Midori sat outside of the barrier fidgeting nervously. Shinji was starting to really get into his hollow transformation. Well, Midori could guess it wasn't actually Shinji. Well it was his body. But it was his soul- this whole process was too confusing for Midori to think about. She wasn't always one of complicated thinking. Midori looked upon the battle between Kisuke and Shinji unable to believe that one day that'll be her. Midori may have been a good fighter, but if she could avoid it she would talk herself out of a fight instead; hard to believe for the former lieutenant of squad ten. Midori felt a shiver go down her spine at the memory of squad ten. Midori sighed with her eyes closed to forget the action in front of her for a few moments.

"Why so glum, Midi?" Rose asked sneaking up next to her. Midori nearly jumped a foot in the air at the sound of his voice,

"D-don't do that Rose!" she squealed turning to the ex-captain. Rose chuckled at the green eyed girl, "You know I don't like it when people sneak up on me!" she said crossing her arms with a blush. She was embarrassed because she could get scared so easily.

"Sorry Midi, I didn't mean to." Rose said with a chuckle. Rose called her 'Midi' but he honestly couldn't remember where he got the nickname for her. "Anyway back to my question." He continued

"I'm not 'glum' I guess I'm just…I don't know what I am, okay!" Midori said not knowing how she felt. "I guess I'm just worried. What if one of us isn't able to defeat the hollow inside?" she asked looking at the blonde, "What if I can't defeat it?"

"Don't be ridiculous Midi; we're all going to defeat our hollows, just you wait." Rose said ruffling her hair. Something caught Rose's eye, "Hmm you're still wearing those barrettes I got you when you were in my division."

"Yeah, they mean a lot to me." Midori told him

"Well, now that we're in the world of the living we're going to have to get a change of style." Rose said, "I know Kisuke is a genius in technology, but these clothes aren't really-how to put it- good." Rose said looking at his own clothes which were black pants and a plain white shirt with a purple stripe, "This outfit just isn't my style." He said looking at himself. Midori laughed. Rose always knew how to make her smile even when she was sad. Midori looked back to the fight. She needed to start wearing a watch,

"Hey, Kensei!" she called out. The grey haired man looked back to where she was, "How long has this fight been?" she asked hoping there was still time to spare.

"About fifty minutes and forty seconds." Kensei answered "If he wants to stay sane he'll have to when in about fifteen minutes or so." Kensei said sternly.

"Kensei, what's going on? Why is Shinji and freaky looking?" Mashiro asked pointing to the hollowfied Shinji."

"You fool, weren't you listening earlier?" Kensei asked shaking with anger at his old lieutenant. Why he kept her on as his lieutenant, he'll never know.

"Kensei's a big jerk!" Mashiro shouted again. Kensei closed his eyes with an exasperated sigh. If that girl's hollow didn't kill her he would.

Midori looked on to the battle sternly. Shinji just had to win. Midori wondered what fighting her hollow would be like. There were so many ways the battle could go. Midori knew time was ticking by and Shinji only had a few more minutes to defeat his hollow. The waves of spiritual pressure blew her hair gently through the barrier. Suddenly Midori saw Shinji's body start to…crack? The hollowfied parts of him started to fall away as Kisuke exited the barrier. The shell cracked away and turned to dust. Midori's eyes looked on with confusion. Had he won? She saw Shinji fall to the ground. Seeing someone who meant so much to her fall scared Midori every time. She got up and tried to run to the barrier, "Shinji!" she cried out, but Rose took her shoulders and stopped her. He wouldn't risk it; Shinji might still be a hollow might hurt Midori. Tessai took away the barrier and the spiritual waves faded. Kisuke walked up to Shinji who appeared to be 'human' again.

"How do you feel?" the man asked. Shinji looked up with his mask falling off, only to reveal a huge smile,

"Like a million bucks." Shinji said getting up. All of the others approached the long haired man loaded with questions,

"What was it like?" Lisa asked

"Was it hard to win?" Kensei asked

"Why were you so freaky looking?" Mashiro asked again. Kensei continued to argue with Mashiro while Shinji answered the questions as best he could. Midori approached him with a smile. Shinji ruffled her brown hair,

"See Dori, I told you there was nothing to worry about." Shinji told her bending down to her level.

