YES it has been a while! But I hope this chapter makes up for it! So sorry about the lack of sex atm! But we'll get to ALL of it in the next chappies XD

'Grimmjow…Grim-jow…GRIMMJOW!'

'Whaat?'

Ichigo glared at the Espada now brooding in a corner while angrily eying the monstrosity of a panther currently "grooming" Ichigo. Though basically all Pantera was doing was drowning Ichigo in her tongue. He was already starting to smell like cat food. He didn't know why. Pantera had no access to it if she lived in this desert-like inner world.

'For fuck's sake, do something!' Ichigo hissed before he was attacked once more by the humongous, scratchy pink tongue. He wrinkled his nose. Oh Kami, she licked his face this time.

'Sorry, I ain't got a fucking ball of yarn at the moment,' Grimmjow growled and gathered his knees in his arms. He then rested his chin on his folded arms and gazed at Pantera. The giant feline stopped in her actions and gazed back, her eyes narrowing.

'What are you looking at, mongrel?' she asked delicately. Grimmjow bared his teeth angrily.

'I ain't the one with fur all over my body,' he leered. 'I was just wondering why you never revealed yourself to me before.'

'Is someone jealous?' Pantera yawned, the hint of a smirk on her face.

'Don't fucking flatter yourself.'

'Language,' she tutted and drew her paws closer when she noticed Ichigo trying to escape. She gave him a stern look and, grumbling, he settled once again with his arms crossed like a huffy child. 'I do believe you answered your own question before, Grimmjow Jaeguerjacques. I was always a part of you. Never a separate entity while I resided inside you. Hence it was always pointless to hope to be a separate being.'

'But you had your chances!' he argued and stood up, hands curled into fists at his sides. 'Why didn't you?'

'As I said previously, it was pointless. You are a rude, destructive, and stubborn fool. We would have been arguing all the time and what good would that have been?'

'I guess you're-Hey! I'm not rude! I can be a nice guy! I listen to other people! Hey, berry, tell this overgrown housecat how fucking polite I can be!'

'Oh yeah, a real gentleman,' Ichigo replied sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. He should carry a bunch of knives just to nail the annoying Espada every time he called him "berry".

'You heard that?' Grimmjow said indignantly.

'You bully Ichigo,' Pantera pointed out and stood up to stretch her enormous body. 'It just proves my point.'

'Shut the fuck up,' Grimmjow growled. 'You could but you didn't. You despised the way I did things and hence you refused to show yourself. You denied me powers which could have made me the Primera Espada! You're nothing but a-!'

'Grimmjow,' Pantera interrupted softly, tilting her head to one side. 'Were you lonely?'

Grimmjow's jaw dropped. His face tinged deep rouge and all he could utter were incomprehensible syllables. Normally, Ichigo would be laughing his head off at a stupefied Grimmjow. This time, however, Pantera's words made him think and realize that perhaps the feline was speaking the truth.

Grimmjow had no one to trust, no one to share anything with, and no one he could truly open up to. Now he had to share his powers, his thoughts and his wishes with Ichigo if he wanted to be acknowledged. Not only that. He had to share something he never had before and he was reluctant to do it.

Ichigo turned a deep shade of red as he admitted what was that one thing Grimmjow had to share. It was embarrassing, thinking of himself as a possession but he had to remember that it was how Grimmjow saw him. As furious as it made him, Grimmjow was nothing but a spoilt child. He hated to share and be told what to do. It was why he acted so impossible with Ichigo. If they wished to co-operate, one of them had to try and compromise.

But did Ichigo really want to be seen as a toy?

He shook his head to come back to the present. Though he had conveniently zoned in when Grimmjow said a particularly rude word to Pantera causing said feline to bare her fangs and crouched low as she prepared to pounce on the poor Arrancar.

'Enough!' Ichigo commanded angrily. Pantera immediately retracted her claws and sat docilely on her haunches, watching Ichigo attentively. Grimmjow, on the other hand, kept his fighting stance, nostrils flaring and eyes darting from Ichigo to Pantera rapidly.

