Yeah okay, so I might write another one shot every now and then.
Going for a little bit more of a serious and darker mood with this one.
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The hair on the back of Rukia's neck bristled, "Ichigo," She prodded like a cat at the sleeping teen, "Wake up already!"

Ichigo moaned in response, lazily swatting at Rukia as if she were a fly, "Buzz off, Rukia..." he yawned, "It's been a hell of a long day, let me nap in peace."

Rukia felt the blood boil in her cheeks, did Ichigo seriously not realise what was going on? Not one, not two, or even three- but four hollows had appeared in a single kilometre radius. Rukia could sense them and their unusually powerful spiritual pressure, their very presence sent a spider-like chill tapping down her spine.

"Ichigo," she spoke sternly, hoping he would notice her change in tone, "We have to go, there's troub... he's asleep." The soul reaper looked down at her sleeping roommate. He hugged a pillow to his chest, like a child would a teddy bear. His hair, which had become messy throughout the day, covered his eyes as he nodded softly to the rhythm of his own snores.He looked at peace.

Rukia blushed softly, she was well aware she was staring. For a moment, Ichigo's peace made her forget about the hollows, and of the battle she would soon have to fight. "... You fool, Ichigo."

She turned and left without another word, deciding to use an open window for an exit. Ichigo had not been wrong when he had said it had been 'a hell of a day,' with exam after exam and a sudden fight breaking out (that according to the carrot top, "most definitely wasn't his fault,")- Ichigo had earned his rest.

Rukia wanted to believe that she was truely brave, and that nothing could ever strike fear into her heart. She wanted to be sure that she could handle things on her own- but the truth of the matter was... she had become reliant on Ichigo. So used to the extra blade at her side, and the determined aura of Ichigo, she was. No longer was Rukia independent, but instead she had become part of a team- one that she felt so wrong charging into battle without.

Rukia steadied her blade, she was approaching. Most hollows were merely chores, a challenge without true difficulty that any good soul reaper could clean up. These hollows however, felt like something entirely different. Their spiritual pressure felt like a hybrid of hollow, human and soul reaper, akin to Ichigo while using his mask.

Just around the corner they lurked, huddled in a tight group. The hollows roared in glee, they were delighted. Rukia was disgusted. "I wasn't fast enough..." the hollows had caught, and were feasting on a lost soul.

Rukia held back the overwhelming urge to lunge at the nearest beast. To say the least- these hollows were huge, boasting jagged talons and tongues that licked at fanged lips . Each one was horned, their backs a colourful display of sharp spikes and their tails honed like a solider's lance. These hollows were not natural, they couldn't be. It was true that all hollows were fearsome in their own right, but these... these were engineered beasts of chaos.

The raven haired soul reaper swallowed her fear and charged. Sode no Shirayuki glistened a pure white as Rukia's blade danced to the drumming of her heart. Here goes nothing.

At first Rukia had the upper hand, the hollows being preoccupied did not notice her approach. However with their superior numbers, the battle did not sway in favour of the soul reaper for long. Zanpakuto clashed against hollow and beast roared against a warrior's cry.

Trying to make the best of her small size, Rukia darted around the enemy, playing a coward's game by hitting and running. Ichigo had taught her that battle was not just about pride and honour- it was about winning. Winning and saving lives. Winning and living another day. Today there was no older bother, no captain and no judgement, today there was just Rukia and her own fate.

The hollows cackled, knowing full well that they were gifted in not only their weaponry, but their armour too. Rukia was making little progress. As she began to tire, the hollows began to warm up. They became faster and slippery, besting Rukia at her own strategy.

It started with a small cut on her left leg, a slightly larger one appearing on her right soon after to match. Slowly but surely, the hollow chipped away at Rukia's dying strength. It had taken her a moment to realise, but Rukia saw it clear as day. The hollows were sapping her spiritual power, absorbing it and turning it into energy of their own.

"W-what, what in Soul Society?!" Rukia leapt back, retreating away from the predatory monsters. Her breath caught in her throat and her arms struggled to lift her relatively light blade. This was unlike anything she had experienced before. Rukia's strength drained from her like a deflating ballon, so fast she was losing to those things.

Rukia knew she couldn't run for backup, the hollows would surely find more victims if she did. Uyru, Orihime and Chad were away on a school trip, one that Ichigo and Rukia had purposely avoided so that they could stay and guard the people from hollows. With Ichigo asleep and his poor ability to detect spiritual pressure, the soul reaper's hope was failing. I'm pathetic! Rukia spat in her thoughts, these are mere hollows, I've dealt with far worse!

One of the hollows, which Rukia had guessed to be the leader from the way the others were backing off, stalked forward snarling like a snake. Even though It's ugly mask hid it's eyes, Rukia was sure two of them were studying her with greed. She was left to wonder what kind of person you had to be to turn into such a wicked creature after death.

"Come, you rotten thing!" Rukia challenged, "Come and meet my blade!"

The hollow needed no more coaxing. It lunged forward, aiming for Rukia's injured legs. The soul reaper flash stepped out of reach at the last possible moment, her movements sluggish and tired. This was a fight she could not win. She could barely manage a flash step, how was she supposed to defeat four hollows that looked as if they were sent straight from hell?

That's when Rukia had noticed. Around the hollow's ankle was a tag-like bracelet, the same kind used by Squad 12 to mark and number their experiments. Rukia fumed with anger, she had always known Captain Mayuri liked to dip his toes into things best left untouched, but this... this was beyond the next level. This was a downright crime. To tamper with souls meant disobeying the Captain Commander's law, and no one in their right mind would challenge the Captain Commander. No one.

Not only had Mayuri broken the law, he had endangered the lives of innocent people, and already caused the second death of a lost soul.

"You're.. distracted... soul reaper."

Another one was right behind her. Breathing down her neck. Hissing and licking at its teeth. Placing its claws around her neck.

"Are our tags that pretty?... So pretty you'd rather look at them as you die, than admire our beautiful masks?"

Rukia froze. She wasn't ready to die. There was no third reincarnation, she had chose to be a soul reaper, she had used up her extra life.

She didn't want to leave Ichigo.
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So that's it for part 1.
I hope you enjoyed... part 2 will be coming out... sometime.
Haha.