"Yo!" the Hollow called out to Ichigo, the leer on his face clearly an attempt to be something close to that of a friendly smile, "What does the king desire?"

"More power," Ichigo replied simply, the clouds on his right flowing downward to the endless expanse of the sky. This was his inner world, a city turned on it's side. There was no need to adjust, nor to look, because he knew this place like the back of his hand. No need to re-orientate, just a need to focus on the man clad in white robes before him, who drew forth a cleaver.

Zangetsu, his zanpakuto.

His hand flew to his back and attempted to draw the ghost of the sword, and turned around in shock. His back was bear, and he wasn't even granted a katana! No blade, no weapons...

"The king desires more horse-power?" cackled the Hollow manically, his yellow eyes piercing, literally, the very soul of Ichigo, "You know, I could always lend you my full power. If only you let me take over as king,"

"That," Ichigo shot back, turning to face his negative self, "Will never happen,"

"Very well..." the Hollow sighed, the smile never leaving his face, "Then I suppose I'll have to throw you off your throne!" Ichigo was hurled off the roof before he could respond, and fell down the endless shaft, trapped between the skyscrapers and the sky itself. The irony of it all lost to him, Ichigo fell frantically and yelled throughout his fall, his eyes widening in fear as his Hollow self appeared over the edge in Bankai form, the white daito gripped in his right hand, and cackling all the way.

"What's wrong my king?" he called after Ichigo, "Lost your footing? Let me pull you up!" The Hollow threw Tensa Zangetsu at Ichigo, the black blade threatening to pierce his heart. Ichigo twisted at the last second and gripped the hilt, only to be jerked along as his inner demon pulled the sword back.

"Going up?" cackled the Hollow as the King flew up to him, "Or blasting down?" His right hand holding the chain of the daito, he held his left hand up before him, a ball of energy forming, ready to blast Ichigo into oblivion. Gripping the hilt desperately, blood began to seep through his skin, but Ichigo ignored the blood, his focus entirely on the task ahead: Avoiding that blast. His head connected with the hand.

"Die!" called out the Hollow gleefully as the blast was set loose, but Ichigo spun, using the sword as a life-line, and pulled himself out of the way. Now below the Hollow, Ichigo lashed out and kicked the back of the Hollow, his grip never loosening from the daito. The daito that was his ticket to victory. The blast continued onwards and went on in front of the two falling combatants, the buildings flying past unnoticed.

The Hollow cried out in surprise and anger, whirling around and attempting to smash Ichigo's skull with the ball of his right foot, yanking on his weapon's chain, attempting to retrieve it at the same time. Ichigo smiled and with a quick yank, pulled himself up, avoiding the blow and putting some slack on the chain, allowing him to swing the blade at the Hollow's face, which was promptly given a shallow cut. A howl of rage broke from the Hollow's lips as the smile on his face disappeared for the first time, and he smashed his fist into Ichigo's face, flowing through the movement and spinning around, drawing the daito in a wide arc, Ichigo following with his fingers barely holding on. The Hollow spun two full revolutions before slamming the weapon into the building they had just fallen past, and burying the teenager into the building. The Hollow yanked on the chain and flew upward onto the building, landing with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Only one of us may wield Zangetsu, my lord," the demon called out in a mocking voice, the smile on his face evidently avoiding the cut sharing the face, "And if it doesn't belong to you, then it belongs to me! All that is yours is rightfully mine, Ichigo! And since you know not how to use your power, you lose! And so mine shall it all be!" The Hollow cackled and tugged on the chain...

Only to have the rest of the chain follow, without the sword intact.

What?!

The hole in the building splintered outwards and Ichigo flew out, Zangetsu gleaming in his hands. He landed several meters away from his negative self and smirked, drawing the elegant cleaver up and resting it on his shoulder.

"Shikai!" cried out the Hollow, "Only shikai! Only that power! Ichigo, you cannot summon the full strength of Zangetsu while I hold this!" The demon held out his right fist, clutching the chain of Tensa Zangetsu.

"Oh, is that yours, Zangetsu?" Ichigo asked his cleaver casually, "Would you like it back from this creep?" The chain vanished from the demon's hand with a flash and appeared in Ichigo's hand. "Here you go, old man," smirked the Shinigami representative, seeming to drive the chain into the blade of the cleaver, which appeared to liquify, "Your chain back,"

Impossible! thought the Hollow desperately, wondering what could have gone wrong. He was king in this realm, not Ichigo! Why, Zangetsu? Why the shift in power?

0 ...0...0...0...0...0...0

The old man Zangetsu stood before Ichigo in the building.

"Have you found your resolve?"

"Yes,"

"Then why do you fight?"

"To protect those who are close to me,"

"Then is it not true," replied the incarnated blade, "That you seek battle?"

"No, I mean..." Ichigo stumbled for a moment, caught by the complexity of the question, "I do seek battle, but not for the joy of it. I seek battle to become stronger, to protect my friends. I fight to protect,"

"And you fight to fight," Zangetsu did not ask, but state.

"No," Ichigo stood firm, "I'm not a berserker, I don't fight for the lust of battle. I have a purpose!"

"As do berserkers, and their purpose is to fight," noted the old man, his voice always calm.

"No!" Ichigo cried out, "You don't understand!"

"I do understand, Ichigo," Zangetsu said, causing Ichigo to be taken aback, "I am part of you, as is the Hollow. We are a part of you, we understand you better than anyone else. The question is: Do you understand yourself?"

Ichigo was stunned, unable to speak. Could it be true? Was he truly a berserker like Zaraki Kenpachi? Forever lusting for battle, simply for the joy and thrill of the fight?

"Find the answer in battle, Kurosaki," said the old man Zangetsu as he began to fade, "It is in battle where it is decided, for that is how you were made, to thrive in battle. You may wield me, Kurosaki Ichigo, to find yourself. When you know the answer, then you may attain true power,"

Zangetsu disppeared, and Ichigo glanced down at his right hand. The sharp gleam of Zangetsu the zanpakutou winking at him in the dark.