Chapter 6: Beautiful Nightmare
Summary: My name is Kurosaki Karin. 17 months and some after my brother lost his powers I… died. After training so hard in almost two years to become stronger and protect my family back in Karakura, I needed to leave them after a freaking car accident. But I'm not worried. My life here in Soul Society just began. [HitsuxKarin]. Maybe I'll write stories for another partners, too.
Disclaimer: I don't own Tite Kubo's Bleach, and its characters. Some part from the manga is used so that the story is accurate.
We're now entering the Academy arc, and here are the list of teachers and the subject they're teaching:
Gengoro Onabara-Hakuda
Fujita Aoi-Hoho
Izuru Kira-Haiku
Ashikaga Yuuta-Kido
Higuchi Isamu-Zanjutsu
Kuchiki Byakuya-Calligraphy
Previously on Hitsugaya Karin…
Karin knocked on the door. "Gengoro-sensei… I-"
"Oh, someone is late on the first class already!" The teasing voice of the man was heard. The class laughed, not only because of what their sensei said but also because some are laughing at Karin.
"Gomenasai, Sensei." Karin said after glaring at the class, especially to those who laughed at her. I could tell the difference, idiots.
"It's okay, Miss. Why don't you come on front and introduce yourself?
Karin stands in front of the class. "I am…" she hesitated. "I am Kurosaki Karin."
The class silenced when Karin stated her name. Karin felt daggers thrown at her by the girls in the room, why the boys looked shock and interested. Oh God! I knew it. It's bad for me to use my real surname… but I can't say 'joke' can I?
"So you were the girl in the Captain Commander's message, Karin-san." Gengoro-sensei said. At the confused look on her face, the man said, "The soutaicho send a Hell Butterfly. Go on take a seat."
Karin bowed and sat in the front left row, near the door. She felt her classmate's eyes follow her.
"Okay! Now as I was saying, you overachievers need to set an example…"
Nanami sat on her seat uncomfortably. The stares are making her conscious, but she already told herself to be brave. 'Have confidence, Nanami! One sorry is enough if you're sincere, and you shouldn't kneel down readily! People will see you as weak, and they'll take advantage of you!' O Karin- chan. Arigato! And she focused on writing notes on how to create a beautiful poem.
"Remember that Haiku use a sensory language to capture a feeling or image. It is often inspired by an element of nature, a moment of beauty, or a poignant experience*. I'll give you some examples, and you'll be trying to create your own for a homework…." Izuru lectured his class.
Nature, beauty, experience… Nanami starts to write her homework.
The cherry blossoms
Bloom late this year, and I'm sad
Because you're not here.
I think that's good enough. She saw her seatmate looking at her poem with an eyebrow near her hairline. Nanami continued to stare at the girl, until she met Nanami's eyes. Nanami narrowed her eyes and the girl looked in front.
Karin was walking to her next class when someone bumped into her shoulder. She looked up and saw one of her classmate. "Oh, I'm sorry, Kurosaki. I didn't see you." Ono Mami said before walking passed Karin.
Karin glared at the back of the girl. Stupid girl! Karin walked to the classroom with a "HOHO Classes 1-3" on it. She went in and sat on the front center sit.
Fujita Aoi is a beautiful woman with her doe innocent looking eyes and unblemished skin. She was a part of the Onmitsukido, but decided that her life as an assassin is over. She now enjoys the chaotic life of a teacher. She got over her depression and self-hatred after nearly fifty years of blaming herself why her best friend became a traitor, and to prove that she's not a traitor herself, she killed her best friend. (A/N: That was more than three hundred years ago, don't worry.)
The teacher looked at Karin. Kurosaki Karin. The Captain Commander said that she could catch up with Shihouin-sama in her human body. I can't wait to see her in action.
"Class, because this is our first day, we won't be doing that much. As you can see on your schedule, I'm Fujita Aoi and I will be teaching you the art of hoho, especially shunpo. You heard the history of our Academy a while ago. The class was added to train the next generations. I will not bore you with history again, so follow me to the Hoho training grounds. I'll show you some of the moves used and you can try them." She exited the class and her students followed.
