"This game is fuckin' hard!" Grimmjow growled as he carefully took aim. Akiyo watched with a grin, leaning against a pole. It had taken them days to get to the fair. They'd been distracted several times then just outright forgot for a while. But they'd finally gotten there and they were both enjoying it.

They couldn't play any electrical games or use any of the rides, but that still left several games that used nothing but muscles and coordination. A lot of them were very easy, like the dart games. Some were slightly difficult, like the fish game… well, that was difficult if you insisted on playing until you snared a red fish like Grimmjow had… and some were very difficult, like the game they were playing now. Akiyo shrugged himself away from the pole and went up beside his mate, snagging a ball. The object of this game was to get the ball inside one of the jars. It was actually very hard, the ball liked to hit the rims and bounce away. The different jars were color coded, too, and the coveted color was green. Grimmjow growled as his ball bounced away again.

"Damn! I am going to get this." He snarled as Akiyo narrowed his eyes then smoothly cast his ball. It neatly slid into a yellow rimmed jar. "Oh fuck you!"

"See, the problem is you keep trying for that green. There's a reason why it's the top color, the jar is just a little smaller, see?" Akiyo said with a grin and Grimmjow hissed before trying for a different jar. His ball still bounced away. "Although it's just not that easy." The white hollow allowed, picking up another ball and trying again. This time he failed miserably. "Heh."

"Ah, fuck this." Grimmjow set down the ball, glancing around. "What's that wheel thing? I bet that would work." Akiyo followed his gaze to a very large wheel with numbers around it.

"I bet it would, but I don't know the rules for that one." Unlike many of the other games, it wasn't self-explanatory and he'd never seen Ichigo try it. "How about the ring toss?" That involved tossing rings onto coca-cola bottles.

"Sure, looks good." Soon they quickly racked up a high score, easily tossing rings onto bottles. "Easy game… say, didn't you say something about a tunnel of love? I could use some lovin' right now." Grimmjow leered at him playfully and Akiyo grinned.

"You're such a horndog, I fucking love it." He said with a laugh before taking Grimmjow's hand. "It's down by the stream." There was a small stream here, and the Tunnel of Love had been set up around it. They had to walk through the fair to reach it and Akiyo felt a moment of sadness as he glanced over the empty midway. This place should have been bustling with activity, full of people enjoying the day. Instead, it was completely barren, a parody of what a fair should be.

"Wait, what the fuck is this?" Grimmjow stopped dead as he saw the stream and Akiyo snickered, realizing this was the first time he'd seen water in Ichigo's underwater world. "How in HELL does this work?" He knelt down on the bank of the stream, sticking his hand in the heavier 'water' that lay within the streambed. Akiyo shrugged.

"Got me." He gazed into the perfectly still, reflective surface. It was as though Ichigo's mind had created a heavier, thicker water to go into the streams and rivers of his inner world. So despite the whole place being underwater, they could still use a boat. It was messed up but Akiyo wasn't going to question it too much. "C'mon, the boats are right over here." There was a place you were supposed to put a ticket to get through, but they both just jumped over. Then they grabbed a swan boat and Akiyo grinned as they began to float down the stream. There was a natural current and they would fetch up at the other end after maybe ten, fifteen minutes of travelling. That would be the other side of the fair and they could explore a few places they hadn't been yet.

"So… the tunnel of love, huh? I think I know something else called that…" Grimmjow nipped his ear and Akiyo grinned, pulling the arrancar in for a kiss.

"Yeah, me too." He breathed heavily in his ear, letting the blue haired man dominate him. They'd sparred earlier to determine who would have the privilege, and this time Grimmjow had won. Akiyo didn't mind a bit.

He was going to enjoy this.

Perfect.

Akiyo's eyes went wide as the boat suddenly tilted crazily. Grimmjow yelped in panic, gripping him as something shoved the boat completely over. They both went into the water and Akiyo thrashed frantically before hitting his head on the capsized boat. Swearing to himself, he swam out from under the plastic and popped his head out, glaring around.

