Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. But I own this story.

Summary: This is a songfic. If you don't like this kind of story, get out. If you like it please review, even if you don't like this please review to help me know what I need to do. I've written stories in AFF that only got 3 reviews not telling me what I need to do to improve the story. So again, please review.

Animal I Have Become

"Way of Destruction #4: Byakurai."

A flashing blue light burst forth from the tip of Byakuya's finger and shot straight through Ichigo's shoulder. The young shinigami simply stood stock still, his eyes wide in shock, not seeming to register the pain.

The light subsided and Byakuya called forth a sword, smirking.

"You have done well to get this far, Ichigo." Byakuaya's voice seemed melancholy, almost sad. Sad to see one so young die. Sad to lose such a worthy opponent. "But you are at your limit. You can no longer move anymore, and with this sword…….I will kill you."

Byakuya raised his sword to strike the ending blow.

'Move.' Ichigo demanded of his body, but it would not listen. His vision weaved in and out and his eyes opened and closed slowly, his sight getting darker every time. 'Move, move, move, move, MOVE! I don't wanna die like this! I have…ta...WIN!'

And his vision faded to black.

"Che." A metallic voice scoffed from Ichigo's mouth as he grabbed the zanpakuto threatening him.

'I can't escape this hell'

'So many times I've tried'

Byakuya's eyes widened as white and red fragments began to gather on the left side of Ichigo's face.

'But I'm still caged inside'

"I told you, didn't I?" The unknown voice rang out like silver bells in a silent room. "That if you died, it'd make trouble for me, too?

'Somebody get me through this nightmare'

"I can't control myself'

"Impossible!" Byakuya cried. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" The figure mocked, then let out a barking laugh. "I ain't got a name!"

Ichigo's face snapped up and the hackles on the back of Byakuya's neck stood up.

The entire left half of Ichigo's face was covered in a red and white hollow mask. Bright yellow eyes looked at him and the part of his eyes that should have been white, was now pitch black.

Fangs jutted out of his mouth, but not quite past his lips as he grinned manically at the stock-still captain.

'So what if you can see'

'The darker side of me'

' No one will ever change this animal I have become'

'Help me believe, it's not the real me'

The orange-haired teenager brought his black bankai swinging upward, slicing right through Byakuya's armor and leaving a deep gash that stretched from his right shoulder to his left hip.

'Someone help me tame this animal'

'This animal'

'This animal'

Blood splattered everywhere as Byakuya's eyes widened considerably.

A high-pitched cackle resounded from the laughing shinigami substitute.

"You do suck after all, Ichigo!" The hollow appeared to be talking to be talking to himself. " You get wiped out from the spirit force of your own bankai, and every bone in your body's creakin'. Pathetic bastard."

He swung at Byakuya again who daintily leapt out of the way and across the battlefield.

'I can't escape myself'

'So many times I've lied'

'But there's still rage inside'

The monster controlling Ichigo leapt into the air and twirled the black sword in his hands. "I'll show you the right way to use a bankai."

'Ichigo' sped towards the alert Captain, black zanpakuto in hand.

He swung the sword in Byakuya's directing with a laugh, and a black reiatsu outlined in red was released from the zanpakuto, an insane grin on the hollow's face.

'Somebody me get through this nightmare'

'I can't control myself'

'A black reiatsu?' Byakuya asked himself, before he flash-stepped away.

Sensing danger, he looked up, and shunpo'd away another attack from the Ichigo imposter as he came crashing down with another bankai attack.

Skidding backwards, he jumped as a hand was placed on his shoulder.

He turned and a look of terror flashed across Byakuya's face as 'Ichigo' grinned murderously at him.

The orange-haired teen's grin widened further as he slowly muttered, "Tensa…….Zangetsu."

'So what if you can see'

'The darker side of me'

'No one will ever change this animal I have become'

The execution grounds shook as the black and red reiatsu cut right through the ground between Byakuya and 'Ichigo.

'Help me believe'

'It's not the real me'

'Somebody help me tame this animal I have become'

Byakuya panted as blood dripped from his shihaksho.

He looked at the teen's body in front of him.

" What are you?" he demanded. "Are you.…a hollow?"

"Who knows?" The hollow answered in his metallic voice playfully." There's no need to know. All you need to know is with this, I'm going to----NO!"

Byakuya's eyes grew larger as the hollow grabbed at his mask.

"NO!" he screeched to a hidden person. "Can't you tell with me you're gonna win?!?!"

'Somebody help me through this nightmare'

'I can't control myself'

"Somebody wake me from this nightmare'

The hollow slashed at the air three times, and kept tugging at the mask obviously stuck to his face.

A black light started to ooze out from under the mask as 'Ichigo' began to pull the object on his face off.

'I can't escape this hell'

'This animal'

'This animal'

'This animal'

'This animal'

With a final scream of rage, the mask was ripped off of Ichigo's face, the black mist still pouring into the mask.

When the black reiatsu stopped gushing out of the orange-haired teenager's face, he fell to his knees, his face hidden in his hands.

'So what if you can see '

'The darker side of me'

'No one will ever change this animal I have become'

Byakuya's eyes narrowed at the panting shinigami substitute as he began to rise to his feet.

Ichigo rolled his head back and grinned slightly.

The mask was gone.

'And we believe'

'It's not the real me'

'Somebody help me tame this animal I have become'

"Sorry bout that," Ichigo stated simply. " Just a little interference.

Byakuya raised his eyebrows.

'A little interference?" he pondered out loud. "I see. So that that was not you that was attacking me so relentlessly. Interesting. Was that a hollow?"

Ichigo only grinned and said, "That's not for you to know right this moment."

'And we believe'

'It's not the real me'

'Somebody help me take this animal I have become'

'This animal I have become'

'This animal I have become'

Lover-Well? How was it? Review!!!