Chapter 4: A Scene Of Learning

BLEACH IS OWNED BY TITE KUBO, HIRO MASHIMA OWNS FAIRY TAIL, I OWN NOTHING

Written by GreatKingRat88. Enjoy and Please feel free to leave a review.

Erza was sitting back on a bench, enjoying the sunlight. It had been almost a month since she beat the bandit lord, and though she had been injured- she didn't even remember how she got back; she had woken up lying in the middle of the village, where she had lain until the villagers had found her, dressed her wounds and put her in a sickbed- she had recovered quickly. Surprisingly quickly, actually- she remembered more and more about what it had been like when she had been human, and bigger injuries generally didn't go away in just a month, unless there was some healing magic around to speed up the process.

Yet here she was, dressed in no bandages aside from the sarashi, the wraps around her chest. And though she still ached in certain places, though she still made sure not to overexert herself, she was, on the whole, fine. Her body was healing, the crisis was averted, the day had been saved, and things were generally peaceful. A ruffian or two had stirred up trouble since then, but just the look of her had scared them away.

Yes, word had spread. She wasn't just Erza Scarlet, one soul among many in her district. She was Erza Scarlet, the protector who broke the great warlord Amatsuki. People knew her name now, and there was word from other villages- people asking her to put out this and that fire, chase out bandits, fight hollows, find lost cats…

And while it was very, very busy work if she replied to it- so far, she had cited health- it didn't feel wrong. Being appreciated for doing the right thing, protecting those who needed it, it felt… right. It was something she'd done before, when she was alive, she was sure of it. It was like it was who she was meant to be.

Erza's quiet reflections were interrupted, as she sensed two sources of spirit energy- pretty significant ones at that. She frowned, looking down the street. Through the village gates, she could see four people walking in. All of them wore black- the same dye of black that she knew shinigami wore. And all of them carried swords at their sides, long blades, and they carried themselves with the confident gait of soldiers. Making sure that her pipe was within arm's reach, Erza stood up, waiting for them to get closer. Not that she really expected them to attack- but you never knew, and it was better to be safe than to be sorry.

As they came closer, she got a better look. The man in the lead had greying hair, broad shoulders, and his face gave her a very down-to-business kind of expression. At his side, she saw a short fellow with sand blond hair, a muscular, balding man, and- well, the fourth one she knew. Shinpachi.

Erza relaxed herself a bit. He was a decent sort, as far as she knew; he had sent her that medic like he promised, helped her back then…

Still, no cause not to be cautious. Deciding to not let herself be intimidated or impressed by these new arrivals, she assumed what she hoped was a casual pose, while keeping her eyes fixed on the approaching shinigami.

Finally, all four of them stood before her. There was a tense silence, neither she nor the grey-haired leader willing to speak up first. Finally, she said,

"What's your business here?"

"I am Konjiro Tokiku. Sixth division, eighth seat, as well as in charge of recruitment."

"Is that so?" Erza said. Well, at least they weren't hostile- probably.

"It is." Konjiro said. "We've heard of you, Erza Scarlet. The Gotei Thirteen is not uninterested in a soul capable of beating a class five hollow to death- or singlehandedly overthrowing a warlord, for that matter. You have potential- but it's raw and untempered."

"So I should join with you lot?" Erza said. Something about the idea irritated her. She knew of the Gotei only what the villagers had told her- and it wasn't very flattering.

"You would get the chance to hone your skills to perfection, under good pay, while serving a good cause. Is there something objectionable about that?"

"You know," Erza said resolutely, "as far as 'good causes' go, I think I'm all right here. When that hollow came, none of your people were here. People died, and God knows how many more would have if I hadn't been there. As for money- well, I don't need it."

That last part wasn't entirely true. She and the village both could use more of it- they weren't dirt poor, but they were far from rich.

"You should think carefully." Konjiro said, and there was a funny look on his face. "This is a good offer- not a lot of people get sought out like this either."

"Well, doesn't that just make me special?" Erza said, almost sarcastically. "And what if I just say no?"

"You may not want to find out." He said, and there was something about his tone- just a slight change in his voice, subtle but obviously present. "We can offer you much- I think it could be safe to say that, in time, you would deeply regret turning the Gotei down."

