Disclaimer: All characters of Bleach belong to Kubo Tite.
Rukia: My life as a rabbit
Prologue
"I'm sorry, Kuchiki-san. You just missed him. The manager stepped out for a walk with Yoruichi-san," Ururu said, bowing apologetically.
Rukia frowned slightly. "I guess he forgot. Did he mention leaving anything for me? I reserved an order of Chappy gigai booster pills."
"I'll just look in the storeroom for them. Please wait a moment, Kuchiki-san."
"Thanks. It's the one with a rabbit seal on it!" Rukia called after the smaller girl, browsing nonchalantly through the queer shop.
oooOooo
"Rabbit seal.. Rabbit seal.." the girl murmured, searching the shelves for any sign of a rabbit set on the products.
"Found it!" Ururu grabbed the black container with the unmistakable shape of a rabbit imprinted on the front and ran back to the waiting customer.
"Here you go, Kuchiki-san. I'll tell the shop owner that I put it on your account," Ururu said, handing the paper bag to Rukia.
"Thanks again, Ururu-chan!" Rukia said, waving as she left the shop.
oooOooo
As she walked along the street to Ichigo's house, Rukia pulled the container out from the brown paper bag. She studied the bottle and blinked in confusion.
"Hey.. it's different. Did they change to a new packaging?"
Instead of the usual long-lashed, smiling Chappy mascot, the bottle was a somber black. Well, as long as it still had a Chappy seal on it, she thought, fingering the white rabbit insignia.
No big difference, right?
She popped the cover and swallowed the small pill. Rukia took a few steps and stopped.
This is… strange. I don't feel so good.
She put out a tentative hand to the wall, steadying herself as her vision began to blur. Rukia shook her head angrily.
What's happening? I refuse to go into any sort of fainting fit in the middle of the street!
As the world tilted from beneath her feet, she felt the street rush up to meet her fall. She had time for one thought.
This is so embarrassing!
Kuchiki Rukia collapsed softly at the side of the road.
oooOooo
Kurosaki Ichigo strode to the cashier at the convenience store, holding a packet of strawberries as imperceptibly as possible without being hauled out by the store detective for shoplifting.
"Kurosaki-kun!" called out a familiar voice. Inoue waved at him from behind. "What a coincidence."
"Ah, Inoue. Getting some stuff for dinner?" Ichigo asked.
Inoue Orihime smiled. "Peanut butter and seaweed sandwich is on the menu today!"
Ichigo tried to keep a grin on his face while his taste buds revolted at the mere suggestion.
There she goes –eating weird concoctions again.
After peeking a few times over his shoulder, Inoue enquired, "Where's Kuchiki-san?"
"Oh, she has some business with Urahara-san. She's probably on the street somewhere," he replied.
oooOooo
Rukia raised her head from the ground and blinked, slightly dazed. That stuff had packed a punch!
She stood up, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs from her mind, and reached down to dust herself.
That's when she looked down and saw her hands. She stopped –eyes widening in shock. She would have screamed in horror, if she had been human enough to do so.
She had paws! White, furry paws!
Rukia looked further down. She was standing on two furry hind legs!
She tried not to faint to the ground again. Rukia scurried off at high speed to the glass panels outside the shops.
She pressed one paw timidly to her own reflection in the glass. Black, graceful long-ears, and her own dark indigo eyes stared back in disbelieve.
Kami-sama, help! She had turned into a bunny-rabbit! This was a catastrophe. This was an emergency. Someone call the 4th Division Medic Unit. She needed the best healer –Captain Unohana, before she lost her mind. Or had she gone mental already?
Sane people didn't walk around thinking they were rabbits, did they?
But, hey… Rukia narrowed her eyes thoughtfully at her own reflection.
I look pretty darn cute!
She twitched her soft nose daintily. A woffly nose!
And… Ooh! Ooh! Did she have one too? Rukia quickly hopped around and looked back. Oh, yes! Rukia flashed her bunny-bob tail happily.
I'm so adorable!
Author's Note: Meet Rukia -the rabbit, and my new project after I complete PA system Blues. Where did this come from? C'mon admit it, I bet your primary school teacher once made you write some painful essay with the title running along the lines of "My life as a pencil / Toyota car / Hibiscus flower etc." Confession: I had to suffer all 3 of those variations.
And about the peanut butter and seaweed sandwich –it's not too bad. Tell me what you think? And give me some crazy Orihime concoctions too, if you have them. Although, I'd appreciate it if you tried it yourself 5 hours beforehand and lived to tell the tale. ;)
