AN: First off, thanks for reviewing guys, everyone's input is appreciated. Um, not really much to say to the reviewers otehr than that...but to the person that has done some thinking, and noted that it was rather irresponsible for Ichigo to go off...I'm pretty sure I explained it in one of the earlier chapters, but maybe not in depth. Basically, Rukia bullied him into it XD. But yeah, even if he does shrug off responsibilities - it will come up later in the story, I mean, they will get in trouble - that sort of thing.
Ok, because of the simultaneous events occurring, I will now have to take the time to explain the timeline of this fic. So, this means, a little re-cap. Very brief – I just need it to explain the timeline.
Soul Society events:
Day 1: Ichigo arrives at Soul Society very early that day, maybe about 12:30AM (as it is basically night when he gets there). This is when he slept on Rukia's lap, if that triggers any memories. Then, around about 6:00AM they have the captain's meeting and Hitsugaya is assigned to look after Ichigo. Then they go on a picnic. That night, some stuff happens between Hitsugaya and Hinamori.
Day 2: The normal captain meeting occurs, Hinamori confronts Hitsugaya. Then, Yamamoto calls in the shinigami's he thinks that could try out for captain. Renji also walks with Rukia to the place where they grew up, and he confesses to her. They learn that two arrancars have made their way to the real world. Yamamoto chooses Hisagi, Renji, and Hitsugaya to go eliminate this threat. They leave that night, and after, Rukia takes Ichigo to journey with her to one of the lakes in Soul Society. They stop at the Shiba residence to get some new clothes. Then they go to the inn.
Day 3: Rukia tells Ichigo about Kaien, and they leave the inn. This would be about 11:30AM. Which is what we are up to now. However, Renji's story will start at Day 3, at about 5:00AM.
Hope that clears things up.
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
A Summer Job: Operation T-A (Part II)
He was dressed in a smart black uniform, but it was tattered in uncountable places. Rips revealed more rips on his body, and blood oozed out of his skin. More blood rolled down the side of his face, matching the colour of his loose long hair.
His surroundings included swings, a seesaw, and a sandbox. Renji lay on his stomach top of the wooden park bench, his legs hung lazily over the side of the seat, and his arms hung loosely at his sides. Little pools of blood gathered on the soil below him, disrupting the continuing colour of the ground. Some pools had already dried, mixing in with the grainy soil, becoming dark patches in the morning light.
Little clouds of breath rose from the direction of his face as he lay there, looking at the ground. Just breathing. Just breathing. His chest heaved at every breath, as if it was a chore to breathe. Which, it was. His long red hair covered the side of his face as it drooped down to touch the sandy ground.
Flashback
"Hush."
The two vice-captains looked around warily.
"You can feel it too, right?"
"Yeah." The vice-captain known as Abarai Renji answered. The other vice-captain known as Hisagi kept quiet, but his eyes remained alert and searching.
"They're opposite each other," the boy with white hair commented. "I wonder why…" He let his voice trail off, leaving the other two behind him to clutch the handles of their soul slayers.
Hitsugaya spun around, nearly startling the other two. He looked at Hisagi, then Renji.
"Ok, since they are both far from one another, it means that we have to split up."
No reaction.
Hitsugaya nodded to himself. They could almost be considered veterans, those two. Well, they had fought longer than him, even though they were a lower rank than him.
He looked at Renji, undoubtedly the stronger of the two. "You, go alone." Renji nodded. It was expected. The captain was expected to report on the success of both vice-captains. Even though he wasn't the best of friends with the white haired genius, he knew that Hitsugaya pretty much knew his abilities. Hisagi, however… The boy's voice brought him back to reality.
"Hisagi, you'll fight the stronger one." He held up his index finger, as Renji opened his mouth to protest. "Just to be safe, you can take out the weaker one. If something were to happen, and I wasn't there…"
The red-haired vice-captain growled something under his breath, but much to Hitsugaya's relief, he let the matter slide. Even though Renji did like to argue with pretty much anyone about pretty much every thing, he did hold some respect for the white haired genius, who graduated from the shinigami academy in a year.
