Today was the day.

Today was the day of orientation for all Companies that accepted a newly graduated Shinigami. It's been about three and ahalf years since I've arrived in Seireitei, and already I am standing in line with four other graduates in front of the fukutaichou of First Company.

I felt prideful to ever half this position, even as an unseated member but I knew that this congratulation wouldn't last long. The uphill battle for everyone to not care for my stray dog origins has just begun. I can't wait.

"I give greetings and congratulations to you five for graduating and being able to enter into the First Company. I am your fukutaichou, Chojiro Sasakibe. What is expected of you is perfection to the highest degree. First Company is a role model for other Companies to follow and you are to be expected as such to do your duties with precision and professionalism.

"This company is not for those who think you'll just go through the motions of being a Shinigami. This company is for those who wish to become the best you can possibly be, for you are the best out of the graduates and you are to prove to Soutaichou and I that we didn't chose you by mistake. Do you understand?"

"Sir, yes sir!" We chorused after him.

"Good. Today you will receive your Shinigami uniform and a tour of the barracks where you will be given a day to move in by tomorrow. As rookie Shinigami, I expect for you to prove yourself useful for the upcoming years in your training and find an upstanding Shinigami that will personally train you in swordsmanship to perfect your shikia. Follow me," the fukutaichou said before turning towards the door. I followed after him with the four other rookie Shinigami with me. I study everyone around me and felt the pressure even more when I realize that I'm the only female.

We walked to a large closet where the Shinigami uniforms are kept but before he could hand out our uniforms, a hot headed male with military buzz cut blond hair spoke out of turn.

"So when are we going to see the Soutaichou?" I frowned in distaste at his idiotic question.

"What makes you think you'll ever see the Soutaichou?" the fukutaichou retorted.

"He was the one who personally wanted us for his squad so I think we have the right to see the big man," he said.

"The ideals of perfection seems to have escaped you. Perhaps you should go back to mopping up the floors of the Shinigami Academy to cool your head." I couldn't help but smile at the cutting words the fukutaichou spoke. He then turns away to pick out our uniform. when he hands me mine, he says to us, "Any alternation is acceptable but do not downgrade all of Seireitei with any scandalizing attire."

"Only one of us could be scandalous," jokes the hotheaded rookie as he jabs his thumb at my direction.

"Your arrogance hides your insecurity well," I shot back. He flushed in anger before pointing at me.

"Why you-!"

"Silence among the ranks! Follow me for your tour," Sasakibe-fukutaichou said. I followed silently after him. I didn't have to listen to him to know exactly where we are. Yoruichi was always testing Byakuya's and my shunpo and constantly going into the First Company's barracks. If we got caught, then we lose and we know that we need to get faster.

But I have other problems to deal with. Clearly, it was mandatory for unseated Shinigami officers to find a senior officer to be a disciple under to quickly gain the knowledge, experience, and practice needed to reach the standard of the First Company. Not a bad system actually, very smart ...

But that's where my problems lie.

Without a doubt, not only will I be training and learning under a senior officer for everything to do with Shinigami, but I would have to train for my very specific needs. My flame based zanpakuto and my shikai isn't just for show. I have a very serious power that can't be taken lightly and needs the uttermost caution and probably a senior officer with experience with heat.

A lot of heat.

I probably need someone who would survive my Smite. Someone who isn't afraid to get a little burnt. Also, I would really like for my mentor to be emotionally in control. Not constipated from emotion, I need someone to actually help me turn my anger into something more potent than a crazed wildfire.

A wildfire temper is nothing how I want my wrath to be perceived as.

People can survive a wildfire. No one survived Pompeii.

The only person I can think of was Kuchiki-taichou since he both survived my shikai and has the emotional constants that I rather admire. But ... I can't help but think that he's not a perfect fit for me. Also, Oji-san was heaping up years like it was going out of style. Within the next sixty years, he was going to retire and I don't think he would enjoy mentoring me at the cost of his joints.

So really, I'm lost on who to ask for mentor-ship.

Maybe if I ask Oji-san, he'll know-

"Are you Agito Diabolos?" fukutaichou asked of me after the tour. The four of us were still gathered around since we have yet to be dismissed but it was weird that he would call me out with an audience.

"Yes," I said, lifting my chin just a little bit to show my attention.

"Yamamoto-soutaichou has ordered your attendance after orientation. Within the next two days, you rookies will be given your posts with your squad leader. All of you are dismissed!"

"Whoa!" cried out the arrogant shithead from before, "Why does she get to meet him and not the rest of us? She ain't special."

"Are you questioning the Soutaichou?" asked Sasakibe-fukutaichou, his voice electric and zapping everyone into attention.

"No, Sir!" shouted the offender and he didn't even make a face when we were dismissed and I separated from the group, following after the fukutaichou. Sasakibe-fukutaichou led me to the Soutaichous office.

I could feel him. I have never seen the Soutaichou and never have I been in his presence but now ... I can feel him. His presence. His aura.

His goddamn reiatsu.