Karin let the other students go first, and then she followed. She doesn't want anyone to accidentally bump into her again. They arrive in a big field and Aoi starts to demonstrate senka. I know that technique. Yoruichi-san used it often. It's the one she taught me. Karin tried to do senka but she tripped on her feet. Her classmates who were watching her laughed.
Karin glared at them and stands up. She brushed the dirt out of her uniform, and tried it again. Aoi was watching Karin as the youngster did a perfect shunpo. She's as fast as Yoruichi-sama. "Karin-san." The girl stopped her running around the field and look at her sensei. "You were taught by Shihouin Yoruichi, right?" Karin nodded. "Then what the heck are you doing in my class?"
"Ah, sensei. This is the first time I used shunpo using my spirit form, so I need to practice. Am I not welcome?" Karin answered. Maybe I should take up Yama-jii's offer about the tutor.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Karin-chan. I didn't mean it like that. It's just, you were taught by the goddess of flash herself, I couldn't possibly teach you anything anymore. But you're welcome to join the class! I'm not throwing you out!" Aoi answered. Then she realized that she might have sentenced the young girl with a death sentence as she saw the girls in her class glared at Karin.
"Then I'll be attending your class, sensei." Karin bowed. She also felt the daggers her female classmates throw at her. Ugh, this is nightmare…
Nanami sat in her seat and started taking notes furiously. Her notebook is now divided into three titled Bakudo*, Hado*, and Kaido*. Ashikaga-sensei began the class almost immediately after he introduce himself, and right now, Nanami is copying spells that the teacher wrote on the board, ignoring her new seatmate that looks at her like he want to ask something.
Nanami repeat the spell for Bakudo #1 in her head again and again. She looked at the boy beside her when he can't hold his question back anymore and decided to tap Nanami on her shoulders. Unfortunately for him, Nanami actually said the spell out loud, and the guy's arms lock behind his back.
"Ahhh!" Abe Shin shouted.
"What happened?" Ashikaga asked his student after he unbinds the spell.
"Gomene, Ashikaga-sensei! I was memorizing the spell in my head, and I accidentally said it out loud when he tapped my shoulders. Sorry." Nanami said.
The teacher looked at his at the girl. "Nanami-chan, please restrain yourself from being lost in your thoughts. You'll kill someone someday. "
"Hai, sensei." Nanami smiled. Stupid Nanami! Futile! Second embarrassment on my first day of school-
"And Nanami-chan. Good Job. You're natural at Kido." Ashikaga praised the young girl.
"Thank you, sensei."
"As for you, Shin-san, are you sure you don't want to go to the clinic?"
Karin sighed when she entered her Haiku class. It's better this way, Karin. You won't be bored for an hour. But Karin really got bored, she wrote notes automatically but her mind is not present.
"The bell rang. Don't forget your homework. You'll be presenting them tomorrow." Izuru ended the class.
"Haaa." Karin yawned, and she got up to look for Nanami.
Nanami on the other hand just finished her 200 swings. Her arms ached, and she knew that she couldn't attend the calligraphy class with aching arms. She'll create more scenes if she goes.
"Alright! Go take your lunches, students! Your arms ache? Don't worry, you'll be adept to it in no time." Higuchi Isamu said. Like all people from the 11th Division, this guy is a sadist but his tactics are good. By the way his students swing their swords, he could see those who have a promise, and the ones who'll most likely fail.
"Nanami!" Karin called. She watched as the girl walked to her, wincing. "What happened to you?"
"I'm sorry. Karin-chan. I can't lift my arms anymore." Nanami answered. Her practice sword is in her right hand, and her knapsack on the left. "They're numb. Can you help me put the sword on its sheath? It's on my back." Nanami turned around to show Karin.
Karin took the practice sword and put it on the sheath. "DO you want me to bring you to the clinic? The nurse can help you heal."
"Really? Where is it?" Nanami asked.
"Ummm… I think it's this way." Karin led Nanami through a series of hallways. She opened a map and followed it. When they reach the hallway that leads to the clinic, they saw a line of students groaning.
"What happened for people to be lining up in front of the clinic?" Karin asked Nanami.
"Higuchi-sensei is a sadist. He made us swing our practice swords 200 times, after he told us that we would be learning about konso and how to communicate with our zanpakuto. No wonder, most of the people here are my classmates." Nanami answered.
"Hey, Nanami, you're in line too?" Shin called the girl.
