Woo hoo! I'm super excited!

Ichigo: Why, exactly? Wait. Do I even want to know?

YES! Because I've wanted to write a certain fanfic for a while now, and I've finally figured out how I'm gonna do it! It's called The Hollow's Shinigami and it should be up in about a week or two.

Ichigo: Wait, The Hollow's what?

Shiro: Shinigami, igit.

It means that you belong to Shiro!

Ichigo: Huh? *pales*

So basically, Ichi's got a secret love for Shi, but he doesn't want anyone to know. Meanwhile, Shiro is searching Ichigo's mind for his deepest, darkest secrets and happens to find that little bit of information. So, he uses that to claim the crown and become Ichigo's King.

Ichigo: …why is it always ME? What did I do to deserve this?!

Because you're such good story material! *evil laugh* Ahem… anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! ^_^

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"We meet, in battle, outside, now," Mayuri said. His vision was directed at both me and Shiro.

"Both of us?"

"Two Head Captains, one challenger. If the challenger wishes to take the position then both defenders must be dead," Toshiro explained.

'Great, thanks for the concern,' I thought, and then replied, "Thanks for clearing that up Toshiro."

"I guess I can't yell at you anymore for calling me by my first name." He crossed his arm across his chest then shut his eyes, like Toshiro normally did whenever I annoyed him.

"No," I chuckled, "I guess not."

"Whenever you're ready," Mayuri said impatiently.

Shiro glared at Mayuri while I turned to Unohana. "Prepare three beds. One of us, if not all, is going to need it."

Unohana nodded and disappeared instantly with her flash step. I turned back to face Mayuri and made the extra effort to stand at Shiro's side.

"Mayuri, I'll make this clear as day. Neither me or Ichigo are going to try and kill ya, but the both of us sure as hell will come close," Shiro threatened, harshly. His hand slid in mine sending waves of his own blood lust up my arm. I shivered, but refused to let go even when faint images of a battle flashed about in my head. I blinked and quickly found myself shaking my head to get rid of it. (A/N: Normally I don't do these, but I have to for this one! My gym teacher always says "Clear as Mud" instead of "Clear as Day". How cool is that? xD)

"You alright?" Jushiro questioned.

"Yeah, just suddenly got dizzy is all. I'll be fine."

Halfway through Jushiro's nod, time froze. "Ya sure yer alright?" Shiro questioned, his concern brining a soft warmth to my chest.

I looked around. "What happened?"

"Zangetsu can manipulate time, remember? Now again, are ya alright?"

"Well, only if alright means seeing a battle before it happens, then-"

'Correction, a battle plan,' Zangetsu intervened, scaring the shit out of me.

Wait... "What do you mean, plan?"

'You both share an instinctual craving towards this battle and thus are picturing the many ways you two can win. That picture flashed before your eyes, Ichigo, and if you summon it in battle the both of you will momentarily exist as one.'

I looked at Shiro and he looked at me. Shiro nodded, suddenly making me feel like everything depended on me once again. He gave me that all knowing look and I tried to smile, but it still didn't change how I felt.

'Abandon your fear,' Zangetsu began.

"Look forward," Shiro chimed in.

I remembered this, Zangetsu had told me once before, back when I was fighting Kisuke. Instinct took over and I joined in with Zangetsu and Shiro, reciting the old chant. 'Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate."

'Now go, both of you,' Zangetsu half ordered, and I noted being highly out of character. 'Defend the position you fought so hard to gain. Defend each other. Defend your pride, but do not allow it to alter your courage.'

Shiro smirked, I nodded. "We'll see you soon, on the battle field," I waved off, "old man."

The setting around us came back to life. Jushiro's nod finished and Shiro and I started to take our leave.

Just before exiting the room, Dad's hand appeared on my shoulder. "You'll be alright, right Ichigo?"

I smiled, "Yeah, I'll be fine."

Mayuri cleared his throat and we continued making our way outside. I didn't notice when Shiro and I arrived earlier, being in a rush and all, but just outside the meeting hall was a giant wide opened field. Light green grass stood out across the rectangular field, pale sand patches littered across it. The grass arena was bordered by bush on three sides making the only exit the way we came through.

