Byakuya entered into the human world in front of Urahara's shop where the mischievous shopkeeper was waiting for him.

"Hello, Kuchiki-sama. Here for your gigai?"

"I do not enjoy games." Byakuya said with a glare at him.

Urahara just smiled and led him into the shop, stopping in front of a slumping figure.

"This is your gigai."

"Why do I have to wear this? Are you going to entrap me as you did my sister?"

Urahara smirked. "No... You've gotten quite opinionated in your transitioning state, haven't you?"

"I do not trust you."

"Not many people do. But, this is for your benefit, Byakuya-san; I wouldn't ask you to be in it if it wasn't beneficial."

"That is what Captain Hirako said."

"There you go! He can vouch that I come through."

Byakuya lifted an eyebrow. "I doubt that."

"Just get into the gigai." He said with a tight smile.

Byakuya hesitated but entered the gigai. As soon as he entered the gigai, he felt weak and fell to his knees. He looked up at Urahara and suddenly rage took over him as he grabbed him, slamming him against the wall.

"What did you do to me?!" he yelled.

"This is a special gigai that I made just for you."

"What. Did. You. Do!" he snarled, slamming him again.

"This gigai makes your emotional walls crumble immediately. You cannot hide your feelings nor control yourself in this gigai."

"Why?"

"Training with your Hollow requires bringing out the Hollow. You are too... sophisticated. You have trained to keep your emotions in check, to keep the Hollow at bay, everything to keep your true self from being revealed. To defeat that thing, you can't hold back."

"A Kuchiki never holds back."

"I think you're lying."

Byakuya blinked and let go of Urahara, looking down at his hands. He knew he shouldn't have believed him. Why did he do that? Why did he let his guard down?

"Where do I go to train?"

Urahara smiled and told him how to get to the warehouse.

**************

Byakuya tromped into the warehouse, angry that he could no longer use shunpo to get to his destinations and had to actually walk to the warehouse. When he got there, Hiyori was waiting for him, tapping her foot angrily as she looked at a watch.

"You're ten minutes late. That's three points off."

"What points?" Byakuya asked.

"He doesn't know about the points." Hiyori laughed, looking at Lisa and Love with an amused look. "What an idiot."

Byakuya frowned and Hiyori walked over to him, looking at him intently.

"You're Spiritual Pressure is a lot less than I thought it would be. What the heck is wrong with you?"

"That shopkeeper put me in this gigai and I was naïve enough to think it would actually help."

Hiyori laughed a little. "You are pretty stupid if you think that Baldy was going to help you."

"Are you going to help me or not?" Byakuya snapped, already feeling stupid and not needing her to rub it in anymore.

"Yeah, yeah... You'll need to start working out on that."

Byakuya looked at the strange contraption and lifted an eyebrow.

**************

"Wait, Byakuya is with Hiyori at the warehouse?" Ichigo asked, looking at Urahara.

"Yes."

"How are they going to retrain him? Shinji just used some sort of spell or something to bind me and make me fight with my inner Hollow. Since Shinji is in the Soul Society, who are they going to use?"

"If you go over there, you'll see." Ichigo started to leave. "Ichigo?" He turned back. "It would be nice if you were there for him. You're like an older brother to him and it would mean a lot to him if you were there to teach him or just support him."

Ichigo smirked. "Why do you think I'm worried about him? Besides, he wouldn't care if I came or not. The Hollow is what makes him act the way he does."

"Not back then." Urahara smiled. "Just remember that."

Ichigo nodded and headed toward the warehouse.

*****************

Byakuya was using flash step again as he raced around the warehouse.

"Still as slow as ever, Byakuya-san! Your Spiritual Pressure is very low!"

Byakuya growled, concentrating on the annoying purple haired beauty in front of him. He would get her if his life depended on it. He wasn't exactly sure what this age old game of shunpo tag had to do with anything though.

"Why are you making me do this?"

"Have you not noticed? When you first got in that gigai, you couldn't do anything. Now look at you, you're using flash step almost as fast as I am. Almost."

Byakuya stopped for a second and glared at her. He remembered the strange flash step that Ichigo had done with he was younger. He stood still, thinking and waiting, feeling for Yoruichi's presence. *If Ichi-nii can do it, so can I. I'm stronger than him.*

Yoruichi gasped when Byakuya grabbed her hair tie, her hair falling about her. Byakuya smirked and waved it at her.

"I win."

Access granted, Bya-Bya.

"Hachi! Barrier, now!" Hiyori yelled as Yoruichi flash stepped away.

Yoruichi used Bakudo to keep Byakuya's body at bay as a Hollow mask formed on his face and the gigai burst away from his body.

*************

Ichigo came upon the warehouse and frowned at the barrier that was around it. He put his hand on it and was luckily able to go through it but came upon a terrible sight. The Vizoreds that were left were each taking turns with the horrific looking Hollow that was in the center of another barrier. It was screaming and making a ruckus in the barrier. He noticed Yoruichi standing by and walked over to her.

