Ok so I broke up the last chapter and added a few scenes. This is 4 of 9.
"Sleep well." Nemu said.
A mechanical induced trance later…
"Your going to make me late again, Idiot." Rukia said.
"It's not my fault." Renji said.
"It's always your fault. I can't believe we have separate classes again this year."
"I'm advanced." he said.
"Yeah all except your Kidou." she said.
"Yeah, yeah it's the sword that matters." he said.
"You're a shoe in for the eleventh. I know the name of my sword and you don't." Rukia argued.
"I'll learn mine soon enough, I can use my release already." Renji said.
"I'm close, I had it yesterday but…"
"I heard you froze the instructor." he laughed.
"I never got it to go that far before."
"I think ice matches your sword perfectly. There are people talking about your sword everywhere. There saying they've never seen a prettier one and it's definitely the most beautiful of it's element."
"Wow really?"
"Yeah I heard the instructor talking about it with a lieutenant a few days after you figured out it's Shikai form."
"See you later." she said entering her class after giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Today we will again be studying government practices and law. Please turn to page 52."
"Hey Rukia have you decided what divisions your going to put in for?" Ami said.
"Not really Ami. I hear the captain of the thirteenth is very nice and one of the strongest, then probably the tenth division the captain is new, hard working and shares my element. I'm not sure after that, I've heard the eighth division captain is a wolf and the eleventh doesn't care for Kidou use so that wont work, it's the only thing I'm good at." Rukia said to the girl sitting next to her.
"Well as for me I'm going to put in for the sixth. The captain is so hot." Ami said.
"That's what everyone keeps telling me, but I haven't seen him yet. I think every girl in the class is putting the sixth as their first choice. I don't know about the sixth captain but I'll bet the eighth would be a lot happier with all the attention." Rukia said.
"You are so not like everyone else Rukia. You really are weird. So is that tall boyfriend of yours planning on asking you to marry him any time soon?" Ami asked.
"We touched on the subject and I think were going to wait until after graduation to get engaged, so we'll both be settled. He wants to be able to provide for me before we do that." Rukia said.
"That's really sweet. I wish Kataro would hurry up an propose already. He's a ranking officer you know." Ami said.
"I know, I know you keep telling me." she laughed.
"Come on let's go to lunch." Ami said.
"Ok I just have to take these papers to the main office for the professor. I'll meet you there." Rukia said.
"Hurry or all the good food will be gone." Ami said.
Rukia hurried down the stairs and ran a sharp corner knocking into a very handsome but foreboding looking man in captains robes. Their eyes locked for one very overwhelming moment. In that moment it seemed like both of them had froze, like they had seen something in the other person that neither could explain. Byakuya had been struck like he was just hit by someones Bankai. Rukia on the other hand probably looked like she was drooling, but was then hit with the realization of the danger of the situation.
'shit, I'm so dead.' she thought to herself after comming out of her stupor.
"I am very sorry, please forgive my carelessness." she said bowing low, trying to be a polite as she could manage.
"As you should be. Do not run in the halls. Do they not screen who they let into the academy anymore?" Byakuya said arrogantly.
"Well you don't have to be an ass about it!….um…sir." she said bowing again, cursing herself for her inability to keep quiet.
Byakuya smirked and walked passed her, not showing how amused he was with the petite girl.
A few days later…
"Come on Captain Kuchiki' giving a demonstration in the Kidou yard. The instructor's on leave for some unknown reason. You don't want to miss it, it's rare that he teaches Kidou." Ami said.
"I have other things to do." Rukia said remembering their last encounter, bitterly.
"No you don't and it's your area of expertese. I can't believe you turned down the Kidou corps." she sighed sitting down and forcing Rukia to join her.
"I'm just not ready yet. I have a lot of work to do with my sword and I'd have to leave Renji. You know how secret they are. Maybe in the future, I'll apply." Rukia said.
Rukia noticed most of the class consisted of girls and then she tried to duck her head when she saw him look right at her.
"You." Byakuya said. "What is your name?"
"Rukia, sir."
"Rukia, Bakudo 61. What is the incantation?"
"Um carriage of thunder, bridge of the spinning wheel, with... light, divide this into six." she said trying to remember what she had read in the back of the textbook.
"Demonstrate." he commanded.
"I've never done it before." she said knowing she was about to make a fool of herself if she tried.
"I would not have expected you to, it is not something taught until you are a seated officer, since you surprisingly know the incantation, demonstrate."
"On who?" she asked knowing that somehow arguing with him was pointless.
"On me." he commanded and she hesitantly nodded took a stance, lifted her hands and recited the incantation. The multiple parts of light surrounded the captain who waved it off with a simple movement.
"That is very good for your first try, but this is how it is done." he said then trapped her in the binding spell as she struggled in the tight space.
"That is a proper binding spell. You see how she struggles and can not break free? The spell can be used as an offensive attack as well. With a simple movement I can cut her into several pieces, ending her life." Byakuya said snapping his fingers, then she fell to the floor.
She would not give him the satisfaction of showing him that it had hurt. He wa obviously trying to punish her by showing her a warning not to disrespect him again. She held in all of her anger, held her head high and then she only went back next to her friend Ami and continued listening to his lecture and watching his demonstrations.
Byakuya was impressed. Not by her abilities in Kidou, but for the way she had handled herself at his obvious attempt to scare her. He was still young, things in his life were agonizingly boring, she was the most interesting thing he had come across since he was a little boy and found a dead frog he poked with a stick. She wasnt very pretty like many of the other girls, and he found her to be crass and tom boyish, but she was different and her behavior intreagued him, she was kind of like that dead frog. He had alowed his mind to wonder what it would be like to poke her with his stick. He smiled at the thought and then moved on.
