Lucina finally stumbled out of the Dangai and into the sun, after the others. A moment later, Orihime followed, the last of them arriving.
"Orihime, that was reckless," Yoruichi scolded. "Be grateful your fairies didn't touch the cleaner, only the shield."
"Sorry... we all got out fine, didn't we?" Orihime replied. While the two spoke, the remaining wandered around the deserted, seemingly poor place.
"This is the Rukongai, the poorer part of the Soul Society," Yoruichi introduced, having finished hre conversation with Orihime. Lucina walked a few meters, wondering if the soul society was really such a good place if souls had to live in such conditions.
Meanwhile, Ichigo pointed towards the richer-looking Seireitei, where Rukia most likely was. "Over there. That's probably where the shinigami live. We need to go there, right?"
Yoruichi nodded, but before she could continue with the warnings Ichigo ran off. Tayne and Chad followed, with Orihime trailing behind. Lucina ran to catch up, while Uryu was still changing out of his cape, which was torn just so slightly.
"Ichigo, wai-" Yoruichi began shouting, only for a huge wall to stop the substitute soul reaper for her. The orange-haired boy skidded to a stop just before crashing into the stone. Before the rest could catch up, he was confronted by a giant figure.
"Well, been quite a while since we've last been invaded," the giant said, raising his equally giant axe. Yoruichi jumped back a few meters. "Be careful! That's Jidanbo, a giant chosen to guard this gate into the Seireitei."
Uryu, having finally switched to a clean white cape, raised his bow. "We just have to take him down, no?"
Tayne backed away a bit, suddenly feeling exposed by her lack of special ability. "What, I bet that guy can take down 10 hollows in one smash!"
"Well, actually it's 30," Yoruichi added helpfully. "Nobody has defeated him in over 300 years."
Ichigo smirked, drawing his zanpakuto. "I spent ten days training with Urahara, I've got this!"
Jidanbo raised his giant axe, smashing into the ground just behind Ichigo. The rocky ground cracked, flipping into a barrier just as Chad and Orihime neared. "We do fights one on one. Please wait until after I smash orange here."
"Don't worry, guys, I got thi-" Ichigo began, only for Orihime to yell. "Don't worry, we'll help you!"
The giant, Jidanbo, sighed, before asking Ichigo if they can begin the fight. Orihime and Chad could only watch as they fought. Ichigo was surprisingly on par with the giant man.
Jidanbo then let out a laugh, which pushed everyone back a bit due to his size. "You're strong, seems I don't need to hold back anymore."
Ichigo continued to fight without issue. The giant, now uncertain about his victory, brought out a second axe only for the orange-haired soul reaper to shatter both with a single-handed slash.
Jidanbo went flying back, crashing into the gate to the Seireitei, which was just as tall as the stone walls. He got up as the dust cleared, ready to fight, only to find out his axes were broken.
"No! M-my axes!" The giant man dropped to his knees, then began bawling. Yoruichi flinched at the loud noise, her ears folding back. Ichigo hesitantly took a step forward, shocked at the giant crying. "H-hey now, I'm sorry, okay? Don't start crying..."
Jidanbo instantly looked up, tears still streaming. "Orange... you're so k-kind! I-I'll open the gate to the Seireitei for you! And the others too!"
Lucina wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation, and it seemed like the others didn't either. Regardless, Jidanbo got up and began lifting the huge wooden gate.
"Hey, why did you stop?" Tayne questioned as the man stopped lifting halfway. He was trembling as his eyes set on a silver-haired figure. "C-captain Ichimaru!"
"Gin Ichimaru, captain of the third division. Ichigo, you can't fight a captain!" Yoruichi yelled, well aware of Ichigo's overconfidence. Meanwhile, Ichimaru smiled (although he had always been smiling).
"Well now, a gatekeeper opening gates? How shameful!" He cackled, raising his sword, which extended rapidly, effectively slicing off Jidanbo's arm. The giant screamed in pain as he held up the gate with one arm.
