Chapter 7: Love and War

Yoruichi sighed as she staked out the hideout. Mashiro could've waited for us; it wouldn't have taken that long. But then again, we'd have to leave her as part of procedure, so I guess I can't blame her too much. But still. What an impatient little brat.

"On my signal," She whispered. "NOW!" The police force rushed forward, storming the place, only to find it in complete panic and disarray as Kaname Tousen tried to hold a struggling Mashiro only to be kicked in the balls as Kensei throws a shabby gang member over his shoulder and into the wall.

"ALRIGHT! HERE'S THE DEAL!" Yoruichi thundered in order to be heard over the chaos. "IF YOU FUCKERS DON'T COME QUIETLY, WE'LL USE FORCE! IF YOU DO, WE WON'T HAVE TO KILL YOU. YET." No one complied. This will be interesting.

"About damn time! Where the fuck were you idiots?!" Kensei roared, slamming his arm into a drag queen mobster's throat.

"Your girlfriend decided she'd wait to call us!" Yoruichi snapped, glaring at Mashiro as the younger woman slammed her knee into Barrigan's face.

"WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE, HELP US GET THIS DAMN PLACE UNDER CONTROL!" Kensei thundered, snatching a gun from another mobster and beginning to shoot.

"PUT THAT THING AWAY YOU TRIGGER HAPPY DUMB ASS!" Shinji shrieked as a bullet whizzed past his ear and shaved off some of his stupid hair.

"LAST WARNING!" She called. Still, no one stopped. Yoruichi smirked, pulling out her pistol and firing at any mobster that comes near.

In Rugonkai, whether the perp(s) had a gun or not, if they refused to comply, then police were by law, allowed to shoot. Few officers used tazers anymore; they weren't exactly effective against the high crime rate. The freer use of guns changed that, though; even if there was still the occasional mobbing. Other than that, the mob kept quiet and to themselves and most murderers were brought in quickly enough that no real ruckus or harm was caused.

"I love my job," Yoruichi smirked, firing at the next one, but stopping when her gun turned on a child that looked so much like her daughter, Ururu, that it broke her heart. Yoruichi's hand froze, then trembled. The hell?!

"I see you've encountered one of my robots." A smooth, deep masculine voice. Yoruichi whirled around with a glare, aiming her gun at none other than Sosuke Aizen.

"NO DAMNIT, THAT ONE'S MINE!" Kensei roared, shoving another mobster out of his way.

"KEEP YOUR HEAD ON STRAIGHT, MUGURUMA!" Yoruichi rebuked. "This isn't about you! This is about eliminating the threat as quickly and neatly as possi_"

Yoruichi choked as something pierced her side. The pain burned like fire and the cause as thick as…a child's arm. Yoruichi spat out blood, turning to see the Ururu robot, which had her hand wrist deep in Yoruichi's flesh. "H-how?"

"You see, Miss Shihoen? You may have been ahead in the Science and Research Department of Rugonkai, but you aren't the only one. You may have forgotten that Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Szayel Aparro grew up together. They were half-brothers, after all. Why shouldn't I possess the technology that the sub-government of Rugonkai does?"

"Bastard!" Kensei spat, fighting through the chaos in an attempt to reach Aizen.

"Am I?" Aizen chuckled, infuriatingly calm. Yoruichi cried out as Ururu ripped her hand from the dark woman's side; the latter collapsed, spitting up blood. "What gives Genryusai Yamamoto the right to believe that he is above us all in the fact that he possesses the weapons that a normal human being can't even dream of having. You think us all a fool?"

"I do." Yoruichi raised her head to see Mashiro kicking and bashing her way through the crowd, eyes full of a serious fire that a damaged young lady like her shouldn't even fathom, much less have ready in her arsenal. Even Aizen's eyes held a flicker of fear and doubt; if only a flicker.

Determined, Mashiro walked forward. "I think you are a fool, Sosuke Aizen, because you think that by conniving and killing, you can get whatever you want." She grabs a gun from a dead mobster, handing it to Kensei. "I think your time is very limited."

"I think I'll concur," Kensei muttered, firing the gun straight into Aizen's heart. There was an explosion and the building filled with a foul, bluish purple gas. "DAMNIT!" Kensei choked.