'Knock it off, Grimmjow,' Ichigo snapped, his eyes blazing as he looked at the Espada. Grimmjow sneered but lowered his fists. 'Stop picking on Pantera! And stop blaming her for abandoning you or whatever you're pissed off about! Look, even with me, Zangetsu and Shirosaki showed themselves to me on their own accord. I never forced them to come out! Hell, I never knew they even existed inside me!'

'And now it seems one of them exists outside you,' Grimmjow leered, just wanting to snap at the orange-haired teen. Ichigo just rolled his eyes and ignored him.

'Oh, so Shirosaki is human now?' Pantera remarked in mild interest. She licked a paw and used it to clean behind her ears. 'I'm not surprised. His reiatsu is as strong as Ichigo's and had the capability of surviving as a distinct person.'

Grimmjow and Ichigo stared at the zanpaktou spirit in surprise.

'Wait…' Grimmjow said slowly.

'You know why Shiro is in the human world?' Ichigo asked incredulously.

'Of course,' Pantera replied matter-of-factly. 'I may be a cat but I do know things! After all, a cat is a lion's mother!'

'The fuck?' Grimmjow said in confusion.

'Never mind that,' Ichigo said hastily. 'Can you please explain it…uh…Miss Pantera?'

'It is Mrs. but I do enjoy being considered young,' Pantera answered pleasantly and rolled her shoulder to get relaxed. 'Well, some spirits, be they zanpaktous or Hollows at one point, can be incredibly powerful, some even more than their wielders. In your case, Ichigo, your Hollow is as powerful as you. So when that happens and for some inexcusable reason, the spirit is separated from their owner, they take on a life of their own. They become an entirely new being; new life, new memories, new personality at times. Hence that is why Shiro exists in the human world right now. He knows nothing about you, or Soul Society or anything that happened to you the past year. All he knows is that he is a boy who goes to school and has a fairly normal life.'

'Never heard that before,' Grimmjow whistled, seeming to have forgotten his previous urge to rip the feline apart.

'So,' Ichigo said slowly, 'Shiro doesn't remember anything?'

'That is correct,' Pantera answered.

'That's…a lot to forget. I mean, last year was just crazy. How could he forget everything?'

'Ain't it like, what do ya humans call it,' Grimmjow tried to explain while wrinkling his nose. 'Ambresia?'

'Amnesia,' Pantera corrected. 'And yes, you're right, Grimmjow, it is like that. And just like amnesia, though it seems like all those memories are gone, they are actually just locked away in some part of brain and the person just cannot access them.'

'So he hasn't forgotten everything?' Ichigo asked in surprise.

'Not entirely. Unless you can give him one good trigger that will unlock those memories, then his past life will be lost forever.'

'What kind of trigger?' Ichigo demanded.

'Why do you care so much?' Grimmjow growled.

'For each person, the trigger is different,' Pantera commented. 'That is as far as I can help you, Ichigo. I do not know much about your Hollow so I cannot provide any more useful information. I am sorry.'

'Guess I can work with that,' Ichigo sighed, shrugging his shoulders.

'No, you're not,' Grimmjow cut in coldly. Ichigo glared at him.

'Why are you upset?' he snapped. 'He's my Hollow! Let me handle him!'

'He's not part of you anymore so why do you care?' Grimmjow demanded. Ichigo narrowed his eyes, walking up to Grimmjow so that he right in his face. Though he was a hell of a lot shorter than the Espada, he mustered all his confidence and dedication in his eyes so that the Espada could feel his strength in them.

'Sometimes, life doesn't revolve around ourselves, Grimmjow,' he said slowly but decisively. Grimmjow stayed silent but he did scowl. 'We're leaving now. Thanks…uh…Mrs. Pantera.'

'You may call me Pantera as well, Ichigo,' the giant feline purred. 'And do not forget, we meet here again tomorrow around the same time for training.'

'Training?' Ichigo frowned.

'Urahara can only do so much,' Pantera explained. 'Hence the point of having you contact me is so that I can help train you. Since I am your new zanpaktou spirit and Grimmjow is your new Hollow.'

