Chapter 5 is when the six friends start their kendo training, with their bokuto (wooden katanas). This chapter is written by Jenn (Tifa in the story) and She doesn't have an account on , so she is getting someone else to post it up for her. So not my fault if the language suddenly jumps from everything of doom or failed to normal language =='
Gaah Recap: Saiko runs into sanada sensei the moment she enters the shinigami academy. They get told off and are warned that if they ran into an important person like Yamamoto, they would be in serious trouble. It just so happens then that Yamamoto was behind them all along. Yamamoto tells Saiko off for causing severe brain damage to Renji, lieutenant of Gotei Thirteen. The six friends start learning kendo and get their bokuto. Hoshika and Saiko get into a fight while Hoshika was trying to draw her sword. Sanada sensei decided to try and calm everyone down by doing exercises not involving the use of a Bokuto
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They started off doing small stretching exercises, not involving the use of their Bokutos, something that Sanada sensei thought would help restrain a terribly difficult pair of girls called Hoshika and Saiko.
Even so, Saiko managed to provoke Hoshika when she commented that her rear looked like an oversized peach while she was bending over.
Hoshika raised an eyebrow at the offending piece of...thing in front of her and said, "A peach? Who knew such an idiot would be capable of such an... unrealistic and utterly unamusing insult?"
"Will you two ever stop talking?" boomed Sanada sensei's menacing voice. Shaking his head, he decided that preventing the use of their bokuto made no difference to Saiko and Hoshika's fierce rivalry.
"Alright, you may now pick up your bokuto. Do not, under any circumstances swing them around without my permission; keep them to yourself."
As the others stood around waiting for the next instruction, swinging and testing out their swords anyway, Sanada sensei paced the room.
"Stop hunching, Saiko-san," snapped Sanada as he strode past her.
Saiko took no notice and glared at him behind his back.
"Right. First I want all of you to stand at least 2 metres apart from each other, to prevent any accidents," he turned and glared at Saiko and Hoshika, "from happening. Next, I want you to all hold your sword in a comfortable position that suits you."
Hoshika looked around the room. Everyone except herself was unsure of their stance, their hold of their sword. She glanced at Saiko running around madly. Already she was crazily swinging her sword around, obviously paying no attention to what Sanada just said. Shioru was repeatedly putting one hand over the other, Tifa and Mochi were pretending to dramatically fake their deaths. Hiyori kept unsheathing her thin sword dramatically as if preparing for battle.
"That's not how you do it!" yelled Saiko, who ran past Hoshika, pulled her own sword out violently, and whacked Hoshika in the back.
"Oww! Oh my god Saiko, I think you broke my back!"
"Bakawaka!"
Alarmed but smug, Saiko stepped closer to poke her in the back and to further humiliate Hoshika. Hoshika side-stepped around Saiko and tugged her ponytail sharply, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground.
"Saiko, Hoshika, shut the hell up before I-" Shioru started to say when Sanada walked over and forced the two apart.
"You two have really reached the limit of my patience." Sanada said, his voice trembling with anger and frustration.
Saiko and Hoshika stood there, giving each other death glares. Sanada forced them apart and sent them to opposite ends of the room. Sanada resumed walking around, making sure Hoshika and Saiko kept their distance. Mochi and Tifa resumed their "fight" and their staged deaths while Hiyori continued to unsheathe her sword.
Ignoring the obviously indifferent group, he proceeded to start on practice duels.
"NOW." Sanada sensei boomed, catching everyone's attention.
Everyone jerked their heads towards Sanada, apart from Hiyori, who merely glanced at Sanada before resuming her dramatic one handed 'unsheathing'. Tifa elbowed her in the ribs.
"Everyone pay attention please," continued Sanada sensei.
"Once you've got the general feel of your Bokutos, we will practice sparring with one another. This is to help you learn the basics of fighting, as well as the rules and some tactics you could employ."
A mention of actually being able to fight sent a whisper around the room.
