"Ichigo," came Isshin's growl.

One brown eye opened.

"Come with me. Quickly."

Ichigo blinked at his father's seriousness and slowly nodded. He slid out of bed and followed his father down the hall. Ichigo stopped when they reached the front door of the Kuchiki manor.

"What's wrong?" Isshin asked, turning around to face his son.

Ichigo scowled. "Aren't we not supposed to leave the manor?"

"There was an explosion at Division 12 earlier this morning. I think this qualifies as an exception."

"An explosion? How come I wasn't woken up earlier?" Ichigo asked as he followed behind Isshin closely. Ichigo glanced at the sky. The sun was just above his head. He'd slept in until 12, or maybe even later, but for some reason Ichigo still felt unrested. Ichigo shook his head to clear his thoughts. He quickened his pace to keep up with his father. They stayed low, taking unpopular routes to avoid walking into any high-ranking Shinigami.

Isshin scowled, "I would have gotten you sooner, Ichigo, but I just found out about it myself."

They leapt over a wall with a plaque reading 'Division 12 Research Facility'.

"Kisuke sent me a message telling me to come quickly. I figured you would want to know too so I woke you up instantly. Whatever Kisuke has to say, it sounds urgent."

Ichigo smiled and nodded. Even though it was his father's secrecy that got them both into this mess, Ichigo felt closer to his father, more so than he ever had before. They entered a square, white building, and darkness immediately enveloped them. Besides the humming of machines, the room was completely silent.

"Isshin," came Kisuke's hushed call, "this way!"

They met with Kisuke next to a large tank. Mayuri was there as well. Kisuke seemed to ignore Ichigo while Mayuri eyed him suspiciously. Ichigo looked away, unsettled by such unwanted attention.

Kisuke held up the end of a long row of papers making their way out of a printer. Ichigo found the printer to be attached to a large, bubbling tank. "That's. . . strange," Kisuke murmured.

"What is it?" Ichigo questioned.

Kisuke looked at Ichigo, blinked, then nodded at Mayuri. Mayuri spun around in his seat to face a keyboard and started frantically typing away.

Kisuke huffed. "I'm sure your father told you about the accident. Fortunately, Mayuri keeps copies of his equipment in this storage facility. We spent the better part of the morning collecting samples from the explosion. I waited until the tests were nearly complete to call for your father. I'm running a scan on Spiritual Pressure in the area of the explosion. The Soul Society thinks it was a malfunction which caused the explosion but I'm not convinced. I think that sabotage destroyed Mayuri's-"

Mayuri cleared his throat.

Kisuke sighed, "I think that sabotage destroyed Captain Kurotsuchi's research facility. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Jinsei or Hayami who destroyed the original testing of the samples I got from you and Rukia, Ichigo. Which reminds me, I'll have to take more samples later, if that's alright?"

Ichigo nodded and took a step closer to Kisuke, trying to read what was in the man's hands, but Kisuke swiftly turned them away. Ichigo frowned. He wasn't one to make assumptions, but it felt like Kisuke was hiding the test results from him. "So, do you know who sabotaged the original tests?"

"I… don't," Kisuke admitted with a sigh. "These results are faulty and confusing."

"How so?" Ichigo asked.

His question was cut off as Mayuri scoffed. He glared at Kisuke over his shoulder, "Have the printer send me a digital copy of the results! You're clearly using the program incorrectly."

Kisuke shrugged and folded up the papers in his hands. He turned back to the machine and tapped the screen. He then flicked his wrist and the files moved from his screen across the room to Mayuri's.

Ichigo blinked and stared across the room. He couldn't quite see what Mayuri was doing from where he was standing, since Kisuke was in the way, but the man seemed intrigued by the sounds of his 'oo' and 'aa's. Ichigo turned back to Kisuke with a curious look.

A minute later, the analysis was complete. Mayuri released a soft 'hmm' as he leaned back in his seat.

