Heehee, hoho! Upcoming plot twist! Stay tuned!

"Renji," Ashido murmured with a drawl. "What brings you to my house?"

"Nothing much," the red headed man stated, tattooed brows furrowed deeply.

Ashido tried to not smirk at him. He knew how well rumors spread in the building and it was a little difficult to hide the fact that Grimmjow, as Pantera, had gotten into a very nice placement in the underground with his wave making slave whose face no one had seen yet. He could see that Renji had been keeping as many tabs on the situation as possible – he guessed that everyone on that side of the investigation was doing it, even Kuchiki – and was about as pleased with it as Grimmjow's leaving to go undercover with Ichigo by his side.

"Right," Ashido muttered. "You hate me and I know this because you're still giving me shit for things I did years ago when you and Rukia weren't even in each others' social spheres. It's not really my fault she was assigned to play my wife slash lover on a case Renji. Sorry she enjoyed it." He sneered at Renji who looked like he wanted to cross the threshold and strangle him. He had better sense than that though.

"I'd tell you to fuck off but then you might do it," Renji snarled back. He didn't like Ashido for being a bit suave in certain things but he had to admit that even the whole thing of Ashido saying sorry for Rukia enjoying the escapades was a bit pretentious. They never did anything; according to Rukia they hadn't.

"Ho hum," Ashido hummed gently. "Why are you here again?"

"Grimmjow," Renji stated. "Ichigo too. No skimping on details."

Ashido's cool face disappeared into the controlled face of someone before the press. "No. Comment. What so ever."

"I'm not the press," Renji snarled.

"You may as well be," Ashido replied easily. "You're not on my team which makes you an outsider. Whatever Ukitake decides to tell you is what you get."

"Well, he's not really telling us all that much," Renji shot back, his emotions getting the better of him. "That kid's been through enough and you all know it too. He shouldn't be involved just because he has more experience than you all in this shit."

"It was nice to know that you care and all but I do have a job to do right now. Baishin isn't going to babysit Kiyone and Sentarō all day and Nanao has been pissed off by them one too many times this week." He gave a dismissive shrug before wandering off; at least trying to wander off. Renji's hand on his shoulder was pretty noticeable though and he knew pretty well how hard Renji's fists were.

"It's either you talk to me or Rukia will show up and beat the crap out of you," Renji said with an odd ease that made Ashido's skin crawl. He wasn't always in the habit of being an ass but with Renji it was far too much fun. When the Rukia card was pulled though he wasn't even sure why he found it entertaining.

"Would you mind unhanding me?" Ashido asked politely.

It was always best to be polite in this kind of situation. He'd seen Ichigo pull this crap before when someone tried to manhandle him a bit on his first night back in the fray. One of the Masters had thought that since Ichigo's owner wasn't looking it'd be okay to look the kid over a bit more closely. Ichigo hadn't reacted until he laid a hand on his shoulder to move him into better light.

"Please release me Master," Ichigo has said, Ashido's hand automatically reaching for the gun he'd been carrying as Pantera's new bodyguard slash slave watcher. Grimmjow had growled something in Spanish before yanking the Master away from Ichigo and rounded on the wide-eyed man.

"What're ya doin' ya little fuck?" Grimmjow had snarled.

"J-just gettin' a better look at 'im Sir that's all," the man had answered fearfully. Grimmjow growled something else in Spanish at him.

"Don't fuckin' touch my property," Grimmjow snarled in English. The man nodded and ran off.

No one else dared to touch Ichigo before getting express permission from Pantera. Ashido still had yet to see the kid fighting though but he had a feeling he was going to be impressed when he did see it. As a slave watcher he was technically supposed to just make sure that Ichigo got into the ring and came back into his holding area – Private Slaves being held separately from the others.

He wasn't a fulltime bodyguard after all; he could waste the time more than just watching his so-called boss. Baishin was far more intimidating as a personal guard though.

He was beginning to wonder if Renji had had to play as muscle.

"Fuck you," Renji growled. "Ichigo…start talking."