"Hisagi," Hitsugaya turned back to the other vice-captain. "Basically, you'll be fighting by yourself. I won't step in at all, even if it looks bad. However, if you look like you might die…that's when I'll come in." He paused for emphasis. "I'll just be noting the way you fight." Stepping back, he eyed the two shinigamis. "You'll be all right. That is all."
The next second, all of them disappeared, leaving wisps of dust where they were standing.
Renji felt the wind rush past his face as he headed towards where the arrancar was located. As he flash-stepped closer and closer, emotions began to run high in his head. After all, it had just been this afternoon when he had confessed to Rukia. Rukia…
He juggled the name in his brain. Rukia, his first love…his only love. He thought she would be around forever, giving him time to think about his feelings. But…he had waited too late. She had gone on a mission…and never returned the same. That guy…Kurosaki Ichigo. Even though, he and Ichigo shared a bond almost akin to brothers, he still erected the wall of jealousy between them. After all, Ichigo, even though he wouldn't even admit it to himself, felt strongly for Rukia. Renji could see it, it was just like his love for Rukia. The thing was, Rukia felt the same thing towards Ichigo.
Damn that bastard…The presence of the arrancar became more acute, every flash-step. Probably within the next two flash-steps he would see whom he was up against. He cast aside his thoughts, and concentrated all his anger into the figure that had just appeared in front of him.
The arrancar was bigger than any normal human being, about 2 times the height of Renji. Sideways, it measured about the same size as Renji's height. In other words, it was big. It carried its soul slayer the traditional style, at its hip. When Renji came upon it was kneeling by a brick house, looking in through a window. It was just about to put its hand in the window when Renji charged at full speed towards its gruesome head.
THUCK!
His fist came in contact with the brute's head, and he felt the bulky weight shift, slowly at first, then faster and faster.
THUD.The arrancar hit the pavement a few meters away, and Renji jumped back after his punch. All his anger at Ichigo had been concentrated into that punch, so he was pretty confident that it hurt the monster.
The arrancar wiped a trickle of blood from its jaw as it slowly stood up. Renji eyed it arrogantly from a few metres back. Just out of its hitting range. The arrancar saw the range and grinned a toothy grin.
"Oh, I was wondering when you'd be coming." Its voice sounded harsh, laced with sarcasm, and obvious disgust at shinigamis.
"In a hurry to die?" Renji raised an eyebrow.
"In a hurry to save humans?" The arrancar smiled cruelly again, its pudgy face making its beady eyes become smaller.
"Pick on someone your own size." Renji said flatly, then drew his soul slayer, casting a small glance to the window where the arrancar had been.
The arrancar proceeded to draw his. "A bit rude don't you think? Not introducing yourself before a battle. I was told that was your custom."
Renji shrugged. "It won't matter if you're dead right?"
The arrancar grinned. "Right. Better for me anyway." He readied himself. "Though, you did say something earlier." He watched as the bored face of the red-haired shinigami changed to a questioning look. "You said, pick on someone your own size? I'm afraid if I did that, I wouldn't have any one to pick on. Since…"
Renji gasped. The arrancar's spirit force had suddenly sky-rocketed, and the shock drove him to one knee.
Shit. That bastard masked his spirit force.
The arrancar took one look at the shinigami in front of him, and smiled his evil toothy smile. "Won't matter if I'm dead, eh?" His smile turned to a frown as he saw the expression on the shinigamis face. He was smiling.
"Heh." Renji straightened himself against the spirit force. "You arrogant bastard, hiding your spirit force like that." He readied himself. "That won't matter. Looks like it'll be a little extra playtime for me then."
The arrancar growled. How dare this mere shinigami talk like he was stronger. He could sense his spirit force. It was exceptional, but not bigger than his own. "So you can talk trash?" He met the red-haired shinigami's gaze. "Lets see if that's supported by that puny amount of spirit power you're showing off."
He watched as the shinigami grinned. "Shut-up, grime-face. Lets fight."
The arrancar growled and charged forward, each footstep shaking the ground. Renji waited then flash-stepped behind the big monster. "Spirit force is useless…if you can't connect," he said behind the arrancar. The arrancar turned around with a shocked look on his face. Renji just grinned, and bought his soul slayer down to contact…empty air?