"Ah, yes, Abe-san. I can't lift my arms so…" Nanami said. She caught Shin looking at Karin. "Oh, this is Kurosaki Karin, my best friend."
"You're a Kurosaki? No wonder, Hitsugaya-taicho, and Kuchiki-fukutaicho knew you!" Shin told the girl. His silent question a while ago was answered. So Nanami-chan is friends with a Kurosaki.
Karin looked at the boy, and narrowed her eyes. "What ever you're thinking about Nanami is wrong. She took me in even if she didn't know that I'm a Kurosaki. She became my friend without any ill intentions. I hate people like you."
"Karin-chan, he didn't say anuthing!" Nanami protested.
"But he's thinking about it! I can see it in his eyes, you know?"
The shocked Shin sighed. "I'm sorry. You're right, I was thinking along those lines. Sorry, Nanami-chan."
"Come on, 'Nami. The line is moving. We still need to eat lunch." Karin said, ignoring Shin.
"Rukia-fukutaicho, thank you for volunteering on delivering the message to Kurosaki Ichigo. When you come back, please get the first batch of his reports. You're dismissed." Yamamoto said.
"Hai, Captain Commander. I'll be going now." Rukia bowed and got out of the room.
"Now, Gengoro, Fujita, what can you say about Kurosaki Karin." The soutaicho addressed the teachers.
"I can't tell anything yet, soutaicho. The official class will start tomorrow." Gengoro answered.
"Hn. I forgot that you don't start the classes on the first day, but on the second day. Fujita-sensei?"
"She's fast, soutaicho. She tripped on her first attempt to use shunpo in her spirit form but after her second try, I think that she's even faster than me. But she said she'll attend my classes still." Aoi answered.
Soi-fong frowned as the other captains talked about the girl's speed. All of them quieted when the soutaicho talked again. " Ashikaga, Higuchi. I want your opinions about the child after the classes are over. All of you, dismissed."
The captains, vice-captains, and teachers walked out of the meeting room, talking among themselves.
"Ashikaga-sensei!" Toshiro called the guy.
"Yes, Hitsugaya-taicho?" came the answer.
"I… just want to warn you that Karin is like her brother in many ways." Toshiro said. Ashikaga paid attention. "And Kurosaki Ichigo is not known for his Kido. You could say that he is better than Abarai-fukutaicho is, but not that much. And be careful. Don't let her chant a spell out loud, specially not Hado." Toshiro looked so serious that all Ashikaga could do is nod.
Nanami entered her calligraphy classroom, and saw many girls already sitting. She looked around and saw an unoccupied on near the front. She set her pace fast before someone else could sit, when Byakuya entered the room gracefully. Nanami grimaced when she heard the girls sighed, and she was shocked when there are girls that literally swoon.
"I am… Kuchiki Byakuya, and I will be your teacher for your calligraphy class." He start to write something on the paper in front of him. "You may begin writing anything you want to write, and I will observe." His eyes swept the room and it landed on Kobayashi.
Nanami smiled melancholy when she remembered the time when her husband began to teach her calligraphy. Those are the exact words he told me, and all the time I wrote, he'll grimace and correct the way I write, and it will lead to… Nanami blushed and starts to write.
Byakuya stared at the girl and watched her smile, and then he looked at the other students. He got up and starts to walk through the aisles. He corrected the way some of the student writes and watched as those who came just to gaze at him swoon, blushed, or have a nosebleed. He didn't show any emotion and continued to look at the others who are serious about learning calligraphy. He stopped in front of Nanami's desk and watched the way she writes. It can't be. That hand motion, the way she writes like she's not even thinking about it. Nanami, who are you really? He looked at the characters she's writing. Senbonzakura.
Nanami lift her head, and she met a slate gray eyes. She looked down and noticed for the first time that the characters she's writing are of Senbonzakura. Shit! I wrote it unconsciously! The name of his zanpakuto is the one I always used to write. Will he ask? Does he know already? Nanami looked at Byakuya when he started to walk back his seat. Thank God, he didn't ask anything. She didn't know that her husband is already suspecting.
Karin wrote down as furiously as Nanami did in her Kido class. She made sure that she got all the words right, but unlike Nanami, she didn't recite the words and just concentrated on copying.
