A Forest Of Knowledge, A Desert For A Dunce

[Gaz]

Shiro #1

---

It was almost the day… the day that would give Shiro everything he had ever wanted. The day that could kick him flat on his back side to work as some low paid guard for a prissy noble family or even worse… a sell sword in the Rukongai district. The thought put a shiver through the young Shinigami’s form as he stopped in front of a set of large double doors. A long sigh escaped the young man, in his desperation he has turned to… books.

With a shove the doors were pushed open to permit the young man entrance to this room of knowledge. A place he avoided at all costs due to the boredom it caused him, how could people just sit and read for enjoyment? Hell, learning from a book was a struggle because he could barely keep his attention on it before either getting distracted. Shiro was a more of a ‘Learning by doing’ kind of guy, so this was truly just a last resort.

“Less than a day before the exam… I need to get everything I can down before the tests.” Shiro spoke to himself, before realising just how quiet this room really was. The only other sounds that he could hear were those of pages turning and the occasional shifting of a chair. This was going to be a long loooong day.

Steps were taken and Shiro had entered to find any book he could to start getting what information he could into his skull. He had no idea what the tests would be about, despite being confident that he could pass any practical test. Were his footsteps always this loud? He could hear them echo through the library; it was only going to be a matter of time before just his presence was too loud for some people. “I…. Where do I find anything about the land of the living!?” He growled… being in the completely wrong section…. The one for kido.

---

Shiro: 7319e6

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #1

---

Lenalee had taken to the library quite early that morning, having memorised the time when its door open to the academy students and made sure that she was there before they did. The exam was just around the corner, and she was nervous. She wanted to revise all the incantations again, quiz herself on what effects they have and when they should be used. Lenalee didn't only want to pass this test, she wanted to ace it with flying colours and make her mother proud.

Of course, there was the other component to the test, the more practical hands-on part. She was worried about that part, although she could convince herself that she would scrape by on her wits in combat alone if nothing else. Mastering use of her zanpakuto, however, was another matter, and it seemed that the more tension built up in her due to the exam and due to how uncooperative the thing insisted on being, the more difficult it was to connect with it, now, at a time when it mattered most. Communicating with it was doable, though it often ended in frustration and never with any grand revelation of its name. If she failed this test... she knew it would be because of it.

After lingering in the library for hours, reading about all sorts of things that would contribute to the rationale in battle as well as general knowledge, she finally decided it was time to get up and stretch her legs. That meant taking the books that she was finished with back to their shelves and returning with the next batch. Sliding off her chair, her bare feet touched the floor and she stretched before moving to the shelves that sheltered the books on kido incantations and all about their history. Upon seeing Shiro there, however, she paused. 

Shiro had a recognisable... presence. It wasn't his appearance alone, but he was one of those people whose company could be experienced just once and never forgotten - for a multitude of reasons. Seeing him in the library was an astonishing scene.

Sighing as she reached the shelf he was pointlessly staring at, she pointed up at a sign at the top of it that read 'Kido section'. "You're not going to find any books like that here, you're in the wrong section." she explained, having heard his growl of a complaint and giving him that classic know-it-all look that she had a habit of wearing. Spinning on her heel to give him her back, she proceeded to put the books that she brought with her back onto their respective shelves - the ones that she reached anyway. "You clearly don't visit libraries very often, do you?" she muttered beneath her breath, before looking around for a stool. She knew there was one, she used it to get the books down, but it seems like it was gone... someone must have taken it... 

Turning to Shiro again, she glared.

---

Lena: 54d5e3

[z0pu]

Ren #1

---

Ren scanned the top shelves of the Kido section of the library, he already had read through most of what was available to him over the past few years at the academy. This was more of a routine habit as well as a basic search for more practical application of Kido with other forms of combat.

After all the exams were soon, very soon. Ren was quite confident he would be able to pass, he had acquired a satisfactory level of skills and ability in every aspects of his study. Kido was still his forte and his highest chance to impress examiners and potential recruitment from Gotei 13 Division. However simply passing was not what Ren aimed for, his family had high expectation of him and he was intent on meeting those expectation and eventually surpassing them.

