Rukia's eyes widened. The next thing she knew was that the boy who had saved her and the girl in town had gotten into her room by coming in through the wall. He only stared straight ahead.

    Rukia scrambled and sat up, blushing from an instant rage. "Hey! What are you doing in my room!?"

    He ignored her and reached for the large sword hanging on his back.

    "Wait! What did I do to you!?"

    "It's near..." The boy whispered.

    Rukia jumped from her bed and drop kicked the boy to the other side of her room. "You could at least answer me when I'm talking to you!!"

    The boy turned back to her, shocked. "Y-you could see me!?" He asked.

    "What the hell are you talking about? Of course I can see you!"

    "You're..." He stood up and was at an actual conversation distance. "You're the girl from the town earlier. And you can see me, but...rather...you even kicked me--"

    "If you could stop petting me like I'm a dog, I would really like some answers!" she had grabbed his wrist, but he simply twisted her arm around and then tripped her. "You son of a..." She got up and dusted herself off.

    "So, why can you see me?"

    "What!? I'm the one who should be asking you questions!" The boy sighed. Rukia was right, she had remembered his eyes and crazy hair perfectly. "Okay, either Carrot Top can give me answers, or he could just leave and I'll go smash my head with a hammer to try and forget this."

    "Carrot Top...Huh?" He growled.

    "Hm?"

    "Way of Binding #1: Sai!"

    Rukia's arms felt like they were grabbed from behind and forced behind her back. She screamed in confusion and fell to the floor, unable to separate her arms.

    "Whaaah - wha - what are you!? What did you do to me?"

    "So you have the nerve to make fun of me, human?"

    What? ..."human"...what in the world is he talking about?

    "I'll also let you know that I've lived 10 times the lifetime you lived, so let's not play the "who's smarter" game."

    "I don't care! Just tell me what you are!" Rukia demanded.

    "Fine. I'll tell you everything: I just put a binding spell on you, it's called kido, a special magic that only we can use."

    Rukia stayed silent.

    "I'm a Shinigami."

    Sh...shinigami...

    "No way." Rukia said.  What came into her mind was not very close to what he really was (she thought of a grim reaper). "That's not possible. There's no way you can prove that!"

    "Yes there is: it's what you saw me do back in that town. Us Shinigami are the spirit protectors of the world. We balance everything out. What you encountered back there is called a Hollow." Rukia remembered the large hole in its chest.

    "Hollow..." she repeated.

    " We kill and purify Hollow so they will not continue to eat Plus' souls.

    What we do with a good spirits, a Plus, the ones you encounter with the chain on their chests, is perform a Konso*, and we send them to Soul Society. I guess you guys would call it, passing on."

    "So...that's...what you are...?" Rukia genuinely wanted to know.

    "Yup!" The Shinigami said with pride.

    Rukia struggled to stand up.

    "Don't even try it, you'll only damage your soul--...!?"

    She was on her feet. Just like that.

    "What!? How did you do that?"

    "Do what?" Rukia asked, weirded-out by his surprised look.

    "You -- you -"

    "So, are Shinigami technically spirits?"

    "What's with with the sudden questions? I was 90% sure you wouldn't believe me."

    Rukia laughed, and spoke with a kind, amused grin. "Well, you were wrong. You should have been --" she leapt into the air and served the Shinigami another dropped kick to the face "--100%-sure-you-idiot-like-I-would-believe-that!!"

    The attack backfired though, she couldn't find her footing and she was on the ground again.

    "Why you little--!!" The Shinigami recollected his thoughts before continuing. "Look, I'm really here because I sensed a strong reiatsu* coming from a Hollow. I've been looking for it,"

    "Hey! Just take this bind off of me already!"

    "...but, it feels like something has been interfering with my senses."

    In that instant, a chill ran down Rukia's spine and her eyes grew wide. "Hey! Do you hear that!?"

    "Huh? Hear what?" The Shinigami said nonchalantly.

    "That screaming!" Rukia shouted.

    "...What are you... what scream--!!" Uraaaaaaaah! It was no doubt the cry of a Hollow. His brows came together and he was at the door a second later. Crash. The room shook and there was the sound of rubble falling from downstairs.

    "Hey!" Rukia angrily called. "Take this spell off of me--"

    The Shinigami had opened the door to find Rukia's older brother staggering to enter the room, his left hand clutching his head where there was blood streaming down.

    Rukia's eyes filled with worry and dread. "Nii-san....."

