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Renji had found Ichigo an hour after he had disappeared and woke him gently. Ichigo shot up tear streaks running down his face. "Renji?" Ichigo tried to whip away the tear stains, but he just couldn't stop them from coming.

"Have a bad dream Ichigo?" The redhead asked an eyebrow raised. Seeing that trying to hide the tears wasn't working Ichigo just let them fall.

"Yeah, it was about my fight with Uliqurra." Ichigo lied not wanting to tell him the sudden news. Renji nodded and told him that he'd let him calm down for a bit before he rejoined the party. Ichigo nodded and sat indian style on the floor, "Dang it!" Ichigo nearly yelled, slamming a fist on the floor. *I'm your twin brother.* how can I possibly never have known this? Ichigo thought but a multi voice interrupted his raging thoughts.

*Listen I'm sorry, but I couldn't live with you not knowing anymore!* The hollow screamed at Ichigo, a wave of regret flooding through his body. Everything was silent for a moment, nothing made a sound. Ichigo gritted his teeth, and replied. "How are you my brother?"

A sigh was audible from within his head. The hollow was gazing at the dark sky, a black tear trailing down his face. *It was the day mother died.* Ichigo's eyes widened. *At the time I was alive. You and I did everything together, but that day changed everything.* Slowly Ichigo got to his feet. "What happened to you?"

Another sigh. *That hollow did get us, he ripped us apart limb from limb.* The hollow looked up at the slightly cloudy sky above himself, Ichigo was starting to calm down. *There was so much blood, and I watched it all happen. You were already dead, you had been dead for about five minutes. Mom was killed soon after we were, but I didn't want you to die just yet. So in exchange for my soul's freedom I asked that our life forces be combined so that you could live.*

Ichigo sat down at a booth, which was where Rukia and Inoue were sitting. They were having a conversation about chappy, and ingredients for some strange dish. "So I'm living because you wanted me to? That doesn't really explain why you're a hollow, or why I don't remember you." The hollow didn't reply for a bit, just so that Ichigo could reply to Rukia and Inoue. When they turned to each other again the hollow continued. *I was turned into a hollow out of request, I wanted you to be powerful. For some reason though they had me stay conscious of the fact that I was your brother. They did tell me though for your own sanity that I not be remembered by anyone, so it was as if you never had a brother. But I knew that the thought of twins was still in your head so they had made your sister have a twin. Yuzu I believe.*

The substitue took in all that the hollow had said. He gave away his freedom so that I could live... Ichigo could feel the tears coming again, but he had to hide them. Outside of his room he was Kurosaki Ichigo, a fearful war hero of the winter war. He was the one who defeated Aizen.

*It's alright to show emotion brother. It makes you at least seem human.* Ichigo didn't cry though, his body hid the tears again by itching his eyes lamely. "Kurosaki?" Said shinigami turned his head towards the voice. Toshiro stood not but a few feet away, a blank expression on his face. Dang it! Ichigo smirked.

"What is it Toshiro?" The short Taicho scrunched his face in anger.

"That's Hitsugaya-taicho!" Ichigo supresed a laugh as the captain calmed. His teal eyes were stern as he said, "Have you been crying?" That made Ichigo pause. Were there still tear stains down his face. Looking over at anything reflective Ichigo noticed white streaks running down from his eyes. That's not normal.

Toshiro still stood in front of the vizard, his eyes still stern but they were starting to become a pool of pity. After that moment of silence Ichigo faced the taicho again, "No, I haven't," He lied but he turned to the mirror again, this time noticing how many have stopped to look at his white streaked face. "What's up with this white though? I've never seen it before."

Ichigo turned his head back and forth taking note that the white creeping along his face. "Hollow, is this your doing?" There was slight racket coming from his mind, and soon he felt his brother's presence. *What's my do-* His voice trailed off, obviously having nothing to do with the situation. *Well that's a shocker. Wonder why your eyes are doing that.* Ichigo wanted strangle the hollow then, anger clouding his vision. *Oi! Don't get mad at me, it's probably that thing that sits in the back of your mind. What did he call himself Zangetsu?*

"Kurosaki, is everything alright?" Byakuya asked, surprisingly having some concern in his voice. Others also started to voice their concern, but he wasn't listening. His thoughts were on his brother and Zampakto who were trying to figure out who was doing this. -I'm certain that this is the work of that vasto lord that harbors the darker parts of your mind. He hasn't come up in a while, so I'm sure this happening out of boredom.- The zampakto stated. The hollow although had a different idea.

*No, this isn't how he works. He only talks to me, and that's when Ichi is fighting. I'm guessing this that thing again.* They had caught Ichigo's interest. He was listening so intently to them that he had forgotten that the others were there. They all looked at him with a worried expression.