Ashido frowned at him. "Let go of me Abarai."

"Renji?" Ichigo's voice called out innocently from behind the tattooed red head. The pineapple turned to find Ichigo standing there in simple civilian clothes, his Proofs gleaming in the lighting. His chocolate eyes gazed over Ashido and Renji for a moment before they fell solely on the taller red head. Ashido flinched at the hard look in those eyes.

Renji did too.

"Ichigo," Renji sighed as he lightly shoved Ashido away. He shoved his hands into his pockets and sauntered over to Ichigo, stance wary as he raked his eyes over Ichigo's form. The only injury they could see was a split bottom lip but something told Ashido he'd had more injuries under the clothes Grimmjow had outfitted him with.

Ichigo's eyes fell onto Ashido, shining with a kinder light. "I'll be there a moment Ashido; you don't have to stay."

Ashido glanced towards Renji to find the man's jaw set.

"I think I should Fifteen," he replied carefully.

"Fifteen?" Renji asked.

"It's my code name," Ichigo stated a bit proudly as he flashed a smile. "Mind if I asked what'd I walk in on?"

"No," Renji said as Ashido nodded at him a bit enthusiastically. Renji sent the other red head a glare. "It's just office talk that's getting a little heated is all."

"Yeah well I have to work with Ashido now so I'd appreciate him not being pissed off," Grimmjow muttered as he walked in behind Ichigo in a get up good enough for Pantera. He tugged as the black silk tie before setting it back into place before seeing to the cufflinks of his dress shirt. The matching black suit jacket for his pressed pants hung over his left forearm as he fiddled with his clothes.

Ichigo watched him with interested eyes and he tapped a finger on his dark colored trip pants as Grimmjow did a last look over. When he finished with that, he slung the coat on and then held out his arms to the side.

"How do I look Ichi?" he asked with a smirk.

"Like Pantera," Ichigo shrugged a bit impassively. "It's not gonna matter to me all that much why ask me?"

"Because you know how I look a daily basis Ichi," Grimmjow chuckled. "Hey Ashido, what do you think?"

"Good, dangerously powerful, works for me," Ashido said in a rush as his eyes fell onto Renji whose jaw was set a bit harder than before as he glared at his friends. "Baishin doesn't want to babysit anymore; can we go?"

"Sure," Grimmjow sighed a bit irritated. "Do you need us for anything Renji?"

"No," Renji muttered. "I apparently have nothing to worry over."

"Oh? Well then, you may as well leave huh?" Grimmjow said with a bit too much sarcasm to be kosher. Renji gave him a snarled curse before marching off. "Ashido, what was that about?"

Ashido frowned.

"How long were you listening?"

"About from 'Fuck you. Ichigo…start talking,'" Grimmjow muttered as he passed his colleague. Ichigo followed him quietly with a mischievous smirk on his face. Ashido didn't believe Grimmjow for some reason but he remained silent as they walked towards the offices. Baishin gave a relieved sigh once he saw them and left his two 'charges' to them.

Nanao had heaps of paperwork about her and she was scrambling to keep up with it since not all of it was hers alone – everyone knew Kyōraku was a lazy bastard and that Ukitake was usually coughing too hard to deal with his thanks to too many years having to smoke to get information from people. It was a bit normal to see her up to her eyeballs in paperwork. She'd make them do their own but she'd make hers first to make sure everything was in order. It was needless to say that those three had some of the best reports in the entire section.

"You clean up nice," Kiyone said happily. "Hi Ichigo, how's the lip?"

"Fine," Ichigo smiled at her. "My ribs are still sore but I can at least say that the guy knew how to throw a punch."

"That's nice," Grimmjow muttered a bit darkly. "Hey, Baishin, have we got anything from the targets lately?"

"Yeah…there's to be another fight going down in another couple weeks. They've decided you were right on Ichigo's placement as a fighter; he's going to be named a Top Fighter when we bring him in next time."

"Yeah," Sentarō sighed. "He may even get to go up against the kid we need eyes on."

Grimmjow nodded and glanced at Ichigo who gave him a blank look.

