Bandage it in Paper (Bleach OC-Centric Fanfic)

Chapter 10 | Blood-Shot Eyes

Warm sunlight trickled down through the canopy above, and a curious bird watched as two souls exchanged blows with their sheathed weapons.

Almost four months in the academy had resulted in Shino rising to the top of the third class with plenty of opportunities to beat Isobe into leaving Hanataro and Lyn alone, as well as being skilled enough to start helping her considerably weaker friends with their own technique.

"You're being too timid!" Shino shouted, striking downwards. "Try and hit me like you mean it!"

Lyn braced a hand against the side of her sword, eyes flinching half-closed at how close Shino's weapon came to her cranium. Recovering from the harsh jolt that went through her arms to her shoulders, Lyn darted to Shino's left while dropping into a crouch and swung out her leg for a low leg sweep.

Shino deftly jumped over Lyn's legs and kicked Lyn's chest, throwing her onto her back and adding to the grass stains all over her uniform.

Hanataro jogged over with Ryunosuke from the mossy log they had been seated on at the edge of the small clearing. "Good job, Chiba-san! You lasted thirty seconds longer than last time."

Hanataro's hands glowed a soft green as they passed over all the places, he had seen her get hit the hardest, knowing that purpling bruises were forming underneath.

"Thanks! And you're getting really good at healing, Yamada-san," Lyn complimented him, stretching out her muscles that were still aching, but no longer pulsing with pain.

Hanataro sighed, shaking his head. "Our extra training sessions are certainly giving me plenty of practice."

"Thank you for the spar, Madarame-san," Lyn nodded her head toward said woman. "Sorry, you're probably not getting as much out of it as we are, haha."

"No, at least this much training is necessary if you guys want to keep up." Shino frowned and crossed her arms. "But you're still flinching at any overhead strikes towards your head. Did Isobe hitting you on the head scare you that badly?"

"To be fair, you do hit like a gorilla- Ah!" Ryunosuke shrieked at the narrowly missed swing Shino aimed at his head.

"Like a what, Ryunosuke?!"

Ryunosuke scampered behind Hanataro and Lyn. "Nothing! Nothing at all! I'm sorry!"

"But back to what I was saying. We need to be at our best for the mid-year exams." Shino declared. "And you three still barely know how to fight!"

Hanataro awkwardly shuffled in place. "I really don't like hurting others."

Lyn pointedly avoided eye contact. "I just want to be a paper pusher."

Ryunosuke held his hands behind his back. "If I fail all my exams, can I go home?"

"You guys... seriously." Shino slapped a hand to her forehead.

"There's also been a lot of talk amongst the other first-year students that they've noticed a huge drop in teaching quality in the lower classes," Shino added with a snarl forming on her face. "And with how many accidents happen in the end-of-year prac-exam, I don't want you guys to lose an arm because your sensei were all trash!"

Everyone felt certifiably cowed by Shino's words.

'I came here to regulate my soul, but she's right. It will be important to know too to not die a stupid death before any crazy canon events even happen because I wasn't taught swordplay or kido as well as I could have been,' Lyn thought with a sigh.

"By the way, Madarame-san, where did you learn to fight?" Lyn asked, curious. Shino was using a different fighting style from what was taught at the academy, making fighting her all the harder for Lyn who'd only ever seen fighting on T.V. or in street fights that didn't involve her before coming to the academy. Additionally, class four's sensei was more focused on physical drills to get them somewhat on par with their peers in the third class.