"I know you did." Midori said admitting she was wrong.

"Midi was worried sick about you and your hollow." Rose told Shinji with a chuckle

"Rose!" Midori said blushing a deep red, "I wasn't worried about just Shinji I was worried about everyone and you know it!" she said defensively. Rose patted her head with a laugh

"Cool off Midi, I was just kidding!" Rose said to the short girl. "But you know Shinji, you did give us all quite a scare, you were brimming on going over time to defeat that hollow."

"Really, didn't seem that long? Kensei what was my time?" Shinji asked

"Fifty nine minutes and forty-five seconds." Kensei answered

"Man, I thought I did a little bit better than that!" Shinji said rubbing his head in disappointment. Kisuke came up to the rest of them with a mysterious look,

"Shinji, now that you have control of your hollow, you can train to hold your time in you mask. It'll take a lot of work, but train hard and it'll be worth it. Soon enough if you're lucky all of you will be able to control you hollows." Kisuke told the group.

"Ah, it'll be a piece of cake! Beating your hollows not as hard as you think it is." Shinji told the others carelessly.

"If it's so easy why'd it take you so long?" Hiyori asked with a snap

"Well let's see you do it any faster snaggletooth!" Shinji yelled back to her. That earned him one of Hiyori's famous kicks in the face. "Why- you little brat you're gonna pay!" the two attacked each other and rolled around on the ground hitting and biting each other,

"Now, now can't we all get along?" Hachi asked awkwardly.

"Don't even try to stop them. It ain't worth the effort it'll just be in one ear and out the other." Love said adjusting his sunglasses.

"Alright you two that's enough there's plenty of time to kill each other later but as for now the day's still young so who wants to go next?" Kisuke asked the group. The whole group, excluding Shinji, froze. Who knew that they would be moving on so quickly? Midori looked at everyone's face. It was like they wanted to, but they were afraid to try. Midori knew she would never be safe to fight or for her friends until she defeated her hollow. She clenched her fists,

"I'll go!" she shouted. Everyone turned to where she was. She felt so small under their gazes.

"What?" Rose asked, Midori had never been one to jump into things like this

"I-I'll go." She repeated. Shinji looked at her sternly

"Are you sure, Dori, I was just joking, this is dangerous." Shinji told her about his behavior earlier

"I'll have to go eventually, so why not go now? Besides the sooner I gain control the sooner I can live without being so scared of losing control." Midori said rubbing the back of her head nervously.

"Alright then." Kisuke snuck in front of her and held out his hand to her face as she fainted. "I hope you know what you're in for, Midori." Kisuke turned to Tessai, "Alright Tessai, you know what to do." Tessai locked her in the same barriers as he did earlier for Shinji. Shinji ad Rose had their eyes locked to the fight.

"Whatever ya do Dori, don't go gettin' yourself killed." Shinji thought to himself.

Midori opened her eyes to see she was in the same place she was when she met her zanpakuto. It was twisted forest with oddly shaped branches and trunks and plants. Midori looked about as she got up and saw it, the hollow that haunted her mind almost every day. This is when it would all end. Midori looked at the hollow. It was identical to her, but it was black and white. The hollow approached her with its identical zanpakuto and swung at Midori. She blocked with her own and slid back from the force of the strike.

"So you finally came to see me? It's been so long and I was beginning to worry, Lady!" The hollow said tauntingly. Midori narrowed her eyes at the tone of the other's words.

"This is where Mori Hotaru should be? What have you done with her?" Midori asked. Her zanpakuto had been so close and now she was gone.

"You better take a closer look, Lady, Mori Hotaru is standing right in front of you!" the hollow laughed manically. Midori clutched her zanpakuto tightly.

"You liar!" Midori flew forward and clashed blades with the hollow.

