Well, here's the next chapter! I know I said it will be a while, and truthfully I shouldn't have finished this chapter, but I just hate spending a whole weekend indoors with a textbook. ( Screw exams! Seriously I'm a bad example...XD)

But anyway, thank you in advance for the read and please let me know what you think in the form of a pleasant review (or a pleasant constructive criticism)

Also I'd like to take a second and thank all the people who reviewed so far. You guys are the reason why I write with a smile on my face! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart! X3

5

The city materialized below him as the sky opened like a gaping mouth, tearing the delicate fabric of the serene blue canopy. Grimmjow took a second to look at the drifting evening clouds. He always found them soothing. It came with being a lonely character who hated the company of others.

Ulquiorra wasn't with them. He left on his own mission, on a different path before they reached the human settlement. Beside him, were Yammy, Luppi and the new kid. Grimmjow couldn't remember his name, and he didn't care to. He didn't care at all about this whole 'mission' he was part of. Aizen knew full well he had no intention of giving a crap, so it wasn't like he was breaking any rules. At least that's how he saw it.

As soon as the Shinigami spotted them, the two sides started jeering at each other. Yammy and Luppi were doing all the talking, while the blonde was too absorbed with a wandering butterfly. Grimmjow ignored the whole thing. His attention was entirely focused on pinpointing the Reiatsu of the only reason why he was there.

'Maybe they're the reinforcements from the Soul Society that six told us about.' Luppi looked at Grimmjow over his shoulder. 'Right?' The older Arrancar fixed him with an uncaring glance. He was still searching for the boy with his Pesquisa. 'Oh, I'm sorry. I mean the former six.' Luppi smirked.

Grimmjow spared another glance, only half-threatening at the pathetic brunet. How petty the boy was, taking advantage of Aizen's protection in order to taunt Grimmjow when he knew he couldn't live up to his words. Frankly, if Grimmjow felt anything for him it was repulsion. He didn't even acknowledge the previous remark.

'The guy I wanna kill isn't down here.' And with that he left not sparing a second glance behind him and turning a deaf ear to Yammy's yells.

The moment the Arrancars set foot in Kurakura, Ichigo's senses went on alert. Normally he was quite dense to the whole detect-enemy-presence sort of thing. Actually most of the time he simply ran into them accidentally or because someone elsse who was much more adept at the sort of thing was around to warn him. Usually it was Rukia.

But ever since his encounter with Grimmjow, he tried to stay alert. Now finally his alertness paid off. He immediately knew when the Garganta (the doorway between Hueco Mundo and Kurakura town) opened. Unfortunately for him, his Vizard companions were not as dense and ignorant to detecting threatening presences as he usually was. They picked on the foreign Reiatsu just as quickly as Ichigo.

That's why, they were ready to intercept Ichigo when he made a run for it. Kensai and Love were the first to reach him and they both gripped the struggling teen's arms and held him firmly. Still Ichigo trashed and even against two ex-captains he gave them a run for their money. The boy was strong.

'Let go of me!' Ichigo roared and pulled desperately against his captors.

'You're not ready yet!'

'This is exactly why your pals from the Soul Society are here! Let them handle it!' However both Kensai and Love's reasoning, albeit a bit rough, fell on deaf ears. Ichigo didn't pause in his struggle.

'Well this is exactly what I've been training for! It's now or never!' He managed to turn around enough to throw a pleading yet angry look at them.

He just barely held back from adding a 'please' at the end. He didn't want them to see just how desperate he was to go, not only to test his new strength and taste the fruit of his hard labour. Oh no, he wanted to fight just one Arrancar in particular and prove himself to him. Of course, he was thinking of Grimmjow.

'Let him go.' The trio stared at Shinji, who was emphasizing his demand by holding Kensai's collar. But unlike the two Vizards, Ichigo didn't dwell on his sudden luck. As soon as the pressure on his arms lessened he wiggled free and made a run for it. By the time Love and Kensai finished voicing their protests he was already out of sight.

The low rippling laugh filled Ichigo's ears. He knew it well. He heard it inside his head whenever the hollow wanted something, or he was bored, or he just wanted to bother his king. But Ichigo immediately knew this time the hollow wasn't taunting. He was serious, in his own mad way.

'This is it king. What you've been training for. Excited?' The voice purred but he couldn't quite hide that small waver in it. Hollow Ichigo was trying very hard to keep his wilder nature under lock and key. It would do no good to have Ichigo distrust him again.

'Shut up!' To make his point clear Ichigo didn't just mentally shout the command, he verbally expressed it as well. A short silence followed during which the teen sensed his hollow thinking.

'As you wish.' For a moment Ichigo was thrown off guard by the suddenly compliant hollow. He didn't stop running though, his feet finding their path with ease. Once he had a feel for Grimmjow's spiritual pressure it was easy to pin point the Arrancar.

Inside him, silence descended. Hollow Ichigo kept true to his word and didn't say anything more. He coiled his hatred for Grimmjow Jeagerjaques like a waiting cobra ready to strike with deadly accuracy. Ichigo was his, and nobody, nobody, could have him.