He slowly looked behind him, and sure enough the big guy was behind him, lifting his soul slayer to crush him.
Shit.
With that thought in his mind, Renji jumped forward, barely avoiding the soul slayer as the arrancar bore it down on the ground, cracking the pavement.
The arrancar grinned, obviously happy that he had shocked the shinigami. "Thought you could beat me that easily? Think again. That spirit force of yours – even if it did connect, would be useless anyway."
Renji muttered something under his breath.
"Scared?"
The shinigami said nothing for a few moments. Then: "Howl, Zabimaru." The words cut the cool air. Renji looked up and grinned a grin just as evil as the arrancar. The arrancar watched as the normal sword shape transformed itself into a mean looking segmented sword with teeth. "Get ready to die."
"Pfft… And just how, may I ask?"
He was answered indirectly by the sword extending from where the shinigami stood and almost meeting him in the face. The arrancar jumped back suddenly wary.
"Did that answer your question, slimeball?"
The second attack came, and the sword reached further than the last. The arrancar jumped back a second time, as the sword named Zabimaru whirled around the shinigami's head.
"Know what?"
The arrancar looked down at the shinigami.
"The point of the extending attack isn't to hit the target." As soon as those words were out of his mouth, he leant back and threw his sword once more. This time, however the sword didn't go directly at the arrancar, rather it took an oval path so that the end of the sword was behind it.
The arrancar grinned. "Looks like you missed, shinigami boy." His grin turned to an expression of shock and pain as Zabimaru drew back to its normal position, cutting deeply into the arrancar's leg as it passed.
As Zabimaru came back to its normal position the shinigami laughed harshly. "I said, the point is not to hit the target, instead, it goes behind it, and rakes the flesh as it comes back."
"I see." The arrancar straightened ignoring its fresh wound. "Since you have shown me your shikai, I suppose I should do the same."
The shinigami said nothing.
The arrancar looked at the expression on his face: bored. "You won't be bored after this, boy."
A pause.
"Poison, Pinsythar"
Instantly, the soul slayer that he had been holding with both hands seemed like it melded into the arrancar front arm bones. For a while, nothing seemed to be happening, but then the monster let out a groan as the bones thrust out of his arms, revealing vicious blades. They were long and thin, closely resembling syringes.
The arrancar slowly turned his hands around to look at them. Renji noticed that now they had small 'handles' of some sort. The arrancar clenched his fists, and by doing so, pulled on the handle. A squirt of some substance popped out the top of its respective blade. The arrancar grinned at Renji.
"Hey, shinigami boy. These things are loaded. With deadly poison." He stopped for emphasis. "But it won't kill you straight away. You'll suffer terribly first. But, you will die, no matter what."
The shinigami shrugged. "Whatever. Can I kill you now?"
His uncaring tone aroused anger in the arrancar. "You little brat." He lunged at Renji, only to find that his thin blade pierced empty air.
You went behind me again…stupid…Without thinking the arrancar used the thing shinigami's called 'flash-steps' and found himself behind Renji. Not even allowing himself a quick grin, he pulled his blade back, with the intent to stab the offending shinigami. As he pulled his hand back the shinigami disappeared and reappeared on top of his arm.
The sword named Zabimaru swung up and down, but the arrancar lifted its other hand and caught the blade, ignoring the sharp stabs of pain it sent down his hand. Gripping it for an instant he threw it forward, watching as the owner and the blade collided into the brick house where he had been trying to 'snack' on some girl that had a little spiritual power.
THUD…The shinigami looked up at the arrancar, from his position on the cluttered bricks. Blood ran down his forehead freely, and his hair band was gone, ripped in the collision. But the shinigami smiled. "Good, good, I wanted to have some fun."
He pushed himself out of the rubble of the wall, and readied himself one more time. "Oh, and before, when you said you wouldn't have anyone to pick on? I'll let myself be picked on," he paused, re-gripping Zabimaru. "That is, if you can handle it, slimeface."
The arrancar tried to open his mouth, but found that he couldn't. The shinigami had just unleashed his spirit power, and the arrancar found that his body didn't respond well to the shock. It was now he that went down on one knee.
"You…were…hiding that…spirit power?" He managed to get out.
