my way of the blade (bleach fanfiction)

chapter 4:justa talk

"hey. Training hard, I see." He spoke.

Dark fog settled around my vision as I stopped all movement, restraining myself from panting. Applause echoed throughout the arena, bouncing off the walls, rebounding in to my ears. I franticly looked around only to see my entire squad including the captain gathered around me in the bleachers. Panic and fear rose in my chest, pulsing with each fast beat of my heart. Suddenly light headed, I slumped back away from Shuhei. Cheers of praise rang in my ears.

"nice!"

"way to fight like you mean it!"

"that was amazing."

I resumed breathing normally as I looked around wide eyed at them. The cut on my back throbbed in a nasty rhythm, almost matching the pounding in my head. I stumbled.

"hey, are you okay?" the concern and worry in the voice scared me. I felt my legs give but caught myself by leaning on my zanpakuto., point buried in the dirt.

"I'll be fine." It came out in a whisper to be swept away by the slight breeze. I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and turned to meet the person. It was an afro guy I had sit with this morning. He held out a container of water, offering it to me.

"here. I bet your thirsty."

Still pushing some of my weight on my sword, I reached over and grasped the container with shaky hands.

"my thanks." Those words didn't seem to be heard because they were so quiet. I drank the cool water one slow mouth full after another. After about half of the container was gone, I returned it to him. In turn he removed his hand from my shoulder. the fear and panic still resided in my chest but was slow to recede back to where it originated. Still couldn't quite catch my breath.

"sit in the shade and relax for a bit," The guy said pulling my left arm around his neck and almost dragged me.

I centered my core to him and sheathed my word.

"lieutenant, when I recover my breath, can we spar?" I asked.

"sure. Just don't lose your footing." He replied with a smile and a small laugh. As the guy helped me to, or rather lead me to a shady spot under the arena, I couldn't help but hear the conversation that had broken throughout the squad members.

"amazing! Who knows someone could move for so fast for so long!"
imagine if his sword was unlocked."

Guard's a little flexible on the left, but the intensity of his blade"

I slumped down to sit on the bench. The pain was a normal level but annoying none the less. The head ache that throbbed in my skull didn't want to die down. A gasp caught my attention.

"wind, your bleeding! Are... you sure you're okay?" the afro guy showed me the blood-my blood- on his hand. Must have been from my back.

"fine. Just winded. No pun intended."

"if that gets infected- "

"I've had to live with worse. Ill lie from this crap, too." I stated. I hung my head in my hands. I hated this. Every time. "sorry." I hoped my apology would help with the sour mood I was put in.

The soft scuffle of sandaled feet crunching on rock caught my attention once more.

"you're fighting style may not be elegant, but it matches your defiance." Yumichika 5th seat in squad 11, my squad.

"thanks. Your since in fashion is, as always, astonishingly cool." I smiled and looked at him." are those new feathers?" my breath had returned enough to speak in full sentences without panting. Yumichika blinked and flipped his hair over his shoulder.

"it is. Do you like them?"

"I do. It's nice. Gold instead of yellow. It complements your looks nicely." I was telling my opinion in a way that flattered him. Always keep ties with your higher ups, even if you don't like them very much. That was the first piece of advice I was given when I entered the academy. Train hard, work hard.

"why, thank you~!" yumichika liked to be flattered and complemented, yachiru liked sweets. Ikkaku liked a challenge. Fights with Ikkaku were said to never be boring.

I stood up and steached my sore body, cracking every joint and releasing the tension in my neck as I gazed over the arena. Groups of reapers were sparing with zanpakutos.

"hey, Shuhei seems to be waiting for you." Yumichika stated. "don't lose focus." with that he walked away to join Ikkaku.

With wounds still smarting, I stepped out of the cool shade and back into the hot sun. it must have been some 90 degrees. Today was going to be fun. It's not often that I get to spar with a lieutenant from a different squad.

He stood in a clear space waiting on my just liked I asked.

"don't hold back," I requested, drawing my sword from its sheathing my waist.

"as you wish." Shuhei said, unsheathing his own.

Let the fight begin.