Grimmjow just scoffed and turned away, refusing to associate with either of them.

'So what are you going to do once you get back, hm, Ichigo?' Pantera queried curiously. Though the look in her eyes seemed to suggest that she already knew what he was going to do.

'Try to bring back Shiro's memories,' Ichigo said firmly. 'Maybe even ask Urahara for some help. I'm just going to do everything I can to get his memories back.'

'You care so much for your Hollow,' Pantera continued. Her eyes flicked momentarily on Grimmjow's back. 'Is there a reason?'

Ichigo clenched a hand over his chest.

'Last time I talked to him, when he was an amalgamation with Zangetsu,' Ichigo murmured. 'He said that he wanted to protect me. And despite all the horrible things he has done, he has never failed to lend his powers to help me save my friends, even though he never wanted to. He was-he is my friend as well. And I can't bear knowing that he has forgotten everything we have been through. And…I'm afraid that it might hurt him…I don't know why…'

'I understand,' Pantera said quietly, nodding her head. She noticed how Grimmjow's shoulders were less tense now and it looked like he was listening even though he probably didn't want to. 'Losing memories can be damaging for Hollows. It can eat them up from the inside. And without the memories of how to control his reiatsu, he can attract a lot of Hollows which will devour him. You need to save him, Ichigo. Good luck.'

'Thank you.' Pause. 'Ummm, do you know how I can go back?'

'Oh! That's simple! Just close your eyes!'

'Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

'That's it?'

'Well, what were you expecting? Rocket shoes?'

'I can see where Grimmjow gets his humor,' Ichigo muttered and closed his eyes, feeling very stupid.

Suddenly, he felt something plunge in the middle of his stomach and he was being sucked into it. He gasped sharply before he twisted out of view. After a moment, Grimmjow plopped down cross-legged on the sandy dunes while Pantera groomed herself behind him.

'You had better not hurt our new Master, Grimmjow,' Pantera remarked.

'He's not my Master,' Grimmjow growled. After a pause, he added, 'And I won't hurt him.'

'I know,' Pantera murmured, a smirk curving on her lips. 'But just to let you know, if you ever do, I will rip you to shreds.'

Grimmjow couldn't help the grin now forming on his face.

'I'll take you for your word,' he purred.

'Wha-!' Ichigo gasped as he stumbled into the training arena. He looked about, realizing he was back in the human world. 'Hey! Urahara! Where are you? I got a-!'

Urahara suddenly appeared from behind a giant boulder, hastily tucking his shirt in and covering his shirt. Panting, he fixed his hat and pulled out his fan to fan himself intensely.

'Ichigo!' he said breathlessly. 'You're…you're back early!'

'Uh,' Ichigo uttered in confusion. 'Yeah…Pantera, Grimmjow and I just talked. Listen, I wanted to tell you about something I saw last night! It's about Shirosaki! My inner Hollow before Grimmjow!'

As Ichigo explained, Urahara raised an eyebrow and stopped fanning himself. He stroked his chin in thought once Ichigo was done.

'What do you make of it, Urahara?' Ichigo asked curiously.

'So,' Urahara mused. 'He used the old "I can't find my phone" to get your number, huh? That's pretty clever!'

'Oh, for fuck's sake!' Ichigo groaned and smacked his forehead. 'Can you even think of anything that isn't perverted?'

'With me around, do you really think that is possible?' Yoruichi remarked as she walked out from behind the same boulder. Completely naked. Ichigo's eyes widened before he turned bright red and immediately slapped his hands over his eyes.

'Can you put some fucking clothes on, you nymphomaniac?' he shrieked angrily while glaring at Urahara from between his fingers. The storeowner just grinned goofily and shrugged.

'You're such a virgin, Ichigo,' Yoruichi sighed, waving her hand at Ichigo as if waving away a fly. Then she smirked knowingly. 'On second thought, I don't think I can use that phrase with you anymore.'

Ichigo turned a deeper shade of red.

'Oh, she's good,' Grimmjow muttered in awe.

'Who asked you?' Ichigo jeered.

