Disclaimer: I own nothing but Lilandra and her story

Mr. Yoruichi worked the three of them very hard and taught them how to do all sorts of things. Orihime learned how to heal and protect, Chad learned what his strengths could do and Lilly learned more attacks and how to control her fire.

One week later Lilly had set up for her neighbor to watch her animals while she was away and was out walking the streets of the dark, quiet town. When she turned onto the street the weird guys store was on she ran into Chad, literally. She fell onto the ground and he helped her up. "What're you doing here?" He asked.

"I couldn't sleep…you the same?"

"Yeah…anticipation."

"Yeah." Chad wore a white muscle shirt with a black stripe down the left side of his chest and black pants. Lilly was adorned in an ankle length black skirt with slits up to the top of her thighs over a pair of black shorts. Her shirt was blood red with black flowers floating on it. They walked silently for a while. When they were almost to the store they were supposed to meet at when a giant ball came from above and splattered right in front of them. It would have hit Lilly if Chad hadn't seen it and pulled her back into the protection of his arms. She blushed and grew warm. Ooo…someone has a crush!!! Kuro sang inside her head. "Shut up Kuro!" Chad looked at her again. "I really need to stop talking to him out loud." Chad smiled and read the red words.

They were written in what looked to be blood and told them to meet at the Uraharh Shoten immediately. Then added a note at the end about people not having a sense of humor if they thought it was real blood from a real murder. So Chad and Lilly waited in front of the store until Ichigo and Orihime showed. "Where's Uryu? I heard he was coming too." Ichigo looked around.

"Oh. I'm sure he'll be here soon." Orihime smiled innocently.

"He's not coming."

"CHAD!"

"It's alright Orihime." Lilly said.

"Uryu is…It might be better if he didn't come. You know cuz out of all of us…he's the most complicated…And complicated things are usually fragile. That's just how it is. He's probably…the most fragile out of us all." Chad explained. "If he's not coming…Maybe it's for the best."

"If who's not coming?" Uryu's voice came from behind them. Lilly couldn't hear anything anyone else was saying because she was so focused on the absurdity of Uryu's outfit. Then the man in the weird hat showed up and led them inside and down to a large room that looked like it was outside. The weird guy knocked Ichigo's spirit out of his body and began explaining about the gate they were about to pass through. Lilly didn't understand most of what this guy was saying but she managed to pay attention during the most important part. "After four minutes, the gate will close. And you will be trapped in the Dangai, the precipice world between this world and Soul Society…FOREVER!" He then said something about a restrictive current and Mr. Yoruichi showed up and talked about the only way to go forward is to not think of those you are leaving behind, but the people with you. Not to look back and not to think back. Not to stop and not to have fear. When the gate opened the six of them ran into the light and on the other side they found ground, clouds, and a gate on the other side.

"Come! Don't just stand there! RUN! The wall of Koryu is coming!" They began to run to the other side with all the speed they could muster. When the boys looked back they saw the walls crumbling behind them. Uryu's cape got caught in the rockslide and Chad had to rip him away from it and slung Uryu over his shoulder, still running for the gate close behind Lilly. Suddenly Uryu exclaimed.

"Wh…What is that!?"

Mr. Yoruchi answered, "It's a Kototsu—a cleaner! It appears once every seven years! But why now?! RUN!! VERY FAST! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!" They ran even faster and Lilly could feel her lungs protesting. The cleaner was catching up though and it seemed impossible that they would make it. Suddenly Orihime turned and used her powers and yelled "I REJECT!" They all went flying and landed in a triangle. Ichigo landed on his back with his legs over his head, Uryu landed on his face with his butt in the air, Orihime landed in a sitting position, Mr. Yoruchi landed flat as a pancake and Chad landed on one knee, holding Lilly close to him so she wouldn't get hurt.

"Thanks…" Lilly blushed and so did Chad. Mr. Yoruichi yelled at Orihime for using powers and Ichigo stood up for her.

"Hey! The dust is settling!" They looked around and saw a small village. It was the Slum district, where spirits normally lived. Ichigo saw a different town and started running towards it. When he got there a gate flew down from the sky and blocked his path along with a giant that looked like a gorilla. As soon as they saw it wanted to kill Ichigo Chad, Orihime and Lilly took off towards him.