"Who's the fucking wiseguy?" He snarled as he tried to figure out what had happened. Zangetsu wouldn't do something like that. King! Did you just fuck with me?

No. Why would I do that? Ichigo sounded bored and Akiyo frowned. Grimmjow was cursing up a storm but he ignored it, worry gnawing on his mind. He thought Ichigo was telling him the truth but something had tossed the boat. If it wasn't the teen then what had it been?

Then his eyes went wide as he was lifted up into the air. The white hollow tried to struggle but his arms were forced out from his sides. He was vaguely aware of Grimmjow's curses abruptly stopping, but ignored it as he was hit with a sudden stab of recognition. This attack… I know this! I've felt this before! Looking down into the 'water' the hollow drew a sharp breath. The reflective surface was showing dozens of tentacles, holding him in place.

"Grimmjow! You need to – mph!" Akiyo blinked as something cold, wet and very flexible got between his teeth and onto his tongue. "MMPH!" He fought wildly as the tentacle forced itself into his mouth, effectively gagging him. Since the things were invisible, except in the water, it probably looked very weird.

"Akiyo!" Grimmjow had no idea what was happening and Akiyo couldn't tell him. The white hollow watched in absolute frustration as the arrancar launched himself out of the water and then was snared by more of the tentacles. "Fuck! What the fuck is this?"

Muramasa. Akiyo reached out to his King. King! We got trouble in – argh! Another tentacle began choking him, pressing so hard on his hierro that sparks danced before his eyes. He struggled violently but could not break free of the grip.

Stop messing around. Came the apathetic reply and Akiyo wanted to scream in frustration. Instead he reached out to Zangetsu. He felt the zanpakuto's alarm, but he was rapidly losing consciousness. He did manage to give the other zanpakuto the identity of the intruder, just before the darkness took him under.

It seemed like no time at all before Akiyo roused himself, but he knew it must have been at least a little while. He woke up to a pounding headache and the sound of Grimmjow swearing. Lifting his head, the white hollow saw that they were both chained up in a small room. In front of them was a very familiar zanpakuto. Akiyo frowned as he studied him.

Muramasa was still wearing all the same clothes, but there was something a bit off about him. Mostly, he just wasn't looking very good. Akiyo frowned as he examined the zanpakuto. It was hard to tell with the purple markings around his eyes, but he thought there were dark circles there. And he definitely looked pale and unhealthy. His hands shook slightly as he pushed back a wisp of hair and the white hollow's eyes narrowed.

"What the fuck are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be dead?" He asked and Grimmjow ground to a halt in his diatribe, snarling. The zanpakuto gave him a small smile, gesturing with his long fingernails.

"Indeed. I do not know why I didn't die." He examined those nails for a moment, a gesture Akiyo remembered well. "Instead, I ended up here. I was unconscious for some time, but then I woke up. Unfortunately, I have a problem. I am hoping you can help me rectify it." The white hollow frowned. He didn't like where this was going. "As you know, I am a zanpakuto. However, this inner world is not mine. I can take some power from it, but not enough to maintain myself indefinitely. If I do not do something, I will die." Muramasa looked up from his hand, meeting Akiyo's gaze. "You will give your power to me and I will use it to defeat Kurosaki Ichigo and take possession of this world."

"And why would I do that?" The hollow asked, playing for time. He understood what was going on now. Muramasa was using the last of his energy to keep them contained in these chains. If he could keep the zanpakuto talking long enough than maybe… but Muramasa knew that, too. He walked over to Grimmjow and Akiyo stiffened. "Leave him out of this!"

"I do not have any time for discussion." He held out a hand and a sword appeared in it. Grimmjow just snarled, straining at his chains. "As you have no doubt surmised, I am using the last of my power to keep you here. Yield to me, now, or I will kill this hollow." His sword pricked the ex-Espada's throat and Akiyo felt frozen for a moment.

