A Thank You goes out To Obsidian Jade who helped me break through a stumbling block in the idea for this chapter. So thank you, Obsidian Jade for your help!
After lunch, Erisia and Tessai went to the market to get some things for dinner. Uruhara decided to take advantage of the opportunity. Earlier in the day, while she'd been waiting for everyone to wake for breakfast, Erisia had been sitting at the table, idly doodling. What she'd drawn had somewhat shocked the scientist. He had asked her if he could keep it and she smiled and handed it over. Byakuya was clearly not thrilled with being left there with Uruhara.
"This morning, while waiting on Ururu and Jinta so she could start breakfast, Erisia was almost absently sketching something. My curiosity was piqued of course. What I saw was surprising and it is something that you might be interested in." Uruhara begins as he goes to retrieve the paper and returns to the table. He places it in front of the stoic Captain.
Byakuya was taken aback when he looked at the image upon the paper. It was the Kuchiki crest. The young woman should have had no knowledge of it. "Did she say where she came across the symbol?" He inquires. Uruhara was a little disappointed that there wasn't more of an outward reaction - though he really should have expected as much.
"She said that the image has been a repeating theme in her dreams. The first of which came only a day or two before she was attacked by the Hollow. Quite strange, don't you agree, Captain?" Uruhara asks as he watches Byakuya looking for even the most miniscule of reactions that would tell him what was going on behind that stoic mask.
The girl had been dreaming of his family crest? While he had dreamt of the symbol that marked her back, surely it was just a coincidence - right? What else could it mean? As much as Byakuya might want to figure out the meaning of it all, he was limited in his options at current. He wasn't about to ask Uruhara his opinion. There was also the fact that he didn't know where that damnable demon cat was and he definitely didn't want her putting her two cents in.
"It is certainly something to think on." Is all Byakuya says on the matter, his voice betraying nothing of his thoughts or feelings on the subject. Any further inquiries Uruhara might have made were cut short when Erisia and Tessai returned. The day was quickly flying faster and faster from them. Uruhara takes the picture back and returns it to where he'd put it for safe keeping. He was going to have to ask Yoruichi her opinion perhaps at a later time.
"Eri-chan what is your class schedule like? I should have asked earlier but in all the excitement, it slipped my mind." Uruhara chuckles.
She looks at him and smiles. "I will write it down for you." She says as she goes to her things and gets a piece of paper and pulls a pen out of her purse... She quickly jots down her schedule and hands it to Uruhara. "Thank you Eri-chan." He says with a small acknowledging nod as he takes the paper.
Tessai looks at the assembled and then looks at Byakuya and Uruhara. "Captain Kuchiki, Erisia-san would you mind excusing us for a moment. There is something I need to speak with Uruhara-san in private." The man says in a very polite tone. Eri nods and she rises almost at the same time Byakuya does. They both slip out to the back porch.
Erisia looks down biting her lower lip a moment... She knew he was someone important in Soul Society and just the way he carried himself made it clear that he was no common man on the street... But there was something drawing about him. Something familiar and she didn't know why... Should she broach such topics however? This evening he would return to Soul Society and it was very likely that they would never see one another again...
There were other questions she had however... that maybe it would be okay to ask. "Forgive my asking... but you know him more than I do. What sort of person is Uruhara-san truly? I know he has been kind while I have been staying here, but if I am to be tested, if I am to work with him... I would like to know a little more I suppose." She says softly, keeping her tone respectful.
Byakuya could understand her concern. She did not know any of them not really... and she was placing herself in their care... "Uruhara-san is a scientist of course I am sure you've noticed that side of his nature. He is very good at what he does, Nakayama-san so you need not have fear in that regard. He will not bring you harm but if ever you feel uncomfortable all you need do is tell him or if you do not feel comfortable telling him, express your concerns to Tessai-san. We have to test you, there is no getting around that and you may be pushed in order to reveal your true potential, but the goal is only to learn not to hurt you." He explains.
She nods. "Thank you Captain Kuchiki-san." She says softly. She felt somewhat odd calling him that as she did not know that world... But neither was she just about to call him Byakuya. Her mother had raised her better than that.
