"Rukia, what did you just say…?" Ichigo Kurosaki stood beside Rukia Kuchiki, staring wide-eyed at the two Shinigami who had just arrived. Ichigo turned to Renji Abarai. "Do you know them?"

"Can't say I do…" Renji uttered, looking just as confused as the others.

"Well, frankly, I'd be surprised if you did!" the captain said with a laugh.

"Is that right?" Ichigo gritted his teeth. "How's about an introduction, then?"

The bald arrancar cut in. "We have no need to explain ourselves to you," He grabbed the hilt of his sword as he said this. "It's time for us to carry out the mission." He turned his head to the Shinigami behind him. "Why are the two of you here?"

"Lord Mu thought you might need some assistance after those fireworks," the captain replied with a giggle.

"We have no need of your help. We can handle them ourselves."

"The numbers say otherwise," the lieutenant said.

Ichigo was losing his patience. "Hey! Who the hell are you guys?"

The captain looked up at Ichigo. A thin smile slid across his face. "Why… We're the enemy, my dear."

"That's all I need to hear." A flurry of blue arrows flew past Ichigo and at the opposition. They hit the bald man and consumed him in a sapphire blaze of energy. Uryu stepped forward, his arrows flying in rapid succession.

The others jumped aside to dodge the attack. "Let's fight!" the green haired girl said, flashing a wicked smile.

"Yaaaay, battle time!" the little girl said, waving her arms about excitedly.

Ichigo and the others stood ready. "Here they come," he said, raising his large blade before him. The green-haired girl pounced at Orihime, but Chad intercepted the tackle, his Brazo Derecha de Gigante shielding from the brunt of the hit, and the two of them flew into a building.

"Hey, no fair taking my target Yeltz!" the small girl whined.

Rukia took the opportunity and tried to get a surprise attack on the little girl, but she swiftly parried the blow with her katana that seemed to appear from under her large sleeve. The two of them exchanged strikes for a moment on the ground, but then moved their battle into the air. Renji rushed forward, his sights set on the enemy captain, but his subordinate intercepted Renji's blade and the two lieutenants engaged in combat.

The effeminate captain took a step forward. "Move aside, Ichigo Kurosaki," The man drew his blade, an ornate katana with a shiny ruby-red wrap on the handle and a blade polished to a shine. "You are not a target."

Ichigo stood firm. "Orihime, stay out of the way, alright?"

"Y-yes," the orange-haired girl said, nodding.

The effeminate captain gave a posh laugh. "I see it can't be helped, then," he said. He raised his Zanpakutō in one hand, and held his other hand in the air as though he were balancing himself. "En garde!"

"You said… You were here to help…" Kisuke Urahara hissed. He was always short of breath now, even when seated. And he was always seated now, as he was too weak to stand for long.

The masked man turned away from his screens to face Urahara. He had brought the shopkeeper up to his viewing room to watch the battle unfold. "And help them, I will," he said, his distorted voice calm and precise. "However, I can do nothing without the Hōgyoku."

"Why are your men…fighting them, then…?"

"To prove a point," Lord Mu paced behind Urahara, but the shopkeeper was too tired to even turn around. "If Ichigo and the others can't even handle my men, then what hope do they have of defeating Aizen?"

"It's not your men… I worry about…"

Kisuke felt a cold firm hand grip his shoulder. "…You seem tired. Isn't it strange? I keep you fed, and you sleep often. Yet you wake up out of breath, and you can do little more than sit around all day. Why is that?"

Kisuke attempted a snort, but it came out more pained and weak than intended. "You must have some…strange field placed over this facility that drains energy…"

"But… I seem well enough, don't I?" His grip tightened.

"Drains the energy of specific people…"

"Ah, but then, why would it also affect the others? I know you could at least tell that young Benjiro suffering while he was here." The masked man tsked. "No, no, that wouldn't make any sense, now would it?"

"Unless you didn't… Unless… trust them…" Kisuke was beginning to fade.

"I do not fear any of them. They serve me, not the other way around." Lord Mu released Urahara's shoulder. He moved in front of the man and grabbed his face in a hand. "This… presence you feel. This power that eats away at you, day and night, this force that drains you of your energy and will to live… This is my reiryoku."

Urahara was wide-eyed. "How… Impossible…"

He let go of the shopkeeper. "Hollows use their reiryoku to subdue their prey. Although their prey may only be meager Pluses, this principle still applies if used on a larger scale."

"I see… Then that mask isn't… Just for show…" It was becoming increasingly difficult for Urahara to remain awake. But he had to hold on.

Lord Mu laughed. "Kisuke Urahara, I'm telling you this so you understand the gravity of the situation. You will help me. You have to help me," As he said this, he knelt down so that he was at eye level with the blonde man. From this close, Urahara could see into the eyeholes of the man's mask, and he could see small yellow glowing orbs peering back at him. "You feel my power now, don't you? This is just skimming the surface. If you don't make me a Hōgyoku, then my reiryoku alone will kill you. And then, I will do to Karakura Town and I will kill all of them."

"I knew… I knew it… You aren't here to help…at all…" Kisuke's vision was going black. "You just want… The Hōgyoku for… For yourself…"

"No, don't misunderstand me. My deepest wish is for Ichigo to succeed," Lord Mu said, standing up as Urahara's vision completely faded. "But if Ichigo doesn't have the Hōgyoku when Aizen invades, believe me when I say... He and everyone else are as good as dead."

Hey guys, BlackShenlong here. Short chapter here, just to set up for the battles coming up. I think I might do a separate battle per chapter, but I haven't really decided yet. Also, Lord Mu's true intentions will be revealed very soon. Hope you all enjoy reading this one. Thanks for all your support and kind comments!