"Ichigo! Wait up! I'll help you!" When they were almost there the giant swung his ax down and created an earthen barrier between them. Chad and Orihime decided on a plan but the giant heard the whole thing. "Wow. His hearing's amazing."

Ichigo's voice came from over the wall. "Hey…Chad, Orihime…"

"Ichigo?! Are you okay?! Are you hurt?!"

"No, I'm fine."

"H-hold on a second! We'll be right…"

"Hey, Orihime…You and Chad…Just stay there and don't do anything, okay?"

Orihime protested and Uryu protested even more but Chad and Lilly just listened. "Can you do it?" Chad asked finally.

"I think so…" Came Ichigo's response.

"Be careful strawberry." Lilly said next to Chad. Ichigo told them that in five days he had regained his reaper powers and that the other five days and nights he fought. Lilly was worried, but not too much. An incredible amount of dirt and rocks flew through the air as the giant attacked Ichigo. Many flashes of light and pieces of rock flew from behind the barrier and Lilly found herself backing into Chad's muscled chest out of fear for Ichigo. They saw Ichigo still standing and rejoiced, but soon the giant brought out a second ax and was going for an attack, but Ichigo succeeded in breaking his axes and knocking him down. When the giant got back up he was cocky as ever, but when he saw that both his axes were broken he did the unimaginable: he bawled like a baby. He made this speech about how he was defeated and opened the gate for them. When he stopped they knew something was wrong. They looked inside the opened gate and saw a white haired man with a frightening smile standing inside. He had on a black kimono and a white vest over it.

"Who the heck is that?" Ichigo sounded unimpressed.

"The leader of the third company…Gin Ichimaru." Answered the giant.

"Uh-oh…This won't do." Ichimaru smiled evilly. In the blink of an eye the giant's arm came off. "Won't do at all…A gatekeeper ain't supposed to open gates." Blood from the giant's arm showered down and Ichimaru just kept smiling. "gooly. You can hold up that gate with just one arm. You sure are the Soul Society's strongest giant." The giant explained that he lost and Ichimaru responded that the gatekeeper couldn't open gates because the gatekeeper that loses, dies. Hearing this infuriated Ichigo so much that he took his sword out against Ichimaru. Ichimaru threw him back and they were about to fight but Ichimaru figured out that his opponent was Ichigo Kurosaki and walked away. After a few steps Ichimaru turned around and threw his knife into Ichigo, sending him flying into the giant and away from the gate. Ichimaru waved goodbye to them and the gate closed.

They all ran to Ichigo trying to figure out if he was alright. Once they were in agreement that he was unscathed they saw that the town had filled with people…spirits. And they were all watching their group. Lilly moved closer to Chad and he moved closer to her. "People…" Uryu pointed out.

"Thank you captain obvious." Lilly murmured. Chad smirked.

"Who are they? Where were they hiding before?" Asked Ichigo.

"Why?" was more important for Orihime.

Lilly heard a little kid's voice in the crowd. "Let me through! Please let me through!" A kid with brown hair and shining eyes broke through the front line. "Hey! Chad! It's me! Yuichi! The Parakeet!"

Chad stared at him in a daze. "Yu…YUICHI!?" Yuichi ran to Chad and hugged him.

"And you're the pretty girl that helped us that one time huh?" Lilly nodded and hugged him as well. "I'm glad you're okay. I was worried." Chad lifted Yuichi onto his shoulders and the three of them walked around town as some of the villagers and Orihime put the giants arm back on.

"Well, you seem to like it here. That's good."

"Yeah…And all my family are all nice people."

"Family?"

"Hey Yuichi!" A different little boy ran up to Chad and Lilly.

"Who's this?" Asked Chad.

"Hello mister." Yuichi said that this boy was like his older brother and quickly explained that in Rukongai spirits choose to live in families made up of strangers because they don't have anyone else. Lilly and Chad found out that Yuichi hadn't found his mother yet but Chad told him that he would some day. Yuichi thanked him and left with his older brother. Chad hung his head and Lilly rested a hand on his arm. He smiled at her but she could tell he was still sad.