"Is that so?" Erza said coldly, balling her fists. Quickly, she glanced down at her iron pipe. Easy enough to reach…

And as if Konjiro had read her mind, he casually put a hand on his sword. Not on the hilt, as if he were about to draw it, but on the sheath- innocent enough, but it spoke volumes to her.

"Senpai, please," Shinpachi said hastily, taking a step forward. "Let me talk to her."

Konjiro glared at him. "Don't get full of yourself, boy."

"Let me try." He said insistently. "I know her from before, remember? More flies with honey, you know?"

Konjiro nodded. "As you wish. We'll be waiting by the gates, then." With that, Konjiro turned around, the shinigami following in his tow.

"Shinpachi." Erza said, not sure how to feel. She knew he wasn't a bad person- but she didn't care for the tone of his superior at all.

"Let's sit down." He said gently, gesturing to a bench nearby. Slowly, Erza followed him, and they both sat down.

"You know, that's a nice iron pipe." He began. "You worked wonders with it. But your hands are made for the hilt of a sword- I know it. You're not just any soul who grabbed a blunt instrument, desperately fighting come what may. You're a fighter. A warrior. And warriors, at least here in the Soul Society, should carry swords."

"It's not about me." Erza said, feeling a stubborn need to be contrary rise. Who were these people? What nerve did they have to come to her home, and act like they owned the place?

"No, I suppose not…" Shinpachi said quietly. He looked her in the eyes, and smiled. "It's about the people you want to protect, isn't it?"

Erza nodded. "I… I don't want to sound arrogant, but I'm the strongest around. And there's bandits, hollows, all sorts of things… what would happen if I weren't here?"

"Erza," Shinpachi said solemnly, "you are strong. With training, I am confident that you will be at least a single digit seated officer- and we receive quite a handsome pay check. Protection… it's easy to think of it like standing between people and a monster, sword in hand, but it can take many forms. If you've got money and status, it can go a long way to help people too. If you come far enough, you could even protect multiple villages, and bandits would run scared just knowing an officer would personally come after them if they tried anything. You don't have to give these people up."

"Is that true?" Erza shook her head. "It sounds nice, but I'm not sure… life's not that simple."

"It's true it wouldn't be as easy as it were if you were here all the time." Shinpachi nodded. "But in the long run, if you achieve your full potential, the good you can do means a lot more than the good you can do now. Come with us- train, learn, push yourself past your limits… and maybe even trade that pipe for a sword."

Erza leaned back, staring up into the sky. Training, getting better… there was something about it that felt appealing. She had been strong in life, she was sure of it, and getting better was something she'd always strived for. But still, this was… home, of a kind.

"And if I say no?" This was the crucial question.

Shinpachi sighed. "The Gotei does not like power not under their control. You just beat a warlord- what might you do next?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's not what I think." He said hastily. "But it's the way they view potential threats. It's an order that's a thousand years old, and staying in power that long made policies a bit… paranoid."

"So what could happen?"

"I can't say for sure. But strong people who won't co-operate could easily become an enemy of the Gotei. And enemies of the Gotei… tend to die."

"They could try."

"And they'd succeed." Shinpachi said plainly. "You're strong- but there are people who could mop the floor with you like you'd beat down a little kid."

"So why would I want to join people like those?"

"Because there are good people there, too. Because you can do a lot of good, because what we do keeps the worlds in balance… there's a dozen good reasons. The decision is yours, but it will be difficult if you turn us down."

"I'll think about it." Erza said. Stall, stall for time for now- this was uncomfortable enough, coming out of nowhere, and she needed to think.

"All right." Shinpachi nodded, and stood up. "I'll come back tomorrow- is that time enough?"

"Sure." She mumbled.

"All right then. Good luck, Erza-san." And with that, he walked down to the gates, to his companions. His superior did not seem all too happy, but Shinpachi spoke with him, and whatever he said was apparently good enough. Soon, they were all gone from the village, leaving a confused, irritated Erza. Just an hour ago, things had been fine. They had been dandy before these… shinigami had decided to just walk in here like they owned the place- like they owned her. And now she had a choice to make, and there was no getting away from it. Trying to shake her bad mood off, she went back into the house, where old man Kitsu was sitting, doing nothing in particular. Some sagely advice would be nice right now, and although the old man was not sagely per se, he would just have to do.

