I AM NOT HAVING A GOOD DAY!! My sister decided to break her laptop so now she's using mine which is actually, technically, her back-up laptop, but it still pisses me off cuz now I have to write on the desktop…

Enjoy the chapter….

Ichigo sped out of the twelfth squad barracks, a smile still spread across his face.

"So how do you turn this thing on?" He asked as he slid to stop, turning to Ukitake.

Ichigo fumbled with the small rectangular silver device, searching for a switch.

"You have to release some spiritual pressure into it." The confused captain explained after following the substitute out of the barracks.

"Ah." Came the reply as Ichigo heard a click.

"But, Ichigo," Ukitake sighed. "You know we have no way to get into Hueco Mundo, so why are you-"

"Correction," the teenager interrupted, "we do have a way."

Ukitake's eyes widened. "Really? You figured something out?"

His eyes twinkling, Ichigo nodded. "Yep, I'll be able to open it in a sec."

"How?"

"Come on, Ukitake," The substitute rolled his eyes. "You were the one who told me that the hollows hadn't stopped attacking in their regular pattern, so they must be getting in and out of Hueco Mundo."

Eyes growing wider with comprehension, Ukitake barely felt his mouth moving. "So, you going to-"

"Aizen has blocked any artificial gateways to his hideout, but he wouldn't dare prevent any hollows from leaving Hueco Mundo as the desire. So if I can use the hollow inside of me, I should be able to open a portal and go there, though I think I'll only be able to go alone."

The thirteenth squad captain grinned. "And then you can use the device Kurotsuchi created to get the rest of us in."

"Exactly." Ichigo completed triumphantly.

"Good job, Ichigo. Once we get everyone ready, we can-"

"No way." The teenager turned the other way stubbornly.

"Huh?"

"I'm going right now, don't try to stop me."

Ukitake stepped forward, expressing his frustration.

"But you should at least wait until-"

"No!" The teenager yelled. "If Toshiro dies because we come too late, I will never be able to forgive myself. Please, Ukitake, don't try to stop me."

Silence hovered in the air heavily as Ukitake thought about what Ichigo had said. Whether or not he tried to stop him, Ichigo would go to Hueco Mundo. It was for the best, the less time it took to save Toshiro, the better.

"Fine, go ahead. I'll get everyone ready."

"Thanks, Ukitake." Ichigo replied softly. "But, who're you bringing?"

The captain frowned. "I'm not sure. I'll have to think about it, but you'll know as soon as you open the portal through and I have everyone ready, So don't worry about it."

With a nod, Ichigo turned and began to reach inside of himself, searching for the evil that dwelled there. His consciousness elsewhere, he did not notice Ukitake as he shunpoed away to begin preparations.

Alright, you, I know you're in here somewhere…

He found himself in his own inner world. Tall buildings surrounded him, and the gravity's strange effect kept him sideways on one of the structures.

Now since when do you come looking for me?

As the slithering voice resounded in the area, Ichigo turned to see the inverse of himself, grinning menacingly. His yellow eyes were slanted with evil intent, and his white robes contrasted Ichigo's perfectly.

Now being in the same dimension, the two's voices could be heard clearly, instead of echoing through Ichigo's head as it normally did.

"I need your help with something." The orange haired soul reaper replied, completely serious.

"When do you ask?" The hollow answered with a cackle. "Usually you just take my power, your not the type to ask permission."

Rubbing the back of his head, the teenager responded awkwardly. "Well, you see, I need you to do something that I can't really figure out how to do on my own…"

"What?" The hollow asked impatiently.

"Uh, since you're a hollow, I was thinking… can you open a portal to get us into Hueco Mundo?"

Mad laughter ran wildly. The hollow grinned wickedly as Ichigo's eyes twitched in annoyance.

"You think I would do that for you?! Why would you want something so STUPID?"

Ichigo raised his chin in defense. "I have to-"

His words were cut off by the hollow suddenly moving I close to Ichigo's face, his grin lazy.

"I'm going to take all of your power. If I let you into Hueco Mundo, the only thing you're going to accomplish is get killed. If you're dead, then what use are you to me?"

"Get out of my face." The substitute spoke dangerously.

With a snicker, the hollow obliged.

"For your information, I'm not doing this to die. I'll do everything in my power to stay alive. But if we don't get Toshiro out of there, we're helping Aizen, and then everyone is going to die. This is to save lives, not to lose them."

His head cocked to the side, the hollow sneered "Fine. I'll let you through. But if you die, I'll make sure your soul gets a painful torture that will make you wish you had listened to me in the first place."

Ichigo thrust himself out of his inner world, just in time to see darkness envelop him before his eyes.

***

Rangiku sat silently by a small window, staring out at the plains of sand before her. A hundred thoughts looped in turmoil inside of her. She had long ago given up on understanding any of them, and she just tried to let it all sink in.

She knew that, at the moment, there was nothing she or Momo could do to help her captain, no matter how she tried to think of a way. And it wasn't just her captain. She remembered Ichimaru's long, solemn face as he confessed his cowardice to her, and how his creepy, obnoxious smiles seemed to disappear as he looked her way.

She turned as she felt arms wrap around her shoulders. A warm body embraced her tightly, and recognized the voice of Gin, strangely softer than normal.

"They're coming for him. It won't be long now."

Rangiku rested her chin on his hand resting on her shoulder. "He's no the one I'm most worried about."

"They'll get Hinamori, too. And I'll make sure you as well."

She shook her head softly. "Gin, I'm worried about you. You have to leave too."

"You know I can't do that."

***

Ichigo stood in utter disbelief, his hand not processing his order do grab Zangetsu.

You…. You did this on purpose, didn't you?! Ichigo screamed to his inner hollow as he took in his surroundings. I thought you didn't want me to get killed!

Ya never told me exactly were to bring you. The hollow replied slyly. These guys won't be able to kill us.

Yeah but I'll be exhausted after fighting this many hollow! Then how do you expect me to have the energy to save Toshiro?!

I don't actually place rescuing some white haired brat very high on my priorities list.

You bastard…

Ichigo sighed as he regained control of himself. The persistently irritating hollow inside of him had decided to place him in almost the worst possible location. Deep in the Menos forest, Hollows of all different levels surrounded him, each menacing in their own way.

You're going to pay for this later. He growled to his inner hollow.

Haha… I think I kinda did make Ichigo and his hollow's relationship not violent enough.. But whatever. Oh and I was really mad at all of you who predicted what Ichigo was going to do. I need to stop laying so many hints. I was going to change it just so it would be so predictable… but then I decided it was pretty much impossible to come up with anything else… so I got over it… I just hope I'm not always that predictable.

I HATE ORANGES. My mom packed me one for lunch even though I keep asking her not to… theyre gross

I had a dream about an axe murderer the other night, SHUT UP TWIN I KNOW WUT YOURE THINKING …. Despite my evil and demented and bloody self, I was pretty scared.. Is that good?