Targets 1
*Takes place about a month after the Bount arc*
Ichigo rolled over and opened his eyes. He sighed and got up, wiping off his face. It was Saturday- no school. Then why was he up so early?
He found the answer to his question almost immediately as his Substitute Soul Reaper badge beeped again.
-X-
Rukia boldly faced the hollow, her violet eyes narrowed and focused. Her hands firmly gripped her zanpakuto, and the slight soul reaper prepared to strike- or block.
The two were facing off at a playground. On one side sloped down and then cut off at a walled sidewalk the led to an old warehouse.
"Oh don't make that face at me little soul reaper! Come one, I just wanna play around…" The hollow's jarring voice mocked Rukia.
It was four-legged, but stood on its back two. Its hollow mask was a traditionally skull, and black chains were wrapped around its arms and legs.
The hollow leapt. Rukia dodged to one side, swinging her zanpakuto at its mask. It raised an arm and her sword ricocheted of the chains. The impact threw Rukia off balance, and though she landed on her feet she tripped and fell onto the ground.
The hollow shot out a limb and tried to stab down on her head. Rukia rolled just in time, though she felt a stinging sensation on her cheek, and realized that she had been cut.
The hollow inhaled deeply. "Oh, your blood smells so gooood…"
Rukia glared up at it, not bothering to try to put her fury into words.
-X-
Ichigo slammed the badge against his chest, forcing his soul out of his body. The he quickly jumped out of the window and ran across the invisible reishi paths to where he sensed the hollow… and Rukia Kuchiki.
-X-
"Ach-!" Rukia coughed as she slammed into the swing. It rocked up, pushed by her momentum; Rukia pushed her feet against the ground to stop herself as it swung back down. She tried to rise but in an instant the hollow was on top of her, its wait crushing her ribcage. Her back wailed in pain as it was forced against the small swing and a small crack could be heard.
'Dammit… How is he so fast!' Rukia thought.
"Oh, gee, this is just to easy!" The hollow laughed as the chains supporting the swing creaked.
Rukia wiggled her arm around as plunged her sword into the top of the hollow's head, just barely nicking the mask.
"AAAARGH YOU BRAT!" The hollow roared and let go, rearing backward and gripping its head.
Rukia quickly slipped out of the swing and half ran, half stumbled away, ignoring the pain.
She wasn't fast enough, though, and the hollow, through its own agony, swung at her with one massive hand, slashing open three deep gouges on her back and sending her hurling into the small canyon formed by the sidewalk. She hit the wall in a small explosion of dust and stone.
-X-
Ichigo heard the resounding hollow roar and following crash. He quickened his pace, beginning to worry.
-X-
Rukia gasped, her eyes stretched wide from pain and shock. She weakly tried to push herself off the ground, her ragged breath quick and shallow, but stopped as she coughed up a small pool of blood.
"You... little… twit…" the hollow growled as it prowled towards her. It reached down, picked Rukia up, and pushed her against the wall, gripping her by her neck. She gagged and feebly tried to push it way with one hand, the other barely managing to hold her zanpakuto.
"I was going to be nice. I was going to let you die quickly. But now... I'll do it... nice and slow!" The hollow tightened its hold.
Rukia, in a last-chance act, raised her sword upward, shoving her sword into its neck. The hollow let go of her once more and stumbled backwards, wrapping its fingers around the sword hilt.
Rukia fell limp onto the ground. She could see the hollow's feet as it moved back and forth. Then she heard a sick sound as it pulled out her zanpakuto, and saw it clatter to the ground. As her vision blurred, she heard a yell and a familiar blaze of orange hair, but then everything was black…
'Ichi…go…?' she thought without completely register what that meant or who that was, but then she slipped from consciousness and thought no more.
-X-
Ichigo slashed down the hollow's side with Zangetsu. He didn't wait to se the blood spray out but instead ran over to Rukia. She was till breathing, but it was unstable, shaky. He scooped up the skinny, bloody little soul reaper and squeezed her against his chest to try to slow the bleeding with his body until his hands were free.
"DAMN YOU STUPID LITTLE SOUL REAPERS! STOP INTERFEARING!"
Ichigo rose and faced the hollow, giving it a cold, murderous look out of the top of his eyes.
As the hollow charged, Ichigo raised his sword and effortlessly slashed the hollow's mask and head clean in half. It disappeared with an agonized roar.
Ichigo glanced down at Rukia quickly before turning and flash-stepping to Urahara's shop.
