Chapter Twenty Nine - Owari no Saisho

"Pale broken wings,

you're just a little tired

from the sky which is too blue

Don't do it for anyone else

Just smile for yourself "

Alones by Aqua Timez

Sai paced in her office, unable to keep concentrated. She was alone, yet again. So alone...

She shook her head at herself. She wasn't alone, she was never alone. She had her sisters, she had Kira...But she didn't have Oko.

Okottami was always the sister that kept Sai going. Whether it was her temper or her incredibly twisted sense of humor, Oko always found some way to make Sai never stop trying. But how was she going to go through with this?

She had no idea how she was going to save her sister. She tried her best and sent out search parties. She had the best reiatsu sensors out there right now, silently scanning for her lost sister.

But would any of it work? What if Oko just...stayed gone? What would she do? How would she live? The Death Princess sisters weren't as strong as four as they were as five.

Sai fell down on the couch, burying her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry..." She whispered. "I'm so sorry, father..."

I failed you.

So many times, her father had told her, "Saisho, you're responsible for your sisters. They are you and you are them, if one of them hurts, you will hurt. You must always protect them, not only to protect your name but to protect our family name and your family."

Sai punched the wall, satisfied with the huge gapping hold she created.

Her father always depended on her. He was always the hardest on her. She worked and worked, yet, being the first born, she was used to it. She thought it was "necessary" for her to show her sisters how it was done. But she knew, deep down inside, that it was really just her fathers way of telling her she would never be good enough for him.

Even as powerful as she was now, matching in reiatsu to the Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, she still wasn't good enough.

"Work, Sai. Get better. You can always be better."

The last words her father spoke to her rang in her head. She gritted her teeth, squeezing her own hands enough to where she heard the crack of her index finger breaking. She winced, but quickly snapped it back and healed it.

That's enough. She told herself. I'll save Oko by myself.

She stood, her hand on Youso Arashi's hilt. She stomped towards the door and swung it open.

It was dark and cold, but she didn't pay any attention to it. She leapt up and over all the 3rd Division buildings and into the night.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Grimmjow's eyes opened slowly as the morning light began to sink into his skin. He shook his head and covered his eyes with one hand. Until he suddenly noticed...

What was this weight on his left arm?

He glanced down and gawked as he saw Francesca laying next to him. He had his arm around her, and she had a hand on his chest. Her eyes were closed in peaceful sleep, a slight smile on her face. Her hair swept softly across her cheek.

Grimmjow gulped, afraid of what he would remember if he tried to recall the night before. Especially since he was pretty sure he didn't have any cloths on under that blanket and neither did Francesca.

He let his head fall back onto the pillow and he rubbed his forehead, feeling the beginning of a headache coming about.

What had he done?

He glanced down at her again.

But...she looked so sweet and peaceful and...beautiful. Could he really regret what he did, or more allowed to happen? She was a very attractive and interesting woman, and he couldn't deny that he li-

He cut off his thoughts.

What?

He was Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. He didn't like anything or anyone. He was filled with hate and violence and he liked it that way. No way was some woman about to get in his way, either!

He was about to shake her off his arm and demand she get away from him before, suddenly, she stirred. She moved closer to him, her cheek resting on his collar bone. He liked the way her warm skin felt against his chilled flesh, and the way her hand came up to rest on his neck.

Grimmjow sighed and abandoned his earlier plan. He looked down at her and felt the beginning of a smile appearing on his face.

Her head was tilted up towards his, her breathing shallow and sleepy, her lips looking so tempting. He reached down and ran a finger down her cheek softly, watching her eyes slowly flutter to life.

She smiled, sitting up and stretching before falling back down beside him.

"Good morning." She said, cuddling up to him again.

Grimmjow was silent. He still wasn't sure whether to push her away or kiss her.

"Grimmjow?" She glanced up when he didn't answer.

" 'Morning." He finally got out, but it sounded strangled.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothing." He lied, rubbing his forehead again.

"Grimmjow." She said in that voice of hers.

"Nothing, really." He grinned, just a little.

She wasn't convinced.

"Grimmjow." She said again in that same tone of hers. "Don't even try that with me. What's wrong?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, then sighed in defeat.

"What happened last night?" He asked lamely.

Francesca's face fell, even more than it had before. She didn't speak, she just threw the covers off herself and began to gather her cloths.

"Hey! Wait!" Grimmjow reached for her just as she picked up her Zanpaktou.

She put the sheathed blade against his neck as he stood, pushing him back down.

"Absolutely nothing happened." She smiled sarcastically. "Fucking player."

"What's your problem?" Grimmjow demanded as she pulled on her kimono.

"My problem?" She scoffed. "Hmm! I wonder what the hell my problem is. I just slept with you and all you have to say is 'What happened last night?' That's just a little bit of a buzz kill, don't you think?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Grimmjow said, pulling the sheets over his waist as he stood. "It was a simple question!"

