Bleach – The Heart of the Matter
By Tayla Drago
A battle to be going on in a bowling/arcade/restaurant for many lives were in grave danger, even the B-Last Band members and crew people for Alucard to fight through the Lillie's vines to try draining them. Same with Urahara, Tessai, Yoruichi, Jinta, Ururu, Ririn, Kurodo, and Noba to do the same back outside; along with Sonia, Hayame, and Kon 'in Ichigo's body' to stop the rest back inside the building. So many vines of this deadly flower monster who works for Dracula! As for the other six saving the lives into hiding to face against Dracula's six powerful monster armies now 'well seven once since Urahara beaten Executioner' for these matches I'll try to make them a bit short, okay? There almost like the boss fights in Castlevania Legends from the Game Boy game.
No worries about Hayame, she will be fine as she rushes to Uryu's side in case anyone of you are wondering about her…Oh, right! Time for the fifth round for Renji Abarai vs. Minotaur. For this battle will be a muscle to someone with power from their abilities or weapons type of showdown for the two battling it out in the hallways of the building since Renji got everyone out to safety; the only thing left now is for him to do the same thing after battling it out against the monstrous type of bull type of demon who was in his way.
Agile minotaur creature that utilizes different-lengthen high jumps to hop from across the room via its pillars. Its random, unpredictable movements are its only true strength.
"So, this is what a Soul Reaper looks like…not what I've imagine, but whatever." Minotaur moves his feet to charge up for his nose to smell out and look all tough. "Might as well make this fight count. You, Soul Reaper, you and me. Let's fight with brawl and power, use one power up against me if you like, but one alone."
"A big male type of cow, huh?" surprised Renji to have his boomerang and armor on him to use his fighting skills for those two to win. "I'll use my skills to fight against you, Mr. Bull, and with some Belmont powers mix in with it. How's that? (Using my fighting skills and new powers is the only chance I have. If even I use my Zabimaru, it'll be risky to cause more damage to hurt the humans from inside of this place. So I must play it cool like Ichigo, Rukia, Sonia, and the others do when they fight.)"
Minotaur sigh to agree with the fighting terms for him to jump a few times to make the ceiling part fall down to make a battle ground to stay in the big circle, the two will fight to the death and/or to fall. The last one standing alive and not dead completely is the winner. The battle to the Dracula battles! For Renji to always be a hot head, he tries his best to fight against the bull monster the best he could without dying!
"That's fine, what ifs and so not. Okay, try to make this fight more fun now without holding anything back. Time to go all out, Soul Reaper!"
Minotaur jumps up on the platform for Renji to climb up on it and gets ready to fight.
"And neither will I, cow boy. So let's go! Zabimaru, give me strength from the Belmont abilities of mine!"
The Minotaur comes charging at Renji to try holding the monster from trying to ramp him down, being really strong and armoring up with lots of boulders to hold Minotaur, the bull demon kept on charging forward. How long could Renji hold up? Not long enough from the looks of it…! So Renji to jump up from above Minotaur to kick him on the back to miss, but the monster crushing the plain fields a bit to leave a huge hole in it. Close call!
"Hmm…Not bad, tough one is good like me." said the monster to have both his handcuff chains on his wrists and was ready to use on Renji next. "You think you're better, I can do more than fight. Watch."
Some creature he was who likes to jump all the time. As soon as Renji sees the bull's fighting skills, Minotaur jumps very high, then lands a few blocks to the direction where Renji was standing in. From jumping high, super strong, and using his horns to chain whipping was powerful to cut Renji's cheeks a bit from the strength it was. Renji uses his boomerang to block the chain whipping many times to try not to get cut to shreds on the rest in time.
"I guess I shouldn't lower my guard then, scary." he said to throw his boomerang at Minotaur.
Only for the creature to jump up to avoid getting it in time.
"Not happening. Now let's keep on fighting."
Using his two huge fists from Minotaur himself, then he comes charging at Renji to push him to his doom and out of the ring, getting stabbed from his horns to pass through his flesh to miss his organs, it hurts to try pushing back to give the monster a punch to the face to use the boomerang fast to confuse the beast to come flying all over; for Renji to try grabbing hold of Minotaur by the horn to give him a pin down to the ground.