    "Rukia, you... need to get out... of here." He sternly told her.

    "I won't leave Nii-san with an injury like---!?!" He had collapsed. Did he hit his head that hard!? "Nii-san!!!"

    "Tch... He's just unconscious, it doesn't look like anything serious!" The Shinigami said before running down the stairs. He was almost knocked to his feet when a tsunami of reiatsu over came him. What reiatsu! How could I not sense this!? He heard a high-pitched shrieking coming from the outside, and he sprinted to the gaping hole where the front door used to be to find Hollow with a young victim in its grasp.

    He reached over his shoulder and gripped the handle of his tall blade, ready to attack attacked save the kid from the Hollows claws when he saw the charcoal-haired girl stumbling beside him.

    "Hey!" The Shinigami automatically reacted. "You shouldn't be here! You're in the way!"

    "I don't care!" Rukia shrieked. "Take this spell off!" She then saw her new little friend, the spirit, weeping hopelessly in the Hollow's hands. She...her...

    Without even thinking, she used possibly every ounce of strength she had to try and break free from the invisible chains binding her; her arms were burning and begging for rest within seconds.

    "Don't!" shouted the Shinigami. "You'll damage your body and soul!" But right after those words, his eyes grew even wider with confusion at the scene happening right in front of him. The girl had actually managed to break free of the Kido and ran towards the Hollow. It took his mind two seconds to gain control again and run after the girl and the Hollow.

    "Give her back!" Rukia demanded.

     But soon after her command, she took a swing from the Hollow's massive arm and was knocked to the fence behind her. The Shinigami had sliced off the Hollow's arm that was holding the little girl and Rukia arrived just in time to catch her. "Are you alright!?" The spirit girl was not responding, and with every passing second Rukia was becoming more and more worried. "Hey, c'mon, say something!!"

    "Don't worry!" The Shinigami landed right in front of them, the Hollow retreating into some black void and dissappearing. "It didn't eat her's or your brother's souls!"

    "Really?"

    "Yeah..." There was a moment of silence. "I think I know why now..."

    "Huh?"

    "For some reason, all of your reiatsu and potential has been sealed up. But when you helped that girl, it began to pour out. That Hollow was looking for a spirit with high reiatsu, and it used the scent you left behind on the girl." There was a pause as Rukia let the confusing information sink in.

    "In other words," he continued, "that Hollow was really after you."

    "After...me..." Rukia repeated, stunned.

    The terrifying cry of the Hollow pierced the air and the giant creature was back, looking somewhat angry.

    "It's back! You shou--"

    Rukia ran out into the open. "So it's my soul you want!? Then come and take it and leave them all alone da*mit!"  So will I die like that...? The sapphire-orbed school girl thought. The thought did not phase her though...The only goal in her mind was to protect everyone else, nothing more.

    And then the Hollow charged at her, and she braced for impact, prepared herself for the blinding pain that might fall over her in the next instant. But that never happened.

    Crunch... Blood was flying in the air, and the Shinigami had nearly lost his upper body to the bite of the Hollow. Face contorted with anger, he removed the Hollow's teeth and pushed it away; he  fell to his knees and collapsed completely and the Hollow was writhing in pain, clutching it's face.

    "Shinigami!!" Rukia exclaimed.

    He was struggling to breathe. "You...idiot... did you think...that you...stood a chance? You should know...you were no match..." He forced his trembling arms to bring his body up. "Did you think that by giving it your soul that it would just walk away and carry on with its life!? At this rate, we're all going to become it's prey!"

    He crawled over to a nearby streetlight and sat there, being careful with his left shoulder which felt like it would detach with so much pressure (felt like it would, but it wouldn't really). It was pure luck that the Hollow missed the joint and most of the bite was focused on the abdomen.

    "Do you...want to save your brother? Your friend?" He asked before blood steadily seeped from his mouth.

    "Of...of course I do!" Rukia was not about to let all of their deaths be because of her foolish decision. "Is there a way?"

    "There's only one." With his right arm, he pointed the large blade away from him and, although extremely painful, he took his left and and placed it on the blade and it glowed a bright white, and it shrunk to a normal sized katana. "You'll have to become a Shinigami!" He then pointed it at her.

    "Huh...!?"

    "Run this Zanpakuto* through your heart, and I'll transfer my powers to you. It's only a 50-50 chance; if it doesn't work then we all die, if it does, then you can save everyone. I've condensed it so your organs don't spill out." He said the last line jokingly.

