Enjoy the chapter.
Thought of the day: Why do I think gray is spelled with an e not an a?
Someone asked for a description of Eri, and I personally don't add the information in the story so that you can make her look how you want her to but this is who I picture in my head when I write it.
She is a little shorter than Byakuya but taller than others (definitely taller than Momo). I give her brown slightly curly hair although it is almost always up in a ponytail (since it would get in the way) it is also long. Her eyes are an odd gray (because I think odd gray eyes look cool) and her outfit is normal (like Momo's not Matsumoto's).
An uninformative information gathering mission report
(UIGMR)
"Welcome back." Renji greeted me as I walked into the division.
"Hello."
"Eri, have you made your mission report yet?" Byakuya asks appearing from his office.
"No." I said guiltily.
"Why not?" He questioned me.
"I was hungry?"
"Why is that a question?" Renji asked a bit confused.
"Fine I was skipping out on it."
"Aoki Eri miss 'I always turn in my paperwork and even reorganized the 11th divisions office' is skipping out on a mission report?" Renji asked with fake shock.
"I'll go do that now." I said since Byakuya started to glare at me, I was only going to wait a week and then give my report. I was going to do it, eventually. Okay fine, I was hoping everyone would forget.
"Come in." Yamamoto says after I knock on his office door so that I can get the mission report over with. "Ah, Aoki I take it that you are done with your mission."
"Well, not exactly."
"What do you mean?"
"I found out what I could but is still do not know exactly what is going on. I know that Urahara tampered with Rukia's gigai. I do not know why or what he did."
"What did you find out?"
"That Rukia gave her powers to a kid named Ichigo so that he could save his family from a hollow that was attracted to his high riatsu. I also know that Ichigo survived his encounter with Renji and my captain, and I know that Urahara is up to something."
"Is there any way that you could have gotten more information?"
"No, not in human world. I think that something is going on right here in Soul Society so I came back to continue my investigations here."
"Then why are you giving me this report."
"My Captain and Vice-Captain both thought it was odd that I did not immediately come here and give you my mission report since I am known for doing that."
"So this is not really your mission report?"
"Yeah, aren't you glad?"
"Good because that would have been the least informative information gathering mission report ever."
"Well we can pretend it was so that I can get my name in the book."
"No, I'd rather we not."
"Fine, I will get in that book some day."
"It's not really something you should want to get in."
"But it's a book."
"It's not actually a book."
"What? You've been telling me lies?"
"No, I never said anything about a book you did."
"But you let me."
"Aoki."
"Fine I'll leave, but you are giving me permission to see Rukia right?"
"To gather information?"
"Of course." I said too quickly and not very convincingly.
"I don't believe you but I don't see why not."
"Okay, bye." I said quickly leaving his office to go visit Rukia.
"Hello Rukia!" I said cheerfully as I was let into the place where she was being held.
"Eri-chan!"
"How are you today?"
"How's Ichigo?"
"Alive." I answered her although he might be dead after what Urahara was planning on doing to him.
"Really?" Rukia asked brightening up.
"He was when I saw him last, that Quincy also."
"Good." she answered but we were interrupted by the appearance of Renji.
"So this is where you went." Renji said looking at me then turned towards Rukia, "You seem to be in a better mood."
"She was visited by me, everyone is always happier after I visit them."
"Doubtful." Byakuya said walking into the tower place.
"What are you doing here?" Renji asked and I looked at him strangely since he was being so rude to his captain. Byakuya glared at him and then Renji realized what he just said in quickly tried to fix it, "Captain. I mean, um, Captain what brings you here this fine day?"
"Smooth Renji, Smooth."
"I am here to announce that your execution will be in 25 days." Byakuya said looking towards Rukia.
"What?" Renji asked shocked. I for once stayed quiet.
"That is what I was told to tell you. Eri, your family wishes to see you."
"Well I do not wish to see them."
"It was your grandfather that asked"
"Him I'll see."
"Aren't either of you curious about Rukia's execution?"
"Of course I am worried, but I plan on figuring out what is going on before she gets killed. I just am going a different route than you are."
"Oh."
"I'll figure it out even if I have to face the powers that be."
"That is against the rules." Byakuya pointed out.
"Oh, you're still here."
"I was waiting to escort you home."
"Suddenly I feel like when I was asked to see my family it was more like a command."
"It was."
"Let's get this over with then." I said right before Byakuya and I made our dramatic exit through the door. Once we were out of earshot I grabbed the back of Byakuya's captain jacket causing him to stop.
