Chapter Three

A.N. Hey guys! Been a while. (not)

So, I had this little idea. To help feed my muse, I was wondering if you, my lovely readers, would play a little "what happens next" game.

You tell me how you think the evens of this story would effect the actual story. What would change? What would stay the same? It's a pretty big change if Ichigo finds out who Zangetsu really is this early.

It could drastically change the Arrancar Arc, and pretty much everything after.

Tell me. You're thoughts might just end up in this fic. *wink* *wink*

Also, when you review, can you pretty please say more than just "nice story"? I love reviews, but I love getting criticism more. Give me some real feedback, even if it's only quoting your favorite line. "Nice story" helps with my self confidence in this story, but doesn't tell me what's nice about it.

Anyway, on to the story!

Zangetsu lay on his back within his skyscraper world. His gold on black eyes watched the clouds above him lazily. At least it wasn't raining.

He hated the rain.

The sword idly traced patters on the window below him with a finger. He was bored.

Bored bored bored bored BORED!

A sudden boom of reiatsu shook him from his melancholy. His eyes narrowed as an insane grin broke across his face.

"Finally."

With ease, Zangetsu entered Ichigo's consciousness to see what was going on. What he saw made his chest seize and his blood burn like ice.

Through Ichigo's eyes, the sword saw the beasts that stood before him. He felt their overwhelming reiatsu. Sensed thier power.

'Arrancar.'

Zangetsu's hands clenched into fists. His instincts screamed at him to destroy these invaders. They posed a threat to his King and Kingdom. From the corner of his eyes he saw Tatsuki sprawled on the ground, body laced with injuries. By her lay Chad and Inoue in a similar state.

Zangetsu felt his body move as the King attacked. It was always a weird feeling, when Ichigo was in control and Zangetsu a mere passenger. Ichigo of course couldn't sense him when he piggybacked. Otherwise, Zangetsu would be thrown out back into the sideways world.

The zanpakuto watched with great satisfaction when Ichigo cut off the brutish arrancar's arm. He couldn't help a crazed laugh that echoed in their shared mind.

Zangetsu immediately regretted it.

The noise made Ichigo freeze in his battle, causing him a devastating hit from the beast. Zangetsu felt the King's ribs shatter. Felt his spine twist and his lungs puncture. As they crashed into the ground, he felt the concussion.

He knew they were in trouble.

As the arrancar approached, Zangetsu's protective instincts flared. Without thinking, he took over Ichigo's body. He would not let his wielder be killed.

He felt as his hollow mask began forming on his face. Felt the bubbling flesh heal his wounds. Heard the ribs snap back into place.

A grin spread across Zangetsu's face as he slowly lifted himself up. A wicked chuckle escaped him then slowly evolved into an insane cackle.

Slowly he tilted his head to the side. His gold on black eyes flashed as he took in the surprised expression of both arrancars, one's shock more obvious than the other.

He continued to laugh as he lifted his sword to point at the brute's chest.

Zangetsu paused for a moment when he felt Ichigo desperately clawing for control. His hand moved on its own accord to grasp his mask.

"What are you doing?!" Zangetsu shrieked, trying to pry the hand off.

"Give me back my body!"

"No! Ya were gonna die if I hadn't stepped in!"

"This is my fight! Get out!"

With that, Zangetsu was firmly shoved back into his hated sideways world as the mask crumbled.

The sword lay on his back, his body aching. He let his head fall back on the glass with a 'thump'.

"Damnit..."

The battle ended when Kisuke and Yoruichi arrived. Ichigo had been thoroughly beaten, thanks to his stubbornness and not letting Zangetsu help. The sword didn't exactly blame him. The boy though he was a hollowfied monster that wanted to take over his soul.

That was why Zangetsu was curled up in anguish, hiding within a small room inside one of the many skyscrapers. He quivered as Ichigo's hate for him coursing through his soul. A shinigami wasn't meant to hate their zanpakuto. When they did, it caused great pain to both parties, but the sword spirit usually took the blunt of it.

Zangetsu cried out, clawing at his chest. Ichigo's thoughts echoed in his mind

"Monster"

"-might hurt them-"

"-can't let it take control-"

"-have to get ride of it-"

"-those Visord people-"

"-kill it-"

Zangetsu shrieked, the sound eerily similar to that of a true hollow. Panic built up in his gut. Ichigo... Ichigo wanted to kill him?

He began to hyperventilate. His shoulders shook with fear and pain. This was wrong. Wrong wrong wrong WRONG!

Sweat dripped from Zangetsu's brow as his panic attack increased in intensity. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes but he was past caring.

Ichigo wanted him dead. He feared him. Hated him.

Hated him... hated...

His body began to spasm as he felt the silver ribbon tying him to his wielder fray at the edges.

If it broke...

