Time stands still for no one. That includes me as a student as well. I wouldn't necessarily be what you would call rushing to get out of the academy as fast as I can, but to others, I might just be.

I've been training with Yoruichi-san in the art of hohou, I've been training in swordsmanship with Ukuru-sensei, I've been sparring with Byakuya for mastery over a double-edged broadsword, ever since I gained my shikai I've been flying through my kido class since my reiatsu is finally getting it's act together, and I've been training myself all day everyday to keep in control of my emotions.

Controlling emotions and bottling them up are too different things. For a couple days, I tried my best to bottle up my anger and frustration but very quickly did my efforts unravel. It was actually Ginrei Kuchiki who took me to the side to actually teach me what the difference was between control and contain.

If my anger were a vicious animal, I would need to teach control rather than to just cage it up and leave it be. A controlled animal can be trained in behavioral patterns and when unleashed doesn't have to be as chaotic as it was now. A cage animal however, gets angry. Angrier than what it's meant to be. When the cage unlocks, a wild dog is nothing but destructive.

When he told me the difference, I understood. But training for control was difficult. The Kuchiki family were training in the art of controlling emotions at a very young age and they had the resources for highly pressurized training, politics. However, I don't have that privilege because I'm just a ward.

So I have to find high stress enviroments that are meant to raise my temper and learn how to transform it into power. It would be a slow process, one that I would have to continue even after I graduate, but worth it.

All of my effort, has lead to this. My final test.

"Are you ready for your final test Diabolos-san?" asked one of the supervisors. The test is given individually to make each student individual. I'll be tested in zanjutsu, Kido, hohou, and since I have my zanpuktou release, I'll have to show it to the Archivists. The Archivists work as a sort of record keeper for the whole of Seireitei and hell, they even record the skirmishes out in Rukongai. Their job as exam supervisors was to keep record of every Shinigami's zanpakuto description and abilities.

Zanpakuto spirits were sometimes inheritable and/or passed down by similar shinigami personalities or simply just by random choice. They track everyone's zanpakuto's and make note of any new spirits that come around.

I know that I'll probably have to show them Michael's shikai but I really don't want to. Maybe I can get Kuchiki-taichou to act as a corresponding witness?

"I'm ready," I answered just as confident as I feel.

"Your first test will be zanjutsu. Draw out your sword and face your opponent." The shoji doors opened to reveal a woman with long, wavy green hair. The way she walked was one of grace and class. I could already tell that she was a master swordsman from the way that every move she made was for efficiency. I drew my blade and got into my preferred stance. The woman drew her sword.

"That's an odd stance," she remarked.

"The question should be what exactly can I do with this stance?" The woman smirked in amusement.

"Begin!" Seeing as I am the one being tested, I attacked first. Using shunpo, I went up behind her and slashed at her throat. She was ready and blocked it before pushing me away with a swing of her own. I blocked before using her own strength against her.

"You're strong, but I wonder what you would do if this were to happen?" She grinded her sword against my blade, sending a flurry of sparks. I snapped my wrist around, making sure the flat of my blade hit her wrist before slashing upward.

I jumped away from her and got back to my stance. A line of blood leaked out of her forearm. She didn't even look disgusted at me. Usually when I'm fighting against someone from a higher class, if I wound them they are made at both me and themselves that they would a let a 'street rat' draw their 'blue blood'.

"That move you just did. How did you do it? That is not a technique we shinigami use," she asked. I flicked my katana around, stretching out the tendons in my wrist for more mobility.

"My shikai is a double-edged broadsword from the Spartan empire. My zanpakuto spirit has been training me in a style that fights more to that personality than of that of a katana." The woman nodded before smiling polity.

"You don't mind if I test your stance would you?" I shook my head negatively and immediately reacted when I felt the air temperature change to my right. Most people would think that the right would be the more open due to my right handedness but in truth, it's the most guarded. With my wrist, I can twist my blade and stab through anyone that wants to slash me before they even have time to realize it. And that's what happened. I stabbed at the woman, only grazing her stomach. Surprised, she jumped away at the last moment and studied the wound.

