A/n: Well, I'm back again. Simply a week's absence this time. A record for me. Anyways, new chapter to the story. It's amazing. I actually liked this one. I also watched the episode scene with Jidanbo holding open the gate. LAME. I mean seriously, he got cut on the arm?! In the manga he at LEAST got it cut off! Cripe. Hate anime versions of stories so much. They're always lame. The one thing I did get a kick out of by watching that scene was the little comic relief moment. Ichigo to Gin: 'You wanna tell me what the hell you think you're doing?' Yoruichi in the background: 'Yes Ichigo, what ARE you doing?!' God I was laughing so hard. Aaaaand, I stab Gin's English voice. Dx LAME again.

Warnings: LOT'S of violence and fighting in this chapter, swearing courtesy of our favorite strawberry, stupidity on Ishida and Ganju's parts, and Gin's arrival.

Disclaimer: STILL don't own Bleach.

Ichigo and the others soon landed on the ground after dealing with getting through the gate, which was a chore in itself. Orihime had to create a shield, using her Shun Shun Rikka which Ichigo was slightly surprised to see, to save them before the Kototsu, a cleaner, managed to eradicate them. They were currently sprawled out on the ground on top of Orihime's shield.

"Is everyone all right", Orihime asked rubbing the back of her head with a smile, before she pointed out the funny position Ichigo landed in, which Ichigo fired back for her to shut up. Uryu complained that the trip he been worse than he expected, before complaining about having to bring out his spare cape with Ichigo commenting to Chad in the background that Uryu was too girly for his own good.

"I'm glad everyone's okay", Orihime began to say before Yoruichi head butted the busty young girl and began to chastise her about being careful and how she could have easily been killed.

"Oi, Yoruichi, where are we", Ichigo asked as the dust began to settle around them and a small town like structure could be seen. Small huts lined the makeshift streets which seemed to be deserted. "Is this the soul society?"

"Yes", Yoruichi said with a nod, "This is the slum district, commonly known as Rukongai, the drifting spirit town. It's where souls live when they first come to the soul society. It lies outside the walls of the seireitei where the soul reapers live. It's the poorest, but freest, part of the soul society. Most of the konpaku live there."

"But, it looks deserted", Uryu pointed out what everyone was thinking, to which Ichigo nodded slightly in agreement which was rare.

Ichigo's eyes drifted over to the place further on than Rukongai. The structures were much more modernized and fancier. Her eyes narrowed in slight annoyance. "And that, I'm guessing, is where all the soul reapers live", she commented dryly.

"Yes", Yoruichi said with a nod, "And don't go rushing over there... There's a wall blocking us from getting in, believe it or not..."

"Let me guess, hidden until someone gets close", Ichigo asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Exactly", Yoruichi said with a nod, impressed by the teen's deductive reasoning.

"Wow, you truly are smarter then everyone gives you credit for, Kurosaki", Uryu commented in amusement with a slight smirk.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean", Ichigo growled lowly, glaring at the Quincy in absolute annoyance.

"Enough", Yoruichi said in annoyance as she led the group slowly toward where the gate supposedly was, "Don't start fighting... Now, we need to find a way to get inside... To do that, we'll have to fight the gate keeper."

"Oh joy", Ichigo said dryly with a bored look on her face, "So how do find this gate keeper?" She then looked around before stepping back as many pieces of a wall appeared from the ground and mended together to form a long wall. Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"Ah", a voice rang out, "It's been a while since anyone tried to crash the seireimon--the spirit gate- without a permit." A figure dropped down in front of the group. He was garbed in an outfit that looked like that of a shinigami, though he was quadruple the size of anyone in the group. "At last I have customers. Welcome."

The giant brought out an Ax and brought it down to the ground with a strong force that made the ground crumble beneath it. He then brought it up chuckling. "Now, who am I going to fight first", he asked.

Ichigo looked at the others quickly before stepping forward. "I will go first", she said with a nod up at the giant.

"Ichigo, wait a minute", Yoruichi called out to the teen before being cut off by a signal from Ichigo to stay quiet.

"It's my job to protect everyone", she said quietly, "And I will do just that... I'll be done soon anyways... Have faith, Yourichi..." She sent a smirk over her shoulder at the feline to which Yoruichi nodded in understanding.