"Who are we going to spar with?" asked a slightly nervous Mochi. She shuddered at the thought of meeting Yammamoto once again.
"Yeah, do I get to duel with that what's-its-name…red haired loser with no brains? Ahh..that Renji-dono guy?" Saiko chimed in with a distinct smirk on her face.
"Most definitely NOT. I-"Sanada started to say.
"I hope I get to duel the baldy with the long stick…and teach him not to walk around swinging blocks of wood…" growled Tifa, screwing her hands into fists.
At this, the class erupted with murmurs of who they'd like to fight against.
"Silence!" shouted an exasperated Sanada. "I will repeat, we are sparring only with one another. Weren't you two listening? Even if you were allowed to fight with such highly ranked Shinigamis, you would be dead in a few minutes at best.'
Saiko screwed up her face and muttered something almost inaudible about smashing someone's face into the ground repeatedly.
"Like hell," Tifa muttered.
"Everyone is to pair up. Quickly choose your partner now." Sanada commanded.
Everyone besides the six friends immediately paired up. Then Hiyori and Mochi looked at one another, walked and stood together. "Hiyori!" shouted Mochi. "Mochi!" Hiyori shouted back. Saiko and Hoshika right away faced one another and growled menacingly, each with a hand on the hilts of their bokuto, as if threatening the other.
Tifa walked over and hugged Shioru. "Gahh," She muttered, with a slight hint of amusement in her voice.
Sanada was the first to realize that the troublesome pair had decided to fight one another. He quickly strode over to them. "Saiko, why don't you pair up with dear Tifa here," Sanada suggested, motioning towards Tifa, who was still clinging to Shioru.
Saiko kept her teeth gritted, staring at Hoshika.
"And Hoshika, please pair up with Shioru. I'm sure you two will get along," Sanada continued, glancing back and forth at the obvious competition between Saiko and Hoshika. Shioru simply glanced at Sanada, before walking away with Tifa towards where Hiyori and Mochi were standing. Hiyori and Mochi were also watching Sanada attempting to separate Saiko and Hoshika.
"Sighh," said Hiyori. "Can we just get on with it?" She wondered aloud.
Sanada turned to face Hiyori. Hiyori froze. She opened her mouth to apologise, and closed it again when Sanada said to Saiko and Hoshika, "Ok, then you may spar together, however I will not permit any actions that could be potentially dangerous, nor any aggressive behavior."
"What? Isn't that the whole point of this? Trying to skewer your partner on the end of your bokuto?" spluttered Saiko.
Upon hearing this, Sanada frowned, "Absolutely not. The point is to attempt to disarm, to bring the other to the ground, or to hit them somewhere they are able to defend. Aggression is useless and will only hurt you."
Sanada turned around. "On three, you will bow to your partner. On two, take your stance. On one, you may begin."
"Three."
Mochi laughed as she bowed to Hiyori, when Hiyori curtsied in return.
Hoshika and Saiko, catching Sanada's glare, each jerked their torso down a fraction and straightened almost immediately. To the others, it looked like they were having back spasms. Tifa and Shioru obediently bowed to each other.
"Two."
At once Hoshika and Saiko's bodies jolted, suddenly tense with their bokuto at the ready and a deadly glint in their eyes. Hiyori pulled her bokuto gracefully out of its sheath, which, after all that practicing, looked pretty damn good. Mochi pulled hers out slowly. Shioru pulled hers out to the right, while Tifa pulled hers upwards and backwards, towards her head. Everyone waited silently.
"One."
Each pair around the room had different reactions. Some stood there, not sure of what to do, some immediately charged at one another, while some resorted to mindlessly stabbing at their opponent.
Hoshika and Saiko stood facing one another, teeth gritted, eyes narrowed, and swords poised, not speaking or moving. To the others, it was a hilarious to see them take this so seriously, looking like they were putting their lives on the line.
