Second to last chapter! And I don't think there will be an epilogue. I have decided on continuing this series in a different story. no details yet, but you guys will be the first to know!

Here's a thanks to the reviewers:

Kaneko Aikawa: The name really isn't any thing special or complicated. But the ability she has surely makes up for that. Thank you for always reviewing and continuing reading :D

And I was to apologize for not putting the relievers for chapter 16 in the previous chapter (17). I was in such a rush to get the chapter up, I forgot.

Anyway, here's what you've sen waiting for!

. . .

Chapter 20: What's Going To Happen?

"Bankai!"

In an instant, the two swords that made Mizu Yūwaku merged. The power that swirled around me, and along with that power came a sense of comfort. Mizu Yūwaku was at her greatest strength, and I knew she was more than willing to share that with me. In this form, we were more of a team than anything else.

The Spiritual Energy settled. Mizu Yūwaku now took the form of a sphere of water. The water swirled and turned, keeping it's spherical shape as it settled in my hand. My wardrobe changed as well, though only slightly. There was a long teal-blue sash around my left shoulder that draped down, and part of it wrapped around my face. ((This was hard for me to describe, and I wouldn't have even mentioned the wardrobe change if it wasn't important. I'll be a little more clear in the next chapter. Maybe.))

"Kagami Mizu Yūwaku." **

The first face I saw was Sakura's. And the first thing about her that I noticed was…dread.

"You…You've achieved Bankai," Kaguya choked out, seeming more surprised than Sakura.

"That's…impossible."

I almost laughed. "As you can see, it's not."

That got under Kaguya's skin. "You're still just a cocky brat. And you're still going to die."

She was about to lunge, but Sakura stopped her with the halt of her hand.

"Wait."

"What? Why? We can take her and get her little friend all at once," Kaguya protested, clearly ready to jump into the fight she was itching for.

I directed my words toward Sakura. "You were right when you said I couldn't take you both on; not if I wanted to protect Hiroshi. I'm fast, but if Kaguya were to put all her effort into it, she's a lot faster. I wouldn't be able to keep up with her."

Kaguya's laugh was humorlessly. "I don't see how that's changed at all—you're holding a ball of water. There's no way that little thing can stop me—"

"But now I've got help," I said, continuing as if she hadn't even spoken.

I extended the arm holding the sphere and focused on my energy. Within seconds, two globs of water shot in opposite directions and landed on the ground. At first, nothing happened, but then they started to take shape. They orbs grew larger in size and shifted and bulged until it formed two other figures.

"What…is this?" Sakura exclaimed.

From behind me, I could practically feel the confusion radiating from Hiroshi. He took a tentative step closer; from uncertainty? I wasn't sure.

"Mizu Yūwaku manipulates water, as I'm sure you were already aware," I start to explain. "That Hollow you sent after me was a clever way to gather intel on your enemy. But it was also stupid. You thought that by luring me to a place with no water like this, you'd have the upper hand. What you didn't take into account is that Mizu Yuwaku could gather water from any form—that includes the water in the air."

Realization grasped their expressions. Everything seemed to click into place.

"Kagami Mizu Yūwaku is special because there is no limit to what she can do." I held up the orb of water. "This may not look like a real weapon, but looks can be deceiving. Like water, she can take any form at any time. She is the mirror image of my imagination." I looked to my left and to my right, smiling at the form the two small balls of water had taken. "And my imagination is limitless."

"I am everything that Nanami dreams," said the figure to my left.

"And I am everything that she is," finished the imagined figure to my right.

Hiroshi took a hesitant step closer. "Limitless imagination…could lead to limitless power…?"

Well, well, well, my Hollow said out of nowhere, intrigued. He's smart—probably smarter than you. He knows what power and potential looks like.

"This is Mizu, meaning 'water,'" I said motioning to the shorter child-like figure to my left. "And this is Yūwaku, meaning 'temptress'," motioning to the taller, slender figure to my right. "They are one-in-the-same, and they are going to help me take you down."

Mizu had long hair that flowed down her back, much like my own. Her shy smile peaked between the thick locks. She was draped in a long, blue conservative dress—the only part of it that clung to her was around her chest. The sleeves flowed down to her finger tips, and the train down past her feet. The same scarf I wore wrapped around her right shoulder and across her body to rest on her opposite waist. She looked as fluid as water.

