Bleach Fanstory: Shinigami Academy
Initial Comments:
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo
This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters that appear that were created by Kubo, apart from original characters that I created myself.
This is the sequel to A Bleached Honeymoon, and the second part of the New Order Trilogy. Parts of it will overlap with Shinigami Academy, the third part of the trilogy.
Chapter 1: Orientation Day
The alarm went off at six in the morning. Kurosaki Karin, or more precisely, Shiba Karin, woke up feeling all dizzy. For a second she forgot what she was supposed to wake up for, but then she remembered it was the first day of the academy. Only a day ago, she and Yuzu had officially moved into the Shiba Manor after hauling all of their belongings from the thirteenth division barracks. Now, she and Yuzu were to begin their first steps into becoming a Shinigami. She got up from her bed and went to the bathroom. The first thing she did was look into the mirror. As usual, she was disgusted at how girlish she had become. The short, tomboyish hair she had when she was a child was replaced by scruffy looking locks that went past her shoulder. Her chest had also expanded, and no matter how hard she tried to tape it in, she couldn't hide the fact that she was fully grown woman now.
"Man, why was I cursed with this body?" she said to herself as she started straightening her hair. After a quick wash of her face, she put on the white kimono and red hakama that all female students of the academy were required to wear. When she was done, she walked over to Yuzu's room and knocked on the door.
"Hey Yuzu, it's time to get up!" she yelled out. Karin checked the door and discovered it was unlocked. She was astounded to find Yuzu still fast asleep on her bed. As she was about to wake her up, Karin froze for a moment and glanced at Yuzu. She was the spitting image of their mother Masaki, except her hair being brown rather than red. Though she never admitted it, Karin was secretly envious of Yuzu, not only for her beauty, but for her friendly character. She got along well with almost everyone she met, whereas Karin preferred to be alone. Karin shook out of her brief trance and shook Yuzu gently.
"Come on Yuzu, we're going to be late for school," Karin pestered her sister again.
"What are you doing Bostov? You're rubbing my body so hard…" Yuzu mumbled in her sleep. The drool coming out of her mouth suddenly popped, causing her to wake up with a start. It took her a second to register that Karin was there.
"What are you doing in my room Karin-chan?" she asked.
"Have you forgotten? The academy starts today! We have to be there in an hours' time!" Karin exclaimed. Yuzu gave a big yawn before getting up. Unfortunately for Karin, she spent a long time in the bathroom doing up her hair and cleaning herself. When she was finally dressed and ready, there was only twenty minutes to go. The two of them hastily grabbed a few rice balls before heading out the gates of the Shiba Manor and running as fast as they could across Seireitei.
With only a minute to go, the Kurosaki twins made it to the front entrance of the academy. Already there were hundreds of people gathered outside the entrance, waiting to be let in. All of them were dressed in the hakamas and kimonos of the academy.
"Wow, are all of these people studying to become Shinigami as well?" Yuzu asked.
"I think a lot of them are just the people Oni-chan forcibly enlisted," Karin replied. As the two of them waited to be let in, they bumped into some familiar faces.
"Karin-chan, Yuzu-chan, what a surprise to meet you both!" Inoue Orihime exclaimed with delight. Since her separation from Amaterasu, she had gone back to her old ditzy and cheerful self. She still wore her hair clips, even though she no longer had her powers.
"Orihime-san, we haven't seen you in ages," Yuzu said.
"That's because I've mainly hung around with Tatsuki-chan and the others," Orihime laughed. She paused for a moment, before an idea came into her mind. "How is Kurosaki-kun? Is he doing well?" Karin shrugged her shoulders.
"How would I know? He's a captain of the Gotei 13 now, and a busy one at that," she said.
"Oh yeah, have you heard? Oni-san and Rukia-san are going to have children," Yuzu added. Orihime was so shocked that she couldn't even speak.
"Who's going to have children?" asked a voice from around the corner. It was Tatsuki. She had not changed much in the last five years, for she still had a slim, robust body.
"Tatsuki-chan, it's so nice to see you again," Yuzu said.
"Nice to see you too. Were you talking about Ichigo?" Yuzu and Karin nodded.
"He and Rukia-san went on a round the world trip, and during the trip Rukia-san got pregnant," Karin explained. Tatsuki was also surprised, but not as much as Orihime was.
"So, Ichigo is going to have children eh? I'm not that surprised," Tatsuki closed her eyes and smiled. She then noticed Orihime's stunned face. "What's the matter Orihime?"
"I…still can't believe Kurosaki-kun and Kuchik-san are having children already," Orihime sighed. "It almost seemed like yesterday that they married."
"You should stop thinking about Ichigo, Orihime. I bet there's going to be plenty of handsome looking men we can go out with. Men who are even better than Ichigo."
