Pantera Heat

Wild: Welcome everybody! It's me, wildkatz!

Ichigo: Here to present you with her new story, Panther Heat with the pairing of Dark IchigoXGrimmjow?

Wild: *giggles* Yup! Shiro is about to be faced with an unimaginable event that will shake his core, wipe him clean from Ichigo, and give him a freedom he never experienced!

Shiro: *laughs manically* Bring it on!

Wild: Enjoy! And be sure to review!

Bold italics = talking with Dark Ichigo

Italics = thoughts

Underlined italics = Hollow speaking

I

Where…am I? Ichigo Kurosaki's eyes opened slowly to stare into the dark abyss he hovered within. He blinked in confusion. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was fighting with an extremely powerful Hollow. The faint image of the smirking Hollow appeared within his mind, and he growled.

But as he did this, a sharp pain flashed through his body, restricting his movements. It felt like he had been shocked with a million volts of lightning. He cried out and arched his back, his eyes widening with the pain.

"Hurts, doesn't it, Soul Reaper?" a husky voice drawled, and Ichigo painfully turned his head to stare dreadfully and hatefully at a male Hollow. Or to be more specific, it looked like a Fraccion. Ichigo ground his teeth together and wanted to struggle, clenching his hands into tight fists.

However, once he moved, the shocking began again and his screams rung out into the darkness.

"Now that was quite foolish, wasn't it, Ichigo Kurosaki?" the man asked, circling around to stand in front of Ichigo, hovering over him. Ichigo stared up at a face that seemed almost identical, if not more mature, to Ggio Vega. "But I must say, I am quite disappointed with how powerless and weak you are."

"What are you-Gah!" Ichigo stared to ask but felt the shocks increase. He roared out in pain, his pupils dilating form the pain. His fingers twitched, wanting to find the cool comforting steel of Zangetsu. But he couldn't move, like invisible strings were holding him, like Muramasa.

"What am I?" the man asked, pulling away. His head dropped back and he roared with laughter, holding his sides. "Man, you really are a stupid boy, Ichigo Kurosaki! You and all your captains! And to think that my own brother was killed by one such as you! How ridiculous!"

"Brother?" Ichigo gasped. "You were his brother?"

The man smirked with such deadly intent that it made Ichigo shudder and shrink back as he neared. He hovered back over Ichigo's face, capturing his cheeks between his palms. He brought Ichigo's face dangerously close before he said, "Yes, I am Ggio's brother. My name is Kedamono. And I will be the one who will take your life."

Ichigo's eyes widened as Kedamono summoned a long katana, its blade dark crimson. His breath came out in a shudder, and he shook in his bonds. What would happen to him? The red blade came closer and closer towards his throat to where he could almost feel its frightening aura.

The tip of the blade grazed his cheek and he shuddered, closing his eyes against the fear that boiled in his chest. Yet even as this fear entered his soul, power coiled inside him. Was it the Hollow inside him, or perhaps Zangetsu?

"It would be so easily to decapitate you here and now, Ichigo Kurosaki," Kedamono drawled, caressing his cheek and neck with the cold, brunt edge of his zanpakuto. Ichigo's eyes opened and he glared at the smiling Fraccion standing over him. "In fact…I think I'll make you suffer. Both parts of you…"

Both parts? What does he mean by that? Ichigo thought with concern and fright, starting to wiggle again until the shocks increased to a new maximum power, almost electrocuting him to death.

"Quite foolish, but not to worry. Soon, we'll be taking that precious "true instinct" of yours. Oh yes…I'll be setting that part of you free as to watch you wallow in your own fear and uncertainty!" Kedamono exclaim, bringing down his sword upon Ichigo's body, cutting not through flesh, but through spirit. To his very core…

I

Shiro floated in the King's inner world, watching the clouds continue to drift by in an endless cycle. The King…what a pathetic and weak being he was. Shiro ground his teeth in irritation, growling and snarling to the wind.

"Why is the king the one riding the horse? Why must one be the horse and one be the king?" he snapped, his golden pupils narrowing, floating amongst a sea of obsidian black. He tilted up his head as he watched the clear sky. It had been raining quite, but it seemed that the downpour had begun to cease.

"'Bout time too," he bit out, standing up to step out from beneath his cover of a building. He walked out into the brightness of Ichigo's inner world, a town turned on its side. Such an odd world the King had developed inside his soul, but it suited to all of Shiro's requirements. Plenty of places to hide.

He took one step out when he suddenly felt the presence of Zangetsu.

Damn.

Found me so soon, Zangetsu? Shiro turned to look at the man shrouded in black, dark sunglasses covering black eyes. Chocolate brown hair fluttered in the wind as Zangetsu stood before Shiro. He stared at the Hollow in silence.

You know what position Ichigo is in, don't you, Zangetsu asked, eyes narrowing on the white version of his master. Shiro grinned at Zangetsu and laughed maniacally. He smirked at Zangetsu with narrowed, knowledgeable eyes.

Of course I do, Zangetsu. I am not that blind to what is occurring in the King's real world. I am part of him, and so I feel everything he does, evolves when he does, Shiro responded, grasping the handle of his own Zangetsu blade and planting the other hand firmly on his hip. So what's it got to do with us anyway?

Surely you don't plan on just leaving him. We are not permitted as it is our duty to defend him when he is in need of our strength, Zangetsu grunted, eyes narrowing. The wind around them began to pick up, and the sky began to darken considerably.