Yūwaku was much like Mizu, and yet completely different. Her black shorts covered only her back side; her boots went all the way up to her knees; her blue top clung to her chest tightly, leaving her waist, arms, and shoulders exposed. The only thing you couldn't see was her hair. Her scarf—the same as mine and Mizu's—wrapped around her head, leaving her bright blue eyes the only part of her face you could see. She looked as sharp as an ocean tide.

Sakura studied us with calculating eyes. "I see. Not only have you enhanced your powers, you've manifested the images of your Zanpakutou itself."

I nodded. "This is Mizu Yūwaku's true form. This is how I see her when she speaks to me—when she guides me from the path you've taken."

Kaguya scuffed. "So you made a few servants to do your bidding—that doesn't scare me. I'll still tear you to—"

"Don't be a fool, Kaguya," Sakura cut in, her voice deep with warning.

Though there was still fury in her eyes, Kaguya looked at Sakura with disapproval. "But, m'lady…?"

"She's achieved Bankai. That's something even you haven't achieved. Without your Hollow, you can't win."

"And that's precisely what I plan on doing," the younger woman argued. "I'm doing this for you."

What Kaguya gathered a massive amount of Spiritual Pressure, I moved defensively in front of Hiroshi. The amount of power she was releasing in that small amount of time was concerning, no doubt. However…she was already losing control. She seemed to have too much faith in her ability to control whatever raw power she's been keeping locked up until now.

"Her Spiritual Pressure is getting out of control," Mizu informed me. "This fight is quickly falling out of our favor."

"You need to do something, and quick. This isn't going to be much of a fight—more like a massacre," Yūwaku added.

As Kaguya drew in more and more power, the look on Sakura's face became more and more…uncertain. I think I even saw I little fear in her dark eyes.

"Kaguya, that's enough," she demanded in her stingiest voice.

I raised a brow. "What's the matter, Sakura? Isn't this what you wanted? She's going to do your bidding—she'll fulfill your wish and try to kill me."

The ever growing, scary looking Kaguya turned to Sakura. Her voice was deeper—more demonic. "Why? Why can't you trust me to do this for you? It would be my honor."

"It's because I know her secret," I blurted out loud.

Sakura's glare couldn't have been darker—or scarier—even if she tried. Kaguya looked as though she didn't believe me, but a twinkle of curiosity in her eyes. Though I couldn't see Hiroshi's face, I knew he was wondering what I was talking about, as well.

Kaguya's expression quickly turned into a glare. "Lady Sakura doesn't have any secrets from me."

I raised a brow. "Are you sure? Do you know what her favorite color is?"

"Enough!"

Sakura's rage became clear with the spike in her Spiritual Pressure.

"M'lady…"

But 'her lady's' focus was on me.

Her gaze was harsh, and I could tell she was second guessing her actions. "What do you really know?"

I smirk behind my scarf. "I know that Kaguya doesn't have a firm grip on her Hollowfication; that's why your hesitant to let her off her leash. Even if she is loyal to you, in that form her loyalty will mean nothing if you can't control her. Once the Hollow takes over, you can't truly return to normal."

Kaguya did not appreciate the comment about the leash, and her glare could be seen from the moon.

"I know that you never wanted to recruit me to be like you, because you were going to kill me either way. Sure, you'd planned on getting me to work for you—to do you biddy as Kaguya does—but once you realized the potential I had, you decided I would one day be too powerful for you to control."

And it was at the cost of someone else's life…

"I know that my family has been through hell and back—literally. They are the only people I know that understand what its like to have someone ripped away from you." I clenched my jaw, biting back anger. "This place just became my home, and I'm not going to let you, or anyone else, hurt them."

In the blink of an eye, my companions disappeared from beside me. Now standing behind Sakura and Kaguya, they were ready for any retaliation.

"I also know that you were watching me the day that first Hollow attacked me at the park. You sent Kaguya to investigate, but when the others arrived from Soul Society, you panicked. Not long after that, I know it was you that sent the Hollow to the beach to make us worry; to force the Captains and other Vizards into high alert. Because what they wouldn't expect was for you to be lurking in an underground fortress."

Sakura and Kaguya exchanged a look, though I wasn't sure if it was out of panic from being caught, or a debate for what to do next.

