SailorStar9: This is the start of the new arc of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts? Read and review.

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.

SailorStar9: And in continuation of the Bleach intros...

Uryū: I'm sorry. There's a spelling error on this list. (Points to Ichigo's name) This should read 'Strawberry'. That's all.

Prologue: Enter! The World of the Shinigami

"What's going on?" Ichigo wondered as the group dashed through the tunnel.

"The wall's following us." Ishida replied. "The path we're running on is collapsing faster and faster."

"If you have time to look back, move at a faster pace." Yoruichi barked. "If you get sucked into the 'Capturing Flow', you're done for."

"Ishida!" Ichigo turned back when Ishida's cape was caught by the flowing mass.

"Wait." Yoruichi stopped him. "Don't use the Zanpakutō. "The 'Capturing Flow' arrests spirit entities. If you swing the Zanpakutō, you, too, will be ensnared."

"Then..." Ishida blinked when Sado pulled him free.

"Here we go." Sado heaved the Quincy over his shoulder and took off.

"Hey, you guys..." Ishida started. "Something's coming. What is that?" he gaped when the Kōtotsu closed in.

"It's the 'Cleaner'." Yoruichi warned. "It's a cleaner that only appears once every seven days. Why did it have to show up now? In any case, run!"

"It's no good." Ishida gasped as the Kōtotsu closed in. "We can't outrun it."

"Hinagiku!" Orihime summoned her powers. "Baigon! Lily! Santen Kesshun. I reject!"

"Avalanche Defense!" Tula summoned a snow wall for good measure, the resulting impact blowing the group right into Rukongai.

On the streets...

"Is everyone okay?" Hasu asked, after the group crash-landed on the streets.

"Wow, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime gushed. "The way you land is so artistic!"

"Shut up." Ichigo muttered.

"Cripes..." Ishida muttered. "That was something else. This is more than I expected. I never thought I'd up my extra cape so soon." he pulled out a reserve cape.

"He brought a change of clothes.." Ichigo gaped.

"I don't even want to know where you keep that." Hasu sighed, already used to the spiritual archer's... eccentricities.'

"I'm so glad." Orihime beamed. "No one seems to be hurt."

"What's there to be glad about?" Yoruichi headbutted the girl. "Were you not listening to me? We're lucky the Restrictive Current made contact with just the shield area. If it had been the Rikka themselves, you'd be dead now."

"So what?" Ichigo chided. "Don't be so hard on her. As it turned out, thanks to Inoue and Hasu, we came through without a scratch."

"You do not understand how serious this is." Yoruichi twitched.

"This is Soul Society?" Ichigo looked around at the deserted streets.

"That's right." Yoruichi confirmed. "This place is commonly known as Rukongai. The place where souls led to Soul Society first reside. It is located on the outer edge of the Court of Pure Spirits, where the Shinigamis live and where Tula-sama's Temple is situated. It is the poorest, most liberated place in Soul Society and it is where most souls live."

"If that's true, you wouldn't know it by looking." Ishida pointed out.

"What's that?" Ichigo spotted the gate. "The streets look way different over there. Oh, I get it. That's whatever it's called where the Shinigamis live. Alright!" he dashed towards the gates.

"You fool!" Yoruichi barked. "Don't approach that place so recklessly. You'll die."

"Ladies and gentlemen, my brother." Hasu sighed as the giant gate came down, barely missing Ichigo.

In front of the gate...

"It's been a long time." Jidanbō droned. "Since someone has tried to come through the Gate of Pure Spirits without a pass. Long time since I've a visitor. I'll take care of you, little boy. Now, come at me any way you like," he slammed his hammer onto the ground. "Little boy."

"He's huge." Ishida gaped. "What is he? That's past the limits of human size."

"His name is Jidanbō." Yoruichi supplied. "He is one of the heroes chosen from Soul Society and the guardsman for one of the four Great Pure Spirit Gates, aka the Gate of the White Way."

"So basically, in order to enter, we have no choice but to defeat him." Ishida surmised.

"Yes," Yoruichi confirmed. "But it's not a simple feat. After all, it's been three hundred years since he's taken this mission, and not once has the Gate of the White Way ever been breached."

Smashing his axe to the ground, the gatekeeper erected a barrier to prevent Sado and Orihime from interfering.

"Hey, Chad, Inoue." Ichigo called. "Would you two just keep still right there? Just wait and don't worry."

"No, I refuse." Ishida insisted. "Our time is limited. Right now, rather than you fighting alone, we should confront the situation together and proceed on in a speedy manner."

"Can you take him?" Sado asked.

"Probably, yeah." Ichigo answered.

"And why doesn't that assure me any?" Tula deathpanned.

"I'm telling you, don't worry." Ichigo reassured and pulled out his Zanpakutō.

"You done talking?" Jidanbō inquired.

"I don't remember asking you to wait at all." Ichigo shrugged.

With no words spoken, Jidanbō swung his hammer down on Ichigo who stopped the axe with his Zanpakutō.

"You're pretty good." Jidanbō laughed. "Nice. It's been decades since anyone's stopped my axe. In that case, I'll fight without holding back." he stood up. "Good, you're still standing." he noted after Ichigo blocked off his next attack. "Wha..." he gaped in shock after Ichigo deflected the rest of his assaults.

"Is that it?" Ichigo was unfazed. "Then, it's my turn now."

"Not yet!" Jidanbō pulled out his second axe.

"Sorry, I'm going to smash those axes." Ichigo stated as Jidanbō's hammers closed in and shattered both weapons with his blade.

"What the hell..." Jidanbō was thrown back against the wall. "Whoa, that was close." he jumped to his feet.

"So, Jidanbō's axes shattered from one attack." Yoruichi snorted.

"My... axes!" Jidanbō wailed.

"Wow, talk about 180-degrees change." Hasu gawked.

"It's a total defeat." Jidanbō admitted.

"So, Jidanbō, would you mind..." Hasu requested.

"Say no more. Enter." the gatekeeper gave the group permission and lifted the gate.

"What's wrong?" Hasu looked at the silent Jidanbō.

Ichigo came beside his sister as Ichimaru approached.

"3rd Squad Captain..." Jidanbō gasped as Ichimaru stopped before him. "Ichimaru Gin."

SailorStar9: In the next chapter, Ichimaru uses his Shikai and pushes Ichigo back through the gate. After being 'shot' out of Soul Society by Ichimaru, Ichigo and his friends must find another way in. While searching for a friend of Yoruichi's, Ichigo meets Shiba Ganju, a man who claims to be the 'number one Shinigami-hater of West Rukongai'. The two hate each other immediately and begin to fight, but their battle ends abruptly when the clock on the back of one of Ganju's friends goes off. Now that's done, read and review.