Sorry for my long absence. I know I'm a slacker, I repent. Though now it is time for the exam to begin! They don't know that though. Have fun reading for that's why ya are here right? Please tell me what you think.

Disclaimer: I own none of this or else this would be canon and I would be rich and my armada would have sailed long ago...

Previously

"Of course Kuchiki-San. Here you go." At that he handed us a form. At the top was the words born in soul society. After was some basic questions like; name- first and last, age, birth date, etc. then there was the not so basic questions; favorite food and strong suits, are you a leader or a follower and what kidos do you know?

After filling out the form a woman in onmitsukido uniform lead us to a garden where people of all looking ages milled about.

NOW

Okay not what I was expecting. "How about we head in that direction." I tilted my head trying to convey confusion. Apparently I conveyed that well. "There's a big tree off to that side. We can climb the branches to see what's going on and also we can avoid the stares we are getting." I look around and noticed that yes we are being stared at. Man my senses are dulling. Also, yes there is a big tree or rather a giant heather tree, the area we where allowed in was also blocked off by rows of holly trees. As I looked around I noticed the difference between outside and in here, the most obvious being everyone in here was calm as if they had already passed. I grabbed onto Byakuya stopping him from going further.

"What is it?" I pulled out my pad and wrote my observations down for him to read. As he read his brows scrunched together giving him an almost child like appearance that I thought was impossible for him, it was kinda cute... Weird. Anyway I turned my sketch pad around and wrote 'notice the difference between inside and outside the gate.' As Byakuya read his eyes grew wide and he swiveled his head around.

Byakuya stumbled over his words. "How? Wha-? WHY?" To answer 'heather can mean healing or immortality, but in this case I think it's right of passage and holly trees mean protection and overcoming anger.'

At that Byakuya finally looked like his older self with a blank look. "Why in the world do you know that?" At that we kept staring at each other till I shrugged and moved towards the corner of the grounds where I noticed that instead of a holly tree was an elder tree. The reason I knew the meaning of different things was because, during the war we had to revert to the old ways to protect ourselves, mainly imbuing reiatsu into diffrent object with an intent but the intent had to match the symbolism of the object. You could say that it's like people's love potions. They imbue reiatsu which they think is 'magic' into a red rose and crush it into powder adding in some apple juice. Sooo. Ya.

I was interrupted from my musing when a hand reached for my back, without turning a grabbed the hand and flipped the person over my hand. In this I felt justified considering my back was facing the elder tree with maybe a couple of inch difference. Thus impossible to get behind me. As the person landed five things happened, one- Byakuya jumped at least four feet into the air. Two- The person I threw leaped at my throat. Three- Another one came up behind me grabbing for my braided hair. Four- I was definently thanking Kukaku-Nee-San for forcing me to braid my hair because, that made it easier to move out of the way. Five- a whistle was blown from over head.

*Byakuya*

I was dumbstruck "Why in the world do you know that?" I mean lets get real not even my father would know the meaning behind trees, why would he. So I looked, and stared and stared some more at Ichigo till finally he looked as if he'll give me an answer. But no, I got a shrug as he turned around. I fell, got up and followed well flattening my kimono. "Ichigo, that is some really random knowledge. Why would you need to know that. Ichigo, Ichig-Ahh!" A loud thud occupying a person hitting the floor in front of me caused me to scream. Immediately after was a load whistle, the combined sounds of both silenced the already whispered words, half the yard looking at us, the other half looking up.

What the hell was a person doing on- never mind not on the floor but with a sword to Ichigo's throat and Ichigo's hand around their neck, I say their because, they where covered head to toe in poofy cloaks, same as the person behind Ichigo one hand at his mid back the other above Ichigo's head Palm facing towards him with Ichigo's hand holding his wrist.

I was startled out of my head by the sound of clapping from above. "Bravo, bravo boy." At that the clapping stopped and a woman stood at my side, no not woman but the Vice-Captain of squad 12, Koguma-fukutaicho, following behind her was Shinjiki-Sensei and a plain faced man with short black hair and no facial expressions what so ever. Oh wait scratch that, that is a woman. "Since you seem so keen on fighting how about you go first then. Ne? Although the first test is a pair thing, soooo." The fukutaicho turned to face us. "Who would like to volunteer, after all no partner means automatic failure." Upon hearing this I raised my hand for I was sure Ichigo would do the same for me. Weird considering I had just met the guy no more than ten minutes ago, but I feel as if he is... I don't know, just ment to be.

"Ooo yay my first victim actually volunteered!" The Fukutaicho turned around-she's making me dizzy- and yelled, "RAISE MY STAGE! GRAB MY POTIONS!" At that I was worried. Potions. "You two get on the stage. QUICKLY!" And quickly we did, me scared for my life well only looking a little worried and Ichigo being as expressionless as ever. "Good, good. Don't move!" At that she grabbed a random vial and tossed it at our feet causing a giant royal blue cloud of smoke to billow over us. At that all went black and all heard was the cackling of a mad man... Woman.

Again sooo sorry for the wait. And I must ask what. Should the potion do to them? Well Tata for now and please review. I thank you for reading. Also, no this isn't a cross over Koguma-Fukutaicho just likes to make weird things like Kisuke but she leans more towards the organic side instead of metal like Kisuke. I was thinking this would be where Kisuke got inspiration for the Shinigami Research and Development Institute that he creates.