I didn't stop there. "But what you failed to realize is that…" I shrugged. "Well, to put it simply…I'm just a lot stronger than you are. You thought that after that day…" A small sting of pain shot through my heart, recalling how lost and dark it felt to lose control. "After that I would have been detained and locked away. But when you caught word that I was going to the human world, you figured it was your chance to strike. You never would have thought that I'd been training every day for the past 100 years on how to control and harness my abilities. And that's what's scaring you right now."

"Nonsense!" Kaguya barked. "You will never be strong enough to defeat Sakura. Isn't that right?" She turned to Sakura for confirmation. Her expression dropped into a deep frown. "M-M'lady? Tell her she's wrong; tell her how strong you really are."

Sakura's eyes never wavered from mine. Her secret was out. Now she had nowhere to run.

"When I came down here, you knew I was too strong for you. You had only hoped that Kaguya could take me out, and to finished what you started. You used Hiroshi as a way to make a point to me that you planned to repeat what you had done to Una."

Kaguya's gaze shifted wildly from me to her, unsure of what to believe.

"Remember what I said to you earlier, Kaguya?" I asked Kaguya, ignoring Sakura's warning glare. "'She can't control you anymore.' 'Just let him go and she can't hurt you.' That was all true, and Sakura knew it, because for all the effort she put into making herself look powerful, the truth is her powers diminished to almost nothing after being locked up in that prison. She hid behind your strength and used you to get what she wanted. That's what Sakura is good at. If you had let him go when I told you to, her plans would have crumbled." I let out a deep sigh. "I guess she's lucky you're so faithful, otherwise she would have lost before any of this even started."

I almost feel sorry for Kaguya, I think to myself.

And here I thought you had a brain, Queeny, my Hollow interjected. Never pity the enemy. If I'm lucky, that will get you killed one day and I can finally be free from this distasteful prison.

I nearly rolled my eyes. Yeah, don't hold your breath.

"I'm ending this now, Sakura."

Just like before when I trapped the captains, I drew in as much Spiritual Pressure as I could and manipulated it to my will. The same powerful barrier took shape and surrounded Kaguya. It caught her off guard, so my distraction worked. Thank goodness.

"W-What is this? A barrier?"

"Yes, but you're not getting out of that unless I say so. Sorry about your luck, Kaguya-girl," I mocked. In truth, it probably wasn't the best time to do so, but I couldn't help myself.

From behind me, Hiroshi let out a snort. "It doesn't sound as smooth as when she said it."

I snapped around to face him, raising a brow. "And just who's side are you on?!"

"We could ask you the same question, Nanami."

Suddenly, we were all surrounded by the very people I had trapped in the barrier that was now keeping Kaguya at bay. Mastumoto and Captain Hitsugaya flanked my water model's of Mizu Yūwaku behind Sakura—she was immediately placed under a binding spell so she didn't have a chance to escape. Captain Kuchiki stood to my left, and Hiyori and Shinji to my right. Even Mr. Hat-and-Clogs came down to observe. I knew that I could only keep one barrier up at a time, but I hadn't expected them to respond to their release so quickly.

I bowed my head slightly, unable to look my uncle in the eye. "I'm sorry for my deception."

He, of course, had nothing to say.

"We heard everything, Nanami," Shinji informed me, smiling. "Don't worry. We know you're intentions were pure."

"Never mind her stupid plan!" Hiyori raged. "She had intel that we could have used!"

I looked up at them, a little confused. "How is it that you heard everything?"

"That would be the wide range microphones I had installed in here a few months ago!" Kisuke chimed in, happy to be a part of the conversation. "I had been kept in the dark from Soul Society's plans for so long, I decided that it wouldn't be problem for me is someone were use to my training facility."

"That's just creepy…" Shinji concluded, and I silently agreed.

Across the way, I could hear Kaguya attempting to escape her prison. She yelled with all her might and pounded hard on the barrier with her bare fists. Though she seemed to learn quickly that the more Spiritual Pressure she let loose, the more she would only be hurting herself.

Just next to her was Sakura, bound in Bakkudo 1: Sai. She looked…well, everything but happy.

"Nothing went according to plan," Hitsugaya started, approaching us with Sakura in tow, "but we got what we came for. The escaped prisoner is in our custody again. And we also have her accomplice." His eyes fell on me. "If you hadn't tampered with our original plan, I'd say it went pretty smooth."

From behind him, I could see Lieutenant Matsumoto giving me a thumbs up.

My uncle nodded, though he still didn't look at me. I wondered if he was ever going to look at me the same way again.

