It had been a nice evening walk through the woods beyond the city, with a handful of friends, before the Hollow charged them from behind a grove of firs. Rukia felt she really should have known it was too quiet.
“Rukia!” Renji grabbed her arm and started to dive in front of her, only to meet her elbow coming the other way towards his gut. He folded up in a whooping heap, and Rukia shook off his grip.
“Here!” she yelled, springing away from him to draw the Hollow aside. It howled and dashed for her, zigzagging, trying to come at her from an unguarded side. It took what it thought was an opening, with a gleeful cry, and she spitted it on a two-handed thrust.
It was over in seconds.
“Nice job, Rukia-san!” Kiyone cheered. Kiyone’s sister gave her a rueful look, eyes still a little wide, and Rukia spared a moment to wonder whether Isane-san would ever again be convinced to come out walking with them, after this.
“Yes,” agreed Kira, bending over the still-gasping Renji, “but did you have to be quite so hard on Abarai-kun?” He sounded both worried and amused.
“Yes, I did,” Rukia growled, stalking back to Renji’s side as he started to lever himself off the ground. She grabbed a handful of the front of his gi and yanked him up face to face with her. “Get it straight,” she snapped at him. “I am fully recovered. I have not had my spiritual energy drained. I am not in a false body that keeps draining it. I have not just come out of a prison that also keeps draining it.” Each not was punctuated by a brisk shake.
“Yeah, but,” Renji managed, grinning, and Rukia’s voice lowered ominously.
“If you ever do that again I’ll aim the elbow a little lower. Understand?”
Renji winced. “Got it, got it,” he agreed, raising his hands in a placating gesture.
Which meant that when Rukia opened her hand and dropped him, he thumped back to the ground again.
“Good.” She smirked at him, satisfied.
“Ow,” he grumbled as Kira helped him up, and added under his breath, “Remind me again why I’m in love with her? Gotta be crazy.”
Rukia had already turned away, which was good. That way, Renji couldn’t see her smiling.
End
