I do not own Bleach.

"AND STOP!" Sakura stood motionless as her Zanjutsu instructor spoke loudly from the front of the class. "DO YOU CALL THIS MISH MASH OF SWINGS A PRACTICE? DO YOU WANT TO GET KILLED ON YOUR FIRST MISSION AGAINST A HOLLOW?"

"NO SIR!" The class replied together. Every single student was frozen in whatever spot they had been caught in when the teacher had yelled.

Sakura held her bokken steady as the teacher walked passed her. She noticed other students struggling to stay balanced. This was her third week at the academy and she had already gotten moved up to the 4th year Zanjutsu class. Apparently her lack of practice in it wasn't out of place here.

"Ooff!" Sakura held her breath as a student a few rows behind her loss balance and fell. She saw other students roll their eyes and brace themselves.

"WHAT IN SEVEN HELLS ARE YOU DOING ON THE FLOOR HIKATE!" Sakura knew this meant a longer wait frozen in the pose she was in. She just wished the other students could hold it together as long as she could. "DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A FIRST YEARS CLASS?!" She heard the teacher sigh at his own comment. "To think the standards around here have dropped so much lately. If things went my way you all would be back in 1st Year. This exercise is not that difficult!" The teacher growled as he made his way back tot eh front of the class. "GO GET YOUR OWN SWORDS. WE ARE GOING TO PRACTICE WITH STEEL FROM NOW ON."

Sakura moved with the rest of the class to put the wooden swords back with the others and then to the shelves were all of the student's things were. She slid Muso-ku into her belt and stood in her spot again.

"NOW LETS TRY THAT AGAIN. BUT BECAUSE I DONT WANT ANYONE FALLING ON THEIR OWN BLADES, SPREAD YOURSELVES OUT MORE." The teacher watched as his students spread out more in his class room. "FROM THE BEGINNING. ONE..."

Sakura tuned out most of the room and focused on getting the steps to the exercise right. She could feel her muscles burn under the new weight of her blade.

'This is no toy.' Sakura repeated what she had heard in her theory class earlier that day. 'And since this is no toy, it should feel heavier. Because this isn't a game, this is a tool that decides fate. The fate of innocent pluses, monstrous hollows, and sometimes even your fellow shinigami. The weight tells you how much of a responsibility you have as a shinigami.'

"ENOUGH!" Sakura froze in her movements before standing up straight and returning her blade to its sheath. She looked towards the teacher with the rest of her class. "Now that you have finally finished your warm up, let's move on." Boxes along the edge of the room began to beep and light up. "DON' PANIC YOU PANSIES! These are hollow dummies from 12th squad. We will be practicing on how to purify hollows. SO LINE UP!"

Sakura got in line at the dummy nearest her. She watched as other students went at the hollow. Some were batted away and yelled at by the teacher. While others were successful in destroying the dummy's mask.

She took a deep breath as she stepped up for her turn. Sakura drew her blade and faced the hollow. Once it's eyes turned red she lunged forward. The hollow launched both its arms at her. Sakura rolled forwards and brought her sword up. She cut the hollow's mask clean in half from the bottom down.

Sakura let out her held breath as she sheathed her blade and walked away from the dummy. She stood in a group with the rest of the students that succeeded in defeating the dummy.

"How are you holding up, Suzaku-san?" Sakura smiled at one of her fellow classmates. Jichikuro Hiro smiled happily at the youngest student in his class.

Sakura returned Hiro's smile with one of her own. "I'm doing alright, Jichikuro-kun. 4th year is definitely more intense than 3rd year. I couldn't even practice with my zanpakuto in that class." Sakura patted Muso-ku lovingly. It felt so right to have her at her side.

Hiro nodded as he looked back over the rest of the class. "Everyone seems to be slacking because it's the last day before our last break of the term." He cringed as a classmate got knocked away by a dummy.

"I can't wait for this break. And it's for two weeks!" Sakura was glad she would actually enjoy this break. The other ones have been spent catching up with her classmates.

