Hello avid readers! Alright, if you haven't seen the Hell Chapter movie, don't bother with this because you will be confused. So I am hoping that this will be only the first of several one shots, but we will see, I suppose. In the mean time, enjoy this dazzling (or not so much) piece of literature! And all you flamers out there are welcome; I'm putting together a cook out and you would be great help ;)

Rukia's POV

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My Knight in Shining Armor

I had heard stories, back when I was younger, about the helpless princess who was caught by the evil witch, or trapped in a tower, or guarded by a dragon, countless stories of the damsel in distress. And always, the hero came to rescue her. The knight in shining armor charged in, defeated the foe, and saved the princess. And they all lived happily ever after.

I always thought these stories were stupid.

Seriously, the princess needs to grow a backbone. Women can stand up for themselves and that princess was just pathetic to think otherwise. I would never act like her. I would always make sure I could take care of myself.

When we had to go into Hell, I wasn't afraid. I could fight, I could defend myself. Of course, that doesn't mean I rely on my friends too. We all support each other in battle. But I'm not like the princess. I don't weigh my group down as a liability. I fight, and I win.

But then, we ended up in the third layer of Hell. Ichigo had gone before us to rescue his sister. The rest of us had stayed behind to make sure he could get there. We finally defeated the enemies though, and arrived just in time to come smack dab in the middle of a raging battle. Suddenly, Kokuto appeared in front of me and attacked me. He was too fast, and he took me off guard, I admit. I thought he was on our side. Then I heard Ichigo cry out, "Ishida! Rukia!" I tried to get up and answer his distressed call, but my body gave out. I collapsed.

And then I knew pain. Hell had come too claim me and attached its chain to my body. I felt it dragging me into Hell's depths, and I was helpless to stop it. No! I will not give in. The others need help. Renji, Ishida, Ichigo. I have to go back! But Hell did not care about the whims of a mere human. I had been claimed.

I don't know how long passed. I just knew the pain of Hell's fires. …Somebody…please…I was tied to the chain. …Help me….help… The chain was tied to Hell. …Ichigo… And Hell did not let go.

Then I felt myself reforming from the shapeless magma of Hell's grasp. I was reviving. Finally, it's time. Now I can act. Find Renji and Ishida. Ichigo escaped at least; that I know. And that small fact seemed to comfort me, just a little. Gasping for breath, I felt the lava leech out of my body as the chains solidified around me. Then I looked up, and what was the first thing I saw? "Ichigo! What are you-"

I gave a strangled gasp as I was dragged to my feet by the chain lodged in my chest. And I came face to face with Kokuto. I had the desire to spit in his face. But he grabbed my neck and stood perfectly at ease while he choked me. I could barely act, just take in shallow breath after shallow breath. All the while I kept finishing the question I had tried to ask Ichigo: What are you doing here? Ichigo was supposed to be safely in the World of the Living, taking care of his sister. He wasn't supposed to come back; it was too dangerous for everyone else. Renji, Ishida, and I could have figured some way to escape. A part of me knew that wasn't true though, knew that I was lying to myself. But I ignored it. I could have figures something out; I wasn't a helpless princess.

I was abruptly jerked through the air, thrown by Kokuto like a discarded rag doll. I landed with a sharp intake of breath on the rock and rolled to my side, trying to gather my jostled sensed. I heard Ichigo and Kokuto begin their fight, and I searched desperately for their location. Ichigo! Ichigo! No, he couldn't do this. He would lose control, destroy Hell's chains. He would kill himself. This final thought froze the breath in my lungs. When I finally found the two swordsmen I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding. There, he's still ok.

Then Ichigo's mask started to form. It was only for a moment but we all knew what the mask's appearance meant. My eyes widened and I whispered, "Ichigo." Fire erupted around me as the fight continued below. My muscles shook from exertion as I fought to push myself up. I felt so useless. I couldn't help! I couldn't even defend myself! I really was turning into a pathetic princess.

I finally staggered to my feet and stepped to the edge of the plateau, just in time to watch Ichigo transform. No. My breath quickened as I looked on. Ichigo struggled to overcome his hollow self, but he was losing. "Ichigo…Ichigo!" I shout in desperation. Arms suddenly grasped me from behind, and dragged me into the air. Kokuto effectively silenced me by gripping my neck again. I struggled uselessly in his grasp as Ichigo's desperate yells resounded around me. I couldn't get to him.