Erza sat down, and apparently her mood was not well masked; before long Kitsu spoke up:

"Is something the matter, dear child?"

"No." She shook her head. "Well, yes- there were some shinigami here just now, and they want me to join them, and there's kind of an 'or else' attached to the offer."

"Oh dear." Getsu said, frowning, and his wrinkled face got more wrinkled still. "Or else?"

"They said 'difficult'. It would be 'difficult' if I said no. One of them, the one who helped me back then, with the hollow, said they think of people who are strong as enemies- if they're not allies."

Getsu spat, and nodded. "That sounds like them, all right. A bunch of simpleminded thugs who see everything in black and white, that's the shinigami."

"So what do I do? I don't really want to go- but they said I could help you if I did. They said there'd be good money- that that could help you all even more." She paused. "Would it?"

Getsu grumbled, and nodded. "Money can get you a lot of things. Food, tools, even protection." He looked at her, and there was a glimmer in his eye. "Child, listen. You are strong- much stronger than I thought. I never thought anybody out here could kill a monster like that hollow back then, but you managed. I thought the warlord was absolutely powerful, but you knocked him off his throne in an afternoon. You're meant for bigger things than this- and maybe, just maybe, the Gotei Thirteen is the path you need to walk to get there."

Erza blinked. "Didn't you say they were a bunch of simpleminded thugs?"

"Ah, yes- but as much as we hate them for not being here, for protecting nobles more than us- there's still good people there. And more importantly," he said, grinning mischievously, "you could always get as strong as possible- stronger than any of their lot- and then rebel all you please. With training and strength under your belt, I don't think many of them could threaten you."

"That… I hadn't thought about that." Erza said thoughtfully. "Yeah, I could do that- go there, be one of them… and if I don't like them, then to hell with them."

"Good girl." Getsu said happily. "Just don't lose your way- remember who you are, and don't let them tell you who to be."

"I'd never let them." Erza said determinedly. "Thanks, old man- I think I'll have walk. Clear my head some."

"You do that, child." Getsu said.

Erza's walk turned out to be rather long- in fact, it carried her far outside the village, into the now (somewhat) familiar forests. By the time she got back, the moon was high in the sky, and all lay in their beds fast asleep. And all that time, Erza had thought, long and hard, gotten herself mentally accustomed with the idea of becoming part of an organization she knew little about, except that they were powerful and didn't seem to care about the people worth a dime.

She was strong. But strength was relative, and compared to the people she might meet, she might be weak. But even so, she would give it her all, to grow and reach a pinnacle, to be the best she could be. And then, if she gained anything like real power, she could use it to help the people here… maybe even change the system from within. It was the Fairy Tail way- never give up, never do ill. A part of her thought that maybe changing people like those would be impossible- but she quickly pushed that aside. If it would be hard, she would just have to try harder. That was the Fairy Tail way of doing things, and it was her way of doing things.

As she walked through the main street of the village, the moonlight painting a pale and almost surreal picture with its pale, bleak palette of color's, she made her mind up. She would leave here- but she would come back. She would train, get stronger, and find her own way in this afterlife.

As promised, Shimura Shinpachi came by the next day, alone this time. It was early morning, and Erza was waiting for him just outside her house, standing tall in the street. She watched him come closer with trepidation, anxiety- and excitement. He was like a harbinger of change, if she were to allow herself a bit of drama- he represented the next step in her journey.

"Good morning, Miss Erza." He said politely as he came closer, finally standing in front of her.

"Morning."

"I won't bother with small talk- that's not what I am here for. Have you made a decision?"

She nodded. "I have."

After short silence, he said,

"…and that choice is?"

"I will accept your offer." She said resolutely, balling her fists. "I'll come with you. I'll train, get strong- and if I don't like the Gotei, then I won't stay."