'So about your Hollow,' Yoruichi uttered while crossing her arms over her boobs. 'Ichigo, you need to bring him back here as soon as you can! We don't know if he might still be connected you and could probably harm you in some way!'

'Harm me?' Ichigo repeated in surprise. 'How can he harm me? He doesn't even remember me!'

'Rapists often don't know the names of their victims,' Grimmjow added.

'Just stay out of this, will you?' Ichigo growled.

'This is something completely new to all of us, Ichigo,' Yoruichi said darkly. 'We don't know what might happen with your old Hollow on the loose. It can be good but it can also be bad. You need to bring him here. That is final.'

'You know it's kinda hard to take her seriously when she's not wearing anything,' Grimmjow sighed.

Ichigo was about to argue but stops himself.

'You know what, you're right,' Ichigo muttered.

'Ichigo? Are you even listening?' Yoruichi asked and shunpoed right in front of, leaning so close her boobs are almost pressing against his chest. Ichigo sputtered and stumbled away while squeezing his eyes shut.

'FOR THE LAST FUCKING TIME, YORUICHI, PUT SOME FUCKING CLOTHES ON!' Ichigo yelled.

'But we're not done yet!'

'SHUT THE FUCK UP, URAHARA!'

'Touch-y.'

'You know I'm kinda surprised you actually called,' Shiro mused as he folded his arms behind his head like a cradle as the two walked. A couple of kids ran past them towards the merry-go-round while giggling madly. 'If I didn't know any better I'd think I won you over with my irresistible charm.'

'Please, don't flatter yourself,' Ichigo snorted and avoided getting smacked by a balloon toddling child. Screams of people riding the amusement park roller coaster resonated in the air. Then again, it melded in with the chatters and laughs of the crowds milling through the park so the screams were practically inaudible. 'And besides, I don't swing that way.'

He heard someone growl clearly and swiveled his head around, wondering where it was coming from. Then he realized it was Grimmjow simmering away in his head.

'What?' he snapped at the moody Arrancar.

'Fuck off,' he snarled.

'Fine.' Ichigo wasn't in the mood to argue anyway. When he pulled out, he realized that Shiro was looking slyly at him. 'Uh, what?'

'Well, you just said that you don't swing that way,' the albino remarked casually, stretching his arms out. 'But you've never tried so how would you know?'

'I…I may have…' Ichigo stuttered, not knowing how to answer that. Even Grimmjow was speechless. Or maybe he was still too pissed at Ichigo to care. 'I've got…experience…'

'Oho!' Shiro exclaimed gleefully, his gold eyes glittering as he now faced Ichigo fully, blocking his path and coming too close for comfort. Ichigo could feel the albino's denim jacket feathering across his black graphic tee. 'And you still think you don't swing that way? You're a tough one to please! Is that it? Your bedmate couldn't turn you on or something?'

'Kami, this guy's got no filter in his brain,' Ichigo realized in shock.

'I don't mind doing that for him,' Grimmjow suddenly growled. Ichigo felt his body heating and he realized it was Grimmjow's anger dissipating throughout his body. He took a step away from Shiro, hoping to Kami that he wouldn't sense how much Ichigo was burning up.

'Hey,' Shiro said quickly and grabbed Ichigo's hand to stop him from walking away any further. 'Look, sorry if I came over as too forward! I didn't mean to freak you out! I'm kinda…' now the albino's cheeks were flushing, '…I think you're real cute and when I see something I like, I go for it. I don't mean that you're something I want to own! I just want to get to know you and I want you to get to know, well, me for me.'

'Oh, uh…'

Ichigo felt like his tongue was too thick for his mouth. He just couldn't get beyond stuttering and single syllable words. He was feeling incredibly uncomfortable around Shiro because he had not been expecting a confession like that out of the blue. When he had called the albino, all he had been planning to do was invite him to Urahara's shop and that was it. He had not expected the albino to blackmail him into going with him to an amusement park otherwise Shiro would refuse to meet with Ichigo at all.

