"What the heck didja do?!"

Raphael was beside himself. Ichigo was slowly setting the turtle's comatose body down, and a chain was connecting it with Raphael's soul. Whirling to face Urahara, he repeated, "What'd ya do to me, ya psycho? This is the same chain I saw on the dead lady earlier! Didja kill me? Am I dead?"

"No," Urahara answered quietly. "It isn't." Raphael then noticed that both Urahara and Yoruichi were looking down at the chain, clearly apprehensive about something. Crouching down to where the chain was dragging on the ground, Urahara poked at it experimentally with his cane. "It's not the same."

"It's red," Ichigo exclaimed. "Why's his chain of fate red?"

Chain 'a fate? Raphael wondered, watching Ichigo stoop down to observe it as well. Is that what it's called? I don't think it's much of a good sign if my mine's red. Woulda thought they was all the same color.

Ichigo made a small sound and pulled his hand back after touching the chain. "Hot to the touch, eh?" Urahara asked. Ichigo nodded, and Urahara said nothing for a time. Finally he got up and, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened, remarked, "Right. Well, let's get on with the lesson, then!"

"Urahara, what does this mean?" Ichigo demanded.

Duly ignoring him, Urahara turned to Raphael and said, "As she's virtually unsurpassed in the flash step, Yoruichi will be your tutor for this part. Which is just as well, as my role in the last lesson was absolutely exhausting."

"All ya did was yell!" Raphael countered.

"I've a very delicate voice," Urahara replied, raising a hand to his throat.

"Just... hold up a bit," Raphael said, putting his hands up. "I might not be the brightest bulb in the box, but I like to think I ain't slow. So either I missed somethin' big, or nobody's been answering any 'a my questions. If that's my body, then what am I?"

"Is this the time to be having identity issues, Raphael-san?" Urahara asked.

Just as Raphael was about to blow up at him, Yoruichi stepped up and explained, "Your soul has just been forced from your body. We have ways of doing it, though we typically steer clear of such actions unless the person has enough spirit power for us to know that they can survive. However, since this training ground is designed to work with spiritual beings, you had a greater chance of survival."

"Chance 'a survival?" Raphael blurted out. "Chance? What, do ya guys routinely go pullin' souls outta people?"

"Now, now," Urahara interjected. "Behave. If you manage to survive the rest of the training without putting up too much of a fuss, I might even tell you how to get back into your body. Wouldn't you like that?"

"Urahara," Ichigo spoke out, stepping in between Raphael and Urahara. "What's going on? I've never seen a red chain of fate, and none of them ever burned me. What does this mean for Raphael? Is this the reason you're so interested in him?"

Once again, Urahara remained quiet. Finally, with a dispassionate expression on his face, he began to speak. Raphael was confused until he realized that this was the first time he heard Urahara talk in Japanese. Other than a few key phrases, Raphael's Japanese was terrible and he couldn't pick up on what was being said... which was, of course, exactly what Urahara wanted.

Whatever this red chain meant, Urahara didn't want Raphael to know about it. Why? Would ignorance keep him safe? Would he behave differently if he knew the truth? Or did he plan on manipulating Raphael? Any of those options was as viable as the rest, considering how little Raphael knew about this man and, more importantly, this Soul Society.

It was a long time before Urahara finished. No one said anything, and Raphael looked to Ichigo in the vain hope that the boy would translate. Instead, he couldn't even see Ichigo's face due to the way he held his sword and the position in which he was standing.

"I see," Ichigo finally said. His voice sounded somewhat strained, and Raphael hoped that this was only a sign of the effort Ichigo was using to speak in English. "Fine. I can accept that explanation. However, I hope you don't intend on cutting his chain like you did to me. Given what you just told me, that would be dangerous."

"Don't be ridiculous," Urahara laughed genially. "Cutting his chain would force him to either become a Hollow or a shinigami, and we don't want either of those. Besides, his rate of encroachment is nothing like yours. Severing the chain would be a death wish!"