So far the biggest hurdle in his training had been the weapon at his side. It had a... difficult personality, demanding, haughty and rude. It would all be much simpler if it was cooperative, but alas reality was not so.

Ren stepped down the stool he used to get a few of the manuals and advanced combat application of Bakudo. Tucking the manuals under his right arm he picked up the stool in his left and walked around to the next aisle where he had taken in prior.

Oh. Saeki and Tagachi were there now, it wasn't unusual for Saeki to be found in the library but much more so Tagachi. Ren understood how family pressure could push one, but his was a minor noble branch family, the pressure of your own mother being a Gotei 13 Captain must have been much harsher.

In contrast Tagachi was content coasting through life it seemed, well the man was quite strong, he had great fighting ability if anything else. He will probably be a fine addition to the 11th Division with other like-minded individuals.

Ren casually approached and put down the stool beside the two who looked like they were about to argue or fight. It would be a poor location to start an argument, a joke would be perfect to relieve the tension.

"Lovers' quarrel?" Ren voiced deadpan. No one could imagine these two being in a relationship, there that made it a good joke. Yes... yes it did.

---

Fukumoto Ren #27d3d3

[Mr. Moon]

Akira #1

The final exams were right behind the corner and so was the next payment which could decide whether his family will be able to keep their ancestral seat, or if they will be forced to move into the Rukongai. So to say that Akira was tired and stressed would be a serious understatement. He spent most of the past two weeks dealing with their creditors and only now did he find enough time to visit the library.

If it was up to him, he would probably spend most of his time there. Hidden in the comforting silence of this shrine of knowledge, seeking ancient wisdom of people who lived way before his time. Unfortunately, he has so little said about his own free time, that this was barely the fifth visit to that place he managed to do during his whole study. So, skipping all the interesting departments, like philosophy and history, he headed directly among the shelves containing books about Kido, his weakest subject by far. And one, he really didn´t want to fail. Not that he would think that no Division would accept him after that, but rather because the 11th had failing in Kido as an unofficial requirement and he really didn´t want to end up there.

So, he grabbed his copy of “Kido for Dummies” and started reading. Exploring the basic concepts which he was supposed to know from the 1st year in the academy when someone suddenly disturbed the otherwise omnipresent silence. Three of his classmates started talking among themselves, just a few steps away from his table. Shiro…he could understand that, but Lenalee and Ren? Akira would expect from these two to be more respectful towards people who were trying their best to study.

“Please…”

He sighed in the voice of someone who didn´t really sleep that night, or the night before for the matter.

“Can you take it elsewhere? I am trying to learn this…Sai stuff…”

He pointed on a page with several diagrams and incantation of the very first biding spell.

[Gaz]

Shiro #2

---

A hand came into Shiro’s vision, one that was small and delicate looking. Then the tell-tale voice of Lenalee piped up from under his vision. In a smooth motion he looked down after letting his eyes go to the sign above and he nodded with a sigh… that was about right, being so tall he rarely needed to look up to see what he needed. However, he was plenty a customed to craning his neck down to see Lenalee and others to talk to them.

She had a point that he was in the wrong section entirely but there was no need to be so rude about it. A soft sigh escaped him as he made to open his mouth and give her a piece of his mind, a verbal backlash that would deflect the bluntness of her rude statement. “I-” He was cut off, by the flat voice of one Fukumoto Ren.

Lover’s Quarrel?! Them? He had to be having a laugh at the thought Shiro being in any kind of intimate relationship with this stunted blunt sword of a woman. She could barely raise her dagger, let alone use it! The tall Shinigami rounded on Ren and pointed a finger to the book worm. “You really think that? I barely like being in the same room as her, she’s almost as hard to be around as Captain Saeki. She talks more though, that’s a bonus. Despite it always being the most rude and blunt thing that she can get out.” Shiro spoke, louder than he thought before rounding on Lenalee next.