"He's been zoning out a lot today, I bet this has something to about that." Rukia said, to her and Ichigo's friends. "Maybe if we get him to focus then that will stop." They all glanced at one another, but didn't make any movement to snap him out of his trance.

Soon enough after she had said that Ichigo stood up and tried to whip the white streaks off. "Dang, this stuff sticks really well. Surely there's a way to get it off." Soon he was scratching it while heading for the door. All the other shinigami watched after him, none wanting to approach the substitute for some reason.

*I got it! How about I go and check on 'him' and see if it's his doing. Normally he gets bored while we're in soul society.* The hollows presence left, but soon came back. *huh, he's not there,* Ichigo stood outside the restaurant still scratching, but not changing his facial expression. His face was serene, but anyone would be able to tell that he was irritated. "So who's 'him' anyway? Is he another one of my transformations?" Ichigo had sat down on a bench outside, but it was a small distance from the restaurant.

-He's the last of all of your hollow transformations. He's the most deadly, and no you haven't turned into him yet.- Ichigo let out a relieved sigh. "So that means-" *That means Zan-zan, and I have been doing a good job so far at keeping him at bay during your battles.* Ichigo's eyes widened. "That's what you do?" Satisfaction came from the hollow, but Ichigo had smiled at his brother's easily gained pride.

Rukia and Renji came out from the restaurant to find Ichigo on a bench that overlooked all of soul society. It wasn't surprising to them that his eyes were distant, but that didn't stop Renji from snapping his fingers in front of Ichigo's face. His eyes widened at the sudden sound and movement. "Yo, Ichigo, have you found out what's wrong with your face yet?" Ichigo scowled and shook his head.

"Zangetsu, and my hollow are trying to find it thou-" He was stopped at the hand that covered his mouth.

"Wait, wait, wait," Rukia stated with a look of puzzlement, "You're trusting your hollow to find the solution? Isn't he trying to take over your body?" Ichigo scowled, but remembered that he hadn't told anyone yet.

"Yes, I have full trust in my hollow. He is my brother after all." The shocked looks on their faces told Ichigo that that wasn't the news they wanted to hear. *You've done us in now bro. Now they'll try for answers which you don't have.* Glancing back to the two, Renji passed out, and Rukia had put her hand on her chin. Ichigo stared at her, at the way the sunset was outlining her body so well.

Soon enough she had a determined look in her eye and sat beside Ichigo. She was silent before finally speaking, "Ichigo, did you even consider that he may be lying to you? That maybe this was all a big plan to be able to take over you?" The fact was Ichigo felt he didn't have to. There was something about how his hollow explained it all that made him believe him.

Just to be able to get out of a lecture Ichigo nodded and sat back, Rukia seemed to breathe a sigh of relief before Renji got up again. He looked furious, but annoyed at the same time. "You can't trust that thing!" He screamed, making his voice hoarse in the process, "I remember taicho explaining how crazy you looked when he took over!" Ichigo gazed into Renji's eyes. "He's right you know. You did take over rather insanely."

A snicker came from where the hollow was in his mind. *Well it was fun to see the look on Byakuya's face when I appeared over his back with a wide smile. Gosh! I was laughing for days.* The hollow then started to laugh hysterically, holding his sides as he did. Ichigo's lips quirked to a small smile, but it didn't go unnoticed to the steaming fukutaicho.

"This isn't a joke Ichigo, I'm serious about that 'thing'-" Ichigo's fist came fast and hard to Renji's jaw, nearly making him unconscious again. Renji sat up, his eyes widening at the quickly changing eye color.

*I have a name you know...* The hollow spoke in a multivoice. Rukia had gone to Renji's side for a second before looking into the hollows eyes.

"Then what's your name?" the hollow glanced away before looking back.

*It's Shiro, Shiro Kurosaki.* She seemed baffled that the hollow, or um... That Shiro had replied at all. *And Renji, might I ask that you look out for Ichigo. He's been having some problems lately and I won't be able to help at the moment. I'll be deep in his inner world trying to find one of the other transformations.* The lieutenant didn't say anything, instead he gapped and his mouth hung open. "I'll take that as a yes.* Then the hollow disappeared, Ichigo passing out on the ground a moment later.

"Ichigo!" Rukia and Renji both yelled.

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(In Ichigo's inner world)

-That was surprising to say the least.- Zangetsu said as Shiro turned to go deeper in the skyscrappers.

*Aa, I didn't think that they would accept so easily...* Shiro stayed silent, letting a soft breeze crawl through the world. *He's made some good friends.* Zangetsu nodded in agreement.

-Yes, but now he's going to go through much turmoil.- Shiro nodded and shunpode away.