Steph had been glad for Kagashi’s aid with his hair. It became a painful reminder of what it had been like when he was school. He thought that he had left behind the times of pranks and childish jokes. This was supposed to be an academy for learning to be a shinigami, where everyone was more mature. Though reality was often more disappointingly not the perfect picture that was imagined. Steph feared how many more preconceived concepts of the Seireitei were going to be scattered before he got down to the truth.

‘Is all of this worth being a shinigami? Do I really want to be one anyway? I’ve always lived off of a whim in this afterlife, but this is the first time I’m doing something of meaning. Yet I don’t have any meaning. I just did it for a change, something new. What is this going to mean for me if I continue?’ Steph sighed to himself as the instructor began her first lesson on shunpo.

As he listened to her he began to worry again. It was about spirit energy manipulation in a completely different manner than before. He did not know if he could manage to do what was required for this. The little that he could summon up always managed to exhaust him quickly before he could make real use of it. Now she wanted him to use it to run. This was going to be another class that he felt that he was going to fail. It was not an encouraging thought, but he could not help being realistic about his chances.

The process did not make a lot of sense to him, but spirit energy was completely new to him. He had only learned about it today. Well, he did hear things about it in passing in the Rukon, but he never paid it much attention. Now he was expected to do so much with something that he just was learning. He wondered how many of the others were in similar positions. The others seemed to have an understanding of controlling putting them in a better position than him.

He was just thankful that this did not require a partner like the last two classes did. Much of his body was sore from them that he did not know what he would do if he had to go through even more torture from his classmates. However, he did not have any more time to dwell on it as the class began to separate out to begin their lesson. It was going to be a long class for Steph.

Kagashi put some distance between him and everyone else given him enough room for what they had to do. If it worked out correctly they would end up a small distance from where they started. He just hoped that he did not run into anyone during the practice. There were so many students in the room that it seemed inevitable to happen to someone. However, he was only concerned if they hit him and began to focus on the task at hand.

Now that his energy was recharged by the food that he had eaten and the time of rest he was ready to try this. His only worry was how long before he ran out of spirit energy to use and became too exhausted to make further attempts. He just had to be sparing with what he had. The last class gave him a sense of how much he had and when it became depleted. Kagashi was going to have ration it out if he was going to make enough attempts.

‘Need to focus…at my feet…’ It was as difficult as he thought it would be trying to bring it down to his feet. There was something natural about using it in his hands, but it was different story for the feet. This was supposed to make them move faster and at greater distances, but it seemed to go against nature. He just wanted to run to the point, but he knew that was not the exercise. Kagashi relaxed his shoulders and body trying to direct it to his feet, but there was no reference point.

He looked around to see that many of the students were still having trouble like him while some were already attempting to move. Some of the attempts were humorous as people fell on their backs unable to keep a stable flow. There were a couple that seemed to grasp it quickly, but were only making small steps, though successful. Most could not maintain the focus for the time and different actions required.

His own attempt to focus continued to fail for several tries until he finally got it to work after about ten minutes of standing still. It was much easier once he got the feeling down and was able to hold it for longer than a couple seconds. The efforts were making him tired though as he could feel it taxing his concentration. He still had plenty of energy to try, for which he was glad.

Kagashi made his first effort in a controlled step and maintaining his energy. Unfortunately, the moment he shifted his weight and balance his concentration was lost. His spirit energy changed knocking his feet off from under him sending him to the grass quickly. The soft earth was a welcome sight to the hard stone floors that he could have landed on. There was no time for him to waste on his back. He stood back up shaking himself off to get back into his concentration and relax everything. His feet stood ready for another chance of it, as was his body.

The next attempt went better, but he could not maintain his balance long before the spirit energy was dispersed. After several more attempts to gain his confidence he was ready to do the real deal. He took several long breaths and hoped that he would not land on his face. ‘Here I go, if I kiss dirt I’ll just try again. And try not to look around…’ His focus began set evenly around his feet and his muscles were tensing in preparation to launch. He bent down a little as though to sprint feeling the tingle of his legs inching to be released. Then he launched letting go of every invisible bond on him leaping forward into what felt like a sprint to him, but the world seemed to be moving slowly around him. The awe of the sight broke his concentration dropping him out leaving him several steps away from where he had been a second before.

The presence of the instructor caused him to turn around quickly. She was eying him as though to take his measure. “It was short, but better than most I’ve seen today. You started slow, but understood the basics and used that foundation to achieve a superior shunpo. Most usually rush through ending up with a poor shunpo that is too slow. Continue.”

“Thank you…” Kagashi said bowing politely to her as she passed on to berate someone. He was encouraged by the compliment and refocused his efforts on improving. As time passed by he managed to get a few feet further, but it was difficult to maintain with the stress that he was feeling. His body had never been through such extreme forces and even though it seemed like he was moving normally his muscles still complained to him. But he persisted through the pain making to the near to the end of the class period when he made a slip up. It sent him sliding across the grass stopping near to Steph.

He entire body had been exhausted with his muscles did not want to move on him. His spirit energy was nearly gone as was his concentration. It had all collapsed on him in the last attempt breaking down on him. Kagashi was finished for the day he could tell. Steph knelt down to him looking at him with a cheerful smile still on his face. Kagashi wondered how he could still be smiling even now after all he had seen him do. He looked closely at Steph and there was not even any sweat coming off his as though he did not have sweat. ‘That’s strange…I know he has been trying as hard as anyone else, maybe even more so. He’s done a few successful steps, but he just keeps getting back up as though he never runs out. What is he?’

