Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Chapter 4: It Begins

"Wh-what do you mean Urahara?" shouted Rukia. "Just what do you mean?" Rukia started shaking Urahara, anxious to know.

"Stop it," said Urahara, lightly pushing back Rukia. "I think you know what I mean. You just can't believe it cans you?" Urahara turned around and waved his fan. "Yes, I know, it's hard to believe, but we just have deal with it. Aren't I right?"

Urahara was absolutely right. Rukia was just freaking out about the situation. Urahara clapped his hands. Everyone stopped what they were doing.

"Please gather around me!" hollered Urahara.

Everyone did. Urahara pointed at everyone.

"I have terrible news," Urahara frowned, dead serious. Urahara stood quietly for a while, trying to organize his thoughts.

A black cat walked up to Urahara

"Ah! Yoruichi!" said Urahara. "Great timing! You know, I've explained this long story twice this week, so my throat is pretty dry, so please explain that story to them."

"Sure, sure," answered Yoruichi. Yoruichi explained it all.

"So we will train you guys to death," asserted Urahara. "Let's start now in fact. Ichigo, Rukia, you come with me, while the other three go with Yoruichi."

Ichigo and Rukia went with Urahara. Ishida, Chad, and Orihime followed Yoruichi.

"Now then," said Urahara, dead serious once more. "Ichigo, you need to suppress that hollow inside you. Control it! Make it do what you want it to! It can grant you fabulous powers, but then, you won't be a shinigami anymore, you will be a vizard."

"Psh! You think I really wanted to be a shinigami in the first place?" asked Ichigo. "Hell, make me stronger already!"

"It's not as easy as it looks," explained Rukia. "First of all, we have to attract that inner hollow in you. Next, you must defeat it and we two must deal with you, since you will slowly turn into your hollow form on the outside. Then, you have to find a way to train yourself to that you can use the hollow's powers suppressed for a long time."

"Hey Rukia," said Ichigo darkly. "Are you trying to discourage me?"

"N-no!" shouted Rukia. "It's just that it isn't easy! For Urahara, me, or you!"

Ichigo smiled. "I don't care."

"This will be far more intense training than I have done with you before!" shouted Yoruichi. "You see, I'm going to make this training life-threatening."

"Wh-what?" everyone shouted.

"You see, a good fighter must be able to react fast." Yoruichi disappeared.

"Sh-shunp-" Ishida had no time to speak. Yoruichi was behind him with her sword.

"Wh-what?" shouted Ishida. "I didn't feel your presence at all!"

"Right," said Yoruichi. "I will explain that later. Anyway, I will divide this training up into short lessons, seeing as we hardly have enough to become stronger. First, I will test your speed." Yoruichi threw a tennis ball to Chad, Orihime, and Ishida. "Here's what you do." Yoruichi held a ball herself. She chucked it far away. After the ball began to ball, Yoruichi disappeared. She reappeared right in front of the ball. The ball landed perfectly into her cupped hands.

"W-wow, Yoruichi-san can throw far…" watched Orihime.

"Sh-she's faster than ever…" muttered Ishida.

Yoruichi returned. "That's all you do except you don't have to wait until the ball starts falling. Oh yes, one more thing. Throw with all your strength. Try it."

Throwing their tennis balls, the three chased after them. Chad, of course, threw the ball the furthest, while Orihime threw the ball the least far. Chad and Ishida managed to catch the ball, while Orihime almost caught it.

"Now then, I'll throw the ball this time," Yoruichi stated. Yoruichi took each of the three's tennis balls. "Ishida, you're up first!" Holding a ball, she waited for Ishida to prepare himself. Yoruichi threw the ball quite far.

Ishida, quicker than Chad and Orihime, managed to barely catch the ball by diving. This proved how strong and fast Yoruichi was. He returned the ball, breathing heavily. Chad was up next. Yoruichi threw his ball. Chad immediately rushed at the ball. He managed to touch the ball, but failed to catch it. Orihime was last. Yoruichi threw the ball far out of Orihime's range. Orihime attempted to run to catch the ball, but when the ball was already on the ground, Orihime was only barely half of the way there. Seeing how Ishida was the only one to catch the ball, she forced the trio to continuously do the exercise until all three of them could catch the ball in a row.