"I will contact Soul Society and inform them of what has happened." He looked over at Hat-and-Clogs. The look they exchanged told me there was a hidden message between them. "Kisuke."

All he said was the man's name, and in instant, they were gone.

And for what felt like the second time since living here, I left abandoned.

Mizu Yūwaku rejoined me at my side. I turned to them. "I'm sorry to have called you out here without much to show for it. I guess I just needed reassurance that I could keep everyone safe."

Yūwaku shrugged. "Just remember that next time. I need a little action in my life, you know?"

I grinned. "Yeah, I'll remember that."

Mizu's smile was tender and genuine. "Whenever you need me, Nanami. You know I will help you."

I nodded. "Thank you. I don't know where I would be without you."

Mizu Yūwaku was right. She was always right. She showed me the path when I was lost; she helped me recover from injuries that exceeded that of physical pain; gave the strength to go on.

"But you know that means you can't be calling out your powers like this anymore."

That…I wasn't expecting. "Uh…what…?"

Yūwaku folded her arms over her chest, annoyed. "You may be strong, but don't act so arrogant like Sakura."

Mizu nodded in agreement, her lighter, more timid voice seeming louder than usual. "Your power is something to fear, but you may never use it in order to bring fear to others. What you've done here today shows me that you have much to learn. Do you understand?"

I stared at them both, completely shocked. But…they were right. I am too arrant for my own good.

I let out a heavy sigh. "I understand."

They both nodded. "Good," Yūwaku said. "Then I guess that means good b—"

"This isn't over!"

We all turned to Sakura, who's face was red with rage and fear.

Hiroshi moved to stand next to me. "Well, I have to say, her determination is almost admirable." He paused. "If she wasn't so psychotic."

Despite her situation, Sakura's smile was as sinister as ever. "You know, Nanami, you're right. I have lost nearly all of my powers. I'm nowhere near as strong as I used to be."

I raised a brow. The fact that she's admitting that is…concerning. What is she planning?

There was something in her eyes; a look I had become familiar with when training with Shinji and Hiyori. The realization hit me too late, and before I knew it, she was—

"Captain Hitsugaya! Get away from her!"

He seemed to sense the same thing I had, and immediately backed away, rejoining Shinji, Hiyori and I. Lieutenant Matsumoto also rejoined us.

With a huge burst of energy, she released whatever control she had on her Hollow, and set it free. The sheer force of her Spiritual Pressure broke her bonds. Her body morphed and expanded, much like what Kaguya's had done earlier when she began to release her Hollow—thankfully when didn't have two of them to deal with.

The five of us stood there and watched as her body, as well as her power grew to crazy heights.

The water-form of my Zanpakutou turned to me. "Nanami…"

"Yeah, I know…"

"You need to do it now, before her power is too much to contain."

"I know, I know! But…" I glanced over at Kaguya, who was still trapped inside the barrier. "If I release Kaguya, then we'll have two Vizards to deal with."

"Do it, Nanami." That voice came from behind me, and I spun around to see Byakuya and Kisuke standing behind me. It was Kisuke who spoke. "Release the barrier and reform it around Sakura. We'll take care of Sakura's counterpart."

I thought about it for a moment, and then nodded, releasing the barrier around Kaguya.

If there's anyone who can handle her power, it's Byakuya Kuchiki. I can trust him.

Can you really? my Hollow chimed in. He is the one that sentenced you here to this hell, where you can't even use your powers to its full potential. That makes you a weakling.

This isn't hell;his is paradise, I countered. He may have sent me here, but he was protecting me in doing so. One day, you'll understand. Maybe.

She gave an annoyed grunt, but said nothing else.

As soon as the barrier was gone, a gate opened behind her. And just when she thought she was free from her sentence, my uncle launched himself toward her. He was there in a split second, and then, with his hand wrapped around her neck, they were gone through the gate. Right behind him was Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto.

Before she disappeared, Rangiku turned back. "We'll take Kaguya back to Soul Society. Captain Byakuya has already informed them of our situation, and this is the plan of action they've chosen to take. We'll leave you to keep Sakura under control until we return."

Pride swelled through me. He trusts me; he knows I can do this. Thank you…Uncle Byakuya.

I nodded, and with a smile, she disappeared, too. The gate closed, and that left me with Sakura.

"Nanami, get that barrier around her—now!"