Shinpachi smiled. "I'd like to say that an attitude like that won't get you far in the Gotei Thirteen- there are strict rules, and our Captain Commander has little patience for insubordination. But in reality, some of our finest are rowdy and anarchic, too- there will be a place where you'll fit in, even if you end up resenting our organization."

"…good, then." Erza mumbled. "Are we supposed to go right now? I don't want to leave without saying goodbye."

"I'm not heartless, you know." Shinpachi said. "We're not in a rush- we've got two days, if we need it. Say your goodbyes, and we'll walk back when you're ready."

"Thanks." Erza said, a little relieved.

And so, after packing some very few, meagre belongings, Erza summoned what villagers were around, before it was time for work. They had already known what the shinigami from yesterday had come to ask- gossip spreads fast in a small village. Heartfelt well-wishing was given, a few tears were shed by the village children, and Erza assured them she'd be back one day- and just like that, there was no more reason to delay. Finally, she headed for the village gates, for the last time in a long while. But not forever, she reminded herself- not forever.

"Shall we?" Shinpachi asked.

Erza just nodded. They began walking, Shinpachi leading the way. Erza felt odd; parts sad, parts excited, parts guilty for leaving these people behind. Shinpachi seemed to understand well enough to keep quiet, to leave her to her thoughts, and Erza appreciated it. Quietly, the two of them walked, walked all day, stopping only to eat, and eventually sleep.

On the second day, Erza began to wonder just how far it had to be- she considered asking, but felt it unnecessary. They'd get there when they got there; no need to fuss.

And just past lunch time, she saw it in the distance. It was a white city, almost gleaming, so incredibly large that it seemed to cover half the horizon, from where she stood. As they got closer, she tried her best to take it all in- streets, barracks, houses, spires, people scuttling about in the distance, tiny little figures in black uniforms on patrol, growing less tiny as she got closer. It was a military hub, all right- people marching, people training, people standing guard; it all looked clearer to her as she got closer. It was at once beautiful and intimidating.

Eventually, they got close, finally entering the city. Shinpachi passed a guard, a veritable giant, and after showing him some papers, they headed into the city itself. It was a little overwhelming. Whoever built the city built it well; the architecture was foreign to her, but beauteous to look at- but at the same time it conveyed a hardness, an impression of strength and solidity. It was full of straight lines, built to be practical, probably by the hand of an architect with a military purpose in mind. It was overwhelming, each building so much taller, so much a part of a structure larger than herself. Which was probably intentional, now that she thought of it.

Quickly, she shook off those feelings. She wasn't afraid. This was new and she didn't know her place in this world, but that was all it was.

Finally speaking up, she said,

"So… where exactly are we going?"

"I'll drop you off at the academy." Shinpachi said.

"The academy?"

"All shinigami must endure years of training." Shinpachi explained. "In three years' time, you will be a fully-fledged shinigami. For now, you are but a novice- a child."

"A child, huh?" Erza said, not caring much for that thought.

"Be humble before your tutors, that's my advice. You may be stronger than most, but you lack skill and knowledge- as do all new recruits. Well, almost all."

Well, true enough, but it didn't stop her from frowning a little.

She was led through the streets, and after a while- a rather long while, it felt like- they reached a sturdy-looking white building, large and expansive. There seemed not to be a lot of shinigami around, but plenty of men and women with white shirts. The men wore black pants, she noticed, while the women wore red.

"This is the academy." Shinpachi said. "And it will be your new home for a while."

"…I see." She mumbled, still taking it all in. So much was new, so much was alien.

"And this is where I leave you."

"Wait, what?"

"Go straight into that building, and tell them you're a recruit. Your name should be in there- they'll give you a room and a uniform. Everything will be sorted, don't worry."

"I…"

"You'll do fine, I know it." Shinpachi said gently. "But duty calls. I will see you later, Miss Erza."

With that, he turned around, and walked away.

"Bye." She mumbled. Well, damn- she felt a little lost, like she was a little child after all- but angrily, she shook that off. She was Erza Scarlet, and just being someplace new wasn't scary. Well, a little in a way, but damn well not in such a way that it was a real obstacle. Resolutely, she marched towards the building Shinpachi had pointed to.