Raphael grew to like his situation less and less. Force him to become a Hollow or shinigami? There was a link between the two? Rate of encroachment? What was that? And... a death wish? "Yeah," he muttered, "I'm definitely votin' ya the most irritatin' person on this little island, just so ya know."

"You might change your opinion once I'm done training you," Yoruichi told him with a smirk. Pointing down at the unconscious body of Raphael, she ordered, "Pick it up and sling it over your shoulder. You'll be carrying your body throughout the lesson."

"What?!" Raphael exclaimed.

"We're not cutting your chain," Yoruichi proclaimed, as though this was all obvious, "and yet we're going to teach you the flash step. If you think you can move faster dragging what's essentially a dead body behind you, you're an idiot. And if that chain accidentally snaps, the rest of us are going to be forced to put you down."

Raphael looked from her to Urahara and back again before moving to look at Ichigo. He noticed that the boy kept his eyes downcast, either in shame or... sadness? "What the hell? What's the big secret? So my chain's a different color. Does that make me some kinda monster? Am I suddenly different from what I was when I still had my body? Don't I deserve to know?"

"Of course you don't, Raphael-san!" Urahara cried cheerily. "That's why we're not telling you!"

Raphael growled at him but was interrupted when Yoruichi spoke again. "Your body. Pick it up. Your soul isn't used to moving about without the confines of a physical mass, so you'll probably tire easily. Before that happens, I at least need to gauge your capabilities. Your family may be safe for now, but who really knows? If you return and discover that something's happened, you need the skills I'm about to teach you. So shut up, listen up, and pick yourself up. Do you understand?"

He wanted to yell at her. He wanted to run away, get out of there, even if it meant breaking his chain and forcing them to "put him down," whatever that meant. But for all of Yoruichi's bluntness, she was right. If he didn't know for certain that his family would be safe from Soul Society, then he'd need to be prepared to fight against the shinigami on their own terms. If that meant learning the secret of super speed while carrying his own body on his back, then so be it.

Besides, he thought as he stooped down and grabbed hold of his body, wincing as the hot chain brushed against his skin, I'll pretend it's Leo. Or Mikey or Don. And that I'm protectin' 'em. Cuz if it comes down to it and one 'a 'em gets caught up in this whole mess and gets hurt, I'm gonna have to learn to carry 'im to safety as soon as possible anyway.

"Right," he told Yoruichi once he had a good grip on his body. "Let's do this."

"Ohh, I can't believe this!"

Leonardo looked over at Kon, who was lying on his stomach against the armrest of the easy chair. "Here I thought I was going to finally see the world," Kon bemoaned. "See a few shows, meet some celebrities, nuzzle against some wondrously well-endowed blondes... and here I lie, watching a bad movie in which Tom Cruise plays a samurai and babysitting Ichigo's sisters and a giant turtle."

"If my memory serves me correctly," Leonardo told him, "Ichigo told me to watch after the girls. If you'd like, you can go off and join Ichigo wherever it is that these weird friends of his are supposedly training my brother."

"Ha, you underestimate my usefulness!" Kon proclaimed, straightening up. "I, the great Kon, can sense the rietsu of shinigami coming from miles away, so I can alert you to go run and hide away from them before they approach. You, on the other hand, have a meager amount of spirit-sensing abilities, so even if there was a shinigami coming up the stairs, you still wouldn't-"

"Shh!" Karin suddenly demanded.

"Yes," Yuzu joined in. "You're distracting the movie."

"No, shh!" Karin told her, covering her sister's mouth with her hand. "Can't you feel it?"

The room suddenly became quiet save for the sounds of The Last Samurai. Standing, Leonardo looked out towards the open window. As a breeze sent the curtains billowing, Leonardo suddenly felt it. A presence. Someone with an incredible amount of power was approaching.

