I focus on Yoruichi as she continues.
"Just stab your zanpakuto into this and it will forcefully materialize the soul. Then I will use my power to keep it materialized.
However, you have only one chance at this. The time limit is three days. Before the time is up, you must beat Zangetsu into submission! If you cannot-"
Ichigo stabs the doll, cutting the cat lady off.
"I don't want to know. There is only one way to end this. That is to go all the way to the end."
Suddenly, Ichigo's sword shatters. Once it does, a tall man, dressed in all black, and wore shades, appears before us.
"You have recovered pretty fast, Ichigo."
"Zangetsu."
"Did you hear everything?" Yoruichi questions the zanpakuto soul.
"Of course."
"You can choose the method of battle. Can you begin immediately?"
"Yes."
Kneeling down, Zangetsu places his hand on the ground. Suddenly, different types of swords appeared stuck in the ground all around us. Looking up at Ichigo, Zangetsu explains.
"One of these swords is the real Zangetsu. Only that can defeat me. If you want me to submit myself to you, you must find it before I kill you. And then, defeat me with it!"
Grabbing a random sword each, Ichigo and Zangetsu go head to head.
~~~~Time Skip~~~~
It's been a very long time. I can't tell if it's night time or if it's been a day or not. This place really messes with your senses. Yoruichi continued to watch the battle as Nagi was laying next to me, sleeping.
If she's sleeping, then it must be night.
"No!" Ichigo shouts, covered in blood. "I'm not done yet!"
Picking up the 50th sword, he greats ready to clash with Zangetsu once more. However, the soul disappears, leaving nothing but that weird doll behind. The doll drops to the ground.
"Huh?"
"Put down the sword, Ichigo." Yoruichi orders him, smiling. "Day one is over."
~~~~Time Skip~~~~
Yoruichi had taken Ichigo to a hot spring to help him recover as I sit in place, staring at the battle field. Nagi continued to snore, annoying me. Without a care in the world, I smack her upside the head.
She sits up quickly.
"Is everyone okay?! Did we win the war?! Did Emiko destroy the world?!"
"...What kind of dream were you having?"
She blinks at me a few times before sighing in relief.
"Good, you're not a giant, fire-breathing, lizard anymore."
"..."
I hit her again.
"Ow!"
"I'm not Godzilla, you idiot."
"Okay, I'm sorry for dreaming~. Now why did you wake me up?"
"You were snoring."
Her eye twitches.
"You...woke me up...because of that!? How dare you! I need my beauty sleep! I'm not getting any younger here!"
"...You keep calling yourself an old lady. Exactly, how old are you?"
"Well, to keep it in simpler terms, I'm a tiny bit older than Kisuke and Yoruichi. However, I'm way younger than Jushiro, Unohana, and Shunsui."
"...Okay, how old are they?"
"How should I know?" she shrugs.
"...You're a complete fool."
"Why thank you!" she smiles. "I just know Unohana, Shunsui, and Jushiro are really old."
Changing the topic, I look around.
"This place is really like the training room Mr. Urahara has, huh?"
"Well, of course. That room was modeled after this one. This place was built when Kisuke, Yoruichi, and I were young. Kisuke dug this secret place for our combat training."
"He built all this?"
"Ever since he was young, Kisuke always took things a bit too far when it was a secret. A long time ago, the three of us would play here practically every day.
Then Kisuke joined the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and became the captain squad twelve. And...he's the founder of the Department of Research and Development. Yoruichi also joined the Stealth Force around the same time. We fought here to help each other get stronger."
A smile appears on Nagi's face as she thinks about the pass.
"I loved helping them get stronger. They used to be pretty weak too, but look at them now. In a way, I was kind of like their big sister. I would say mentor, however, they were helping me get stronger too."
"Is that right now?"
"Yep. I love playing with others and making friends. Oh, before Byakuya became such a cold jerk, he was so temperamental. I used to train with him too. He'd always get mad when I won. I would tease him all the time with Yoruichi.
His grandfather, Ginrei, was a stern, but kind man. His father, however, was super duper kind. Nothing like how Byakuya is now. Actually, you kind of remind me of him. Minus the parts when you're super duper mean.
His name was Sojun Kuchiki. He didn't have much of a fighting spirit. He...was actually ill... He was killed in action...and buried with his late wife..."
"..."
A sad smile takes over her face.
"I remember crying so much."
"You were?"
"Yeah, he was a good friend of my father's. I kind of saw him as my uncle. Byakuya...he was sad, but didn't show it. He was trying to stay strong for his baby sister."
"...You mentioned he had a dead sister."
"...Well...I don't really know much about that. I just know, one night, a long time ago, the baby girl from the Kuchiki Clan was kidnapped... We never did find her."
"I see..."
"Byakuya searched tirelessly the years before I left. He refused to sleep or eat, in matter of fact. He was neglecting his training a bit too.
To be honest, I would have done the same thing if it was Kazz. After all, he was only born two years before Byakuya's little sister, so he was a baby himself at the time."
I'm having a really hard time believing someone as cold as Byakuya actually cared about his family. I mean, he's letting Rukia die.
Trying to shake the though, I focus on another topic.
"...What Byakuya said... Your father...was he really killed by...?"
"..."
Nagi slowly nods, frowning.
"It was an accident..."
I watch as tears threaten to fall from her eyes.
"I didn't mean it..."
Wrapping my arms around her, I hug her as she really begins to cry.