DISCLAIMER: Can't draw to save my life. How could Bleach be mine? (Hey, that was... nice.)

Author's Note: For some reason, my cageful of Bleach plot bunnies mainly consist of (extremely short) AU-like thingies which centre around main events from canon. So here's one quite underfed one that has been bugging me for some time, concerning an alternative method for everyone's favourite carrot-top to get his powers. I decided to share it with you guys, in the (futile?) hope that it will stop jumping on my head. That is quite annoying, you know. Anyway, on with the story then...

Kuchiki Rukia watched in sheer, utter shock as the boy beside her - a mere mortal – wrestled free of her binding magic. Granted, she hadn't used a strong one, but it was unheard of, having a human soul overcome it without sustaining damage. And she knew her spell wasn't faulty – Rukia had graduated top of her class in kido, and was better at it than she was at her sword.

She glanced briefly at the Hollow, which was clutching the boy's sister in its hand. It wasn't an especially powerful one – Rukia would have destroyed it easily under normal circumstances, but this wasn't your run-of-the-mill situation. She was in the middle of a small, cramped town, and had two human souls to protect, one of whom had, apparently, not only enough spirit power to block her senses completely, but also a temper and recklessness to match it, the latter of which was proved when he rushed towards the Hollow.

"Karin!" He shouted desperately, picking up the only thing within his reach – a lawn chair – and taking aim at the Hollow. How he intended to defeat a Hollow with a lawn chair was beyond the shinigami's comprehension as she ran forward, knocking him down.

Cursing silently, Rukia had never been more grateful for her wordless ability with kido as she put another bind on him, this one weaker than the previous, as she couldn't afford to waste her energy on it. He yelled at her as his arms locked back into place, and she could practically feel the binding magic being strained, stretched to its limits. What the –

A scream reminded her that she still had a Hollow to deal with. Turning around, she drew her zanpakutou as she ran, aiming for the Hollow's arm, which gripped the boy's sister – Karin, she thought– tightly. She took a swing at it as it neared the Hollow's mouth.

Thankfully, her aim was true, and the arm fell off, releasing Karin in the process. Rukia breathed a sigh of relief. Phase One accomplished. Now for Phase Two.

Her planning was suddenly cut short as the Hollow tipped over in pain, almost flattening her.

And the prone girl who was lying directly in its path.

Kurosaki Ichigo felt like strangling the shinigami with his bare hands as he struggled to break free of her bind. A voice raged at the back of his mind. How dare she –

He promptly told it to shut up. Act now, think later. Ichigo smirked as he broke free of the bind. Although it doesn't mean I've forgiven her.

All thoughts of revenge, however, were suddenly dashed from his mind as the Hollow began to tip over, threaning to flatten the aforementioned shinigami out of existence.

Together with Karin, who was still lying unconscious on the ground.

Rukia didn't have much time. As she raised her zanpakutou reflexively to block the falling body, she willed the girl – Karin, she reminded herself again – to wake up and run. She couldn't hold this pose much longer, but the Hollow would definitely crush both of them if she even moved so much as a quarter of an inch.

Suddenly, a streak of orange darted into her field of vision.

It barely surprised Rukia to see the boy up and running again, kneeling down to pick up his sister's prone form. As he stood up carefully, he gave Rukia a small smile.

"Thanks, shinigami."

Rukia smiled back, temporarily forgetting where she was.

"Don't call me that. I'm-"

Kuchiki Rukia's words were cut short abruptly as a sharp pain erupted in her back, and she fell over.

Ichigo had just hauled his sister out of the danger zone when a loud crash resounded behind him.

He turned around to see that the Hollow had toppled over, bringing the shinigami with it. Blood was pooling on the sidewalk where she had fallen, and she seemed only semi-conscious.

The Hollow was getting up again. It seemed to groan slightly as it stood, and let loose a long howl of hunger. At least that's what it sounds like to me, Ichigo thought.

His hunch was confirmed moments later when the Hollow picked up the shinigami, gripping her tightly in its remaining hand.

It was beginning to open its mouth when Ichigo finally ran over, wielding the lawn chair that had been knocked out of his hands earlier like a sword. Well, he shrugged, it's only fair that I help her, after she helped Karin. She's gonna owe me big time for this, Ichigo thought, grinning.

He was surprised when he heard a faint voice. It was the shinigami – he still hadn't learned her name – speaking so faintly that Ichigo only caught a few words.

"Not… chair… take… zanpakutou… mask…"

Ichigo swore. He had no idea what she was talking about. Except for the first two words, that is. Ichigo threw that lawn chair aside, deciding to follow someone's advice for once.

What was the next thing she mentioned? Take… something starting with "zan". I guess it's her sword, then. He paused for a moment, assessing it sceptically before taking it. I suppose this is it then. He turned it over in his hands. Although it does seem pretty small to me.

Ichigo's eyes widened as the sword suddenly enlarged slightly, as if following his thoughts.

Whatever. As long as it does the job.

Ichigo took aim at the Hollow, finally understanding what the last word meant.

The sword had barely touched the Hollow's mask when it began to disintegrate.