Being resolute, it turned out, was easier said than done. Once she had marched into the building, she came into a hall of some kind. The walls and floor were a practical kind of white and grey, and some official-looking people sat down at the far end by equally practical-looking desks. Well, what was she supposed to do now? Who should she talk to?

She looked around. She wasn't alone, at least- there were maybe a dozen people there, looking a bit lost and awkward, wearing no uniforms. Some wore rags, she noticed, like somebody had just cut three holes in a sack and used it as a tunic. Others wore modest kimonos; two or three wore what looked like quality kimono, brightly colored. Hesitantly-but-also-resolutely, Erza walked forward, towards the group of what she assumed were fellow recruits. She wasn't quite sure what to say- best keep it simple. A "hello" might be good.

As if the universe was intent on solving this incredibly minor problem, one man turned to face her, a cocky grin- or at least, it looked like, what he really wanted a cocky grin to be- on his face. He was tall, broad of shoulder, blond, and wore an expensive-looking bright blue tunic, lined with gold.

"Well, hello there." He said. "Man, what a relief- this group is seriously lacking in cute girls."

Erza, not quite knowing what to say to that, just stared.

"My name is Shinyu Sensuke." He said, bowing. "Of the Shinyu house. My family didn't want me to enlist, but I'm a man of action- and you have to do your part for King and Afterlife, and all that."

"One has to wonder," came a dry-sounding voice from behind him, "if your pickup lines will ever work on any sane woman." Erza looked, and behind Sensuke there was a man in a worn, dirty kimono that looked like it had once been grey, but with time had become some indescribable shade of brown. His face looked worn; he was not quite old but not quite young either, and his hair was a dull shade of black.

"Shut it, commoner." Sensuke murmured awkwardly.

"What is your name?" Erza said, turning to the black-haired person. He seemed a bit less… direct.

"Lupon Remon." He said sourly. ""Sixty-seventh district. Piss poor place- I guess I hit the jackpot, being recruited here." He said sourly, sounding nothing like he was in a jackpot-y kind of mood. "And you are?"

"Erza Scarlet." She said, nodding eagerly. "I only came here a month or so ago, and got recruited a couple of days ago."

"Erza…" Sensuke said. "That's a real sweet name."

"It is the name of a person much more fearsome than you." A third voice came. It was a woman- looking young enough, with chestnut brown hair, a couple of spectacles and a modest, white-ish kimono. "She is the one who beat a major class hollow to death, weeks after arriving here."

"How do you know?" Erza asked.

The woman shrugged. "I read the news." She extended a hand. "My name is Akane Marisa. Don't pay those two any mind- we're not all of us simple."

"I'm plenty simple myself." Erza said, shaking her hand. "But I don't hold being complex against anybody. Or being hit on, for that matter. Let's all get along, shall we?"

Sensuke grinned. "Does that mean I have a chance?"

Erza eyed him top to toe, then said a simple

"No."

Marisa giggled at the disappointed look on Sensuke's face; even Lupon seemed less sour.

"So," Erza began, "what do we actually do now that we're all here?"

"We go over to those desks, get registered." Lupon said, pointing. "It's no rush, though- they call your name when it's your turn."

Sure enough; one by one, people were being called up, each person being processed and sent on their way. It took its time, but finally Erza's name got called. She walked up to the desk, where a balding clerk of a shinigami was taking notes. After giving her name, and some personal information- height, weight, motivation, that sort of thing- she was given a set of student's robes in her size, a few books, and instructions on how to reach the dorms. Waving to her new acquaintances, Erza went on her way, and after some time- probably half an hour longer than necessary- she finally found what she hoped was her room, in a long winding and rather worn-looking corridor. Walking in, she found a room far better than she expected- two quality futons, with covers that looked perfectly whole, and two pillows. A simple book case, and an euqally simple but sturdy desk, presumably for studying. White, furnished walls. One window, overlooking what looked like a training ground. All in all, a place far more qualitative than her old home.

But far less warm, she thought.

Sighing, she put her new outfit down on one futon, and began undressing. Her old kimono wasn't bad, but the school uniform looked brand new, and well made- and if she was a student, she might as well look the part. Quickly, she slid out of her old, worn kimono. So, this was life now...