"What're you all dressed up for?" Kyōraku asked as he waltzed past the blue haired agent with a confused look on his bearded face.

"Pantera has other shit to do right?" Grimmjow asked. "Remember when we started working with you? We ran into someone near a certain apartment that is owned by an escaped slave and has had other escapees running into it. Where's Ukitake? I need him and someone else in a van while Ichigo and I look into the tenants – one of them specifically."

"He's getting a van ready," Baishin smirked. Grimmjow shook his head; the damned weird sixth sense of a veteran getting to him. Ichigo never seemed bothered by it though. He was pretty much okay with Ukitake, murmuring things like he'd put trust in the man's judgment faster than his own in certain instances.

"So…any news on what I should look out for?" Grimmjow asked.

"There was a rather big guy who entered the place a couple nights ago and that's about it. He hasn't left yet so watch out; both of you."

"Will do," Grimmjow sighed softly as he buttoned the jacket around him. "Ichi? Ready to go see your old teacher?"

"Sure," Ichigo said softly, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Alright then. We'll be seeing you guys later."

Within a few moments, Grimmjow and Ichigo were marching towards the van Ukitake was standing in front of, Ashido following them quietly; watching Ichigo for any sign of pain. The kid didn't show it though. If there was, he knew how to hide it. There was a discipline there that Ashido knew couldn't be achieved in a normal training facility.

That came from fighting for your life every second, fighting in the ring or sitting in the cages. You couldn't show pain because it made you look weak, he mused silently. You are one scary kid Ichigo.

"Hello boys," Ukitake said kindly as he opened the driver door and hopped stiffly into the seat. Ashido clambered into the passenger seat, ready for action in a second. They could all tell by the fire in his eyes and as his hand brushed over where his gun was. Ukitake brushed his coat over his hip to hide his own weapon. "You two get the sports car," he added as he tossed Grimmjow the keys. "Please remember he doesn't have a license."

"I hate Grimmjow's driving," Ichigo muttered. "Who says I want to even learn?"

"Get in the car," Grimmjow laughed. "We'll see you two there!" He waved at the two in the van as he followed Ichigo to the black Camaro they'd been given for the night.

"You sure you don't mind talking to him again?" Grimmjow asked as soon as his door slammed shut. He glanced at Ichigo who sat in the passenger seat with that fire in his eyes again.

"Yeah…I may as well prove I'm sort of out of the cages right?"

"I guess," Grimmjow sighed as he gunned the engine to life and pulled out of the garage.

Shiro was sitting in Zangetsu's apartment quietly as Zangetsu spoke to someone separately. The guy was fucking huge, had darker than his definition of usual which ran from porcelain white to sun kissed tan, and his voice was horridly deep with a full accent of something from somewhere else. He thought Mexico or Spain but he wasn't sure. Hell, he wasn't even sure how he'd managed to slip past his family tonight.

His father had pretty much put the house on lock down. His sisters were giving him worried looks and telling him to avoid making Isshin any madder. Of course, Shinji had ended up calling him when he'd had a free moment and had explained that Zangetsu had a visitor that Shiro should try to meet if he could.

Somehow, he'd made it out of the house before Isshin could have possibly known he was leaving. He knew he'd been driven to school and that he'd never made it to class, having waited until his father was out of sight before even entering the building with his friends.

Shuuhei sat across from him, glaring darkly at his pale friend.

"You shouldn't have followed me," Shiro shrugged.

"I was trying to check up on you since the last time I talked to you, your father ended the call sounding overly pissed," Shuuhei growled. "My father is going to gut us when he notices I skipped school Shiro."

"Shouldn't have followed me then," Shiro repeated. "Do me a favor and stop making me repeat myself."

"Who is this guy?"

"He's someone who knows about my brother…like you and your father apparently."

"Don't take your anger out on me Shiro," Shuuhei growled. "I wanted to tell you a hell of a lot sooner but I had to be sure."

"Well thanks for that buddy."

"You're so welcome."