"ALRIGHT THATS ENOUGH FOOLING AROUND!" The teacher yelled, getting everyone's attention. "Now then, your theory teacher tells me that all of you have been thinking about what your zanpakuto's true form is." The teacher began pacing the front of the room. "Well," he stopped and looked at the class. "STOP IT! You don't know what it will be till you find out from your zanpakuto. But I agree with Kenochi-Sensei that practice with different weapons will be useful. So, since none of you seem to be paying attention, we will be practicing with the special bokken."

The class cheered as a whole, but quickly quieted when the teacher glared at them. "Now then, in an orderly fashion, go pick a bokken."

All of the students rushed towards the rack of special bokken. But Sakura stayed back and looked towards the teacher. She tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, Kurokami-Sensei?"

"What is it, Suzaku-san?" Kurokami looked down at one of his most promising student. The girl was very gifted.

"Umm...could I...practice with my zanpakuto...on my own?" Sakura didn't like the idea of using a bokken that was shaped like Muso-ku. She didn't see the point, because they wouldn't weigh the same.

Kurokami eyed the girl critically. "You saying you have shikai?" Kurokami guessed that was true. The girl seemed to treat her zanpakuto like a friend. Rather than something that would become her power. "Show me."

Sakura bowed to her teacher before stepping a bit of a ways away. She faced a source of light so their was a shadow behind her. She drew her sword in front of her and held it straight down. She let it tilt and began spinning it in front of her. "Open The Sky Up And Start A Fire," She spun her blade through her shadow as it began to glow red. "Muso-ku." Sakura smiled as her zanpakuto came out in it different form from her shadow.

Sakura let the dream catcher touch the floor and let the shaft of her zanpakuto rest against her shoulder. She looked to her left and smiled as she saw her reflection in the blade of her scythe.

"Amazing." Sakura looked around at her classmates. They were all staring at her with amazement. "Is it made of wood?" Sakura looked towards her Sensei as he examined her shikai.

"It feels like it. But it is as hard as tempered steel." Sakura smiled as she ran a hand over Muso-ku's shikai form. She didn't get a chance to release her that often. Especially since certain conditions had to be met for her to release. "So, can I go practice on my own?"

"How about we see how good you are with your zanpakuto?" Kurokami smirked as an idea came to mind. "DOES ANYONE WANT TO TEST THEIR SKILLS AGAINST SUZAKU-SAN!"

Sakura looked around at her classmates. They all seemed hesitant, well not all. "I'll challenge her!" Hiro smiled as he handed another student his bokken and drew his sword. "I'm guessing first blood rule applies?"

"Good on you Jichikuro-san. And yes, it's first blood. And preferably no major arteries. We don't need to be rushing people to the hospital before break." Kurokami smirked as his top students faced each other. "Ready! GO!"

Sakura brought her zanpakuto up and blocked Hiro's sword. She took her right hand off and spun out of the way. She grabbed her zanpakuto again and attacked Hiro's back with her blade. Hiro blocked Sakura's blade and leaned back, kicking her over him. Sakura landed and blocked Hiro's attack using her dream catcher as a shield. She placed her dream catcher on the ground and then lifted herself up fully off the ground and kicked Hiro in the stomach with both feet. She planet both her feet on the ground and continued spinning. She clipped Hiro's blade out of his hand on her first spin. On her second spin her blade was pressed against Hiro's neck with a single drop of blood running down its length.

Sakura smiled as she pulled her blade away from her classmate's neck. "Looks like I win."

"Yeah. It does." Hiro took several breaths as he watched Sakura back away from him. He had thought she was going to take his head off. She certainly seemed capable of it.

Kurokami relaxed his grip on his zanpakuto. He could have sworn he felt killing intent coming form the girl. But she was always smiling and happy, how could something so demonic come from her. "ALRIGHT PANSIES! That's enough for today. GET OUT!"

Sakura bowed with the rest of her class before she dropped Muso-ku into her shadow. A katana with bright red handle wrappings jumped out from her shadow. Sakura happily grabbed her zanpakuto and sheathed it.