"What are you saying Tatsuki-can?" Orihime asked. Before the four of them could say anything else, the front gates of the academy opened, and the sea of people who had gathered were allowed in. The Central Spirit Institute Academy, as it was formally called, was a truly imposing structure. It had a huge central keep area that rose a dozen stories above the ground and two separate wings nearly five hundred meters apart. Near the front door of the building was a set of tables where officials dressed in blue kimonos sat. Upon the tables were numerous large sheets, and a huge box.
"Welcome, future students of the academy," the official in the centre of the tables said to Karin, Yuzu, Orihime and Tatsuki. "Before we give you permission to enter the great hall of spirits, you must state your name and draw a paper out of the box. That number will be your enrolment number. It shall be used to allocate you into different classes. Karin, Yuzu, Orihime and Tatsuki each stated their names and drew a paper from the box. The official recorded their names and numbers down in a large book. Just as the four girls were about to go in, a brown-haired boy who looked about twelve or thirteen stood in front the official.
"State your name and draw out a number please."
"Shibata Yuichi," the boy replied and drew a number from the box. As soon as Karin heard the name, she turned around and stared at the boy's face. It can't be! It's the boy who was stuck in the parakeet! Just then, the boy turned around and stared at Karin. In an instant their faces met, and something intangible was shared between the two of them.
"What are you doing Karin-chan? Let's get inside!" Yuzu tugged Karin's sleeves. Karin reluctantly followed her sister in.
A few minutes later, the four girls sat beside each other inside the Great Hall of Spirits, the vast chamber inside the academy's main building. The hall was shaped like a giant auditorium, with thousands of seats lined up in rows that stretched four hundred meters from the central platform at the front. Seated on the central platform were two dozen or so teachers, all dressed in grey kimonos and black haoris. As the audience of students patiently waited for the ceremony to begin, Karin glanced up at the ceiling. At more than a hundred meters above the ground, the ceiling created an intimidating atmosphere that reminded Karin of her face day at primary school. She turned her eyes from the ceiling and glanced at the people around her. It was then that she caught sight of the brown-haired boy again. He was sitting a few rows to the rear of her, and had also caught sight of Karin. They stared at each other again. The boy smiled just as someone stepped up to the podium at the front. Karin turned around and looked to see who it was. It was a Shinigami from the Gotei 13, who was wearing a grey and blue haori over his black Shihakusho.
"Hello there, new students of the Shinigami Academy," he addressed the crowd. "I am Taneko Minazawa, coordinator of enrolments, but also the third seat of the Gotei 13's fifth division. As many of you are well aware, the academy is reopening again after a four year hiatus. The lot of you who are gathered here today represent the first of many successive waves of recruits that will help bolster the numbers of the Gotei 13, the Onimitsukido or the Kido Corps, and form the new generation of Shinigami. Before I explain the enrolment procedures and assign you to your classes, I would to introduce the headmaster of the Academy to speak to you all. He is my commanding officer, and the hero of the Heavenly War. Let's give a warm welcome to Captain Kurosaki Ichigo!" In an instant the surrounding lights in the chamber dimmed, leaving only a single light that zeroed in on another who appeared on stage. His appearance was unmistakable to Karin, Yuzu, Orihime and Tatsuki, even though the clothes he was wearing were different. To the applause of nearly all the students who were gathered, headmaster Ichigo, wearing a large blue and white coat over his captain's haori, took to the podium.
"Thank you for introducing me Minazawa," he said in a lighthearted man. "Now, I am sure most of you know who I am from my exploits over the years, so I won't need to boast about who I am. Nor will I go through the boring administrative work, which Minazawa will speak to you about afterwards. I am just here to express how happy I am to see so many of you promising individuals with potential to become strong Shinigami. No doubt some of you are intimidated by the prospect of entering a lifetime of service for Soul Society, but trust me when I tell you that it's not going to be as frightening as my initial experience as a Shinigami." Those who had known Ichigo were well aware of what he was talking about. Others had heard rumors about him being the legendary 'Substitute Shinigami' prior to becoming captain.
"The concept of studying at a school to become a Shinigami may be hard for many of you to comprehend, but for people who originally came from the real world, think of it as a school that you attend so that you can get a job in the after-life. It's the greatest opportunity for anyone, whether from Rukongai or Seireitei, to be part of something special, and to rise in rank and status. But, as with anything as prestigious as this, becoming a Shinigami carries a set of risks and responsibilities that all of you should be aware of. Service to the Gotei 13, Onimitsukido or the Kido Corps is a lifetime duty. Furthermore, whether in combat or in peace time, you are representing an institution going back some two thousand years, so be sure to carry yourself with dignity and respect. I would like to finish up by saying one last word of advice: Enjoy your time here." With that, the captain of the fifth division waved to everyone in the audience and disappeared into the shadows, leaving a crowd of students in awe at his presence.
