Within a dark room. A small girl with long curly brown hair, fair olive skin, and sporting green cloud-printed pajamas slept quietly in her bed. Then without warning, an alarm went off from a nearby dresser, and after ringing for a few minutes, the little girl reluctantly turned it off…with a pair of nerves coming out from her long curly hair.

'Oh…' the girl grumbled while getting up. 'Dear..' she then let out a big yawn while stretching her arms, hands, legs, and feet. Before scratching her back, walking herself out of her bed and to the center open space in her room.

'I don't think I will ever get used to these early morning calls…oh well, time to get to work,' the girl hummed and then clapped her hands twice.

The floor below her feet glowed green with a Tron-like medical symbol. Before the rest of the lights in the room turned themselves on and descended the darkroom. It reveals white plastic walls and orb lambs hanging down from the ceiling. At the same time, a circulation desk and chair materialized around the girl and as it did. So her pajamas emerged and reformed into a sweater vest with a white lab coat underneath and blue pants, along with a black headband that tied her long curly hair in place.

She then sat in the chair near her desk, and when she did various hologram screams, screens were displayed with them showing charts of a couple of dome-like buildings with small green dots moving inside of them.

'Alright, let's see here,' the girl said, letting out another yawn. 'Dome 01294. Has received a massive taking of 140,567 souls on Wednesday, followed by dome 35670. Taking an intake of 234,089 Thursday and…last night in which 456,987 souls came in at dome 16783 and aside from being a little short on staff and a bit of overcrowding, it would seem the medical division is handling all these massive intakes well enough' the girl analyzed as she then got out of her seat.

'Now let's see how the re-education for the souls is coming along,' she said to herself and then walked to the left side of the room and stood on a pad. Which then glowed green and hummed before going down through the floor.

Which then revealed itself to be a glass elevator. Which then showed off a massive faculty of other glass elevators carrying various doctors and nurses. In the center of all the glass tubes was a giant hologram of the world of the Soul Society. Which had many glowing dots of various colors covering the entire globe, and when the elevator came to a stop, it showed that beneath the massive hologram. It was a huge transport hub with various scientists grabbing tickets from an automatic machine that lay at the very bottom level of the globe. At the same time, several sun gates stood outside along the edges of the platform.

'Hello Pernida Parnkgjas, you sure look as perky as usual,' a black-haired girl who also wore a similar lab outfit called from behind, and the curly-haired girl smiled.

'It's good to see Giselle Gewelle, ' Pernida complimented as she walked towards the machine. '01294, 35670, and 16783,' the Quincy doctor called out, and the device complied and gave her three tickets.

'I know,' the raven girl said casually. 'So I see you are going to the usual domes as always and three times this week' she then bit her lip. 'You don't suppose all three cases are Espada deaths?'

Peridia then left an amusement humph. 'What else could it be? This always happens when such high-ranking arrancars are killed and as the head of the re-education medical division. I must make sure everything is running smoothly. The same goes for your duty Ms. Gewelle.'

'The raven-haired girl then shrugged. 'True, but at least I can travel more different places' she then paused. 'Though I, from all the rumors I heard, your side of the division might come across something you might not be able to handle…want to know what it is?'

Penida then chuckled. 'I am sure that whatever it is. I will handle it fine, thank you very much. As I have always had.'

'Giselle then gave Peridia a knowing look. But decided to keep to herself. 'Whatever you say. Anyway, I am visiting a dome in the eastern branch of the soul society this time. So see you later!' The sternrrtier waved goodbye, and her friend waved back before both girls walked into and disappeared into the light of their respected sun gates.

However, when the Quincy was teleported to her first location at dome 16783, two men immediately confronted her. Both of whom had broken hollow masks and wore matching white doctor uniforms. One has a short red hair sept back with pointed ends at the top, and the other has a black-haired tied into dreads. At the same time, both of them shared a look of desperation.

'Oh, miss Peridia, I am so glad you arrived here,' the red man said to the girl as she walked past him. But the Arrancar continued to follow her.

'The entire place has been in chaos ever since the purified souls that came to the 8th Espada arrived here, and the entire staff is at their wits end!' The redhead shouted, but Pernida waved her right hand up dismissively.

'Oh, Asguiaro Ebern, stop exaggerating. We already have procedures in place to handle large intaking of souls. With me here, it would be nothing more than a minor inconvenience as always,' she said with a tired yet firm voice, but both Arrancar grumbled in agitation until the black-haired one approached the Quincy.

'That is not the problem, miss. The soul's memories have been retained when they have been alive, and now many want transfers out of the facility!' the man said, and from this, Peridia was given pause.

'What…but…the domes are only meant to take in purified souls, not unpurified ones!' She stuttered in confusion before lowering her head and then looked back up to the dark-haired Arrancar. 'Luders Friedgen, have the domes malfunction?' She asked, but the Arrancar shook his head.

