Rukia stepped forward and took everything in. She was in Karakura Park during nighttime and everything looked peaceful. That it was till a scream and the sound of a hollow came from the trees. Shit! Two seconds in the living world and I already got troubles to deal with!
She drew her zanpankuto and arrived as quick as possible, and good for her she arrived seconds before the hollow ate its prey. She lunged quickly at the distraught hollow, it barely got a look at Rukia before it was completely split in half, she sat and watched it dissapate before her eyes, then proceeded over to the soul it tried to eat, a young boy, still shaken up from the experience.
She kneeled next to the boy and whispered to him "hey there, don't worry its alright now." She lifted her sword and pressed the hilt directly on his forehead, he disappeared in a blue light as he passed on.
Rukia stood up knowing her job was done, flash stepped her way to Urahara's shop. The shop itself was closed for the night so she decided to take a little trip over to her old home in the living world, the Kurosaki clinic. When she arrived, she took a step back to take this in.
My old home she thought, but when she looked to her right, a memory came to her mind.
3 years ago night time outside the kurosaki clinic, a Hollow attacked the clinic and took captive Ichigo's sister Karin and injured Yuzu, Ichigo attempted to fight the hollow but Rukia jumped in the way to save Ichigo from being killed
"Soul reaper!" Ichigo yelled.
"D-do you want to save your family?"
"is there a way?"
"You must become a soul reaper. Take this blade and plunge it through your heart I will pour some of my powers into you. Im not entirely sure it will work though."
Ichigo took the end of her blade and aimed it for his heart. " By the way my name is... Ichigo, Ichigo Kurosaki."
"And im Rukia, Rukia Kuchiki."
"Thank you Rukia."
A white flash of light appeared and engulfed the two there on the side of the street.
The memory stopped there in Rukia's mind, that moment was the very beginning of our friendship. Ever since then when I helped him save his family, he went as far as to put himself on the very brink of death to save his friends, family, and me. I know he denies it, but what he did for me is more than he can imagine.
She closed her eyes and smiled, but quickly opened her eyes, and flash stepped up to Ichigo's window and sat watching her best friend sleep, she opened her mouth a little bit in shock and sadness as she watched him stir in his sleep, like he was having a nightmare.
She slipped through the window and into his room, she was careful to not step on him, as she brought her knees to her chest and rested her arms and head on them watching intently. She watched him stir in his nightmare. "mmmmmf….. Karin…. Dad….. Renji….. uh mmmmfff Uryu Rukia…NOOO!" Ichigo sat up screaming eyes bore wide open.
Rukia jumped at the sight, HOLY CRAP! Ichigo got out of bed wearing only his shorts, looked at the time and slowly walked to the door. He proceeded to get a glass of water and came back to his room sleepily.
Rukia looked at him in awe. He got taller after all this time, his hair, is longer too, and…. His body is Hot! Did I just call him that! She watched Ichigo get back into bed and before he closed his eyes he looked over towards where Rukia was sleeping and as he closed his eyes said, "good night."
Rukia stiffened from shock. Does he know Im here? He cant know he doenst have his shinigami powers anymore. Then who did he say that to? She got up and moved over to his closet but she looked back and sighed, well, maybe not tonight. She said to herself as she climbed onto Ichigo's bed and fell asleep.
Rukia woke up just minutes before Ichigo's alarm went off, she rubbed her eyes and got off of Ichigo's bed, it took her a moment before she realized that she pretty much technically "slept" with Ichigo Kurosaki.
Rukia couldn't help but blush a little for what she did, but she put that behind her and slid out of Ichigo's window and sat against his window sill watching the sun rise. She looked back and noticed Ichigo waking up and turning his alarm clock off and going to the bathroom, she looked down with a sigh and rested her head on her arms.
Rukia sat there watching the sun rise until she heard the kurosaki clinic garage door open and from it heard a loud continuous noise as the source of the noise, was leaving the drive way, she then spotted Ichigo in the vehicle with his two sisters, Rukia also noticed he is wearing a black kimono with a black and red overcoat.
Ichigo got out of the car to grab his bag and before he got back into the car he said "something about today makes me think something amazing might happen."
Rukia smiled a warm smile, then replied softly "I know today will be amazing Strawberry." Rukia let out a soft smile as she flash stepped her way to Urahara's shop.