"Was that really Kurosaki-kun? He sounds so different from the Kurosaki-kun I knew," Orihime sighed in remembrance of happier times.
"Of course Ichigo's different now. You are too. We're all different from what we were when we were alive. However much we complain about it, we're part of this Soul Society now," Tatsuki said. Karin and Yuzu treated Ichigo's speech in a different manner. Yuzu admired at how grown-up sounding her brother had become, whilst Karin thought he sounded the same as always. After a short interlude, Minazawa took to the podium again.
"Well, I hope all of you enjoyed the headmaster's welcoming address," he said. "Now, for the nitty gritty stuff you've all been waiting for. Sitting beside me here are the teachers who will be supervising you for the remainder of the year. In a moment, I will start calling out the enrolment numbers. These will be grouped into classes. Students whose numbers fall into the same class should proceed to the respective rooms that are marked on the map that each of you has been given. There are forty classes in total, grouped into four different wings. Classes belonging to the same wing will all share the same dormitory facilities."
Although Minazawa still had more to say, the bulk of his instructions had already been given. When he was done with the introductions, he started calling out the numbers. Just then, a huge holographic screen appeared above the stage displaying several sets of numbers. On the left was the class code, starting with A1, and going all the way to D5. On the right was a long list of numbers which represented the students that were selected for each class. Karin, Yuzu, Orihime and Tatsuki were all somehow grouped into class B1, which was a pleasant surprise.
"Hey, we're all going to be in the same class," Orihime said. "Isn't that great?"
"I hope the others from our former Karakura high school are also in our class," Tatsuki said. The four girls walked down the rows and exited the chamber after their numbers were called out. Following the directions on the map, they proceeded to the classroom which was marked B1. Upon reaching the door to the classroom, the four girls waited in the corridor for the teacher to arrive.
"This school is so intimidating," Tatsuki said. "It's so huge and grand and old. I feel a little bit scared. Do you Orihime?"
"Not really. I've been in lots of dark towers which were far bigger than this place, so I'm used to it," Orihime smiled. Just then, the crowd of students shifted a bit, resulting in a couple of familiar faces appearing before Orihime and Tatsuki.
"Oh my god, it's my beloved Orihime-sama!" a crazed Chizuru exclaimed. Without wasting a second she dived at Orihime, her hands aimed straight at her breasts. She got within an inch of her goal, before Tatsuki gave her a knuckle sandwich to the head.
"Still as perverted as ever Chizuru, even though you're dead," Tatsuki sighed.
"He, he, he, death hasn't changed me at all," Chizuru drooled from her mouth.
"Look, it's Tatsuki-chan and Orihime-chan!" Natsui Mahano, one of Orihime and Tatsuki's classmates from Karakura High School, exclaimed. She was accompanied by Ogawa Michiru and Kunieda Ryo, two other fellow classmates.
"It's been a long time since we've seen them," Ryo commented. She was holding a book in her hands.
"Mahana, Michiru, Ryo, you're all here as well," Orihime smiled. "It's almost like being back at our old high school again."
"Have you forgotten about us?" an arrogant male voice spoke from behind them all. When the girls turned around, they saw Keigo and Mizuiro, both wearing the blue and white hakama and kimonos of the male students.
"Ha, I'm surprised the two of you managed to pass the entrance exam!" Tatsuki laughed.
"Hey, don't look down on me! I could see ghosts as good as you when we were still alive you know!" Keigo protested.
"So what?" Mizuiro asked. "It's not like we have high spirit energy like Orihime or Chad." Keigo went into a raving tantrum that was swiftly silenced by Tatsuki's fist.
Tired of the antics of the elder Karakura high schoolers, Karin walked to another section of the crowd.
"Where are you going Karin-chan?" Yuzu asked.
"To find some peace and quiet. I couldn't stand those others who arrived," Karin replied. She regretted saying those words when she bumped into three faces she hadn't seen in a long while. They were Hashigami, Kaneda and Ino, a group of video game nerds in Karin and Yuzu's former class who had a disliking for them.
"Argh no, it's the dreadful Karin!" they all shouted simultaneously.
"I can't believe the three of you also passed the entrance exam," Karin shook her head and walked away from them. She only covered a few steps when she stumbled into the brown-haired boy she had seen earlier. 'Boy' was actually a misnomer, since he was only an inch shorter than Karin at most.
"You…you were the boy who was trapped in the parakeet!" she gasped. The boy nodded.
"Shibata Yuichi," he introduced himself to Karin. "You look a lot like the Shinigami who rescued me and sent me here."