"Alright then", the giant said with a creepy smile, "Show me what you've got, kid."

Uryu stood in the background with the others. He asked Yoruichi about the giant. Yoruichi began to explain about the giant being chosen out of all the giants in the soul society to be the gate keeper and that his name was Jidanbo. She then commented that it wouldn't be easy to defeat him since he had never let anyone crash it in his three hundred years of being its guardian.

Chad and Orihime traded glances. Both knew they wanted to help Ichigo with her fight, but knew better than to do so. Both already know Ichigo would go into a rant about fighting her own battles and that she didn't want them to get hurt. Orihime closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh, praying her best friend wouldn't get hurt. Chad stared on in silence, thinking the same for the strawberry headed teen.

"Be safe, Ichigo", Orihime said softly with a light smile.

"Can you beat him", Chad asked quietly, a calm and serene look on his face.

Ichigo looked over at both of them and nodded slightly. "I think I can", she said.

"What do you mean, you think", Uryu half shouted with a look of irritation, "That's NOT good enough!"

"Wow, never knew you cared", Ichigo commented dryly over her shoulder at Uryu.

"Shut up", Uryu shouted in annoyance.

Ichigo rolled her eyes. "Calm down, Uryu", she said calmly, "You may not know what kind of training I went through, but I can tell you one thing... Even though we originally planned to use all ten days to regain my powers, I managed that in about five... The other five days I spent training with Hat-and-clogs, one-on-one..."

"And he taught you secret combat techniques", Uryu asked hopefully.

"No", Ichigo said offhandedly as she reached back and took a hold of her sword, "He wouldn't teach me anything... But, I gained stamina and guts... And that was tough, even for me..." She removed it from her back and the bandages unraveled from around it. She then faced Jidanbo.

Jidanbo stood patiently and perfectly still not far from the teen. "Are you done talking", he asked with a light smile.

Ichigo grinned lightly in anticipation. "Not really, but you didn't have to wait for me", she said.

Jidanbo shot the teen a confused glance. "Ah, you must be from the country", he concluded, "You have bad manners... If someone waits for you, you say thank you!" He then brought down his ax swiftly upon the teen.

The sheer force pushed back against the other members of the group. Everyone, besides Yoruichi, brought their arms up to cover their face from the dirt that had gone flying. Chad lowered his arms as the dust cleared and then he understood what Ichigo had been talking about. She had high spiritual pressure, but couldn't control it. So, the thing she didn't have that other soul reapers did, was experience. So if she gained that, she'd be strong.

Jidanbo stared down in shock as the strawberry headed teen. Ichigo had managed to deflect the ax with her sword as if it were second nature.

"You attacked before I was ready", Ichigo commented with a light frown, "Isn't that bad manners as well?"

Jidanbo stared on in shock before beginning to laugh heartily, making Ichigo lean back from the force of his laugh. "You're not so bad", he said with a smile, "Good! It's been decades since anyone's blocked my ax! Alright then, today, I don't hold back." He then smirked evilly. "Good luck, kid. You're only the third person that ever blocked my first swing..." He then lifted the ax into the air once more. "But nobody's ever stopped... My second move!" He then brought the ax down only to have it occur with Ichigo parrying it with her own sword and stopping it.

"Ha, you're still standing", Jidanbo said with a boredline maniacal grin, "Good! But there's more! Take this! Juppon Jidanda Matsuri! (Jidan Ten Strike Festival!)" He then began swinging the ax down in sequences ten times, counting aloud as he did. Everyone in the background looked on in horror. He then brought down his ax on ten. Everyone got pushed back onto the ground from the force. When the smoke cleared, Ichigo still stood there.

"Wh-why", Jidanbo said in confusion, "You... How come you're still standing?" He was beginning to see the bad points in this situation. He would have to use his last move.

Orihime smiled as she stood once more. "Ichigo-kun", she said with a smile, "He's still standing..." The other stood up beside her and looked on over at Ichigo.

Ichigo looked up at Jidanbo with a light frown. "Are you done", she asked boredly, "Then, it's my turn..." She gripped the hilt of her zanpaku-to and moved to a fighting stance.