"Yaahhh!" Kon cried out, finally sensing what everyone else in the room had already picked up on. "A shinigami! Oh, this is bad! Bad, bad, bad! Darn you, Tom Cruise, for distracting me just when my abilities were needed!"

"Who is it?" Karin asked, already jumping to her feet. "How many of them?"

Kon was obviously jittery and tried to dart into the next room, but Leonardo grabbed hold of him. Looking into the turtle's stern eyes, Kon covered his face with his hands. "It's only one of them! But... it's not Rukia or Abarai or any of our other friends! It must be a lieutenant from Soul Society! I would have felt the presence of a captain, I swear!"

Dropping Kon, Leonardo gasped, "A lieutenant can be just as bad as a captain!"

"Don't worry, Leonardo-san," Karin told him. "You and me can handle this-"

"No!" Leonardo said firmly. "Karin, sit back down and finish watching the movie. I don't doubt you're strong, but use that strength to look after Yuzu. It's what Ichigo would want." Before Karin could object, Leonardo turned to Kon and told him, "If the shinigami comes in here, you don't exist. I need you to overhear everything and relay it back to Ichigo and Raphael when they come back."

"Leonardo!" Kon called, seeing Leonardo head for the window. "Where are you going?"

"To put as much distance between myself and the girls as I can," Leonardo answered. "This doesn't involve them." Glancing back at Kon, he mentioned, "Tell Raphael that I'm headed to the junkyard. He'll know what I mean, and hopefully no one else will, if you should decide to squeal."

"How dare you!" Kon exclaimed. "I'm the mighty and honorable Kon! I wouldn't-"

"Take care of the girls, Kon," Leonardo told him just before leaping out the window.

This is bad, Leonardo decided as he raced towards the junkyard on the other side of town. If even Karin and I could pick up on that shinigami, then he must be close. And if it's not a friend of theirs, I'm definitely going to have my work cut out for me. He remembered how quickly Matsumoto had been running without even trying, and how Hitsugaya virtually promised that the next time a shinigami made its way into Leonardo's life, he'd be in for a showdown.

I just can't lead them back to Ichigo's family, Leonardo told himself as his eyes hastily scanned for a sewer. Raphael could get me involved because he knew that I could take care of myself, but I don't think Soul Society would go easy on Karin and Yuzu just because they're children. And with Kon being their only protection... please, please let me have made the right decision in getting away.

He had barely realized that the streets were bizarrely silent when Leonardo caught sight of a lone figure standing on the street corner he was approaching. Slowing to a stop, he saw that the other person was dressed in the same sort of clothing as Ichigo had been when he had been fighting that monster by the school. A shinigami, he realized, drawing his swords.

"Please put your weapons away," the blond death god said without a trace of emotion. "Fighting would only make this more difficult."

"Who are you?" Leonardo demanded.

"I am the lieutenant of the Third Squad, Izuru Kira," came the reply. "I have been ordered to take you and your comrade back to Soul Society. If he isn't in the vicinity and you don't care to divulge his whereabouts, I'm to bring you back by any means necessary. Is that understood?"

"I've got just one question," Leonardo responded, moving into a defensive position. "Don't you think that having half of your hair over one eye is going to severely limit your depth perception during a battle?" Kira remained emotionless.

While he had been willing to follow Matsumoto back to Soul Society before, Leonardo had wondered over why Hitsugaya would willingly let him go. And he also wondered why Raphael needed some kind of special training. For whatever the reason, Raphael had been selected to fight against someone or something in Soul Society, maybe even all of Soul Society at once. And if that were the case, Leonardo was going to side with his brother until he had a reason not to.

"Have it your way, then," Kira stated, unsheathing the sword at his side. "Raise your head, Wabisuke." Leonardo watched as the normal-looking sword changed its shape before his eyes, turning into a sort of angular, J-shaped claw. He was puzzled, as it didn't seem as though that shape was very conducive for slicing an opponent. He didn't have time to think much about this before the shinigami attacked.

