>>45817111
You're not sure what to say to that. Perhaps the Captain is simply frustrated that Kurotsuchi's methods did bring results bordering on the impressive, even if in such an unnecessary field. Urahara pauses as he closes a folder, moving on to the next one.

"As for the other body... I'm not sure why you brought it in, Ryouta-kun. Aside from being a victim of Shingen, there's nothing special about it." Urahara says.

"It's identical to me." You point out, though it's hard to believe that he hasn't realized it.

"Perhaps you've had a twin when you were alive?" The Captain suggests a highly unlikely but plausible explanation.

"Twins have different fingerprints."

Urahara smiles with something resembling pride. "So you've noticed it. As expected of my invaluable Ryouta-kun. Even though you weren't part of the autopsy team, you'd still seen that much."

The room grows silent. The Captain quietly examines Arata's file, staring at his photo, as if trying to find some kind of discrepancy. He eventually sighs in defeat. "Well, I'm clueless!" Urahara exclaims with a small smile. "I'll look into it some more, but please keep your expectations low. Well, there's probably nothing for you to worry about anyway, Ryouta-kun."

You shake your head. "I think it is important, Captain."

His smile fades. "Are you worried that there are other clones of you walking around?"

"There aren't any."

"Is that so?" He closes the folder and sets it aside. "I find your certainty in this to be much more peculiar. Is this like when you felt something strange during your first mission? Knowing something you shouldn't know?"

(2/3)

>>45817165
Perhaps that is the case. You aren't sure. Urahara stands up and steps closer.

"Don't sweat it. We'll get to the bottom of it eventually." He sets a hand on your shoulder. "It's one of two things you seem to feel strongly about, so I'll be doing all I can to help you out. I just need some time."

He invites you to stand as well, the mission debriefing apparently over. As you walk out of the office, Urahara complains a little in a casual tone.

"It bothers me that you've had to deal with nothing but red herrings so far. I wish we had more concrete clues to work with, but that's practically impossible in the Hogyoku's case... Risking you on irrelevant missions is not something I wish to do, Ryouta-kun. I'll think twice from now on before sending you somewhere..."

...

>"If you think that's for the best..."
>"Don't hesitate to send me on missions, Captain. You can rely on me."
>"The Hogyoku won't be found for twenty more years."
>Ask Urahara a question. (Write-in).
>Other. (Write-in).

>>45817204
Well aren't those loaded options.

>>45817265
Like I don't know, I kind of like doing missions, even if we're often in over our head. The problem is that investigating strange occurances is like the BEST way to get killed by the newest big thing. However, we're gonna have to fight stuff eventually and I think even if it's not the same rate as a shounen protagonist, he still does better in combat, and going out of his comfort zone in general seems like it might help his development as a person.

The last option though, whew that's a doozy. I have absolutely no idea how Ryouta could know such a thing without going full meta. It's not even spoilered or anything. I feel like if anything, that might be worth talking to Hiyori about?

>>45817204
Current Character Sheet: http://pastebin.com/UrXNe4LR

Archives: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Shinigami%20Quest

Skill Advancement: http://pastebin.com/HtuGj8Ev

>>45817204
>"Don't hesitate to send me on missions, Captain. You can rely on me."
I don't know, on the whole I kind of feel that (generally) the missions have been helpful to Ryouta, like meeting new people (and their shikai) also pushing him as I mentioned with >>45817379

>>45817379
I think that last one just triggers another time skip as opposed to "filler" missions.

>>45817204
>>"Don't hesitate to send me on missions, Captain. You can rely on me."

>>45817204
>>"The Hogyoku won't be found for twenty more years."
Wouldn't you like to see... Where this story ends?

>Detective plot
>Still no generic mask party in a mansion and you have to find your target or risk killing an innocent
>Or a group of shinigami in an area getting offed one at a time and you have to find the traitor

Agatha Christie is disappoint.

>>45817593
Honestly? Not really. Since we already know most of that with Substitute Shinigami Quest.

>>45817609
/tg/ is the worst with mysteries. Like it's amazing, how bad we are.