'No, my lady. Every one of those souls has been checked as being purified, and many are questioning why they are here, and whenever they can go back home or see their families again due to a lack of progress to aid them, riots have occurred' Luders spoke in dismay. While Peridia then began to shake nervously.

'Well, it can't be that bad, right?' She asked innocently. But both Arrancar remained quiet, and both, with the unspoken agreement, decided to show their boss the situation by opening the front door to the main lobby of the faculty.

And when Pernida saw it. She nearly went into a panic attack.

Within the larger room. Thousands of newly reincarnated souls ran around, asking questions, nearly throwing fights with the nurses and doctors, or waiting around, unsure what to do and leaving the girl at a complete loss as her mind began to crack at the overwhelming pressure.

'Just who…WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!?' She screamed out. But no one in the room had an answer for her.

Meanwhile, in the world of the living.

'So wait, let me get this straight,' Tatsuki said to Ichigo as they waited for their turn at the sun gate station.

'You…are actually from an alternate timeline where you are a Shingmai and somehow replaced the Ichigo we know to save our world from destruction?' She said, disbelieving why Ichigo darted his eye away.

'Y-yeah…he said hesitantly. Which only made Tatsuki more doubtful.

'Are you sure you are not just making stuff up…or are you just plain crazy?' women spoke in a low monotone. Which only made Ichigo agitated.

'Look, if you don't believe, you take it up with Uryu, Robert, or any other Sternrriter when we get to the soul society, and they will say the same thing,' Ichigo irritable shouted. 'I mean, honestly, this is one of the reasons why I didn't want to tell you guys all!'

Mizurio then nodded. 'Even if that last part is indeed true, Ichigo. There are many other passable reasons for you being an imposter. You could be a clone, a shapeshifter, or even his long-lost twin brother' he placed both hands behind his head. 'I mean the whole alternate reality thing. It sounds too much like a sci-fi graphic fantasy novel for it to be taken at face value.'

Ichigo then rolled his eyes. 'Whatever, if you don't believe me, you can believe whatever hell you want. I want to get into the soul society and meet this version of Yhwach already' the teen then had a passing thought.

'Speaking of which,' said the shinigami, then turned his head to face Uryu. 'Just what type of person this Yhwach is anyway?' Ichigo asked, and The Quincy prince then adjusted his glasses.

'Well, from all the times I have to meet him. He is a stern but fair ruler who cares about the people of the soul society and the world of the living…though he isn't as active as he used to be' Uryru explained, which made Ichigo raise an eyebrow until Robert stepped in.

'I assure you, Kurosaki, that any more questions you have for his majesty can wait for meeting him at the Royal Palace. As discussing such matters in public would cause much-unneeded gospel.'

Ichigo then thought of what Robert said and saw that many of the crowd were whispering to each about him and pointing at his two zanpakuto. However, they didn't seem to mind too much.

'Eh, fair enough,' he admitted with a grudging agreement and then witnessed Cang Du talking over to a group of soldats and field agents.

'Um…isn't that guy coming with us?' Ichigo asked, and Robert shook his head.

'I am afraid, not due to the devastation brought by the Espada's attack. They need another sternrriter to watch over the city as it rebuilds itself. At least until the extra reinforcements from xcuation and the holy kingdom come,' Robert explains as he watches over his comrade. 'Though unfortunately, such measures have left our forces spread thin with the world of the living.'

Ichigo looked confused upon hearing that. But then remembered to his dismay how the word of the living was now a waste-land governed by only a handful of cities worldwide and constantly attacked by hollows.

'Which means calling more reinforcements would also risk understaffing other cities and leaving them with less protection,' he mused solemnly.

However, such thoughts were put on hold when Ichigo heard his and his friend's number and immediately went to the sun gate.

Which then caused Ichigo to ask another question.

'Oh, right, that has me thinking. 'How do you guys travel through the dangai?' Ichigo asked, which got a curious look from the rest of the group.

'Uh…assuming that I believe you about coming from an alternate reality. Is there a different method on how you traveled through that place?' Tatsuki asked, and Ichigo pondered in thought.

'Well…basically in my world. The dangai was sort of this dimension outside of space and time that my friends and I had to travel through by outrunning the cleaner.

Tatsuki and the rest of the group looked at him in confusion until Mizurio spoke up.

'Can you…elaborate on what exactly this cleaner is?' The field agent said uneasily, making Ichigo rub his head to remember.

'Oh…well, the cleaner was this train-like thing. That was made to well clean up the passageways. To prevent enemies from using the time and space distortion within the dimension to their advantage,' Ichigo explained, causing everyone to gasp.

Sado then slowly walked up to Ichigo.

