To Protect, Not Serve


Quote: "A girl? I ask for protection and you guys bring me a girl?" -Ichigo Kurosaki


"What do you think the soul reaper will look like?"

"I have no clue…I'm still wondering if hollows are the real problem."

"Personally I don't care what the problem is; I just want whatever it is to finish Ichigo off."

The three employees of the wealthy Kurosaki family snickered softly. A guard, a chef and Ichigo's personal butler named Haru were in the back of the large kitchen discussing the recent news about Ichigo. For the past 2 weeks he's been getting attacked by hollows, or so he says. Nobody else can see them aside from Ichigo and he's not even sure why he can. Random hollows attack him during the night and he ends up hurt often but a random soul reaper always kills it. Lately Ichigo's gotten fed up with it and demanded his own personal soul reaper so that they could stop the hollow before he gets hurt at all.

Recently they've been searching for a soul reaper to take the job but only one accepted the offer and it's only because they've been assigned to watch over that area anyway. Haru is supposed to introduce the soul reaper to Ichigo in the morning and currently it was a little past midnight. Ichigo was in his room pacing the floor; he was really impatient, one of many bad qualities belonging to him. Other bad qualities included selfishness, acting spoiled, quick-tempered, arrogant and the typical rich kid attributes. All those bad qualities made him disliked by everyone that worked for him.

"I'm with you on that one Haru. Did you guys know that he fired Kokan yesterday?" The guard said. "He fired him on the spot just because he didn't know how to fix the television."

"Wow," The chef shook his head. "I'm glad I'm not a butler. Being the chef is a little easier."

"Don't rub it in." Haru said.

The other two laughed and immediately stopped when they heard the voice they'd been dreading.

"Jeeves! Get up here now!"

Haru sighed heavily. "That's me…"

"Why does he call you Jeeves?" The guard asked.

"I have no clue…but who am I to say something about it?" Haru said as he dragged his feet heading upstairs to see what he was called for. Eventually he made it to Ichigo's room where he found the angry 18 year old still pacing. "You called Master Ichigo?"

"Do you see my face?" He asked with a frown as he stopped in front of his mirror looking himself. "Do you see it?"

"Yes sir." Haru said in an emotionless voice as he looked at his face. There was a large bruise on his left cheek and scratch on his right temple from the most recent hollow attack. "It's not that bad."

"Not that bad? I'm not used to looking beat up like you Haru so to me it is that bad." Ichigo groaned. "Why can't that soul reaper come tonight?"

Haru had been insulted many times by Ichigo, so many that they barely had any effect on him anymore. So he ignored the insult and answered the question with a question of his own. "Are you scared Master Ichigo?"

In seconds Ichigo grabbed the nearest thing to him on his dresser and launched it at his personal butler. The bottle of lotion hit the wall above Haru but splattered on his face. Haru didn't flinch and only moved his hand to wipe the lotion off of his face.

"Ask that question again and you'll regret it Jeeves…I swear one of these days I'm going to fire you." Ichigo huffed and started pacing again "I'm scared of nothing…I'd just really not like to get battered up tonight, that's all."

After a few minutes more of pacing Ichigo collapsed on his bed with a heavy sigh. He was trying to avoid going to sleep but he was tired and no longer able to deny it. "Get out Jeeves…I'll call you if I need you."

Haru bowed and left, pleased he was basically done serving Ichigo for the night. He would finally get some rest; he needed much of it to deal with Ichigo without snapping at him. The only reason he's still working for the Kurosaki family is because the pay is great.

Ichigo stared at the ceiling and even though the lights were on he felt his eye lids getting heavy. In no time at all he was asleep and lightly snoring but he was only that way for a good 15 minutes before he heard a loud growl. He jumped up half asleep and looked around his large room. He saw a giant eye at his window and it took a few seconds to register before he yelled for help. But it was too late; his window shattered as a giant hand reached in and grabbed him.

"You're going to taste so good." The raspy voice of the large swampy green hollow said.

"Let me go!"

Ichigo could see the monster and punched at his arm unsuccessfully to release him. After a few more seconds guards busted in his room with long swords only to see Ichigo floating in the air.

"Master Ichigo?"

"Cut him you curs!" Ichigo yelped as the hollow laughed and pulled Ichigo towards his mouth.

The confused guards went around the room and randomly attacked the air, not touching the hollow who was still laughing at the situation. He easily pulled Ichigo out the window and held him in the air, just watching him struggle.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo demanded as he continued to fight uselessly.

"I like to watch my prey struggle a bit before I eat them…it makes you taste so much better." He was about to laugh but suddenly his arm was cut off.

Ichigo fell to the ground and watched as the monster was stabbed. A random soul reaper was now attacking the hollow and the hollow was losing. Ichigo watched, growing angrier by the second for some reason. Finally the hollow disappeared and the soul reaper turned to go.