Focusing my energy again, I recreated the barrier around Sakura. With the forcefield around her, it contained her Spiritual Energy and slowly began to drain her.

"What's happening to her?" Hiroshi asked, and I had almost forgotten he was there.

"The barrier not only keeps power within it and bounces it back at you, it also slowly shrinks you power to its dormant size."

He raised a brow. "Sorry, but you lost me. It…shrinks what?"

I sighed and thought of a better, dumbed-down way to explain it. "Think of the barrier as a balloon and her Spiritual Pressure the air inside the balloon. The outer stretch of the bloom is forcing the air out, making it smaller. It's the same with her powers. When the barrier—in a way—attacks her Spiritual Pressure and causes her harm, she will automatically back down to lessen the pain. The more it continues to do that, the more it will drain her strength." I looked up at him. "Make sense now?"

He shrugged lazily. "Yeah, I guess." He paused, looking at the barrier. "I told you so, by the way?"

Now it was my turn to be confused. "What do you mean?"

He didn't look at me for a long time, when he did, that same look I seen earlier was there on his face—the look that made my heart flutter lightly. It was a blank, almost emotion expression, but his eyes showed me everything.

"You can't be all bad if you're willing to protect someone you barely know. And on top of that, you have the power and you can control something that makes even a Captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads useless." The smallest of smirks appeared on his lips. "To think that I thought you were completely useless when we first met."

Heat rose to my cheeks; both because his compliment and out of annoyance.

"How cute," Sakura snapped sarcastically, her distaste evident in her voice. "I see you've found your happy ending. Too bad I'm going to have to break up this relationship so soon."

I had no idea what she was talking about. There was nothing she could do while inside my barrier. Any Spirit Energy she used would be bounced back at her. What could she possibly…?

Her sword. Her Zanpakutou wasn't where it should be on her waist. Instead, it lay alone on the ground…outside the barrier…and it started to move on its own.

"This must be her Zanpakutou's special ability." I stood defensively in front of Hiroshi as the sword began to sway back and forth, as if taunting us. "Just like Mizu Yūwaku's ability is to heal me, she can control her Zanpakutou without touching it."

"That's right; you've figured it out." Sakura smirked. "Too little too late, I'm afraid."

The sword jolted toward us, coming straight for me. Hiroshi and I dodged it narrowly. It was fast, making it that much harder to see. When Shinji and Hiyori made a grab for it, it slipped away. It flew around us in almost a taunting way. Sakura was toying with us; just waiting for one of us to slip up. If there's anything that woman had, it was patience.

I tried to keep an eye on the blade, ignoring Sakura's demented laughter. It was moving faster and faster with each attack and dodge. And for a second, it disappeared.

"Shit. Where is it?" Shinji asked, looking around frantically.

Hiyori grunted in annoyance. "I can't believe you lost it, idiot!"

He glared at her. "I don't see you making a move either, Hiyori!"

For a minute, everything was quiet.

There were no birds or other animals to create background noise; no trees to rustle in the wind that also didn't exist down here. It was completely quiet—even Sakura remained quiet and still. (She was looking for her opening.)

In the moment I sensed it coming, I was only barely aware of what was happening. My brain shut down and the adrenaline that coursed through me moved my body without my knowledge.

When the blade came our way again, it was heading for Hiroshi at full speed, and he hadn't seen it coming at all. All I could think about in that moment was losing someone else I can about. I couldn't even bare the thought of how I lost Una, let alone anyone else close to me.

My parents. My siblings. Inoue and Uryuu. Yumi and baby Meimi. Chad and Tara. Everyone in my family.

I would protect them no matter what. Even at the cost of my own life.

It the split second I had to move before the blade reached Hiroshi and took his life, I pushed him out of the way and faced the blade head on. If this was to be my fate, then so be it…

. . .

** Kagami Mizu Yūwaku = Mirrored Water Temptress

Yeah…that's where it's ending. But I think the best chapter is the last one for sure. It's going to be super long like the last couple ones have been, so that's something to look forward to.

Sorry for such a long battle scene. Most fights in Bleach last for half a season anyway, so I guess it's not much different in this case. There is yet another fight scene, but it will be shorter. I've decided I will continue this series in another story, but it will be less fighting and more normal/school life for our favorite Soul Reaper girl, Nanami.

Stay tuned for the final chapter! And as always, thank you for reading and reviewing!

—Romni