A/N: I don't own Bleach or LOTR! R&R

Chapter 5

The fellowship was walking in awkward silence at the arrival of their new companion. Their female companion.

"You know it's impolite to stare." She said, causing the rest of the fellowship to blush slightly as she sighed heavily.

"You need to stop scowling strawberry." Ichigo glared at her as he crossed his arms over his chest. Rukia held his glare for a moment before sighing in defeat.

"May we stop for a moment?" she asked Gandalf who looked as though he was confused or upset.

"Of course my dear, it seems that I have forgotten the path here on seeing that I do not recognize this part of the mines." He admitted.

Rukia waited for Ichigo to be seated and she took a deep breath before explaining, "I had help from the spirit king to come here." She decided to get straight to the point which caused Ichigo to go bug eyed.

He nodded his head as he motion for her to continue. So Kuchiki Rukia began explaining from the very beginning.

Her encounters with the spirit king and her so called mission over to retrieve him.

Hearing this, Ichigo was slightly surprised that there was a way to go back and see his family. My family…

"Rukia…" he called out.

She stopped her almost finished story and turned her attention to him. "Yes?"

"Dad, Karin, Yuzu… the gang… what happened to them?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Rukia felt his reaitsu feeling sullen. Ahh I see… she understood.

She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him her largest grin.

"They're fine strawberry. In fact I think they doing very well for themselves. After all, Karin is the vice captain of Soifon's division. Yuzu is the vice captain of Unohana's division. Isshin… well he filled in the position Aizen left." She grinned at them.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips at the knowledge that his family is safe and sound and doing well for themselves.

"What about you Rukia?" he asked finally. "Are you still part of the tenth division?" her smile was eerie when a flash of black sclera and red slit pupils were seen in her eyes.

"I became the captain of the 13th division. The division where vaizards and arrancars dwell." She explained before her eyes turned back to normal.

Shock was an understatement for Ichigo as he learned of the little bit of information regarding his lover. "A vaizard? Rukia, when?" he asked anxious and worried.

"Right after you left, Tia Harribel attacked, leading whatever was left of the arrancar army onto Seireitei. I was the fuku taicho of the tenth division and was ordered to scout for information with Renji. But we were ambushed. They did something to us. I don't know what but it turned us into a hollow for a good three minutes before we were both able to win our inner battle." She sighed

"But with the new power, we were able to subdue the army. I was able to make shadow clones. Solid clones of myself, making it into a one man army while Renji was supporting me with Zabimaru. I gave them a choice. To calmly follow us back and surrender or die a meaningless death. Grimmjaw was the first to walk next to me and one by one they came to surrender until all that was left was the third espada."

"HOLD ON! You telling me that Ulquiorra lost to you and pineapple head?! And that he even surrendered?! Whoa!" Ichigo was about to hyperventilate when Rukia smacked his head hard, gaining chuckles from the two men, snickers from the hobbits and a grin from both the elf and dwarf.

"So as I was saying," She paused to glare at Ichigo who blushed slightly before mumbling an apology, "Harribel and I began to battle each other, fighting for dominance. But obviously I won and to cut things short, she's now my most loyal subordinate. Both Tia and Ulquiorra are my 3rd seat officers and Renji is my fuku taicho. When we got back I argued with Sou Taicho about letting them be part of the Seireitei. And after much persuasion he gave in, albeit reluctantly."

She grinned at him proudly as Ichigo smiled at lovingly. "Things sure have changed while I was gone. What about Nel?"

"Ah Nelliel and her brothers are part of my division though they mostly run around with Yachiru to wreck havoc in the Kuchiki manor and annoy Onii-sama." She grinned evilly.

"Pardon me for interrupting missus Rukia, but what is Say-Ray-Teh?" Pippin finally asked. Rukia apologized for being silly and began explaining to them what Soul Society is about and took out her sketchbook causing all of them except for Ichigo to sweatdrop at her Chappy drawings.

After the explanation, Rukia was wondering about the deranged creature that she found out from Reio-sama that it was called a Gollum. Why was it following them?

She paid it no mind seeing that it was harmless despite it being crazed about something.

It took a while until Gandalf decided to follow his nose to where the air was less evil. And they walked down to find themselves in a room where Gimli's eyes sighted something causing him to wail and ran towards a sarcophagus.

As he ran across the room, Rukia felt the need to send him some emotional support and went to walk next to him a laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. The light gesture was much appreciated by the dwarf as he sniffled and nodded at her.

However he did not move. He lay there weeping over what seemed to be a coffin. "'Here lies Balin, Son of Fudin... Lord of Moria.'" he whispered his head hanging.

Gandalf walked over to a skeleton, its skull a sickly coloured yellow and white. In its arms lay a book. He picked it up, blowing on its dusty pages. He opened it slowly to the last entry written.

"They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates… But cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes… Drums… Drums in the deep… We cannot get out. A shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out. They are coming.'"

His voice stopped as a loud noise was heard.

"Pippin!" cried Boromir pulling the young lad away from the well. But the damage was already done.

"FOOL OF A TOOK! Throw yourself in next time and help rid us of your stupidity!" Gandalf hissed in anger. Rukia smacked the little hobbit's head and bump was swelling on his head as Ichigo sighed and rested his hand on Zangetsu's hilt, grasping lightly.

Rukia noted his gesture and did the same. Sounds of drumming and thundering were heard. All the fellowship, minus the vaizards, had a fear stricken look on their face.

"We have to get out of here!" Boromir exclaimed as he made way for the door just in time to have an arrow shoot towards his direction. The steward's son pulled his head back and slammed the doors shut just in time before the arrow hit its mark.

"They have a cave troll!" he yelled back, worried.

Rukia grinned with anticipation as she huddled the hobbits behind her and grasped Shirayuki. But before she whispered, "Wake up. Time to play." And her eyes glowed red for a moment before she was dressed in a tattered, casual white kimono with what seems to be a long-collared red cape on her back. Her eyes were cat-like and had black sclera and red pupils, her hair turned lavender. She is barefoot and wears a golden cloth around her waist.

"Let the game begin~!" she said in a sing-song manner

A/N: Been awhile since i last updated! hahaha Sorry... I finally have the inspiration to continue! For now... hehe.. it's been a year since i last updated! *jaw drops* Wow.. Time really has flown by!

Now I hope you review :3