Her musings, which barely had had the time to take off, were interrupted as someone else walked into the room. Erza, realizing she was naked, spun around- damn it!

She breathed a sigh of relief, though- the person in the doorway was the girl from before, Akane Marisa.

"Well, that's quite the sight." She said dryly.

"Um, uh, yeah." Erza said, quickly putting on her new uniform. It fit rather well, but was a little tight across the chest- well, such was life. "Uh, sorry about..."

"No need to apologize." Marisa said, smiling slightly. "They usually put girls with girls and boys with boys, so you've nothing to worry about."

"...that's good, then."

"Shall we head down to the armoury?" Marisa said, changing into her uniform as well.

"The armoury?"

There was a satisfied look in Marisa's face. "We're meeting our instructor there, and... that's where we get our swords."

"Oh!" Erza said. Swords- now swords, she understood, and it had been too long since she held one. "Yes, let's go there now. Um... do you know the way?"

"I familiarized myself with the basics of this academy before coming here." Marisa replied. "Just follow me- we'll find our way there."

A little while later, the two of them stood before an ominous-looking metal door, along with quite a few other new students, all of them looking a mixture of lost and excited. The air was full of chatter, excitable talk between people young and old, embarking on a completely new adventure. Erza couldn't help but be caught up- this was pretty exciting.

Soon, though, the idle murmuring was interrupted, as there was a loud shout. Erza and the other recruits all looked towards the source of the noise, and saw a scarred, bald shinigami with a mean expression on his face, his arms crossed.

"Attention, greenhorns!" He bellowed, his voice deep and coarse. "And stand to attention when an officer is addressing you, damn it!"

There was a collective scuttle, as the group- consisting of around thirty or so people- tried a beginner's attempt at standing at attention. It looked kind of comical, but the man in charge didn't seem to be in a very comical mood.

"I am Isao Tendo." He said, slowly opening the metal door. "I am the armourer of this academy. All zanpakutou are issued by me. If they are dented or harmed before you form a link with them, you come to me. Now, these are weapons- lethal weapons meant to kill. Under no circumstances are any of you allowed to draw them outside a training range. Drawing a blade unlawfully can get you expelled- these things are not a joke. They're dead serious." He took his own sword out, and held it up. "Look at this blade. Twenty-five inches long. Slightly curved, geared for stabbing motions rather than slicing motions. Sharp enough to cut a steel rod in half. And," he said, whipping the sword's blade out, letting it stop just an inch from the neck of a student. Said student let out a squeal, falling over with a terrified expression. "Just one false move and it could end your life- or somebody else's. You will each be given one of these magnificent blades that I have lovingly kept for years and years, and those who abuse its privileges will be unfit to call themselves shinigami. Is this understood?!"

As one, the class cried out, a "Yes, sir!", overall sounding pretty intimidated. Not Erza, though- she remembered these basic lessons of respecting a sword and what it represented; they'd been beaten into her a long time ago already.

"All right then." Tendo said, giving them all a vicious glare. "I'll call your names out, and you'll each be given a zanpakutou. After you each got one, a senior student will guide you to your introduction class. Keep quiet, and no funny business."

One by one, they got called up, one student after another receiving their zanpakutou. There were looks of excitement and happiness, people inspecting their new weapons- carefully, under the glare of the armourer. Finally, Erza got called up. She walked up, taking the blade from the armourer. She opened the sheath slightly, getting a look on the blade's edge- and suddenly, there was a flood of images in her head. The great old guildhouse, her old friends standing outside it, the entire guild… she saw past battles, she saw a young man with a tattoo on his face, she saw demons and monsters, and she saw herself fighting them.

And just like that, in an instant, it was gone, and she was back in the now, as if nothing had happened. She blinked.

"Get a move on, recruit." Tendo snarled. "Next!"

Obediently, Erza moved away. This sword… there was something else to it.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" It was Sensuke, clutching his blade like it were his newborn. "They say this thing becomes part of your soul… literally, even. It's so… different." There was a look of awe in his eyes, and his previous cockiness seemed gone.

