((Warning for language, since it's Hichigo and all.))

Well, Hichigo was getting pretty damn tired of blowing apart small fry, but at least he got to blow something apart. Nel was still under his arm, mainly because protecting the kid kept Ichigo quiet (and Hichigo did not need a migraine from that little horsie bitch screaming in his head again), but he was starting to think she was getting afraid of how easily he blew the enemies apart. Tch, another...hey, what was that?

Well hot damn, his problems were solved!

Hichigo grinned as he felt their reiatsu lessen more and more. That fuckhead Ishida, that bitch Kuchiki, that bastard Abarai, that little dyke Arisawa, all of their reiatsus either disappeared or became so low he didn't care to actually check if they were even still there or not. Hichigo couldn't help but feel like he was missing somebody, but what the hell, screw it. He was feeling pretty damn good now; probably could've whistled, if he wouldn't have broken his image and if he wouldn't have looked absolutely retarded. And now, all that was left was finding Inoue so that he could start educating her on doing what he wanted and shutting the hell up when he asked for it.

Don't you do a thing, you bastard!!

Oh great. Hichigo rolled his eyes at the exclamation from Ichigo, before thinking that having a chat with ponyboy down there wouldn't hurt, since Arrancar were now fleeing at the sight of him.

Shaddap, I'll do what I want, because I'm not the one chained down in my own consciousness. Well, I kind of am, but that's a whole new can of worms right there-

You're a sick freak! You use people until you're done with them, and then you get rid of them; I had friends and family, what do you have? You don't have anything, because you're a monster!

Hichigo's eye twitched, and he gritted his teeth slightly as he fought back. Ichigo was kind of pissing him off now.

Don't go all holy on ME, Ichigo! You like to say that I'm the cause of all your problems, that you're some big damn hero, but you know that that's a fucking lie. You heard Inoue was kidnapped. You tried to save her. When you couldn't, you saw an opportunity to get away from the fighting and the blood and the war, because you're a pacifistic pussy.

That's...that's not true...!! His tone was deflating, and Hichigo knew that he was winning now.

What, you don't like admitting it? That you abandoned all the shinigami, Orihime, and all your friends so that you could start a new life? You're pathetic.

What would you have done then?? I was sick of seeing people I know and care about dying like animals; you would've stayed to watch that?? Ichigo's tone was hurt, though he was attempting to hide that fact from his other. Hichigo grinned, and it was a sick, all-too-amused grin.

Yeah! Because even though you think I'm a heartless monster, I do care about them too. Just, in a...different sort of way. You think I'm not at least a little sad when they die? Sure, I don't mourn; I shrug my shoulders and say, 'Oh well, nothing I could do about that'. But I do feel a little bit bad, because you feel very bad when it happens and that transfers. Just like right now. You know they're all dead, that's why you're snapping at me so much. You want to cry. You want to run away. You want to kill yourself. Because you're just a kid, after all.

Ichigo had fallen silent, but from how his heart twisted in agony at every word, Hichigo knew that he was having a huge effect.

But me...I don't run. I'm better than you. Stronger. Smarter. Faster. And I don't feel fear. I don't run from things just because I'm afraid I'll see somebody die. You, you're a selfish kid. You wanted to get away from it all. You wanted your own life and you needed to just abandon everything else so you could have it. And you did. You're just as much a selfish monster as I am. So don't you get all holy on me, saying you're better than I am. 'Cos you're not.

There was silence between the two now, as Ichigo refused to talk to Hichigo and Hichigo was enjoying the moment of quiet. A few more Arrancar fell to his blade, and Nel remained silent as well, probably in terror. Well, terror was what Hichigo estimated, but meh. After a long while, Hichigo heard Ichigo speak again. It was a quiet question.

...So what are you doing with Orihime that would be better than leaving her alone?

Hichigo was absolutely speechless. He hadn't expected Ichigo to string together a coherent argument, and even though the hollow had been winning every one of their arguments lately, he didn't have a snappy comeback for this one. So instead, Hichigo shook his head a bit, focusing on the path ahead of him down a long white hallway.

Shaddap.

And Ichigo did, knowing that he'd beaten his hollow on at least one front. And Hichigo was furious. He absolutely detested losing, especially to Ichigo. In a furious silence, Hichigo turned down a hallway and stopped as he recognized the figure leaning against a blank white wall, now glancing over at him and grinning.

"Kurosaki."

"Jeagerjaques."

Hichigo was grinning himself now, hand already moving towards Zangetsu's handle. Grimmjow was one he'd wanted to fight for a long, long time; prove himself better than Ichigo, prove to himself that he could beat who Ichigo couldn't. And now, the Sexta was moving from the wall to a standing position, smirking.

"Been waiting for you. Your bitch ass decide to run away for a couple years?"

Hichigo's grin didn't falter, not in the slightest. "Yeah, but I got better." He answered with a cocky smirk, as Grimmjow prepared to lunge.

"Let's take this outside." Hichigo walked right past him, heading for a nice, blank area of wall. With a slash from Zangetsu, there was a new hole that Hichigo was leaning out of, looking down at the plain white sand.

"Wouldn't want to ruin this great decoration you've all got here." He chimed, before dropping to the sand below and tossing Nel aside. Grimmjow was quick to head out as well, and the two stared one another down for a moment. Grimmjow could tell that this wasn't Kurosaki, at least, not the one he remembered. But what the hell; this one seemed more fun anyways, and he could be more interesting to fight.

"You ready?" Grimmjow cracked his knuckles, wanting to enjoy this fight as much as possible. Hichigo half-grinned, Zangetsu drawn and ready. This was his chance. And he was going to rub Ichigo's nose in his superiority once and for all.

"Anytime."

And after that word, both of them lunged.