AUTHOR'S NOTE: Welcome to Shades of Grey, a Bleach fanfic. This fic will feature most of the canon Bleach characters as well as two original characters I created named Kyori and Stevie and a character created by Aura MacKenzie named Sakura. (Sakura also appears in my Chosen Universe fics.) This fic will have an especially heavy focus on Uryu. I combined a few of the character bios because Wattpad limits photos to twenty per chapter.

Comments and votes are always appreciated! I hope you enjoy the story.

Things that are different from the anime/manga: In the world of this fic, Captain Yamamoto is no longer in charge of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. He was arrested for corruption and is being held in the Great Underground Prison. Jushiro Ukitake is now the Head Captain, and as such is in charge of Squad One. Many of the original Squad One members were also imprisoned, including the former Lieutenant. Also, Byakuya Kuchiki stepped down as the Captain of Squad Six at least for now as he reevaluates some of his life choices. Renji Abarai took over as the Captain of Squad Six.

CAST OF CHARACTERS
RENJI ABARAI

Renji is the Captain of Squad Six. He is frequently sarcastic and can be very impulsive but is fierce in battle. He and Rukia have been best friends since they were children. Renji has become close to Ichigo and his friends through their many adventures. He has a bad temper but has a good heart. He is also close to Rangiku, Izuru, Shuhei, and Sakura.

TATSUKI ARIASAWA

Tatsuki is a human with the ability to sense spirits and other supernatural beings. She is Orihime's best friend and has been close to Ichigo since they were children taking Martial Arts together. Tatsuki is very skilled in Martial Arts and has even begun teaching classes. She is extremely protective of Orihime and gets annoyed by stupidity. She is also friends with Uryu, Chad, Keigo, and Mizuiro.

YUMICHIKA AYASEGAWA & IKKAKU MADARAME

Yumichika (pictured right) is the Fifth Seat of Squad Eleven. He's conceited about his appearance and is very confident in his skills to the point of coming across as arrogant. He is obsessed with beauty and does not like to look at things that he feels are ugly. He should rightfully be the Fourth Seat, but he refuses to take it because he deems the number physically unappealing. The Fourth Seat remains vacant as a result of this. Yumichika's Zanpakuto is Kido-based, which is considered disgraceful in the battle-minded Squad Eleven, so he calls it by the wrong name and binds it in lavender (which it hates) to irritate it and make it uncooperative. As a result, no one alive has seen his true Shikai except for Yumichika alone, but it is very powerful.

Ikkaku (pictured left) is Yumichika's best friend. Like Yumichika, he can be very arrogant. He is the Third Seat of Squad Eleven. He's quick to battle and can be overly eager for bloodshed but is very effective in a fight. He comes across as very aggressive and angry most of the time. He and Yumichika fight very well together and their personalities sort of balance each other out.

SOI FON

Soi Fon is the Captain of Squad Two, the Stealth Force. She is a deadly opponent few can stand against. Her family has always served the Shihoin Clan and Soi Fon is extremely loyal to Yoruichi. She is a bit obsessed with her. Yoruichi was her mentor and Soi Fon was angry with her for abandoning the Soul Society (and her) years ago, but they have since mended their relationship and they remain powerful allies. Soi Fon has a strong temper and little patience for stupidity. The only person she's submissive to is Yoruichi.

KYORI HATTORI

Kyori woke up in Karakura Town with no memories of where she came from or her true past about three months ago. All she remembered was her name and how to fight. Hollows have been chasing her ever since. She enrolled in the local high school to blend in and has mostly kept to herself. She is funny, kind, and clever. She is very agile in battle. Her true history plays a major role in this story.

SHUHEI HISAGI & IZURU KIRA

Shuhei (pictured right) is the Lieutenant of Squad Nine. He is dedicated, fierce in battle, and not one to be crossed. He is very close to Rangiku and Izuru and tends to get blackout drunk with them when he needs to let off steam, but for the most part he is extremely responsible and dedicated to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads' mission.

Izuru (pictured left) is the Lieutenant of Squad Three. He is very introspective and generally keeps to himself except when he's off getting drunk with Shuhei and Rangiku. Izuru is also good friends with Renji. He excels at Kido.