"Got ya!"
Well, Renji would've…if Minotaur didn't use his chains to tie Renji's waist to send him flying around the fighting ring to push him down, but he won't lose like that. Soon to be pushing each other like sumo-wrestlers do, they push back and forth to then move away to keep their guard down.
"Stubborn Soul Reaper who doesn't want to lose. I see..." said the monstrous bull. "Haven't had a fight like this since centuries ago. Enjoying myself too whether it's a job for Lord Dracula to carry out or not. And I still can fight after you almost stabbed me."
"Hey! Grr…!" angered Renji. "You said to use only our powers in our weapons and our bodies! And those horns could've killed me!"
Minotaur comes charging at Renji again to use his boomerang to be flung into the air in time to come back down for the monster to stop from falling out 'like a bull fight to be both dangerous and real'.
"It's still part of me when fighting like chains are my weapons, or jumping a lot. Got to watch your guard next time."
"Fine, I will then. I'll just have to keep on attacking you!" using his boomerang to smack the bull around to the head to also shield himself by using his armor upper body at the same time. "I will never lose to the likes of you! I will get stronger for my friends to stop Dracula and his other monsters-!" Renji stops a little to be in pain right now from the last strike to the stomach. "Ouch…! (Damn! Not now…)"
One wrong move, for Minotaur to come charging at Renji to drag him down, using his weapon to stop him from going any further 'or from falling off the battle grounds'. With Renji was trapped, from his arms and legs from both of Minotaur's chains ties him up to pull him apart in midair to raise his body high. This is going to hurt, a lot! If Renji doesn't get out of this mess alive…
"Come now, is that all you got? Fight back by getting out of this mess or you will die by my hands, see?" Minotaur pulls on his chains harder to make Renji be in pain. "Strong living creatures can fight back when they get hurt to have more in them. I've seen it from my previous battles, it happened and I know you can too or at least die with a smile who has fought on until the very end."
Renji could reach for his weapon to fall nor get out of the chains from his ankles or wrists.
"What do you mean? You have me tied up-! AH!"
Renji, do something! Fighting against Minotaur was hard enough, but him trying to tell you something important was something you must learn about while still fighting back!
"Power can make you win, that's true. That's me. You have other reason to fight a lot more to give it your all against me. Tell me what it is, admit it to fight back or go out with a bang." said the monster while trying to kill Renji. "I order you to tell me now! I will pull you apart with one more pull, I will. Tell me now. Who are you really fighting for and why?"
For Minotaur to ask Renji that question to learn something while still having fun in his way to still carry out the job, what was Renji's reasons…? Well, if it wasn't for Sonia who helped him out to admit some of his feelings to Rukia on that day, it would've been hard to meet with Ichigo and the others. Even a lot more to change before Ichigo has met with Renji from back then…
Renji grew up in the 78th District of Rukongai, Inuzuri, with several other children. Having come to Soul Society alone, they helped each other to search for their families. One day, after stealing a jug of water, Renji and his friends were chased by a Kama-wielding adult. Rukia Kuchiki tripped the adult and urged Renji's group to follow her to avoid losing the water. Rukia joined their group and they lived together as a family. They all hated Inuzuri and the people there. Renji disliked the fact that Rukia had spiritual power like he did. Ten years after Rukia joined their group, with all their friends' dead, Rukia proposed that they become Shinigami, which Renji agreed to do. As they were quite gifted with spiritual powers, they entered the Shin'ō Academy with ease, where they struggled to prove their worth among those from noble families. The night before the welcoming ceremony for the new students of the Academy, Renji slept in a tree, against Rukia's advice. The following morning, he fell out of the tree and landed on a headstone where a startled Izuru Kira had been praying. Having scored among the highest grades in the entrance exam, Renji was admitted into the top class along with Izuru and Momo Hinamori.