>>45817620
Urahara and Aizen's Hougyokus are split up between siblings which gave them almost NASU levels of bullshit. One of them seems content to live a normal life, the other is slowly but surely working to travel from the real world to Hueco Mundo to the Soul Society to save her girlfriend

>>45817204
Voting over, writing!

>>45817726
I'm not sad at all that I missed that quest, that sounds almost on par with savant

>>45817635
Killing two innocents before finding the traitor isn't ideal, but would still get the job done. Don't have to be perfectionists, but it would still be fun to go through more mysteries.

>>45817784
Eh, while the siblings had the potential to be really OP, they were tempered by having even lower levels of base Reiatsu than Ryouta, and the protagonist at least could only really shift from 1 to 11 with no spaces in-between, which kind of gimped her because she couldn't cut loose without damaging the fabric of reality (and calling down the 13 court guard).

Also the quest itself was even less about combat than this one, so it wasn't that much of a problem.

>>45817204
>"Don't hesitate to send me on missions, Captain. You can rely on me."
>"The Hogyoku won't be found for twenty more years."

>>45817448
>>45817541
"Don't hesitate to send me on missions, Captain. You can rely on me."

"I'm glad to hear that, Ryouta-kun. But, still... You're one of the few people who have a chance of identifying it, and I shouldn't be wasting that. Even so, it would look quite suspicious to have you not doing any work despite your pay... I'll think of something. Feel free to take a break in the meantime."

There's probably no point in declaring your strange hunches without any evidence to support such claims. Though, if the Captain happened to believe that, would you be let off from your duties until then? Twenty years spent at home would be... Well, there's probably no way you'd be allowed to just slack off like that. Ultimately, it would have only resulted in confusion and little more.

"I'll be expecting you to come around once in a while to help with our research here. As always, you can take it easy until we detect something strange. ...I suppose if another Division asks for your assistance again, we won't turn them down."

You nod. After leaving the office, the two of you say your farewells and split up.

Your house is much closer to the barracks now, so taking breaks like these is much more convenient. It still seems rather unusual that you're allowed to have them so frequently. Your wellbeing must be really valuable to the Captain if he's being so hesitant about using a subordinate.

Once again, you have an abundance of free time at your disposal. Rest is necessary, but it's been a while since you've properly worked on any of your skills. You're not sure how busy Hikari is with her work, but consulting her about Kido may be fruitful for your development. The direct combat types like Soren or Ryuu could probably help with your Shunpo or general combat ability.

(1/2)

>>45818922
And when it comes to your special ability, learning more about their Zanpakuto could probably pay off. Ishiken, at the very least, clearly possesses properties you have not yet discovered. Of course, discussing this subject with the legitimate owners of the swords might be risky.

...Well, while their assistance would be helpful, it's not like you can't practice at home by yourself, and also spend time with family.

...

>Spend your time at home.
>Meet with Hikari at the Academy.
>Send Soren a letter.
>Send Ryuu a letter.
>Other. (Write-in).

>>45818936
Meditate

>>45818936
This
>>45819016
and spend time with mum or step-mum

>>45818936
>>Send Soren a letter.

>>45818936
Seconding
>>45819016

Let's harmonize with our sword!

>>45818936
Voting over, writing!

>>45819016
Really hope that's not the only thing we do.

>>45819016
>>45819070
>>45819287
Perhaps after the recent events it's worth practicing with your own Zanpakuto again. Asking for help proved pointless the last time you've tried, so you might as well do it by yourself at home. As you arrive at the front door, you look the building over. You hope that the smaller size of the house hasn't been a bother to Shiori. Her books did take quite a bit of space, after all...

You knock on the door, and after a little more than a minute, it slides aside, a short woman with messy long hair poking her head out of the doorway. Her small mouth melts into a happy smile when she recognizes the visitor.

"Ryouta! I'm so happy to see you!" She exclaims, stepping outside. "Ah, you really should tell me when you're about to visit. I would have at least washed my hair..."

With the new house so close to your working place, sending letters is a bit redundant.