"Well done Diabolos-san. You passed the zanjutsu test." I put my zanpukuto in its sheath after wiping away the few drops of blood before turning back to the test exainers. The woman's gash on her stomach wasn't that bad but there was still a path of droplets that you could follow.

"We will now test you on your kido. Please follow us as we head outside." I followed the three people outside where a dozen targets were.

"Please show us the kido you do know. Only one target per kido." I did as they said, shooting down target after target before I stop at target number kyuu. The judges started writing stuff down on their clip boards before turning back to me.

"Your next test will be your hohou. Follow us." I followed them once again to a clearing outside of the Academy grounds.

"There are 200 red markers around the field with about fifty bamboo shoots at randomly arranged spots. You are to collect as many flags as you can, given two minutes and thirty seconds. You are to only use the bamboo shoots as a placement for your feet. As to how we'll know if you use the ground well ... you'll find out if you fail. Are you ready?" I bounced on the balls of my feet, tensing up my thighs and calves for the physical work out I was about to employ.

"Yes," I said.

"Begin." My eyes flickered over the field and I was gone in a flash of shunpo. The task wasn't exactly that simple. Flags were oddly spaced and due to the distances between bamboo shoots, I had to do some very creative parkour. It got simpler once I started having fun with it.

"Stop!" I froze mid-step and turned back, flashing over to the examiners with my arms full of flags. The three examiners were all murmuring and taking notes.

"You've gained a score of one-fifty-six over two-hundred. An impressive feat for any regular sixth year student but to a third year it is exemplary," comments one of the examiner. This test examiner, I heard was a fukutaichou for the Fifth Company. He had chocolate brown hair with black rimmed glasses. He wore a kind, easy smile that seemed to be warm to even the bloodiest of people.

"Is that all?" I asked eager to get this test over with. His eyes turned amused and his smile returned.

"Let's go back to the examination room so we can finish your final test. Your zanpuktou release." I turned away from the man and walked away from the scene. I could feel his stare on my back but I payed him no mind. We walked back to the examination room, set up to look like a very large dojo.

Before We could begin, we had to wait for the arrival of three Archivists wearing their white uniforms with green sashes.

"Excuse me," I say before anyone else could speak, "Is there any way I can be excused from this exam?"

"Is something the matter?" asked the fukutaichou examiner.

"I'm still learning to control my shikai," I said, "It's very destructive and-"

"Excuse me, Aizen-fukutaichou." The shoji doors opened to reveal a slightly exhausted Shinigami with a little scroll in her hands. She caught her breath before saying, "A message from the Soutaichou!"

"The Soutaichou?" asked an Archivist as Aizen-fukutaichou went to take the message.

"Hai, he said that the message is for the examiners of Agito Diabolos-san's zanpakuto shikai."

"What does it say, Aizen-fukutaichou?" asked one of the examiners. Aizen had opened the wax seal on the scroll and was quietly reading the contents. When he was done he passed it on to the nest test examiner for confirmation of orders.

"Diabolos-san is excused from her shikai release exam by orders of the Soutaichou," he relay, crossing his arms over his chest.

"This hasn't happened before," remarked one of the other supervisors.

"Do you have any ideas why?" asked Aizen. I looked around the room and decided to be unhelpful. I don't owe them anything. I've finished my exams. I don't have to be polite anymore.

"If the Soutaichou didn't mention it, I don't have to," I said and Aizen frowned at my reluctance to be in any way helpful.

"Then you are dismissed," excused another examiner.

"When do I get to be in a Company?" The other supervisor spoke up.

"Your record will be sent to every taichou. If a taichou wants you to be in their Company, they'll request you. If two or more taichous want you in their Company, you're given the option to choose which Company you want to be in. You are dismissed to go back to our barracks." I bowed my head before walking out. I walked out of the academy grounds before running home.

"HELL YEAH BITCHES!!!!!!!"

~~~