She walked over to Hiro with a smile on her face. "Thank you for the spar Jichikuro-kun. It was so much-"

"Stay away from me." Sakura stopped and stared at Hiro after his words. "We are never sparing again. And stay away from me, demon." Hiro remembered Sakura's face as she moved to deliver the final blow. She had no emotion, even on her first strike she had a smile on her face, but as she turned to take his life, she was a demon that could kill anything.

Sakura watched Hiro as he walked away from her. She looked at her other classmates, but the only thing she saw in their faces...was fear. She looked down at her zanpakuto with a sad face. 'Are we a demon?'

'Well one of us could be.' Sakura felt a smile tug on her lips at Tsubaki's comment. 'Let's get out of here. The smell of fear is awful.'

Sakura collected her bag and quickly headed back to her room.

Sakura walked into her room and quickly set about getting changed. She smiled at her roommate as she walked passed her into the bathroom. "How was your day, Hikari-chan?" Sakura pulled her hair out of it's ponytail and set about braiding it.

"It was fine. So glad it is over." Hikari smiled as she fixed her kimono over her chest. "How was yours? Do you think they will change your schedule again after the break? That seems to be the norm." Hikari was really getting used to her roommate. She was too enthusiastic when she first found out she had a roommate, but Sakura was a great person.

"Maybe." Sakura bit her lip as she walked over to her suitcase and closed it up. "I might have scared my Zanjutsu class. And I think they now see me as some demon out for their blood." She noticed Hikari was pulling a face similar to hers.

Hikari was concerned for the girl. "Yeah, that may not be a good thing. But maybe they will move you up again. Then you get to meet new classmates...again." Hikari already had the girl in some of her theory classes and her Hakuda class.

"Thanks for the encouragement." Sakura shut her bag and sighed heavily. "You staying here for break again?"

"Yep. Don't want to deal with the parents. They will just try to have me meet with more men." Hikari chuckled as she kicked her feet up onto her desk. "You would think that they would give up trying to marry me off once I got into the academy. But hey, they just want to better their social standings."

Sakura picked up her bag and started walking for the door. "I'll see you in two weeks then. Bye Hikari-chan!" Sakura called over her shoulder as she walked out the door and towards the entrance of the academy.

Sakura looked around the large courtyard she was in. Several shinigami were rushing about with stacks of papers in their hands. None of them seemed to notice the confused girl looking around.

"Sakura!" Sakura turned to see who had called her name. She smiled as her eyes found a spiky head of blue hair. "How you been kid?"

"Grimm-nii!" Sakura threw her arms around Grimmjow and hugged him tightly. "It's good to see you. And I'm almost the same height as you! Why am I still a kid?"

"Because I'm older than you, kid." Grimmjow smirked as Sakura fixed him with a mild glare. "You look a bit lost. Need some help?"

Sakura scratched the back of her head. "Maybe a bit of help."

Grimmjow let out a bark of laughter. "You could navigate your way around the labyrinth called Los Noches, but you can't find your way around a shinigami city?"

"Hey! I spent a lot of time just wandering around Los Noches. I haven't had much time to wander around here." Sakura looked at Grimmjow with a harder glare as her hands came to rest on her hips. "And I found my way here at least. I just don't know where to find my parents."

"Try their office." Grimmjow began walking passed Sakura. He picked up her bag as he went. "Come on."

"You really became a responsible officer Grimm-nii." Sakura followed with a smile on her face.

"Well, I am now 5th Espada." Grimmjow smirked at Sakura's face. She looked completely shocked. "Since we intend on getting rid of Aizen's Espadas, we decided to keep the Espada titles so we don't have to worry about it later. Now we just have to work on filling our ranks."

"So you went from 6th to 5th? That's not that big of a change." Sakura tries to remember who had what number in Aizen's Espadas, but she had a hard time remembering. 'Oh well.' Sakura shrugged as they continued down more halls.