Grimmjow didn't have to wait long before his prey showed itself. Like a rabbit in a trap, Ichigo came to him and he was ready to hunt. He looked at the approaching boy with a cold gaze waiting to be noticed. It only took a second before the human realized he was being watched and raised his eyes to meet Grimmjow's cold and observant ones.

'Hello. I've been looking for you, Soul Reaper.'

'And I've been waiting for you.' Ichigo snidely replied, while unstrapping his zanpakuto off of his back. He didn't break eye contact with Grimmjow once, nor did he drop his challenging smirk. He wanted to show the Arrancar that he wasn't the same teenager of before, afraid and intimidated. This time things were going to turn out different and he was going to keep his previous promise. He was about to wipe the smirk off his enemy's face.

'I wanna show you how much I've changed in the last month.' With confidence he didn't entirely feel, he clawed his fingers over his face and called Hollow Ichigo's dark energy, materializing it into the mask. He wasn't about to use it yet, but it was a comfort to know it was at hand. The surging power did wonders for his confidence.

Grimmjow regarded him with no emotion. He had no intention of killing Ichigo fast. He was here for the fight after all, so he was content to observe this growth Ichigo mentioned. Until he got bored. Then he'd kill the human.

The black flames radiated around Ichigo with the release of his Bankai, surrounding the Shinigami like a protective shield. Grimmjow observed and a part of him admired the elegant twisting tongues of fire. But the majority of him was disappointed. Nothing new here. It looked like the boy was just as boring as any other prey. He smirked, spreading his Cheshire smile, ignoring the disappointment nagging at him. He had really hoped this one human was different.

'Ha! Bankai, eh? So what? Did you forget? Your Bankai couldn't stop me.' Even if Ichigo wasn't going to be a great fight, he could still prove to be a good one. Grimmjow intended to taunt and tease him until Ichigo would use all he had. He was the cat playing with the mouse, before eating him.

'Maybe you forgot. My Bankai attack gave you that scar!' Grimmjow's smile dropped. Maybe he didn't give the boy enough credit. He was proving himself to be quite the back talker. Entirely different from the struggling, helpless human he remembered.

'I've got a question for you Grimmjow.' The Arrancar kept quiet and a stony front. It was his way of letting Ichigo know he was willing to listen. The part of him, interested in Ichigo didn't miss the fact that the boy called him by his name. He felt an alien jolt when he heard the word rolling off the boy's tongue.

'What happened to your arm?' Was he going crazy or did Grimmjow detect a hint, almost too small to notice, of concern? He felt that unknown jolt again, a bit stronger than before, but didn't falter in his icy façade. He'd deal with those strange feelings later, when Ichigo was dead.

'I got rid of it. I only need one arm to kill you.' One thing he noticed about Ichigo, was the way he flinched whenever he patronized him and taunted him. Grimmjow relished the small frowns the boy was desperate to hide and the small things that gave Ichigo's anger away. His jaw clenched and quivered just a little. His nostrils flared with a sudden intake of air. Grimmjow noticed the creeping rash, spreading on the porcelain skin. The boy was angry and the time for talking was over.

'Oh yeah? Then I guess I don't have to hold back!'

'If you do, you're gonna die real quick.' How could he resist another smirk and tease?

Ichigo called on the dark power just waiting to be used. The hollow extended his embrace eagerly, desperate to start doing what he enjoyed best. He was itching to get his hands bloody and feel the sweet sensation of flesh being carved by his sword. He couldn't go as wild as he would have liked, due to Ichigo's reign, but something was better than nothing.

Ichigo still had power wholly and truly, over his body and mind, but Hollow Ichigo dictated his killer instinct. He would be the driving force behind his king's desire to kill Grimmjow and he had every intent to make sure that came to pass. That Arrancar annoyed him. He posed a threat for Ichigo's attention, even if the boy himself didn't know it yet.

But Hollow Ichigo was looking at Grimmjow like a rival. He saw things the boy missed. Like the way the azure eyes followed Ichigo's reactions and movements. And the small spark whenever Ichigo reacted to one of his remarks. And every time that happened Hollow Ichigo wanted to break loose and attack the inferior hollow.

Finally, this was his chance. Ichigo was giving him the chance to lead the attack indirectly and he embraced his king with his mantle of dark flames. He spread his protection around Ichigo and sharpened his wish to kill. In eleven seconds Grimmjow Jeagerjaques will be dead.

'I can stay Hollowfied for exactly eleven seconds. I'll finish him by then!'Ichigo's thoughts raced ahead of his body. In a flash the mask was complete, bringing with it another surge of power. This one much greater than the one accompanying his Bankai.

Ichigo let the hollow establish his domain over him, his power coursing through his veins like a molten river. It was like a rush. He felt like he could do anything, take anyone, when Hollow Ichigo held him. The sensation only lasted with the blast of sudden power. Then it melted down, like the explosive dark flames around him.

But once the anxiety diluted, the calm settled. He had a fresh perspective of his surroundings. Things looked different through Hollow Ichigo's influence. It was sharper and more focused. It was easier for him to spot weak points and openings. His killer instinct ruled his craving to make Grimmjow bleed.