Urahara was reading a book. A book called Vizards.

Rukia knocked down the book. "Don't tell me you're going to…"

"Yes, that's right," interrupted Urahara. "Now then, shall we start?"

"Urahara, you bastard!" screamed Rukia. She stripped the book away from Urahara's hands and then pulled out her zanpakuto.

"No need to get mad," smiled Urahara. "Tessai!" called Urahara, calmly dodging Rukia's sword swipes.

Tessai ran over to Urahara.

"Bind her if you will," ordered Urahara.

"Disintegrate, Black Dog of Rondanini. Look upon yourself and burn. Tear away your own throat! Bakudo #9, Geki!" A red light engulfed Rukia, rendering her movements useless.

"Look here," said Urahara. "Currently, Ichigo has potential to save Earth in this current situation. However, that potential can only be brought out if he gains the power of a vizard. Do you understand Rukia? Or do you love Ichigo so much that you're not listening, but instead, tryin to find a way to "save" Ichigo and destroy the Earth?" Urahara chuckled lightly as Rukia gave up, slightly blushing. "That's better! Now then, Tessai, if you will now, please start!"

"Yes sir."

"Doube-layer dislocation barrier."

Tessai clapped up and then clapped down. A huge barrier appeared. Urahara knocked Ichigo unconscious.

In Ichigo's mind, a numerous normal buildings materialized as Ichigo did. Suddenly, a clown-faced clone of Ichigo appeared. Hollow Ichigo.

"Die," cackled hollow Ichigo.

"Next step, Tessai, Bakudo #75."

"Right! Walls of Ironsand, a priestly pagoda. Glowing iron-clad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end. Bakudo #75! Gochuu Tekken!" Five humongous pillars rose up. They rose until they almost crashed into the ceiling. The pillars began to tilt towards each other. It began.

Ichigo slowly began to become a hollow. He destroyed the pillars.

"I'll deal with him first," smiled Urahara, although ironically, with a dark, serious tone.

In his mind, Ichigo was given no time to talk. Hollow Ichigo continuously swiped at Ichigo.

At this rate, I won't be give any time to react! thought Ichigo. Wait, think Ichigo. How'd you beat all those bastards? Byakuya. Kenpanchi. Ichigo realized it. It was sheer force and power. Bankai! he thought. I can use the bankai freely now!

"Ban…KAI!" screamed Ichigo. A large explosion took place. The smoke cleared to reveal Ichigo in the form that he always was when he used bankai. In his hand was a marvelous black sword.

Hollow Ichigo sneered. "Bye, bye!" he chuckled. A huge explosion erupted as he shrieked, "BANKAI!"

The buildings were blown apart, and the explosion was bigger than Ichigo's. Crap, worried Ichigo, he knows bankai too!

Out of the smoke came hollow Ichigo carrying a shining white sword. Ichigo looked at the sword. However, within milliseconds, it disappeared. Crap!

Hollow Ichigo appeared behind Ichigo and slashed at him.

Meanwhile, it was Ururu's turn to fight. Urahara left Ichigo to Ururu and decided to go upstairs to see what was happening. He was horrified at the color of the sky. A light-grayish color, he pondered. This isn't good.

Ichigo was slashed severely, but that definitely didn't stop him. He grabbed the blade of hollow Ichigo's sword. His hands bleeded, but he didn't care. "I'll tell you something," muttered Ichigo. "I'm having so much damn FUN!"

Before hollow Ichigo knew it. His own blade was stabbed into his stomach. Ichigo punctured hollow Ichigo's heart.

"Game over, loser."

"You win," murmured hollow Ichigo, slowly disappearing, "but you've also lost…"

Meanwhile, in Soul Society, Byakuya was taking a peaceful walk at the park.

"Hey Byakuya," smirked a person from Byakuya's behind.

"…What do you want, Renji?" asked Byakuya, completely uninterested. Byakuya continued his stroll.

"Die!" laughed Renji, stopping Byakuya's stroll. Renji charged at him, shikai all ready, ready to kill Byakuya.