Leave Out All the Rest

Well this chapter is kind of an special, and if you\'ve been reading the manga you will noticed that I change certain things. I don\'t know if this chapter contains spoilers...I would say no. So don\'t worry about that. This is also a closure for the Winter War and Aizen and his Espada.



So, Read, enjoy and review!!!





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 17



…But I’m going to stop it.







They didn’t notice anyone else.



Both of their eyes were focused on each other.



Each one of their swords was at each other’s neck.



There wasn’t any fancy technique.



It was only them, kind of like a ritual for dominance; something that Hyorinmaru and Shinsou were determined to win, just as much as their masters.



Hitsugaya Toushirou had known since the first time he saw the man that he was a threat, or at least that there was something about the man that made him edgy and wary of him. Since the moment he became a Captain of the Gotei 13 and he was sure that he wouldn’t be punish for his actions he had kept a close eye on him, trying to decipher what was behind that stupid smile of his and those double meaning comments. He was more alert than ever the moment the man started changing around him, spending more time around his division… of course the fact that he and Matsumoto seemed to comfortable around each other was irksome for Hitsugaya, but it wouldn’t bother him so much if the man didn’t send mocking smiles his way, didn’t make fun of him or… or… provoke him in any way.



For Ichimaru Gin it took more time to closely watch the young Captain. At first, for him, it was nothing else but a white haired guy that had enough intelligence and power to enter the Gotei 13 in no time. Prodigy, some people called him; frankly Ichimaru could care less unless Aizen ordered him to do so, and since the man already had Hinamori closely watching the brat well, Ichimaru entertained himself with other activities. That was, of course, until he saw it. That look in those teal-emerald eyes sent Rangiku’s way, they way his eyes would gleam at her mere presence, at her smile, at her comments…at her whole being!



The little brat, the prodigy, the youngest Captain in the whole history of Soul Society had fallen in love with Rangiku.



Of course for a prodigy the boy was quite stupid, always in denial, always trying to cover up his feelings, but Ichimaru Gin knew better. And because he knew, because he noticed it first… he enjoyed every second he had to torture him, to mock him, to make it clear to Shiro-chan that Rangiku was Gin’s property, his property.



“I told you once that if you made Hinamori bleed I would kill you,” said Hitsugaya, breaking the tense silence around them. Gin merely lifted an eyebrow with his smile growing big.



“Yeah, I remembeh tha’. I also remembeh tha’ ya was’t able ta fight meh prop’ly.”



Hitsugaya smirked at the man, lifting his reiatsu to his full potential, followed close behind by Gin.



“Well, there are no words in any language to describe what I’m about to do to you for what you have done to Rangiku.”



And with that said Hitsugaya and Gin started their fight.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Rukia fell, whatever they had done had worked, or at least that’s what she hoped for, because she couldn’t fight, not anymore. She closed her eyes, ready for the impact that never came.



She opened her eyes to find herself in the arms of a smirking Ichigo, “You look like hell, Rukia.”



“Ichigo?” she asked, confused for a moment before she registered his words and tried to hit him in his chest. “Idiot! Let me go!”



“Humph, this is how you thank me for saving your sorry ass from falling?” he replied.



“Saving me? Where were you when that big thing attacked me?!” she screamed at him. “Maybe if you had arrived in time I would be grateful!”



“Ok then…” Ichigo let go of Rukia and couldn’t help but laugh when the girl grabbed him with force.



“Why did you let go of me?”



“Didn’t you say…”



“Kurosaki!! You can fight with her later! Let Orihime take care of her wounds,” said Ishida, a little exasperatedly. “We need to get out of here and help the others against Aizen.”



Ichigo put Rukia in the sand while he looked around and let Orihime take care of her. Renji and Chad looked pretty wounded but it didn’t look fatal; he turned to look at Ishida, who was looking somewhere far in the distance.



“So, any idea as to how we are going to leave this place?” asked Ichigo.



“Not really, and it seems that the Captains that came here don’t know of a way out of this place.”



“So basically, you want us to get out of here to help the others against Aizen, but we don’t have a way out?” Ishida glared at Ichigo for a second before fixing his glasses.



“Well, yes.”



“You know that your idea is kind of stupid?”



“At least I have ideas.”



“What’s that suppose to…”



“Maybe…I can help,” said a familiar voice behind Ichigo. The orange-haired boy turned, shocked, at the sight before him.



Grimmjaw was being carried by a very enthusiastic Yachiru and an equally enthusiastic Nel. Kenpachi was behind them along with Byakuya, Unohana and the others.



“You...but…”



“Want my help? Yes or no?” said Grimmjow, exasperatedly letting out a grimace of pain when Yachiru dropped him on the ground and went away with Nel, screaming something like ‘treasure hunting’.



“Why should we trust you, Espada?” asked Byakuya with his hand firmly on Senbonzakura. Grimmjaw let out a maniacal laugh, that was cut short by Ichigo lifting him once again and laying him down more gently than Yachiru.



