Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.
Brightness, forcing my eyes open I glance around taking a minute to remember where I am. A blue and white uniform lies on the table next to my bed. Realizing where I am and what I'm meant to be doing I jump out of bed and hurry to change, stuffing the letter, timetable and key card into my pockets, whilst grabbing the bag I had filled with the books I would need today before securing Zangetsu on my back and running out the door, down the corridor before anxiously awaiting the lift. As sigh of relief passed my lips as the lift binged its arrival and the doors opened. Two girls stood inside wearing a red and white uniform, one was slightly smaller than the other. I hurried into the lift not really making any notes about their appearance as irritation over the lift began to surround me. Hushed tones could be heard behind me as I resisted the urge to ask what there problem was.
The lift finally arrived on the ground floor and I rushed out and headed straight for my first room, though I've no idea where it is. 'Psh, you think Gramps would have given me a map.' I complained. I slowed down at the Academy gates in an attempt to not draw attention to myself. Rummaging around in my pocket I found my timetable and quickly glanced at the room I was meant to be heading to. '201, wonder where that is?' I queried to myself as I shoved the paper into my pocket. Walking swiftly into the Academy I noticed a staircase ahead of me the sign next to which indicated there were four floors. A number of rooms marked next to the floor. I noticed that upon the second floor was rooms 200 - 250, with this in mind I started up the stairs.
Arriving upon the second floor I noticed signs one pointing left stating '200-224', the other pointing left stating '225 - 250'. Taking this into account I started of to the left noting the numbers as they passed. Odd numbers were on my right and even numbers on my left. Nearing the end of the corridor I noticed the room number 201, I rushed into the room. The instant the door opened I have to catch my breath as the hall that lay in front of me was huge. The chairs slanting downwards to the small desk at the front, a few students rested within the rows in front of me, no-one seemingly not noticing my entrance. Looking towards the front I noticed a guy with bright blue hair flicking through some pages seeming to arrange them. Remembering the note Gramps had given me I walked towards his desk. When I was in front of him I cleared my throat slightly. "Hey, are you the teacher?" I questioned just to be sure.
"Ah yes. Please take a seat anywhere." He stated only slightly glancing at me.
"Er, well you see. I have to show this note to all my teachers. So here." I stated, handing him the note checking that it wasn't my timetable.
"Ah right, give me a minute while I read it." He said, grabbing the note and opening it. His eyes scanned the note, his eyes widening at something on the note. He glanced up at me, his eyes widened more, his hands shaking slightly he handed the note back to me. "Right ok, please go take a seat Mr. Kurosaki." he mumbled.
'What the hell does this note say to make him act like that?' I wondered. Contemplating reading the thing, as I turned to choose a seat I noticed a lot more students had entered and seated themselves. Stuffing the note into my pocket I decided I would read the thing later. Taking a seat near the front, shuffling so that I wouldn't have to take Zangetsu off my back. I rummaged through my bag for the book I would need this lesson and placed it on the desk as I waited for the teacher to start.
"Ah, right yes. Hello students and welcome to Kido training. This morning we will be learning incantations of the least powerful and hopefully doing some practice a little later. I would like you to try to memorise as many of the incantations as possible and during the course we can test to see how high in the different forms you can go. We will be learning the 'Ways of Binding' first. Are there any questions?" He calmly stated, the speech sounded rehearsed like he'd said it a hundred times before. The eerie silence that followed ensured that no questions would be asked. "Right then, open your books to the 'Binding Arts' and begin memorising, you will be tested on lower and higher spells during this course so you would do well to memorise as many as you can." He stated, the sounds of books being opened filled the hall. I glanced at my book. Flipping the front page to find the contents, after finding the correct page I began to read. The book explained the use of the binding art as well as the incantation. On some of the arts was stated what could happen if you mixed up your words I decided I would need more reciting with those than the others. Out of interest I looked at a binding I had seen Byakuya use, number 61: Six Light Rod Prison. Thinking I would try it some time to see how it went.
"Ok, times up. I hope you memorised as many as you can. We have some time later today to practise what we've learnt today. I look forward to seeing you all then." He stated, shooting me a worried glare before focusing his attention upon sorting his papers again.
Glancing at my timetable again I noticed my next class was over the hall in room 200. I grabbed my book and put it back in my bag, I walked slowly out of the room and entered the room across the hall. The layout was a lot different the only desk in the room was at the front, at which a lady with long dark pink hair was sitting. Where the seats and tables had been in the previous room, there was mats with small tables in front of them. Walking up to her I\grabbed the note again. "Excuse me are you teaching the next class?" I questioned , she nodded not looking at me. "Well, I have this note I'm suppose to give to all my teachers for them to read." I stated trying not to sound bored. She held out her hand and I placed the note within it. She scanned the note before handing it back.