TOSHIRO HITSUGAYA

Toshiro is the Captain of Squad Ten. Although he is small in stature, he is one of the fiercest Soul Reapers. His Zanpakuto is extremely powerful and he hasn't even come into his full powers yet because he is still maturing. He is cranky and gets annoyed by stupidity but beneath all that rage is a strong heart. Although very few people get past his tough shell, he is extremely close to Sakura. He is also close to Momo but their relationship is a bit strained due to everything that happened when Captain Aizen, her Squad Captain, betrayed the Soul Reapers.

SAKURA ISHIDA

Sakura is the Captain of Squad Nine. Although she is very young by Soul Reaper standards, she is exceptionally powerful. She graduated from the Soul Reaper Academy in under a year with both her Shikai and her Bankai. Sakura is compassionate and brave and will always try to help others when she can. She is Toshiro's best friend. Byakuya is her ex-boyfriend. She is very close to Ichigo and Uryu, as well as Shunsui, Jushiro, Renji, and her Lieutenant, Shuhei. Unlike most Soul Reapers, Sakura remembers her life when she was alive. She listed Uryu as her cousin because they have the same surname and she made him the executor of her will to ensure her wishes were honored.

URYU ISHIDA

Uryu is a Quincy. In fact, he is technically the last remaining Quincy aside from his father, who he doesn't get along with. He learned the Quincy ways from his grandfather and takes his heritage very seriously. He watched his grandfather die in front of him when he was a child. Uryu is extremely intelligent and tends to be stoic and harsh most of the time but his friends can bring out his softer side. He's fiercely loyal and hates men who are violent toward women. Although they share no blood, Uryu considers Sakura his cousin and they are close. He used to hate Soul Reapers because of their violent history with the Quincy, but he has become close to Ichigo and a few of the others.

KON

Kon is a Mod Soul who was supposed to be destroyed but escaped that fate and ended up in Urahara Shop. He was initially given to Rukia by mistake and he was used by Ichigo so he could leave his body to fight in his Soul Reaper form without his body appearing dead, but Kon took Ichigo's body for a spin and got into a lot of trouble. To teach him a lesson, Ichigo keeps Kon in the body of a stuffed lion when he doesn't need to use him. Kon is perverted and gets into trouble, but he actually has a good heart and cares very deeply for Ichigo, Rukia, and their friends.

BYAKUYA KUCHIKI, MAYURI KUROTSUCHI, & RETSU UNOHANA

Byakuya (pictured right) is the former Captain of Squad Six. He is Rukia's adopted older brother. He is stoic at all times and is extremely focused on following the rules and preserving the honor of the Kuchiki Clan, a family of Noble Soul Reapers. Byakuya comes across as an asshole frequently but deep down he has a good heart. He is very powerful and is difficult to defeat in battle. Byakuya dated Sakura for a while, however it ended badly as they want very different things in life and he became a controlling jerk toward her at the end of their relationship.

Mayuri (pictured left) is the Captain of Squad Twelve and the Head of Research and Development. He is brilliant but psychotic and he enjoys experimenting on people including his own Squad members. To call him unhinged is an understatement. Uryu especially dislikes him because he admitted to experimenting on several Quincy in the past, he ensured Uryu's grandfather died so he could study his soul, and he would love to get his hands on Uryu to do the same to him.

Retsu (pictured center) is the Captain of Squad Four and specializes in healing. She was once the Captain of Squad Eleven and despite her soft-spoken nature, the other Soul Reapers fear angering her and facing her wrath. She is very powerful and wise.

RUKIA KUCHIKI

Rukia is the adopted younger sister of Byakuya. She is a member of Squad Thirteen. She is fierce in battle and tends to be very serious because it is expected of her as a Kuchiki but she has another side to her. She and Renji have been best friends since they were children. She is extremely close to Ichigo and when she is in the world of the living, she stays with him and his family. She is very loyal to her brother and to her friends. Rukia is highly intelligent and is skilled in Kido.

ICHIGO KUROSAKI

Ichigo is the substitute Soul Reaper. He was initially given his powers by Rukia in order to save his younger sisters from a hollow but has since awakened his own powers and learned he actually descends from a Noble Clan of Soul Reapers. He is snarky and impulsive. Ichigo is incredibly powerful and possesses an enormous amount of spiritual energy. He is fiercely loyal to his family and friends and will do anything to protect them, especially his younger sisters, Yuzu and Karin. He is a vizard, a Soul Reaper who is part hollow, and when his hollow side takes over he is a bit mentally unstable but is exceptionally powerful and almost impossible to defeat in battle. His closest friends are Chad, Uryu, Rukia, Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiru, and Orihime.

