Author's notes: Tite Kubo owns Bleach, not me. I know they're called shinigami in the Japanese version but I prefer to call them Soul Reapers. (I was a Death Note fan before I became obsessed with Bleach; I'm trying to avoid confusion.)

Ch.1

Hollows amongst the Living

Ichigo looked at the empty desk, it belonged to an anti-social girl who barely spoke, and her name escaped him. She wasn't tardy, let alone absent, a single day since school started this year; something bad went down.

"Maybe she's ill." Said Rukia, who sat to his right. She had the appearance of a teen that was a bit short for her age, but she was really 150, that's still considered teenage for soul reapers since they age slower than humans. Her hair was jet black and short, it seemed well groomed until it got down to her neck, then it stuck out a bit. Ichigo's hair was orange and cut short, that got him in trouble with peers in the past. He's almost always seen with a scowl on his face.

"That would be a first," Said Ichigo, "she always carries around hand sanitizer." Rukia found that quite odd.

Who knew humans could be that obsessed with cleanliness? I know it's important to keep healthy but does it have to be an obsession?

The bell rang as the teacher walked in, everyone scurried to their seats. He stood in front of the class and cleared his throat.

"I have some unfortunate news, class," he said, "one of your classmates has become the victim of a nightmarish event over the weekend and won't be joining us for a while. I'm afraid that, said student, has been raped." Almost immediately, the class began chattering about what they just herd. Ichigo's face was suddenly filled with anger and disgust, Rukia was surprised in his sudden change in attitude and could have sworn she saw his teeth grind off a chip. She turned her attention back to the speaker.

"The rapist has not yet been identified or apprehended, and the poor girl is in a coma after a failed suicide attempt. Regardless, I hope you all behave appropriately today, I want no mention of this during class."

Suicide? Is this 'rape' so cruel an act that the victim would want to take his or her own life?

The rest of class was awkwardly quiet after that. Rukia contemplated a bunch of actions that would seem horrifying to the point of suicide, but failed to think of a satisfactory result. She decided she would ask Ichigo during lunch.

…..

Rukia scanned the roof for Ichigo, when she found him she sat by him. The two of them didn't feel like eating. Ichigo noticed Rukia's quizzical look.

"Alright Rukia, what is it?" he asked. She knew Ichigo was in a bad mood from that announcement, but her curiosity nearly drove her mad.

"Ichigo, what's rape?" she asked hesitantly. He raised an eyebrow at her, but then he reminded himself of Rukia's lack of human knowledge, she knew enough to blend in on her own now but her curiosity knew no bounds.

"Well it's when- wait, you do know what sex is right?" He got a foot to his face for that.

"Of course I do!" she shouted.

"Okay, I get it!" He rubbed his face and continued. "Well, some men can't control their urges, so they find a young woman they deem…worthwhile, usually a virgin and they… they…" he found it difficult to speak of such an atrocious act,"… force her to have sex with them." Rukia's eyes widened as Ichigo continued, "It happens so fast, so brutally. They pin their victim down, strip them bare, beat them into submission, and then it happens."

She put a hand to her heart and muttered, "Th…that's terrible…"

Ichigo crossed his arms, "It's ten times as worse if the victim is a virgin, all that pain and sense of helplessness gets overwhelming to the point of being traumatized, and emotionally scarred for the rest of her life. While the rapist gets pleasure from the physical act, some will get more from the victim's expense." Rukia's hand was now in a shaking fist. "As far as I'm concerned, rapists are nothing but soulless monsters." Said Ichigo, "I imagine looking at one would be like starring into the eyes of a hollow." He noticed she looked disturbed and his face softened.

"Uh…sorry. Guess I should of toned it down a bit." He said. Rukia shook from her thoughts.

"What…oh I'm fine," she said "that was informative, thanks." Ichigo nodded and turned his attention to his lunch. A mental image of a girl being pinned by a thug entered Rukia's mind, she flinched and tried not to think about it.

Looks like humans don't have to be spirits to be as malevolent as hollows.