Chapter 1

First Month: Squad 1

The sun had finally set and the warmth of the day was stolen away by the cool night breeze. Akemi welcomed it as she settled into her new quarters. The head captain had placed her in the barracks of his squad. Akemi's room was on the second floor of the small building.

It was a simple room with the only furniture being a cot for sleeping, which Akemi had moved under her window, a small dresser, and a writing desk with a sitting cushion. Seeing no decoration, Akemi immediately began to unpack and make the room her own.

Akemi's family picture went on the desk, along with her school books off to the side. On the dresser she set the stand for her zanpakuto and soon after set the sheathed weapon upon it. She ran her hand across the lacquer finish of the sheath and smiled.

"Get ready, Okami. We have a lot of work ahead of us." she whispered and as if in response, a small arc of gold energy raced across the weapon. Akemi's smile widened and she went back to putting away her things. The last item remaining at the end was the gift from her friends. It was a going-away present that Akemi was told could only be opened once she reached the Soul Society. Its purpose, she had been told, was to encourage her and ward off homesickness.

Akemi's heart beat fast with anticipation as she started with the card. Her eyes welled with tears as she read the messages left by her friends and family, encouraging and loving words all. Akemi placed the wonderful card next to her family photo and moved on to the package, carefully tearing away the paper.

Underneath the paper was a book encased in brown leather. She immediately opened it and the first page revealed a drawing. The drawing was of a bunny dressed as a Soul Reaper and in one hand was a zanpakuto and in the other was a Quincy bow. The drawing had to be Rukia's because only she would draw a Soul Reaper as a bunny. The Chappy products were her favorite. Above the picture was a title that read 'Akemi's Memory Book'.

Akemi flipped through the pages seeing Polaroid snapshots of her friends. Many of them were of her friends in silly poses. Although there were a few serious ones. There were even a few of her Uncle Kisuke and Yoruichi. Akemi smiled fondly at the few shots of Uryu as well. She shut the book and held it to her chest, thinking to herself again how blessed she was to have these friends.

This book and card were signs of their confidence in her. For them, she decided, that she would not fail. With that thought firmly in her mind, she set the book on her table and crawled into her cot to get some much needed sleep.

-)*(-

In the morning after breakfast, Akemi met with the head captain in his office. The elderly man sat at his desk while Lieutenant Sasakibe stood off to the side behind him. Akemi stood patiently before them, long minutes drawing out before the head captain addressed her. He set down the papers he had been reading and turned his ever-serious gaze on Akemi.

"Good morning, Urahara-kun. Today we begin your training. While in my squad you will learn the history and rules of the Soul Society. We will also begin the basics of Zanjutsu and Hakuda. This squad exemplifies what it means to be a Soul Reaper therefore you will perfect what you here before you move on to another squad. Understood?"

Inside Akemi was jumping with excitement. On the outside, however, she stayed calm as she stood at attention.

"Yes, Head Captain."

"Very good. We shall begin with a tour of the Seireitei and then we shall begin your lessons. Follow Chojiro." he instructed. Before Akemi could respond, the lieutenant vanished in the blink of an eye. She recognized the flash step but unfortunately she did not know that technique. Luckily she had an alternative that she could use. Hirenkyaku was the Quincy equivalent to flash step but it involved using spirit particles underneath the user to move faster.

Soon Akemi caught up to the Squad 1 Lieutenant and the two sped around for a quick tour of the Seireitei. Akemi saw all the squad barracks, the noble estates, and even private shopping centers only for the Soul Reapers. It was incredible.

Unfortunately the tour couldn't last all day and the two returned to the Head Captain's office. He looked at the returning pair with interest.

"How did it go?"

Lieutenant Sasakibe gave a pleased smile as he approached his captain.

"Eventually she will need to learn how to use flash step but considering the circumstances she did rather well."

Head Captain Yamamoto nodded his approval then turned to Akemi, who was trying not to seem too pleased with Sasakibe's assessment.

"Very well. Now we shall begin the real work. Come forward and take some writing materials. We have much to do."

For the next few days Akemi met in the Head Captain's office and he would teach her the rules of the Soul Society. Then they moved on to the history of the Soul Society. If Akemi didn't have the option to write the information down, she was sure that her head would have exploded from the great influx of information. Though it was daunting, Akemi learned it all.

Once she proved to Yamamoto that she was proficient, they moved on to the martial arts lessons. They started slow with exorcises to calm Akemi and focus her energy. Quincy methods did not involve hand-to-hand combat and obviously did not use swords, so this section would prove the most challenging.

Zanjutsu involved learning how to wield a zanpakuto while Hakuda involved only unarmed combat. For both, Akemi had to learn to keep her balance and to not overcompensate her movements unless necessary. She also learned how to properly wield her zanpakuto and basic attacks and defensive maneuvers.

To the Head Captain and his lieutenant's surprise, she learned it all. It wasn't all easy but Yamamoto was impressed with her unwavering determination. She had an indomitable will to succeed that seemed to surpass what he had seen in both her father and her uncle. Occasionally Akemi would also practice with other squad members, further enhancing her abilities. Yamamoto wouldn't be surprised if she advanced once the month was out.

Time passed quickly and three weeks were soon over. The head captain was quickly realizing that he was right. This girl would advance to the next squad soon.

That night, Akemi was busy working on her homework from her human school when there was a knock on her door.

"Come in." she said, surprised that she was getting a visitor. Her surprise was complete when she saw that her captain was a captain. The captain was a woman, shorter than Akemi and more slender. She had dark eyes and a serious face. Her dark hair was cut in short, flared bob with the exception of two long braids wrapped in white cloth that trailed down her back. Akemi had seen this captain at orientation but had not spoken with her.

Akemi quickly stood and bowed before the captain.

"Good evening, Captain. How may I help you?" Akemi asked, trying not to let her voice waver from her nervousness. The captain eyed her with an icy stare and stepped inside the room, shutting the door quickly behind her.

"I am Soi-Feng, Captain of Squad 2 and head of the Stealth Force. Prove to me that you are the child of Koji Urahara!" she ordered briskly. Akemi jumped and quickly looked around her room. Yoruichi's protégé was here and asking for proof of her family. Akemi's mind was frantic. Her most clear proof, her locket, was back home with Uryu. All she had was her family picture. Akemi snatched it quickly from her desk and handed it to Soi-Feng.

The serious captain looked from it to Akemi multiple times then wordlessly tossed the picture frame back to Akemi. The confused girl carefully caught it and set it back on her desk.

"At the beginning of next month you start in my squad. Be prepared to move into Squad 2 barracks." Soi-Feng said curtly then left just as quickly as she had arrived.

"Thank you, Captain." the shocked young woman said to the empty air. This whole visit had been such a surprise. Akemi couldn't do anything else about it except prepare for the next day's lessons.