Welcome to Gaia! ::

The cautious ease that he employs quickly evaporates. Charles no longer slouches in his seat as he endures the mundane speech when there is a mention of a multi-round group. All his previous thoughts begin to whirl into nothing as he realizes that even as a first year, he has the opportunity to be other than the aged outcast. No longer is he doomed to be amongst those that far beat him in youth.

He still has much to learn. This program might accelerate that process, and he could yet rise through the ranks quickly. Who knows- perhaps he will raise a few eyebrows after all with Aitourensa at his side. He needs only to touch that gossamer voice in his mind to know that this is the opportunity that he needs. Now with the wave of excitement washing over him that infects the students, his smile is honest and anxious.

Not for the first time, both man and zanpaktou speak as one, one in voice the other in his mind. "This is going be great!"

Nirami had been about to heft a sigh at the lack of response from his conversation partner, when something in the speech piqued his curiosity. Something new? Multi-rounder groups... Hm. Attention drawn to the speech once more, it could've seemed like he was ignoring Atticus again, but he was still waiting for a response while listening to what the new 'Groups' idea was going to come to.

'What do they think this will do for the students? You need training alone, in order to gain what you need to wield me properly.' Homura murmured beside Nir, a bit of an annoyed tone in his gravelly voice.
'I think that they mean to have the older classes help teach the younger in working with groups, outside of the academy. I don't think solitary training will be bothered by this thing.'
'When it does, we should refuse. You don't need someone bossing us around. We need time, and practice.'
Nir sighed quietly, and lounged back in his chair. That had been a bit of a compliment from his Zanpakuto's manifestation, but it sounded easier than it is. 'You play with fire, you will get burned eventually, if you haven't already.'

Even though Atticus was off in his own world at the time it was still hard to ignore the part where the mention of groups was added. The 3 years prior that he had been here this was never heard of. Also with the way things were worded anyone of lesser understanding would not have seen they were being given the candy coated run around, which did't add up.

" Nirami I must I was thinking of way out " Atticus exclaimed as he pulled out three round fireworks from his pocket. " Courtesy of the Shiba clan, but the idea of multi-rounder groups is good in that we can as a whole we can gain strength faster than normal. Everyone helps everyone in advancement however...." he paused afterward thinking to himself and of course Izayoi spoke what the was thinking.

She looked at Atticus eye to eye reading his thougts. " So were thinking the same thing it sounds like their pushing everyone to reach a greater goal. It very much seems like quantinty rather than quality is the real course of action being taken. Its probably best to keep this to yourself its only an assumption, just play it off "

Atticus nodded he had been feeling something was not right in the air especially now more than before. " So Nirami think we'll be in the same group if so perhaps we might even be in the same division when were shinigami."

Tsubame's eyes remained opened and her jaw hung loosely. Are they mad?!, she thought, as she wondered how the freshmen were going survive going out into the real world. Captain Hitsugaya finished his speech with a final word, saying that the schedule of classes for all years were posted up outside the main halls. She knew still, that homeroom was always the half hour in the morning, and that the break for lunch is still exactly at noon. Getting up from her seat and making sure her zanpakutou was on her, Tsubame applauded the Captain's speech along with everyone else.

As soon as Hitsugaya-taicho exited stage right, she opened the doors to let everyone out. Tsubame was still bewildered as to how they were going to do this, and the reasons as to why they were even doing it. Granted, she heard the rumors that the Gotei 13 were steadily thinning in number, but she didn't think it got to this critical point already. She wondered who she would be grouped with, and how big the groups were going to be this time around, since three people seemed like a number too small if they were to be mixed around with other levels.

Students weren't usually led out into the real world for dummy hollow training until at least their 3rd year, yet these new circumstances could bring about change in the way things were usually done. Sighing to herself, she slowly made her way towards her first class of the day after a quick glance over the schedule for her year, even over the heads of those who were crowding around the announcement. Tsubame crossed her arms and thought deeply as she headed towards the back of the school, to the zanpakuto practice dojo; on the side, she wondered if they were going to make her release her shikai today.

As she stepped outside into the sunlight, she was greeted by a friendly face: her spirit manifestation, Yumiharizuki. The six-winged hawk glided peacefully in circles over her head. She smiled at him and raised a hand to wave and say hello. She could tell that even though changes were being made, that this was going to be a very good year for the both of them. The swallow-tailed hawk landed on her shoulder and poked her on the cheek with the horn on its head. Tsubame laughed as she entered the dojo for the first class of the day.

And so began a whole new life for the aged man amongst 'kids.' Like most first days, Charles spent most of his day listening to instructors go through their speeches. What to expect, conduct of others, how to excel, and the basics of each class. More than one snicker came from his fellow students as he seems to have trouble with history and remembering the kidou. Those snickers died away as time came for the Zanpaktou training.