"Just..." Francesca shook her head. "Just-shut up! You're not helping anything!"

"I-do-not-know-what-you're-talking-about!" Grimmjow cried.

She shook her head. "Okay, why don't we clear things up. Grimmjow, we had sex last night. A few times if I remember correctly. Now, tell me this. How exactly do you feel about that?"

Grimmjow scratched the back of his head and shrugged.

"I don't know..." He muttered.

"Oh, good." She nodded then turned towards the door, not even bothering with putting on her woven sandals. "Goodbye."

"Hey! No!" Grimmjow grabbed her arm and pulled her back inside. "Calm down. Give me a second to think."

Francesca stood, completely silent and waiting as Grimmjow stared at her expressionless face. He bit his lip, trying his hardest to think through his...emotions.

He twisted the word around in his head, trying to make sense of it, make it to where it could somehow fit his personality.

Emotion. Emotion. Emotion.

It wasn't working.

He tried again.

Emotion. Emotion. Emotion...

Francesca.

Grimmjow ran a finger across her cheek before dropping his head down to her shoulder. She responded by relaxing her tensed muscles and bringing her hand up to rest on the back of his head. He thought of it as comforting.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, shocked at himself the instant he said it.

What the hell was happening to him, damn it?

"It's okay." She ran her fingers through his hair softly. "Would you like to rephrase your answer?"

"Yeah."

He lifted his head and looked at her face again. He noticed her cheek was a little wet and frowned. He kissed her cheek gently, feeling the lamentation on his lips.

"It wasn't for no reason." He admitted. "What happened. It meant everything."

"That was...sort of what I was looking for." Francesca smiled and reached up on her tippy toes to kiss him. "It'll work...for now."

"For now?" He leaned away. "That's all I've got!"

She laughed. "For now."

He smirked as she closed the distance between their lips.

And then there was a pounding on the door.

Francesca turned hateful eyes at the retched thing.

She let go of Grimmjow and turned, answering it.

Manami stood on the other side, panicked.

"The Captain's missing."

XxXxXxXxXxX

"I'm gonna kill her." Tai exclaimed, pacing around headquarters like a fiend. "I'm going to rip her pretty little element Zanpaktou out of her hands and then I'm going to skin her pretty little skin. I'll rip out her intestines and feed them to Emospada! I will do it!"

"Tai, calm down." Byakuya tried. "She knows what she's doing."

"The hell she does!" Tai threw her arms in the air.

Shitteiru sat at Sai's desk, quietly thinking as Mikoi hovered around her, her hand subconsciously on her stomach.

"Taichou." Renji stepped through the open doorway, looking just as broken as he always did since Oko went missing. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have a problem."

"Yeah, and I'm about to create it." Tai muttered and then disappeared.

"Well, shit." Shitteiru looked after her and then disappeared as well.

Mikoi rolled her eyes and walked to the door. "You guys have fun with that!"

She fell back on the couch. "I hate being pregnant. The fatigue is killing me."

"What's the problem, Abarai?" Byakuya practically groaned.

"I'm afraid Shinihime-taichou took Aizen's Zanpaktou with her." Abarai said.

"SHE DID WHAT?'

They all jumped as Tai suddenly appeared beside Renji. grabbing him by the collar and shoving him against the wall.

"I am not in a very good mood right now, Renji." She said through her teeth. "Tell me my idiot sister did not take our only leverage and run off to go play hide and seek with the devil!"

"Taichou, please-" Renji began.

"Renji." She growled.

"I'm sorry, but she did!" Renji winced as her grip tightened.

Mikoi pushed her sister off Renji quickly.

"Cool it, baka!" Mikoi shook her head. "You're starting to turn into Sai."

"If I was Sai right now, I'd most likely kill myself." Tai spat.

"Well, channel that anger into finding the moron instead of picking on people not your size." Mikoi suggested.

"Fine!" Tai yelled and then disappeared.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Sai was always one to think before acting, but now, she was running purely off instinct. She could feel her inner powers telling her where that secret and discreet reiatsu was hiding. She could practically smell the traitor bastard.

She had in her hand Kyoka Suigetsu. In her sash was Youso Arashi. She relied on both.

But there was only one way she was going to find Aizen down to the point and she had just entered range for it.

She stopped flashing in the middle of a forest she didn't recognize. She unsheathed Kyoka Suigetsu slowly, glaring at the mocking blade with distaste.

"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu." She whispered.

She felt the blade manipulating in her hands, taking the form of something she barely knew. She channeled a third of her reiatsu into it, and it remained the same. She shook her head before conducting at least seventy-five percent of her spiritual pressure into the Zanpaktou.

It was too much.

Kyoka Suigetsu sent out the signal too roughly and she knew her sisters would automatically sense it. But if she hurried, she'd have this finished before they arrived.

The sword glowed brilliantly, floating into the air without it's wielders touch. Sai grabbed Youso Arashi and followed the glowing blade, not knowing exactly where it might take her.