Leonardo easily parried all of Kira's blows, but his mind never stopped racing while in a battle. Wabisuke. Kon had told him that each shinigami has their own unique sword, called a soul slayer, that possessed its own distinctive attacks. Did the names of the soul slayers hint as to their secret power? Wabi, Leonardo knew, meant apology, or it could also be another word for stillness. Would Kira's sword immobilize him if he allowed it to cut him?

Dodging beneath another swipe of Wabisuke and blocking it while on his knees, Leonardo realized that he began to grow tired. His arms were held up above him as he kept Wabisuke off of him, and they were trembling. Did Kira have tremendous strength?

"I can see it in your eyes," Kira said suddenly, his face as placid as always. "You're intelligent. You're trying to figure out how to beat me, and you're wondering why it's getting harder for you to keep your weapons up. I would explain, but someone who won't even divulge his name before a battle probably doesn't deserve such civility."

Leonardo said nothing in return, though he was somewhat entertained that he was considered uncivil by someone who attacked just because the other person was willing to defend himself. Leonardo attempted to jump to his feet when Kira backed away slightly, but found that there still seemed to be a huge amount of weight in his arms. When Kira attacked with Wabisuke once more and clashed against Leonardo's swords, the turtle fell to his knees, hunched over and breathing hard from his efforts.

It was at that moment that it became clear to him. Kira was poised to strike again, but stopped when Leonardo said, "I'm in a position of contrition." Kira lowered his sword slightly, mildly stunned by his words. "Every time our swords touched, my weapons got heavier and heavier, forcing me closer to the ground. Eventually, your opponent is on his knees with his head bowed, as though offering you an apology." Looking up at Kira, he asked, "That's the meaning behind Wabisuke's name, isn't it?"

After a moment of consideration, Kira replied, "I knew you were intelligent." Leonardo was surprised when Kira allowed for him to let go of his swords and rise to his feet. Though he was still tired, it had only been his swords that were affected by Wabisuke, meaning that he still had a chance. He simply had to avoid Kira's attacks. "Are you intelligent enough to stop wasting time and simply go to Soul Society with me?"

Leonardo backed away a few steps, flexing his hands to test what strength remained in them. Instead of answering Kira's question, he said, "Hundreds of years ago, warriors would tell one another their names before fighting. That way, should one of them be killed, he knows the name of the person who killed him. It was thought of as a courtesy. I saw no reason to give you my name since I have no intention of killing you, though I do appreciate the custom."

From his belt, Leonardo withdrew several shuriken and once again moved into a defensive position. He couldn't run and he couldn't let Kira come close enough to strike him with Wabisuke. His only option right now was to use projectile weapons and evasive maneuvers. "My name is Leonardo," he told him. "And my brother's name is Raphael. We're not captains, we're not lieutenants, and we're not part of a squad. But those are the names to remember should something happen to you."

"Your honesty is a rarity, considering where you have been raised," Kira said thoughtfully. "Clearly, you're noble and powerful, despite the fact that you don't seem to know what you're fighting for. It almost makes me wish that we were on the same side."

"Ah, but you are, Izuru!"

Kira's eyes widened at the new voice that came from above them. Confused, Leonardo looked upwards and saw that there was another person watching them from the rooftop of a darkened building. If not for the fact that he was wearing quite a bit of white, Leonardo wouldn't have been able to tell that his style of clothing was somewhat similar to Kira's. Another shinigami? But if he was wearing white, as Hitsugaya had been, whereas most death gods wore black, did that mean that this was... a captain?

The unknown figure leapt down from his perch, landing silently and gently on the concrete between the shinigami and turtle. Kira seemed to be at a loss for words before finally stuttering out, "I... Ichimaru!"

