Chapter 28

 

Seated around the table at Kisuke’s shop, the increasingly large group of friends I’ve made met to discuss recent events. It was a status check, simply put. Renji and Toshiro had explained everything about our fights, briefly mentioning Kaname and Shizuka. My hands clenched into fists in my lap as I thought of their untimely end. It wasn’t fair, for them to die because of something they couldn’t even attempt to stop. Ichigo seemed less than pleased with what had happened, though he was behaving more professionally than me. I had been struggling to hold back my tears throughout the meeting.

 

“Do you have anything to add, Miss Kitamura?” Kisuke asked. I looked up from my lap and shook my head.

 

“No. It’s just as they said. Everyone who had been attacked was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time,” I answered, clearing my throat to keep from choking up.

 

“How’re you feeling?” Chad asked.

 

“I’ve been fine. I’ll feel better when this is all over.”

 

“You know, killing Aizen won’t stop Hollow from coming,” Kisuke pointed out.

 

“But it’ll make the amount coming into this world drop, right? I mean, they’ve been getting through so easily because of Aizen. Isn’t that right?”

 

“Yes and no. While the rate at which they appear will most likely decrease, there’s no guarantee that the Soul Reapers will be able to catch them early on every time.”

 

“I thought Hollows primarily attacked souls. They’ve been going after human recently. Does Aizen have anything to do with that?”

 

“We don’t know for certain.”

 

“Well, what do we know? I’d like to think this is all worth something.”

 

“We’ll be saving a lot of people,” Ichigo said. “Aizen wants to use this town, killing everyone in it.”

 

“Why?” I asked.

 

“So he can create the King’s Key,” Kisuke answered. “He tried it ten years ago, but was forced to retreat.”

 

“That’s terrible! What could possible be so important that he would kill thousands of people for?!”

 

“He’s a sick b*****d,” Ichigo muttered.

 

“So now you see why this is so important. We’re trying to make sure the deaths of people like that client of yours aren’t in vain,” Kisuke explained.

 

“Speaking of your clients, aren’t you supposed to meet that punk kid?” Renji asked. I glanced at my watch quickly and stood.

 

“Tsume! I almost forgot. Renji and Toshiro, I’ll meet you back at the house,” I said and, before I could stop myself, ruffled Toshiro’s hair out of habit. When I realized what I was doing, I quickly pulled my hand away. Toshiro sighed and ran a hand through his hair, but he didn’t seem angry with me.

 

“Be careful, Minako,” he said and I smiled. I was the only person in our group that he addressed by first name, which made me feel good.

 

“I always am,” I answered and ran out of the room, slipping on my shoes at the door.

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I found Tsume waiting outside the building I worked in. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his sweatshirt and he had a content smile on his face. It was mid-autumn and a light chill could be felt in the air. This was Tsume’s favorite time of the year, if I remembered correctly. As I neared, he turned towards me. In and instant, his face fell.

 

“Minako!” he screamed, running forward.

 

I stopped where I was and turned to look behind me, just in time to see a man with bone coating the entire left side of his face. A red beam of light shone in my peripheral vision and everything around me seemed to slow down. I was pushed to the ground, but not before I felt the sensation of my right hip being torn to shreds. I screamed out as I hit the cement, knocking my head on the ground. Tsume landed on me, but quickly stood, a scowl on his lips. When I forced myself to sit up, my him screaming in protest and my head pounding, I saw another familiar face. The one who had attacked me was the first Arrancar I saw: number 85.

 

My breath caught in my throat as I stared at the Arrancar Tsume was about to fight. Panic raced through me, causing my head to pound harder and the wound in my hip to sear even more. I cautiously glanced down to see that a hole had nearly been shot through me and I was bleeding copiously. It was only a matter of time before I passed out or died. Without another thought, I used my hands to apply pressure to my wound, sending more pain ripping through me.

 

“I’m back, querida, and you won’t be getting away this time,” the Arrancar said smugly. Tsume pulled his gray sweatshirt off and threw it to me.

 

“Use that,” he mumbled before turning his attention to the Arrancar. “Who the hell are you?!” I used Tsume’s sweatshirt to cover my hips, applying more pressure. The Arrancar chuckled cruelly.

 

“You humans always ask the same questions: ‘Who are you? What do you want? Why are you killing me?’ If you simply must know, my name is Silvino. For the next question you’ll likely ask, I’m here to kill that woman and anyone who stands in my way. ¿Por qué? Because I was ordered to.” My heart dropped for a moment and I knew I couldn’t let Tsume end up like Kaname and Shizuka.

 

“Tsume, run! Get out of here, now!” I yelled frantically.

 

“You’d do well to listen to her, niño.”

 

“Please, Tsume, don’t do this.”

 

“Shut up,” he answered softly. “I’m not going to leave you to die.”

 

In a flash, he extended his hand and claws of energy flew at Silvino. The Arrancar disappeared before they could hit him and I was reminded of the Soul Reapers’ flash step. In the next instant, I felt a hand crash down on my collar bone and heard a distinct crack as a sharp pain erupted from the point of contact. I screamed until my throat was hoarse as Tsume tried to tackle the Arrancar to the ground. Never before had I been in such pain for felt such heart-gripping fear. I believed I was truly going to die there, outside of my office. Without my control, a powerful shockwave erupted in all directions, knocking the Arrancar off balance, but otherwise unaffecting him. I was shocked. That had been the strongest attack I’d ever released and it barely moved him. Just how powerful was Silvino?

 

I began to feel lightheaded immediately after and vaguely realized that my hands were soaked in my own blood. Tsume continued to attack Silvino angrily, but I couldn’t focus on the fight with stars dancing in my vision. I fell backwards, hitting my head on the sidewalk once again and I could feel my consciousness slipping.

 

“Minako!” a faraway voice yelled. I hazily recognized it as Toboe’s. I knew he wouldn’t see Silvino, but he’d see Tsume attacking air. What would he think of that? A pair of hands grabbed my shoulders, causing me to cry out as my broken clavicle was jostled. I couldn’t open my eyes, though, as I slowly faded. Finally, all sound disappeared and everything went black.