Rukia knocked on the door of Urahara's shop and Ururu answered the door. Ururu looked at Rukia and said, "Oh miss Kuchiki! How may we help you today?"
Rukia smiled and asked " Is Kisuke around?" she then heard a clunking sound coming from the shop as Urahara stepped forward looking at Rukia with that same sadistic smirk he always had. "Rukia Kuchiki, its been a while, what brings you here at this time, we just opened."
"Sorry to bother you Urahara, but I need a Gigai, if you still have it." Rukia replied in respect.
Urahara thought for a moment, "uhhhh… yeah actually its still here, take it, if your going to find ichigo and speak with him you will need it."
Rukia looked serious now, "who said I wanted to see him?"
"oh come on now Rukia, even a blind man can see that you have a special connection with the boy," Urahara leaned closer and looked her straight in the eye, "to the point where I think you like him."
" pfft, yeah right," Rukia retorted at his response in anger. How absurd, he thought I like Ichigo Kurosaki, bah. She thought.
Rukia slipped into her Gigai, put on a yellow dress, a small black coat, a pair of 1 inch heeled boots and left the shop with one thing on her mind. Finding a new home, she doesn't want to take the burden of living in the Kurosaki house.
She did remember how ever a small house was for sale down the road from the clinic, Rukia walked to the house and looked at it from the outside, hmmmm, looks big enough for living in, and small enough to not attract attention. She thought.
Rukia looked at the "for sale" sign and mentally noted the sales company address. She then proceeded down the road to a bus stop, and waited there for the bus to arrive remembering what her brother said, you can buy what ever you like on this. She thought hard on what she needed to live in the home and when she was done, the bus had come.
She stepped onto the bus and sat in one of the middle rows of the bus as she looked out the window watching sub-urban areas turn into tall buildings and skyscrapers. Before she knew it she made it to the main building.
She stepped inside in awe at the architecture of the buildings main floor. Rukia approached the receptionist and asked "excuse me, but can I talk to Mr. Giullano please?"
The receptionist looked at Rukia and replied, "hold on let me see if he is available."
She made a phone call to mr. Antonio Giullano, an Italian born man now working as a real estate agent in Karakura town. "Mr. Giullano, we have a guest who would like to see you concerning a house… alright, understood."
She hung up the phone and spoke to Rukia "Mr. Gulliano isn't busy at the moment you may see him, follow me."
Rukia followed the tall lanky receptionist to an office on the 3rd floor of the building and down the left hall. The receptionist opened the door for Rukia and she stepped in as Mr. Giullano said, "welcome im Antonio Giullano, real estate agent for Karakura estates, how may I help you miss…"
"My name is Kuchiki, Rukia Kuchiki." Rukia replied.
"ah yes miss Kuchiki, now how may I be of service." Mr. Giullano said in a calming and interested voice.
Rukia explained the details to Mr. Giullano, and he sat and listened to everything she was explaining. When she finished, Mr. Giullano nodded and said, "Ok well let me look the house up on our data base."
He searched through the files and found the house she was looking for. He read through all of the house details and turned around to face Rukia and a smile came across his face. "good news, the house is still available, its an excellent one person home, the reports show no damages, its completely clean, kitchen with refrigerator and stove, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a good size living room, plus basement. Asking price is 100,000 dollars. Are you sure this is the house you want?"
Rukia looked at the man and smiled while replying, "yes. That's the one."
The man smiled and nodded, "alrighty then let me get you the necessary paper work and the keys to the house."
Within an Hour Rukia finished the paperwork and Mr. Giullano got Rukia the keys to her house, and she paid for the house using the credit card funds. She was soon on her way, she then thought you know I need furniture and food too…
She made her way back towards where she now lives and made her way to the super market for food, while she was shopping, she kept bringing back some of her old memories. All of the turmoil, the adventures, looking back at it now, during my execution, when I said I lived a good life…. It was only after that moment that I began living life.
Rukia finished her grocery shopping and returned home, it was mid day and she stopped in her door way as she heard her stomach growling. Wow, that's right I haven't ate since I left the soul society. She stepped into her empty house, unloaded her groceries and before she could open any food, damn I don't have any dishes!
She did how ever open a bag of snacks, munched on those for a while and stopped to listen to noise coming from outside. What the hell is that!