But only a moment. He remembered how it had felt, being alone except for Zangetsu. It was normal for a zanpakuto to be alone, but he was a hollow. The more advanced they became the more they craved companionship, which was why fraccion emerged. Akiyo refused to go back to being alone. And beyond that, Grimmjow was his mate. It was very rare for a hollow to sacrifice themselves, even for a mate, but he wasn't a normal hollow. He licked his lips for a moment, meeting Grimmjow's eyes, seeing the fury in those blue orbs.

"Don't do it. He won't let me live anyway." Grimmjow grated out but Muramasa shook his head.

"If you yield to me, I promise that he will remain unharmed in this inner world." He said and Akiyo believed him. That settled things and he nodded.

"Fine. I'll yield to you." He said, ignoring Grimmjow's scream of denial. Then he gasped as Muramasa raised his hand. It wasn't painful, but the feeling was very strange. It was a little like falling asleep and the hollow briefly struggled against it before remembering he had consented. Then he just quietly let go, allowing the zanpakuto to take control. Everything became vague and his perspective shifted. To his vague surprise, Akiyo realized he was looking through Muramasa's eyes. He was still conscious, but it felt like he was dreaming. The zanpakuto left the room to start his conflict with Ichigo and if he could have smiled, the white hollow would have.

This could almost be fun.

"Are you sure he's not playing some kind of trick on us?" At Zangetsu's urging, Ichigo had gone home early from school and entered his inner world. Now he was standing on a building and looking around, a frown on his face. "Muramasa is dead, jii-san." Ichigo was absolutely certain of that. He'd seen the zanpakuto vanish.

"I cannot say how he is alive, Ichigo. But that is what your hollow said before he was silenced." Zangetsu was extremely anxious and Ichigo scowled.

"I wouldn't believe him if he said the sun was coming up tomorrow." He grumbled. Then he started as a voice interrupted them.

"That is most unkind. Akiyo was absolutely truthful." They both turned to see the rogue zanpakuto, standing on the roof of the building with them. He looked almost the same as when Ichigo had defeated him, but… not quite. One of his eyes was black and gold and instead of his usual, serene look, there was a smile on his face.

"Akiyo?" Ichigo asked, confused, and that smile widened into a grin.

"You don't know your hollow's name? How inconsiderate of you. Zangetsu, please step aside." To Ichigo's surprise, his zanpakuto stepped back. He was looking at Muramasa with an unreadable expression.

"Jii-san? What's wrong?" Ichigo asked, his sword at the ready. Muramasa held out his hand and a sword appeared in it, still the slender blade he'd used before. But there was a long white piece of fabric attached to the end.

"He has absorbed your inner hollow." The zanpakuto said and Ichigo blinked, then scowled. He didn't like his inner hollow – Akiyo? – but he liked this even less.

"Indeed." The voice was Muramasa's, but the grin on his face and the way he gripped the fabric and twirled his sword were clearly from Ichigo's hollow. "I would never have believed I could have so much in common with a hollow. Alone, disregarded by our masters… and now, if I am to live I must kill you. Just like your hollow. Really, this almost seems fated." He suddenly caught the blade and launched himself at Ichigo. Then teen met the attack, their blades clashing. Muramasa chuckled softly and Ichigo's eyes widened. His voice was taking on an echoing tone. "I never favoured melee combat before. I've always preferred distance attacks… until now."

"Just shut up and fight! Getsuga Tenshou!" The young shinigami said.

"Getsuga Tenshou." Muramasa said at the same time and Ichigo's eyes went wide. Black energy clashed with white and cancelled each other out. "Haven't you wondered why your zanpakuto is not helping you?"

"…" Ichigo glanced around briefly. Zangetsu was gone. "Have you manipulated him?" That was Muramasa's power, after all. But the zanpakuto shook his head before twirling his blade again. He threw it at Ichigo like a flail, just like his hollow, and the blade made a window explode as the teen dodged.