Several minutes passed before they came to a set of doors that was open with people come into and going from it. Grimmjow led her inside the large office and set her bag down by a desk that was covered in a mountain of paperwork. "Wow. That's bigger than Starrk's stack." Grimmjow was just glad he had already finished his paperwork for the morning. But he guessed there would be more on his desk when he got back to it.

"It's because he puts it off till last minute." A feminine voice came from behind a tall stack of papers that was moving towards the door. Several other shinigami came and took small stacks from the large pile and rushing back out the door. "But that's how he has always been with paperwork. And he wonders why he hates it." Nanao smiled as the last of the papers in her hands was taken away.

Grimmjow let a smirk cover his lips again. "Well then, I should get back to work. See ya later, Sakura." Grimmjow hugged Sakura before he headed out the door.

Sakura giggled as she heard a muffled complaint coming from the paper covered desk. "I guess I get my homework savviness is from mom."

Nanao laughed with her daughter as she gave her a hug. "Yep. Although your father can get work done when he puts his mind to it." Nanao kissed her daughter's head before she went back to her own desk. "How is school going?"

"Pretty good. I'm now in 6th year Hakuda, 4th year Zanjutsu, and all of my theory classes have moved up to 6th year as well. And I no longer have to be in Hoho or Kido classes, but I still like listening to the theory classes." Sakura leaned on her mother's desk. It was a long walk from the academy to their office. "But I think I might get moved up again."

"Why do you say that?" Nanao asked as she waved a messenger in.

The messenger bowed to Nanao but kept walking straight towards Shunsui's desk. He walked around to the back and vanished from Nanao's sight.

"Just something that happened in class." Sakura shrugged as she watched her mother walk over to her father's curiously followed her mother over to her father's desk. She found them both staring at a sheet of paper. "Something wrong?"

Shunsui's looked over at his daughter then back at the report. He sighed as he dropped the sheet on his desk. "Looks like we have work to do Nanao-chan."

Nanao squeezed Shunsui's shoulder supportively. "At least I will have help with the baby's room. I'll take her home and talk to her while you fill out the paperwork. And I would suggest 8th."

Shunsui's nodded in agreement with his wife. He picked up the sheet of paper again as his wife and daughter left the paper filled office.

Sakura looked at her mother as they walked. "So, what were you and dad talking about?" Sakura was still trying to figure out what was on at sheet of paper. She guessed it had something to do with her. Did she get suspended from the academy? Was that even possible?

"I'll tell you once we get home." Nanao wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders, or at least the best she could since her daughter was taller than her.

Sakura sighed and stayed quiet as they continued to walk. They walked in silence for about ten minutes before they stopped in front of a large gate. "Home." Sakura whispered with a smile as two guards opened the gate and let them in.

"I still can't believe dad got you a house as a wedding gift." Sakura shook her head thinking of the story her father had told her about the house. His family didn't approve of him marrying her mother, so he built himself a house and said he was moving out to live with his wife.

Nanao laughed thinking of the things Shunsui did for her. "The house was one of his reasonable gifts. I believe I still have a few boxes full of other gifts he has given me. Many of which I still cringe at."

Sakura laughed as she followed her mother inside the house. "I'm going to put my bag in my room. I'll meet you at the baby's room" Sakura walked down the hall as her mother stopped at a door.

Sakura slid the door open to her room and stepped inside. She put her bag down beside her futon and stretched. 'It feels good being home.'

"Kya!" Sakura was instantly out of her room and running down the hall towards her mother's scream. She got through the door and let out a sigh as she saw who was attacking her mother. "Rangiku! Don't scare me like that!" Nanao placed a hand over her heart to try and slow it down.

Rangiku smiled as her friend tried to stay mad at her. "Sorry sorry. I was hoping to surprise Sakura-chan actually. But I guess I found the wrong Kyoraku-chan." Rangiku giggled as she walked over to the academy student. "It's great to see you again!" Rangiku pulled he girl into a crushing hug.

Sakura held her breath as Rangiku squeezed the life out of her. She took a deep breath after she let her go. "It's good to see you too Rangiku-san." The woman had declared herself Sakura's godmother as soon as she had met her. Sakura really liked the strawberry blond. "So what brings you over here other than to say hi?"