"Both of you please," Zangetsu sighed as he popped Shiro upside the head, following up with the same move on Shuuhei. "Enough. Both of you are right and wrong. You shouldn't have followed him but you should have told him of his brother sooner. You however shouldn't have gotten involved in this and I thought you said you couldn't stay long since your father is ticked off at you."

"He is," Shiro shrugged in differently. "Personally, my head still hurts from the whiplash he gave me a few nights ago. I got out of the lock down, I don't care."

"Hoorah for you; you are far too much like your brother."

"Says the guy who knows him better than me apparently," Shiro muttered.

"A teacher never knows his students. It's the same for students and their teachers; they don't know them as well as they think they do."

Shiro snorted and glanced at the mammoth in the room that stood near the door silently, his hair falling over his eyes and his arms crossed over his chest. He was…intimidating. He had more muscle mass than Zangetsu so he was broader to be sure. His height made Shiro twitch a bit too since it was just so weird to see someone that tall even in America. Seriously, what had the kid eaten to get that fucking big?

"I don't have time for you two to be idiots," Zangetsu sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "How about we all do each other a favor and forget about tonight. You two can at least say you were together – one of you being a bad influence while the other was trying to make sure he doesn't go too far off the map. That sounds believable."

"Whatever, you have extra beds," Shiro muttered. "I'm staying here."

"No, you're not," Zangetsu growled. Shuuhei instantly knew it would be best to stay on the man's good side. "Get out now."

"Fine," Shiro growled back as he shot up from the sofa. "Let's just see how my dad takes this bullshit news."

"Do you really think you're the only one who's got a dad ready to gut him?" Shuuhei asked, shooting up from the chair he'd been in. "Shiro, you're freakin' idiot! Momo and Tatsuki are going to kill you if your father – or mine for that matter – don't beat them to it."

"Leave my apartment now boys," Zangetsu said, his voice demanding but never above inside levels. "My friend and I have to speak privately."

"Whatever," Shiro muttered as he stalked towards the door.

Shuuhei spared a glance to both of the other men in the room before following his friend outside, hands in his pockets. He couldn't help but notice a well-kept black Camaro parked somewhat nearby. Someone could hear them if they stayed in near it. Hell, it was in a good place to see who came and went. He caught Shiro's sleeve and tugged it a bit harder.

"What now?" Shiro damn near yelled.

"Shut up for a second and listen to me," Shuuhei hissed as he pulled his friend a bit close for comfort. "Black Camaro, behind you." Shiro turned to look. "Don't look stupid! It can't be your father; he doesn't have that nice a car. The guy in there didn't seem to be the type who'd have a car that nice, let alone at all. It's too nice to be in this place too so it's either under covers or worse."

"Worse? Like Slave Owners?"

"More like gangsters or cartels stupid," Shuuhei muttered. "It's either we leave casually and try to not look suspicious-."

"Fat chance of that right now huh?" Shiro hissed back.

"It's either that, or we act like we forgot and go back inside."

"Zangetsu won't want us in there if there are possible cops – which FYI would have grabbed us by now."

"Maybe they're waiting for us to get away from the building either way. Think about this Shiro, we're in shitty placements here and have to think it through."

There was a creaking noise from the alley that led to Zangetsu's apartment. Shiro and Shuuhei yanked each other into an alcove and quickly clammed up as the giant from the apartment exited onto the street. He shook his head, his flopping hair falling further over his eyes as he stayed in the shadows.

A short conversation apparently, Shiro thought. He then pulled out a wallet and thumbed through it for a second as if he wasn't sure he had anything in it. He had plenty in it though, all of it cash. He gave a soft sigh before stuffing the wallet into his front pocket and scrubbed a hand over his face before walking off. He passed underneath a street light, revealing a few more features on him though the two boys didn't really bother to take them in as he left the neighborhood. As soon as he turned the corner, Shuuhei suddenly had the confidence to speak.

"Feel like staying at my house?"

"Yeah…sounds good to me…Maybe your dad won't kill us as gruesomely as you think he will."

"Pft. Whatever."

Please review even though this is badly written.