Rukia watched the emotions play over Ichigo's face: horror, shock, loathing, anger, panic. She could tell that he was rapidly working himself up to the point where he would be completely resistant to any training. She caught the slight shift in his weight, as he tensed his empty left hand against the concrete floor, calculated that he was probably considering some sort of drastic action, and decided to forestall him. Of course, with someone as stubborn as Ichigo around, sometimes she had to take drastic action to change his mind.
Which, of course, is why she stabbed him in the hand just before he could make a run for it.
"What the fuck?" yelled Ichigo, pissed off, and momentarily distracted.
"Good job" cheered Hiyori somewhat nasally, who seemed to have sustained a broken nose at some point in addition to the chest wound.
"You were about to do something stupidly noble" bit out Rukia. "I decided something dramatic was in order," she added, with an almost-smile.
"Stupid Midget" muttered Ichigo, attempting some form of normalcy, and attempting to ignore the, literally stabbing, pain in his hand.
"Idiot strawberry" countered Rukia, not unkindly, as she yanked the sword from Ichigo's hand, earning another expletive from the Substitute Shinigami.
The Vizard group, who seemed slightly shaken by the last few moments efficiently began healing one another as Ichigo gingerly got to his feet, flexing his hand as blood dripped from the deep slice through his palm, and the Rukia-applied puncture that neatly bisected the cut, while trying to ignore the fact that Shinji still had his Zanpaktou aimed, somewhat casually, in Ichigo's general direction.
"I see why you came," Shinji drawled at Rukia, refusing to take his eyes off Ichigo, despite his casual stance. "Interesting decision" he added.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Rukia, mostly politely, as she began performing healing Kido on Ichigo's hand.
"Idiot" muttered Ichigo, trying to shrug Rukia away, while simultaneously keeping an eye on both Rukia and Shinji. " Fix yourself first" he appealed, as his gaze darted guiltily to the slice on her neck.
Rukia ignored him and continued her work. " My cut is shallow" she replied dismissively. After a moment, and a glance back at the blonde Vizard behind her she repeated her earlier question, "what do you mean by that?"
"It's not the type of response that I would expect from a Shinigami" he replied, seamlessly picking up the conversation where they had left off. "Most Shinigami would just kill anyone affected by a Hollow. You're trying to help him, and staying by his side despite the fact that he hurt you."
Having finished the most vital portions of the healing Kido, Rukia turned to face Shinji fully. "I would never abandon Ichigo, just as he would never abandon me. I will fight by his side and on his behalf, and trust him to do the same for me. "
"Even though he has a Hollow inside him?"
"He's still Ichigo" she replied.
"You would die for him," said Shinji. It was not a question.
"Of course" Rukia started to answer, but she was interrupted.
"You think I'd let you die for me?" bristled Ichigo
"You haven't yet" replied Rukia with a half smile, "but that doesn't mean I'm not willing to". Their eyes met, and for a second it was as though nothing else existed.
"Enough with the sappy stuff" snapped Hiyori, as she practically marched over to them. She appeared to be mostly healed, although her shirt was still covered in blood. "Or did you forget what just happened?" She glared at Rukia and then turned away to Shinji "forget the little Shinigami, she's not less biased than the rest of them; she just gets off on pain."
"..What the fuck Hiyori!" exclaimed Shinji, rounding on the shorter Vizard "do you have to be such a raging bitch?"
Rukia said nothing, but she was practically emanating ice, while Ichigo, was trying desperately to maintain control over his wildly fluctuating Reiatsu.
"Hiyori. Apologize" gritted out Shinji.
Hiyori paused to determine just how pissed off everyone was, before reluctantly conceding. "Fine! I'm sorry!" she practically yelled at Rukia before turning back to Shinji. "It's not my fault anyway" she bit out "she's making him completely forget about his hollow" she added pointing angrily at Rukia and Ichigo in turn.
"I can hardly forget when he never shuts up" snapped Ichigo, irritated at the interruption.
"Your hollow talks to you?" cut in Shinji, as he and Hiyori shared a glance, her childish behavior temporarily set aside. The other Vizard also seemed to be suddenly paying attention.
"Well yeah" replied Ichigo, "you guys saw him earlier, remember?" he replied irritatedly. "Who the hell did you think was talking to you when my hollow was in control?" he added, exasperatedly.
"That was your hollow speaking?" asked Shinji, attempting, but failing to conceal his shock.
"You thought it was me!" exclaimed Ichigo, somewhat horrified as he added up the surprised looks on their faces and reached a conclusion he didn't like. "Yours don't talk, do they," he stated flatly.
No response was necessary. Ichigo, Rukia, and the Vizard surveyed one another with equal looks of dawning fear.
"What does your hollow look like?" asked Shinji, breaking the lingering silence, his sudden hesitancy obvious even through his bravado.
"He looks like a photo negative version of me," replied Ichigo testily. "That's not normal, is it?" he bit out, almost accusatorially.
"We all need to talk" replied Shinji, with false cheer, ignoring Ichigo's question as he waived his Zanpaktou to indicate the rest of the Vizard. "You two stay here" he practically yelled over his shoulder, as the Vizard made a speedy exit from the room.
"Wait" Ichigo started to yell at the retreating Vizard, but aborted the attempt as worthless after barely getting the 'W' out.
"Guess it's just the two of us" sighed Rukia.
"Yeah" muttered Ichigo as he stared after the vanished Vizard and tried to ignore his hollow who insisted "... the three of us."
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A/N: Sorry for the epically-long delay in updating. My time has been eaten up by work, Cosplay, and other fandoms XD.
Also I am not current with the anime/manga (although I am aware of major events, so I have no idea if the Vizard can talk to their hollows or not. As this is obviously AU, please assume that in this 'verse they cannot.
I will try to find time to continue this. I really appreciated all the comments, follows, and favorites through my long hiatus. Thank you to everyone =)