Rukia woke to a dull throb in the back of her head. She was lying on Ichigo's warm bare chest and she enjoyed the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Rukia studied his face as he slept. One of his arms was draped around her body, and the other was slung across his forehead. His mouth hung open slightly, and his ever-present scowl had disappeared from his face. To her, he was pretty cute, and she wondered how she had not noticed it until recently.

   "Ichigo..." She whispered against his chest. She ran her fingers through Ichigo's hair and slowly moved his fingers to his jaw. Her fingers slipped down his neck, to his shoulder, and trailed across his heavily muscled chest. Rukia's face reddened as she brushed over his toned stomach.

   "Having fun?" Ichigo asked with a chuckle. Rukia shot up and withdrew her hand.

   "I didn't know you were awake," she looked away shamefully and lowered her head," S-Sorry." Ichigo slipped his hand across her cheek and turned her to look at him. Their eyes met and a warm smile crossed Ichigo's lips.

   "Hey, it's okay," he said," I don't mind." Rukia gasped in surprise as Ichigo grabbed her hands and moved them up to his chest. Rukia felt as if the heat from her face would start a fire in the house. She gulped nervously. "Don't be shy," Ichigo said as he kissed her cheek," I'm not gonna bite."

   "I know," she replied as she kissed him roughly. Ichigo placed his hands at the small of her back, and she leaned into him. Rukia rubbed her soft fingers over the smooth skin in between his shoulders and his chest, and he blushed.

   "Rukia," Ichigo sighed against her mouth. Teasingly, Rukia began to trace her fingers slowly along the bottom of his chest. Ichigo groaned and broke away from the kiss, gasping for breath. Rukia smirked with a devilish look in her eyes.

   "You like that?" She asked. Instead of replying, he kissed her again and gripped her waist tightly with her hands.

   "I never..." Ichigo said as he pulled away," Told you to stop, did I?" He closed the gap once again, and Rukia kissed him back harder. She had never thought that she would fall in love with Ichigo, but now it seemed as though she could not get enough of him. She looped her arms around him and rested her hands on his back.

   Ichigo found it increasingly difficult to control himself. With her hands pressed against his back, and her lips against his own, he had to hold himself back. The worst thing he could do would be to hurt her. Ichigo felt Rukia's hands move to the small of his back, and her fingertips stopped at the waistline of his shorts. Suddenly, he broke away from the kiss to suck in a deep breath of air. Before Rukia had a chance to breathe, he kissed her neck savagely, unable to hold back.

   "Ichigo!" Rukia screamed. She grasped at his back with her trembling hands. He immediately pulled back and stared at her in shock.

   "I'm... I'm so sorry," Ichigo stuttered," I-I shouldn't have let my emotions have the best of me." Rukia embraced him softly, still trembling.

   "No, it's my fault," she said.

   "No it's not," Ichigo replied," I was going too fast, I-"

   "You were doing just fine," Rukia interrupted as she placed a hand of the side of his face. A large spiritual pressure split the still air. "Vasto Lorde?" She asked.

   "Think so," Ichigo replied," Come on." Rukia hopped off the bed and waited for Ichigo to help her out of her gigai. Ichigo yawned and grabbed his Combat Pass from his desk and changed into his Shinigami form. After removing his soul, he slapped Rukia with the Combat Pass and removed her soul.

   "I'm gonna go ahead and fight the Vasto Lorde to the right," Ichigo said as he slid open the window," You wanna take care of the one to the left?" Rukia nodded and jumped out the window, speeding off towards her destination. "Good luck," he prayed.

   Rukia tracked down the Vasto Lorde and found it sitting up on a rooftop idly. It appeared to be a female, counting in the slim features and wide hips. Rukia noticed that her mask was fairly similar to an Arrancar friend of theirs, Nel. When Rukia had gotten closer, she noticed that the Hollow was sleeping. Her caramel-colored hair hung down her back and shifted slightly in the wind.

   "Hello...?" Rukia asked as she came within a few meters of the Vasto Lorde. She did not want to attack her while she slept, because that would not be moral. "Hey!" Rukia said. The Hollow jumped to its hooves with wild, yet sleepy eyes.