"What with this 'Ichimaru' business, huh?" Though none of the other shinigami spoke English with a trace of an accent, there seemed to be something inherently singsong and casual in Ichimaru's voice, putting Leonardo ill at ease. "I don't even get an honorific at the end of my name anymore? For shame, Izuru; I thought we were friends! To think, not too long ago you'd blindly call me Ichimaru-taichou." Looking to Leonardo, the man with the strange smile and almost-closed eyes asked, "Do ya know what 'taichou' means, turtle?"

"You're a captain," Leonardo answered.

"Better than that," Ichimaru told him. "I'm his captain."

"Was!" Kira exclaimed, exhibiting the first sign of pure emotion that Leonardo had ever seen on his face. "You've betrayed all of Soul Society, and now you're planning on using the Alma Roja to benefit Aizen! You took my allegiance and twisted it to meet your own perverse needs!"

"Calm down, Izuru," Ichimaru said complacently. "Jeez, you're a good kid 'n all, but you act like what I did was a personal attack on you. I really like ya, Izuru. You're gullible 'n loyal. Those two make a great combination, 'n it looks like Soul Society's making good use of you." Seeming to dismiss Kira, Ichimaru turned to look at Leonardo once more. "Sorry, turtle, but this doesn't seem to be your lucky day."

Though his eyes didn't open any wider, Ichimaru's eyebrows arched upwards in a show of surprise when he heard the loud growl rumbling in Leonardo's throat. While Kira had been his enemy only moments before, Leonardo found out enough from his and Ichimaru's short discourse to know that it was this new silver-haired, fox-faced man who would be the greater enemy. "My name," he breathed, "is Leonardo."

Ichimaru's smile widened a little. "Is that all? Here I thought you were gonna scold me or something for being so mean to Izuru. I know your name, Leonardo-sama. See; I'm even kind enough to give you an honorable title at the end of your name."

"This is Third Squad Lieutenant Izuru Kira," Kira said, suddenly speaking into a cell phone. "I'm in location 4325. Gin Ichimaru has intercepted my bout with the target. Open up a gateway now."

"You're wasting your breath, Izuru," Ichimaru told him lackadaisically. "By the time they open up a portal, Leonardo-sama will already be joining me in Hueco Mundo."

The more Ichimaru talked, the less Leonardo liked this. Alma Roja? Hueco Mundo? It didn't take him long to realize the link. These were both Spanish phrases... just like Menos Grande, the large monster that he had helped Raphael and Ichigo slay earlier that day. "Yeah?" Leonardo asked, glad he still at least had his shuriken for protection. "What makes you so sure of that?"

"Well jeez, I thought you'd be appreciative," Ichimaru responded. "We're already sharing our hospitality with Michael and Donald. No, wait, wrong names. My apologies. Michelangelo and Donatello, right? And your rat-teacher... Splinter, was it?"

Despite himself, Leonardo gaped at Ichimaru in shock. His family? How did Ichimaru get hold of his family? They were all staying with- "Oh, and Miss O'Neil has a lovely apartment. We left her behind, though. It's sad, really; I'm quite partial to redheads."

"Leonardo-san," Kira broke in, "don't believe a single word that comes out of his mouth!"

"Izuru, I'm hurt," Ichimaru said, glancing back at his former lieutenant. "I like blondes too, but I really do prefer redheads." In a flash, he unsheathed his sword and held it to Kira, as though daring him to move.

"It's really your call, Leonardo-sama," Ichimaru continued. "You can go ahead 'n walk through the portal to Soul Society, not knowing what will happen to your brothers 'n getting Izuru's blood on your hands." Leonardo looked back to Kira who, though pained in a way beyond comprehension, tried to remain stoic. "Or you can come back to Hueco Mundo with me and meet Aizen-sama, who actually wants to explain the situation to you 'n will make sure that none of the nasty things living in the area try 'n help themselves to some turtle soup."

Behind Ichimaru, a black pathway suddenly opened up. When a blue-white one showed up behind Kira, Leonardo knew that the former was the way to Hueco Mundo, and the other to Soul Society. A sudden clang of metal alerted him to the fact that Kira had parried Wabisuke against Ichimaru's sword. "Go, Leonardo-san! Hurry!"