Rangiku smiled at Sakura's insight. "Well, I heard this interesting rumor while I was passing other academy students. I was wondering if you could confirm it for me." Rangiku waited till she got a nod from the brunet. "I heard that there is a monster at the academy. They say it carries a scythe and goes by the name God of Death."

Nanao and Sakura shared a look. Nanao noticed Sakura's saddened look and decided to change the conversation. "I heard someone beat the record for quickest graduation."

"Really?" Rangiku hadn't heard that rumor. "Did Kyoraku-kun get paperwork about that?"

Nanao nodded as she watched Sakura look at her with surprise. "Something like that."

Sakura didn't know if she should believe her mother or not. Could she really be graduating early?

"Well, rumors aside, we need to get going if we are going to make it to the activity." Rangiku giggled loudly as she pulled the two shinigami outside so they could leave.

"Activity? What activity?" Sakura looked from Rangiku to her mother.

Nanao smiled as she followed Rangiku. "An SWA activity of course. And you can be my guest. What is the activity Rangiku? I'm afraid I've missed quite a few meetings."

"Don't worry you aren't in trouble for that." Rangiku recognized a bit of worry on the vice-president of the SWA's face. "And today's activity is finding dresses for the New Years Eve Party."

Sakura couldn't help the sign that escaped her lips. "Why does it have to be shopping?"

"Why did you have to get your mother's attitude about shopping?" Rangiku whined as she heard Sakura's complaint. "Your father would be excited about this."

"Then maybe you should take him." Nanao commented under her breath.

"Take me where?" All three women jumped at Shunsui's sudden entrance. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to startle all of you." Shunsui smiled as he wrapped his arms around Nanao. He pressed a kiss to her head as she leaned into him. "So where is Rangiku-chan taking my beautiful girls?"

"Just a little shopping trip." Rangiku giggled as she watched her best friend and drinking buddy cuddle.

"Maybe another time Rangiku-san." Sakura smiled as she watched her parents. "I think dad wants some family time."

Rangiku smiled as she looked from Sakura to her parents. Nanao and Shunsui seemed to be lost in their own land. "I think your right." Rangiku gave Sakura a hug. "I'll let the others know."

Sakura smiled as Rangiku left her and her parents alone in their backyard. She looked over and rolled her eyes. "Get a room already." Sakura laughed as she walked passed her parents.

"Not so fast." Shunsui grabbed his daughter and pulled her into a hug. "I think we have some things to discuss." Shunsui looked over at his wife, she was giving him a look as she untangled herself from his arms. He sighed realizing his wife was leaving it to him.

"I'm going to go see how dinner is going while you two talk." Nanao hugged Sakura as she passed her. "I think this is a father daughter talk. One of many I hope."

Sakura was confused. She looked form her mother over to her father. "What's she talking about?" Sakura saw a look on her father's face that she hadn't really seen before, it looked serious. "Dad?"

"Why don't we go for a walk?" Shunsui led his daughter towards the gardens. They walked for a little while before he spoke up. "I got a report on what happened in your Zanjutsu class."

"Oh. You did?" Sakura knew this wasn't going to be anything good. It usually never was when a teacher talks to your parents.

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad. Let's talk about your zanpakuto for a second. I haven't heard much about it." Shunsui could feel the tension and worry in his daughter's reiatsu. He could also see it starting to affect some of the flowers, they were wilting a bit. "Tell me about it."

"Can I show you?" Sakura didn't feel ashamed of her zanpakuto, but she also wasn't sure if she should be so open with revealing it.

"I would love to see it." Shunsui smiled as he gave his daughter some room to release her zanpakuto.

Sakura drew her katana as she looked at the sun then her shadow. "My zanpakuto is a little picky on releasing her. She likes popping out of shadows." Sakura spun her zanpakuto lazily in her hands. "Open The Sky Up And Start A Fire," Sakura passed her zanpakuto through her shadow, "Muso-ku."

