***Oh, and I don't own bleach.***

Chapter 9: Test Anxiety

Instructor Sasaki lead Keigo's group down a narrow corridor to a medium sized classroom. There he asked everyone to take their seats. He had two assistants waiting. Both happened to be pretty young women. He said something to the blond (actually it looked more like he was nibbling her ear), she blushed then gathered up a stack of papers.

She went down the first row handing a stack to the student on the end asking that person to take one and pass the rest down. Keigo was in the last row. The pretty blond handed him a stack. She whispered something in his ear that doesn't bare repeating (The woman apparently was a pervert). He blushed furiously, and felt a tingling in the pit of his stomach. She flashed him some cleavage and caressed his hand. He didn't know weather he was excited of frightened, *Frightened, defiantly! Do you hear that down there!* He subconsciously looked down. The woman was looking where he was. She smiled and winked at him. *Pervert!* Keigo was surprised to hear that word cross his mind. *What in the name of...*

His attention was caught by Sasaki. He cleared his throat, "Attention. Everybody calm down and please take your papers. Turn them over. Good, the first part of your test is pretty simple. Tell us about yourself. I warn you to answer all questions honestly. There is no cheating on this test, the only person to get cheated will be you," The man smirked at them, "Now take your time and answer all questions. When you are finished turn your papers over and lay your pencil down (yes they brought NO. 2 pencils from the living world). This is the only un-timed portion of your test. You may begin now."

Keigo stared dumbly at the paper in front of him. If this test meant the difference between life and death then his existence was not very certain at that moment. You see he hated tests (If you haven't been paying attention), and they seemed to hate him back because he never did well. Of course he had never studied, but in the long run he never thought it would matter. It mattered…a great deal.

The boy soft brown hair now plastered to his face with sweat, hazel (more green then brown) eyes reflecting nervousness. He had his pencil in his hand. Looking down at the paper words ran into words lines blurred. 'I forgot how to read! Gaaa!'

He closed his eyes relaxed, or at least tried to. He opened his eyes and gave a quick glance around the room. Most were already writing answers he had yet to remember how to read. Finally looking at his test again the words came into focus. He recognized the characters his first coherent thought in five minutes,

'What is my name?' A-S-A-N-O, K-E-I-G-O He stilled his shaking hands and began to read. It read more like a questionnaire, or an aptitude test then an entrance examination…

Please answer all questions honestly.

Question 1: do you have strange dreams, or nightmares? If so How often? Is there someone or something with you? Yes, Every night, I think, now more often then before. There is someone who taunts me, He has red eyes. Mostly I forget my dreams.

Question 2: Do you often hear foreign thoughts that don't seem to belong to you or even have a different voice then your internal voice, even a different gender? Does this voice send you warning messages? If so do those warnings come to pass? Yes I, a male voice, warning me of my death. Well I'm dead aren't I?

Question 3: In a dire situation do you ever feel a sudden surge of power? Only once or twice. That I am aware of.

Question 4: What is a hollow's weakest point? The Mask, I think.

Question 5: How many years have you been in the soul society? One Year

Question 6: Have you come across any hollows while here? What was the outcome? Yes, I was rescued by a soul-reaper by the name of Ikkaku Madarame.

Question 7: How often do you need to eat? Are you generally Hungry all the time? I can get by on one meal a day if I have to. I am usually hungry, today I felt to nervous to be hungry.

Question 8: Do you have a zanpaktou, yet? No

Question 9: Do you remember anything besides your name, from your past life? Please list no matter how insignificant. Yes. I made a promise though the actual promise escapes me, I know I promised somebody something right before I died, and I also remember a lot of blood.

Question 10: Do you meditate? No.

Question 11: Do you know any of the details of your own death? If you wish to list the details write below. Not really. Lots of blood.

Question 12: Did you meet a violent end or have a peaceful death? If you do not know the answer leave the question blank. Both. I think.

…Keigo felt he had done his best, he breathed a sigh of relief. He turned his paper over. He looked around and was not surprised that he was one of the last to finish.

"Please pass this part of your exams to the end of your row so my assistant can pick up the papers," He smiled to the blond. She went down the first row. Again stopping at Keigo's desk and flirting shamelessly. She ran her manicured finger up his arm as she took the tests from him. She Walked behind him running her nail across his shoulders. He gave a shudder. He never thought he'd find such attention unpleasant, but she seemed not to give such attentions to anyone else.

She walked around his desk and sauntered up to Sasaki, "Thanks Yasu." His eyes glinted obviously not looking at her face but rather her generous bust. She blushed and cooed at him, but her eyes were stony. Keigo was surprised, her eyes had been cunning and aggressive toward him, but they showed disgust and hate toward the charming teacher. He felt the temperature of the room raise. He was very uncomfortable. He was almost ready to bolt from the room, but again the teacher called the class to attention.

"Reiko will be scoring your tests. Now I must warn you these tests are very important and may help place in an appropriate class. If you were dishonest we will know. Dishonesty equates cheating. Cheaters will be expelled from the school and bared from taking the test for a further ten years. Now..." Long Pause, "Turn over your next test. Simply answer as many questions as you can in the time limit. You have one hour." Keigo Sighed as he looked at the test there must have been over one hundred questions to answer. He chewed the pencil nervously. Then started answering questions, most were simple logic problems. He sucked at logic, but he tried his best. Before he knew it the timer went off and his hour was up, 'At least I answered all most all of the questions.' Again the scary blond collected the tests, she harassed Keigo and then took the tests to the instructor. Keigo felt like he were in a disturbing dream. There was one last test,

"OK class this is the last test for this morning. How many of you know what kidou is?" A few hands shot up. Even Keigo was vaguely aware of it as the young healer had used it on his Granny. His hand shot up unsurely. The teacher nodded, "The final paper is infused with kaido, there are symbols drawn on each paper that I want you to attempt to duplicate. Each individual test is different, so forget about copying a neighbor. You'd get caught anyway," He grinned his nose wrinkled, and Keigo swore the entire female population, except that busty blond, swooned. "Turn your papers over you have one hour to complete this task. Then we'll break for lunch."

'Finally,' Keigo exhaled he was almost done. He turned over his paper and concentrated on it staring intently. He could see nothing however. His eyes crossed with the effort. He was starting to get a headache. He wondered how long it he had left. He dropped his paper on the desk, "Screw this," He muttered. He turned his head to the window. He looked out seeing birds soaring over head. He felt a dose creeping up on him.

'Haimon! Wake up you little shit!' The red eyes shouted at him angrily, 'You will finish what you have started. If you do not then you are going to meet an uglier fate the death!'

'Crap! Could you calm down, red eyes?' Keigo yelled internally.

'Why don't you relax, crap for brains!' The voice inside scolded.

'What does it matter! I can't see it anyway!' Keigo countered.

'Fool! Don't look with your eyes!' The inner spat out.

'What?'

'You heard me! Look without using your eyes!' The spirit shouted, tacking on an, 'Idiot!'

'How the hell am I supposed to do that!'

'Do I have to spell it out for you! You know how you can sense someone's presence? Sense the power that is infused in the paper!'

Keigo thought it couldn't hurt. He let his focus shift. He felt the slight but very real energy coming from the paper. He felt it he herd a faint hum. Then he saw it! Keigo furiously started scribbling down symbols. He got about halfway through the paper. He felt disappointed that he had not gotten further. What he did not realize was that most got less then half. He had drawn each figure correctly. Only one person drew all fifty, and she did not get all of them correct. These papers were handed in the they adjured for lunch. Keigo no longer cared about how well he had done. He was extremely hungry. He met his friends back under the sakura tree then they went off to lunch.