Curled up in a ball, back pressed against the wall of the small room, Zangetsu hardly noticed as the mask began to form on his face. Hardly noticed as the usually small hollow hole below his collar bone began to grow.

It was only until the anger flooded him that he realized he was loosing it.

As the sudden bloodlust filled him, the need for someone to pay, he hardly cared that he was turning into the exact monster that Ichigo feared.

His golden eyes flashing with unbridled hatred, he stood in a flash and burnt from the room in which he hid.

His lips pulled back in a half insane snarl, the pain in his chest spurring him on.

Like a demon from hell, he made for that damn flagpole. That damn damned damned man. It was all his fucking fault!

And he would pay!

"Tensa!" Zangetsu roared. With a sound like a sonic boom, the sword slammed into the other spirit, his hand constricting tightly around quincy's neck.

Zangetsu pinned the other spirit against on the the many skyscrapers. The impact made a massive crater in the glass and metal.

Tensa looked at the zanpakuto unemotionally.

The hollow snarled, his gold eyes burning. "You bastard! You fucking bastard!" His fist tightened around the spirit's pale neck. Tensa's eyes widened fractionally. He made to speak, but only managed a strangled croak.

"I am done, Tensa! I am fucking done!" He roared. "I'm sick of pretending I'm something I'm not! I'm sick of lying to him. I'm a zanpakuto damnit! And my own wielder doesn't even trust me because he think's I'm a mindless fucking hollow!"

"Zan...get...su..."

The sword's hand squeezed so hard that Tensa's spine began to creak. Blood started to drip from the corner of the old man's mouth.

"No! No! You shut up. You have no right!" He flung the other spirit away like he was nothing. Tensa crashed into the ground and rolled several dozen yards. Zangetsu turned and stalked after him, his horned hollow mask spreading even farther across his face. "I am done with you taking my place. King almost died today. Died! And there was nothing I could do, be cause he didn't fucking trust me!" He unleashed his true blade, a massive white cleaver with a hollow middle. "It's you fault!"

Tensa pushed himself to his knees, panting. "You... are being rash... You're letting... your emotions... get the best... of you."

Zangetsu laughed. "I'm letting my emotions control me? Of course I fucking am! I'm a fucking hollow, aren't I? That's what we fucking do!"

He swung his sword at the quincy, but Tensa managed to roll away at the last second. "Stop this, Zangetsu..."

"No! I won't stop! I won't fucking stop!" The hollow roared. "He is my wielder! You took him from me! He think's I'm a monster! I'm not monster!"

Tensa managed to get up. He pooled as much energy into himself as he could and unleashed it from his fingers. The blast hit Zangetsu's sword hand, burning it to a chard.

Zangetsu shrieked and dropped his sword. In a flash, Tensa picked up the blade and backed away, absently rubbing his now heavily bruised throat.

Zangetsu didn't seem to notice. Massive waves of black and red reiatsu flooded around him as he fell to his knees.

"I'm not a monster... I'm not... not a monster... I'm not a monster... I'm not..." He murmured. His voice sounded so broken. Tears pricked at the corner of his eyes but didn't fall. His breathing became shallow, his heartbeat rising.

After several moments, Tensa felt the spirit had calmed down enough to approach. "No, you are not."

Zangetsu tensed, but didn't look up. When he didn't answer, Tensa continued. "I'm sorry." He said quietly. "Perhaps it is time Ichigo knew..."

Zangetsu's head shot up, eyes widening then narrowing. "As if he'll except me." He spat. "He think's you're Zangetsu..." His laugh lacked all humor. "He hates me."

"we could change that." Tensa murmured. He gazed at his fellow soul sadly. "He would be more likely to believe me. Prove to him with your actions that you're truly his ally. I will help you and do all I can."

He sighed. "I did not wish this either. But this is how it is, and all we can do is make the best of it. But it is high time he knew."

Zangetsu took a shaky breath. "I just don't want him to think of me as a monster anymore. I want my wielder back. My partner. We're meant to work together. To have a bond stronger than anything else. I want that so bad."

"And you will. I swear you will."

A.N. So that was intense. Sorry for the angst fest, but it needed to happen. I always imagined that Ichigo's lack of trust in Zangetsu would be painful.

I mean, he's part of Ichigo's soul for crying out loud! It's suck if you hated part of your own soul.

Also, I imagine Zangetsu's accent would fade some when he's upset. The accent is kinda there when he's calm and gets stronger whenever he's excited (i.e. fighting) It's a representation of his personality, as he's usually a pretty chill, if insane, guy. The way he talks reflects that. But when his emotions get stronger he no longer had that chill.

And sorry for the Tensa bashing if any of you are hardcore Old Man Zangetsu fans.

Least you guys got some action right?

I'm gonna go hide in a hole now...