Hours later, Rukia knew she was been led on a wild goose chase for the hollow's own amusement. She knew and it was getting her seriously mad. However, she didn't know what the hollow would do to the child if she stopped playing its stupid hide-and-taunt game. Stumbling up from another bout of tripping, she continued down the road.
She stopped just into a much wider plot of land behind the shacks around them.
She narrowed her eyes. Wide spaces meant more shadows for the hollow to choose from, making her easier prey as long as she kept using Kidos with low damage and didn't unlock her zanpakuto.
She took a slow step forward, waiting...
There! Movement.
She sidestepped a black spurt.
"Awww, man, you're getting better at this," the hollow whined, face forming up high on the wall as usual, the unconscious kid below it. It grinned. "Then I'll just have to take my game up a notch." He shook his prey a few times until the child woke and began to cry once more. "I hope you're quick on your feet, shinigami."
Rukia ground her teeth, not liking the sound of that. She sidestepped to her right, half turning.
A hush formed around her. She tensed- and barely managed to jump the tentacles that appeared on two sides. Getting her footing again, she watched as they retreated out of the moonlight, into the darkness, the hollow's cackling ringing in her ears.
Suddenly, an idea came to her. Maybe there was a way she could stop the hollow without risking the kid.
"And again."
She leapt.
"Once more."
She spun around avoid three tentacles on one side.
"See if you can dodge this!"
A tentacled mass formed in front of her behind the main body.
Now.
"Wha-" A cold mist formed in the air and the tentacled form slowed. "You---"
"Sode no Shiraiyuki," Rukia called out, drawing her sword and stabbing the ground, "Juhaku!"
The scattered shoots of grass transformed into spears of crystal as the ground turned white and ice solidified around the back part of the hollow.
Rukia allowed herself a moment to smirk. The ice around the husk started falling apart.
Then, the hollow roared.