Just as Charles thought, most of those here barely held their weapons in clumsy grip. They held a weapon. Charles held his dearest friend. The fought as one. Wild charges and attempts at feints were as useless as with the slightest movement Aitourensa slipped past the feeble defenses. What student did not know, the zanpaktou did. The two prove to be an effective team as each has complete trust in each other. At one point, a rather brash student determined himself to take Charles down. With a mass of swings he began to yell out "I'm smarter . . . faster . . . younger . . . and better than you- OLD MAN!!!"

Parrying the blows and easily avoiding each wild swing Charles took the assault in stride. With an eerie calm the older man's response carries the confidence of an old soldier, despite the lack of experience. "Maybe so, but I know something you don't. Something that only comes with age." Furious that his charge is ineffective, the student bull-rushes with all his strength. With a simple sidestep, Charles puts the dull side of his blade out to trip the student and merely stands over the prone body with his swordtip at the arrogant kid's throat. "I know how to wait."

For the time being, Hoho instruction is much the same. Younger students recover quickly, but it is Charles with a man's body that holds up under pressure and maintains his stamina. It is a weak lead over his peers, but a lead none the less.

Through the day one thought repeats over and over again. Who will be his partner? Who will act as his senpai and mentor him? Left alone at the end of the day, Charles sits in his room, Aitourensa left unsheathed and laid lovingly across his lap. Sitting incredibly still and focused only on stillness and communion with his partner, the two enter a reverie of the day, sharing a unique conversation without a word. In his mind, Charles stands alone in an empty place with the giant spider, and the two relive their day through the eyes of their partner. It is an experience that is utterly spiritual, and the core of their partnership.

Some other time then Atticus had thought to himself after the opening speech was over. He had walked away with the massive crowd putting his fireworks back in thier place for later use. Now it was time for classes to begin, first of the year and off to good a start supposedly. Through out each and every class the only thing that lingered in his mind were the groups everyone was to be put in. Perhaps he would be chosen for a random dummy hallow training exercise. Even so he had to get his mind back on class.

The day went by briskly, and Tsubame was soon immersed in the regular schedule that was to be part of her routine for the year. In Zan training, those who knew how to release their Shikai were to raise their hands, and of course, she put up hers proudly, having an incredibly unique Shikai indeed. But having class along with the six-rounders was like a double-edged sword, on one hand, it fueled those with competitive spirits, not wishing to be beaten by mere status of seniority, yet on the other hand, it crushed the morale of others, especially when they had seen the abilities of their seniors. Tsubame was not very good at close-combat sword fighting, since her specialty was ranged attacks, but she could hold her own well enough above the average level in her class.

Hoho Instruction went well, as always, since she already knew the subject material. Stepping was something even Tsubame, a regular Jack-of-all-Trades, somewhat excelled at. Even though they were supposed to learn Shunpo this year, she had already learned the basics the previous year, thanks to her curious mind that allowed her to discover what would happen if you gathered reiatsu in your feet and released it in one step.

Tsubame sat down under a tree for her break, settling down in the shade with a nice cool breeze to breathe in deeply. Usually she would buy some lunch or bring her own, and then eat with other girls, but for the first day of the year, she felt as if being alone was relaxing enough.

Hakuda practice was funny, to her, it seemed. Most of the guys of her level in the class knew what would happen if they even thought about going easy on Tsubame. She would immediately pommel them into the ground, or against the wall. Her flexible hand-to-hand fighting style allows her to aim her palm thrusts(no, she never forms a fist) and kicks at critical points. There was one technique of her own that she was trying to test out, but she didn't dare cross the line in fear of exacting a punishment for using what she called 'excessive force'.

The last class of the day came and she was more than tired already. Kidou class was something she looked forward to, as always, since she could synthesize her Kidou abilities with her Shikai's powers. Learning the higher levels spells was getting tougher and tougher, however, as she struggled to learn how to cast the lower level ones without the chant at the same time. She had barely learned it last year, and was still trying to perfect the method. Tsubame felt that if she was able to use even half the Kidou's power without the incantation, then she would be deadly force to be reckoned with, especially with an Kidou arrow that has unknown properties.

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Tsubame headed back to the dorms at the end of the day, wondering if she should take a shower early or not. As she walked through the halls, she saw people sitting down in the common room, an empty little room with mats and small tables scattered around. Immediately she took a left, remembering that the upperclassmen dorm area was an exact mirror of the lowerclassmen dorms. The rooms were either enough for one person, or big enough for a roommate, whichever one you so wished to have. Being a night owl, Tsubame chose a room for herself, and it came equipped with either a futon or a small hospital-like bed (she chose the latter), a low study table, a small lamp, some pillows, a chair, a small drawer, and a closet to hang clothes in. She imagined that rooms for two people had at least a pair of each.

The bathrooms were communal, and she absolutely hated going in there during the morning rush, when everyone was taking showers all at the same time. It irked her to no end how some of the girls usually teased those who were 'smaller' than them. Tsubame took her showers early in the morning, when very few are awake. The communal showers were separated from the toilets as well, meaning they had to walk across the hall to get to the other if needed. The dining room at the bottom floor was always stocked with healthy food, served in proportional quantities, unique to every student's body.

((How's that for a dorm description, AND a post? XD ^_^))