"Don't worry…you'll see him again." Chad nodded and they walked into a building to rest and eat. They sat next to Mr. Yoruichi and a few hours later Orihime walked in with Ichigo. "Man…that girl is strong…way stronger than she looks…" Chad nodded in agreement.

"You're all here." Mr. Yoruichi announced. "Sit. I will now explain our plan of action." He explained that he knew of a person who could get them over the wall. Just as Mr. Yoruichi was going to explain what exactly a Kukaku Shiba was a big ugly guy smashed through the door of the building they were in. the teen started harassing Ichigo, asking what a stinking soul reaper was doing there and Ichigo punched him in the cheek. After inquiry of who he was he yelled that he was the number one hater of all soul reapers and yata yata yata, All that he was was self proclaimed. But his name was Ganju and that's all that's really important. They followed the two outside, but Chad didn't. Uryu pointed out that Ichigo didn't have his Zanpakuto, his sword, and Orihime said she would make a shield but Chad showed up in the doorway and threw Ichigo's sword to him. Lilly sighed with relief and leaned against the door frame, Chad right behind her. After a minute of fighting Ganju and his gang started freaking out because it was nine o'clock. Ganju quickly rode away telling Ichigo to wait here and he'd be back.

Chad, Lilly and Orihime stood outside the town waiting for Uryu and Ichigo to join them. They had spent the night, but it was fitful for Lilly, filled with horrid dreams. Why can't I just have some good sleep? Orihime went to check on the boys and left Chad and Lilly alone. "You okay Lilly?"

"HUH? Oh…yeah….I'm fine."

"Couldn't sleep last night again huh?"

"Yeah…"

"You worried about something?"

"Yeah." Chad gave her a questioning look. "I'm afraid of losing you all." Especially you…

Chad engulfed her body with his, his chin rested atop her head. "Don't worry. We're not goin' anywhere." The boys and the cat came out with Orihime and they started their journey. They'd been walking for four hours when they finally found the place they were looking for. It was a small looking house, but on either side of it were arms holding up a sign over the house that said 'Kukaku Shiba' and in the middle of it was a very tall white tower. Two men blocked there way and said they could not pass. Ichigo got out his sword but Mr. Yoruichi was recognized by the men and they quickly changed their minds and led them down a long flight of stairs to a sliding door. Yelling came from inside the room and they were quickly ushered inside. When they got in Lilly saw a well endowed woman with one arm sitting very unlady like in a skirt with high slits and a very low cut shirt. Everyone gaped in amazement that Kukaku was a woman. She greeted Mr. Yoruichi, then noticed the teens in the background.

"What? Who're the kids?" her voice was deep and harsh.

"Kukaku…I've come to ask you a favor."

"Of course you have. That's usually the case when you show up. Trouble?"

"Probably."

Kukaku lowered her head. "Heh. We haven't had an exchange like this for too long…Go on. Let's hear your story…I love trouble." Mr. Yoruichi told her what was going on and why they needed to get into the Soul Society and she loved it. The only problem was that she didn't trust the teens yet, so she assigned a man to oversee the operation. This man happened to be her little brother. She talked to a man behind a door and when she opened the door none other than Ganju was sitting behind it.

"Hello! My name's Ganju. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The others stared at him and when he lifted his head both he and Ichigo yelled in shock.

"What? You two know each other?" Kukaku smoked by the door. Ichigo and Ganju proceeded to fight each other and Kukaku hit and kicked them in the head, yelling at them to knock it off. She yelled at both of them then ordered everyone up.

"This chick's kinda scary." Lilly whispered. Orihime, Chad and Uryu all nodded in agreement as they stood without question. "Yes ma'am!" She yelled with everyone else. She told them to follow her and she led them down a long hallway with tons of lights. When they got to a door Ganju made a big deal of opening it. When he did open it they entered a room that was completely bare except for a very big, tall pillar running from the ground through the ceiling. Kukaku explained that she was going to launch the team into the sky with the giant pillar.

"I'm Kukaku Shiba…Rukongai's premier fireworks expert!"