The shinigami only grinned. "Time to die."
But something had caught his eye. The arrancar turned to look where the shinigami was looking. The girl he had tried to 'snack' on was now standing outside in her pyjamas, rubbing her eyes, as if trying to believe that the massive hole in her house was real.
What the…how can she be standing when this guy just released a huge amount of spirit force?
"Abarai…kun?" The voice was laced with disbelief.
They knew each other. But, how could this mere human see a shinigami?
Shit. I didn't want to get anyone involved, Renji thought.
"Tatsuki!" he barked. "Get back in the house!"
"W-WHAT? Tell me what the hell you're doing here! And why are you holding a sword?"
"There's no time for that. Get back in the house!" he growled.
The arrancar simply observed the shinigami's actions. It was obvious that the shinigami had a larger spirit force than him…however, if he had attachments to this girl named 'Tatsuki'… It was a low way of fighting, but if he wanted to survive…
He lunged at the girl, extending Pinsythar.
"TATSUKI!" The red-haired shinigami dived in front of the human girl, who had just stood there, dumbfounded. In her anger and surprise at seeing the shinigami, she had completely missed the arrancar.
The arrancar grinned once again as Pinsythar pierced the shinigami. Just as he had hoped.
"Why you…" The shinigami growled as it held the blade that now had residence in his shoulder. He was cut off when the arrancar squeezed his fist, and Renji's eyes opened in pain.
Shit…The poison…injection…The arrancar opened his mouth to laugh, but it never came. Renji grabbed hold of the blade, and ripped it out of his shoulder. A cruel light began to shine from his eyes.
The girl behind him had dropped to her knees in confusion.
"Stay there, Tatsuki," he growled. Something in the shinigami's voice had changed. It was a more...commanding tone. "Hey, slime-ball. There's one thing you need to know. My name is Abarai Renji."
"Pleased to meet you," the arrancar said sarcastically. "My name is…" But the shinigami never got to find out his name, nor did the arrancar get to tell him. Renji had swung Zabimaru in an underarm motion, extending it at the same time. It cut the arrancar from under its arm to its head, splitting its jaw. Blood spurted out of the wound, and the arm slowly slipped down the side of its body. The bone like syringes slowly withered away, and then was joined by the rest of the arrancar's body.
Renji turned around, to where Tatsuki was kneeling, too shocked to say anything.
Damn girl.
With a short and swift motion, he hit the back of her head. As she fell forward he caught her, and carried her just inside the front door, noting how big and expensive her house looked. Closing the door to ensure no one suspected anything, never mind the huge whole in the brick wall, he walked slowly away from the house.
Hitsugaya…taichou…He thought he could sense them…they were somewhere… He followed his senses, walking drowsily. That damn poison. He kept walking, but his arm hurt like hell. He needed to find Hitsugaya-taichou – he could probably do something about it. As he shuffled slowly in the early hours of the morning he stumbled over a wooden bench. Too tired and injured to get up, he lay there, and closed his eyes. The last thought that ran through his mind was, Tatsuki's house looks really expensive.
End Flashback
He must have been there for at least 3 hours. Pain racked his body, but he didn't move, because it hurt more. He stared down at the ground, noting that he could now see a bit more clearly. It was the beginning of a new day, he decided, because he could feel the sun on his back. He wondered briefly where Hitsugaya-taichou and Hisagi were.
A shadow crossed the sunlight, and Renji tried looked up to glare at the offender that had blocked his sunlight. The sudden jerk brought an onslaught of pain that knocked him out.
The shadow became bigger as it neared his body. Strong hands gripped the sides of his muscular body and lifted him up.
A few minutes later, the only thing that was left at the park was footprints, and dried blood.
AN: Wow, I'm pretty sure this is the longest chapter I have ever written. Probably because of the fight scene. But I'm pretty happy with it. Anyway, please read and review – I hope the number of reviewers don't go down now that I'm dealing with another thing happening in the story (not Ichigo and Rukia) but come on guys. Something else has to be happening other than Ichigo and Rukia :P Else the story won't be as interesting…Anyway, I hope you liked it. Keep reviewing, and I'll keep writing XD…Mmmmm I'll wait for a large amount of reviews…then update time!