"Is that..."

"Byakuya? Yes, that's him... He used that strange flash step that the Arrancars use and then the Hollow seemed to erupt from him. It took over him so fast that his gigai ripped into shreds."

"Gigai?" Ichigo looked at the disgusting tattered flesh on the ground.

"Urahara put him in one so that he wouldn't try to suppress the Hollow. Now we have this."

Hiyori jumped out of the barrier as Byakuya howled and she released her mask from her face.

"This is almost harder than Baldy over there. Hey, Baldy! We're doing this for you as a favor! Come and help us out!" she yelled angrily.

Ichigo thought for a moment and remembered what Urahara had said. He owed Byakuya something... He pulled on his Hollow mask and jumped into the barrier, fighting the boy he used to know.

******************

INNER WORLD

Byakuya was fighting against his Inner Hollow as it still donned Senbonzakura's armor, acting like it was his zanpakuto.

"Give it up, Byakuya! I am more powerful than you will ever be. You tried to hide me with a stoic nature but you can't fool me, Bya-san! You can't fool me!"

Byakuya kept his words to himself, trying not to let the Hollow provoke him anymore than he already was. He just wanted to control his Hollow and never use it again. He didn't want to use it like Ichigo did or anything fancy like that but just let him alone. That's all he wanted.

"You're thinking too hard, Bya-san." Someone said, close behind him.

He turned but was pierced through the chest by the sword. He gasped, feeling blood escape his mouth and pool against his clothing. The Hollow smirked at him as he leaned toward Byakuya.

"This is why you will always lose to me. You think too damned much."

He pulled out the katana as Byakuya fell, blood trailing upwards as the field seemed to dissipate and he was falling forever. He was hovering between life and death, being taken over and being himself, he took the time to think. He tried to remember something that would help him. He wouldn't let Ichigo be better than him. If Ichigo could do it, Byakuya could do it. He watched the Hollow laugh above him, holding his head back triumphantly and then thought on the words he had said.

"You think too damned much."

Byakuya turned his head at that.

"It would be nice to see the amount of strength you had." Genrei said, surprising Ichigo. "With such Spiritual Pressure flowing out of you all the time, you must have wonderful technique."

Ichigo shrugged. "I think it's more of a slash and crash thing... I'm not really fluid in fighting, just using more of my brute strength."

Slash and crash and brute strength...

"Your guard is terrible. Ichigo, what are you teaching this kid? Have you not done anything to help his awareness?" Yoruichi growled to Ichigo.

"I could have told you that I was the last person to ask in regards to keeping up with people. I usually go in without reservations and figure it out on the way."

"Yeah! It's a great way to do it. Cuz things could happen that you didn't expect and you'll be able to do defend yourself easier."

Of course... I said it myself way back then... How could I forget?

Byakuya remembered that he was in his inner world and that he wasn't really bleeding. He would defeat his Inner Hollow without thinking of the consequences. It's the way Nii-sama would do it. He righted himself up, using flash step to run up the void that had been created, Senbonzakura in hand.

The Inner Hollow turned, suddenly aware that the clouds that were beginning to develop in the clearing were leaving and readied his sword. Byakuya appeared from the hole in the ground and landed in a stance.

"What is this? What do you think you're doing little boy?" the Hollow asked. "You can't defeat me! Strategy won't help you!"

"I know."

"Eh?"

"That's why I'm not thinking. I said it once before: it's great way to do things because things could happen that are unexpected. You are unexpected. I will defend myself."

The Inner Hollow cackled and they fought, Byakuya freely swinging his sword. It felt good not to strategize or think but just use his instinct to block and dodge as he pleased. When he felt he was ready, he held up his sword.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura!"

His sword dispersed and Byakuya used the blades to thrust into his Hollow's armor, a chunk of it flying off. He swiped it back again as the helmet flew off and Byakuya pointed his sword at the imposter.

"I've lived with you far too long. I will control you or you will be destroyed. Bankai." Senbonzakura sunk into the air. "Kageyoshi Senbonzakura."

*****************

Ichigo had fought the most with Byakuya's Hollow form and he was almost worn out. Half of his mask was there when the fighting stopped and Byakuya just stood there, not doing anything. Ichigo waited, ready for anything, when Byakuya let out another yell and smashed the hilt of Senbonzakura into his face, the mask crumbling off. The rest of the Hollowed part of him crumbled as well and Ichigo caught him under the arms.

"Are you alright?" Ichigo asked, releasing his Hollow mask.

Byakuya looked up and actually gave a small smile to him.

"I fought like you... That's what I had to do."

Ichigo chuckled as he helped him up. "Yeah?"

"Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

"I hate the way you fight."

Ichigo laughed as he smacked him on the back.

"I told you you did."