"No. But he cannot strike at the second part of your power." Muramasa flicked his fingernails, glancing around. "I don't know where he's gone, however. But it doesn't matter. I will defeat you." He said and Ichigo scowled.

"You have the ego of my hollow too, I see." And he launched his own attack, meeting the grinning zanpakuto in the air. Their swords clashed as they pushed each other. There was no give in either of them.

They were both fighting to win.

Zangetsu swam rapidly through Ichigo's inner world, looking for what he knew had to be there.

He could not bring himself to strike out against Akiyo. There were part of the same thing, part of Ichigo's power, and violent conflict was not part of that duality. They could spar and often did, but he could not intervene in what was happening. But that did not mean there was nothing he could do.

Detecting the reiatsu he needed, Zangetsu entered one particular house. It was completely empty, just a shell in Ichigo's inner world, but there was a hollow chained to one of the walls. Zangetsu paused for a moment to examine him.

"Hey, what the hell are you looking at?! Get me down from here!" Grimmjow squirmed, fighting his bonds, and Zangetsu pulled out his sword. A few quick slashes freed the arrancar. "What the hell's going on?"

"Muramasa has engaged Ichigo in combat, using Akiyo's power." Zangetsu said before hesitating. What he was thinking of doing would make Grimmjow part of Ichigo's world, permanently. There would be no going back. "I cannot strike out at him directly. But… if you take my power, the portion that makes up my separate consciousness, you could take action against him." It was a strange dodge, but the zanpakuto was sure it would work. "However, if you do so you will be permanently bonded with Ichigo's inner world." This would make Grimmjow really part of the place, like Akiyo and Zangetsu. The blue haired man sneered.

"Who gives a fuck about that? Do it!" That was all the permission he needed and Zangetsu yielded his power to Grimmjow. Like Akiyo, he could see through the arrancar's eyes as he swam out the door.

Hopefully, this would be the edge that Ichigo needed.

Ichigo was finding that defeating Muramasa was very, very difficult.

The zanpakuto was favouring his hollow's powers, but that didn't mean he was neglecting his own. He tried, several times, to ensnare the teen in illusions and warp his senses. That power combined with Akiyo's brutal attack style made Muramasa a tough opponent.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" They both turned their heads in surprise as a new voice spoke. Muramasa had to leap back as a black and blue Getsuga Tenshou hit the roof where he had been standing. "Let go of my mate, you fucker!"

"Grimmjow?" Ichigo watched in stunned disbelief as the arrancar engaged Muramasa in combat. Strangely, the zanpakuto immediately went on the defensive.

"Zangetsu. How clever of you." There was an edge to Muramasa's voice and his eyes had narrowed dangerously. "I would never have anticipated you would give your power to a hollow." Ichigo frowned. Muramasa seemed strangely reluctant to strike out at Grimmjow.

"Yeah? And it's just fine the other way around? Fuck you, give me back Akiyo!" Ichigo's eyes widened at that. What was going on here? What had Zangetsu been keeping from him? For a brief moment he felt betrayed, but then he shelved the feeling and joined Grimmjow's attack. It was the strangest thing ever, working with the insane arrancar, but he wasn't going to turn down the help.

Muramasa let out a hissing sound of frustration and suddenly launched a brutal attack on Ichigo, almost ignoring Grimmjow. The reason for that became clear as his appearance flashed to white just before Grimmjow landed a hit. There was a yelp of pain and the arrancar pulled away, looking shocked. Then the white vanished and Muramasa grinned.

"Your mate is in considerable pain right now." He said mockingly and Grimmjow roared in frustration. There wasn't a mark on Muramasa.

"You bastard!" Grimmjow snarled but his attacks suddenly became weaker. Ichigo just scowled and pushed the zanpakuto back. Muramasa was laughing, an odd echo in his voice.