“Need a hand?”

“Thanks…” Kagashi said as Steph feebly pulled on him. He did most of the work and Steph just looked like he was helping, but Steph just smiled back to him. “Hey…um, how are you doing?”

“I guess it’s coming to me. Better than using a sword,” Steph said laughing at himself while rubbing his hand through his hair trying not to be too embarrassed.

“Are you tired?”

“Huh…hmm…now that I think about I guess I’m not.” Kagashi stared him at him confused that Steph was so nonchalant about it. Steph simply shrugged his shoulders not caring and returned that same smile. It was a little jarring for Kagashi, but the innocence in his face made him forget.

Steph nodded to Kagashi and resumed his own efforts. He had been trying for the last hour to go further than a foot. Unfortunately, every time that he had his energy set and started to move it ran out on him. The instructor had been by to watch him since Steph was not sure if he was achieving what everyone was from what he had observed. It had worried him a little that he was failing, but he kept going on not letting it worry him. When the instructor watched she had confirmed that he was doing everything correctly, he just was not maintaining the energy to keep it going. Even after an hour he had not been able to change that. He hoped that it would be enough to prove that he could pass if it did not improve soon enough. ‘Though even still is a single step in shunpo going to be that useful?’

The class came to an end soon after and Steph had not been any more successful than before. He had seen others go several feet, even Kagashi had done it. It made him wonder why his energy was so low and if he could make it larger. If that happened he knew that he would be able to do more, at least he believed that he would. Though he did not let it bother him too much, he was pleased that he was able to eventually figure out how to mold the energy correctly.

Steph had spent the first hour struggling through the effort of channeling his energy. Each time he tried it ended up going to his palms instead. At one point his instructor snapped at him about how he was doing it wrong. The tip that she provided was a push in the right direction, but it still left him perplex for a while. Once he understood what he had to do and got the feeling right he was able to repeat it, even if it took him a while. Eventually, it became more natural like making a sphere. The concentration and balance went by quickly for him as he did not seem to have any trouble with it. He ended up going straight to attempting the shunpo, but failed for a while. It was not until the instructor watched him that he learned that he was actually doing it correctly. That small piece of positive news was enough to keep him going.

Since the class was over now everyone was leaving along with Steph, but Kagashi stopped him. “You want to go somewhere since class is finished for the day?” Steph was a little surprised that Kagashi was asking him. He had not planned on doing anything, but going back to sleep. Though doing something with Kagashi seemed like a nice idea to him as well.

“Yeah, sure I don’t mind.”

‘Maybe I can get some answers now,’ Kagashi thought to himself as he began to walk away.

“Hey, leaving me out of the fun, Kagashi? Don’t mind me coming along do you?” Kuragari said jumping up with Kagashi suddenly. He leaned against as though to insist.

‘Guess it can’t be helped…’ Kagashi looked over at Kuragari giving him a nod. “Yeah, sure. Steph you know a quiet place?”

“Me? Uh, I think so.” Steph was not really sure at all, but he figured that he would think up something. The three walked out of the classroom together going through the halls. They wandered around for a while at Steph’s lack of direction until they arrived a spot that Steph weakly said that he was looking for the entire time. Though when he saw it he knew that it was perfect. It was a large balcony several floors up over looking the entire Seireitei providing a magnificent view of where they were planning on being eventually. “So what was it that you wanted to do up here?”

Kagashi walked forward to the ledge of the balcony not saying a word hiding behind his scarf as the wind took it into flight. Kuragari and Steph walked up next to him looking at him. There was a serious expression on his face, though Steph had always seen him with such an expression. He always seemed to be a mood or look like there was something wrong acting like he wanted to talk about it, but did not want to say anything and let someone bring it up. Steph did not enjoy playing mind games like that and did not really care too much about if it was not brought up. He was not going to pry. After another minute of silence Steph leapt up to the wood craved ledge and sat down, his body fitting perfectly on the very narrow ledge.

“What was it that you wanted?” Kuragari said.

Kagashi finally spoke after a moment, “Its nothing.” He closed his eyes feeling the evening breeze wash over him. ‘This is not how I wanted it…’

“Must be something.”

Steph swung his legs up and down against the railing of the rails enjoying the coming night. He was going to let the two of them knock against a brick wall rather than join. The breeze was making him content enough that he did not need anymore to satisfy.

“Its nothing…”

“Repeating yourself won’t make me leave.”

After a little more prodding from Kuragari he said something more than two words. Though it was not what Steph was expecting. “Why do you want to be a shinigami? Both of you?” Kagashi raised his hand up lifting his scarf up over his chin since the breeze had set it thickly around his neck.

Steph swung his legs more trying to think of an answer to give Kagashi, but coming up short. It was something that he had no answer for at the moment. He did not know himself and to talk him would only seem like making up an empty reason. Though Kagashi was still waiting for a reply. “I don’t know. I’ve been trying to figure it out. This was a just whim. An opportunity for change came to me and I decided to take it. That’s about all there is to it. Sorry, I don’t have a meaningful answer for you.”

“Kuragari?”