Warnings for wounds and blood mentions.

Kyrano quietly and slowly walked over to where Scott and Kayo were, ignoring Wayne for the moment. He looked relaxed, his hand on his Zanpakuto merely holding the scabbard in place, stopping about halfway along the square.

Scott, tired and frustrated, had had enough. As far as he was concerned the Reapers had gone back on their word to let Kayo live if he destroyed the Grand Fisher, and the battle with Wayne had not improved his mood at all.

'It's your funeral!' he snarled and rushed at the Reaper, Zangetsu raised and ready to strike. Kayo started forwards but then stopped. Scott couldn't afford to have his concentration broken by her. He shouldn't have been able to defeat Wayne, and she truly feared the outcome of this fight.

Kyrano stood perfectly still as Scott charged him, even as the man swung his sword at him. But then Scott started in surprise – one minute the Reaper had been in front of him, the next he was behind him. And what was worse, he held Zangetsu in between two fingers.

'You're slow.'

The observation was quiet. With an effort Scott pulled his Zanpakuto free and swung around. Kyrano easily ducked, freeing Senbonakura and slicing so fast that the only way Kayo knew there had been contact of any sort was the fine spray of blood.

Scott paused as he stood, struggling to breath, and then he dropped to his knees and flat out onto his front as Kayo's scream of 'Scott!' seemed to fill the square. He heard Kyrano slowly sheath his sword.

Kayo's breathing sped up as her father approached her. She wanted to stand her ground, but involuntarily found herself taking a couple of steps back. Knowing in her heart that her father didn't really want to do this, that this would have been ordered from up high, didn't stop the panic and dread pooling in her stomach. But then she shook herself mentally, took a deep breath and stood tall before the man who had only ever shown her love.

'Wait a minute.'

Her eyes widened once more and her father turned around. They watched as Scott staggered to his feet again, barely able to stand upright.

'Scott! If you can stand then run! You're no match for his strength!'

But Scott turned and, with a fierce cry, charged Kyrano once more.

Kyrano pulled Senbonakura free and with the very tip of the blade stopped Zangetsu dead. There was a beat then Kyrano knocked Scott's blade down and once more sliced at him. Another spray of blood told Kayo as much as Scott's body dropping heavily to the ground.

As Wayne came across to his Captain, Kyrano once more put his blade away and turned to his daughter.

'Now then, it's time for you to wake up, Tanusha.'

His words were soft, low and urgent. He could still save her now the human was dead. He boxed up the regret he felt – he hated that it had come to this, but he would always put his daughter first. If only she'd come to her senses!

'I will…protect her…'

And Scott climbed back to his feet, needing to use Zengetsu to help him. Kyrano turned back around to face him, shock clear on his face. No simple human should be able to cope with what he'd hit Scott with already – both blows would normally have been killing blows.

Scott turned around to face him and Kayo. Blood was sprayed up his face from a neck wound and the earlier slash to his stomach was staining his shihakusho. He offered a grin that was almost as shaky as he was.

'I'm not finished yet.'

He didn't even have the strength to lift Zengetsu off the ground and the sword point dragged behind him as he stumbled over to where Kyrano stood. Wayne and Kayo looked on, that same shock also clear on both their faces.

Scott carried on stumbling over the ground. At one point it looked like he would fall, but he straightened up a little and kept on coming. Time seemed to stand still as the trio of Soul Reapers watched him.

Kyrano frowned. What was it about this human? There was something special about him, and if it wasn't for the death threat hanging over his own daughter Kyrano would have spent some time studying Scott and his lineage to find out what it was. There was no way a normal human could withstand this much and still keep going.

But he had to end this. He had to.

He spun on the spot into a crouching fight stance, held Senbonakura ready in its' sheath and sped at Scott, slashing him from belly to chin. The spray of blood that erupted was big, and he hoped that this time the man would stay dead, for everyone's sake.

'SCOTT!'

Once more Scott fell forward, but this time it looked like he would not recover. Kyrano paused before putting his sword away and stepping forward.

Only for Scott to grab the edge of his clothing.

Disbelief turned slowly into a smile that was quickly wiped from Kyrano's face. It wouldn't do for his lieutenant and daughter to see how impressed he was with the human, plus you never knew when you were being watched.

He pulled himself free even as Scott attempted to move. Kyrano was aware of Wayne staring at the human on the floor with a look that was approaching surprised respect, and his daughter who was standing there, frozen, with a look of horror on her face. He took a deep breath. Only Tanusha could save Scott now.

'Not yet…'

Scott made it almost to his hands as knees, breathing raggedly and barely able to see through the narrowing vision that heralded unconsciousness. He needed to push past all this, he needed to fight. He needed to save her. They were the only thoughts going through his head.

'He'll never give up!'

Wayne voiced what all three Reapers were thinking. And Kyrano released Senbonakura ready for one last blow.

He held Senbonakura ready, but something in Scott's face made him pause. Now more than ever he did not want to destroy this human, the only human he knew who had faced up to and survived two Hollows and two Reapers.

And then Tanusha moved.