For some reason I was inside my head. The hollow me had attacked me, which explained why I'd blacked out. And she was still attacking me. I barely had it in me to kick her in the stomach, get up, and take off, not sure where I was going. I didn't understand why I had to deal with her right this very second.

"You ain't going to get away that easily." Hollow me laughed and I felt something choking me.

I tried to pry it off but it didn't go over that well. I was losing air pretty fast and I couldn't get her.

She just grinned at me. "Now you're gonna die."

I tried to pull free but it still didn't work and everything was starting to go gray and steadily getting darker. I knew I wasn't supposed to die yet. But it was happening anyways.

I went out.

I came to consciousness after a while and I realized that she had left her guard down. I slowly got up and attacked, driving Yoso into her shoulder. She screamed and I was able to take control from her. For the most part.

"LET GO!" I screamed at her, attacking her while vaguely realizing I was also in partial control and ripping the mask off. She screamed angrily.

"Stop!" She snarled at me.

"Why should I?" I growled at her, keeping the blade in her shoulder. "Why shouldn't I just kill you right now?"

"Because I just want to live! That's it!" She spat.

"Then why try to kill me? Can't you just be fine with living in my head?" I asked her.

She slowly calmed down. "I don't know. I thought if I didn't kill you I'd eventually fade and die."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "What gave you that idea?"

She didn't answer. So it must've just been basic Hollow instinct then. That's what I assumed.

"This isn't over." She snarled at me.

I growled in response.

I came to, lying on my back in the grass. My body was slumped against the tree. Ichigo had his blade out, his face pretty scratched up. I just stayed lying down, panting. I didn't want to get up; I didn't want anyone to look at me like I was a monster. I didn't want to see any of that. I couldn't stand any of that. So what I was hoping for is that they knew what happened, or at least guessed. I heard footsteps approaching me but I still didn't move.

"Hey." Ichigo kneeled next to me. "Are you okay?"

I finally sat up and only shook my head in response. I could definitely tell that I was NOT okay. I was terrified. I didn't know how I was supposed to handle it. Could I have a rational response to it? I had no idea. If I opened my mouth to speak, I'd probably end up in tears. And I didn't want that to happen. I had to stay strong—it wasn't an option.

He touched my shoulder and I flinched. There wasn't any reason to flinch other than I was just jumpy.

"We need to figure out how to get that under control." He mumbled.

I realized Chad and Orihime were staring at me. The only relief I felt is at least they didn't look horrified or scared or something. But I couldn't tell what it was that they were feeling. It was really annoying. But I looked away from them. It didn't matter now; I wanted to get out of there. I wanted to just disappear at that moment. Disappearing wasn't an option though.

There must have been fear on my face because Ichigo's voice was suddenly soft and soothing. "It's going to be okay."

I shook my head. I should've believed him, but I just didn't think I could believe him. Nothing seemed like it would be okay.

I took in a huge breath. "That's probably the scariest thing that's ever happened to me."

Ichigo frowned. "Even scarier than being attacked by a hollow?"

I nodded. It was ten times scarier, and it's worse knowing that she lives inside of me and there's no way to get rid of her easily. That I know of anyways.

He sighed. "I think we'd have to talk to the Vizards to help with that."

I tilt my head in total confusion. He just shook his head at me, with an expression saying that he would explain later. That was enough for me. I didn't need to know right now anyways.

"Wait, Ichigo is she having the same problem that you had?" Orihime asked.

Ichigo turned to look at her. "Yes. The exact same problem but it's probably worse."

"How so?"

"Well, the hollow has been living inside of her much longer than mine has when I first got my Soul Reaper powers."

Orihime looked about as confused about that as I was about everything else. That didn't really matter to me right now. I already knew that I had a major problem. Handling it was going to be the problem for me, considering I had no idea how to handle it and what would happen. What I did know for certain was if we didn't resolve this problem soon, I'd lose myself and that would be the worst feeling in the entire world. But then again, I wouldn't know how that would feel, as I'd already be completely gone.

I shuddered. I shouldn't have even been thinking about that.

I realized suddenly that Ichigo was quietly talking to Orihime and Chad. I couldn't hear what he was talking to them about, he was leaning in close to them and his voice was too low for me to make any words out. But if it was about me, shouldn't I be involved too? Maybe he thought that I couldn't handle it. But that possibility made me frown. Did he honestly think I was so weak that handling this situation was no longer something I could deal with? But he could be right.

He turned to look at me and I made the frown on my face vanish. I didn't need to be displaying my displeasure at the fact that I was being left out of a discussion that I had no idea what it was about.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Trying to decide if we should see if Urahara should do something, or if we should take you to the Vizards." He said.

Again with something I don't know about.