"Now, now," Ichimaru scolded, holding his sword up with no effort despite the blow from Wabisuke. "Don't be a pest." When he began speaking more to his weapon than to anyone else, Leonardo knew that he was about to release his sword's power. "Shoot to kill,-"

"Wait!" Leonardo couldn't let that happen. Whatever it was that Ichimaru was capable of doing with his sword, it was probably a lot more than Kira could defend himself against, since he was only a lieutenant fighting against a captain. Kira was only following orders and shouldn't have to be injured because of this. "Take me to Aizen."

"Leonardo-san!" Kira gasped.

"Well, what do ya know?" Ichimaru mused. "He is intelligent."

Leonardo looked at Kira and stated, "I don't know what happened in your past, but I've inadvertently brought it up, and for that I apologize. If you encounter Raphael, tell him what happened. And if you can, please make sure that my friends are safe."

This was it. The only way Leonardo stood a chance against people like these quarreling shinigami would be if Ichigo succeeded in training Raphael. He didn't know what this Alma Roja was, but hopefully Raphael would soon grow strong enough to be able to protect it from whoever it needed to be protected from. All Leonardo could do right now was protect the remainder of his family until this blew over.

"How very touching," Ichimaru said. "You see, Izuru, things can be solved without violence. Of course, I often find that it's less fun that way." With that, Ichimaru drew back his sword before quickly slashing forward, opening a diagonal gash across Kira's torso. The injured shinigami stumbled backwards, and Ichimaru shoved him the rest of the way through the portal. "Don't forget," Ichimaru called, cupping a hand around his mouth, "if you encounter Raphael, tell him what happened!"

"Hm?" Ichimaru's brow furrowed slightly before he whirled around, stopping three shuriken with his sword. "My, my, Leonardo-sama. I didn't take you for someone who'd strike when his opponent's back is turned. I think we might actually get along."

"You said you'd let him go!" Leonardo angrily yelled.

"I did not," Ichimaru congenially protested. "I said you'd get his blood on your hands if you went to Soul Society, but I never guaranteed his safety if you agreed to come with me." Leonardo charged at him, dodging out of the way as Ichimaru struck out with his weapon again. He had momentarily forgotten how fast these shinigami were.

"Cheer up, Leonardo-sama," Ichimaru told him. "Izuru ain't gonna die or anything. He'll be patched up 'n good as new in no time. I just wanted to watch him bleed a little. The kid's way too deadpan for his own good. Nothing like a little pain to make ya feel alive, huh?"

"Is that why you're so cheerful?" Leonardo asked sourly, still on his guard.

"Nope," responded Ichimaru. "I've just had a good life. Now if you'll be nice enough to step towards the portal, I won't have to keep standing guard to make sure you don't go against your word. Aizen doesn't like it when people go against their word."

Leonardo glanced down, eyeing his swords that were lying against the concrete a few feet in front of Ichimaru. "Those?" Ichimaru asked. "Izuru whacked them up pretty good, so it's not likely you'll be able to lift them. But the affects of Wabisuke will wear off eventually. Maybe Raphael will find them and bring them to you."

"If Raphael shows up in Hueco Mundo," Leonardo told him lowly, "then me getting my swords back will be the least of your problems. He's in the middle of an intensive training process with Ichigo Kurosaki, you know. When he gets to Hueco Mundo, there'll be nothing left of the place once he discovers that you've endangered his family."

"Of course," Ichimaru grinned, motioning Leonardo towards the black portal. "That's what Aizen-sama's counting on."

Author's note: Some of the Bleach characters are better known by their given names, and some are better known by their surnames. For consistency's sake, I've been referring to all of the (current) shinigami by their surnames. So while some of you may know them as Rangiku or Gin, I've been putting Matsumoto and Ichimaru in the narration. If this is confusing for anyone, please let me know and I'll adjust according. :)