"What is it?" Kisuke hopped over, leaving Ichigo and Isshin behind at the other computer. Isshin glanced at Ichigo, who shrugged. Kisuke leaned in close to the screen, "Did you get the same results as me?"

"Yes," Mayuri said slowly. "It would seem so."

"It's not a fault then?"

"Of course it's not! This is my equipment after all."

Ichigo took a step towards them. "What is it? What did the scan tell you?"

Kisuke looked up at Ichigo and laughed. "Oh, nothing you need to worry about, Ichigo-chan!" The shopkeeper took out his fan and waved it in front of him to dismiss further questions. "We're going to run one more test to make certain the results are accurate. Can you please get the Head Captain so we can give him this information?"

Ichigo turned on his heels to face the exit. "Okay. . . I'll be right back!"

As soon as Ichigo left the room, Kisuke shoved his fan into his pocket. "Mayuri, you're absolutely certain this test is accurate!?"

Mayuri scowled and began the test over again. "Yes, I'm positive. The results are in and the only Spiritual Pressure which caused the explosion belongs to him."

"Who?" Isshin demanded, stepping up to the screen.

Kisuke slowly turned to face Isshin. "The machines, which we thought may have exploded because of Hayami's Spiritual Pressure, were actually sliced open by… a Getsuga Tenshou. They were destroyed by your son. It was Ichigo's Zangetsu that sabotaged my experiments."

All machines and lights suddenly turned off. Silence and darkness consumed the room.

"I see," Ichigo's voice echoed through the facility. "No wonder you were trying so hard to keep me from seeing the results. They all pointed to me?"

Kisuke frowned and quickly used a fire kido spell to light up the room.

"Show yourself, Ichigo," Kisuke said. "We don't want to hurt you. We just want to know why you destroyed the tests being done with yours and Rukia's reiatsu!"

"I'm not sure…" Ichigo murmured, stumbling into Kisuke's light. One hand gripped his head and the other held onto a machine so he could keep his balance. "Kisuke, I know it was me, but I can't remember."

Isshin moved forward. "It's alright, Ichigo. This isn't you. It's Hayami's influence." Kisuke noticed Isshin's fists clench and jaw tighten. His old friend was clearly feeling anxious, and taking the attack on his son very personally. Isshin released a sigh as he spoke again, "Clearly you're being affected in a different way than Rukia. We'll put you somewhere secure and Kisuke will run another test. Then we'll be able to reverse what's happening to you."

Ichigo nodded softly before he dropped to his knees. "Wait!" He shrieked. "I remember! I remember when I did it, and why I did it." Ichigo bent forward, his face hidden by the shadows cast by his bangs. His nails dug into the cement floor as he desperately tried to keep himself from losing control. "I had a realization last night. The Soul Society is broken. I'm on their beck and call even after I've saved their lives so many times. No! That's wrong! It isn't, though… I deserve so much more. I've suffered so much!"

When Isshin's eyes turned to him, Kisuke gulped. He didn't have an answer. Ichigo seemed to be losing his mind. Was he still fighting off Hayami's influence?

"I couldn't allow you find out what was happening to me!" Ichigo snapped, turning a glare on Kisuke. "If you found out, then you'd stop it. I couldn't allow that. So, I waited until Rukia had fallen asleep, and then I snuck out. I followed your Spiritual Pressure, Kisuke, and discovered the machines you'd left running unattended. All it took was a single swipe and all your answers were completely taken away."

Kisuke flinched when Ichigo was suddenly gone. "What happened to you?"

Ichigo chuckled. "You should see the frightened looks on your faces. It's so much fun toying with opponents. Why didn't I see that before?"

He's lost himself, Kisuke thought. Ichigo would never turn against his friends and allies. Nor would he think taunting his enemy to be amusing.

"Ichigo, please, listen to yourself!" Isshin shouted. "This isn't you!"

"Oh?" Ichigo tossed his blade at Kisuke, effectively breaking his kido and returning the room to darkness. "Are you scared of me, Isshin~? Scared of the monster within your son?"

Isshin frowned. "You're his Hollow, aren't you!?"

