the Rukon district, not wanting to return home straight away. She didn't want to face her parents just yet.

When something landed lightly on her head, Natsuki stopped, looking up to find a sheet over her head and shoulders. In front of her, another girl who was shorter than her watched her with a curious look. Her hooded blue eyes were curious as Natsuki stared back, hiccuping.

"You're cold," the stranger commented in a soft, lilting voice. Her black hair, messy and sticking up in little curls, fell around her shoulders. Natsuki didn't speak, simply nodding. The girl then took her hand suddenly and began pulling her along. Confused and still upset, Natsuki let her pull her along, through the streets, until they reached a house with a door slightly open."Mama!" the girl called out as they walked inside.

"Kirara? I thought you were running errands for your father," a woman with a sleepy expression and a sweet smile walked out, wearing a purple kimono that almost seemed like something a noble would wear, if it wasn't made from a much cheaper fabric. "Oh?" she tilted her head, watching Natsuki with the same blue eyes as the little girl.

"Can we get something to drink?" Kirara asked her suddenly. Natsuki stared at her, alarmed.

"Of course, my little wildflower," Kotoba smiled at her. "Come in," she gestured, smiling at Natsuki, who gripped Kirara's hand nervously. Kirara's grip didn't falter as she pulled her inside.

"What's your name?" Kirara asked suddenly as the two sat in the small room drinking tea.

"N-Natsuki," the blond mumbled.

"That's a nice name," Kirara smiled at her. Natsuki blushed; the tips of her ears even turning pink as she lowered her head. "I'm Kirara," the girl introduced herself.

"Why..." Kirara's smile faded at the question. "Why are you being so nice to me?" Natsuki lifted her head, her eyes swimming with tears again.

"Why?" Kirara repeated, looking confused. "Why wouldn't I? You looked so sad..." Natsuki's eyes widened at the innocent answer. Kirara just blinked back at her, looking confused.

"Don't mind Kirara. She has a habit of trying to help anyone in need," Kotoba smiled as she walked back in. Kirara went red at the comment. "No matter what the situation, Kirara will jump in headfirst, even if it means putting herself in danger," Kirara went even redder.

"Mama!" she whined. Kotoba laughed, and Natsuki couldn't but do the same.

A warm sensation greeted Kirara, numbing her entire body and stopping her from moving. Her mind was foggy and she struggled to remember what was going on past her dreams. She struggled to open her eyes slowly, and found an orange hue over the sky.

"Kirara!" she heard Hachi's voice, but couldn't respond. She was so tired; so weak. As she remembered what happened, the pain in her side returned full force, and the weakest whimper escaped her.

"Please remain still, Kirara Yamada," a woman's soft, polite voice reached her, but Kirara couldn't figure out who it was, nor did she try to. She was fighting to remain awake, her gaze in the sky above. Everyone was fighting Aizen, with the young Captain she'd met before lunging at Aizen with fierce attacks. The others joined in, but it didn't seem to phase him. Aizen cut through Komamura's Bankai, and blood splattered from the Captain's wounds before he finally fell. Rose's Kinshara wrapped around his blade, but even that wasn't enough, and the blond Vizard fell with Komamura.

'No...no...' Kirara's breathing became more erratic as Aizen then wrapped the whip still in his hand around Love, cutting across his chest. Lisa leapt at him with her Mask on, but blood exploded out of her back and she fell too. 'Not them...haven't we suffered enough?' she questioned, tears welling up in her eyes. 'This is...it's...it's too cruel,' darkness began to haze the edges of her vision again. She was so tired, but she forced herself to keep her eyes open, watching.

Soi Fon's attack failed, before a sword stabbed through his back and Kyoraku emerged from the shadow on the ice that held Aizen's sword in place. Natsuki then appeared in front of him, swinging down with her massive claymore and slicing across his chest. For a moment, it wedged in his shoulder, and she yanked it hard, making the man grunt as she leapt out of the way again, staying back with Soi Fon. 'I'm so useless...I can't even help the people I care about...' Hitsugaya suddenly launched at Aizen again with a roar, and Aizen rolled his eyes, before spotting Shinji nearby. His sword in its Shikai, it spun around Shinji's outstretched hand, lifting as the blond gave a small smirk.

Silence fell over the group for a moment when Hitsugaya's sword pierced Aizen through his chest. In the air above, Natsuki breathed out, unable to stop the smile growing. It was over. It was finally over. Kirara didn't take her eyes off them, but it was getting harder and harder to keep her eyes open. She was just so tired.

"You guys...What the hell are you doing?!" Ichigo's roar of horror opened their eyes, and they realised that the figure trapped in the ice with Hitsugaya's sword through their chest was not Aizen, but the young Lieutenant of Squad 5.

'Is this...really how it ends?' Kirara wondered as her chest hurt, and she flinched at the sudden pain. Aizen reappeared, cutting through the five in the air as they attacked again. As he dodged Shinji's attack and countered with his own, the tears finally broke free and began to run down Kirara's face. 'Natsuki, Rose...Shinji...everyone...I'm sorry...I'm sorry I was so useless,' a pillar of fire burst up from the ground, and the darkness swallowed Kirara up once again.

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