Jidanbo straightened. "N-not yet", he said quickly, "I have another move!" He then reached into his uniform and pulled out a second ax. He held both axes above his head and gave a cry. "Here goes", he yelled out, "My final move! Banzai Jidanda Matsuri!" He then swung down his axes once more.

Ichigo stared up at him with a serious face. "Sorry", she said softly, "I gotta bust your axes." She moved forward quickly and slashed her sword at the two giant axes, effectively breaking both metal parts off, leaving on the handles.

Jidanbo was thrown back from the force of the teen's swing. He landed roughly on the ground. He heard the other three in the background asking what had happened and if he was knocked out. Jidanbo then hopped back up to his feet while Ichigo stared at him in slight surprise.

"Whoa", Jidanbo said rubbing his head, "Th-that could've been bad! I can't believe I slipped and fell on my butt! And what's with that look?! Oh, so you thought I was out, didn't you?! Haha! You don't know much if you think you can knock me out! That's why I hate hicks! They're ignorant! Just wait. One more whack with my... Ax..." He trailed off when he looked at his ax and noticed the blade was gone. He then looked back and forth quickly between his axes.

"What", he exclaimed in surprise, "Both Axes?! My Axes are... My..." He began sniffling as tears came to his eyes as he gained the saddest expression. "My Axes!" He began wailing about his broken axes, with Uryu and them in the background confused as hell as to what was going on.

Ichigo shouldered her sword before sticking it into the ground and stepping closer to the giant with a confused yet sympathetic look. "Err, I don't know what to say but I'm sorry", she said quietly as she laid her small had on his large arm, "I guess I didn't have to break both of them..." She then closed her eyes slowly. "There's no need to cry", she said softly and very quietly to him in her female tone.

Jidanbo looked up in slight surprise at the feminine tone that came from the teen. He then smiled sniffling more. "You", he said, "You're such a nice kid... We're enemies, yet you still comforted me... You have a big, kind heart..."

Ichigo smiled ever so slightly. "It only shows on occasion, but I do have one inside me", she said, voice reverting back to its male tone, putting her hands on her hips.

Jidanbo stood up straight. "Look at me", he said shaking his head, "Crying over a couple of broken axes... How can I all myself a man? Utter defeat! As a warrior—As a man—I've been utterly defeated by you!" He then wiped away his tears. "Three hundred years I've been the gatekeeper for the White Road Gate. I never lost before. You're the first person to defeat me. So, you may pass! Jidanbo authorizes you to pass through the White Road Gate."

Ichigo brightened up. "Thanks", she said with a light smile and a nod.

"C-can we pass through too", Orihime asked timidly as the other four walked over to the two.

"Sure", Jidanbo said with a nod, "Your leader beat me, so I can't stop you."

"Huh, Ichigo, our leader", Uryu asked pointing at Ichigo with an incredulous look, "No way! Are you kidding?!"

"Are you implying I'm stupid", Ichigo asked, looking over at Uryu with an annoyed look.

"Ichigo", Jidanbo repeated looking at the strawberry headed teen, "Is that your name?"

"Yes", Ichigo replied with a nod, "Ichigo Kurosaki."

Jidanbo smiled lightly. "Ichigo, huh", he said in amusement, "What a cute name!"

A vein pulsed in Ichigo's forehead as she frowned. "Ichi means first place and go stands for guardian", she stated in light aggravation at having to explain it over and over again to people, "There's nothing 'cute' about it."

Jidanbo placed a hand on the gate. "Be careful Ichigo", he said, "I don't know why you want to pass through this gate, but...There's a bunch of mean guys in there..."

Ichigo nodded slightly. "I know", she said quietly.

Jidanbo nodded back at her. "All right", he said, "Well, as long as you know. Here. Step back and I'll open this gate. Don't be scared, it looks harder than it is." As everyone stepped back, he put one hand at the bottom of the gate and then his other hand. He then grunted and lifted the gate with amazing strength. The group watched in awe of Jidanbo's strength.

As they others made comments about how strong Jidanbo was and just in awe at the gate so heavy being lifted, Ichigo noticed Jidanbo stop. "Why'd you stop", she asked in confusion before noticing the look of terror on his face.

