All in all, training was going rather well. While her life was very busy what with graduation looming and everything else that was going on, it wasn't bad. It was interesting and there was certainly no time for anything resembling a dull moment. Thankfully Uruhara and the rest of the Soul Society crew were not expecting her to learn enough to go to the academy and graduate that same year. They were only trying to help her become more accustomed to it all.

There was just a little less than three weeks left until she was done with college. Time seemed to be at once flying and crawling. It was strange, but it just seemed that time was moving so fast while there were parts of that time that seemed to drag and drag and drag. Part of her was almost eager to go to Soul Society. A new place with new people and new challenges... of course those same things scared her a little... She would be leaving behind the only world she'd ever known for one filled with uncertainty. It was a daunting thing.

She had just arrived at the shop and was putting her things away when Uruhara's voice nearly made her jump out of her skin. "Ohhh Eri-chan... you have a phone call." Came that nearly sing-song voice. She chuckled at his antics. He was sometimes a very silly man...

Who could possibly be calling her here? She didn't really have friends to speak of and any she had would call her phone not Uruhara's... So it was understandable that she was confused - wasn't it? Of course she seemed to have forgotten the special cell phones that the 12th squad had created. "Hello?" She answers, her voice betraying her confusion.

"Nakayama-san, forgive the interruption. If I did not know Uruhara-san so well I would have merely trusted him to relay the information to you. Still I know he would wait until the last moment and I believe you deserve more time than that. So I thought it a wiser course to speak with you directly so you would have proper time to prepare." Comes an all too familiar voice.

"What is it I am to be preparing for, Captain Kuchiki-san?" She inquires.

"Upon my return to Soul Society I had to report back to the Captain Commander. I relayed the events that transpired to him. Since you have stated that you wish to attend the Academy, it has been decided that someone other than myself should meet you. The Captain Commander has requested that you meet with his lieutenant this Saturday. I will meet you at the senkai gate that morning and I will accompany you to the meeting place." He explains.

"How should I dress for such a meeting?" She asks. She felt rather lost really. She could guess at things from what she'd seen but going off of one Captain's uniform was hardly very informative.

"That is at your discretion, Nakayama-san. They understand that you live in the Real World and that you have next to no experience with anything from Soul Society. Though I suppose it would be wise to treat this meeting with respect. You will be meeting the Lieutenant of the 1st Squad after all."

"I appreciate the advanced notice, Captain Kuchiki-san. I will see you at the appointed time then, thank you."

"Until then, Nakayama-san."

She really had no idea what to wear. What would be considered appropriate for such a thing? Well she certainly was not going to show up in jeans and a t-shirt that much was certain. She did own a few kimono her mother had left for her. That was something respectful to wear - wasn't it? She emerges from 'her' room and hands the phone to Uruhara-san. At least she had a little time to decide about what to wear... she would think about it later, there was too much work to be done right now.

"So what did our dear Captain want?

"My presence is being requested. I am to attend a meeting with the Captain Commander's Lieutenant." She replies simply.

"When?

"This Saturday."

"My my... how very interesting... and how exciting for you. Don't be nervous Eri-chan, Sasakibe is a pleasant enough man. I am sure that since they've learned you want to attend the Academy that they are simply curious about you is all." Uruhara muses. Eri just nods her head.

"Well there's a lot to do so let's get to it, shall we?" Uruhara asks with a smile as he leads her to the underground training area. She nods and follows after him.

The training was rigorous of course... at least it seemed so. It wasn't that Erisia had ever been a lazy young woman... It was just that this was activity on a whole new level for her. There were many challenges and she was honestly starting to wonder whether or not she was actually going to be able to do this every day when she got to the academy... Still she was going to give it her best.

Training concluded and she returned to her apartment... It almost seemed like she'd missed a day in there somewhere. She woke and somehow it was Saturday morning. Of course she had not... it just seemed that Friday had flown by... Thankfully she had made the preparations the night before so that she could get into the kimono and still be ready by the time she had to be at the senkai gate.

With a little help, she got into the kimono quickly and then she focused on fixing her hair and adding a light bit of makeup... Since she had learned that while she did not have a shihakusho that whatever her gigai was wearing is what she would be wearing when she left it... so she put forth extra effort this morning to make herself presentable. She was after all going to be meeting someone of importance...

She slipped her feet into the pretty shoes that went with the kimono and made her way to Uruhara's shop. They were all shocked when they saw her. In that kimono, she really did look like she was noble born. They hurried her to the senkai gate after finishing the last little details for her trip. When the gate opened and that bright light glowed forth, she was stricken with a case of nervousness. But a little gentle prodding and she found her ability to move forward again.

She crossed the threshold and came out into another world. A world that seemed to have been removed from time. It looked like something out of the feudal era... But it was beautiful... She was so struck by the scenery that she did not immediately notice the Captain of the 6th squad standing there, waiting for her... She was merely caught by the vast change in everything and was looking around in awe.

Erisia was not the only one caught off guard by appearances. As she emerged from the senkai gate, his breath caught. Erisia was dressed in a kimono of black silk, along the edges of which was fine silver embroidery... As she moved the light caught off of another detail - there looked to be small stars stitched into the fabric. It looked as though she had been clad in a piece of the night sky. It was beautiful... She was beautiful... He had certainly not expected her to appear in a kimono...

He caught himself before his thoughts pulled him too far astray... "There is time until the meeting, Nakayama-san if you would like to familiarize yourself with the sites until that time, I have been granted the time to accompany you." He says simply. It was true however, since they knew she was familiar with him they had appointed him her guide for the time being.

The awe spell was broken as that voice reached her ears... She smiled and this time it did reach her eyes as she looked to him. Seeing him in his uniform made a lot more sense here. Of course he looked even more regal here as well. She offers him a small curtsey. "Good morning, Captain Kuchiki-san." She says softly... "What sites shall we see then?" She asks.