"Can't you see clearly? I am Mori Hotaru!" the hollow said swiping back. "When you were hollowfied I was born and soon I took control over Mori Hotaru and she changed form into this you see before you!" the hollow attacked again. If what this hollow was saying was true Midori couldn't destroy her, could she? She would be destroying her own zanpakuto. Suddenly the hollow delivered several lighting fast swipes that Midori barely blocked each time. The hollow managed to land a scratch on her shoulder and forced her to crash into a tree. "What's the matter? You don't want to fight?" Her hollow punched Midori further into the tree making Midori cough up blood. Every memory of squad ten filled her vision. Visions of her being beaten and nearly killed filled her mind. The very thought of that monster made Midori's body tremble and her mind stop, "If you have no will to fight that only makes you weaker and gives me more control!" She threw Midori into the ground and stood above her, "Having bad memories? Mori Hotaru and I share memories so I know your secret. You're so weak you couldn't stand up to your captain. I will never be subjugated by the likes of you!" the hollow stabbed Midori's shoulder and pinned her there as she twisted the blade around. Midori cried out remembering the similar feelings of pain she had when her captain did the same things. That hollow was using her painful memories against her. The hollow took away the blade and picked her up by the shirt. She back handed Midori on the cheek into another tree and she came crashing back to the ground. Midori's will to fight nearly disappeared after being reminded of her past. That hollow appeared above her with a sinister smile. "You're finished!" Suddenly images of Shinji and Rose and the others replaced the horrible memories from earlier. They all smiled and she remembered they were there for her and they needed her to win. She couldn't lose. Not this time. The hollow pushed her sword down ready to stab Midori in the chest, but she was stopped. Midori had blocked the strike with the side of her blade.

"Maybe you're right, maybe I am weaker because I hate violence and I can't stand up for myself, but I have people who are counting on me to destroy you! So for them I'll fight you even if I get scared because of my memories! I will defeat you, because losing to something like you isn't an option for me!" Midori raised her zanpakuto, "Light the Way, Mori Hotaru." Her sword began to change into its released form. It was a bow staff with a green vine wrapped around it and huge leaves at both ends. Midori formed a ball of her pure spiritual pressure which was green. She pulled it back so it was in the form of an arrow. "I won't be subjugated by the likes of you." Midori said coldly. She released the arrow and it hit the hollow scare in the chest and ran her through.

"How did you do that? It's not possible! Someone as weak as you could never be able to defeat me! You're supposed to be like a scared little girl in the night!" the hollow screamed

"Sometimes you find things that are more important than being a scared little kid." Midori answered sternly.

"You better not get to used to this, because the moment I see you've let your guard down I'll take over and annihilate you're soul completely!" the hollow said as she disappeared.

On the outside Midori's hollowfied form began to crack and fall away. They all looked to her body surprised,

"Is it over already?" Shinji asked. Midori stood without any traces of her hollow aside from her mask. Her new mask was a bug like Mashiro's, but its antenna went outwards and its eyes were tilted in and sharper. The mouth was a square with small lines. The mask fell away and Midori went to her knees from exhaustion. "Midori, are you alright?" Shinji asked as he knelt next to her. Shinji only called her 'Midori' when he was truly worried about her.

"Yeah, I'm fine! Best I've felt all day." Midori said smiling and sitting back up. Rose walked back over with a look of relief.

"Midi, you're alright!" Rose said hugging her. Midori winced at his hug, but forced a smile,

"See, I knew what I was doing!" Midori said proudly. Kensei and the others went over to where Midori was as well,

"Geez kid, your time was forty-five minutes and fifty seconds." Kensei told her looking at his stop watch.

"Really? Are you sure?" Midori asked in disbelief

"Hm, not bad Dori." Shinji said helping her up.

"I'm going to beat that first!" Hiyori claimed. The others chimed in listing what time they would get. Midori rubbed her head awkwardly,

"I guess you've started a competition, Midi." Rose said jokingly

"I really didn't mean to! I'm sorry, really!" Midori apologized over and over. Kisuke smiled at the group of ex-soul reapers. They had a long road ahead, but as long as they had each other they'd be fine.

"So who's going next?" Kisuke asked

"I am!" the remaining members yelled all at once. Kisuke was attacked and ended up on the bottom to a dog pile while his arms were being pulled mercilessly to get him to perform the kido spell on one of them.

"Here's a new deal whoever's not torturing me gets to go!" things took off from there and they were all on their journey to controlling their hollows. Midori took a sigh of relief after her battle and could rest a little bit easier, but the last words of her hollow still rung in her ears. She wouldn't let that happen. If she could defeat her hollow so could the others! She won't be haunted by its voice. The only things haunting her now was…well you probably know.