He was nervous. No, he was downright hyperventilating, panicking and expected to faint any given moment because of the lack of oxygen. But then again, no one could really blame him. He had just passed the test to become a shinigami. Quite the honor for a seventeen-year old like him.

There were a lot, or rather mostly twenty-five to thirty year olds sitting here. They had also passed, probably flunking a few times. He had managed to get here because of his talents. Sometimes, the silverette wondered if it would better to not be so good at everything.

Talented as he was, he rally hoped that no one would have high expectations of him. That would lead him to a breakdown. He was already experiencing immense stress because of being in such a crowded place.

Besides, if they were to send him on-field, he`d probably be murdered or he`d get lost in in the labyrinths he was forced to call streets. He`d run into the wrong fellow and stuff.

Before he could come up with more scenarios, however, he was blasted from his thoughts by a booming voice.

"Carmin of the Lhiqueskerdyer family."

The teen was about to get up, but he noticed he was frozen. Even though he was being summoned to the stage, his nerves were getting the best of him. Both his stomach and head were spinning.' Not agaiin he whined in his thoughts, panicking. Why can I never keep it together?'

"Is Carmin of the Lhiqueskerdyers here? Carmin?"

Even though on the edge of a breakdown, the newbie in question forced his limbs to move. He got up from his seat and started walking to where he was being summoned in a robotic fashion.

"Oh, Carmin, quite the rebel, I see. But I`m afraid that kind of attitude will only prolong the ceremony."

He felt his face heating up. I may have given the wrong first impression the silwerette thought to himself. He could hear the murmuring of the crowd. Some words, for instance, 'poser' and 'gangsta' were louder than others. Scratch that, he HAD given a wrong first impression.
They probably thought the teen was a cool-headed punky brat, when in reality he was WILLING his limbs to work and trying his best not to lose his lunch and/or consciousness.

Almost to the stage, when

THUNK

His foot caught by the edge of the platform and he landed straight on his face. The crowd was laughing now.

"Bloody hell, ow" he whimpered, clutching his nose, which was now bleeding slightly. Tears of pain were beginning to form in his eyes. He blinked them away.

"Umm, Carmin?" the man, who was speaking on the microphone earlier now looked slightly concerned. "Need a hand?"" No thanks, I`m fine" was the slightly nasal sounding reply. His nose wasn`t bleeding anymore, thank goodness. The seventeen-year old got up, and walked over.` I`ve made a complete fool of myself` he thought bitterly.

"If you say so" The man took his microphone again and spoke loudly "Not only is Carmin here the youngest amongst us, he also had one of the best scores, so you can expect big things from the lad."

Gulp

"Oh, dear God, please no" the boy winced. `Anything but expectations.`

The prodigy , however, could barely hear his own thoughts over the roaring applause he was given.

"So, Carmin, anything you wish to say to your new colleagues?"

Too sudden.

"I, umm..." he was overwhelmed by the sudden stares aimed in his direction. The nervousness was back, along with newly found claustrophobia. "I..." hyperventilating again "...umm" dizziness I spots on his vision and blackness.

The sentence was never finished, seeing as the long-haired silverette fainted.