"...Huh? Who is this?" Your mother asks, her unabashed cheer rather smoothly replaced with some semblance of dignity as she suddenly notices your unwelcome compatriot. This person has been tailing you on your way home, and probably actually believed that she has managed to remain unnoticed as she did that.

Another familiar girl clad in the black robes of the Shinigami stands beside you, her red hair worn in a long ponytail and her arms folded over her chest. A proud grin is plastered on her face; Moeka seems to be expecting you to introduce her.

...

>"I don't know."
>"Nobody."
>"...Her name is Kirino Moeka."
>Other. (Write-in).

>>45819753
>>"...Her name is Kirino Moeka."

>>45819753
>"...Her name is Kirino Moeka."
>Other. (Write-in).

"I don't know why she's here, however. I never invited her here."

>>45819753
>Other. (Write-in).
This is Kirino Moeka. She follows me like a lost puppy and i never understand why

>>45819753
>"...Her name is Kirino Moeka."
Well she's not mad at us, which probably means no one forced her to try harder.

>>45820054
I don't remember her ever doing this before, so that's not accurate.

>>45819753
Voting over, writing!

what are the odds she got fired and is now doing the creepy stalker thing?

>>45820304
Zero? She wouldn't be that cheerful and she wouldn't get to keep her uniform.

>"...Her name is Kirino Moeka. She's madly in love with me"

>>45820769
>Ryouta makes a joke
>It takes twenty minutes for anyone to realize it

>>45820007
>>45819938
>>45820065
"...Her name is Kirino Moeka. She's-..."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am! Me and Ryouta-kun go a long way back..." She exclaims and laughs cutely. Your mother turns away from the guest to smile at you instead.

"Well, come on in, Ryouta!" Your mother invites you in, stepping aside. After you make your way inside, Shiori tries to slide the door to a close. The rather forceful attempt fails after a loud thump and some disgruntled noises. "Ah, sorry. Didn't think you were coming in." She rather offhandedly tells the redhead.

"N-no, it's okay..." Moeka laughs nervously, rubbing her battered shoulder. It's only when she firmly steps into the house that Shiori lets go of the door with a sigh.

The three of you sit down at a table in the living room after you help your mother prepare some tea. The atmosphere comes off as somehwat tense to you, but Moeka is failing to see any of the tension, mouthing off about the one mission you cooperated on.

"Your son was really great and reliable back then, you know! It was such a tangled case, but he figured it all out with my help! Oh, and we fought three Hollows at the same time and won, can you believe that, ma'am? They were all huge monsters, each one must have been at least two Ryoutas tall, it was very dangerous, but with teamwork, we still managed to make it out victorious. It'd be really hard without him, you know..."

You did tell Shiori about the mission Moeka is bragging about, so it's most likely the impressions from your story that are the cause of her coldness towards the redhead. She's hardly even looking her way.

(1/2)

>>45821249
"Are you two dating?" Your mother suddenly asks during one of the brief pauses in the exaggerated story.

Moeka puts her hand behind her head in a display of shyness. "Aha! Do you think we should, ma'am?"

"Not really."

Moeka flinches and looks down into her tea cup. After hearing the implied answer, Shiori yet again loses all interest in conversing with the other girl. The Shinigami leans a bit closer to you and whispers in desperation.

"H-help me out here, I think I'm about to die from pneumonia, Ryouta-kun!"

"...Pneumonia?"

"She's being really cold to me..."

Does she mean hypothermia? ...Well, it really might be best for you to lead the conversation.

...

>"How are you doing after that mission, Moeka?"
>"I think you could go a little easier on her, mother."
>"Why are you here, Moeka?"
>"I think you should go, Moeka."
>Other. (Write-in).

>>45821249
>each one must have been at least two Ryoutas tall,

We're a system of measurement now.

Goddammit Moeka.

>>45821288
>"Why are you here, Moeka?"

>>45821288
>"Why are you here, Moeka?"

>>45821288
>"I think you could go a little easier on her, mother."
But no, really,
>"Why are you here, Moeka?"

>>45821288
>"How are you doing after that mission, Moeka?"