By that time, Shioru and Tifa had already finished their fight, Shioru being the winner when she knocked Tifa's sword out of her hand. Tifa randomly broke down laughing at Saiko's screwed up face as she stared at Hoshika, and also at Hoshika when she attempted to strafe left, and tripping over herself when she stepped on her robes.
Nearby, Hiyori and Mochi were jumping, bouncing around, trying to avoid each others attacks.
"You look like spastic frogs!" Saiko shouted out of nowhere.
Hoshika turned her head to see what Saiko was gawping at, leaving her open to Saiko. Saiko, noticing Hoshika's diverted attention, darted forward, swinging her sword back, bracing her torso in preparation for the hit. She was only a metre away from getting Hoshika, when she turned around.
Her amused smile disappeared as quickly as her common sense as she spotted Saiko in front of her, sword raised and ready to strike. Any other day she would have the brains to dodge out of the way, but instead she stepped forward and swung her own sword around to meet Saiko's.
There was a loud bang-clang-whplow-thump and other various noises as they both pushed off the other's sword, sending each other backwards, towards the opposite ends of the room.
A few seconds later, Hiyori got pushed to the ground. Mochi stood behind her, smirking. She had spontaneously stepped behind Hiyori, and caught her unaware.
Meanwhile, Hoshika and Saiko were recovering on opposite ends of the room. Hiyori and Mochi rushed to Hoshika who was rubbing her head. "Where is Saiko? Did I knock her out? Serves that sly dim-wit right for attacking when my attention was on Hiyori and Mochi."
Tifa and Shioru ran to Saiko.
"Are you okay? You can be really stupid sometimes, you know?" Shioru told Saiko.
"I'm fine." replied Saiko, sitting up, then flopping back down a ridiculous smile on her face, "but Hoshika probably isn't. She took long enough to realize that the duel had already started... did I blast her to the other end of the room? Hah, oh god, I bet I killed her and blasted her bloody remains all the way to freaking Rukongai!" she cracked up and doubled over on the last word.
"Err, Sai? You two blasted each away. See? You're on this side of the room, a Hoshika's over on that side," Tifa pointed out the obvious, looking over at Hoshika on the opposite side of the room.
Saiko looked around. Yes, she was at the edge of the room, and Hoshika was at the other. Her face screwed up as she tried to recall exactly what happened.
Hoshika turned away, and I took my chance and charged at her. But I was close to hitting her when she turned around, and swung her Bokuto at me. Which means, I would have won, considering she got blasted just trying to counter my attack.
Saiko turned to Shioru. "Is Hoshika hurt?"
Taken aback by Saiko's sudden niceness towards Hoshika, she replied, "Umm, I don't know, you want me to check? Though, you weren't hurt that bad, so I'm guessing she shouldn't be that bad either, but I'll go check anyway," Shioru turned and proceeded to where Hoshika was sitting on the ground.
Tifa helped Saiko up and flinched as Sanada stormed over.
"What did I say? You lot are the most infuriating group I have ever met." Sanada shook his head and walked away.
"Hey, Saiko wants to know if you are alright, Hoshika." Shioru informed Hoshika.
Hoshika raised her eyebrow, and answered, "Yes, I'm perfectly fine, as a matter of fact. I suppose she knows I've won?"
"What the hell?," They all jerked their heads around to look at Saiko flailing, "How can you call that a win? You just flailed your arm around to stop me from smashing you through the damn wall! I obviously win. You fail Bakawaka, and so does your logic."
"Hey, Sai, when did you come?" Mochi asked.
"OMO! She came just then, Mochi, didn't you see? And it looks like there's going to be another fight…" Hiyori answered, looking just a little bit frightened.
"Oh yeah?" Hoshika cut in, crossing her arms and looking vaguely defiant, "Well you were the one to charge at me, and even so, you didn't even catch me unaware. Quick reflexes, that's me," she paused and grinned, "Besides, it's not the same as taking me on when my attention was on you, so you should be disqualified. Cheapass."