So technically, Ichigo didn't have a choice and Grimmjow had been no help because he refused to say anything up until now. He hated the fact that the albino was getting so cozy with Ichigo. Scratch "hated" he was pissed. But this was important. Ichigo needed to do this. Why couldn't Grimmjow just understand?

'Wait, are you committed?' Shiro said suddenly, releasing Ichigo's hand to look at him in incredulity.

'Huh?' Ichigo's mind reeled for a second. He couldn't even hear Grimmjow. He needed to answer Shiro quickly otherwise he'd just look stupid. 'I…I don't know if I am…'

Wow. Grimmjow must be boiling right now. It was a surprise Ichigo was not sweating bullets.

'You mean you two are on a break?' Shiro added helpfully though he maintained his distance.

'Whatever we are it is none of your damn business,' Grimmjow snapped.

'Sort of,' Ichigo said quickly, scowling inwardly. Since when were he and Grimmjow in a relationship? And if so, since when did Grimmjow get to speak for both of them?

'What the fuck did you say, Shinigami?' Grimmjow said incredulously.

'Ohhh,' Shiro's eyes widened in realization. 'Is he being clingy or something? You need to breathe, have your own space kinda thing?'

'Wow, he's good,' Ichigo thought in slight admiration.

'No, he isn't!' Grimmjow snapped. 'You're going to fucking turn around and walk away! You hear me, Shinigami! Walk awa-!'

'You have no idea how clingy,' Ichigo replied to Shiro smoothly, getting his mojo back. His heart was no longer racing and his mind was not a muddled mess. He was getting his grip back on this situation.

Shiro scrunched his nose in thought and mussed up his hair from the back. Ichigo couldn't help thinking how it made him look really cute. Hearing Grimmjow growl in the background showed that the Espada had heard that musing and was plenty pissed now. Though Ichigo was far from caring now. If Grimmjow was going to be difficult, then who was to say Ichigo had to be the patient one.

'Well, I don't want to get in the way of both you,' Shiro murmured. Then he eyed Ichigo. 'Plus it's kinda fucking weird that I'm on a date with someone who looks like me.'

'Good. So fuck off,' Grimmjow hissed.

'However,' Shiro stressed, his smirk returning bolder and larger than before. 'I can't leave a poor desolate all alone and crestfallen. I shall take the responsibility of lifting your broken spirit and remind you how much fun it can be to be single and available!'

Ichigo blinked in surprise.

'Come again?' he said dumbly. Sighing, Shiro grabbed Ichigo's hand once more and began to drag him through the crowds of people.

'I'm gonna show you a good time, Ichigo,' he answered, once they were out of crowd and standing in line to some ride. He turned to smile brightly at the stunned teen. ''Cause you're a good guy and you deserve it.'

Ichigo raised his eyebrows. Sometimes, he couldn't believe that this was his Hollow. His attitude was brash and vulgar but then would immediately be kind and gentle. Ichigo didn't know if it was normal or just Shiro being Shiro. Yet, it gave him a warm feeling. It felt nice to get to know Shiro. He never knew there was such a side to the cruel Hollow he used to know.

'Thanks, Shiro,' he remarked warmly.

Grimmjow was silent.

'Fucking hell, my skin still has goosebumps!' Shiro gasped as he leaned against the fence surrounding Ichigo's home.

'That was one epic roller coaster ride!' Ichigo agreed, his heart still racing.

It was sunset and the two had knackered themselves out at the theme park, going on every ride twice and thrice on the roller coaster because their adrenaline addiction simply demanded it. Ichigo was shocked to admit it but today had been spectacular and he was just mad that Shiro had to go home quickly otherwise his roommate would get pissed at him for being out all night.

'He's overprotective like that,' Shiro had sighed as they had left the amusement park. 'I'll introduce you two sometime. He can be pretty decent when he wants to be.'

'Ichigo?' Shiro sighed, looking up at the heavenly painted sky spread out over them.

'Hm?'

'Fuck you.'

'Huh?'

'You just had to be fucking committed! I feel like I've found my fucking soul mate and he just happens to belong to someone else! So fuck. You.'

