Chapter 2: Spying
Of course, I own nothing. N-o-t-h-I-n-g I only own this fic.
I always liked the baboon incarnation of Zabimaru more so I stuck with that :)
Previously ((After a few minutes, Senbonzakura's concern hit Byakuya. 'Master, the marked one is not going home.'))
Renji was absolutely furious.
He'd just been trying to do his work, and his captain had used his spiritual pressure to break him. This seemed like a malicious act to him, and he felt betrayed. It hurt so badly to once again have proof that his beautiful, powerful superior thought so little of him.
Nothing he did was ever good enough!
Nothing would ever be enough!
Helpless tears of frustration and humiliation gathered in his eyes, and he growled impatiently at his own weakness. Gods, he must really be exhausted if crying came to him so easily.
The thought of going home crossed his mind, but he dismissed it. Just because his captain had said to. It wasn't like the noble would know; that jerk didn't care enough to track where he went.
Zabimaru's voice came into his mind. 'Master, the pretty one said to rest.'
He rolled his eyes, not liking the cautious tone his split-personality weapon had taken on lately. "Fuck him, ok? He's not here to enforce his order, is he? He used his spiritual pressure to subjugate me like a little fuckin' bitch, so I'd rather not do as he said. Hell, if he'd ordered me to keep breathing, I'd be holding my breath right now, and we'd see what all this red hair looks like around a blue face."
He reached the abandoned courtyard where he'd been spending his late nights. He set Zabimaru on a ledge and sighed. "You wanna come out, Zabi? I'm sorry I snapped at you; this isn't your fault."
In his mind, he felt a nod, and he let his riatsu twine with Zabimaru's, giving the soul of his weapon the power to manifest.
A red mist formed, then condensed into a magnificent white baboon the size of a horse, with a snake for a tail. Markings like Renji's danced over the snow-white fur as Zabi moved, stretching and giving a yawn that revealed lethal fangs. The snake-tail coiled through the air, pearly scales shimmering in the sunlight.
Renji smiled; in spite of the cautious way they'd been talking to him lately, Zabimaru appeared to be doing well.
He began setting up his targets, wooden squares and busted sections of stone pillars. He braced himself for the questions, comments, and idle chatter Zabi would soon be unleashing on him. He endured it because he figured it got boring in his inner world and that Zabi relished the chance to talk out loud.
"Master?"
Renji smirked to himself as he finished setting up the targets. "Yeah?"
He paused at the soft question that followed. "Why do you continue to care for the pretty one when he treats you in such a way?"
Renji sighed as he removed the top of his uniform and walked to his spot. "We've been over this, Zabi. I don't know. Even after the way he used his spiritual pressure to make me bitch down...I'm so fuckin' pissed, but I'd still kill anyone who raised their hand to my 'pretty one'."
Renji lifted his hands and began firing blasts of Shakkaho at the targets, bypassing the spirit chant. He didn't notice narrowed amethyst eyes that watched from the edge of the courtyard.
X-X-X-X-X
Byakuya had followed his lieutenant with a stealth that would've impressed SoiFon. The moment Sen had said Renji wasn't going home, he'd left instructions for his 3rd Seat and taken off, suppressing his energy.
He'd caught up to the agitated crimsonette, who had suddenly started talking while glaring down at the zanpakuto on his hip. "Fuck him, ok?"
Byakuya had heard everything that followed, including the fact that the bigger Soul Reaper had felt subjugated by his spiritual pressure. It appeared that the younger man really had been hurt by his actions, even felt degraded and betrayed.
Byakuya followed the Rukon Dog through a seldom used portion of the Seireitei, then they reached a courtyard that was obviously abandoned but in decent shape.
He watched with interest as the warrior summoned and manifested the soul of his zanpakuto, then began setting up what looked to be targets.
His eyes widened at the impossible conversation between Renji and the baboon king; judging by context, the 'pretty one' they spoke of was him, like how Sen referred to the redhead as the 'marked one'. And there was no way the fiery warrior cared for him, was there? From Renji's frustrated sounding answer, he did care.
Eyes narrowed in contemplation, he watched his now topless lieutenant take aim at the targets without reciting the spirit chants. How had Renji come so far without his knowledge? Several decent fiery blasts followed, all of them hitting the targets.
Then one Shakkaho blew up before it could be launched, engulfing Renji in flames and smoke.
Byakuya tensed, but before he could act, his subordinate stumbled out of the smoke, brushing himself off and...and grinning like a damn fool!
He stared at his smiling lieutenant as the redhead spoke excitedly to Zabimaru. "Ha! You see that, Zabi? Seven solid shots before it backfires on me!"
The baboon and snake both nodded, the serpent head replying, "Yesss, Massster. When you ssstarted, your limit wasss two before it burned you."
Renji nodded happily, then his grin began to fade. "I bet it still wouldn't impress him, though. Nothing I do matters to him, unless I do something wrong."
The baboon king tilted his head. "But Master, he noticed you were tired, and wanted you to rest."
The redhead sighed. "Yeah, Zabi, but that was only because he doesn't want me slacking off."
