Shinjui Ibutsuki looked over at Aveline. With her help he had brought Kensuke and Yosuke around and carried his battered team back to the Squad Thirteen barracks. Aveline had carried two of his men. She did not even break a sweat doing so.
Now that they were back in the safety of the barracks Aveline was taking a break and sipping a hot cup of tea and looking at the stars. Even at rest her spiritual energy was impressive.
"Something on your mind, Shinjui?" she asked.
"Not much," said Shinjui, "Just glad to have gotten all my men back here. Thank you for helping us. How about you?"
"I am thinking about the stars here. They don't match up with any star charts I know of," Aveline said, "Does the Soul Society have any set constellations?"
Shinjui thought for a moment, "Constellations?"
"Yes. Pictures in the sky. Kinda like connect the dots, but with stars," Aveline said, "You make pictures in the sky using the stars."
Shinjui shrugged, "I don't know. Never thought about it before."
"Well, if there aren't any constellations, I will just have to make my own, won't I?" Aveline said resolutely.
"I guess so," said Shinjui, "Captain Jushiro Ukitake would like to speak with you."
"He is the leader of your squad, right?" asked Aveline.
"Yes," answered Shinjui, "Best in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."
Aveline knew a good part of that was probably unit loyalty. "So what is Captain Jushiro Ukitake like?"
"He is…kind."
"Kind? Odd trait for a military commander," said Aveline.
"Oh he is an extremely strong fighter. But is also kind and considerate to his friends and men," said Shinjui, "Rather odd as he is a noble."
"Oh he is a noble? What is his title?"
"Title? He is the head of the Ukitake clan," answered Shinjui, "they are one of the noble families of the Seireitei. One of the lesser ones, but still a noble family."
"So most nobles here are stuck up jerks here too?"
"Well…not all of them are. Like Rukia Kuchiki of the Kuchiki clan. Now her brother is another story," laughed Shinjui.
Not so different from the real world then. Aveline was really starting to question the wisdom of whatever belief system this afterlife took it's tack from. "So how would I address him?"
"Just Captain Ukitake," said Shinjui, "Speaking of which, here is his office." Shinjui went to his knees and bowed. He looked at Aveline in surprise.
Aveline looked back at him. "What?"
"You are supposed to bow," answered Shinjui.
"Uh-huh. I am a Countess and Margraven, and you expect me to bow? Not happening," answered Aveline authoritatively. She then knocked on the door…screen…panel.
"Come in," answered a voice.
Aveline opened the…door…and stepped into the room. "Captain Ukitake, sir, I present Aveline…" Shinjui started to announce her presence.
"Lady Aveline Wilhelmina von Ravenstein-Summersford, Margraven of Ravenstein, Countess of Summersford, Graven of Neuravenstein," finished Aveline. It was always best to overwhelm people of authority with your titles and honors. It made them realize who they were dealing with and possibly even awe them into submission. And since this guy was a noble, Aveline wanted him to be sure he did not have any social superiority over her. "A pleasure to meet you, Captain Jushiro Ukitake. Shinjui here has told me much about you."
"Oh," said Captain Ukitake. He appeared to be somewhat taken aback by his straightforward visitor.
"Sorry, sir. I tried to stop her," said Shinjui.
"It's okay, Shinjui. And it is indeed a pleasure to meet you Aveline," said Shinjui.
Aveline stepped forward. "I understand you wanted to see me tonight?"
"Yes I did. Shinjui, you may leave us," said Ukitake and Shinjui left. Ukitake looked at Aveline, studying her. "I heard what you did to my men when they came to arrest you. I thank you for not seriously injuring any of them. And for helping carry the unconscious ones back to the barracks."
"You are welcome," said Aveline, "May I ask why I was to be arrested?"
"Yes. We were concerned of a Hollow or some other entity invading the Soul Society," said Ukitake, "And it is the duty of the Thirteenth Squad to ensure the defense of the Seireitei and Soul Society."
"You needn't worry of that. I only desire to help the people of the…Rukon District. That is the correct term, right?"
"Oh, yes," said Ukitake, "Shinjui and the others tell me you have great Spirit Energy and some very respectable combat skills."
"Shinjui and his team may be exaggerating a little bit," said Aveline, "They broke off into pairs instead of the fours I would have used. I had them in ambushes so I could choose the time and place of the action and I could eliminate one of the two Soul Reapers before they even knew what was happening."
"Very insightful of you," said Ukitake, "Shinjui also told me that you are thinking of becoming a Soul Reaper yourself. I can sense that you already have a great amount of Spirit Energy."