Mayuri flashed to one side and drew his Zanpakuto while Shiro and I took to his opposite, drawing out our own versions of Zangetsu.

I closed my eyes and tried to pull the images I saw earlier back into my mind. I placed all of my trust in Shiro that I wouldn't die while I stood almost defenceless in the middle of the battle field. I didn't move, at all. I knew Shiro would never let me die.

My focus remained in my head, even when my ears heard Shiro's blade clash with Mayuri's. I was determined to remain focused on my job. I hunted through thousands of memories, each of them leading to past battles rather than the one I was looking for. Until finally I crashed into a scene which was unrecognizable.

Mayuri was here, Shiro too and I stood a meter behind another me – which was pretty weird if you think about it. I, or the other me, took off into the air making Mayuri follow him… uh, me. Shiro and the other me switched places drawing spiritual pressure onto our… their blades. Then together we- they released Getsuga's bigger than I've ever seen, right at Mayuri! The two attacks struck perfectly at the center, cancelling each other out and wounding Mayuri efficiently.

My eyes, my real eyes snapped open, a golden blade greeting my return about an inch from my face. Shiro's Shikai was caught between two of the three blades Mayuri's Shikai sported. I jumped back and Shiro ran away, the both of us caught in the exact same positions that I had seen in my vision.

Shiro gave me a nod and I leapt into the air. Everything was instinctual as I dodged Mayuri's attack causing him to leap up after me. I felt a tug on my spiritual pressure and in return pulled back. My feet touched the ground at the same instant Shiro jumped. We had swapped places.

Our blades were already swirling with red and blue reiatsu, our power pooling together to form a dark purple color. I didn't know how, I didn't even care, but I was seeing through Shiro's eyes, racing through his mind, reading his every thought and allowing him to do the same to me. I saw things, lots of things, felt his emotions, learnt answers I to questions I didn't know, answered questions that he didn't know. We literally joined minds as we raced off to attack Mayuri.

Just like in my vision our attacks cancelled each other out and from the blinding light came Mayuri, torn apart and cut open, but not dead. Mayuri fell to his knees, unconscious and bloody. Unohana returned long enough to congratulate our victory, pick up Mayuri and vanish again.

My dad was the next to our side. His foot swung for my head, I ducked allowing the attack to continue towards Shiro. Shiro caught the foot and threw Isshin to the ground where he remained for a few seconds while I laughed.

Dad stood up again, this time his expression uncharacteristically serious. His hands appeared on Shiro's shoulders and he looked him sternly in the eyes while saying, "You take good care of him, you understand?"

Shiro smiled, "No worries Isshin, I will."

Dad let go of Shiro's shoulders, but then suddenly embraced him in a hug while crying comically on his shoulder. The other captains surrounded us paid absolutely no attention to Isshin at all. The only one who seemed freaked out was Shiro himself who now started at me with a what-do-I-do look on his face. I rolled my eyes and eventually got Dad to let go of Shiro, his eyes still over flowing with tears.

"Yup, it seems like the apple fell really far from the tree in this family," Shunsui remarked, his arms folded in his kimono's sleeves.

"I'd say so," Jushiro agreed.

I laughed a little, but then the situation kinda hit me. It wasn't a big realization, just a question. "So, what happens to Mayuri?"

"Well," the girl with the long black hair replied, she was kind of mysterious, "Mayuri has done that to Hana as well. Think of it as his initiation test, if you pass you gain his respect, if you fail you gain absolutely nothing more than a back talking, ignorant pawn."

"So we passed, right?"

"Exactly."

"So," Shunsui butted in, "anyone up for Sake?"

A few people jumped excitedly while others scolded those who jumped.

Then suddenly everything seemed to go quiet as arms sinfully wrapped themselves around my body. My eyes shot wide open just before Shiro whispered seductively in my ear, "Sounds like fun, eh Ichi?"

I turned red and everyone laughed.

We all shuffled out of the arena lot completely and utterly unaware of the eyes that had been watching us the entire time.

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Sorry about the cliffy, but at least you know there'll be more next Tuesday!