>>45821288
Voting over, writing!

>>45821288
"I think you could go a little easier on her, mother."

>>45821288
>Moeka puts her hand behind her head in a display of shyness. "Aha! Do you think we should, ma'am?"
>"Not really."
Fucking rekt got an honest laugh out of me on that one

>"How are you doing after that mission, Moeka?"
>"Why are you here, Moeka?"

>>45821336
>>45821360
>>45821368
"So why are you here, Moeka?" You ask the question that's been on your mind ever since she made her appearance.

"Well, I'm visiting an old friend, of course!" Moeka smiles and sips some of her tea. "It's been a while, so I was hoping we could catch up or something, Ryouta-kun."

"Very well. What were you up to these last few years?"

"I spent most of my days after we split up with Minami-chan. She's really happy with the present, you know. Practically has her ears glued to that thing... Thanks for helping me deliver it."

You weren't really helpful about it in the way she was probably expecting you to be, but she doesn't seem to mind.

"But I wish I had more free time... Even though I'm not getting deployed to the Human World anymore, my popularity must have spiked up after that mission with you. I even have my own pupil now... sort of..."

"Why aren't you getting deployed anymore?"

"W-who knows...?" Moeka replies vaguely. But she seems to know. Your and your mother's silent stares pressure her into giving a firmer answer. "I-I really don't know. Seriously. I just haven't been getting any big jobs lately, so..."

You think you can guess, though. If your Captain passed the word on, that might be the reason why she's not getting jobs that entail any amount of responsibility.

"...So I kept myself busy investigating something on my own." She declares, looking a little proud.

"Investigating what, exactly?" You indulge her a bit with a question.

"Even the Seireitei isn't safe from hoodlums and crooks, so I've been looking into one group in particular and trying to bring them to justice." Moeka nods to herself.

"Is that so? How has your investigation been going so far?" You ask, at which Moeka smirks with confidence.

"I've made absolutely no progress." She says.

(1/2)

>>45823116
>"I've made absolutely no progress."
"Even if I had the capacity to feel surprised, I probably wouldn't."

>>45823116
You were expecting something along those lines. Her reason for being here is actually becoming a little clearer. "...How long were you investigating for?"

"I started shortly after our mission together ended." So a few years. Moeka is apparently very dedicated to the cause, but that doesn't seem right.

"But why are you doing that, anyway?" Is she really trying to be a vigilante for the sake of justice... or is there another reason?

"I'm doing it for justice, of course, Ryouta-kun! Those people... they're responsible for stealing a lot of money! They come up to innocent and unsuspecting people like me, offer to invest their money into some shady businesses that they promise would triple their wealth, and then run off with the cash, the scumbags. I can't just let crimes like that slide..." Moeka hisses with contempt about some con artists.

"...You were scammed?" Shiori asks. You suppose that explains it. She must have given away her bounty to some criminals.

"Scammed is... a strong word..."

Shiori lifts the tea cup to her lips to hide a smile.

"W-well, it's not important, anyway! They need to be stopped. I can't tackle a syndicate like that on my own. I need you to lend me your wits one more time, Ryouta-kun! If we work together, those guys stand no chance! Please help me!" She bows her head and pleads. You're on vacation, and you were planning to spend it doing something actually productive... instead of this... "After they dropped my salary and stopped deploying me to the Human World, it's hard to afford my own food anymore!"

(2/3)

>>45823192
She's not being entirely honest about that. Agents receive free food if they live in the barracks. She might not be able to 'afford her own food' anymore, but she's certainly not on the verge of starving any time soon.

"Why not contact the police?"

"That's because they don't pay much attention to stuff that happens outside of the Seireitei. I was deceived when I was celebrating our successful mission in the 1st District, so they don't really care..."

"Ryouta, a word?" Your mother asks you to come over. As you lend her your ear, she whispers something. "I think she got scammed by one of our own. You could probably get her money back - if they still have it - using my father's name. We may have quit after he died, but he used to be the boss, so they'll probably listen."