"Whatever that is,:" said Aveline, "but yes, I was interested in attending the Soul Reaper Academy."
"Why, may I ask?" said Ukitake.
"First, you and Shinjui have both said I have great Spirit Energy. I would like to learn how to use that. Secondly, I am a member of the noble houses of Ravenstein and Summersford and it is my divine duty to fight evil, whatever it's form. And these Hollows seem to be among the most loathsome and horrible creatures I have yet heard of."
"I sense you have another reason," said Ukitake.
"Yes. And finally, I want to know why I am here in the Soul Society instead of Heaven, where I expected to end up," said Aveline.
"And you think you came here to become a Soul Reaper?" asked Ukitake.
"No. But I think it will move me in the right direction. I doubt I will find my answers in the Rukon District."
"Very well," said Captain Ukitake, "you can stay here in the Squad Thirteen barracks and study for the Soul Reaper Academy entrance exam. You seem to have quite the natural talent and drive to become a Soul Reaper.
"Thank you, Captain Ukitake," said Aveline.
"Just one thing: What is a Margraven?" asked a confused Ukitake.
"It translates into German as Border Countess. They were lords and nobles whose territories bordered The Holy Roman Empire or were on the boundaries of powerful realms within The Empire and so had to keep a strong military force on hand at all times," explained Aveline, "It means we are good at fighting and never give up. A Margrave or Margraven that gave up or couldn't fight would have been butchered by invaders."
"Oh," the Captain said with a look of surprise.
One of the others in the squad had shown Aveline to a room. It was not a fancy room, just a sleeping pallet, chair, and a table with a pitcher of water on it and a cup. It had been a few weeks since Aveline had slept in a proper bed. Well, the pallet would have to do.
She laid down on the pallet but sleep did not come. Her mind was abuzz with questions. She danced a small glowing orb of light across her fingers. The Soul Reapers called it spirit energy. She had not known anyone else who could do such a marvelous thing in life. Funny how she had never really thought it was all that special then.
Aveline was used to being 'special'. She was from one of the last noble families of Europe. Her great grandfather had started a technology company after World War Two using technologies that had been developed by Germany but the United States did not see an immediate use for, but private industry did.
He had used initial investments from the vast fortunes of the von Ravenstein family and had been quite successful. The company had remained under family control since then. Aveline briefly wondered what would happen to it now.
Regardless, the fortunes of that company had always afforded Aveline's family the best. Combined with her natural intelligence and physical skills, she was always excelling in her studies and training. She had considered her energy projection abilities to be another of her natural talents.
In a way it was, she figured. From how the people in the Rukon and the Seireitei were talking, few people could use their spirit energy. Fewer still were as powerful as Aveline and even fewer still, if any, could use it how she did.
Tomorrow she would start going over the knowledge that a Soul Reaper needed to know. She needed to get some sleep. While marginally better then a roof, the pallet was still not what Aveline was used to.
She resolved that after she became a Soul Reaper, one of her first priorities would be a proper bed.
Breakfast consisted of rice and fruit. She ate in a common eating room that had it had generic tables and chairs instead of mats on the floor would have been a cafeteria. After sitting down at one of the mats, Aveline knelt down and recited a short prayer, "Oh Father, bless this food and my marvelous hosts, protect them from the wicked and guide their hearts in Your wisdom."
The Soul Reapers nearest to her stopped and looked at her. Aveline glanced around. "Oops, must have been speaking louder then I thought."
One of the onlookers gave her a quizzical look and then shrugged and went back to eating.
"Great, I have just established myself as the crazy person," Aveline mumbled, picking at her rice.
Aveline swung her sword in a shallow arc, blocking the blow from the person sparring with her. "Not bad," she said, "But you need to shield your motions a bit better."
The Soul Reaper grunted and made another swing, this one downward.
Aveline dodged out of the way and swung the wooden blade in a backhand swing, stopping the sword a hair's breadth from the back of his neck. "Had I a broadsword, that would have been fatal. Like I said, shield your motions. And don't leave any holes in your defense."
"Who are you to reprimand me!" he said.
"A soon to be pupil, a sister in arms," she said.
"You can't even call a Zanpaktou," he said.
"Well I have never tried!" Aveline retorted.
The partner harrumphed and left, throwing the practice sword to the ground. It was picked up by Shinjui. Itsuko was behind him. "Nice sword work there, Avey."
"Thank you," Aveline said, "I seem to have upset your squad mate."