To her sister? To her enemy? To her home?

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Here goes nothing."

Shitteiru absorbed the mass of spiritual energy that she had felt rolling her way. Tai stood behind her, waiting patiently.

Shitteiru tasted the power on her tongue. It was her sister, most defiantly, and with Aizen's katana. She was searching for Aizen...

Why hadn't they thought of that earlier?

Oh, yes, that's right.

They had. But they had cut out the option because it was too dangerous. If they were going to do it, at least do it alone.

"She's trying find him with tanbou shikai." Shitteiru muttered.

"I swear to God..." Tai did a few breathing exercises. "I've got a lock on her. Should we get Mikoi?"

"No." Shitteiru shook her head. "She's pregnant, she shouldn't be fighting. Leave her with Yumichika. Inform the Captain Commander of where we're going. I'll head out straight away. Once Captain Commander is informed, catch up. Got it?"

"Got it." Tai nodded.

And then they were both gone, blurs in the dusk.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Sai couldn't believe her eyes.

She had left this place what seemed like forever ago. Yet, the flowers were still blooming and the trees still growing.

That's right. She thought. Life goes on, even if you leave.

She had never imagined herself coming back here. Maybe when she was an old retired Captain of the 13 Protection Squads, maybe. But not so soon. It felt strange, really.

But the strangest thing.

Was Kyoka Suigetsu laying cold and dull on the ground, pointing straight towards that house. Her house.

The ancient place was Victorian style with tall stairs and beautiful stones elaborately lining the whole place. The once dirt road that ran up to it was now covered in the beautiful mossy rocks her father had picked out specially. There was a fountain and stairs leading up to the beautiful oak door and elegantly painted windows.

It was a beautiful place, surrounded by vast forests she had once explored as a child in her free time. But it held memories she would've rather kept buried than dug up fresh.

She gritted her teeth, snatched Kyoka Suigetsu off the ground and sheathed it before sticking it in her sash on the opposite side of Youso Arashi.

"I'm coming, Oko-ko." She whispered to herself.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"You're what?" Kira demanded from beside Byakuya and Ukitake.

"Not alone." Byakuya grabbed Tai's sleeve.

"Yes, alone." Tai jerked away. "We have to do this. She's heading towards our old house, so that's probably where Aizen is hiding. We can defeat him, but not if you get in our way."

"Hey, I won't be in the way." Ukitake crossed his arms. "I'm a Captain, too."

"As am I." Byakuya looked at Tai coldly for the first time in forever. "I'm going."

"No." Tai stepped back.

"Yes!" Byakuya cried.

Ukitake and Kira gave him a look as he stepped forward and grabbed Tai by the shoulders.

"I won't let you go alone." He whispered. "Aizen is vicious. Who knows what could happen. I don't want to live knowing that there was nothing I could do if you...demise arrives."

He winced at the word meant for death.

Tai frowned and then sighed. "Fine, but-"

"You can't let him go and not let us go." Kira insisted.

"Kira, you're only a Lieutenant." Tai tried.

"A damn good one at that." Hisagi stepped up beside Kira, his new friend Manami at his side. "And we'll take care of things here. Trust us. Just let them go."

Tai groaned. "You damn men always have to make things complicated!" She tangled her fingers in her hair. "Fine, fine! But I swear to God, if you get in my way, I will cut you down!"

"Got it." Kira smiled and saluted fakely. "You know, if you weren't going to let me go, I was going to pull rank on you."

"Yeah, well, bite me." Tai stuck her tongue out at him. "Just because Sai didn't want to steal your job away from you does not mean I can't still kick your ass."

Once they were gone, Manami scratched the back of her head.

"Shuuhei-kun..." She said. "How exactly are we supposed to take care of three squads at the same time...?"

"My evil plan." Hisagi smirked and rubbed his hands together with a funny look on his face.

"Oh dear..." Manami bit her lip.

"Oh dear, indeed." Hisagi laughed. "Off to find Shunsui-taichou!"

Comments:

I am so sorry for the late update. I hope it was worth the wait. :)

Also, another announcement, this is the last of Dear My Love xXx Murosaki no Itami.

I am sorry.

But.....................................................

there is a sequel!!!

ha! I couldn't just leave you guys hanging like that.

That'd be cruel.

I just figured, hey, 29 chapters.

Cut it and make a sequel.

:) I haven't completely come up with a title for it yet, but I promise it'll be just as good as this one. :D

And, do you not LOVE the title?

Directly translated, it means, End of Beginning.

Or End of Saisho. Not really end of Saisho. lol.

But I thought it was cool...

hey! don't be dissin and review!!!!

(or my ninja bunnies will put Skittles in your bed as you sleep and then you'll wake up in the morning and they'll fall everywhere and you'll slip on them and hit your head!!!! OOOOOOOOO what NOW????!!!!)

Aishiteru 3