That's a relief... somewhat. You'd still need to go all the way to the First District, which would take days. Discussing the criminal background of the Tsukuda family with someone like Moeka is obviously out of the question, so you'd need to make it look like you've actually performed an investigation. And just sharing the information with her and hoping she fares well seems like a recipe for a disaster.

"What do you think I should do?" You ask Shiori. She sighs and shrugs her small shoulders.

"I don't know, Ryouta..." It seems that a part of her wants to leave Moeka to herself, but the other part must feel bad about her. "I'm leaving it to you."

That girl probably isn't interested in justice; she just wants her money back. If that's the case then there's another, quick solution to this problem in which almost everyone would come out happy. Well, except for you and your own funds.

...

>"Sorry, Moeka, I can't help you."
>"I could loan you some money."
>"Alright. I'll help."
>"I'll help you in return for something..." (Write-in).
>Other. (Write-in).

>>45823244
>"Alright. I'll help."
I still want to spend time with shiori during my vacation so don't expect me to work with you all the time.

>>45823244
>"I'll help you in return for something..." (Write-in).
Help us practice our abilities? Maybe force her into applying herself?

>>45823244
>"I'll help you in return for something..."
Spread those fucking legs

I mean... help us see more Zanpakuto in action.. for research purposes.. captain's orders..

>>45823116
>>45823192
>>45823244
>"I'll help you in return for something..." (Write-in).
"I will help you, however in return I would like to attend a training session with your division. Almost every division has its own combat style however I can't quite seem to place theirs yet. Alternatively, you'll owe me a favor, the severity depending on how long this task will require I work."

>>45823244
>"Alright. I'll help."
Catch up with shiori for a while first though. She's still best girl after all.

>>45823244
>Other. (Write-in).
"Who would be your pupil?"

We came closest to coming in contact with our Zanpakuto in our dream when we were with Moeka.

Who knows, maybe somehow being near that idiot is actually helpful for us.

>>45823244
Voting over, writing!

>>45823662
We can figure out the specifics of what we want from her later.

>>45823558
I highly doubt she's the reason for that dream

>>45824051
Probably not, but we haven't had any success in replicating it.

>>45823418
>not Hiyori
begone pleb

>>45824188
>not Ryouta clone #2

>>45823326
Backing.

>>45823244
Seconding
>>45823326

>>45823326
>>45823329
>>45823374
"I'll help you, but I'll be expecting something in return."

"E-eh? You mean, like... you couldn't be..." Moeka exaggerates her disbelief, sounding like she's about to suggest something outrageous, but your mother's intense glare forces her to reconsider. She laughs nervously. "Ahaha, I-I was just making a joke..."

You'll probably ask her for some advice with training. Well, it can't hurt to have a favor on standby, either way.

"You'll be leaving again, Ryouta...?" Shiori asks, frowning sadly.

"I'll be back soon. This shouldn't take too long." You try to reassure her.

"W-wow, you can make a girl fall for you with that kind of confidence, Ryouta-kun..." Moeka mutters something weird again.

"...And I don't have to leave immediately."

"Oh... Well, I'll be back tomorrow, I guess..."

"That's fine." You tell her.

"...Do you think I could stay the night here? The barracks are kind of far..."

"Sorry, we don't have rooms to spare." Your mother immediately makes a nonchalant lie without even batting an eye in her direction. She drinks her tea to hide her expression.

"Oh... Well, thank you for the tea, ma'am. And Ryouta-kun, thank you for your help!" Moeka stands up and bows politely, then you show her the way out. With that girl out of the house, Shiori relaxes her previously dignified posture, stretching her legs out underneath the table.

(1/2)

>>45825809
"You deserve way better. You really do!" She says, her tone not even remotely joking. "How could I possibly entrust my Ryouta to a girl like that?"

"She's... not a candidate."

"Really? Thank goodness." That really does seem to relieve her. "...So what kind of a girl do you like, Ryouta? Are there any candidates?"

"There really aren't. And I can't say I have a preference, either." Your answer makes her ponder something for a while.

"...You know, a lot of people frown upon it, but I don't mind if you prefer boys to girls. We're not a noble family, so it's not necessary for you to have children."