   "No, no! I wasn't asleep," she said sluggishly. After rubbing her eyes, she looked up and saw Rukia.
   "Who the hell are you?" She asked with a sneer," You're one of those Shinigami I was sent to execute, eh?"

   "I believe so," Rukia said with a glare. She quickly unsheathed her Zanpakuto and pointed it at the Vasto Lorde. "I guess there can be no mercy. I won't hold back like last time, against your friend Hokari," Rukia said.

   "Do we really have to fight?" The Hollow whined. Rukia noticed that the Hollow had a thick black cylinder in her hands. "What're ya starin' at?" She asked lazily," My spear?" She took the cylinder in both hands and thrust her hands to the sides, and the cylinder extended into a full-length javelin that gleamed darkly. Each edge came to a fine point meant for impaling and stabbing victims. A long moment of silence passed.

   "Aren't you gonna make your move?" Rukia asked as she lunged at the Vasto Lorde. She hefted her javelin and blocked the blow, thrusting Rukia away.

   "Nah," the Hollow shrugged," I wanted you to go first. Got a problem?" Rukia struggled to regain her footing, solidifying the spiritual particles in the air to steady herself. Rukia lunged in to deal a blow to the girl's arm but Sode no Shirayuki clanged against the dark metal of her javelin. They pushed against each other, struggling for dominance, but the Hollow twirled the javelin in her hand. A thin scratch appeared on Rukia's face, so she retreated a few meters.

   "I'm Rukia Kuchiki," Rukia said, wiping the blood from her face with the sleeve of her kimono. "Who are you?"

   "I don't really wanna tell you," the Hollow girl said," But, I guess I will. My name is Namakemono. Faithful servant of King Sagino." Namakemono hurled the javelin at Rukia, who was caught off guard by the sudden attack. Even though Rukia attempted to sidestep the attack, she was too slow, and the javelin grazed her left arm. Blood trickled down her arm into her clenched fist.

   "I guess you have heard about me," Rukia said with a scowl. The black javelin flew back into Namakemono's hand.

   "Yup."

   "I'm also guessing you have analyzed my attacks and such, so you know all my moves. Am I wrong?"

   "Not entirely, I just began analyzing your attacks since I've met you. Judging by that, I think I could beat you, get home, and take a long nap, eh?" Namakemono replied. She flipped her hair over her shoulder conceitedly, and lifted her javelin. Rukia flew towards her with lightning speed and aimed a quick blow at the Vasto Lorde's waist. When Namakemono blocked the blow with her sword, Rukia saw the opportunity.

   "Itai!" The Hollow girl screamed as Rukia punched her in the nose. She held her javelin in one hand and clutched her face in the other, and blood dripped between her fingers. With another swift blow, Rukia had sliced Namakemono's shoulder. "I'm gonna kill you for that," the Hollow sputtered. The javelin in her hands began to pulse with dark energy, and reiatsu snaked around the ends. Namakemono threw herself at Rukia, weapon extended, and Rukia raised her Zanpakuto to block strike.

   To Rukia's surprise, the tip of the javelin pierced through the blade of Sode no Shirayuki and plunged into her chest. Her limbs felt heavy and she dropped to her knees. Namakemono slid the weapon from Rukia's body. It felt as though the life were being sucked out of her, and Rukia fell towards the ground below. A hard rooftop broke her fall.

   "Well, well," Namakemono chided as she knelt beside Rukia," I think you have underestimated me, child." Rukia gripped the handle of Sode no Shirayuki in her hand tightly, and raised it to the Hollow's neck. Namakemono laughed," What're ya gonna do with that broken katana? Shameful girl, I won't even waste my time to deliver the final blow."

   "San no mai, Shirafune," Rukia whispered. Namakemono stared at her in confusion, and her look gradually turned to shock as she realized that Rukia's Zanpakuto had pierced through her neck. The Hollow began to crumble away slowly.

   "I guess I underestimated you," Namakemono gasped," Live well, Kuchiki." She faded away into nothing, and Rukia sheathed her Zanpakuto and stood to her feet. She felt lethargic, but she had to find Ichigo. Breaking into a sprint, she headed towards Ichigo's fluctuating spiritual pressure.

   "Please be okay, Ichigo."