"That's because I'm his sister," Karin said. "I'm Kurosaki Karin and the blond haired girl next to me is my sister Kurosaki Yuzu." Yuichi was surprised to find out that they were siblings of the Shinigami who had performed Konso upon him.
"So both of you are his younger sisters. No wonder I felt something familiar when I saw the two of you outside," Yuichi smiled. "I met your brother once when he visited Rukongai."
"You saw Oni-san again?" Yuzu asked. "When was that?"
"It's probably when Ichi-nee went to Soul Society the first time." Yuichi nodded.
"He was accompanied by the big guy who saved me when I was stuck in a parakeet, along with three others. I must say, he was the reason I was enrolled in this academy. I want to become a Shinigami as powerful as he is, so that I can protect other people, instead of other people protecting me." Karin and Yuzu were touched by Yuichi's words; they sounded remarkably similar to words that Ichigo had frequently said to them. Karin was about to say something to Yuichi when a loud voice suddenly brought the entire crowd to a standstill.
"Alright everyone, stand to attention!" a feisty, middle-aged woman with brown hair, glasses and wearing a grey kimono with a black haori called out. She unlocked the door to the classroom and ordered the fifty or so students inside. The interior of the classroom rather plain, with about a row of about tent or so tables that stretched across the ream. Each of the tables had enough space to sit five people side by side. Once everyone had found a spot and sat down, the woman with the grey kimono stood behind the desk at the front.
"Good morning everyone," she said. "I am Inari Kasumi, and I shall be your home-room teacher. As some of you may be aware, this is the freshman class 1 of group be. It's a special advanced class where only those who achieved the most exemplary results in the entrance exam are allowed to enroll in. Naturally enough, all of you here did extremely well in the exam, which is why you're all here. I hope of all of you will do your hardest to excel in every discipline, and aim to achieve the highest rank possible within the ranks of the Gotei 13, the Onimitsukido and the Kido Corps." Just then, one of the students raised a hand.
"Uh, teacher-san, why are we in group B and not in group A? Is group A superior?" he asked. The teacher shook her head and smiled.
"Not at all," Kasumi replied. "The groups are merely convenient ways of sorting all of the candidates out. We randomly divided the one thousand students into four separate clusters and then ranked everyone in those clusters according to academic results. Thus, there should be no difference between this class, and the class ones of the other three groups. Don't think for a second that being in group B makes you inferior to group A, or any other group for that matter."
The fifty students in the class all nodded in agreement.
"Now, I shall explain what all of you are going to experience throughout the school year," Kasumi said. She turned around and started writing Kanji, Katakana and some symbols on the blackboard. Although the characters were quite legible and easy to read, the words they spelt out were incomprehensible to nearly everyone. Karin tried hard to understand what they were, but words such as Zanpakuto, Konso, and hell butterflies confused her. When Kasumi finished writing everything down, she took a deep breath before smiling happily at her students.
"Judging by your expressions, I'm guessing what I've written on the blackboard is complete gibberish to all of you. Throughout this year though, you will be begin to familiarize yourself with these terms and learn them off by heart." She picked up a baton from the desk and pointed to a table with six different subjects written.
"These are the classes you'll study throughout the year. Two of them are theoretical based and will be taught in this class," Kasumi explained. "One will teach you about the basics of being a Shinigami, including the equipment that all Shinigami must use. The other is a class that teaches the history and culture of Soul Society. The remaining four classes though are mostly practical based. They are training courses that will teach the basics of Shinigami combat, Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohou and Kido. Although you'll all be staying in the same group, you'll have four different teaches supervising these classes.
"Finally, for the students here who come from the Rukongai districts, the academy has four large dormitories that can accommodate everyone from each of the four groups. Also, throughout the year there will be amble opportunities to interact with students from the other groups, including competitions that involve competition between the groups." The teacher went on for quite some time explaining a few more administrative matters. Then she handed out pieces of paper and assigned a small introductory writing task. As Karin got to work writing a brief story about herself, she started thinking to herself that this academy was becoming like a school from the real world.
Notes: I know a lot of readers of my previous works have been anticipating the return of Karin, Yuzu, Tatsuki, Orihime and the glimpse of the Shinigami Academy, so I hope all of you won't be dissappointed by this opening chapter. I drew upon as much of the material from episode 46 of the Bleach anime as possible, so the descriptions of the academy, the clothes that the students and teachers wear, and a lot of the dialogue used by the teachers and Ichigo himself is drawn straight from the manga. Also, keen fans of the manga may notice the return of several minor characters who haven't appeared since the early chapters. Most of them will just round out the class, but one notable exception is Shibata Yuichi, the boy who was trapped inside the parakeet and then sent to Soul Society by Ichigo. He will play a big role in future chapters.