'Wha…? What's that?' If he had the time, Ichigo would have loved to take a minute and enjoy Grimmjow's startled reaction. For the first time it looked like he got the better of his opponent. The smirk was gone.

'Sorry man. I don't have time to explain.' And he didn't waste a nanosecond more.

Ichigo used a Shunpo and clashed his sword with Grimmjow's barely raised one. The Arrancar widened his eyes in surprise, not believing how quickly the teen moved. The strength of the blow drove him back and black flames erupted behind the attack, adding extra pressure.

Grimmjow had to use all his strength to keep his upright position. But something was off. It wasn't just the crazy jump in power or the similar feel of a hollow's Reiatsu. Something else was wrong. Something was different! He roamed Ichigo's mask while partially focusing on the sword play. Something…..

Of course! The answer was right in front of his eyes, staring back at him with loathe and fury. The bleached, gold pupil and black surrounding sclera held the answer. The eyes didn't belong to the human. They were furious, mad, hateful eyes that belonged to a killer. A hunter. The same as him….

'Getsuga….' Grimmjow didn't have time to process any more thoughts. He remembered the name. The last time it gave him a scar across his torso. Now, with the added power of the Hollowfication the consequences could be fatal. Grimmjow was in mortal danger and he had no way of preventing it. '….Tensho!'

The fang engulfed Grimmjow like a hungry mouth, spearing the evening sky with its perfect darkness. Then, there was absolute silence.

Against his better judgement, and the screeching desire of Hollow Ichigo to finish Grimmjow off, Ichigo paused, wasting a second. He watched the Arrancar, still alive, gasping for rasping breaths as his life force cascaded from his numerous fresh wounds. He was covered from tip to toe in red. Only his eyes still shone blue, true to their colour.

He didn't know why but Ichigo held back from killing Grimmjow. He uderstood full well that this was his enemy and this was the same creature threatening everything he held close to his heart, under Aizen's orders, but somehow he felt that this one Arrancar was different. He felt like he knew him. And in a sudden flash he knew why. Grimmjow and Hollow Ichigo were the same type of mad, crazed killers.

And if that was the case then Ichigo was willing to bet that Grimmjow wasn't the sort to follow orders. Especially from someone like Aizen, who in Ichigo's opinion, was a real asshole. The type that enjoyed finding someone's weakness and playing with that knowledge until it broke his toys. Therefore, maybe Grimmjow could be swayed to change sides. Just an idle thought that crossed Ichigo's mind, before it vanished as just another stupid idea.

'This….isn't…..soul reaper power. How? How did you do it in only one month?' Grimmjow managed to rasp through clenched teeth. The bleeding didn't lessen. The only reason why he was still alive was due to his quick thinking. Just before the attack ripped him to ribbons, he used a Hierro to harden his skin to the point of unyielding iron.

Ichigo didn't react in any other way than raising his sword, about to unleash another attack. The time for waiting, talking and thinking was over. At most he had another four seconds.

The new sword slash was just as intense as the previous and once more Grimmjow found himself being pushed back. He was starting to feel like the mouse in the clutches of the cat and he detested the notion. He was the cat! He was the hunter!

'I told you….' To the Espada's shock the voice was coming from behind him. '…I don't have time to explain.' He only had time to widen his eyes with surprise before another fang slashed at his back.

The continuous Getsuga Tenshous broke his Hierro and Grimmjow fell. He couldn't hold his footing and his body refused to move. His muscles clenched and his vision blurred. Blood was flowing freely from cuts all over his body, creating a fine spray of red spots. This was as bad as things could get. Another one of those sword fangs and Grimmjow was dead. He had no other line of defence now that his iron skin was gone.

It looked like he had to release. He gripped his zanpakuto with clenching fingers. He was the cat. He was….

'Y…You…Little Jerk!' Like he was going to become the mouse. He gathered the Reiatsu and moulded it into a Cero which shot straight and true at Ichigo.

While Ichigo was taken by surprise by the sudden Doom Blast, Grimmjow used a Sonido to catch his enemy from behind. He swung wildly, the two swords clashing with sparks. The two held each other's eyes, both gleaming with the thirst for the other's blood.

'It's over Grimmjow.' The Arrancar didn't budge but he felt another Getsuga gathering. If Ichigo attacked, it was over. He had to release his true form, or die.

The mask fragments crumbled and fell around them. Both widened their eyes, one not believing his fortune and the other not believing his misfortune. The eleven seconds were up. Ichigo was spent, and Hollow Ichigo was forced to withdraw, taking his power with him. Ichigo froze, realizing that in a split second the wheel had turned.

Grimmjow's eyes blazed. His grin stretched from ear to ear. This was it. Without his mask the boy posed no threat whatsoever. He was finished. Grimmjow was the cat, and Ichigo was back to being the helpless mouse in his paw.

'It's over soul reaper!'

I know, I know! Dry! But I promise you'll love the next chapter (I know I'm adding a small spoiler, but there will be some action between Grimmjow and Ichigo in the next chapter. But that's all I'm saying people! XD)

So once more, thank you for the read and please let me know what you think. I'll try to update as soon as I can, but I'm not making any promises...I hate exams. T^T