SHUNSUI KYORAKU & JUSHIRO UKITAKE

Shunsui (pictured left) is the Captain of Squad Eight. He is Jushiro's best friend. He is laid-back most of the time and enjoys drinking more than working. He is often seen lounging around, much to the annoyance of his Lieutenant, Nanao. Despite this, he is very powerful. Shunsui cares deeply for Nanao and acts almost fatherly toward her.

Jushiro (pictured right) was the Captain of Squad Thirteen and is now the Captain of Squad One, making him the Head Captain of all of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. He is kindhearted and gentle. He has very weak lungs and is often sickly but when he's at full strength, he is actually quite powerful. He sometimes pushes himself too hard and ends up needing to be healed by Squad Four.

RANGIKU MATSUMOTO

Rangiku is the Lieutenant of Squad Ten. She comes across as flakey and foolish, but she's actually fierce and very skilled in battle. She tends to get drunk with Shuhei and Izuru. Despite being a bit of an airhead, there is much more to her, and she is extremely loyal to Toshiro.

YASUTORA SADO ("CHAD") & ORIHIME INOUE

Chad (pictured left) is a human with strong spiritual energy. He is extremely strong and can turn his arms into powerful weapons. He doesn't speak much. His name isn't actually Chad, but no matter how often he corrects everyone, they insist on calling him that. He is half-Mexican and spent part of his childhood in Mexico being raised by his grandfather. He is extremely protective of his friends and will only use violence when forced.

Orihime (pictured right) is a human with strong spiritual energy. She can create shields and "heal" people, but really she is rejecting, reversing, and reconstructing events, basically undoing the damage done to someone.  She is very sweet and bubbly and can be a little naive. She spaces out often. She has lived on her own since her brother died when she was a child.

Both Chad and Orihime are very close to Ichigo, Tatsuki, Keido, Mizuiro, Uryu, and Rukia.

YORUICHI SHIHOIN

Yoruichi is a shapeshifter who can turn into a cat. When in cat form, she has the voice of a male. She is from a Noble Soul Reaper Clan. She is the former Captain of Squad Two, the Stealth Force. Yoruichi is a fierce opponent and is nearly unstoppable in battle. She is very close to Soi Fon, the current Captain of the Stealth Force, who she mentored. She is extremely close to Kisuke and Tessai and left the Soul Society with them when they were exiled a century ago. She can be very blunt and sarcastic but is an incredible ally to have.

KISUKE URAHARA, TESSAI TSUKABISHI, JINTA HANAKARI & URURU TSUMUGIYA

Kisuke (pictured left) runs Urahara Shop in Karakura Town. He is the former Captain of Squad Twelve and the former Head of Research and Development. He is outwardly calm and Zen at all times but is actually fierce in battle. He is very close to Yoruichi and Tessai. Kisuke keeps a lot of secrets, usually citing necessity to accomplish whatever bigger picture he's trying to complete.

Tessai (pictured right) is the former leader of the Kido Corps in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. He is exceptionally skilled in Kido as a result. He and Kisuke were exiled from the Soul Society a century ago. Tessai is very calm and stern, often keeping Jinta in line. He tries to keep a level head at all times. He is fiercely loyal to Kisuke.

Jinta (pictured front left) is a bratty bully, although he does care for the people around him, especially Ururu, despite how poorly he treats them. He's very immature and can be annoying but is also funny. He has enhanced strength and often uses a large metal club in combat. He works at Urahara Shop, although he tends to make Ururu do most of his work for him.

Ururu (pictured front right) is very soft-spoken, sweet, polite, and shy. She is extremely strong and can injure almost any enemy, something they never see coming because of her outward appearance and meek personality. Her punches can actually be lethal. She also has enhanced speed, moving impossibly fast. She has been known to fight while sleepwalking if she senses a threat.

STEVIE YABUKI

Stevie is originally from San Francisco but just moved to Karakura town because her father's company transferred him to Japan. She is a human with high spiritual energy who is initially trying to hide the fact that she is a Seer who has visions of both the future and the past. She and Tatsuki immediately hit it off and that's how she meets Ichigo, Uryu, and the others.