"What?"
"You are confused about what you should do right now aren't you?"
"I am taking you to your family what is there to be confused about?"
"No that but about the Rukia execution thing."
"She broke the rules so she must die."
"But what about your other promise?"
"Hisana will forgive me."
"She probably would, but I made a promise to her also. To protect you and Rukia. I intend to keep both, so don't get in my way."
"When did you make that promise?"
"Before she died I saw her and she apologized for you, for making you love her. She asked me to keep you safe because she knew that I still cared for you even after everything that happened. I can't hate you since you were one of my first friends—I tried believe me. That is the main reason that I will stay in your division, to keep my promise to Hisana. Also after she made you promise to find Rukia I visited her and told her that I would keep Rukia safe also."
"That's how you knew to help me find her. You were the one that got them into the academy in the first place." Byakuya finally figured it out. "Why didn't you tell me about Rukia when you found her?"
"I forgave you, but I was still angry. I wanted you to search for a bit before I revealed her to you."
"You wanted me to waste my time."
"Exactly." I said reaching the gate to my clan's area.
"Tomorrow you have to start on all the paperwork that has been piling up since you started doing Captain Zaraki's work."
"You enjoy torturing me don't you?"
"Yes." Byakuya answered then turned and walked away without saying goodbye, how rude. Fine leave, be that way.
"Ah, Eri, its been far too long." an old man sitting on an ornately designed chair said once I entered the room where he had been waiting for me. I smiled softly and him and took the chair offered to me which was not as nice as his but still good.
"Grandfather." I greeted him ignoring the formalities.
"I hear you had a mission to the human world." He said getting right to the point.
"I did." I answer simply.
"Was it dangerous?"
"No, it was simply to gather information. As far as I know it met your mission requirements for me, no fighting and I wasn't alone Captain Kuchiki was with me."
"How is he?"
"Same as always."
"We were worried about you while you were on the mission since we did not receive notice of it before it was assigned to you." He informed me referring to the deal that the Aoki clan had made with Yammato years ago about my going on missions. What I don't get is why they worried over one overnight mission to human world. I was there one night, one. It was more like a sleepover with a tea party than a mission, if you ignore the whole Ichigo thing.
"I was just in the right place at the right time to receive the mission. It was originally for a 12th division member but since I was done with my current mission Yammato decided that I was better suited for it. The mission started right after so there was no time to inform you."
"Yammato shouldn't have given you that mission without our permission."
"That is something you should speak to him about yourself."
"I am just worried about my favorite grandchild."
"You don't have to be."
"I am just worried that you will be lost."
"Because a hollow finds my riatsu delicious or lose myself?"
"More the latter than the former."
"Why? I have been 'me' for years now."
"No other Aoki has been a shinigami before since our riatsu is too good to pass up. Since you found a way around that years ago you were able to learn Kido. Your Zampakuto however still worries us, we are just afraid that he will take control."
"I won't let him." I announce touching the hilt of my Zampakuto.
"Why don't you come back to the clan?" My grandfather asks with a sigh, knowing that I am not going to say anything else about the subject we were just on.
"How many rules have I broken?"
"The rules have been changed and you have been forgiven."
"I have been forgiven by you not by the clan."
"I would make them forgive you,since I am the head now."
"The only way they would forgive me is if I married, a noble."
"Is that so bad?"
"No, but I tried to live by the clans rules and in the end I was only hurt. I want to keep living the way I am to see if I can be happy this way."
"Are you happy?"
"Yes. I have many friends, a purpose, and I am free to do almost anything."
"I understand that our ways are strict--
"I would have to give up being a Shinigami if I came back."
"True."
"I'm sorry grandfather." I said getting up from the chair making to leave.
"Come back and visit soon."
"Of course." I promised leaving my grandfather and ignoring the glares of my family as I left the Aoki family homes to go back to the dormitory that was now my home.
So Hisana is finally brought up (not ignoring her existence). Kenpachi has apparently decided to take a nap for several chapters it seems. Some things are clear others are still confusing.
Preview from next chapter: The Great Ryoka Roundup
"We were afraid you would be depressed since your sister is dieing and all, but instead we find you walking calmly with our dear princess here." Gin mocked.
"This has nothing to do with the two of you." Byakuya replied.
"There's no way he would be depressed since for noble families criminals are just obstacles anyway." Kenpachi interjected.
"Oh, I don't expect a commoner could understand the subtleties of the aristocracy." Byakuya said arrogantly.