I've felt mountains and wildfires. Heck, Michael feels like the billions of untold histories before the Earth even formed pressuring down. But Yamamoto-soutaichou feels like the sun.

Like a hot summer day in Death Valley.

The fukutaichou opened the door and it as like a rush of air escaped the jaws of a dragon. I might have stayed on my own two feet but I sure as hell wanted to kneel.

I followed the fukutaichou inside the office and stopped an acceptable distance away from Yamamoto-soutaichou.

Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto was his full name, was just about over a thousand years old and though he had the scars and wrinkles to prove his age, anyone would be stupid to believe him senile or weak in anyway. This man, though he be ancient, had the power to simply raze the continuation of Soul Society if he so chose.

It reminded me of Michael in a way. It made me pay attention.

"Agito Diabolos," Yamamoto-soutaichou said. He hadn't even looked at me, reviewing whatever report he was looking down at but he didn't have to, I still felt the pressure of his attention on my shoulders. "Do you know who will mentor you?"

I was thrown for a loop. Why was the soutaichou even interested? What the hell? I only heard of this mandatory system barely two hours ago, plus he said it as if we were assigned to senior officers, not that we have to chose and beg for mentor-ship.

"No, soutaichou," I said.

"Who are you planning to ask?" Now I was really confused. He is leading this line of questioning as if he cared about the answers but I don't see the point.

"I have no specific name but I was planning on asking Kuchiki-taichou for a recommendation as he would know more senior officers than I would."

"And not ask Kuchiki-taichou himself?" I wanted to be careful here because I had two main reasons why I didn't want to ask Oji-san for a mentor-ship and if soutaichou knew both reasons, I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate the implications that I want to give an old man his due years of retirement without growing bald.

"Though he is a worthy mentor that I would be honored to learn from," I said, "I don't believe that he is a perfect fit for me."

The soutaichou didn't even both to show he was paying attention. He just read hrough more of his scroll before picking up a brush to sign whatever was needed.

"I heard you have a very interesting zanpakuto, Agito Diabolos."

I immediately stiffen up because no one has ever spoken of it so casually before.

Rue, Byakuya, and even Oji-san avoid ever mentioning my zanpakuto or shikai whenever, even in training. They just ... pretend that I didn't just gain the power to eradicate not only my opponent but the ground they stand on. They don't acknowledge the fact that theoritically, I can get strong enough to pull a Sodom and Gomorrah.

"Hai, soutaichou," I said cause how the hell do I admit to Yamamoto, soutaichou of the Gotei Juu-san that I have a zanpakuto that is currently out of control and with the potential to be a real threat?

"What do you have to say about it?"

"I-," I say breaking off to calm my raing heart. This is it. This will probably be my only point of defense before I'm hauled off to be stripped of Michael and thrown into Ujimushi no Su, or the Maggot's Nest. "-Michael is a fire based zanpakuto connected to my ire. Currently I am tempering my wrath into something more beneficial than crazed. I have only executed my shikai once in the physical world and I'm training with my zanpakuto during jinzen in controlling the finer points of shikai."

"Commendable. But how do you plan on training your shikai in the real world?" he asked, pointing out the one flaw my plan obviously had. Training with your zanpakuto in shikai is the agreed upon best way to learn how to fight with so much power. But all the training had the tendency to be useless if not used enough in battle. Shinigami sparred constantly to perfect their form in both their sealed zanpakuto state and shikai.

My plan to keep my shikai under lock and key could be a fatal mistake. But I can't just unleash Michael without a mentor who was with full knowledge of how to handle the end of the world.

"As of yet, there is no plan. That was a problem to figure out after I gained mentor-ship under a senior officer."

"You have a fire-type zanpakuto," stated the soutaichou, "Academy records state that your spirit's violent personality bleeds through yours and that you've been taking special courses to correct that."

"Not correct," I interrupt, "Utilizes."

"Kuchiki-taichou has reported that your shikai's potential is beyond that of even a fifth seat, estimated to be among the strongest of fukutaichous when you learn to control it properly." That's it. I'm screwed. Goodbye sunlight because I'm headed straight to the Maggot's Nest. Yamamoto knows everything there is to know about my shikai and power, it's clear what he wants to do with me. Strip me of my zanpakuto before something breaks.

"So I will henceforth take you under tutorship."

What?

"Huh?" I replied inelegantly. This time he did look up from his paperwork to give me a very unimpressed look.

"It's rather obvious that I am the best option for your particular needs in training so unless you can name an even better Shinigami than myself to be under mentor-ship then you are dismissed. I expect you in Court Ichi for training tomorrow morning before dawn."

I'm not ashamed to admit that I ran away. I was just so confused and overwhelmed I just had to go find a nice quiet and dark corner to have my little freak out.

The soutaichou-

The soutaichou wants me -me!- to be his disciple. He's gonna train me! It's been over six hundred years since he's taken on a student and his last two students are now taichous and notoriously few of the most powerful shinigami in history.

And I'm gonna be mentored by the soutaichou.

"Fuck yes!"

~~~