Jidanbo stared at the figure before him in horror. The figure was tall and thin. He wore shinigami garbs as well as a white cape with the symbol meaning three on the back of his coat. His eyes were closed and a strange, creepy smile was stretched across the man's face. He silver hair reflected in the light.

"Who's that", Ichigo asked curiously in the background. She didn't like the feel of this guy. Something was off about him and she could feel it. She remembered seeing him in passing in one of her dreams and knew it wasn't for a good reason. She thought for a moment, trying to remember what she gathered about him.

"The leader of the third company", Jidanbo said, voice and body quivering in terror, "Gin Ichimaru..."

"Uh oh", Gin commented in a slightly playful tone, "This won't do." His hand moved swiftly and before anyone could blink, Jidanbo's arm was severed from his body and on the ground. "Won't do at all. A gatekeeper isn't supposed to open the gates." All the while, his creepy smile never left his face, as though it was permanently etched there.

Blood spattered the ground and Jidanbo soon held the gate open with one arm, slightly buckling under extreme pain. He managed to stay upright, but not without difficulty.

"Wow, you can hold that up with just one arm", Gin commented with that creepy grin of his, "You sure are the Soul Society's strongest giant. But as a gatekeeper, you're a failure..."

Jidanbo winced at the blow to his pride at that comment. In the background, Yoruichi knew things were looking bad now that Gin had shown up. She knew that they couldn't fight a captain, no matter how strong they had become over that training period. She had to think of a way to get them out of there.

"I lost", Jidanbo said, voice filled with pain, "The obvious thing to do... Was open the gate for the victor!"

Gin chuckled softly. "What're you talking about", he asked in amusement as he started to walk towards Jidanbo, "Didn't anyone ever tell you? A gatekeeper that loses can't open the gate. 'Cause a gatekeeper that loses..." He looked up at the giant with a dark smile. "Dies!"

Jidanbo's eyes widened to large proportions, knowing this was going to be it for him before Ichigo rushed forward and met Gin's drawn sword, which was a short sword. Ichigo and Gin both pushed back from each other.

Ichigo swung her sword and pointed it at Gin. "Oi, asshole, what the fuck do you think you're doing", she said coldly, and hollowly. In the background she could hear Yoruichi yelling at her not to fight the silver haired man. "The fight between Jidanbo and I was over. Stick your nose into my business, and you'll lose it... Orihime! Take care of Jidanbo's arm."

In the background, Orihime nodded. "Alright", she said to the strawberry headed teen.

Ichigo lowered herself into a defensive stance. "Come on", she said, "If you want to fight someone, fight me... Only a coward would butcher a defenseless giant. I'll kill you."

Gin chuckled lightly in amusement. "You're a funny kid", he commented lightly, "Aren't you scared of me just a little bit?"

Ichigo opened her mouth to retort something before Yoruichi cut her off, telling her to fall back and not fight. Ichigo began yelling back at Yoruichi that she could handle herself.

"Ah", Gin finally concluded after going through a mental checklist, "You must be Ichigo Kurosaki..."

Ichigo turned slowly to look at the man with a suspicious look. "How do you know who I am", she asked, morely growled.

Gin turned and began walking away with Ichigo shouting at his back about throwing his 'dagger' at her. "This isn't a dagger", Gin said looking over his shoulder at the teen, "This is my Zanaku-to." He then shifted around and put himself into a specific stance and placed a hand on his blade, reiatsu shifting around him. "Skewer that punk, Shinso."

Ichigo's eyes widened as Gin's zanpaku-to extended at a rapid pace and brought up Zangetsu to block it as best as she could. She was pushed back roughly from the force and knocked into Jidanbo hard enough to cause him to fall back and lose his grip on the gate and land on the ground. Everyone in the group rushed over to the two.

The gate quickly slipped shut, but before it did Gin waved to the group with his creepy smile still on his face. "Bye-bye!" It then shut abruptly and the group was once again locked out of the soul society.

Orihime and the others rushed over to the two lying on the ground. Ichigo lied there motionless. "Ichigo! Ichigo-kun! Ichigo-kun!" Orihime kept repeating Ichigo's name to get a response out of her. "Ichigo-chan!"

