Action Isn't Everything (Solo)

The Library was completely empty save for two people; the Librarian, and Kyro Nerra, one of the Academy's students who was getting quite close to graduating from the Academy itself. He was currently deep into his studies, having found himself unable to sleep and not quite feeling like practicing with the blade or Kidou. Especially Kidou, as he still hadn't figured out what had happened a few nights ago, when he had suddenly felt an extremely odd surge of Reiatsu. He was currently reading the journal of a long dead Shinigami, who had apparently been a genius strategist when he'd still been alive. At the moment, Kyro had reached a section where the man mentioned that although the Shinigami couldn't survive without those that would take action when it was needed, action wasn't always the course that needed to be taken. The student wasn't all that sure about that, but he didn't care either way; the journal was simply an interesting read, and since he had nothing else to do, he was reading it. That was the end of the story.

"I'm heading off. Please be sure to put anything you take out back where you found it," came a voice, and Kyro turned to the librarian and nodded. She smiled and left the room, leaving Kyro completely alone in the library. The Academy Student had no doubt that it was most likely nearing midnight, but there was no way to tell the time in the library, and he certainly didn't care. In his current opinion, if he stayed up all night, he wouldn't care. He needed to find something in his reading that could help him find out what it was that had happened to him those few nights ago. Where had that surge of power come from, and why had he gotten it in the first place? Those were questions he could no longer wait to have answered. So, he read. He reached an area where the strategist recalled receiving a strange boost in power once, and instantly stopped and read over that section several more times. He described the sensation almost exactly the same way Kyro had in his mind!

'As the Hollow drew closer, and my wounded allies behind me, something happened inside of me, and my wounds, my weariness... it all seemed to slip away. I fought and defeated the Hollow, and just as I made the finishing blow, my extra strength seeped away from me. I could barely stand, but I knew that I had to, that I had to help my fallen comrades. I only found out later on what it was that I felt. It was the first time my Zanpakutou tried to speak to me.'

Kyro stared down at the words that had been written; it was his Zanpakutou that had aided him in his training! That was where his sudden burst of strength had come from, and why it had been pulled away, and also why he'd been so weary afterwards! Kyro knew that after the first contact, it would be quite a while before another contact was made, but the fact that it had happened still excited him to new levels of self-confidence. It was proof, finally, that he really was drawing closer to leaving the Academy behind. Kyro felt like crying out in victory, but knew that he couldn't since such a thing would no doubt awaken his fellow students at this time of night. Instead, he jumped up and ran excitedly throughout the library, looking for more books on Zanpakutou Communication. He found several, pulled them from their shelves, and headed back to the table he'd been sitting at before. He set the books down and picked up one to read, noting that this one appeared to be an account of a Shinigami's trials to first meet his Zanpakutou, then to learn its name, and then to finally achieve Shikai. It was extremely interesting, and Kyro immediately found himself drawn in.

The first thing he read confirmed his earlier thoughts and proved what had been written in the journal, for the man who had written this book had had that same strange surge of power when he had been in the Academy. Kyro followed the man's exploits throughout his life, or at least the ones that involved communication with his Zanpakutou, the time he entered his Inner World for the first time, even when he fought with his Shikai for the very first time. Excitement caused Kyro to bury himself in the book, and as he finished it, he instantly moved onto another, reading through it just as quickly as the first. He finally stopped reading as a bright beam of light entered the room, and he looked up to see that the sun had risen outside. Surprise shook him, and he heard the sounds of Academy Students beginning to move about outside. The door opened, and the Librarian entered. Upon seeing him still there, her eyes went wide, and then a small smile crept across her face.

"You've been here all night, haven't you? That's quite an impressive amount of books to read in a single night, you know, even for me," she said, and Kyro let himself give a small, sheepish grin. The Librarian continued to smile, especially once she moved closer and saw what all of the books were about. "Zanpakutou, huh? Already looking into what it will be like to communicate with your Zanpakutou? Quite an inquisitive student, aren't you?" she asked, and Kyro nodded and then stood.

"I'm done here, though. I happened to finish the last one a few minutes before you came in, so I need to go get ready for my classes," said Kyro, and the Librarian nodded her agreement. She then motioned to the bookshelves in the library.

"Go ahead, get them all put up. I'm glad that the library could be of such assistance for you," said the Librarian, and Kyro nodded while gathering up all of the books that he had read. He began to find every spot he'd retrieved the books and put them away, finally coming back to the spot where he had found the first book he had been reading, the journal that had sent him into a reading frenzy all night. He smiled as he slid the book back into place and began to walk away. The man who had written that was completely correct. Action was definitely important, as there was no way someone could deny that. However, Kyro could now definitely agree; action was in no way everything.