"What the hell you guys?! You both smashed each other the opposite ends of this room. You can't tell who was the winner or the loser. So, it's a tie. Happy?" Shioru was getting pissed. Competitive and immature idiots.
"Ties are lame, and for the record, I won." Hoshika drawled, rolling her eyes.
"I call for a rematch! Now! Seriously! 'Cause ties are stupidstupidstupidstupidstuuuuupiiiiiiiiiiiiid!" Screamed Saiko, flailing her arms and looking distinctly pissed off.
In an attempt to calm them down, Shioru then suggested that they both won.
"Like hell," growled Tifa. "You both lose, for being so stupid. Sai was being cheap and tried to win by striking when Hoshi's back was turned, and Hoshi was slow not to realize that she was open to Saiko when she didn't pay attention. See? Pure stupid. Case closed. No objections."
Hiyori and Mochi were the only ones smart enough to stay out of it. Instead, they were discussing Kat-Tun and DBSK.
It was nearly time to go back home. Sanada clapped his hands twice, to get everyone's attention. "Everyone, well done. Well, except some of you," he glared pointedly at Hoshika and Saiko," We made some superb progress today, and I pray you will remember the layouts of these duels. You may put your bokuto back in the racks, and then return here to collect your possessions."
The six friends stopped arguing and shuffled to the wall where all the bokuto were kept. The area was dark, just like the first time when they entered to take their bokuto. Again there were holes in the roof. They quickly spotted the racks where they initially found them, Mochi and Hiyori taking care to put them back where they found them. Hoshika, Tifa, Shioru, and Saiko didn't care and just shoved them in.
They each walked out of the room, wondering what their final zanpaktou would look like.
"What do you guys reckon your zanpakutou is gonna be like?" asked Mochi.
"Don't know, don't care, don't give a damn," answered Shioru.
"Hmm, I haven't thought about that, but I think it'll be awesome," said Tifa.
"Ha! Mine would be so much better than yours," Saiko shot a look back at the other four. "And all of yours too."
Hoshika snorted, "Oh yeah, and what's yours gonna be like? I bet it'll be a big, fat, heavy piece of metal"
"Mine's definitely going to be small and light with a wonderful sheath." said Hiyori.
They walked back to where the rest of their class was standing, where Sanada was waiting for them.
"What took you lot so long?" he looked at them, then noticed the rest of the class getting impatient and sighed," Never mind, just hurry up and sit down."
The six obediently sat down.
"I have been asked to remind you that tomorrow….." Sanada rambled on.
Everyone slouched down comfortably to prepare for Sanada's tedious dictating.
"Gee I'm so tired…can't wait to go home…" yawned Shioru.
"I need ramen…now!" Saiko pulled a face and fiddled with her chopsticks.
"Did Sanada tell us to bring our books tomorrow? And which size brush did he say to bring?22, 43, or 67?" A girl sitting next to Mochi asked.
"Size 67 brush, and bring your books. I think," Mochi answered.
Muahahah, she thought. You don't need a brush.
"Yay, I get to bring my shiny starry contacted books!" exclaimed Hiyori.
Upon hearing this, Tifa sat up, "OMG that means I get to stare at Cloud for the WHOLE DAY!" she adopted a far away look and began to stare at nothing in particular.
"Oh no, I didn't white-out anything on my books! Hiyori, you must help!" Mochi said.
"Finally, you are required to come half an hour early tomorrow, for the demonstration. Mochi, may I ask you to repeat what I just said?" Sanada stared at Mochi expectantly.
"I, uh, umm..Well you-" Mochi started to say.
"Pay attention, yes?" He cut her off and turned to the rest of the class, "Don't forget class, and come half an hour earlier tomorrow." Sanada frowned at Mochi and the others.
"You are dismissed."
The six friends at once stood up and strolled out of the class room, ready to go back home.
Sorry everyone for taking soo long, my computer died and then I went overseas. So I tried to make it long :)