This chapter was tricky. I had to rewrite it about 3 times but I think it's finally where I want it.

Thanks CrystalDawn and Tharrow for your reviews. And thanks everyone who favorited my story for your patience :D!

Tharrow, I have 3 answers for your question: 1) "Whoa, bankai's have a different spirt form? I guess that makes sense, considering the sword changes too", 2)"Tensa Zangetsu looks like Byakuya and Urahara's love child" and 3)"Ooooo whose foot is that?"

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach. Nor can I rock sunglasses as epically as Tite Kubo can.

And now, without further ado, the second chapter:

"What's that face for? Don'tcha recognize me?"

An explosive mix of rage and dread filled Ichigo's chest as he stared at the horned mask that had just been lifted from Hichigo's face. The hollow curled his lips up into a vicious sneer.

"You remember this, don't you Ichigo?" he chuckled wickedly. Ichigo stared at him with wide-eyed disbelief.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ichigo said, doubting himself. He couldn't deny there was something eerily familiar about Hichigo's full hollow mask. Was that... is that what he had become when he fought Ulquiorra? Ichigo pondered this in horror as Hichigo glared at him, taking pleasure in Ichigo's discomfort as the events on the dome crept back into his memory. Ichigo glanced at the mask once more, and it all came rushing back to him.

She's calling..

She's calling me..

I can hear her..

Stand..

Stand up..

I..

I will protect her!

OH SHIT!

"Yes!" Hichigo hissed at his fallen master. "I put on quite a show, didn't I? Of course, the whole thing wouldn't have been necessary if you weren't so WEAK! You failed to defeat that Espada so I did it for you! Just like I did in Soul Society. You failed to protect your friends. You failed to protect her." Hichigo licked his lips as he said this. "When you couldn't rise as she called for your help, I made you rise!"

Ichigo's head spun. He remembered clutching Ulquiorra's severed arm and the massive cero exploding from his forehead. He flinched as he recalled Uryuu's hand preventing him from chopping up Ulquiorra, and Zangetsu sticking out of his friend's abdomen. His hand touched his chest as he remembered the giant hole healing itself. And when he'd regained consciousness, her face was the first thing he saw. Her wide brown eyes racked with worry and despair, hoping he was alright. He'd promised to protect Orihime but he'd failed her when it really mattered. His hollow was right. He was weak.

"I told you, Ichigo. The moment you proved yourself unworthy to be in charge, I would take over. You shouldn't be surprised," Hichigo said darkly.

Ichigo's grip on his sword tightened. He wanted badly to rush at the hollow, to finish him off once and for all. The very existence of Hichigo infuriated him, and yet, he knew his hollow was right. He would not have survived Hueco Mundo, or even Soul Society, had it not been for his hollow. And that made him even more angry. He turned to Tensa Zangetsu.

"What were you planning on doing with him once you pulled him out of me?" he asked his Bankai angrily. Tensa Zangetsu narrowed his eyes.

"You know why I dragged him out, Ichigo!" he said. "If you wish to restore your hope and protect Karakura Town, you must face your despair."

"But I've already faced and defeated him several times!" Ichigo yelled.

"And each time you've become master you've fallen," Tensa Zangetsu replied. "How many times will you defeat and be defeated by your hollow before you realize your strategy does not work? This world will stay flooded until you find another way to deal with your despair."

"What other way is there?" Ichigo asked as his frustration rose. He couldn't just throw his sword down and allow his hollow to overtake him. Who knows what havoc Hichigo would wreak on the world if he were given full autonomy. He would just have to keep subverting his hollow in any way necessary. Plus he was running out of time. Karakura Town needed him NOW. Aizen may have already leveled it for all Ichigo knew.

"Hichigo was correct when he told you 'I am Zangetsu'," Tensa Zangetsu said as he hovered high above Ichigo. "And yet, you are also me, Ichigo. What does that mean for you and Hichigo?"

Ichigo's mouth practically dropped open when he realized what Tensa Zangetsu suggested. Was his Bankai crazy? "You can't mean-"

"I do!" Tensa Zangetsu interrupted. "You must accept your hollow and become one with him in order to move forward."

Elsewhere

The Garganta opened and the group from Hueco Mundo spilled into a forest on the outskirts of Rukongai.

"Where are we?" asked Uryuu.

"I think the more appropriate question, human, would be when are we?" Mayuri said arrogantly. The Quincy glared at the deformed Shinigami but Mayuri merely brushed him off. Suddenly, they were hit by a terrifying reiatsu that brought them to their knees. All of them were bewildered by the sheer strength of the spiritual pressure surrounding them, except one. Mayuri's eye's gleamed with devilish excitement.

"I believe we've arrived around the same time as our dear old friends," he said. "And if I'm reading this reiatsu correctly- and I am- they appear to be heading east."

Byakuya whispered something to the hell butterfly and sent it on its way. He then turned to Rukia.

"I've just sent a message to Nanao informing her of our arrival. You must take the humans to Sereitei as quickly as you can and stay there until you receive further instructions from me."

"Yes, nii-sama," said Rukia, her heart sinking a little as she glanced at Renji. She motioned to her friends to follow her as the three captains and lieutenants prepared themselves for Karakura Town. Looking over her shoulder as they disappeared into the trees, she pleaded silently, Nii-sama... Renji... please be careful!

Rukia and the former ryoka made their way through the forest as stealthily as possible. Orihime could still feel Aizen's reiatsu. She wondered if being so near to him in Hueco Mundo made her overly sensitive to his energy, because it felt to her like it was getting stronger with each step she took. She looked at Chad's back and noticed he was trembling a little. Was he feeling it too? Uryuu, who walked beside her, was breaking out into a sweat. Even Rukia appeared to be affected by the spiritual energy swirling around them. What had Aizen done to make his reiatsu so suffocating?

The group collectively gasped as they came to a clearing in the woods. They had unwittingly run into Karakura town. Orihime felt sick to her stomach as she realized the lumps of clothing littering the streets were, in fact, bodies. She started to move toward them, but remembered the people whose souls had been sucked up by Yammy. Heartbroken, she realized these people were no different and there was nothing she could do to save them. She stayed put as tears streamed down her face. Rukia took her hand.

"I understand how you feel, Inoue," she said softly. "But there's nothing we can do here."

"I know," Orihime choked. She turned to follow Rukia's lead when Aizen's reiatsu flared up again. This time they felt a second reiatsu along with it. Rukia's eyes widened.

"Ichimaru!" she whispered. "Quickly, we have to get out of here before either of them find out about us!"

Everyone turned to leave but Orihime, who stood frozen in horror. She felt two other small reiatsu besides Aizen's and Ichimaru's. The knowledge of what was about to happen lit a fire in her chest, and Orihime felt an anger unlike any she had ever felt before.

"Inoue, what are you doing?" Rukia screamed. "We have to leave now!"

Orihime turned to her friends, her eyes blazing with fury. "He's going to kill Tatsuki!"

And she ran into the city.

Ok, so the bad news is: I have a show next week and a dance intensive the two following weeks, so I most likely won't be able to update until the first week of August.

The good news: after the first week of August I give you permission to pester me mercilessly until the third chapter is done :D.

I hope you liked this one.