"So your Kurosaki, Ichigo then?" She questioned making it almost sound like a statement.
"Yeah, why?" I wondered.
"I've heard a lot about you. I just hope you do well in my class." She muttered. "Now take a seat on a mat, anywhere you want." She stated still not looking my way. I placed the note back in my pocket and made my way over to a mat near the front. Again the room had filled during my talk with the teacher. I unhooked Zangetsu from my back and sat cross-legged on a mat, placing Zangetsu on my lap. Once seated I placed the book for this lesson on the desk in front of me. I noticed a flash of dark red to my right, glancing over my shoulder I noticed Akane sat next to me. She was looking at me with a smile on her face.
"Hello again, Ichigo." She almost sang.
"Hey Akane, I'm glad we have a class together." I muttered. She giggled slightly.
"Right settle down, welcome to Reiatsu Control. Though this is a fairly simple class that you can only accomplish by yourself I am here to asses your development and test you at certain times. Now I need you all to sit cross-legged and close your eyes, try focus on your reiatsu then try to make it undetectable. I know that this will take a long time with most of you, therefore if you feel you are struggling you are more than welcome to after Academy classes, or advice depending on your problem. Begin." The teacher stated sounding cold throughout her speech.
'Ok, so how do I do this, I can't use the technique that we used for that canon ball. How do I control my reiatsu let alone make it undetectable?' I queried myself as I closed my eyes and placed my hands firmly upon Zangetsu.
'Ichigo, if you truly wish to master your reiatsu, then I shall teach you how. Firstly picture a river, a wide fast flowing river. Now slow the speed of the river, try to cause it to be still. When you manage that you will have control of your reiatsu. As control is not about how wide the river is, but how fast or slow you can make it flow.' Zangetsu stated, his voice echoing slightly in my head.
I did as he asked I imagined a river, a wide fast flowing one and began to concentrate on slowing the current down. It was not as easy as it had sounded. The currents pushes against my attempts to slow it, the water slowly losing force. The water slowed again and only slight ripples could be seen, concentrating more I forced even the ripples to be still. A rumble in the distance broke my concentration and the river ran fast and free once more. 'Damn it all, I had it then. What was that rumbling?' I queried.
'That was from the outside world perhaps you should open your eyes and find out.' Zangetsu coldly stated.
Opening my eyes I came face to face with the teacher. Cold sweat dripped down my head as chills ran up and down my spine. "I'm surprised." She said. "You completely hid your reiatsu for a couple of seconds then." She added. She glanced down eyeing Zangetsu.
"He's cheating, he has a Zanpaktō helping him. That's not fair the rest of us have to accomplish this on our own. What makes him so special? Why is he allowed a Zanpaktō?" A voice cried out from the back, turning slightly I noticed the slightly familiar face of the bully from yesterday, however somehow he was different though I couldn't place it at this distance.
"If you have a problem with me having my Zanpaktō, why don't you try to take it off me?" I queried standing up to face the boy, holding Zangetsu in front of me. The boy smirked and rushed from his seat into the isle, down the stairs until he reached me. Without a second thought he grabbed Zangetsu, a second later he was kneeling on the floor clutching his hand. Just like the bully had yesterday, I smiled slightly and placed Zangetsu onto my back. "You're a fool, don't you know not to touch another person's Zanpaktō? Do you even realise what a Zanpaktō is?" I questioned him as he glanced at me in an evil manner.
"Why do you get one though? It's not fair, I bet it helped you earlier." He muttered.
"I have one because I do, if you keep training and try to communicate I'm sure one day you'll have one too." I stated annoyance seeping into my tone.
"You think your better than me just because you have your Zanpaktō and I don't?" He questioned.
"I don't, I feel it's important to take into account everyone's abilities. In a battle it could be the difference between life and death. Never underestimate someone, especially your enemies." I gloomily replied remembering the times I had done just that.
"Who the hell do you think you are, you speak of battle as if you know about it. But your just an Academy student like the rest of us." He yelled.
"Me, I'm Kurosaki, Ichigo. Former Substitute Soul Reaper, and I know more about battle than you will learn in this Academy." I stated, silence echoing around me. The boy's eyes widening at the mention of my name.
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