Until The Bitter End

                                    

                                          

I watched the blood fall from the numerous would that lay across her body. But that smile still plastered on her face. I saw her eyes start to close. No after all this time I couldn't lose her I just got her back. I finally realized years after she left the truth about how I felt. The person who kept me strong the person who always had my back. "KARIN NO!" My voice was horsed but I yelled it as loud as I could. On impulse, I moved forward the only thing I had left to do. I didn't have time to tell her the truth I just had to show her. I moved my lips against her. She was scorching to the touch, just as she always was. Fire and ice we were complete opposites. But we worked so well together all those nights we spent training. We were the best two-man team. Even if I was a captain and she wasn't we were even to a fault. She was my equal, my best friend. I kissed her with every feeling I had felt over the last hundred years. All the pain of her leaving and the sorrow it brought me. But also all the warmth that she gave me and the love that she gave me. Even though I was the one who caused her the greatest pain. I felt my cold reiatsu completely surrounding her and her hand had fallen from my hair. She was no longer warm to the touch but she felt cold as ice. The fire had been extinguished. I didn't want to open my eyes and see the pain that lay ahead of me. I forced my eyes open and I saw that sight. It made me numb and empty like all the hope I possessed drained from my body. There she was in my arms her body limp and her beautiful dark eyes wide and lifeless. I placed my hand on her cheek and whipped the single tears that still sat on her soft tan skin. I set her down gently and backed away.
                          
"She loved you until the bitter end Toshiro, never forget that," Ichigo said and I felt a hand on his shoulder.
                          
"Why aren't you angry with me Ichigo?" I questioned confused. "I caused her more pain then anyone else. Her own power suffocated her in my presence. I don't understand." I said frustrated.
                          
"It's true you broke her heart in every way possible. But you also gave her life, you gave her something to live for, to fight for. She said it herself, it doesn't matter about past. Because when she left the soul society to come face Akuma alone you didn't run to the head captain you came to me. Your priority wasn't the law or protocol it was her. She loved you Toshiro, and that has never changed. We have to live with her or she did truly die in vain. She knew us better than anyone, she forbid us from shedding blood in her name. She gave everything to ensure the survival of everyone. She wasn't just my sister or your friend. What we seem to forget is she was a shinigami as well. She swore the same oath we did. To uphold the order of the worlds and protect the balance of souls no matter the cost. She above everyone else gave the ultimate cost. She sacrificed everything even being with the people she cared about. You aren't to blame Toshiro I was the one who forced this fate upon my family. Whatever happened the responsibility and guilt lies with me." He explained carefully.
                          
"After all these years of lying to myself I finally accepted the truth and I still never got to tell her how I really felt. She died never knowing the truth." I said running my hand through my white hair.
                          
"She knew Toshiro, she knew." He and reached over to close her now lifeless eyes.
                          
I heard a soft groan and I turned and watched as Yuzu slowly made her way to stand.
                          
"Ichigo, Toshiro." She exclaimed as she smiled brightly.
                          
"You won I knew you would especially with Karin at your side." She said happily. I watched as her eyes searched around for the tall girl with raven black hair. he slowly walked forward but her eyes traveled passed me and landed on the figure behind me. My eyes widened but it was too late to stop it. She ran forward and I saw a familiar kido. "Karin, Karin wake up! She pleaded.
                          
"Yuzu," Ichigo said softly.
                          
"NO! She can't die we just got her back. It can't end this way after all the pain we were finally going to be happy. Karin, Karin!" She exclaimed loudly. The light was started to diminish from her hands, she was using too much reiatsu. The lights faded completely and Ichigo pulled her from where Karin's dead body now lay.
                          
"It's too late Yuzu," Ichigo said trying to comfort is a broken sister.
                          
"NO!" She yelled and rushed forward but Ichigo held her back. "ICHIGO LET GO I HAVE TO SEE HER! LET GO LET GO!" She yelled furiously. "AHHHH!" She screamed as tears fell from her eyes.
                          
I turned my head unable to look at the pain she was in. Her cries could be heard for miles.
                          
"Why, why her?" Yuzu questioned tears still falling from her eyes but her screams had subsided. "All she ever did was fight for the soul society, fight for the innocent. Since the day she turned thirteen she battled and trained day after day because no one else had the power to defeat Akuma. She gave everything. So why even at the end why wasn't it enough why did she have to die. It's not fair." She said the agony clear in her voice.
                          
"She was and will always be a hero. She died upholding the oath that she swore even until the bitter end." I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder. "She was like no other," I exclaimed softly.
                          
"We need to leave Hueco Mundo is no place for us shinigami to linger," Ichigo said and picked Yuzu up. I watched as the familiar light glowed.
                          
"The same sleeping kido that Karin used on me. Seems a little excessive ." I said but her shuck his head.
                          
"She needs to rest to regain her strength, she won't be able to cope any other way." He said wrapping his arms tightly around her.
                          
I slowly walked over to where Karin's body lay. I wrapped my arms around he cold skin and picked her up. She deserved to have a proper funeral nothing short of the best. She is the only reason balance still exists.
                          
"I'm going to open a Senkimon, the longer we stay here the more danger there will be. We should take Akuma's body as well as proof of his death. " He said and used a kido to move his body.
                          
I watched as the familiar gate opened and the ray of sunlight from the soul society shinned through. I looked down and stared at her lifeless body. He agony of remembering the pain I caused her. We walked through the gate and ourselves standing on Sokyoku hill. In an instant, I felt it many reiatsu belonging to captain class shinigami. Before my eyes, I saw all the captain and lieutenant of the thirteen court guard squads before me.
                          
"You have returned." Head captain said as his eyes traveled to the figure that lay in my arms. I watched as his eyes open and grew wide. Her reiatsu had completely disappeared and they could sense that clear as day. I heard the commotion and before I knew I saw familiar strawberry blonde hair.
                          
"Karin!" She said on the verge of tears.
                          
"Rangiku," I said and walked closer slowly. He hand trembled as she reached forward and caressed her ice cold cheek. She backed away and stood there unable to move or talk.
                          
"That reiatsu." Captain Ukitake said.
                          
"Shiba, Kurosaki Karin, has fallen on the battlefield of Hueco Mundo," I explained knowing Ichigo could never bring himself to utter those words.
                          
"That's not possible." Ikkaku and Yumichika exclaimed.
                          
I watched as two squad four shinigami rushed forward with a cot. I slowly walked over and placed her body down gently. "Nothing is impossible," I said before turning and walked in the other direction.
                          
"Captain Hitsugaya, your report." Head captain exclaimed.
                          
"She did what she has always done. She sacrificed everything to save the lives of everyone here and many others. She once again is the only reason balance is restored.
                          
"How did she meet her end?" He questioned in a serious tone.
                          
"An ancient curse that Akuma placed her one hundred years ago. It made her lose control over her power. The more she used her power the more that power destroyed her body until finally there was nothing left. She unleashed her Bankai in Hueco Mundo, knowing that is she did she would die. She gave captain Hitsugaya an opening that would never have been possible without her and in the end captain Hitsugaya was able to deliver the killing blow." Ichigo explained Yuzu still tightly wrapped in his arms.
                          
"And 4th seat Kurosaki?" Captain Unohana questioned.
                          
"Physically she's fine but the mental strain of the torture and the pain of losing her sister will be there for quite some time," Ichigo said and he placed Yuzu into the care of Captain Unohana.