Two months after entering the Academy, Renji scolded Rukia for still not fitting in and informed her that he was going to the Human World for field training to practice the Konsō for the first time. Whilst being briefed on the field trip by Shūhei Hisagi, Kanisawa, and Aoga, Renji failed to recognize Shūhei, who was to lead the mission. Izuru explained to him that Hisagi was famous and a gifted student. Renji, Izuru, and Momo were assigned to the same group. When Momo joined them, Renji kicked Izuru because of how he greeted her, saying that he should not let his emotions show so easily. While in the Human World, Renji remarked that Konsō was a lot easier than he had imagined. He then lost his temper with the constantly fidgeting Izuru and punched him. As Shūhei called an end to their field trip, the group was attacked by a Huge Hollow, which killed Kanisawa and Aoga. Shūhei ordered the group to retreat while he stayed to fight the Hollow. When a second Huge Hollow appeared, Momo stopped and questioned why they were running away. Renji reminded Momo that the Hollow had just killed two sixth year students. When Momo rushed back towards Shūhei, Renji, and Izuru followed her and helped to block the second Hollow's attack on him. When more Huge Hollows showed up, they were saved by the arrival of Fifth Division's Captain Sōsuke Aizen, and his lieutenant, Gin Ichimaru. When Momo wondered if they would ever become as strong as Aizen and Ichimaru, Renji laughed at the notion and insisted that captains and lieutenants were monsters.
Having passed an important exam, Renji rushed to find Rukia to tell her. However, when he found her, she was with several Shinigami, including Byakuya Kuchiki. As they left, Renji noted Byakuya's power, causing him to wonder who he was. Renji asked what they wanted and congratulated Rukia when she told him that they want to have her adopted into the Kuchiki Clan, have her graduate immediately and assigned to the 13th Division. Rukia thanked him and left. Renji told himself that Rukia finally had a family and that he should stay out of it. After Rukia left, Renji trained every day in a bid to beat Byakuya, but he was unable to defeat him even once.
Renji graduated from the Shin'ō Academy in its 2,066th year and joined the Gotei 13, where he initially served under Aizen in the 5th Division, along with Izuru and Momo. The rebellious Renji, however, was moved to the 11th Division and rose to the rank of 6th Seat. During his time in the 11th Division, he befriended Ikkaku Madarame, to whom he revealed that he wanted to become stronger than Byakuya Kuchiki. Ikkaku taught Renji how to fight and Renji became aware that Ikkaku had a Bankai, and requested that he use it to train Renji.
Forty years after Rukia's adoption into the Kuchiki Clan, in mid-April, Momo and Izuru presented Renji with a letter stating that he was to be promoted to lieutenant of the 6th Division. He formally accepted Momo's words, which caused her to tell him not to be so uptight. Ikkaku told him that he was now a step closer to Rukia and that his will has been strong for forty years, but now that he was a lieutenant, they should return to the type of relationship that they once shared. Izuru informed Renji that Rukia was leaving on a mission to the Human World that afternoon. When Momo urged him to hurry, Renji told her that he would wait until his promotion was made official a month later, and that when she returned, he would surprise her with it. On the 19th of July, Renji was sent alongside his captain to arrest Rukia and return her to Soul Society. Yeah, we know about that part afterwards, remember?
For Minotaur to ask Renji a question, from power that he has gotten to be training hard to get stronger, for what reason? From growing up with Rukia to become Soul Reapers together, fighting with Ichigo, helping his other friends stop Hollows and other threats, and right now to aid his captain Byakuya as well…his spiritual pressure then goes up the roof from within himself to know the answer at last. For his friends, comrades, Ichigo to be a friend/rival, his job as a Soul Reaper, and Rukia Kuchiki 'the woman he grew up with and loves a lot'. It was enough strength to try grabbing his boomerang to break the chains from Minotaur from his feet and hands with armor to cut him free.
"(I see now…Of course! I should've known in the first place…!)" Renji tries to fight back. "Hey, cow boy, you asked what I was fighting for? Well, I have your answer…for my duty as a Soul Reaper, my captain, my comrades, Ichigo who I may fight with again, aiding Sonia and Alucard who gave me such great powers, and…for her…!"