Shiro and Zangetsu both looked at the sky and Shiro growled with anger. He snorted and said, Great! More rain! So he's depressed even though he is in pain? Good! Let him be! I don't care what happens to the stupid King!

Zangetsu looked at Shiro with calculation before thunder and lightning crackled amongst the dark clouds. Shiro's eyes darted to the lightning, amazed. He had never seen lightning. What did that mean? Zangetsu was equally puzzled. What did this new development mean for Ichigo?

But just as soon as they thought this, a bolt of bright sapphire blue lightning cracked and boomed in the dark clouds, zooming through the sky. It swirled and circled the buildings of Ichigo's inner world like a snake, snapping its fangs and flicking its tongue.

Zangetsu and Shiro braced, astounded by this force. What was it? Some sort of trick of Ichigo's? Or perhaps it was of the Hollow holding their King captive? They had no time to try and figure out them mystery as the snake screamed and struck out at them. Shiro and Zangetsu leapt off the ground in opposite directions, landing on the buildings. They stared as the blue lightning snake lift its head, spitting and flicking its tongue.

It slowly turned its head towards Shiro and seemed to smile before slithering forward to make another attack. Shiro stood there, hand on his blade. He waited for the right moment before grinning and leaping into the air. He flipped in the air, prepared to unsheathe his Zangetsu to fight this new demon entering his domain.

However, he found himself immobilized. He froze in mid-air, caught in the tail of the blue serpent. It brought his struggling form close to examine him, smiling with narrowed eyes like a demon's.

What is this? Shiro hissed, growling murderously. Let me go, you damn thing! He roared while it watched him thrash in vain. Zangetsu watched in horror while it reared back its head and devoured Shiro whole. It tilted back its head and began to glow. He watched in horror as its body began evaporating like it had never even been there to begin with.

What the-it's disappearing, taking Shiro with it! He thought as the lightning serpent gave one last screeching hiss. The lightning boomed, the sky becoming dark for a moment then brightening one last time.

Where once a large blue serpent devouring Shiro had been, thin air now rest. And Zangetsu had no idea what had even possibly occurred.

I

Grimmjow relaxed in his jungle in the Human World, lounging in a high up tree. Monkeys and birds squawked in his ears, but he found it soothing. He rested his arms behind his head, creating a comfy pillow. Delectable fruit hung over his head, ripe and ready for the picking whenever he deemed it lunchtime. Animals prowled the grounds underneath him, searching for fresh meat to devour.

This was the place that his Hollow felt at peace. He didn't feel the urge to consume life of any sort. He felt serenity here, whether it was him giving into his animalistic instincts or simply from there being no nearby humans.

A monkey screeched somewhere not far off, and his ear perked. His eyes cracked open while he looked up at the sky. The sun shone brightly down on his peaceful lair, warming his skin and teal hair. He stared at the bright blue sky he had learned to read like an open book.

His eyebrows came together when he thought he saw a dark spot in the sky. He sat up slowly, squinting to try and see better with the sun blaring in his eyes. He tried to make out the shape, yet couldn't manage to get a close enough look.

A bird perhaps? He thought and made a move to stand up until he felt a tingling sensation run straight up his spine. The birds cawed in distress and took to the sky while a shining blue lightning bolt shattered into the area, hitting the ground.

A bolt zoomed right in front of Grimmjow, startling him. He felt the sparks of the electrical charge splintering against the sensitive skin of his cheek. The bolt hit the ground, causing a great explosion that threw debris and trees into the air. He grunted and leapt into the sky, back flipping to escape the flying objects hurtling towards his head. He landed safely just a few feet away, holding his cheek. He hissed and gingerly held his right cheek, drawing away his hand. He was relieved to see no blood.

He looked back towards the large crater the bolt of lightning had created in the earth. Dirt, rocks, and trees were strewed out on the ground around the crater. Grimmjow walked cautiously through all the destruction, moving carefully.

He felt his powers stir in anticipation. Anticipation for what? Was this an enemy? The presence and aura lingering around and above the crater seemed vaguely familiar to him. Who was it that had visited him in such a destructive fashion?

He stepped onto the brim on the crater, sliding down the steep slope. The crater was humungous! It had to be at least a hundred feet or so deep. He stumbled once or twice while going downhill until he finally caught his footing, sliding to a quick halt.

He looked around, walking through the dust cloud that lingered over the area. He walked towards the middle, slowly beginning to make out the shadowy form of a person. He froze and quickly drew out his blade, sensing that this could indeed be an enemy come to destroy the peace he had established for himself.

"Who is there?" he called, and listened, waiting for some answer. When he heard nothing, he crept forward slowly, maneuvering close to the shadowy figure. "Who are you? I can see you plain as day!"

Again, no answer came.

He growled and jumped forward, landing in front of the body, his blade going down to deliver a killing blow. He instantly stilled a mere centimeter above an ivory throat. He stared in astonishment down at pale, white hair and skin. Porcelain robes cloaked a pale body that looked as if it shouldn't even be real.

What the hell?

He was staring down at an exact replica of Ichigo Kurosaki.

I

Wild: Whoot whoot! And there is my beginning everybody! I really hope everyone liked it!

Shiro: *glares heavily and unsheathes Zangetsu* Better run, stupid kat.

Wild: *gulps* Please review so he doesn't kill me! *runs away frantically waving her arms for help*