Y'know, the whole point to a story is that there are some things you don't know. I find it absolutely hilarious that most of the reviews I got are questioning the new Head Captain. (Not that they're bad because I enjoy reading any review!)

I meant for it to be a surprise, and a secret because evil authors like me want to save the best plot twist for last.

;)

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Losing control over my body was a lot like dreaming. I could feel my body move, but it was something in my mind making it go, not me. Everything had turned dark and hazy, kinda like looking at the world through the reflection on a black car.

Also, with the speed I was going I thought the world was going to rush by in one quick blur, but instead it just froze. Chad stood completely frozen behind the eight Shinigami. The eight stood in a circle around Tatsuki and she stood with a sad expression facing forward.

It reminded me of Rukia. I couldn't believe I hadn't thought about that before! This was the same tower Rukia was kept in, the same bridge I had first confronted Byakuya and the same situation she had once been in. I had once saved Rukia from being executed, but clearly that meant nothing to her anymore.

All at once the haze vanished and I woke up from the dream. I was surrounded by glowing blossoms on a sakura tree, hundreds of sakura trees.

I walked forward with caution and peered through the trees. What I saw took only a second to recognize, it was Sokyoku hill.

'Well, that was surprisin'ly easy,' Shiro stated.

'What's that supposed to mean?'

He laughed. 'Ya take everythin' so seriously Ichigo. Just relax why don' cha?'

'I don't understand! How the hell can I relax? Tatsuki is on trial and the entire Seireitei wants me DEAD!'

I felt the harsh sense of pain the instant his hand struck my cheek. I nearly fell over sideways, but it wasn't too hard to catch my balance. I went to bring my hand up to rub the abused flesh, but Shiro's hands instantly caught my own.

I could've sworn I was growling, but I was focused more on the heat building up in my cheek. Was it turning red? Fuck it, I don't really care. The fact remained that I had just suddenly been slapped and there was an uncontrollable fire burning up inside of my stomach making it harder to resist retaliation.

"Are ya done?"

"You're not being serious, are you? You just hit me and yet you're asking if I'm done?"

"Fine, allow me da rephrase my question," Shiro growled, his eyes turning frighteningly cruel, "Are ya done bein' an idiot?"

Me? I'm the one being an idiot? When did I ever..? Oh, I was panicking… Shit. Judging by the smile on Shiro's face he had caught onto my realisation. I closed my eyes. There was no possible way to explain how stupid I felt right now.

I couldn't feel the pain in my cheek anymore, but I could still feel light heat. Oh god? Was I blushing? My eyes flashed wide open only to be greeted with white. The warmth had been transferred directly to my lips as soon as Shiro placed a kiss on them.

Just when he was about to draw back, I shoved my head forward in order to try and savour this awkward, yet, amazing moment of my life. Yeah, fine, I'll say it. I love him.

'Ichigo.'

I frowned, the fact that he had returned to 'that voice inside my head' meant that this moment was over.

'If ya wanna save yer friend, go now. Grab 'er then get the fuck outta there.'

'I got it.'

I took a deep breath. Although I was good at it, Flash Step wasn't one of my best techniques. I knew that if I wanted to save Tatsuki I was going to have to move as fast as Shiro did before, but I wasn't sure I was going to be able to pull something like that off. Sure maybe it'd last a few seconds, but that wasn't anywhere near long enough for me to save Tatsuki.

'Uhh… Shiro..?' Here goes nothing.

'Yeah?'

How do I say this? 'Well… it's just- you're better at flash step than me and… you'd probably have a better chance at doing this than I would.' And there went nothing. I could picture it now. Shiro would start laughing, then he'd make some comment on my intelligence and finally he'd make me do this on my own.

'Ya want help?' he chuckled. 'Sure.'

'…What?'

'Did ya think I'd say no?'

'…no comment.'

He just laughed. And now that I really listened to it, his laugh wasn't as terrifying as I used to think. Sure, it would have driven any sane person mad, but then I guess I really wasn't all that sane anyways. I've seen too much of the truth to ever go back to where I used to be.

I started to hear voices and my mind snapped right back into reality. I turned to see what was happening only to be met with a face full of pink… again. I slowly reached forward and even slower moved the sakura blossoms out of my way. I could see Tatsuki and Chad nearing the end of the bridge as well as a few Shinigami that had showed up. Amongst the Shinigami was Rukia, Orihime, and a few captains whose faces I remember, but I couldn't put a name to the face.

'Whenever ya're ready Ichigo.'

I nodded both mentally and physically. It was then that I noticed the black tendrils of Shiro's take over. My vision became blurred and dark again, but I was willing to ignore that because I knew it wasn't a gesture of war, it was a matter of trust.

The instant my control was lost was the instant the time froze. Shiro jumped over the trees and landed on the other side with a strange grace. He ran past the captains and over to Tatsuki, ripped the collar off of her neck, took her in his arms then ran down to the ground below as if he was running on invisible stairs.

It was obvious who had the mastery of Spiritual Pressure here and it definitely wasn't me.

"Ichigo?!"

I thanked the gods that Shiro remained quiet, though this all meant I would have some explaining to do. There was no doubt in my mind that a mask had formed on the left side of my face, even though I couldn't see or feel it, it only made sense that that had happened.

"What's going on Ichigo? Answer me damn it!"

'Later,' I thought, 'just as soon as we get you to safety.'

Tatsuki eventually stopped demanding explanations and Shiro eventually begun to let go of his control. He ducked into an alley way of sorts and peered past corners to see if Shinigami were coming. It didn't take me long to figure out what he was doing before he handed control back to me and I took Tatsuki straight to the sewers.

"It smells, Ichigo," she complained with a bit on humour in her voice. I set her down against a wall where the water couldn't reach her then sat back and laughed.

However her semi-terrified expression brought me to a sigh. "Just ask."

Tatsuki's face appeared to make her look as though she was caught off guard, but her sudden avoid of eye contact told me she knew what I meant. Tatsuki shoved herself up straight then moved her gaze to my face as if searching for the very thing that had caused her to act this way. She was searching for the mask.

"I know what you saw," I said, my voice declaring more anger than I had meant it to.

"What was it?"

"A mask."

"Hollow's?"

I nodded.

"Why?"

"Maybe to save my ass?"

Tatsuki scowled, but Shiro laughed.

'Keep goin', ya're doin' great!'

'What do you want me to say?'

'The truth. That ya've got a hollow half an' that yer workin' with 'im just like ya work with Zangetsu.'

'Okay.'

"That's not funny Ichigo!"

"Okay, fine. The mask that you saw was from my hollow half, Shiro-"

"Shiro?" Tatsuki questioned.

For the love of- "Yes, Shiro, just like Zangetsu he's got a name! And just like Zangetsu I'm working with him!"

That was when the biggest realisation yet hit me harder than a ton of bricks. Where was Zangetsu?

It was silent, for a long time. Tatsuki just sat there with a look on her face as if she was sitting next to a bomb. It remained noiseless until she broke the quiet.

"Zangetsu is your Zanpakuto, right?"

Though the question was a little off, I nodded.

"I know where it is."

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