    Rukia grinned just a little. "Let me see that katana, Shinigami."

    "It's not 'Shinigami'. I'm Kurosaki Ichigo."

    Rukia took the end of the blade and pointed to her heart. She then looked right back at the shinigami known as Ichigo. "I'm..."

    The Hollow was charging at them.

    "Kuchiki Rukia!"

    Stab!

    There was a blinding light and steam, and from that steam Rukia emerged. She was wearing a black kimono with a white belt, a sword scabbard hanging at her left side while gripping a katana with both of her hands, the focus in her eyes.

    Meanwhile, Kurosaki was in a white robe looking up at Rukia In shock. What? he thought. I was trying to give her half of my power, but...she took it all!

    "I hope you're reading the burn in hell you freaking demon!!" Rukia then sprinted towards the Hollow with a loud battle cry and within seconds, she gave it a good slash on its right leg

    I've never seen a human who could confuse a Shinigami's senses. And then the Hollow lost its right hand. I've never seen a human who could break the Kido. A big stab just under it's neck. And...I've never felt this much reiatsu emanating from a zanpakuto that hasn't even... With one big slash, the Hollow was in half and it was disintegrating into the air.

    Rukia was using her zanpakuto for support as she was panting, trying to recollect her breath. She then turned back to Kurosaki and immediately asked. "How do you perform a Konso?"

    "I..what?"

    "That's an interesting answer."

    "I mean...you attach the tip of the grip to their foreheads... and a kanji should be left behind and they'll go on..."

    Why is it suddenly so...so freezing out here? Kurosaki Ichigo thought.

    Rukia stumbled, very tired, to the sprit girl who was just regaining consciousness. She smiled sweetly before speaking. "How do you feel?"

    "I'm...I'm okay..."

    "You...you died in the snow, right?" She looked down, twittling her gloved fingers.

    "Yeah..." she softly said.

    "My older sister told me that just because something terrible happened around something you love, doesn't mean you should resent it. Hisanna also died during the time when it would snow, and we both love the snow. So you shouldn't be so sad when you're reminded of it...it will waste your emotions.

    Of course, only you can decide what you should think, but I have a feeling that deep down you still love that feeling of the flakes dancing in the wind, the snow angels and snowmen..."

    The spirit girl was teary eyed, and the threw her arms around Rukia. She cried from happiness. The sound of her sobbing was enough information for Rukia. "There, there. I want you to fully rest in peace now, I didn't want you to leave with that forced resentment of something you loved haunting you. Heck, you're such a smart one, I forgot to lessen my vocabulary!"

    The spirit girl looked up In confusion.

    "N-n-n-not that you wouldn't understand the...I mean!"

    "Nice going." Kurosaki said.

    "Urusai!!" She said towards him. She turned back to the girl. "Well...what I meant was..Uh um...well.."

    "Hehe! Baka Onee-chan!" She giggled.

    "Yeah...I'm an airhead." She smiled. "So are you ready to go?"

    "Yup! Thank you, thank you for everything!"

    She then did exactly what she was told to do by the bright-haired shinigami. The sprit girl sunk into the ground surrounded by a blue glow and she was gone. I'm really gonna miss her...

    Rukia then walked back to Kurosaki. "Are you okay? You seem pretty awestruck."

    "That's was just very Impressive for someone who didn't spend years in an Academy training for things like this..." She didn't really have a plan in mind...she just went for it. "Or, it was just pure luck." And with that, he stood up.

    "So..." Rukia thought for a second. "How long will I b--" she clutched her forehead and shut her eyes tightly.

    "What's wrong?" Kurosaki's voice was dead serious.

    My head...it feels like millions of needles are jabbing at it from everywhere. Somehow still holding her zanpakuto, her other hand flew to her head, she was groaning from pain.

    "Hey! Get a hold of yourself!" Is her power too much for her to even handle right now!?

    Rukia's vision was blurry, she grit her teeth to the point where they felt like breaking and she let out a scream before it felt like the ground shifted to side, and pain shot through the whole left side of her body. She was cold, uncontrollably shivering on the ground, and somehow she managed to keep a hold of her zanpakuto. Kurosaki's distant voice shouted one more time before she saw crystallizing from the palm of her hand and then just spread across the hilt of the blade...

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Konso = Spirit Burial

Zanpakuto = Soul Slayer

Hope you enjoyed it!

*unedited chapter*

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