"Hey!" Ichigo yelled. "Are you my soul reaper? If so, why didn't you arrive earlier? Now my window is broken and my guards look like giant idiots!"

The soul reaper glanced at him for a second and then kept it moving. Ichigo yelled at the person once more but it was futile because the soul reaper disappeared in a second. The wealthy yellow haired boy growled in frustration as guards ran outside to assist him.

"Master Ichigo! Are you okay?" Three guards ran over to him up but Ichigo refused and stormed back in the house.

It seemed like it was going to be a long night for Ichigo and it was. Though he would never admit it he was somewhat nervous about the hollows and that fear kept him up for the rest of the night. Even when his eyes closed he was still awake. It was even harder for him because he was forced to stay in a guest room while his window was being repaired.

In the morning Ichigo was worse than usual due to the rough night. He was silent unless he requested something; then he yelled for it with hostility. Finally it came time for Ichigo to meet the new soul reaper and he was antsy. He waited out on the front lawn for them and when they finally came Haru went to show them to Ichigo.

Ichigo watched as Haru led the soul reaper slowly towards him. He tapped his foot impatiently and after a few more seconds they were standing in front of him. Ichigo found himself forced to do a double take once he saw who the soul reaper was.

"A girl? I ask for protection and you guys bring me a girl?" He growled, quickly irritated. "Do you see the error with that?"

"She's one of the strongest soul reapers and she's 18 just as you sir…" Haru answered.

"18? Impossible…unless she's a midget." He faced the violet eyed female with a frown on her face. "Hey girl, are you a midget?"

To his surprise she disappeared and the next thing Ichigo knew he was struck in the back of his head. The guards and butlers gasped and he turned around immediately with a flabbergasted look on his face. He saw the violet eyed female standing behind him with a deep frown on her face. He pointed at her slowly with a shaky hand.

"Y-you hit me." He stuttered out. "H-how did you d-do that?"

"Number 1, my name is Rukia Kuchiki, not girl; I am not a child. Number 2, I am not a midget and if you refer to me as such then you will regret it. And number 3, do not talk to me like I'm one of your pathetic maids or butlers; I am here to protect, not serve."

Rukia might as well have been talking to the wall behind her because what she just said went in one ear and out the other. Ichigo was still staring at her but less surprised and more so angry.

"You hit me!" he growled still pointing at her.

"And you're stating the obvious because you'd like me to do it again?" Rukia asked with a yawn.

"Are you aware that I could have your head on a stake in seconds if I ordered it? I am Ichigo Kurosaki, one of the wealthiest people in the world; you will show me respect! Lay a finger on me again and –

"Hey Renji…yeah it's going…I don't know though, this guy's a real butthead…I'm thinking about letting him get eaten…"

Ichigo's eyes practically bulged out of his head and his jaw almost went through the ground at the sight and sound of Rukia on the phone. This is the second thing she'd done to make him speechless for a few seconds. First she attacked him and then she ignored him and called him a butthead. Who was this girl and why did she have a death wish? Ichigo's eye twitched as she finished up her conversation.

"Okay Renji, I'll talk to you later…bye." She sighed as she closed her phone and turned back to Ichigo. "Can you have one of your employees show me to my room? There isn't a hollow nearby so I'd like to sit down for a while."

It took Ichigo a few seconds to regain the ability to speak but once he did he spoke in a calm voice.

"Listen Ritsu or whatever you call yourself, I don't know who you are or why you wish to die but there's obviously been some kind of mistake. So I suggest you get off my property before I grant your wish." He started to walk back towards the door. "Jeeves, escort this girl out."

Rukia sighed with irritation and leaned against a tree. "Why did I take this job? Renji told me but I didn't listen…"

Haru looked down a little and mentally prepared himself for the yelling so to happen at him. "I can't do that Master Ichigo."

The yellow haired boy turned to his personal butler quick. "What? Are you disobeying an order?"

"No sir, but your father has ordered me to do what is necessary to keep you safe despite your commands."

Ichigo's eyes flared with frustration. "Hire a different soul reaper!"

"All the others declined the offer sir…they say your attitude and demeanor is not tolerable." Haru explained. "Rukia Kuchiki is our only option at this point. You can't order her or her family to be killed; she has to be your protection."

Ichigo stared at Haru for a long time, trying to decide his next move. What could he do? Was he really stuck with this girl who assaulted and insulted him? His eye twitched again when Rukia walked over there and chuckled.

She looked at his personal butler. "Haru, right?" When he nodded she asked him to escort her to her room.

Haru excused himself and then led her away while Ichigo just stood there like the big dummy he was.


Thanks for reading, it's much appreciated. Now review and tell me your thoughts please. I wont update if you dont tell me how you feel about it...