Shunsui stared in awe at his daughter's zanpakuto. It looked like it was grown from a tree. It was taller than her and looked every bit a dangerous weapon. "I know very well how picky zanpakutos can be with being released." Shunsui approached his daughter while he laid a hand on his own zanpakuto. "Katen Kyokotsu here doesn't like to be released unless she wants to play."

Sakura giggled at her father's stubborn zanpakuto. "Seems like ours are very similar." Sakura spun her zanpakuto around and set it down with the blade on the ground. "Muso-ku is also very helpful with my kido. She can also catch and throw kido back at my opponents."

Shunsui chuckled as she described some of her zanpakuto's abilities. "Sounds like you also have some similarities with your mother. Her zanpakuto helps her with her kido. She also said something about you both traveling through a shadow world."

Sakura could see her father knew something she didn't. "Yeah. Muso-ku showed me it. But I'm still not that good and getting into the shadow world."

"I'll try and help you with that." Shunsui saw his daughter look at him with confusion again. "One Katen Kyokotsu's abilities is traveling through the shadow world. Although that is usually while playing Kageoni."

Sakura spun her zanpakuto and rested it against her shoulder. "Well I haven't been able to practice with her much. So I think some help would be very much appreciated."

"Well I don't want you to be unprepared when you report to your squad next week." Shunsui watched as his daughter looked at him with surprise and happiness. He liked seeing she had his love for surprises.

"Really!?" Sakura couldn't help but run up and hug her father. She made sure not to hit him with Muso-ku. "This is so exciting." Sakura let go of him and jumped with happiness. "What squad am I in? Do I get to pick? Or does a squad pick me? How should I do my hair?"

Shunsui placed his hands in his daughter's shoulders to stop her before she asked a million questions. "Calm down. Usually you would get to pick a squad, but in light of everything that has happened to you, and certain traits you have, I have picked a squad for you."

"Okay...what squad?" Sakura guessed it wasn't 13th squad. She doubted her father would allow that. And she also heard about other squads her father probably wouldn't put her in. So she was curious about what squad she was going to be in.

"8th squad. My old squad." Shunsui smiled as Sakura nodded at his choice. "They aren't too strict, even with Ichigo-kun as their Taichou. And I'm sure Lisa-chan would love to have you there. And she won't treat you as my daughter, she will treat you as a squad member."

"Sounds fantastic. Thanks dad." Sakura held her zanpakuto over her shadow and dropped it. It jumped back into her hand as a normal katana. "She is also picky about how she gets sealed."

Shunsui chuckled as he led his daughter back to the house. "I'm sure Lisa-chan will tell you lots of stories about how stubborn zanpakutos can be. As well as their shinigami."

Sakura smiled as she walked beside her father. "Maybe she can also tell me stories about you and mom." Sakura laughed as she saw her father's worried face. "I am so asking now. Judging by the look on your face there are some good stories." Sakura ducked under her father's arms as she ran towards the house.

"What are you two up to now?" Nanao watched as her daughter and husband ran around each other.

"Nanao-chan, our daughter is being devious. She is going to ask Lisa-chan for stories about us." Shunsui whined to his wife as he tried to catch his daughter. Her shunpo was very advanced.

Nanao laughed at her husband's complaint. "She can't have that many bad stories." Nanao noticed a shocked look on Shunsui's face. Nanao tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I will have to listen in on some of those stories."

Sakura laughed as her dad whined about his girls being mean to him. Her mother was also laughing at her father's hilarious antics. 'This feels like home.'

'This is home.' Sakura nodded to Tsubaki's confirmation. 'But if he keeps whining like that you may be short another annoying dad.' Tsubaki's laughed as Sakura pictured her dad still whining while he fought her hollow. 'On second thought just make him shut up. Whining while fighting is not fun.'

Sakura watched as her mother calmed down her father. 'Home...'

Another chapter done. And sorry if you guys wanted more bits at the academy. I just thought that getting on with what Aizen has planned would be better. I don't really want to make this fic longer than it has to be. I'm well known for dragging out stories.

Let me know what you thought of the chapter.