Chapter 4

Before us was a great building. It was like a castle but I knew that I would have to get used with that feeling if I was suppose to study here. This was The Spiritual Art Academy. It was like looking at art – you didn't understand it's beauty at first but as the time went on you got more and more capture. I knew that I belonged here by the thought studying here. I had to make it into this school. The white building formed an u and had three roofs upon each other. I couldn't see the courtyard over the wall, going around the school like a fence but something told me that it was the training-ground. I had seen the academy from the distance but I had never believed that I would have any connection to it. Who would think that something this great was you destiny? Well, I hoped it was my destiny. I hadn't passed yet. I looked down at my right foot. I was standing on something. A piece of paper. I took it up and were just about the read it when I heard the lieutenant making a fuss.

The lieutenant, Abarai Renji, walked to the gate and started to look for something in his sleeves. He highly sighed to show us that he really didn't care about this but because this was his obligation he would make it to the end. I couldn't help but frown. Was this the best person for this job? Didn't they want new students? The first impression was one of the most important moments. Kei would never had done something like that. He would have had control. Abarai Renji looked at us with critical eyes and... at what I had in my hands. He looked for that paper.

"You, girl, what's that you holding in your hand? Give it to me!" He didn't even know if this was the note he was looking for. Something told me that it probably was - I was used to be that unlucky. I, who didn't want to have any problems, always got problems. Couldn't the Spirit King give me an easy time before the most important day in my life?

"I found it on the ground." That didn't help at all.
"Abarai-fukutaicho to you." I wasn't used to used to be that formal and call people by rank. I stared at him as if I could take him down with giving him the creeps. I didn't move. Why would I? He was too arrogant for his own good. Did he think he could live on old merits or something? I made up my mind. I wouldn't give him the pleasure to having me looking up to him. I would give him the pleasure to look up to me. Kei wanted to move hearts and that was what I planned to do... but with other solutions. Misaki and Ryuu looked at me and when I didn't react...

"I'm sorry, Abarai-fukutaicho." Ryuu took the note from my hands and stepped forward and handed him the note. Ryuu gave me the evil eye. I could tell what he was thinking and I knew he understood me. That didn't make it okay. I knew that. Misaki just looked surprised. I was always the person that acted before anyone else. Misaki gave me a small smile and articulated with her lips: 'We are not in place of doing anything stupid.'

I looked at the lieutenant and in a millisecond did my eyes met with the lieutenants. He stared at me as if he had seen a ghost. Just for a short while. So short that if you didn't study his movement you wouldn't have seen it. He looked even.. scared? Or was that wrong word? He snapped out of it. Maybe he had seen an illusion. He cleared his throat.

"I didn't come here to chit-chat with you, newbies. Let's get down to business," He took a deep breath and then continued. "I'm starting calling up the first group to do the exam."

"Konno Misaki," Misaki took a step forward. I could hear people in the crowd starting to whisper comments to each other. I hadn't noticed it but the crowd was about 90% boys. She was a beauty, with her brown hair that always got capture in the breeze at the right moment. Her big eyes that always seemed to show the truth. She looked back at me and Ryuu with a big smile. I leered at Ryuu. Why couldn't he just say that he liked her? The way he looked at her right now was almost irritating. His green eyes sparkled.

"Shiro Ryuu," They were meant to be together - or - at least take the test at the same time. This time, did the other 10% of the crowd sighed. The lieutenant waited a long while. He looked down at the paper and frowned. He nodded to himself. What was that about? Did he... did he remember Kei? That could explain why he had that reaction earlier. I begged that he would say my name. What a dream team we would be. I didn't know how the test was tested but if it was a team exam...

"Tamako Ayame,"

Thank you, Spirit King. I knew that I was bad at praying to him sometimes but... it was on occasion like this I decided that I... perhaps... believed in him. I didn't realized that everybody – except for Misaki, Ryuu and the lieutenant – freezed. It wasn't just me. I saw everyone in the area turn around to look at me. I wasn't the one to have flashbacks all the time but this situation reminded me when I didn't know the name of the Captain of squad 6. This was the same. I didn't know something that seemed to be important. Was it something with the group? Was it because we got called out first? But why didn't this reaction start when Misaki or Ryuu got called up?

"She's the younger sister of Tamako Kei, the former 3th seat of squad 6!"
"Hey, isn't Konno the last name of the clan that's supporting the Gotei 13 archives?"
"Who's the guy then? If he's hanging out with them I'm sure he's a talented kid."

Misaki, Ryuu and I was just standing there. What was we supposed to do? I looked up and the lieutenant was already on the move. He clapped his hands one time. The eco made everyone quiet.
"Group 1, go inside and wait for the next instructions." We walked pass the lieutanent in to the gate but before I was able to pass him he laid his hand on my shoulder.

"I wondered how long it would take for you to show up."