'Are you serious?' the director said in disbelief. 'Why would your world have something that dangerous running around?'

The shingmai then gave a sheepish look. 'Well…it doesn't happen all the time. As there are days in which the cleaner doesn't appear….though each time, friends and I travel through there. It is always on those exact days'

'Uryu then gave himself a look of disgust. 'So you and your comrades more or less put yourself in danger every time you travel to the precipice world…how utterly irresponsible for the people watching over your world.'

Ichigo then remains silent at that insult as he couldn't entirely disagree with it.

The white prince then calmed down. 'Well, thankfully, our way of traveling through the dangai is nowhere near as dangerous' He then walked to the sun gate. 'Come, and I will show you.'

The orange-haired youth then walked into sun gate with the rest of their friends and allies. Then after being engulfed in a flash of light, he found himself in another area.

It was a massive long corridor that stretched a little over half a mile. It was made entirely of white steel metal and fashioned in style similar to a walkway bridge. Several large glass windows on both sides revealed purplish flowing currents of the dimension, and on the steel beams were glowing lamps that hung by the ceiling. Yet what stood out the most was the enormous, massive marble stone knight statues standing on both sides of the hallway. They carry various weaponry, such as spears, greatswords, and bows and arrows. Along with each crossing their weapons at each other.

But what caught Ichigo's attention was that he could feel a great power source coming from the statues. However, he could not recognize it.

'Impressive is not Kurosaki?' Uryu said to the shingmai, and he couldn't help but nod in agreement.

'Yeah…so who are there guys?' Ichigo asked, and the prince went on to lecture.

'They are the first star knights who served the first father and king of the Quincys one million years in their overthrow of the five great shinigami noble families for their treachery against The Reio.'

The Ichigo then widens his eyes in interest. 'Really, and these are his soldiers?' Ichigo then analyzed them further. 'Seems odd that they would be in here instead of soul society or something.'

Robert then chucked along with Uryu. Until the former took over the conversation.

'Oh, they are more than just status, my boy…they are them. Forever entomb to keep watch over the bridge of heaven.'

Ichigo then did a double-take. 'What do you mean…sacrifice?' He asked, uneasy, and then Robert cleared his throat.

'Well, Kurosaki, you mention how the…cleaner in your world was created to prevent your nation's enemies from abusing it?'

The youth then nodded slowly, and the veteran sternritter then took one deep breath.

'Well, my boy…the five heads were not ones to go down without a fight when their deception was uncovered, and so to defend themselves, they created another army alongside the shingmai to fight off the first king and his forces' Robert then walked to one of the widows and nodded his head to Ichigo queuing the teen to follow him, and when Kurosaki was near the sternritter, Robert pointed his right finger to an object in the distance, its form, somewhat obscured by the time flow currents of the precipice world.

But when Ichigo was able to make it out clearly. The object turns out to be a huge colossus giant covered in armor and wielding an equally enormous blade in its right hand. Yet most disturbing to Ichigo was its gigantic skull-like face. That had eyes which glowed a piercing yellow…and stared right at him.

The sight of which made Ichigo unsteady step back away in fear. But as his eyes scan, the rest of the dangai gouge. He realized that dozens of skull face giants were stumbling within the dimension's currents.

'What the hell are those things?' Ichigo asked with eeriness in his voice.

'Those Kurosaki are known as the Kushanāda. Who once acted as the first guardians of this realm to prevent the first Quincy and his knights from invading the soul society and due to them being immune to spiritual power by merging with the time flow currents of the dimension itself. The first king was forced to sacrifice some of his subjects, who were willing to create his own guardians to push the Kushanda back…and even now, they continue to guard against them after one million years—perverting the Skull Titans from harming those that seek passage through here.

Ichigo's mouth then dropped at the story and looked back at their statues.

'So they willingly sacrifice themselves. So that the king and his people can seek vengeance against the great noble heads?' Ichigo asked, and Uryu nodded.

'Indeed, Ichigo. As by the honor of the Quincy, they knew that sacrificing themselves would be part of a greater good and serve the will of all. If not for them…soul society would have been almost impossible for all but the shingmai to travel through.'

Ichigo then remained silent for a moment…and then smiled. 'I see,' he commented, and then Tatsuki let out a bored sigh.

'Yeah, yeah, a nice history lesson. Now, if you don't mind, I rather move to our destination already,' she grumbled as she continued to walk down the hallway, and Robert nodded.

'Right, let's get a move on, shall we?' The elder Quincy asked, and Ichigo nodded in agreement.

However, just like his comrades, the shingmai gave one last look at the statues.

'So they gave their lives for the greater good of the people based on honor...for a race that is deemed opposite to the shinigami…they do seem to share a lot of the same values' Ichigo lampshade in thought before turning himself around and rejoining his party.