“I didn’t need your help.”



“I know, but we can’t hear your answer if you keep your face against the sand.”



“Well? Are you going to answer?”



Grimmjaw looked at each one of the shinigami present; he closed his eyes for a moment with his smile still in place.



“Because, whether you like it or not I am the only one that knows the alternative route out of this place,” he said in a knowing-all tone. “And…it would give me the opportunity to fight against the bastard.”



“What bastard?” asked Kenpachi interestedly. “There are three of them out there, you have to pick one and wait in line.”



“Whatever bastard is fine by me…as long as I get my share.” Kenpachi and Ichigo smiled at Grimmjaw’s words.



Yachiru launched herself at Grimmjaw’s body and said in a very enthusiastic tone, “Can we keep it Ken-chan?”





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



It was a battle of wits.



That was the only way to describe each one of their slashes, each one of their blocks, each one of their attacks. They didn’t take their eyes from each other, not when they heard the sounds of laughter or the screams of someone asking for help. Not when the newcomers decided to help, which side? They didn’t know, and if you asked them, deep down they would tell you that they didn’t care at all.



They kept crossing swords, making sparks every time the metals of their blades made contact, launching kicks and punches, fighting in a way they had never done.



Hitsugaya wasn’t about to lose or give the man in front of him any advantage, even though he was really hurt and was reaching his limit. The fight against that woman, Tia Hallibel, had been really hard on him, leaving him with some wounds that were starting to get to him. Not only that, but, Ichimaru had some lucky slashes that were making him bleed and his sight blurry.



But, Hitsugaya wasn’t the only one. Gin was also hurt, his fight against the young Captain wasn’t going the way he thought it would turn out; after all, Ichimaru Gin was a real prodigy, he was a genius even more so than Hitsugaya. But the damn brat was good, and he couldn’t deny him that. He took advantage of every opportunity, he was daring and sometimes those moments gained him a deep wound somewhere in Gin’s body.



After almost two hours of fighting they realized something: Both of them were reaching their limit.



“Mah, mah… seems like li’l Shiro-chan ain’t as li’l an’ useful as I thought,” commented Gin with a playful smile, cleaning Shinsou against his clothes and wiping away some blood from his mouth.



“Shut up.” Another frontal attack that Gin stopped in time only to receive a side kick from Hitsugaya.



“Nah, nah Shiro-chan, yer supposed ta play nice!” replied Gin with a punch in the tenth division Captain’s face and a kick in his stomach that sent him flying away.



Hitsugaya stopped in time so he didn’t collide against Kyouraku. The man looked sideways and smiled a little at the young taichou.



“You look pretty well Hitsugaya-kun,” said the man, Hitsugaya snorted and shook his head with a small smile on his face.



“You too. Are you okay?” asked Hitsugaya, nodding his head to the big wound the Captain of the eighth division had on his right side.



“Yes, nothing that Unohana-taichou can’t take care of and the sweet and lovely caresses from my Nanao-chan can’t fix,” said the man. “How about you, Hitsugaya-kun?”



“About the same.”



“Good, then go over there and kick his ass for me.”



“It would be my pleasure.”



“What took you so long, Shiro-chan?” said Gin with his trademark smile and a mocking tone.



Oh for heaven’s sake, wipe that stupid smile off him Toushirou!!! Let’s finish this battle once and for all!



‘I agree with you.Then, are you ready?’



Of course I am.



“I think we have played long enough,” said Hitsugaya, wiping away some of the blood and sweat off his face.



“Oh, so ya were playin’ ahll this time? I could’a sworn tha’ ya was fightin’ ser’ousleh,” said Gin, taking a fighting stance. “I though’ Ran-chan was impor’ant ‘nough for ya ta fight ser’ousleh from the beginnin’.”



“Don’t you dare to bring her into this, Ichimaru!”



“Oh, but Shiro-chan!!! She’s the reason why we’re fightin’ in the firs’ place, ain’t she?” Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes at the man but said nothing else. “Don’ look at meh like tha’…we’re fightin’ ‘cause in the end one ah us is gonna keep ‘er.”



“She is not an object that can be owned,” said Hitsugaya in an even and cold voice; he looked at Ichimaru with a soft smile, remembering the time he tried to say something like that. “She can make her own decisions, and if I am not wrong…she already did.”



For a second the smug expression on Gin’s face disappeared, only to come back, this time a little more tense and fake than ever.



“No, Hitsugaya, tha’s where yer wrong.” Hitsugaya frowned at his words “She hasn’ made a decision; at least not ‘til I don’ leave her an option.”



“What do you mean?”



“Soon as ya disappear, she’ll realize that it’s me all she’ll eveh have, like it was s’posed to be from the beginnin’.”



Hitsugaya actually blinked at his words and started laughing, a cold and somehow manic laugh that confused Gin and Hyourinmaru for a moment.