The stress had gotten to him, he really needed to make it into a squad to get the money he needed to send to the orphanage. Failing here was not an option… but being so harsh to someone who probably had it hard themselves was not normally like him. Then Akira’s voice floated around, asking them to keep it down. With a grunt the tall Shinigami ignored the man who was in a similar boat to him. Kido was not a specialty for Shiro, in a combat sense he couldn’t utilise it… but he could at least cast the basic spells with some time.

---

Shiro: 7319e6

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #2

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Lenalee glared at the tall Shiro, tired of being picked on for her height as she instantly assumed he took the stool and hid it when he saw her coming. Then Ren rounded the corner and joined the fray, prompting her to turn and look at him, as well as the stool he brought with him. With a little irritated exhale, she shook her head, "Fine, so you didn't-" she started in a small voice, as she began an apology that she really didn't want to give, but it was owed. Ren's question, however, interrupted her forced gesture and her glare was now directed at him instead.

Stomping her little feet toward him, she snatched the stool from him, "Not in a million years." she hissed at him and took the stool to the spot where she needed it. Shiro seemed to have this conversation handled for now so she went on with getting up on the stool and inserting the book into its place. Even with the stool, little Lena still had to stretch on her tiptoes. One arm reaching up to the shelf and pushing the book in by its spine, she suddenly froze as Shiro gave such a mean and hurtful response. Tensing up, she turned her head just enough to look at Shiro over her shoulder, her eyes filled with rage, as her temper was once again about to make an appearance.

How dare this Neanderthal talk about me like that? If I'm rude and blunt, it's because he is an idiot, and if I offended him, he needed it. How dare he bring my mother into this?

The wooden bookshelves suddenly made a creaking sound as the air grew heavy, Lenalee's spiritual pressure weighing every single item in the room down and threatening to drive them all into the ground. Lowering her hand, she first whipped a book off a lower shelf and threw it at Shiro, then hopped off the stool, picked it up and furiously threw it at him right after with all the strength that her little arms could muster.

"I was telling you that you were in the wrong section, I was trying to help you since you're such a hopeless case and can't even navigate your way around a library that has signs on each and every bookshelf!" she screamed at Shiro, throwing a second book at him. "And don't you worry for a second, you ape! The feeling is very mutual!"

Turning to Akira, feeling a bit guilty for disturbing him, she pointed at Shiro, "Then tell him to take his stupidity elsewhere!" she then crossed her arms and looked at Ren with a murderous stare. "Anything else you want to say?"

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3

[z0pu]

Ren #2

---

Oh noes. The joke did not go to plan. That was a shame... it was a great joke too. It was probably best to avoid getting in the way of that argument now that books and stools were flying. Saeki could be very VERY scary when she wanted. Not that Tagachi was making the situation any better.

Instead Ren walked away from the two and took a seat next to Ryuuko Akira, the man was a bit older than most recruits but proved to be a very gifted swordsman. It was always good to be friendly with people whose skills complemented your own.

Ren wasn't a bad swordsman either but he was not any kind of genius at it either. He was very good at Kido however and could help with that.

"You see when using Bakudo skills, it is important to keep your reishi controlled in a steady flow by reciting the incantation. If you push it too hard it will go haywire and -"

Suddenly an even louder voiced than even Tagachi and Saeki's combined rang out through the Academy Library.

"THIS IS A LIBRARY YOU FOOLS, IF YOU WANT TO FIGHT GET OUT AND GO TO THE PRACTICE FIELD!" It was the voice of the librarian on duty. This middle aged woman was even unhappier than Saeki right now, quite an impressive feat really.

Another moment of screaming and dragging someone or the other by the scruff of the neck and the four students were stood outside the doors of the library, banned for the rest of the day.

It was a bit uncalled for, the only ones causing a disturbance were Saeki and Tagachi, Ryuuko and Ren really were innocent. Oh well such was life.

