I had a hard time trying to find the right moment for well…THIS to happen…I knew how I wanted it to go. I had to visualize where everyone was standing and had to come up with something that would fit Bleach lore concerning the "spirit chains" (If you are unsure of what that is, in Bleach, a spirit has a chain protruding from its body.). Like all growth stories, there needs to be a time in which the hero falls. This is Kira's moment and it was quite painful to write, especially the ending.

And yep, I killed Mai…Some of you will probably give me some interesting…comments because of it, and that's fine. However, if you don't like what happened to her…well…You're not gonna like what happens next…Just remember: Everything happens for a reason.

Disclaimer: Bleach and the Dragonball Franchise, their characters, settings, etc., belong to their respective creators. All original characters, setting, etc., belong to ME.

Chapter 22: Death's Embrace

Kira listened to the old Kaioshin's words. She admitted to having anger within her and who could blame her? Her own blood relatives have lied this entire time and now expect her to fulfill her bloodline duties. There were several times Kira wished she had just stopped drawing all together, as that was the cause of all her turmoil. If she had put down the pencil and paper, she would have been just a normal teenage girl with an extraordinary family.

It was easy to place blame on something or someone. It helped to swell the anger. Kira took a deep breath, knowing her thoughts were bringing her down a path she didn't want to go. Even though the training she received was brutal it did help her concentrate. She recalled those first few training sessions she had with Piccolo before her horrible 16th birthday.

Center yourself, either let it go or use the anger to your advantage.

There was really no way to use her anger at the moment; her objective had been to help any lost souls leave, yet now she was called to protect Kaioshin. Chaos tended to change plans.

"Well…If I'm supposed to protect you…" She huffed. "Then we probably need to leave, like…right NOW." She suggested. Yeah, being caught in the current battle was probably NOT a good idea.

"This was caused by myself…" The elder Kaioshin stated. "Let me finish it out, shinigami."

She raised an eyebrow at him. Was that a request or command? She had no idea what the hierarchy was here but right now such things didn't matter. At the moment, her senses were keeping her and her charges alive…that was more important than anything.

Her eyes darted to the fighting. Vegeta and Goku were giving it their all again, with Trunks helping at every turn. There was no end to the brutality above. The fighting stopped for a split second allowing Kira to see Zamasu for the briefest of seconds.

Her eyes widened as her muscles relaxed.

"The…Line…" She muttered. Behind her the Kaioshin looked at one another.

"What do you mean, shinigami?" The purple one finally spoke up.

Her lips pursed. Had she really seen it?

Five to ten minutes before a death, Rukia's words filled her mind, the chain that connects the soul to the body starts to show. It appears as a golden line stretched across the chest. The closer to the death, the chain becomes clearer. I say this because you will start to see this soon..Especially once your senses take the lead.

She needed to be absolutely sure but how was she going to grasp attention from above? She watched patiently below, no longer feeling tense. She waited for the right moment and found it, a brief lull in the fighting; she focused on Zamasu's chest…Sure enough it was there…a thin golden line…that was becoming clearer by the second.

The scourge had at least ten minutes left…Before death claimed him.

"Watch out!" She heard the purple Kaioshin scream and quickly moved away as Trunks was flung towards them. He crashed onto the ground hard, creating a small crater in his wake. He looked completely worn out, blood trickling from the side of his mouth and his clothes practically shredded to scraps. Kira quickly went to his side and froze in midstep.

As the golden line was upon Zamasu's chest…So too it was on Trunks'...Though there was a major difference…There was no golden line stretched across Trunks' chest…

It was a chain…A golden chain…and one side…was slowly cracking.

She could barely move, barely speak. Did that mean he was…? All sound and reason left her instantly. She never really saw anyone die, anyone she knew except her grandfather but his death was of old age and technically, well…He wasn't truly dead. Trunks…on the other hand…She barely knew him. Friend was not a word she compared him to, as he practically hated her guts (for no reason! At least in her eyes). They had made a somewhat truce though, a comradely of sorts.

She saw Trunks rise to his feet, his eyes focused on something behind her. His hands pushed her away and as she regained her balance, she saw the beam of light.

Saw the beam…pierce Trunks through his chest.

Time stood still.

Trunks' body fell to the ground slowly, the thud of it echoing her very being. Her eyes watched as the chain around his chest broke then disappeared.

He wasn't moving. He wasn't getting up.

A shrill cry, that of a furious father wanting vengeance for his slain son, broke through, speeding time back to normal. Kira couldn't think, couldn't move.

He was dead…Mirai Trunks…Was dead.

A cruel laughter echoed all around. She looked up and saw the sky had turned a sickly green. Seconds ticked by as strong arms grabbed her form, pulling her to the time machine. When had it appeared so nearby? What was going on? She was thrown into it as two other buddies rushed inside. Light surrounded them but it did not penetrate Kira. No…All her eyes could see was Mirai Trunks' form, lying dead in a crater. Her shoulders shook from a chill that crept up her spin.

He had locked eyes with her…Dead eyes…Then smiled.

Before death had claimed him, Trunks had smiled at her.

Wait…He needed to be sent to the Seireitei! Wait! She rushed to the glass of the Time Machine but was quickly blinded by the light. In the next second they were on the lawn of Capsule Corporations. Her senses a jumbled mass she barely registered someone picking her up then her feet touching grass. Zanpakutou fell from her hands as she dropped to her knees, holding her head.

She heard Gohan's voice, "Dad, what happened? Kira!?"

Goku had gone quiet, something rarely done by him. He knelt to her, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Hey…Look at me." She looked at him, his eyes filled with concern. "It wasn't your fault. Don't go blaming yourself, okay?"

She wanted to scream at him. Of course it was her fault! She should have noticed that beam of light! She should have sent Trunks' soul immediately after it happened! Why did she freeze up!?

"I need to talk to Vegeta then Bulma." Goku rose to meet his eldest son. "You mind looking after her for a bit?"

"Uh…Sure…" Gohan nodded, a sense of dread overcoming him. "Did…What I think…?"

"Yeah…" Goku slowly nodded. "I'll give you the details later." Then he went after Vegeta, wherever the Sayajin prince went.

Gohan immediately went to Kira, kneeling before her. "It's going to be okay."

"The hell it is!" She got her voice back, tears streaming down her face. "I…I…"

It was a cry she needed. Not like the one she had upon her 16th birthday, nor the nearly non-existent one she had at her grandfather's funeral.

This cry was deep…She sat there, full blown screaming while tears fell down her cheeks. At one point she ended up in Gohan's embrace, refusing to let him go.

No matter what anyone said…She had failed, and the cost…was a life.

Next Time: Determination