“You really lost it, didn’t you Ichimaru?” he said, grabbing Hyorinmaru with force he pointed at Ichimaru. “That’s the best you can do?”



“Oh no, I can do betteh than tha’,” said Ichimaru, smiling dangerously at Hitsugaya. “Soon as we win this battle, I’ll take ‘er with meh…and only if she’s ready ta come back ta ‘er senses I migh’ allow that li’l bundle ah joy ah yers ta survive. How does tha’ sound?”



Once again Hyorinmaru and Shinsou met in a rain of yellow sparks and power coming from both of their masters. A roar could be heard in the skies and snow started falling all over the place, Ichimaru’s eyes were looking directly into Hitsugaya’s, which were full of cold rage.



“My, fina’ly yer getting’ ser’ous. Are ya gonna kill me, Shiro-chan?”



“I told you before; there are not words in any language to describe what I’m going to do to you for what you did to Rangiku and what you just said,” said Hitsugaya in a cold and deep voice that surprised Ichimaru. “Sôten ni Zase, Hyorinmaru!"





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



“L-let me go…I …I’m so going to kick your ass.”



“Now, you shouldn’t say things like that. I warned you, didn’t I?” said Ukitake with a gentle smile. Lilinette glared at him but stopped struggling against the ropes the man had put around her to keep her at bay.



“Maybe I can’t but Stark would surely do it.” Ukitake shook his head but decided to remain silent. He turned around and watched the fight taking place in the sky. He saw as Kyouraku and the Espada named Stark kept interchanging thrusts with each other and how every time the strength in those thrusts would rise. On the other side he saw as Hitsugaya fought against Gin, both of their zanpakutou finally unsealed.



“Mhm…so, aren’t you worried about your friends?” asked Lilinette, while she was struggling once again she decided that it wouldn’t harm her to have a chat with the shinigami.



“Which ones? All of my friends are out there fighting,” said Ukitake.



“Well, all of them.”



“Yes and no.” Lilinette blinked, confused at those words, which gained her a soft chuckle from Ukitake.



“You see, they are my friends and their well-being worries me, but I trust completely in their abilities…that’s why I’m not so worried, because I know that in the end, we are going to win.”



Lilinette’s eyes opened wide at Ukitake’s words; she turned around and looked over at Stark before looking at Aizen and finally returning her gaze to Ukitake.



“No one can win against Aizen,” she said in a soft voice. “Otherwise, Stark wouldn’t be forced to follow his every command.”



Ukitake watched her with a sad expression; he turned around and saw Ichigo and the others had entered the fight, then he turned to Lilinette and started talking again.



“That’s where you are wrong, Lilinette-san.” The girl lifted her head and looked with surprise that the white-haired man was smiling at her. “We can win against him. That’s why we are here.”





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Once again they didn’t notice anyone else.



Both of their eyes were focused on each other.



There wasn’t any fancy technique.



They stood there in front of each other, breathing hard, with sweat and blood all over their bodies. They had wounded one another pretty badly, to the point of near-dead and even like that they stood there, proud and arrogant, not letting out anything that could give away their tiredness or their blurry vision or the fact that they were about to faint.



It was supposed to end this way. And both of them knew it.



It was the last attack, the last chance either had to finish the life of his opponent.



One last glance, one last smirk, and both of them launched themselves against the other.



There was the sound of metal against metal.



A moan of pain.



A lift of both their reiatsu.



“My, seems like I wa’n’t fast ‘nough.” And even with Hyorinmaru piercing his chest, Ichimaru Gin smiled and made his words sound like a mocking statement against Hitsugaya, who had Shinsou through his side.



“To me it seems like you didn’t have a real reason to fight.”



“A reason?” blood poured from Gin’s mouth and fell on Hitsugaya’s face. “And ya do?”



“Yes,” was all Hitsugaya said; his own wound was claiming his consciousness.



Gin felt cold and weak; he sensed his own existence disappearing. He smiled when he felt the hand that was grabbing Shinsou freezing just like his chest had done.



“L-let’s...see…if you have a reason…”



Hitsugaya felt it coming, but for some reason he didn’t fight it. He felt the punch in his face and then in his stomach; with Hyorinmaru still in his hand and blood pouring from his side, he felt a smile on his face when the figure of a half frozen Gin reached his eyes. Even if he died he was pretty sure that Gin wouldn’t present a threat to Rangiku or their child.



He had done it.



He had protected them.



He had accomplished his duty as a Captain, as a shinigami and as a man.



And with those thoughts in mind his world went black.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



So, yeah, that\'s the way I think the final battle between Toushirou and Gin is going to be. Maybe with more blood and sarcastic jokes and things like that...but, well you get the idea. I know Matsumoto didn\'t appear on this one,but the next chapter is going to be the aftermath of this battle. By he way Stark and Hallibel are my favorite Espada so, they\'r not going to die in my story, I just feel I have to say it.



So, see you then.



Don\'t forget to review!