"You guys know the joke about the horse who walked into a bar?"

---

Fukumoto Ren #27d3d3

Librarian #118a00

[Mr. Moon]

Akira #2

The older student silently sighed as his request was promptly ignored by both, Shiro, who proved to be quite the lout, and Lenalee, who couldn´t control her temper and started yelling and throwing things in Shiro´s direction. Not that he wouldn´t deserve part of it, but come on was it really necessary to be so loud during it?

With yet another sigh, Akira returned to his book, only to notice that Ren, another of his classmates and the one who arguably provoked all this mess went to him and offered some pointers regarding the topic he currently studied.

“Hmmmm, thanks.”

He muttered silently, only to curse for himself a second later as a strong voice of the local librarian echoed through the hall. And before he knew it, the wannabe Shinigami found himself on the street, banned from entering the library for the rest of the day. He tried to explain that he had nothing to do with these three and that he really needs to study, as he was roughly three years behind in the Kido class, but it didn´t help him at all.

“Well, guess there went my chance of passing the test from Kido.”

Said Akira grimly, without even bothering to mask the fact, that he considered them to be responsible for his misfortune.

“I guess neither of you has time to give me a little intro when you just cost me my only textbook?”

It was a rhetorical question as the student didn´t really expect anyone to volunteer for the job. And truth to be told, he didn´t even want them to do so as a time spent in the company of others was anything but a pleasant experience for him. So, just as he finished the sentence he headed away, towards a nearby park.

[Gaz]

Shiro #3

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The stool impacted Shiro with a soft thud, it wasn’t hard, but it clattered to the floor as a book came in his direction, with skills and a decent reaction time he caught it in his hand. It was a thick volume, something to do with more advanced principles of Kido… The entire time he was hearing the screams of the short woman who had just snapped at him… more so than he did to Ren’s question.

A second book came at him, and he made a move to catch it, but with a hand already full it was awkward, and he just missed it as the spine made an impact with his forehead before fluttering off to the side and landing open with the pages on the floor. That was going to smart, if not leave a minor bruise. The tall man stumbled back but remained upright and his frown turned into a growl as he started to focus his own Reiatsu.

No… he should be the better person… he was already the bigger man so he should act like it. He started to put a cap on his temper as the librarian rattled their world with a voice that boomed. Shiro had barely the chance to put the book he held onto the shelf before his ear was grabbed by this person and he was pulled out of the door and left in the hallway. “COME BACK TOMORROW WHEN YOU HAVE ALL COOLED OFF!”

The tall Shinigami let out an annoyed sigh just as Ren prepared his next world-shattering joke. “Go ahead, you may as well crush my spirits just a little more.” He said before letting a defeated sigh escape. He really needed to get accepted by any squad… The 11th was a good shout, but he wanted more options. Shiro wanted to rise the ranks quickly, to do something great quickly… with the stigma of being a squad 11 meat head he would struggle.

“Actually… Akira… I have just the solution.” Shiro spoke with a smile coming to his face as he looked to the elder man. “I’m not good at kido in any sense of the word, but what I do know I learned by doing.”

---

Shiro: 7319e6

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #3

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*thwack* As the book hit Shiro square in the face, Lenalee felt victorious, just for a moment, the sweet air of victory was all around her as a smug grin appeared on her face. That was all rather short-lived, however, as the librarian's voice bellowed through the aisles and Lenalee's face drained of colour. "No... no, no, please, he started it!" she pleaded with the angry book-keeper, who ignored her begging just as they ignored everybody else's.

In a cruel act, the short little Lenalee was grabbed by her arm, which was raised to an impossible height for her at the librarian's side, and she was pulled out along with Shiro. The girl nearly tripped as she had to scurry on her tippy toes to avoid having her arm pulled out of its socket. 