Meanwhile, inside Tessai was regaling Uruhara with the tale of the conversation he and Erisia had had as they walked to and from the market. Uruhara had to hold in his laughter. It seemed the young woman was quite taken with the Captain and she had been trying to glean what information she could about him from Tessai. Her questions were innocent enough but it was still amusing that the topic of conversation was the stoic Captain of the 6th squad.
A short while later, Tessai peeks his head out letting Erisia and Byakuya know that it was alright for them to return. Politeness had Byakuya staying back and gesturing for Erisia to enter before he did. The rest of the evening was uneventful and dinner, while quite good was not truly noteworthy. Erisia had gathered all of her things and once the small rolling suitcase was packed up she made her way into the main area of the home part of the shop and bid Tessai-san and Uruhara-san goodbye.
The walk to her home would take long enough and it started out quietly. She had put the scroll, which was in a case to protect it, in the outer pocket of the suitcase so she could reach it easily. For all the strangeness she was glad to have met him... If only there were more time. Part of her thought that she should try to make the most of it... but it was not her nature to do so. They made light conversation, her inquiring about Soul Society and his explanations were brief and informative to a point... It wasn't that he was trying to be rude, it was just that Byakuya did not indulge in frivolous conversation.
Finally, they reached her building. She turns and faces him, bowing politely. "Thank you for walking me home. Before you leave, Sir... I wanted to thank you again for saving me." She says softly as she stoops to retrieve the scroll. "I know it is not much, but you saved my life and I wanted to at least make you something so I could do more than speak the words Thank you." She says in a quiet, almost nervous tone as she holds it out to him.
Politeness forbade him from refusing the gift so he accepts it with an inclination of his head. "You are welcome Miss Nakayama-san. Take care." He says as he turns and starts off toward the senkai gate. She slips in her building and back to her apartment... Part of her so very glad to be home but a small part of her sad... she felt like something was missing now. She hadn't felt that way before and it unsettled her.
~Everything will work out.~ Came the familiar voice of the shadow panther.
Byakuya returned to Soul Society and to his own home. When he was safe within his personal office he looked at the scroll. He wondered for a moment what it was that she could have made. Though from seeing how accurately she'd sketched the Kuchiki crest which she'd never seen perhaps it was something artistic in nature. He undid the tie keeping the case closed and slipped the scroll out. Whatever he'd been thinking, nothing had prepared him for the reality of it.
He had not been expecting Erisia Nakayama to have such skill in art. Nor was he expecting the image that was wrought upon the scroll. His eyes widened in shock as he took it all in. Somehow, the young woman's mind had burned the image of him appearing to fight the hollow into her memory... and while she did not paint the Hollow, she had recreated the image of him in his uniform, standing above the roof of a small home where the Hollow had appeared... and she had even crafted the flurry of blades that made up the released form of his zanpakuto. Upon first glance it looked to be raining sakura petals, but there was a gleam along their edges that revealed them to be the blades they truly were.
It was breathtaking... His eye slowly moved over the entire scroll, taking in every last detail... From the title 'My Savior' to the very last note of Many Thanks, Erisia and the symbol that had been in her family for generations, the symbol she marked herself with... The same symbol that had been appearing in his dreams since before he was given the mission to go to the real world that had led to their fateful meeting. Here, in his office he could be a little more honest, at least with himself. Surely it was fate that had brought them together. There was no other way to explain how he had seen her marking in his dreams and how she had seen his family crest in her own.
Being a man of wealth, he had been given many presents over the long years for various reasons and by various people... Aside from a few small tokens from his parents and his grandfather... he would have to say that this was the most meaningful present he had ever received. For a moment he debated where to place it. He was proud enough of that moment, of what it symbolized and part of him wanted to proudly display that. However, he was a deeply private man and this was a private moment that he selfishly wanted to keep to himself.
He decided then that he would proudly display it here at the Kuchiki Estate in his own personal office. There it would have a prominent home and still be guarded enough to remain fairly private. Only his most trusted associates would be allowed within this particular office... He summoned his personal servant and instructed the man to carefully put the scroll up on the wall behind his desk...