"Just keep him distracted!" He told the arrancar. He had to end this and he knew there was only one way. The zanpakuto fought hard, grinning, but they finally got the better of him. Grimmjow couldn't bear to make the final blow, but Ichigo had no problems. The sword slid in smoothly and Muramasa looked down at the weapon in his chest. His expression seemed more surprised than anything.

"How strange. It doesn't hurt…" The zanpakuto said softly before he dissolved in a way that was very familiar to Ichigo. He'd seen it every time he defeated his hollow before. Then there was a wild howl and his eyes widened before he had to fend off an enraged Grimmjow.

"Kurosaki! I'm gonna – fuck!" The arrancar swore violently as there was a flash of dark light around him. Zangetsu abruptly reappeared and intervened, knocking Ichigo away and taking on the ex-Espada himself. "Get out of the way old man!"

"No. You are not thinking clearly. Ichigo did what was necessary." Zangetsu told him and the arrancar snarled, a vicious, primitive sound. But he stepped back, his jaw muscles rippling as he reined in his temper. Ichigo was surprised. He'd expected the arrancar to keep attacking. "He will be back." That made Grimmjow look at him sharply, as if it might be a joke. But then he seemed to realize the zanpakuto was serious.

"What the fuck are you talking about? That fucker killed Muramasa, and Akiyo was in there!" Grimmjow said and Ichigo desperately wanted to ask what was going on, how Grimmjow had gotten in here and why he cared about his inner hollow. But this definitely wasn't the right time for that.

"Akiyo is part of Ichigo's power, just as I am. When he is defeated by Ichigo he is unconscious for a time, but then he will return." Zangetsu assured the arrancar. Grimmjow grunted, sheathing his sword.

"You better be right or I'm making this little bastards life a living hell." He said sourly and Ichigo scowled.

"What the hell are you doing here, Grimmjow? And why didn't you tell me about this, jii-san?" He couldn't help but feel betrayed. Zangetsu had been keeping secrets from him? He'd never have believed it if the evidence weren't right in front of him. The zanpakuto and arrancar both looked at him.

"Your hollow ate me, dumbass." Grimmjow said and Ichigo's eyes widened as he went pale. Ate him? "And he devoured most of the souls that made up my body, but he kept me around as a playmate. Poor bastard was so lonely he was almost ready to howl at the moon." Zangetsu nodded and Ichigo tried to wrap his mind around that. His inner hollow had been lonely?

"Your inner hollow has needs I cannot fill, needs this world cannot fill. It is why he was so determined to defeat you, Ichigo." Zangetsu said as the teen frowned at him. "As for why I did not tell you, I feared you would do something rash. And there was no harm in it. Quite the opposite, in fact. Akiyo has not been challenging you as much as he could." That made him frown harder, but then Ichigo nodded reluctantly. He'd noticed that his hollow seemed oddly quiet and passive lately. Apparently, he'd been distracted.

"Well, I'm not having you staying in my world forever. And Nel really wants to see you. I'll talk to Urahara –" Then Grimmjow burst into laughter and Ichigo blinked. "Grimmjow?"

"Too fucking late, Kurosaki. I just bonded with your power." The arrancar said with a grin and Ichigo stared at him, feeling his heart drop. "I'm part of you now. Too bad, so sad, I'm gonna be bothering the shit out of you now!" Ichigo glanced at Zangetsu, but the zanpakuto just shrugged. "You better hope Akiyo gets back soon or you're gonna be wishing you were dead."

"Great. Just… great." Ichigo said, rubbing his head for a moment and wondering if he could kill Grimmjow like he had Muramasa. If the hollow was correct, he'd come back too… but hopefully not before Akiyo came back. But he couldn't stomach the thought and someone was calling him. Yuzu? It was probably time for supper. "We'll discuss this later." He said before turning his attention outwards. He was going to talk to Urahara soon, no matter what Grimmjow said.

He didn't trust the arrancar in his mind.