Pain, that's all I could feel. Darkness was all around me. Maybe... I could open my eyes? Forcing my eyes to open, my vision was blurry but there was still light. Good. I was still alive, for the most part. There was screaming coming from... somewhere.

"Ichigo! Ichigo!"

"Yuzu no! You can't go over there!"

But that thing is going to hurt him more!"

"I know but what can we do?!"

Yuzu...? Karin...? They shouldn't be here. Struggling to sit up, I tried to call out to them. But all that came out was coughing and blood. Wait... blood? My vision started to fade again. No... I can't go yet. I need to... I must...

"Ichigo! You can't die! You just can't."

I felt something warm and wet fall on my face. Tears? Yuzu... don't cry over me. Get to safety before it comes back. I tried once more to stand, but it was no use. It was like the energy was zapped out of my body. Then the ground began to shake. Something wasn't right. A loud, almost defining roar came too close. Trying my best to focus, that was heading towards us. No. It was heading towards... "YUZU!"

She looked at me, tears still falling from her eyes. I hated to see her like that. I don't want the last thing I see in this life is her crying... but I'd rather it be that then her dying. I lost mom but to hell am I going to lose anyone else. Even if it costs me my life! With the last of my strength, I jumped in front of her and attacked the thing with all I had in me. I didn't count on it doing the same. I guess if it goes down, I go with it. I could feel my own blood soaking my clothes. The last thing I saw was the blue sky and the last thing I heard, was my sister screaming.

"ICHIGO!"