"Kameada? Yeah. He is hotheaded prick," said Shinjui, "He can't stand the thought of loosing to a Ryoka."
"Ryoka?"
"Until you get accepted at the Academy, you would be a Ryoka."
"Ah, I understand."
"Well, you seem to have the sword skills down for the entrance exam and I have no doubts of your spirit energy. So now all that's left is the knowledge portion. I have been asked to help you with that," said Shinjui.
"Why thank you," Aveline said.
"No problem. I would rather have you with us then risking fighting you in the back alleys of the Rukon again," he said, "So it's for my own protection really."
"How noble of you?" Aveline said, sarcastically.
The knowledge of the Society seemed odd to Aveline. It seemed to function on an entirely different set of physical laws then what she was used to. "Pity, I used to be quite good with physics," said Aveline.
"What?" asked Shinjui.
"Nothing."
She had taken to calling this…different…set of physics 'Spiritual Physics' as so many other things were called Spirit this or Spirit that. Basically Spiritual Physics came down to one thing. That with enough Spirit Energy, one could do anything.
And with Aveline's much higher then normal spiritual energy, that meant that she should be able to start doing the impossible rather soon. In theory, that is. In practice, it involved years of training and practice. But that was what eternity was for, Aveline supposed. For example, the Head Capatain Yamamoto was at least over a thousand years old and Captain Ukitake and some other captains were around that as well.
Aveline absorbed this all like a sponge. Even the ridiculous bits like defying gravity, which was something that just did not sit right with Aveline at all. She asked Shinjui about the laws of Thermodynamics and Motion, but he seemed to just dismiss them outright. Spirit Energy was limitless, he assumed. Aveline hoped to find Sir Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell somewhere in the afterlife and get their analysis on this all.
"Any questions?" asked Shinjui.
"I have many questions," said Aveline, "none of which I think you could answer."
"What kind of questions?"
"Well, where do the Laws of Thermodynamics and Motion come into play here? If Spirit Energy is unlimited, is it still bound by those laws?"
Shinjui stared at Aveline for a moment.
"See, told you," said Aveline, "No matter. When I get to full Soul Reaperhood, I may have time to empirically test those laws and see if they carry over. Plenty of time to sleep when you are dead." Aveline chuckled at her own joke.
"Well tomorrow we will begin better controlling your spirit energy. So rest up."
The pallet was still uncomfortable. Despite that, Aveline had fallen asleep.
She walked through a grassy meadow. Around her she could see trees, as if she was in a clearing of a verdant forest. In the middle of the clearing was a small pile of stones. Atop the pile was a bird. A bird of prey, a falcon by the looks of it. But it was also unlike any falcon that Aveline had seen. It was black, but had some interesting shiny blue flecks on the wings.
Aveline approached the bird. The falcon studied her, almost as if it was judging her.
"Not yet," a voice said.
"Not yet what?" Aveline asked.
Aveline was sitting up in her small room. The pallet was still uncomfortable. Fortunately the water was still cool.
The next couple days went by quickly. Aveline was learning the intricacies of Spirit Physics. Despite her efforts, they were definitely based on a very different set of rules then Newtonian or Quantum physics.
Next she reviewed the history and politics of the Seireitei and Soul Society. The Seireitei controlled the Soul Society and was in turn controlled by a Council of Forty Six and four major and countless minor noble houses, who also controlled two other organizations that paralleled the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, The Stealth Force and The Kido Force.
Kidos were like magic spells that channeled spirit energy, much like Aveline's energy bolts. The difference being that Aveline could use her energy bolts at will while Kido, true kido, required special focuses and incantations.
Then came the spirit energy focusing. Aveline learned that the glowing balls she had been forming was just the tip of the iceberg of what spirit energy could do. She practiced, meditated, and practiced again.
"Most impressive," said Shinjui, "You are getting a much better focus with your spirit energy."
"How can you tell?" asked Aveline.
"Focus. Feel the energy around you."
Aveline cleared her mind of everything but feeling the energy. Shinjui was right. She sensed a cool, but comforting presence around her. It was strong, very strong. As she reached around, she also sensed a similar field around Shinjui. It was better controlled, but much weaker.
"Good, you are sensing spiritual energy. This is a helpful method to sense your opponents and to gauge their strength."
Aveline tried focusing her energy even more. She calmed her mind, letting everything drain out.
"Excellent. You are ready to take the entrance exams."
That night, the pallet was still uncomfortable.
She was also back in the clearing. And the bird was still there.