"No, that's not it, either..."

"Really? Don't hesitate to talk to me about it even if it is! I consider myself rather open-minded about that kind of thing..." Shiori smiles. "Well, I'm sure you'll meet your special someone someday, Ryouta. There's no way a girl who knows what she's doing is going to pass up on someone like you."

...Even though you can't feel anything? She's probably just exaggerating. The conversation pauses. Your mother glances around the room, giving you an idea for a new topic.

"How do you like the house so far?"

"It's comfy! It's not as large as our previous house, so it doesn't feel as lonely even without you around. There's barely enough room to pack my books, though. They don't have a secretly huge basement here, so I had to fill some of the rooms with nothing but books. Well, it's not a big deal, not like we get guests anymore, anyway. Having you visit so often makes it all worth it!"

You're glad it's to her liking.

(2/3)

>>45825876
"You know, my father always wanted to live in the Seireitei. He'd probably be feeling really proud of you right now..." Your mother smiles.

"I'm surprised to hear that he didn't manage it despite his influence."

"Father wasn't a noble, and Shinigami weren't among his friends. He was a very influential criminal, but he was still just a criminal. Money alone isn't good enough to get someone a position in the Seireitei. But, who knows, maybe he would have managed it given enough time? He was rather stubborn and capable, after all... So stubborn and capable that he successfully prevented me from dating anyone..." Shiori frowns in her displeased reminiscence. "Don't get me wrong, I love him, but geez, that was the worst..."

She brings that particular subject up now and again whenever your grandfather is mentioned. But maybe that's a good thing - perhaps she doesn't have anything worse to complain about, which is rather surprising, considering the questionable occupation of the man in question.

"He spent so much effort and so many resources on it, too. I still can't get over it even after all these years...!" Your mother clutches her small fists, pouting in her bitter grudge. "After being sheltered from that kind of thing for so long, it's entirely his fault if I ended up a little weird when it comes to that sort of stuff."

"I'm sure it's fine." You try to reassure her. It's that man's efforts that are letting the Tsukuda family live without a care in the world now, even many years after his death. You've never met the man, but he didn't seem like a bad person.

The evening goes on peacefully. Even when a conversational topic gets exhausted, the silence that follows is pleasant and calm. Perhaps it's best to just let this tranquil evening go on like it has thus far, without bringing up any unpleasant subjects.

...

>"I saw someone who looked just like me."
>Don't bring it up. That won't be a problem anymore.

>>45825975
>Don't bring it up. That _shouldn't_ be a problem anymore.

>>45825975
>Don't bring it up. That won't be a problem anymore.

>>45825975
>Don't bring it up. That won't necessarily be a problem anymore.

File: 1446348265160.png (17 KB, 202x184)

17 KB PNG

>>45825975
Ask if she wants to take a bath

File: im stuck in this folder a(...).png (595 KB, 1000x1000)

595 KB PNG

>>45825975
Ending thread for tonight, it's getting really late for me! Next thread will start off with the most voted action!

Next thread will be announced on twitter:
https://twitter.com/Mushroomgami

If you have any feedback or questions, shoot them my way! I'm about to pass out, but I'll answer questions on twitter if the thread doesn't last until I'm up!

Thanks for reading!

>>45825975
>"I saw someone who looked just like me."

>>45826485
Thanks for running! So whatever happened to our grandfather?
If I recall correctly normal souls don't age, they just kind of linger for one hundred years or so until they reincarnate?

>>45826617
He got killed by Zaraki on his way to the Seireitei. It was about as unlucky as dying in a natural disaster.

>>45827182
That is tragic but also hilarious.

>>45825809
>>45825876
>>45825975
>Don't bring it up. That won't be a problem anymore.
plus
>>45826396
because this is playing a lot like a doujin already

>>45825975
>>"I saw someone who looked just like me."
I really feel like this might be an opportunity to develop Ryouta's feelings, since this is something that makes him scared and sad and I think his mother might on some level be happy that she can comfort and reassure him.

>>45827266

Agreed.