Byakuya felt a frown crossing his face as a look of sadness deepened the fatigue in the crimsonette's strong features.
Then Zabimaru reached out, nudging Renji's shoulder with the back of his knuckles and almost knocking the young man over. "Do not hurt over the pretty one, my master. He will see your worth someday. Until then, you still have us, and many friends that care about you."
The Rukon Dog nodded. "You're right. Thanks, Zabi. Hey, you wanna work out before we go home and rest like Cap'n said?"
The manifested zanpakuto gave a relieved-sounding laugh. "Thought you'd never ask! Come, Master!" The baboon with the snake tail dissolved into a mist that flew into the blade on the ledge.
Byakuya was surprised when the blade shimmered into its fanged Shikai form...and Renji wasn't touching it.
He watched intently as the younger man picked up the zanpakuto and strode proudly to the center of the courtyard. Renji held his transformed zanpakuto up to the sun like a salute.
"Roar, Zabimaru!"
The hinged blade extended like the whip from Hell, each section bearing its own fearsome fang. The lethal, aggressive weapon whirled around the crimsonette, creating a wind of its own that whipped the tie and hair-pin loose, freeing the long, blood-red mane.
As Renji and Zabimaru moved together, the Rukon Dog's spiritual energy blossomed.
Riatsu strong enough to rival Byakuya's on his best day flooded the courtyard.
And he could seem to do no more than watch as Renji and his weapon danced together.
X-X-X-X-X
Renji felt his spiritual energy flowing freely as he and Zabimaru went through their ever-changing routine, a workout that never failed to strengthen their bond. He spun and leapt in place, Zabimaru whirling around him in every direction. The lethal blade swept under him when he jumped, and swung low above his head when he crouched.
His zanpakuto was becoming quite skilled at coming closer and closer without nicking him, and Renji was so proud of the progress they'd made.
He spoke out loud, even though he could only hear his partner in his mind now. "That's it, Zabi! Ready for flash-step?"
An enthusiastic, double-voiced 'Yess, Masster!' echoed in his head, and he laughed as he began darting around the courtyard randomly. The point of this part was to train Zabi to follow an enemy that was moving at such speeds.
He still held the hilt of his weapon, while Zabi's leading fang followed him through his flash-steps. 'We'll get you thiss time, Masster!'
Renji scoffed good-naturedly as he darted past a shifting shadow he didn't notice, eyes fixed on the aggressive blade. "Not a chance in Hell, Zabi!"
He leapt clear as the leading section sliced into the stone at his feet. "Oh, you'll have a headache after that!" he teased, chuckling at the baboon's retort in his mind. 'No worse than the headaches you cause us, Master!'
He took abrupt, sharp turns, and dodged behind rubble, pleased that evading his partner had actually been becoming more difficult over the last couple of weeks. He just wished he had someone to help with the training. It would make it even more challenging.
Renji stopped and turned to face the attacking end of his fang. "I trust you, Zabi."
At the last moment, he raised his hand, palm out in a 'stop' gesture. In the same instant, the black and silver hinged blade twisted and shot up into the air, the flat side of each section skimming his palm.
Grinning, Renji called to his partner again. "Hey Zabi! That last target is an enemy!"
With a hissing rush of steel, the hinged fang that had been soaring into the air dove down to surround Renji in a protective net. Amid the hissing metal that furiously spun around him, he heard the fierce reply. 'An enemy we shall destroy together, Master.'
He nodded. "Damn straight."
Still holding Zabi's hilt in his right hand, he raised his left towards the last target. He fired a Shakkaho, and the end of his fang followed.
The fiery blast hit the target, and a heartbeat later, Zabi struck in the same spot. If the enemy survived the kido attack, they still wouldn't see Zabi behind the smoke until the weapon struck them in the same spot already wounded by the hado.
"Perfect, Zabi! That was great!"
The blade slithered back to him, brushing against his hand before reconnecting to form the single hinged blade with fangs. 'Thank you for the praise, Master. You did well, too.'
Renji smirked playfully. "Of course! We're great together, Zabimaru. Ready to go home and rest?"
He tilted his head as the reply filtered into his mind. 'Yes, Master. Would the pretty one be angry if he knew you didn't obey him right away?'
Renji laughed as he headed for his stuff. "Are you kidding? If he knew I disobeyed, I'd be in a shitload of trouble! I dunno 'bout you, but I ain't in no hurry to face him or Senbonzakura!"
The quiet response caught him off-guard as Zabimaru shifted into their sealed form, an ordinary-looking sword. 'Indeed. I do not fear the pretty one, but Senbonzakura is a formidable opponent.'
Renji huffed. "Yeah, Senbonzakura is dangerous, but Byakuya would still be lethal as fuck even if he was alone. That's one scary-ass man. Hell, Zaraki didn't scare me half as much as Byakuya does, especially when he's mad."
He sheathed Zabimaru and tied up his hair, then gathered his shihakusho into his arms. He turned to leave the courtyard, freezing when he saw a familiar figure blocking his exit. "Oh my holy fuck. Captain Kuchiki?!"