Once they were out in the hallway, cast out of the safe-haven with all the knowledge in the world, Lenalee looked absolutely devastated. She wasn't relying on the books as much as some of the others were, but she wanted to go over some things a little bit more before the exam, and being kicked out of a library, of all places, was so... shameful. With a sigh, she turned to the older student, ridden with guilt. "I'm sorry..." she said, genuinely, before she continued and her tone shifted, "...that Shiro is such an idiot and he got us kicked out. If you plan to take his advice now, then I suggest you wear protective gear, because I can tell you, he hasn't learnt a lot from all of his 'doing'. He's got a skull thicker than a three-layer bricked chimney."

As if that should elicit no response, she leaned against the wall and slid down it to sit on the floor in the hallway, hugging her knees. "What's your joke? Why did that horse run out of a bar, or whatever?" She looked at Ren, searching for any kind of distraction from this nightmare that she found herself in.

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Lenalee: #54d5e3

[z0pu]

Ren #3

---

Oh good! People were interested in the joke, that was always nice. Ren liked to make people life, it was a gratifying experience and it was always pleasant to help others feel better by having a laugh.

Ren took a few steps to separate himself from the other three and turned to face the group.

"A horse walks into a bar and walks up to the bar tender. The bar tender looks at the horse and after a moment asks him."

This was the moment to insert a brief pause for better comedic effect.

"Why the long face?"

That was a good joke, at least Ren thought so, it was one of his favourites. the young man smiled at his friends, a faint breeze blowing his wavy hair across his face.

It was doubly funny as all three of them had a long face on due to their current circumstances, maybe doubling up in the joke might be extra funny, as well as asking them why they were so dejected in the first place, sure they couldn't study in the library today but it was only one day and there were many more ways to practice..

Looking seriously at the other three Ren added again.

"Why the long faces?"

That would be enough humour for now.

Turning specifically to Ryuuko Ren answered his earlier question about practice.

"We can work on your Kidō if you wish. Would you prefer practising Hadō or Bakudō first?"

---

Fukumoto Ren #27d3d3

Librarian #118a00

[Mr. Moon]

Akira #3

To his sincere surprise, his classmates agreed to help him to study for the upcoming test. That was unexpected and so the surprise reflected on his face for a short moment before it returned to it´s default, tired expression.

“Thank you, but I think I need some basics first…”

He sighed in response to Shiro´s suggestion about learning by doing. While it was definitely a bold approach, Akira doubted something like that would work in the case of Kido and the fact that Shiro himself was known for his lack of skills in this field was strongly supporting his hypothesis. That, and another jab from Lenalee, that was interrupted by Ren´s joke. Or at least by something he considered to be funny. Well, maybe it was caused by his chronic lack of sleep, but the tree growing next to the library entrance looked funnier than this wordplay. He took a deep breath to actually say that, but swiftly changed his mind as Ren continued with an actual offer for help.

His mouth closed again, air escaping through the nose while Akira was thinking about the answer. Which one does he want to start? He was a decent swordsman, but because he skipped most of his Hoho classes he lacked in mobility meaning, he could really use an ability to pin down his opponents with some sort of binding magic. However, these restraining spells seemed to be way more complex and complicated than simple flashes of light and heat that composed most of the destructive Hado and he needed something easy to learn, to have something in his arsenal to show during the exam.

Well, maybe he should put his priorities straight. Passing the exams was first, surviving deathmatch could wait.

"Whatever is easier to learn, I guess.”

He responded with total lack of enthusiasm.

[Gaz]

Shiro #4

---

Shiro stood there as Lenalee made to apologise… in a flash that apology turned into an attack that wounded deep. It was an attack that he had not considered would come in such a fashion after he was offering his aid to at least repair some of the damage he helped to cause. He knew he was out of line with his original comment, but this was certainly uncalled for. He had a frown alright as Ren went ahead with his joke.

Any form of bite Shiro had was losing its edge as the mood for another insult was fading in the aftermath of such a wooden joke. It was enough to make the tall Shinigami stare in amazement. “Ren… You have a way with words that will rock the Seireitei to its core one day…” Shiro spoke prophetically, if this man ever walked into the squad 11 barracks he was going to get laughed right back out if he made a joke like that. Hell, maybe every squad would.

