Bleach Manga thread (SPOILERS)

Ah ok, so that was something different from when he first got his hollow powers?

That was first when he got his hollow powers, and the hollow mask started randomly appearing on his body. It wasn't until a LONG time afterwards that he even became aware he had them (when he fought byakuya just after stopping rukias execution) and then later learned to control them when he met the Visoreds.