Toshiro's P.O.V.
My birthday was better than I expected. Most of my presents were average. Rangiku got me a few pens. Zaraki got me a new scarf. Ikkaku gave me a wooden sword with my initials on it. He explained it was for practicing without having to use my zanpakuto. Hyorinmaru, Sakura's stuffed dragon, gave me a claw pendant, and I added it to my necklace. Sakura's present was my most favorite.
"It's supposed to go on the hilt of a sword. I didn't know what to get you, and I happened to wander into a weapons shop." She had explained when she gave it to me. "Rangiku keeps saying you like watermelons."
I held Hyorinmaru in my hand. The small silver chain was hooked around the hilt, right under the guard. A watermelon pendent was hanging off of the end of the chain.
A smile found its way to my lips right as the door to the office opened. Rangiku smiled as she walked in.
"Sakura has started on the ice sculpture. She's drawing it right now." She said.
I huffed as a response and slid Hyorinmaru into his sheath. I stood and walked out of the office. I went directly to Sakura's room. Her door was wide open, and there were papers scattered everywhere.
"Sakura?" I muttered.
"Hm?" She climbed in through the window. "Sorry. I threw my pen, and it went out the window. I got it now."
"Have you decided on a design?"
"No. I'm drawing a new picture. I'm just trying to think of how to do it."
"What are you trying to do?"
I sat on the floor next to her. She had her notebook in her hand.
"I want to have it where its the three of us." She muttered.
"Three of us?"
"Rangiku has to be apart of it. She's your lieutenant."
"Alright."
She scribbled on her paper. I reached out and took the book from her. The picture was breathtaking. Rangiku and I were standing side by side, our difference in height barely visible now that I'm older. Sakura stood in front of us, a smile on her face. In the picture, my arm was around her, and Rangiku had her hand on Sakura's shoulder.
"I like this one." I told her.
"I wasn't planning on making that one." She whispered.
"Then which ones did you want to make?"
She grabbed a few of the papers that were scattered on the floor. She handed them to me, and I looked at them. I stared at the last one. The picture was of the three of us messing around. Sakura was holding Hyorinmaru, and I had Rangiku's zanpakuto, Haineko. Rangiku had Ryotashio up on her shoulder.
"This one." I mumbled.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"Yes."
She took the picture, snatched Hyorinmaru from my back, and walked out.
~~~
"That's pretty!"
"Beautiful!"
Sakura wiped sweat from her forehead. She was making the sculpture inside so it wouldn't melt. A lot of the Squad 10 members were watching her.
"Exactly how does she know what she's doing?" Rangiku asked.
"I don't know." I answered.
Sakura stopped, and she jumped to the ground.
Intruders! A hell butterfly announced.
I never thought Sakura could become serious about anything in the matter of two seconds, but I was proven wrong. As soon as her foot touched the ground, she used flash step. She was at my side in a mere second, and she was gone the next. I turned on my heel and followed her.
"Sakura!" I yelled.
She dodged something, and whatever it was came straight at me. I slid to a stop and rolled under it. When I got back up, Sakura had her hands held out toward whoever had attacked.
"Shakkaho!" She growled.
A massive red orb formed in front of her hands, and she threw it at the person. A large line of destruction was left behind.
"Dammit, Brother! I thought you were dead!" Sakura growled.
"Dearest sister, I am dead. I fear that I am being used as a pawn." A sickingly familiar voice answered.
A man jumped into the air, and I instantly recognized him.
Gin Ichimaru.
"He's your brother?" I muttered.
"You heard Old Man Yamamoto call me Sakura Ichimaru. I don't take pride in my last name because of what my brother did in the past." She explained.
Gin moved to stab her. She easily knocked his zanpakuto aside. That's when I noticed how similar they were. Both of their body structures were slim yet muscular, and they were quick on their feet.
"I trained you, my sister. We know how the other moves." Gin said.
"You don't know everything, Brother." Sakura replied.
Sakura ducked under Gin's sword and slammed her hand onto his chest. He fell backwards, and the chase began. The two were three blocks away before I knew what was happening. I used flash step to catch up as mush as I could, but both of them were extremely fast. Gin appeared behind Sakura, making my heart skip a beat. The next thing I saw made my heart stop entirely. Sakura crumpled to the ground, and blood poured from her new chest wound.
"No!" I screamed in agony.
Gin looked at me, and when he opened his eyes, I could see my own pain mirrored in the red orbs I hated so much. He disappeared as soon as I reached him. Sakura twitched slightly, and she looked at me when I lifted her up.
"Bro.....ther?" She choked.
"Hang on, Sakura. You'll be fine." I answered, knowing that the amount of blood she had lost was making her see things.
"Not brother.......Toshi-kun?"
"Keep talking to me, Sakura. Don't close your eyes."
She mumbled incoherently as I looked around. I caught sight of the Squad 4 symbol, and I immediately ran to the barracks. When I stopped in front of the building to catch my breath, Sakura coughed. I looked at her right as she touched her wound. Blood covered her hand, and she reached up to place her hand over my heart. Her bloody hand print made me want to cry.
"Always.......here....." She whispered.
Her eyes closed, and I knew I would never see them open again.
