Nighma: ...I forgot to mention that most of this fic was inspired by episode 236 (Release! The New Getsuga Tensho) of Bleach in the Zanpakutō Unknown Tales filler arc. Not a favorite, but definitely better than the previous ones...

Anyway, I mentioned this because it would explain what's going on, here...Might have been mistaken to be canon if I didn't say anything, so...

Thanks for the alerts...~ But really, you know, it means a lot to an author to see reviews, too...

Chapter II: Why

...The locale seemed good enough.

Landing gently on the grass beneath the tree, Ichigo sat down and crossed his legs. Taking one more glance around to assure himself this was the best location he knew of in case something happened between himself and his Hollow, he exhaled deeply. He didn't have much of a choice, if he wanted to get to the bottom of this. Closing his eyes, he then began to meditate, slowly pulling himself into his inner world.

He opened his eyes to have the sideways view of towers and falling clouds greet him in a cloudy grey sky. Not too far away, Zangetsu stood in his usual position on the flagpole. And still no sign of that other being he knew was missing from the view. Closing his eyes again, he concentrated. He wasn't quite sure what to concentrate on, but he knew he was doing something…His concentration caused him to become aware of a peculiar…otherworld. But it wasn't located where he was so much as…

Turning, he opened his eyes to glance at Zangetsu. He seemed to be looking right back at him.

Why did it seem as if he should have figured that out himself…?

It was then, as if he acknowledged, Zangetsu stepped down from the pole and approached him. "Though we are parts of your soul," he explained in his sagely tone, "we exist in different plains of your inner mind." The darkness that made up his garb began to bellow out, reaching out towards Ichigo.

As menacing as the darkness looked, Ichigo was more curious than anything. "Have you searched for him?" he asked as the shadows enclosed around him.

"I cannot enter his plain." Zangetsu's voice became less distinct as Ichigo's vision was obscured by the darkness. "I will know when you wish to leave."

As soon as the words reached him, Ichigo felt himself pulled downwards, similar to the feeling of entering his inner world, only he could clearly make out the fall feeling more controlled. Slowly, the black became a faded gray color and the red became the most dominant and most obvious color of this new…world. In fact…the whole world had a red hue and different shades of gray for undertones.

Suddenly feeling nauseous, Ichigo closed his eyes momentarily as the falling sensation passed. Before he had even opened his eyes he immediately realized something about this world was…wrong. It felt as if he was upside-down, which would have explained the nausea. Glancing to his sides, he also realized that it seemed as if he was in upside-down version of the side-ways, colorful inner world. Looking down at his feet, he saw a small swirling pool of darkness disappear beneath him. It was then he put two and two together.

This was an opposite world, seemingly literally "beneath" the other.

Impressed, he jumped to the side of the nearest gray building and began to look around. It was frustrating to see no noticeable speck of white anywhere. He didn't bother to call for it, since that probably would have worked before if he could actually call it. Instead, he closed his eyes. Relaxing his body, he began to focus on reaching out for it.

Though from within what he was doing was feeling for something inwards, outside in the real world, Ichigo's reiatsu began to spew from him. It was like a steady jet from a faucet— and with the same endless supply to back it up.

…Wouldn't be too long…

After a few minutes of standing in the red-hued world, he took notice of two things. The first felt something like a Hollow's reiatsu somewhere within the world…and the second was also a Hollow's reiatsu, but much further away. No, not even in his inner world.

Furrowing his brows, he immediately deduced that a Hollow was approaching in the real world. But that closer reiatsu had to be his Hollow. Taking a subconscious step forward, he put more of his attention to that closer reiatsu…

Abruptly, he was knocked —literally— out of his mind. An unfathomable, searing pain slashed through the left side of his body, cutting his breath short as he let out a gasp. A red color flashed before his eyes and it was only when he came back to the real world that he realized it was blood. He found himself on the ground, the tree he had rested under cut in half, and unable to move the entire left side of his body.

Struggling to look up, he saw, of all Hollows, a Menos Grande eying him with a distinct look of hunger in its beady eyes. Apparently, what had hit him was actually its pointed foot. Still disoriented from being rudely pulled out of his mind, it took a moment for him to pull himself together and get to his feet— just before the Menos brought its enormous foot down again.

Amiss the fact that he could barely move his left leg, he was on his feet and Zangetsu in his right hand. Harshly chiding himself for being so careless, he dodged the foot and sliced it vertically. As the Menos howled, he dodged its other foot and used a commandless Getsuga Tensho upwards, just barely without looking. Amiss his own strength, he felt muddled and had already lost too much blood to focus; a strong metallic, rusty scent was thick in the air.

Glancing up at the Hollow, he grinded his teeth together. It was still standing. Both of his attacks to its foot and arm only sliced them, but didn't cut them in half. He couldn't get his attacks to hit the damned thing properly. His knees quivered as he fought to stand and his breath came out in heavy pants.

…Why the hell didn't he just pay attention…?

Nighma: Obviously, the reoccurring word is "why". Didn't appear as much as "matter", thankfully...And I lied, this chapter is shorter...I'm now a hundred percent sure the next chapter is the longest...Ehe...*sweatdrops*

Also, as you can see, taking from what I saw in that episode, Hollow Ichigo exists on a different plain inside of Ichigo's inner world. That is, inside of Zangetsu. I doubt Zangetsu would be able to go inside of himself...? Ichigo isn't weak here on purpose...well...sort of...I was trying to think of a good, semi-realistic reaction he'd have after being smacked senseless, violently like that, but...I guess he does seem a bit like the 15-year-old he began as in the first season...Bah. I took artistic liberties!