"Shut up", Ichigo said in annoyance as she sat up abruptly, "OW! FUCK!" She rubbed her shoulder, which was hurting now. She began cursing Gin for all he was worth.

In the background, Orihime was trying to get Ichigo to calm down. Uryu began to wonder how Ichigo survived that attack. He figured she had to have deflected the attack. He then looked over at the sword stuck in the ground, admiring the new zanpaku-to Ichigo had. He then began to listen as Ichigo apologized about the gate, to which Yoruichi said if wasn't a problem, seeing as they wouldn't have gotten in anyways.

The group soon turned as they heard noises from behind them. People were coming out of the small huts that the group had seen before. Ichigo wondered out loud why they hadn't come out before. Yoruichi then talked about them being ryoka, intruders in the soul society that caused a lot of problems. She wasn't surprised they were leery of strangers.

Ichigo noticed through the crowd that someone was trying to get through. She noticed they were relatively small. She almost smiled when that little form with brown hair popped up from the crowd with a smile on his face, waving like crazy at Chad, who recognized the kid soon after. Yuichi, the parakeet.

Not long after, everyone in the small community started helping the group fix up Jidanbo and get his arm reattached to his body. Orihime called out her fairies and set to work on healing the Giant. Ichigo stood in the background listening to why the townspeople were helping the group, learning that Jidanbo was a friend to them so they would gladly help them. Chad was elsewhere with Yuichi, carrying the small child around like he had promised to the little boy.

Orihime worked for long hours, continuously trying to heal Jidanbo's arm. She began to reflect back to earlier that day, when Ichigo fought so bravely. She smiled softly at the thought. She sometimes wished she could be as strong as her friend was. She then continued healing, until Ichigo startled her back to reality.

"Don't overdo yourself", Ichigo said softly, handing her a drink, "You'll hurt yourself in the process..."

Orihime gladly accepted the drink with a soft smile. "I'm okay", she said kindly, "Besides, don't start that again... Momma Ichigo..."

Ichigo sent her friend an annoyed glare, veins in her forehead pulsing. "Still not funny, 'Hime", she commented dryly before her expression softened, "But seriously, you've been out here for hours... Don't kill yourself..."

"Don't worry, we're almost finished", Orihime said with a grin, before she was told by the guys from the district that she should rest and that they would take it from there. They also thanked her on Jidanbo's behalf. Orihime then relented to take a rest and followed Ichigo inside.

"Ah, you're all here", Yoruichi said with a nod, "Come and sit... I'll explain our next course of action..." She then began a long speech and relayed their entire plan to the group. They decided not to go to any other gates and try to get in. Yoruichi then turned to the elder townsman that had been hospitable to the group.

"Elder", she asked, "Tell me... Do you know the whereabouts of Kukaku Shiba?" The elder gasped in surprise. "The last I recall", Yoruichi continued, "That person was dwelling in the West Fugai District... As you may know, that one moves around a lot..."

"K-Kukaku... Shiba", the elder said, voice terror stricken as were his eyes, "Are you... thinking of going over the wall in that thing?!"

Ichigo tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What thing", she asked curiously, wondering what could frighten the old man so much. She was cut off by a very loud, animalistic sound that came from outside the hut. She sharply moved back as something, more like someone came crashing through the door, successfully knocking it off its hinges. She turned from looking at the guy, to the busted down door as a wild boar made its way inside the hut, snorting angrily.

Ichigo wandered over silently towards the fuming pig, reaching a hand out to it slowly. It snapped at her, to which Ichigo with drew her hand before muttering soothing words to the boar in her female tone, making sure no one could hear her. The pig snorted once more before calming down slightly. Ichigo once again reached out her hand very slowly before resting it on the pig's head. The pig calmed down and nuzzled the teen's hand in a sign of trust to which a smile quirked at the corners of Ichigo's lips briefly.