"You... how dare you!" Ichigo shouted, raising his sword once more and rushing forward to attack. Ichimaru easily countered, leaping back a few meters before his blade extended again. Ichigo attempted to counter, only to be thrown back onto Jidanbo, knocking them both back.
The gate crashed close.
TIMESKIP (because lazy author)
Lucina did not know how she ended up where she was.
Several things happened during the time past the Jidanbo incident. Orihime healed the giant's arm with her Shun Shun Rikka, and the citizens of the Rukongai finally revealed themselves, thanking the kind girl for saving their friend.
Chad was reunited with a boy named Yuichi Shibata, who he had apparently met before as a cursed parakeet.
The group stayed the night in the Rukongai. Tayne complained about the 'stuffy' conditions a lot, while Ichigo got into a fight with a boar-riding man named Ganju Shiba, who left because of the time.
The next morning, Yoruichi convinced the group to head to a person named Kukaku's house, where they will be able to enter the Seireitei. After some petty squabbling- nothing new- the group found the mysterious person's place. It had a huge banner reading 'Kukaku Shiba'.
They entered to find that Kukaku was a woman. Lucina hadn't been too shocked, but several others were. Kukaku agreed to launch the group into the Seireitei via cannon, only if they bring along her younger brother, the one and only boar guy Ganju.
After some more Ichigo VS Ganju drama, Kukaku properly punished them both before moving on to their plan. They were to be blasted into the Seireitei through a giant cannon named the Kukaku Taiho.
Kukaku and Ganju introduce them to a sphere called a Reishukaku, which can be used to form barriers by using reiryoku. The barriers will be used to protect the people from the usually deadly Seireitei barrier.
They then practiced channelling reiryoku into the sphere. Orihime, Uryu, and Chad had no problem. Lucina managed to get it right pretty fast, and even Tayne, who might not have any powers but had strong reiryoku nonetheless managed.
Ichigo could not form a barrier at all.
While Lucina and the others ate dinner, Ichigo managed to form a barrier. That night, Lucina had to work with the others to pry a sleeping Ichigo off of Yoruichi's tail. The next morning, the group was ready for launch.
In the end, although nobody was hurt, the Seireitei's barrier separated the group as they fell. Ichigo was with Ganju, Chad was alone, Yoruichi was also alone, Uryu was with Orihime, while Lucina fell with Tayne.
The two were falling full speed towards the solid ground. Lucina shut her eyes to hide from the bright sunlight and grabbed Tayne, bracing for impact.
Then she noticed the fall slowing. She opened one blue eye, surprised to find gentle winds carrying her and Tayne down. She told Tayne to open her eyes before they landed on the ground, finding their saviors.
There were two girls waiting- both soul reapers.
One had dark blue hair ocean-like teal eyes. She wore the shinigami uniform, with a sword with a white and ice blue hilt strapped to her waist. She stared disapprovingly at her companion.
The other had pale, sky blue hair, longer than the last. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of lavender, and she looked more friendly than the darker-haired one. Her scabbard was empty, and in her hands was a white folding fan with sharp blades.
"So," the first shinigami said. "You're the ryoka."
Lucina tilted her head. "What's ryoka?"
Tayne put a hand on her shoulder. "I think we should get going..."
The second shinigami shook her head with a smile. "Don't do that. I'm sorry about Yukihana, she never gets to the point."
Lucina decided she liked the purple-eyed shinigami better than the other, who was named Yukihana.
"I'm Sorahime Kurokaze, I'm the third seat of Squad Five. My friend here is Yukihana Hitsugaya, fourth seat of Squad Thirteen," the purple-eyed shinigami greeted. "Sorry, but we're here to get rid of the invaders. Which means you'll have to die."
Lucina changed her mind about her favorite. She glanced at Tayne, who seemed ready to go melee. "Tayne, we have to run!"