Ashikaga looked at the girl and sighed with relief. It looks like there will be no disaster that will happen today. He grimaced. But what about tomorrow? We will be trying the spells on the Kido grounds. He sighed. "Okay class, copy the remaining spells and start memorizing them tonight. We will practice the on the training grounds tomorrow."
Karin wrote the remaining spells in her notebook neatly, and carefully labeling them. Then she stands up to go to her next class. Why walking down the hallways, she remembered what happened during lunch.
"Nanami, are you okay now?"
"Yup, good as new. Where should we eat Karin-chan?" Nanami followed behind Karin.
"I don't know, let's look somewhere over there." Karin looked at the place when she heard Nanami yelped. She looked back and saw Ono behind Nanami.
"Oh sorry, miss. We were just passing through. Next time don't stand in the way. Come on, girls, there are free seats over there." Ono said. She and her henchmen laughed as they walked away.
"Karin-chan, let them go." Nanami stopped the girl who looks like she wanted to kill Ono. "I'm not hurt."
Karin sighed. "Let's go on the other way." And she starts walking to the other direction where Ono and her friends go.
Karin inhaled and exhaled a couple of times before she could control her temper. She saw Ono and her girls looking and laughing at her way again. What did I do to them?! She entered the room after she glared at Ono.
Higuchi looked at Kurosaki Karin. Hmmm… she's already made enemies. He looked amused as he gave each student his or her practice swords. "We will be going to the training grounds today! Tomorrow, I'll tell you how to perform konso and talk to your zanpakutos. Now follow me to the training hall."
"I want you to swing 200 times. Go on, start." He watched as his students began on awkwardly using their practice swords. Hmmm… I see some potential on this year's first class. His eyes shifted to Karin. "Karin, spar with me. The others, continue."
Karin looked at her sensei. She was bowing when Higuchi suddenly attacked. She reflexively blocked the attack and sent another one of her own. Higuchi smiled, and continue to attack. She swung the practice sword and began a chant on her head. The best defense is attacking, and the best attack is defense. She maneuvered her sword and grazed her sensei's left cheek, then forcefully sent his sword out of his hand. This time Higuchi grinned. "You passed, Karin. You'll start attending the third year's Zanjutsu class starting tomorrow."
"Hah? But Higuchi-sensei…" Karin stopped and completed her bow from a while ago. "Hai, sensei!" Then she went back to swinging her sword again. The others who stopped followed her example. Ono's eyes narrowed at the Kurosaki girl.
Karin got out of the Academy early. She didn't go to her optional class anymore because the room was already packed when she got there. There were 32 students in Class 1, and there are more boys than girls. Who are those other girls? Karin shrugged and decided to sit in the stair steps where she sat the morning after her exam. But of course, she was bored easily. She got up and walked down the stairs. She bowed down in front of her, and started doing some karate moves, and after that was taekwondo, and then she mixed the two martial arts.
Toshiro arrived in front of the Academy, and was mesmerized as he watched Karin practice her moves. When the girl was done with her routine and bowed in front of her invisible foe, he smiled and called her. "Karin."
A/N: Kyaaa! You must be wondering why the cliffie again. I'm typing for almost five hours now, and if you want another chapter later I need to take a nap.
Thank you to the following: BloodyMe, NaLuNaruHinaluvr23, Libiky, Xingnai, Kagome Echizen Fan, henshin7, finchyyy, KumiTiny, rebel.17, ShadowWolf62400, cris08.1991, Dotted-Daffodil, KorPa, Meganlei, CalaverasandTattoos, Ziya Hitsugaya, ArtemisKirara7, CrazyMeowRager, Didd23, purpleswans, Mituni14.
Finchyyy and KumiTiny: The next chapter will contain the talked. I just need to rest my eyes a bit.
Purpleswans: You are very right. She will be pressured because it's not only the teachers who will be watching her every move but also her classmates and the captains. She'll be subjected to- okay; I'll stop there. Read the future chapters to know what will happen…
I'm doing happy dance right now, with so many followers and favorites, and nice reviews… I promise a second chapter later! Because of your reviews, I'll give you The talk.
*Haiku information found in Write-a-Haiku-Poem
*Bakudo- way of binding
*Hado- way of destruction
*Kaido- turn way