Ichigo grinned. "Yes. Very good."

There came a faint burst of light as a Getsuga Tenshou ripped through the air towards the three. Kisuke quickly put up his shield, saving the three Shinigami and the equipment.

Kisuke used his barrier's light to see Isshin. He grasped his shoulder. "Ichigo's presence just vanished. He's gone for now and there's nothing you can do for him at this moment so don't bother chasing after him."

Isshin grit his teeth. "What am I supposed to do!? I can't lose another member of my family to a Hollow."

Kisuke nodded. "Ichigo's Hollow is strong, we both know this, but we cannot forget that Ichigo has defeated it in the past. This is Hayami's doing. What we should do is take another sample from Rukia and use it to conduct an antidote. Then you can find Ichigo, apply the antidote and Ichigo will do the rest."

Isshin bit his cheek. It took all of his willpower not to chase Ichigo.

Ichigo gazed across his Inner World, in search of the familiar white Shihakusho of his other half.

"You're a monster, Ichigo."

The Substitute Shinigami turned around. He locked his gaze onto the Hollow with a grin. "I'm a what?"

"A monster," the Hollow repeated, hoping to shock Ichigo back into his senses.

The orangette only chuckled. "That's rich, coming from you. In fact, I'd take that as a compliment."

"Stop this now, Ichigo!"

"Do I scare you?" Ichigo suddenly flashed in front of the Hollow. He gave a short gasp followed by a step back. Ichigo grinned. "I do. Oh, that's funny."

"Ichigo, you're not-"

"Shut up!" Ichigo snapped, leaning in to his Hollow's face. "I get this crap from them. I didn't expect to hear it from you. I'm not myself? And yet, this is the best I've ever felt. No responsibilities. No stress. No lives on my shoulders. Shouldn't you be proud of me? Isn't this what you've always wanted me to do, give into my instincts?"

The Hollow frowned. He hated himself for shaking, for showing weakness in front of Ichigo, but he couldn't help it. He felt the bite of Ichigo's sword across his stomach before he realized Ichigo had moved. Red stained white clothes as the Hollow dropped to his knees.

Ichigo kicked the Hollow's right shoulder which forced the Hollow onto his back. "What was that you used to call me?" he asked, stepping on the fresh wound.

The Hollow bit his tongue to suppress his growl of pain.

"You used to call me 'King'-"

"You are not my King!"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes and put the full force of his weight onto the Hollow's wound. He grinned in satisfaction at the other's cry.

"Call me your King, and I'll stop."

The Hollow grit his teeth.

Ichigo shrugged and dragged the tip of Tensa Zangetsu along his Hollow's arm. "Say it!"

The Hollow shook his head. "Please Ichigo-"

"Please King!" Ichigo corrected, kicking the Hollow across his jaw.

"Ichigo-"

The black blade plunged into a pale arm.

The Hollow screamed in agony. He panted to regain his focus, and noticed that Ichigo was backing away without his sword.

From the corner of his eye, the Hollow could see Ichigo's black Zangetsu had pinned his arm to the skyscraper.

Ichigo extended his left arm. The Hollow heard rattling. Golden eyes widened when his white Zangetsu responded to Ichigo's call, landing in Ichigo's awaiting hand.

"You belong to me," Ichigo murmured and pinned the Hollow's other arm in place. Then, Ichigo leaned in close to the Hollow's ear. "Say it," he whispered.

"I. . ."

Ichigo twisted both blades.

"I belong to you!" the Hollow cried.

Ichigo's smirk returned. "And who am I?"

"My King." The Hollow felt hot blood roll from his lips. He truly hated himself.

Ichigo nodded, satisfied with that answer. He removed his black sword from the Hollow's arm and left him there with his Hollow's sword still pinning him down. "You'll heal, right?"

A moment, then the Hollow whimpered, "Yes."

Ichigo placed his sword on his back. "Good. You'd best be in top condition when I call on you next, or else the consequences will be severe."

"I understand. . . King."