Leaving the unconscious shinigami to fall through the air, helpless.

Stupid. I am stupid.

Rukia continued to berate herself, as she had been doing ever since the Hollow had grabbed her. She couldn't believe this was happening to her, Kuchiki Rukia. How could she have –

Her thoughts were cut short by two things. First was the new stab of pain in her back as the Hollow tightened its grip. The second was the sight of the boy running towards the Hollow, armed with the lawn chair.

In any other circumstances, Rukia would've found it funny.

In this one however, she was only able to tell him how to defeat the Hollow before darkness claimed her.

I have a distinct feeling of déjà vu, Kurosaki Ichigo thought as he ran to catch the Shinigami before she could hit the ground. What is with today and falling things?

He rolled his eyes as the Shinigami fell neatly into his arms. Thankfully, she was rather light.

But she was also bleeding quite heavily from her wound.

Ichigo cursed his rotten luck and the world in general as he took his jacket off, using it to stop the bleeding. Gradually, it stopped, and some colour returned to her unnaturally pale face.

He was about to lift her when she spoke, so softly that he almost didn't realise it.

"Rukia. Kuchiki Rukia."

He paused for a moment, realising that she was completing her sentence from previously. "Kurosaki Ichigo."

She smiled weakly. "Nice to meet yo-"

For the third time in a single night, the Shinigami's – Rukia's – words were cut short as her eyes rolled up and into her head.

Ichigo continued cursing as he ran towards the house. How do you perform first-aid on a spirit?

Déjà vu indeed.

Rukia woke to unfamiliar surroundings.

She felt confused for an instant – what had happened? – before it all came rushing back to her.

She gasped, bolting upright immediately.

And received a sharp stab of pain as a reminder of yesterday's stupidity.

Rukia held her head in her hands. She felt like bashing it against the wall, but her condition wouldn't allow that. Wincing, she realised that she wouldn't be in a condition to do anything for a long time. Damn, she thought, a Hollow tooth to the back. Ouch.

Thankfully, her remaining energy was enough to cast some simple healing kido spells on her wound.

She looked up as the orange-haired teen entered the room, holding a tray with buttered toast. He manoeuvred towards her bed carefully.

"You're awake! Here, have some breakfast."

"Thank you, Ichigo." His name rolled off her tongue easily. "Join me?"

He consented, and sat down beside her. A comfortable silence ensued. Then she broke it.

"I may have to end up staying in the real world while I heal. Maybe around a week." She glanced over to see his reaction. He didn't seem very surprised by this. "Would it be okay with your family if I stayed here for a little bit? I mean, I'm a spirit and all, so it shouldn't affect them too much. Would they mind?"

"I haven't told my family that you're here yet." He stood up, stretched. "They are quite confused about what happened yesterday, since only Karin can see spirits, and she still hasn't woken up yet. I didn't want them to freak out."

Rukia groaned as she realised that she hadn't had a chance to replace their memories yet. It just added another item to her to-do list. Speaking of which…

"Ichigo?"

A wave of his hand, which Rukia took to mean that he wanted her to continue.

"There's another thing that I wanted to talk to you about." She paused, wondering how to put her news.

"It's just that… Hollows normally target Pluses. It's rare for attacks on the living like yesterday's to happen, as living people rarely have enough spirit power to attract them. Unfortunately, you happen to be one of the rare exceptions."

His attention snapped to her. He opened his mouth, but shut it again as she held up a hand. "I haven't finished speaking yet." Rukia felt like her nii-sama, lecturing new division members on their roles. "Your contact with that little girl's spirit somehow unlocked your full power, which the Hollows sensed immediately. Basically, that means that this won't be the last attack. You have lots of spirit power, Ichigo, enough to equal an unseated shinigami. Coupled with the additional energy from your sisters, your family is like a beacon for the Hollows. They will come, trust me."

She took a deep breath. "I cannot always be here to deal with the Hollows. There is only one way to solve this problem permanently and defend your family, as far as I can tell."

His expression showed dread, anger, fear, and a burning desire to protect. "What is it?"

She seemed to hesitate before answering.

"Become a shinigami. You were able to use my zanpakutou. That proves that you have the power. All you need to do is train it. Although I must warn you that it might not necessarily succeed. This has never been done before, not to the best of my knowledge. Even if it does, you won't be a full shinigami - just a human with the powers of one." She looked him straight in the eye. "Are you willing to take the risk?"

His expression was serious, deadly so, as he contemplated his limited options.

Then his face set in a determined expression.

"What do I need to do?"

Rukia let out a silent sigh of relief – she didn't know what would happen if he disagreed.

"You need to go to this man – his name is Urahara Kisuke, he owns a shop downtown…"

END

2nd Author's Note: Hope you liked it :) It's a nice change from my last (kinda dark) fic for me. (The author has just realised that this fic is her only one that doesn't involve people dead/dying/appearing dead/dying etc. And no, the Hollow does not count.)

3rd (and last) Author's Note: Please, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! Tell me what you think of this, and if I should consider expanding it past a one-shot. Comments, suggestions, complaints, requests all welcome! Thanks!