Bandage it in Paper (Bleach OC-Centric Fanfic)

Chapter 7 | Broken Photocopier

Despite the state of Lyn's leg, she practically ran from Aizen's classroom, a disbelieving smile born of pure stress and panic stretched across her face. Her heart drummed madly against her ribcage. Her leg burned, and the barley-coagulated wound had opened again. Lyn was surprised it didn't hurt more, but she also suspected that Akon had started putting some of the 'good stuff' in her reishi pills.

Once Lyn started to approach the zanjutsu hall, she slowed down, giving herself some time to catch her breath and attempt to calm her mind. 'Did he fall for the skittish, fearful experiment act? Because I sure as hell couldn't hide my fear, so let's hope he at least doesn't think I was about to shit my pants because I know all of his plans! I'm wearing red hakama, not brown ones. I mean, sorry to make you look bad, Akon, but I have come too far to die to one of the main villains before the official start of the show even begins.'

Lyn scrubbed her hands over her face roughly. 'And Aizen teaches a calligraphy class? It was such a ridiculous part of his Wiki page that I didn't think was real. Like, what kind of deranged ego-boosting praise kink is that meant to be for him? Isn't he meant to be more preoccupied with trying to take over the world?'

Letting out a deep sigh and collecting herself, Lyn decided it wasn't worth worrying about, since it was unlikely their paths would cross again. She would simply stay away from his classes, stay a low-ranked Shinigami (though that part was a bit less optional), and try to stay out of the way of his war.

Lyn speedwalked into her zanjutsu class; fingers crossed that her sensei hadn't arrived yet. Not a minute after Lyn entered the ground floor, Sakai-sensei stalked inside. Lyn quickly went over to Hanataro and Ryunosuke, kneeling next to them in the neat rows the class had rapidly formed.

Sakai-sensei, a strict woman with her black hair always pulled into a neat bun, and her shihakusho always pristine, stood in front of them with a strict expression on her face. "As I'm sure you've realised, there is less than half of the original class left since the start of the semester."

Lyn, who hadn't noticed, tensed once she realised just how few students were left in the room. Of the sixty students, there were now only twenty-five or so.

"Most of you wouldn't know, but the first month of being accepted into the academy is purely preliminary to becoming an official student. A practical test run to see who is not fit to continue to train to be amongst the Gotei 13, and who is not." Sakai looked down at them with the same cold eyes, and they focused uncomfortably on Lyn. "Class four, of course, has the highest rate of failure. Being here in this class is a sign that you have barely made the cut to continue to train as a Shinigami, though I may disagree with some of my co-workers' decisions."

Lyn wondered just how many students had been sent back to the Rukongai, and just how many had been taken care of; sent to The Nest of Maggots for dangerous – treasonous – ideals or tendencies.

Sakai removed the cloth covering up a long rack of swords to reveal what looked to be real blades within black sheaths, rather than the wooden ones they had been using thus far. "Subsequently, you will now choose an asauchi to carry on your person at all times."

Lyn didn't realise how far forward she was leaning, excitement tingling under her skin. Quickly, all concerns about Aizen and the fate of her missing classmates were gone from her mind.

She chewed on her inner cheek; laser-focused on the asauchi. 'I might finally be able to fix this broken soul of mine!'

She swallowed thickly, and a light ramble went down her spine at the thought of what might happen if it didn't work. If she wasn't able to manifest a zanpakuto, or if her zanpakuto could only watch along with her as her episodes got worse and worse until they undid her completely.