Ichigo turned her attention then to the young man who had been thrown off of the boar as she stood up. As he talked to the elder in an informal and slightly rude manner, Ichigo studied him briefly. He wore simple white pants held up by a red sash, a white sleeveless wrap over shirt with a green vest over it, and simple brown sandals. On his left wrist, he wore a red band similar to the color of his sash. Up close to his mouth, he wore a white scarf like thing, presumably to protect his mouth as he rode. On his head he wore a white bandana with red flower looking designs on it. Near his waist was a sword mounted sideways across his lower back.

"What the", the man began as soon as he noticed Ichigo, taking off the goggles he had also been wearing, "What's a soul reaper doing here?!" He had an annoyed look, almost a sneer. He then walked up to Ichigo, getting in the teen's face as he continued his jeers.

"Well", he asked, "Speak up! What's a... sticking soul reaper doing here?" He patted Ichigo's cheek before grabbing her under the chin and putting pressure on her face, which began to annoy Ichigo. "I asked you a question!"

Veins popped out all along the teen's forehead as she began to grow more and more pissed off the more this moron talked. She resorted to finally punching the idiot quite hard across the face, sending him sprawling across the floor.

The man sat up a moment later holding his cheek. "Why you crazy dandelion-looking freak", he yelled, "Are you picking a fight with me?!"

Veins twitched violently in Ichigo's forehead as her teeth grit and she gave a cold smile. "Try again, you fucking pig-straddler", she growled out in annoyance, back to her male tone which was filled with malice and lividness, "You were the one who got in my face in the first place, which already pisses me off to no end... Do you have a fucking death wish you fucking moron?"

In the background, Orihime tried to find a way to stop this fight before it got any worse. Uryu was yelling at the elder and asking who this so called moron was. The man then went off into a long speech. The only thing useful that Ichigo gathered from the rant was that the idiot's name was Ganju and that he hated soul reapers.

Before long, Ganju attacked Ichigo, forcing the teen to tumble outside before their battle commenced. The two fought tooth and nail. The kicked, punched, and basically did whatever they could to harm the other, Ichigo's hits more successful that Ganju's at times. Before long, Ichigo needed her zanpaku-to, thrown to her not long after thinking about it by Chad. She had deflected Ganju's hit before he somehow made her sword sink into the sand. Ichigo then resumed kicking and punching the moron to get her point across.

Ganju slowly got up after Ichigo had managed to get in a really good hit, though it didn't do too terrible damage to him. He wiped the blood from his nose and was about to attack the teen yet again before he heard a distinct beeping noise, to which he froze. The others in his gang began to panic, noticing and shouting that it was nine o' clock. Ganju quickly whistled for the boar he had earlier called Bonnie. The boar jumped over Ichigo's head before barreling into Ganju, sending him flying a good ten yards before he stopped. Bonnie stopped beside Ichigo, snorting up at the teen.

Ichigo patted the boar on the head gently. "How you manage to deal with that moron, I'll never know", she commented dryly to which the boar gave another snort. Ichigo grew a mischievous smirk as she bent down to the boar as to only let it hear what she wanted to say. "You know, you should give him a ride home, but make that ride home a living hell", she whispered to the boar in her female tone with a devious smirk on her face. The boar gave another snort, this time one of excitement. The boars eyes flashed with pure evil intentions towards Ganju as Ichigo straightened and patted the boar on the head before the boar moved forward and let Ganju onto its back. As soon as he was mounted, the boar took off at a lightening pace.

"This is over yet, Dandelion", Ganju called back at the teen with annoyance, "I'll be back later to finish you off! Try not to run away before I get back!"

Ichigo smiled coldly as veins appeared along her forehead once more. "I'm not going to run away you damned coward", she called back, "And I'm NOT a fucking Dandelion!" With that, the group disappeared off into the horizon on their boars.

Uryu's eye twitched. "That", he began as he gave Ichigo a pat on the shoulder to calm the teen down, "Was REALLY weird..."

Way to point out the obvious Ishida. -.-; I'd also like to point out I came up with the Ichigo and Bonnie thing on a whim out of amusement. I love that boar. xD Well, that's it for the chapter. Read and Review as always. Also, for the next chapter, I don't know if Kukaku will be introduced yet. The next one will most likely be comprised of flashbacks and Ichigo and company talking about Ichigo being a woman. You'll finally get more insight to Ichigo's motives about dressing as a boy.