"Grab…the injured!" Yoruichi wheezed, not really meaning herself, but not objecting when two officers hoisted her up. "Hurry!"

The police sprinted and hobbled out of the mafia base, coughing and sputtering, beginning to grow weaker, their throats raw. Yoruichi fumbles with her ringing cellphone, relieved that it was her boyfriend calling. "Kisuke…antidote…to hyguoken…now…" The phone slipped from her lax grasp, shattering on the pavement. The last thing Yoruichi remembered was the greyish black surface speeding towards her face.

o0o

Things came back slowly at first. Shadows, shapes, blurs, colors, and finally people. Kensei was severely disoriented. He remembered seeing a police car, but that was it. Everything was gone from his memory.

Suddenly, his vision was enveloped in white as slender arms slid past his chiseled cheeks. Kensei wrapped his arms around the young woman he'd grown to love despite all previous doubts. "Mashiro…" He whispered.

"Stupid Kensei! Trying to get yourself killed like that!"

"Oi! You're the one who handed me the gun!"

"But you're the one who shot it, dummy!"

"Well he's dead, isn't he? That's all that matters right now! That and the fact that we're alive, okay?"

Mashiro nodded, and Kensei thought of something. "Did Yoruichi make it?"

"Yeah. She's alive and well. I heard Mr. Hat Man got her a new cat. The little red head boy says it was dumb to bring a cat into a hospital, but Ururu and Miss Crazy Cat Lady loved it."

Kensei laughed softly, shaking his head. He could totally see things going down like that. Good ole' Kisuke Urahara.

The hospital doors busted open and a sandal came flying for Kensei's face. He rolled his eyes, catching it and nailing Hiyori in her face. "What do ya' want, Snaggles?" Kensei growled. "You're ruining the moment!"

A loud bark ensued and Captain skidded happily into the sterile room, barking like a maniac had a hold of him. He jumped into the hospital bed, licking Kensei's face joyfully, wagging his large tail and panting.

"He missed you," Mashiro giggled as Shinji and Hiyori closed the door behind them.

"Where's Bugzilla, then?" Immediately, Mashiro's face fell and she looked down at her soft, slender hands. Kensei sat up, looking the young, willowy woman over. "Shiro-chan?" He whispered.

"She…died…trying to protect us…" Mashiro whispered, sniffling. This is the first time Kensei really saw tears leak out. Mashiro whined, yelled, complained, and pouted, but she never cried for real. Not that he'd seen, anyway.

"I'm sorry, Mashiro…" Kensei murmured, pulling her into his arms. Shinji led Hiyori out while Captain followed them. Kensei rocked Mashiro, stroking her short, pixie hair.

She sniffled, gripping the hospital robe in her delicate fingers. Her shoulders shook. "Akina…was the last…thing my mother…gave to me before…sh-she died…Akina…was the f-first friend th-that I've ever h-had…" Mashiro sobbed, wrapping her arms around Kensei's shoulders, tears leaking out onto his chest. "It's…n-not f-fair!"

"I know…" Kensei whispered softly, rubbing her back. "I know." He could connect with Mashiro. He'd lost his family when he was young. Mashiro was mentally younger than Kensei had been, though sometimes she managed to break through that maturity wall, when it all came down to it, she was still a child in a woman's body. For the longest time, Akina had been the only thing she had to stay stable, and now the bee was gone. "I think Akina is one of those rare, special animals you'll meet again…She hasn't completely left you; just said 'see ya' next time around' for a while. Bet ya' your mom's thanking her for what a good job she's done protecting and loving you. So be thankful, 'kay?"

Mashiro nodded. "'Kay." She smiled again, wiping her tears away. "Okay…And I bet she and Shuuhei are playing too."

Kensei smiled softly, kissing her forehead. "Yeah…they're having loads of fun."

A/N: I guess this won't be one of my longer stories then. Oh well lol. I hope you enjoyed, just stay tuned for the epilogue, 'kay? And I'm sorry it took longer than usual, but I was busy with a play production. Everything went good, even though I was only in one scene, I got to 'kill' one of my good friends and have him try to stab me with fake swords back stage and in the theatre director's class room. Good times, good times…Lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this, and stay tuned for the epilogue. Please R&R. CX