But then Ichigo spoke. His voice was warped by his mask, but he was still fighting. I looked on, my eyes slits against my pain, and watched as Ichigo, fought, and won against his hollow. Yes, Ichigo. You can overcome it. But the guards of Hell were coming, drawn by the dangerous reiatsu surrounding Ichigo with his hollow powers. He didn't seem to notice, his entire focus was upon overcoming the will of his inner hollow, amplified by Hell itself. Ichigo didn't notice, but I did. I gazed on, trapped, as one of the guards moved to loom over Ichigo, its hand raised high above its head in fatal preparation. "Ichigo!" He needed move, or he would be crushed! "Run! Ichigo!" He wasn't moving, wasn't even acknowledging the imminent threat above him. All of his being was focused on Kokuto as he called out his defiance. He. Wasn't. Moving. "Ichigo!" My yells grew louder as I felt desperation and panic well up in me. "ICHIGO!"

The hand came down, and it didn't miss. My eyes widened in disbelief. No.

My despairing thoughts were broken as blinding golden light appeared; shining through the cracks in the Hell guard's flattened hand. Kokuto started laughing madly, and I looked on in dread as we both watched the hand rise, pushed up by the force it had recently tried to crush. Kokuto's deranged joy was cut off, however, as we both caught a glimpse of the man that the golden light was surrounding. This was no hollofied monster, set on the one goal of killing all who opposed it. No, this was something unbelievable. I only saw a flash of the man though, before I was torn from Kokuto's grasp by the sheer force of the power emanating from the center of the light. The waves of force knocked me off of the plateau and I suddenly found myself plummeting though the air, screaming. The breath was knocked out of me as I hit something, but it wasn't the ground. Actually, it was more like something hit me, because I quickly realized I had been caught and was clutched tightly in Ichigo's arms.

We landed with a jolt and I toppled out of Ichigo's grasp, landing beside him. A chain fell to the ground in front of me and I realized in amazement that it was my own. But, then Ichigo…? And for the first time I looked up at the man standing next to me.

And my breath left me; I was stunned.

Ichigo stood, proud and determined, encased in golden armor. He held his sword in his hand and fire in his eyes. He looks like a knight. The thought came to my mind, unbidden, and it stuck before I could erase it. Because it was true. Of course,if he's the heroic knight, would that make me the damsel in distress? I scoffed at that. Rukia Kuchiki is not a helpless damsel! But then, as if the world was just waiting to prove me wrong, Ichigo started speaking and a golden glow encased his entire being as he leveled his sword at Kokuto. Ichigo challenged Kokuto, his righteous words ringing in the air, as sharp as the blade he used to deliver the final blow. Kokuto was thrown back, and, as he heaved himself up once more, Hell moved in to claim him once more. We both watched on as Kokuto was encased in chains and dragged back into the deeper parts of hell.

And then it was finished. A soft light filtered down like a spotlight to capture us in its glow, as if Hell was proving that we really had won. I looked up at Ichigo again, and I didn't try to stop my thoughts this time. Because I knew I would be lying to myself if I did. Ichigo really was a knight in shining armor, all the time. And more importantly, he was my knight in shining armor. And, well, if that made me the princess in need of rescue, I could accept it. Just this once.

Ichigo raised his hands in victory, shouting out his relief, and my eyes softened as I smiled at him. I couldn't help but congratulate him and he responded with an easy smile. We were just starting to wonder where Renji and Ishida were when they made their appearance, crawling out from the rubble they had been buried in. Both of them looked taken aback when they caught sight of Ichigo, and obviously Renji and Ichigo started and argument about Ichigo's get up as soon as Reji detached himself from the ground. Fed up, Ichigo followed Renji's urgings and released the powers of Hell that had given him the armor. What neither of those two idiots had though through, was the fact that Ichigo's power was the only thing keeping Hell's guards from attacking us. The guards arrived promptly and didn't waste any time getting to work.

The four of us ended up having to sprint out of Hell, guards chasing us all the while. If Ichigo hadn't been so rash, we could have just walked out. But no, Ichigo and Renji had to get hotheaded and now the four of us were back in the fight as we ran to the gate. Then again, if we had just been able to walk out, it would have been because Ichigo was escorting us. And only sissy princesses got escorted. I suddenly didn't mind having to fight my way out. I am not a helpless princess.