Hollow duty.
15 year old Ichigo Kurosaki instantly felt that something was off when he awoke to the sound of Kon jumping on his chest shouting for attention and not his father charging in as he usually did.
"Shut up" he mumbled in a sleepy daze and sent the mod soul soaring into the wall with a yawn.
"But Ichigo…" came the voice of the stuffed lion that Ichigo had a long time ago deemed Kon. "Rukia-nee-sama told me to give you this in the morning" he continues as he climbed back on to the bed and held out a note towards the young soul reaper.
Ichigo ran a hand through his short orange hair with a sigh. "Why couldn't ya wait till I was awake kon?"
"Because I can't find Rukia-nee-sama anywhere" came the angry retort as Ichigo swung his covers off and began to dressed, covering Kon with his sheets as he did so.
"Im sure she's just gone of somewhere with Renji. She'll be back by the time breakfasts done."
"But ichi.." Kon began only to be cut off by Ichigo's father charging through the door in his usual manner.
"ICHIGOOOOO!" he yelled charging at his son in an attempt to tackle him to the ground only to be sent crashing out of the second story window as Ichigo sidestepped him as usual.
"Idiot" called the now fully clothed boy over his shoulder and left the room.
"Why the long face Kurosaki?" Ishida asked the sullen Ichigo as they sat on the school roof at lunch along with Chad, Keigo and Mizuiro.
"Huh?" came the reply clearly deep in thought.
"I asked what's up. You're quieter than usual. Not that I care."
"Huh? Nothing just thinking" Ichigo replied as he grabbed his bag and stood up. "Any of you guys seen Renji or Rukia?"
"Not since yesterday. Why? Hey! Where you going Ichigo?" called Keigo to Ichigo's retreating back.
"Home." Came the reply along with the wave of a hand as he walked towards the stairs with his bag slung casually over his shoulder. "Tell the teacher im ill or something Kay" he said before he was gone.
"What just happened" a stunned keigo asked
"Guess he wasn't feeling well" explained Mizuiro followed by a sound of agreement from Chad before they went back to their lunch leaving Keigo to wander as his did most days.
"Kon!" Ichigo called as he briskly walked into his room making an unnecessary amount of noise along the way. Good thing no one else was home this time of day.
"Kon where are you!" he called again.
"Hey what's all the noise for Ichigo? I was trying to sleep." Came Kon's voice as he slid open the closest with his paws.
"Give me the note Rukia gave you"
"Ha so now you want to listen to me the great kon sOOF" Ichigo cut Kon off as he held the toy upside down and held him at face level.
"Give me the note otherwise I will give you to Yuzu so she can dress you up again" Ichigo growled out his intense glare cutting through the mod soul as he spoke.
Silent Kon handed Ichigo the note before being dropped to the floor and making his escape the thought of being put in frilly dresses and flowers running through his mind.
Meanwhile Ichigo stood in the middle of the room looking over the note. In true Rukia style it was covered with childish drawings of what she called Chappy.
"what the hell…!" he yelled at the top of his voice as he read the note again to be sure that he had read it right before scrunching it up and throwing it in his bin.
The note read;
Dear Ichigo
I am returning to soul society for a few weeks. You'll be on hollow duty by yourself for a while.
See you when I get back.
Rukia. X