GrimmJow lay dying. His breathe came in ragged gasps. His body discarded on the sands of Hueco Mundo. Enemies and allies both forgot about him as the battle raged on. He tried to move but waves of pain forced him to remain still. He could hear the sounds of the fight not to far away.

Shit! He thought. I can't die here. I can't. He started screaming in his own mind. I CAN'T DIE HERE!! I AM THE STRONGEST!! I MUST PROVE IT!!

"I WILL NOT DIE!" GrimmJow shouted out loud. He rolled over, despite the pain from the multitude of wounds he sustained. He pushed himself onto his hands and knees. "Kurosaki… I will get you. I will KILL YOU!!" With a primal roar GrimmJow stood up. He pushed his body to the limit and beyond. He turned towards the sounds of the fighting.

"Kurosaki… Ulquiorra… both will die by my hands, no one else's…" He took a step and his body gave out. GrimmJow fell back to the sand. He knew that it was useless. He would die here. There was no stopping that. GrimmJow closes his eyes and resigned himself to death.

"Hmph! I thought you stronger than that." Grimmjow heard a voice both in his head and to his side. "Are you really going to just lie down and die? You're just going to give up? That's not like you."

"I know you," GrimmJow said weakly as he turned his head. Standing before him he saw his old form, an Adjuchas Menos-Grande in the shape of a panther. "You're me… at least I used to be you."

"No GrimmJow," the being said to him, walking closer. "I am not you. Rather, I am not what you once were, yet I am a part of you."

"You speak riddles," GrimmJow said angrily. "Enough of your babble. I haven't the time. Either tell me who you are or let me die in piece."

The Hollow shook itself in irritation. "I should have known better. You're too thick headed." It walked over to where GrimmJow's sword was still stuck in the sand. "This is who I am" it said gesturing to the blade.

GrimmJow's glare doubled as he started a retort back to the Hollow. Then realization dawned on him. "Pantera," he whispered.

"You finally get it."

"So how does this help me survive?" he asked. "My breath grows weaker. When I die, you go with me. So how am I to survive this ordeal to prove myself?"

"You will not survive. You are dying, you know this. You cannot live through these wounds. And yet you can. You know what happens to Hollows when slain by a Zanpakuto?"

"Of course I do," GrimmJow coughed up blood over the sand, "get to the point."

"Your force of will kept you in control when you joined the Gillian. Your force of will can keep you in control when your spirit goes into Soul Society. Though you will not rematerialize there, there is still a way to live on."

GrimmJow coughed again and more blood pooled below him. Despite that, he smiled. He knew exactly what Pantera meant. He took his last dying breaths and fainted. His body began splitting into spirit particles and flowing towards the dome over Hueco Mundo, towards Soul Society. Through this, GrimmJow still grinned.