“If the stunted sword comes along to teach, I want to come along and watch the results.” He spoke, making a move to head to the training yard that was nearby. “If she apologises for that last comment then I may go back and apologise like I was going to. It’s only fair.” Shiro spoke, looking back to see if the group had made to follow him.

---

Shiro: 7319e6

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #4

---

As Ren told his joke, Lenalee remained seated as she was, staring up at him blankly. Everybody gave him feedback on his sense of humour, neither Akira or Shiro seemed to enjoy his joke - the only one left who hadn't said anything was Lenalee.

With a sigh, she stood up again and fluffed her dress a bit, a grumpy frown on her face. Then a little twinkle seemed to appear in her eye and she whipped her head around to stare directly at Ren, her icy blue eyes threatening to pierce through his soul. "Because a horse has a long nose!" she exclaimed before a smile grew, and then the short girl started giggling. This was odd, very odd. Not only did somebody actually find Ren's joke funny, but it was Lenalee, of all people. "And double that up because everybody here is sulking. I get it!" she giggled some more, and just like that, it seemed Ren had done the impossible. He cured little miss grumpy of her grumps. 

Then she was reminded of Shiro's presence as he offered a compromise - she apologises and then he apologises.

No. 

With a huff, she skipped past Shiro before turning to walk backwards in front of him. "I'm not going to apologise, and I don't need an apology from you either." she concluded her statement by sticking out her tongue at the tall young lad, then she stopped walking and drifted her attention to Akira and Ren, "But I do know a quieter place we can go to than the training field - the training field is where all the other people go. It's crowded and you'd be lucky not to get caught in crossfire by some incompetent monkey experimenting with Kido for the first time." right after she said that, she flinched, looking directly at Akira, "No offence..." she muttered and shook her head. "Anyway, there's a tear in the fence at the back of the school that opens to a grass plane, I think it was intended to form an extension to the courtyard, but maybe they never got round to it. It's perfect for practising all sorts of Kido!" she offered a childish grin as she made her proposition, trying to be helpful. "Even the explosive kind." she passed a little side glance to Shiro. It was the best peace offering that she could extend at the moment.

The area was off limits, of course, but having never actually seen anyone there, the chances of them being caught felt very low. If nobody was there to see them, then there was nobody to get in trouble with...

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Lenalee: #54d5e3

[z0pu]

Ren #4

---

Yes, Saeki got the joke, it was a very good joke after all. Partial success! That as better than usual most people ignored Ren's jokes or just shrugged them off, much like Ryukko and Tagachi had just done, so this was a big win.

However the humour filled levity quickly went away as Saeki started getting angry again, though not as much as before so still a win? Technically?

Ren pretty much just looked at the group and the arguments while standing slightly aside smiling gently. Peace was nice, this was all very peaceful and it was good to enjoy the little things when they could.

The field sound like a good place, it would allow Ryukko and Tagachi to let loose with their reiryoku, making it easier to observe what they might doing wrong or struggling with.

"Field sounds good to me. Please lead the way Saeki." Ren added with his usual mild smile.

As the group would make their way there Ren thought it be good to start the lesson with some theoretical facts and maybe a few inquiries regarding Ryukko and Tagachi.

"So in the theory neither Bakudō and Hadō is more difficult than the other, however as Bakudō often needs to affect a target more directly in a practical contest can be more difficult to pull off, especially if they have powerful Reiryoku, also a spell can be made more difficult by sustained use, which arguably also make Bakudō somewhat more practically difficult. I guess what I mean is by them being the same in theory in practice basic Hadō is definitely simpler."

Ren left a brief pause there to let it all sink in before adding the final "detail".

"Well there is that but if Bakudō goes wrong nothing much happens, if Hadō goes wrong you can injure yourself and others."

Yes, maybe the big empty field would be a good idea.

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Fukumoto Ren #27d3d3

Librarian #118a00