'Chee, thanks,' Ichigo said sardonically. His thoughts began to wander on Grimmjow immediately.

The Espada hadn't said a single word while he had been hopping about the park with Shiro. Had he been simmering away, refusing to speak and brooding like a spoiled child? Grimmjow tended to do that a lot. Though this time, he was unusually silent and it worried Ichigo. He was sorely tempted to peek into his mind and try to find the Arrancar. Though Shiro started talking again and he had to concentrate on that instead.

'So just a question,' Shiro hummed. 'If you weren't committing, you think you would…I don't know…go for me if I asked you out?'

Ichigo grinned as he saw the albino pink again. The shade looked so lovely on his pale skin, making it stand out like icing on a frosted cake. Ichigo almost felt like licking it off.

He froze. Did he just want to lick Shiro's face? Was he actually thinking of coming onto the albino? Wait, there was something wrong about that urge! So, so wrong.

'Oh, um, well, we're gonna need to go on more than one date before I can answer that one, Shiro,' Ichigo coughed and pretended to look up at the sky. When the albino didn't reply, he looked in the teen's direction and was surprised to see the albino smirking knowingly.

'What?' Ichigo said hastily. Did he say something wrong?

'You just admitted this was a date,' Shiro teased and pushed off the fence to face Ichigo. He leaned close, placing his hands on either side of Ichigo's head on the wooden fence, leaning in close.

'I didn't say that!' Ichigo shot at him, brows furrowing. His heart was racing again and this time, it wasn't because of the roller coaster.

'You implied it,' Shiro continued in his sultry voice. 'So does this mean we can go on another since you enjoyed yourself so much?'

'I'll…I'll need to think about it,' Ichigo stammered, one hand on Shiro's chest to push him off he tried anything funny. Though Ichigo felt his body would betray him and let Shiro do whatever the hell he wanted. Thing was, what did Shiro want to do to him right about now?

'I got all the time, Ichi,' he purred, leaning in closer. Ichigo could now smell his cologne; oddly lemony with a touch of wild grass. Very…robust. Kami, why was it so hot all of a sudden?

'I don't think we've reached the point where you can call me "Ichi-!' Ichigo began but was quickly cut off as Shiro smashed their lips together.

Ichigo's eyes widened as Shiro snaked an arm around his slim waist, dragging his body closer so that their body heat just melded into one column of passion. Shiro pressed his mouth even more against Ichigo's licking at his lip parting again and again, begging to be allowed to explore Ichigo's mouth. Ichigo was too shocked to do anything. His body was frozen was Shiro grinded away at him, one arm firmly entwined around his body and the other slowly caressing the side of his waist. Now that same hand was slithering up his back, down his back, fingering his jean waistband before sliding lower, lower, over his ass…

That's when Ichigo snapped and shoved Shiro away. Hard. The albino stumbled, out of breath, but managed to regain his balance to stare at Ichigo through lidded eyes. Clearly, he was turned on by that kiss. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened, his golden eyes like two medallions.

'Holy shit,' he breathed.

'You got that right,' rasped a voice to Ichigo's left. Ichigo turned to that side and inhaled sharply. Grimmjow was leaning against the fence, casual as hell, though his eyes were speaking on a different level. Make that a different level of hell. The worst one.

'Grimm-' Ichigo started.

'Fuck it,' Grimmjow said icily, grabbing Ichigo by the forearm. 'We got some talking to do, Ichigo.'

Without waiting for Ichigo to say a word, Grimmjow sonidoed them away from there.

Oh! And the "Cat is a lion's mother" is a saying in my native language but it basically means that just because someone seems inexperienced or incapable doesn't mean you should underestimate them! It's based on a story where the cat teaches the lion all the tricks in the cat book and the lion, thinking it can outsmart the cat, tries to eat her but then the cat climbs up a tree and the lion can't reach her because the cat never taught the lion that trick! Angry, the lion asks why didn't the cat teach him that trick. The cat smiles and says if she did, then she wouldn't be alive right now :)

Hope you guys enjoyed the story! I mean, the one I wrote XD