KENPACHI ZURAKI & YACHIRU KUSAJISHI

Kenpachi (pictured right) is the Captain of Squad Eleven. He is very bloodthirsty and craves battle. He has incredible spiritual pressure and wears an eyepatch to constantly drain it to keep himself from defeating his enemies too quickly because he finds battles fun. If he deems an enemy worthy, he will remove the eyepatch and become significantly stronger than he already was. He is extremely protective of Yachiru.

Yachiru (pictured left) is the hyperactive, bouncy Lieutenant of Squad Eleven. Kenpachi found her when she was a baby and realized she liked playing with the blood of his victims and she's been with him ever since. She is kind of insane but is powerful and fierce in battle. She gives people annoying nicknames frequently. It's unwise to cross her, as you will not only face her wrath but Kenpachi's. She often clings to his back and shoulders while traveling and tends to give him bad directions, getting him lost. She is fiercely loyal to him.

ADDITIONAL CHARACTERS NOT PICTURED

KEIGO ASANO & MIZUIRO KOJIMA
Keigo and Mizuiro are Ichigo's classmates. They're friends with Ichigo, Orihime, Chad, Tatsuki, Uryu, and Rukia. Although they're human, they both tend to end up in the middle of supernatural messes, especially Keigo.

Mizuiro is highly intelligent and very calm. Keigo tends to be hyperactive, overdramatic, and a bit of a fool. Keigo is a chicken when it comes to the supernatural, panicking frequently, while Mizuiro remains practical.

NANAO ISE
Nanao is the Lieutenant of Squad Eight. She is very intelligent and has no patience for stupidity. She is frequently annoyed at her Captain's tendency to slack off and his refusal to be serious. Despite this, the two care about each other deeply. He is almost fatherly toward her.

RYUKEN ISHIDA
Ryuken is Uryu's father. He is a Quincy, although for a while he distanced himself from that life. He can be a real jerk sometimes and he often clashes with Uryu. For a while, he forbid Uryu from socializing with Soul Reapers and their allies in exchange for furthering his training as a Quincy until Uryu found a loophole. Ryuken is generally very cold toward others (including Uryu) and tends to focus on the hospital he runs more than anything else.

ISSHIN KUROSAKI
Isshin is the father of Ichigo, Karin, and Yuzu. He is a doctor. He is a Soul Reaper from the Shiba Clan. He used to be the Captain of Squad Ten and the head of the Shiba Clan, but he fell in love with a Quincy named Masaki and gave up his powers to save her life until after her death many years later. Ichigo and his sisters never knew the truth about Isshin's past, although Ichigo recently found out. Isshin is a little unstable and can be a massive pervert at times, often making highly inappropriate comments about women and even about his own daughters. As a result, both Ichigo and Karin frequently get angry with him.

KARIN KUROSAKI
Karin is Ichigo's younger sister. She is Isshin's daughter and Yuzu's twin sister. Karin is very sensitive to spiritual pressure. She can see spirits, although she tries her best to ignore them. She's feisty, tough, and extremely sarcastic. She has very little patience for her father. She is a skilled soccer player. Karin's powers grow more every day as she matures. Toshiro has a soft spot for her. Unlike Yuzu, Karin knows Ichigo is a Soul Reaper.

YUZU KUROSAKI
Yuzu is Ichigo's younger sister. She is Isshin's daughter and Karin's twin sister. She is extremely sweet and innocent. She is the caregiver of the family, cooking for everyone and looking after them. Yuzu is almost always happy and cheerful, and is very different from Karin. Unlike Ichigo and Karin, Yuzu can't see spirits, although she can sometimes sense their presence. Jinta has a huge crush on her and calls her Goddess.

HANATARO YAMADA
Hanataro is the Seventh Seat of Squad Four. He is a very skilled healer. He is very nervous, clumsy, and awkward but has a kind heart. Deep down, he is brave when it comes to helping others. His Zanpakuto is unique because it heals instead of injuring anything it cuts. The damage absorbed by his Zanpakuto manifests as a red meter on his sword. When the meter is full, his Zanpakuto releases all the damage it absorbed as a destructive beam that destroys his opponent. After that happens, his Zanpakuto takes the form of a scalpel. Although Hanataro is often bullied, he shouldn't be underestimated.