Rukia managed to control her anger until after class was over. For a while she went on and on about what had happened waving her fist in the air, to her classmate Ami. But like normal girls Ami didn't care what had happened in the class, only that he paid attention to her. Rukia then told her about how their first meeting went and was stopped mid sentence by an over eager young girl.
"So he spoke to you, personally? Oh my god what's he like? I'll bet he's so noble and romantic!" Ami said excitedly.
"It was just for a moment and I don't care how sickingly handsome he is, Captain Kuchiki is the most rude and arrogant jackass I've ever met and I've met some bad ones in my lifetime and what he was talking about, as if that could ever work no one does level ninety." Rukia said loudly.
"So you disagree with my methods." a deep voice came from behind her scaring her out of her wits. "You are very crass, and short. Too much so to make a good Shinigami." he was very arrogant and superior.
" Crass! Short! I'll show you crass!" she kicked him in the shin then went wide eyed realizing what she had done. She bowed. Ami and the people around her had already run for their lives.
"Such insolence will not go unpunished. I think some refining would benefit you. Come." he said not sure if he should be angry or laugh, but she refused to go with him.
"I'm not going anywhere with you." she said as he took her by the back of her collar and dragged her off. "Hey where are you taking me. Help!" she yelled but no one dared to make eye contact with her.
"Do behave properly in front of Ukitake-Taicho. He is well respected. He is the instructor of the Ikebana class which you will take henceforth."
"Iki what? What kind of sick thing are you trying to make me do? I'll report anything indecent." she said.
"You are interesting. Women are usually trying to get me to be indecent toward them. It is simply the art of flower arranging." he said.
"Huh?"
"I have attended his classes for many years. He is in need of students and you are in need of refinement. I was asked to recruit someone and I have run out of time to do so. You will have to do." he said.
He did indeed need to bring someone and his less then outgoing personality kept the recruiting until the last possible moment. But that was not his motivation, he would have just went alone and dealt with the complaints, but she was too cute and interesting and he like provoking her just to see what she would do next.
"You have a strange way of recruiting." she said.
"Byakuya-Kun It is nice to see you and who do we have with us to day?" Ukitake said.
"This is Rukia. She is spirited and in need of your sophistication." Byakuya said still holding the girl by the collar.
"Do let the poor girl go son." Ukitake said as he watched her hit the floor. "Rukia is it?"
"Yes just Rukia. I never knew my parents." she bowed.
"I see just Rukia. Well I hope you will enjoy my class. Please have some tea and we can get started."
"Thank you sir." she said.
"Now we're going to have to partner you, since Byakuya brought you, I do not believe we have any other choice, no one else wants to… the last one refuses to return. I'm sorry my deer but he really isn't all that bad. I've known him since he was a baby. Now lets see this is Matsumoto Rangiku, her partner Ichimaru Gin. Others tend to come and go as they please."
"Hello Rukia-chan" Gin greeted next to her making Rukia pull back nudging into Byakuya a bit who didn't mind the contact.
"Congratulations on your promotion Matsumoto Fukataicho." Byakuya said and Rukia bowed.
"Thanks sir. I'm glad I get to work with Shiro-chan, he needs someone to keep him from working too hard." she said.
Rukia liked the woman right off but the man she was with, had a disturbing way about him.
"Rukia-chan have you decided your top four division picks?" Ichimaru asked making polite conversation as the evening went on.
"Yes the thirteenth, the tenth, the fifth division, and the third." she said.
"I'm in the tenth it would be great to have you. But why not the sixth? I thought every girl put in for the sixth because of the sexy single captain." Matsumoto said with a wink to her old classmate.
"Oh, well, that wasn't a concern. I chose because of where I thought I would fit best and meeting Kuchiki-Taicho helped me make up my mind." Rukia said as everyone but Byakuya laughed.
"I don't think I've ever heard a girl say that before. His presence might be a bit…intimidating but he's still every girls first choice. Very odd Rukia-san." Matsumoto said.
"Rangiku-chan you're going to make me jealous." Gin said.
"You worry too much. Besides as long as I've known him he's never showed any interest in me, oddly enough, or anyone else for that matter. You're the first girl I've ever seen him with in a non work related way. I must say I never expected him to have to drag one in." she said laughing. "But I guess they all turn into cave men, even the noble ones." Matsumoto knew the motivations of men well, even if they did not know themselves.
"It would be nice to have a student in my Ikebana class in my division." Ukitake said changing the subject.
"Oh no I will be sure to put in for preference for such a lovely young girl." Gin said bushing Rukia' face with his right hand making Rukia knock into Byakuya again on instinct like somehow she knew he would protect her.
"I think I will walk Rukia- chan back to the barracks." Gin said very politely but underlingly suggestive when the class ended.
"I will take her." Byakuya said protectively.
"Very well. So many things to get done. Have a good evening." Gin said.
"I um thanks…for that." Rukia said.
"He has that effect on everyone. Although your obvious fear of him only encourages him." Byakuya said.
"I cant help it. He reminds me of a fox or a viper about to strike."
"Do watch yourself around him. He has a way of taking advantage of inexperienced females." Byakuya said.
"What makes you think I'm so inexperienced?" she snapped.
"You are spirited, like a horse I once had. She was very easily broken."
"Don't think I'll be so easily broken and you'd better not be calling me a horse….um sir." she scolded then realized who she was speaking to.
"You are strangely comfortable speaking so freely to me... It is entertaining."
"We'll I'm glad I could amuse his lordship. Thanks for making me go, I did enjoy the class and I didn't expect to." she said with a laugh.
"Then I shall see you next week, and that is an order."
"Yes sir!" she saluted as he left her.