The last thing I remember was hearing Ichigo scream. It scared me, to hear King in such soul crushing pain. What could have caused him to cry out like that?

Then it all became clear. The chains around my body melted away, the darkness that was King's Shihakusho peeled off my clothing to reveal the pure white beneath. I sighed, watching my skin bleach back to white, my fingernails turn black, and my surroundings changing to... oh great, this place.

It wasn't King's inner world, at least, not his real one. This was the place I was forced to be by King. He didn't accept me as a part of himself, as a result I was forced into the corners of his mind where even he couldn't venture. He didn't want me around... I didn't blame him.

But how I had been awoken seemed to cast out any thoughts that King didn't like me. Fact was, the old man wouldn't have just let go of his hold on me for no reason. Now, either that scream meant Ichigo was wounded and I needed to fix him, or that whatever enemy he was facing was much stronger and he needed his full power now.

Either way, Ichigo was in danger, and I needed to get out of here to help him.

I know what some of you are probably thinking; since when have I cared about Ichigo?

Let me start at the beginning... around the time Ichigo's mother died.

Third Person POV.

His inner world was small at the time, only one building was in it. The world was underwater, Kurosaki Clinic being suffocated by the minute.

"Mommy? Mommy!?" White felt alive under Ichigo's sorrow, each tremor and sob he heard pulled him closer to the crying child. As he reached for the sun, two cold blades were placed at his throat.

"Not so fast, Hollow. I cannot allow you to hurt my Master."

The Hollow made a growling noise, echoed both naturally and by the wide open water.

The being behind him had blue eyes and grey hair, two pure black swords in black gloved hands, and a sleeveless Shihakusho on skinny arms. "I know I'm fading away... But I WON'T allow you to hurt our young Master so long as I still draw breath."

White submitted to the Zanpakuto, for now...

Later, sky scrapers grew from the ground, pushing out White and Zangetsu from the water. Zangetsu grew stronger, feeling that Ichigo had summoned his Zanpakuto for the first time.

But it wasn't long until White was summoned by Ichigo too. Ichigo was in the middle of battling a Hollow, when the world shifted. A crack appeared in the middle of the skyscrapers, a deadly crack. White could reach Ichigo's mind, making the boy twisted - if just for a second - he and Ichigo simultaneously reached through the Hollow's mask, yanking out it's tongue...

He was pulled back when Ichigo's sanity cleared. Zangetsu pinned him to the wall, his eyes angry and glowing a violent blue.

White made a gargled sound, much like a sigh, and Zangetsu moved away. They waited in silence for their King's fight to end. White cooed at Ichigo's anger, his jealousy of forces that were stronger than him, and Zangetsu remained silent, waiting for the right time to reach his King and tell him his name.

So long as Zangetsu remained, White couldn't take control. And so long as White remained, Zangetsu was left with constant headaches.

One day the unthinkable happened. The world sunk yet again, this time a few more buildings present - Orihime's apartment, the bridge were Ichigo saved Chad, the streets where Ichigo and Uryu fought, and Masaki's grave. For days there was nothing but Ichigo's screams and sobbing. Zangetsu was weak, now that Rukia's given powers had been cut out by some... Captain Kuchiki, and White was unable to do anything since Ichigo hadn't any power at all that could be tainted.

"How pitiful."

White and Zangetsu turned, eyes wide at the face neither of them had seen before. "Who're you!?" Zangetsu voiced the question on both of their minds.

"Me?" The man was much older than Zangetsu and White, displaying wisdom in his eyes, along with malice. "Well, I suppose my name would technically be Ichigo, as that's who I live within."

White growled. Zangetsu pointed his left blade at the intruder. "You are not my Master, stranger. Now who are you really?"

The man sighed, his cloak and dark brown hair flowing in the wind. "I am Yhwach."

White and Zangetsu glanced at each other, which was odd for them act alike, then back to Yhwach.

Yhwach sighed and stepped forward. "Regardless of who I am, the two of you are an infestation. Be gone. I will deal with giving the boy his powers back."

There was air, not water, but there was no sun. The sky scrapers had turned orange, and the sky was blood red with black clouds. Before there was a chance for White or Zangetsu to question their new location, they heard a cry. Turning, the could see the normal world through the glass of this fake one.

"Yhwach... he's... he's feeding lies to our Master!" Zangetsu cried desperately. His lips quivered when he felt White behind him, his growl angry and violent.

Zangetsu nodded, a tear rolling down his cheek. "Yes, White... I do believe it is time for that."

TO BE CONTINUED