Thinking about Rukia to remember everything about her…
"(Renji…)"
The chain breaks for Renji to make his weapon disappear for Minotaur couldn't find it to then jump away in time to lose his opponent instead.
"You broke out, huh? Okay, then answer me this." he asked. "Who else are you fighting for?"
Renji gives Minotaur an elbow hit to the head.
"I…I…I'm also…I'm also fighting for Rukia!"
Boom! That had to hurt…Minotaur loses his chains but not his horns to think that he avoided another boomerang hit to come charging at Renji again, but he uses his arms to push the bull monster back to do that again at each other…but Renji pushes Minotaur to be thrown down to the edge almost, to have Renji hit him by headbutting Minotaur really hard. I guess you can call this the power of love, you know? This allows Renji to also break one of his horns off to go on his back to pull the bull by the mouth to try shaking Minotaur off like he was in a rodeo show.
"Breaking my horn to use to hold me like a farm animal? Is that the best you can do to beat me like this?"
Renji smiles to make Minotaur to lose his guard for him to say this to him next.
"No, just something to hold you up to have 'that' to finish you off." his boomerang comes back to come flying at Minotaur to jump right off to kick in straight at the weapon. "This match is over!"
The Minotaur panics to be getting hit from the weapon to move around a lot to cut his body in half to fall out of the ring to be in pieces all over the place. Nice move, for Renji counts down from one, two, and three to hear the fire alarm go off to set off the sprinklers all over for the fighting match to be over and the hero to be the winner, and Dracula's fifth monster solider to be dead. To also be smiling, Minotaur says one more thing.
"One…Two…Three…you win…" he laughs a little to be coughing badly. "Oh well, like that matters now. Fair is fair for me to die like this…I did go out in a blaze of glory, something like that really…good fight, Soul Reaper, just…try not to die by Lord Dracula's hands…if you're lucky…"
And that makes five. One more of Dracula's seven monsters to go for Uryu was the only one left to face with was Joker from up top of the building stairs…With Renji a bit beaten up, he cheers with joy to call his fight a big victory 'while trying not to be in so much pain'.
"Yes! Victory is mine, Renji Abarai, baby! Alright! Kick ass!" said Renji to try to overdo it. "Wait until I tell Rukia and Ichigo about my fight."
"Renji! Renji!" It was Orihime 'to still be healing herself' to come up and see Renji to aid him next now that his fight was over with.
"Orihime?" he sees her. "Man, you look like crap…"
She helps Renji out to begin to heal him up next by using her powers.
"I guess we both had a tough battle, huh? But we're alive, that's all that matters the most." she said. "I guess now we have to find one more person to get and then go help Ichigo and Sonia back downstairs with the others."
As Renji was happy to fight well and to fight for others 'even Rukia' to be happy about and sees that everyone else 'like Orihime' were all doing well, they will make this against Dracula and his army. However, Hayame flies by them to be in a hurry to aid Uryu upstairs right away after battling her way against the Lillie's' of Doom from flying through the vines really fast; for her to see them on standby from their battles, she says something to them as she was flying by the two.
"Renji! Orihime! I'm glad to see you two are okay!" she said. "Listen, I need to go! Meet you guys up top! I need to help Uryu! He needs me so be careful!"
Well, off Hayame goes for Orihime to finish up recovering Renji for them to go upstairs for them to aid Uryu and Hayame next on the last monster that must be stopped, and the other one that was covering the entire building.
"Hayame!" shock the two as they go quickly to the top of the stairs.
And they better hurry, for Urahara, Yoruichi, and the others to finish up from the outside of the building to stop the main flower demon in control and Sonia and Kon to also stop the other vines that are out of control…only one more monster to be stopped by Uryu and maybe Hayame against Joker. As Alucard sees the lights go out for him and the other band members for something to come this way, so were two more monsters to appear somewhere in the building. One was another monster who was huge, and the other, to be a familiar face to not be himself right now. Who could it be? Also, who was the mysterious spy…?