A/N: I am sorry for bringing this chapter so late, but I took a slight vacation for Thanksgiving Holidays. All the delicious food made me lazy. This is a short chapter, but I figured it was long overdue – having a discussion between Ichigo, Shadow, and Zangetsu. If you have forgotten, then Shadow is the name of Ichigo's hollow. I decided not to follow the same trend of naming the hollow; I wanted to name him something different! I borrowed some parts from the anime series of Bleach, but the rest is what I made up in own mind. I hope you all enjoy this little ditty!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH!

RESOLVE: THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN ICHIGO, SHADOW AND ZANGETSU

King! Wake up!

Ichigo barely hears his hollow inside his head. Why is he so drowsy? What happened to him?

'Ichigo, you need to wake up now. You will not survive if you stay asleep,' Zangetsu pleaded with him.

Yeah, King, wake your ass up!

Finally, Ichigo wakes up and enters his other world. What are you screaming about now, Shadow?

I am not screaming, you idiot! I was trying to wake you up! You have been sleeping far too long!

So what happened to me? Ichigo asked.

'You were taken to that scientist's lab, where he started torturing you with all types of tools and experiments. You passed out after two hours of torture. Do you remember now, Ichigo?'

"I remember waking and I thought I saw Byakuya and Rukia in front of me, but that can't be right. Why would he be here?"

Maybe he was here to save your dumb ass!

'Shadow, enough!' Zangetsu warned. 'Ichigo, Captain Kuchiki was here. He attempted a rescue, but was caught by Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tousen. They forced Rukia to make a decision. She chose to save you and her brother, so she decided to do whatever Aizen wants her to do,' he finished explaining.

"What? That can't be! She would never give up so easily!" Ichigo stared at his mentor and his hollow, anger flashing in his eyes.

Oh, now you want to show your anger? You should have done that before you got poor Rukia in this situation, King!

"Shut up, Shadow, unless you have something viable to say to me!"

Whatever, King; I'll just watch the show while you slowly get killed by these pathetic Espada and their leaders. I don't care, anyway. I just want your body as my own.

"Yeah, you say that you don't care, but we all know that is not true, Shadow. I know if I truly need your help, then you will help me," Ichigo replied.

Pfft, if you say so. Shadow moved away from Ichigo and Zangetsu, sitting down and crossing his arms over his chest. He hates it when Ichigo is right. If his King needed his help, then he would help him.

"Where is Rukia now, Zangetsu?"

'She went with Gin Ichimaru, but I do not know where. I suspect that she went to that scientist's lab.'

"She wouldn't go unless…No, she did not agree to that. She wouldn't agree to that!" Ichigo exclaimed.

'What is it, Ichigo?'

"Rukia must have agreed to give Aizen her fertility eggs. He wants to create perfect little soldiers to fight against the Soul Society. Her fertility eggs will be injected into the Espada women, and my sperm will be injected into them afterwards. They will reproduce at a much faster rate than normal humans. That is Souske Aizen's plan. Too bad his plan has flaws."

'What do you mean by that?'

"Rukia and I were not soul reapers when we had our children. Urahara Kisuke made Rukia a special gigai that copied the movements of a pregnant human woman. That is how she was able to have children. Although she delivered the children as a soul reaper, she would not been able to conceive without that gigai."

'Aizen does not know about this part, Ichigo?' Zangetsu asked.

"No, he doesn't. That is one secret Rukia and I both agreed to keep, even if it meant our deaths."

'Then, the next step is to leave Hueco Mundo. Remember when I asked you if you wanted to fight or win, Ichigo?'

"Yeah, it was at the time I was fighting Kenpachi Zaraki. My answer is still the same. I want to win; winning is the only thing!"

'Very well, then it is time to regain your resolve, and escape from this place.'

Are we going to fight, King?

"Yeah, Shadow. If necessary, we will fight our way out of Hueco Mundo. We have been held here for far too long."

Ichigo shook his head as Shadow danced around him, happily. As he thought about the torture he went through, and now what Rukia was going through, Ichigo reminded himself that he has a family waiting on him in the Soul Society. He promised himself and Byakuya to always protect Rukia, and he was failing miserably. Yes, now was the time to fight….NOW WAS THE TIME TO WIN!

"My resolve," Ichigo murmured to himself. Both Shadow and Zangetsu watched Ichigo transform into the strong, powerful Shinigami they knew he could be. They both smiled as Ichigo's eyes turned from the friendly chocolate brown to the striking blue that signified his power.

"My resolve is complete!"