"It's a good blade." Remon agreed, walking up from behind. "I have to admit, it feels good in my hands."

"I feels right." Erza said determinedly. "God, I missed swords…"

"Did you use to be a swordsperson, or something?" Marisa said, walking up with her sword's sheath already tied to her waist.

Erza nodded. "I did it for a living. Back when I was alive. Holding one makes me feel… I guess it's like if you lost an arm, and got it back again."

"You must be a natural, then." Sensuke said.

"All right, everyone!" Their conversation was interrupted, as another student had walked up to their entire group, and spoken loudly to get their attention. "Follow me- don't be late for introduction. Come on, hurry up!"

Following the others, the four of them were led into a hall, where an older man, wearing black robes, was waiting for them. When they all had gotten in, he spoke up.

"Recruits!" he said, crossing his arms, "You come here today to learn to serve the Gotei Thirteen to the best of your abilities. It is a dangerous path, allowed only to the strong. Know that just being here makes you part of an elite- so do not waste this gift. You will learn how to use a sword, how to connect with your zanpakutou, how to use all the other arts- hakuda, shunpo, and kido. You will become soldiers, ready to lay down your lives in service of the greatest cause there is." He looked over them grimly. "As harsh as this may sound, know that shinigami are the keepers of the balance between worlds. Without us, the souls would not flow, and imbalance would occur, and eventually the different realms would collapse. The stability of the worlds hinge upon our efforts, and to be part of this cause is to be a hero. Nothing must stop you from becoming the best, and claiming what is yours by right through humble servitude."

There was a quiet murmur through the ranks; a bit of hesitance, caution, among the new students.

"Now," the man continued, "I am headmaster Tetsuo Kaneda. You will address me as 'headmaster'. As students of this school, you will be expected to give your all- to study hard, work until you ache, and become the greatest you can be. There are strict rules here- a rulebook will be given to each of you. Those who break the rules will be punished, it is as simple as that. And know this- though you may have been given zanpakutou, do not expect that you may carry them freely. Nobody gets that privilege until they pass first year kendo. Until that time, that blade will be kept in your rooms. Understood?"

There was a collective "Yes, sir!", and the headmaster nodded.

"Good."

After adding a few more words about discipline, strictness, and general shinigami stuff, they were dismissed. The aforementioned rulebook was handed out, along with books, schedules, and suchlike studying material. It was a bit lighter on the bookish side than Erza had expected for an academy- then again, it was a military academy; likely it would be more practical than theoretical.

The rest of the day flowed smoothly. There were just a few introduction classes- mainly it was about how they would learn, the times they needed to keep, et cetera. Today, it seemed, was all about the recruits settling in- but hard work, all teachers assured them, would start tomorrow.

All in all, it wasn't so bad. It was still new, still a bit strange, but not really intimidating anymore. She was already making friends, and she was sure she'd be able to handle whatever came her way. She was actually looking forward to kendo classes- swords, she knew. Deep in thought, she walked through the academy corridors, alongside Marisa. They were a little lost- just a little- but they were too caught up taking in the new sights to care.

They were quite distracted, indeed- as it showed, when Erza turned around a corner, accidentally running into somebody. The person- man- stepped back a little, and Erza just about managed to keep her balance. She looked at him- black robes; probably a teacher.

"Sorry about that, sir." She said. "I was just uh, lost in thought. …sorry."

She hoped he wouldn't be too angry, mostly because she was afraid of what she'd do to an abusive teacher. Luckily, though, he seemed not to be the abrasive kind at all.

"Not at all." He said calmly. "We were all new once. Just be careful where you walk, all right?"

"Yes, sir." She looked closer at the man. He had brown hair, a pair of glasses, and was pretty handsome- not bad.

"My name is Aizen Sousuke." He said, bowing lightly. "I will be your kido teacher. I look forward to seeing you there."

"Yes!" She said bowing. She was a bit awkward, but luckily this teacher seemed not to be bothered by awkward.

"I think we best get going." Marisa said, pulling Erza along. "Good evening, sensei!"

"Good evening." Aizen-sensei said, smiling and waving.

Academy seemed to be, on the whole, kind of all right. So far.