Rise of Renji

Renji gets tired of being treated badly, so he challenges the other lieutenants to prove his worth

I don't own Bleach

A/N: Sorry the last chapter was so short. This one will be longer.

Renji walked into the squad ten offices. As usual, Rangiku was lounging on her captain's couch, and also, as usual, her captain was complaining about her refusal to do her paperwork. "But I can't do my paperwork! I told you I'm expecting someone!" Rangiku was whining from her position on the couch. When she saw Renji she brightened and announced, "See? Here he is!"

Toshiro just frowned and said, "Usually when Renji visits, it's with some lame excuse so you can go drinking instead of working." Rangiku pouted, "It's not like that. It's not like that today at least." "Is that so? Then what is it like today?" Toshiro asked sarcastically. "Renji has to challenge each of the lieutenants to a duel of their choice and if he doesn't win any, then he'll get demoted. He lost all of his challenges so far, so now we're going to duel."

Toshiro was skeptical. He asked, "So what kind of duel are you planning?" "We're having a drinking contest!" Rangiku told him cheerfully. "That's not going to happen," Toshiro told them coldly. "Aw! Renji, is he allowed to do that?" Rangiku asked in a high pitched voice. Renji was torn. If he said no, he would lose. But if he said yes, he would miss out on the opportunity to drink during work hours. After thinking for a minute or two, Renji told them, "No, the captain can't influence the lieutenants decision." It was a tough choice, but worth it to make Byakuya watch him get wasted during work hours.

Rangiku and Renji were both seated at a small table in the center of a small room. Byakuya and Toshiro were sitting against the walls. As captains it was their duty to oversee the duel, the entire duel. "Alright here's how it's going to work," Rangiku announced, "We're both going to drink as much as we can, and whoever can drink the most by sunset wins." It was about eight in the morning.

Squad eleven fourth seat Aramaki walked into the room with a tray of sake bottles. "I'll be your server," Aramaki informed them. "Why you?" Renji asked, "You're not from either of our squads." Aramaki shrugged and said modestly, "I owe Miss Matsumoto a favor." Rangiku cut in, "You owe me six favors." Aramaki looked at his feet and mumbled, "Enjoy your sake." Then he left.

Renji and Rangiku quickly began their duel. After the first few bottles they began chatting about random things. Four hours passed. "Hey, Rangiku, what do you think our captains would say if they were here to see us?" Renji whispered. "We are here." Toshiro said in a very annoyed voice from his seat against the wall, "We've been here all day!" Rangiku looked at him and said in a surprised voice, "Hey! It's my captain! Hey captain, wanna drink?" She held out a cup of sake to him. Toshiro's eye twitched as he told her, "No, I have to stay sober to make sure you don't try anything funny." "It's a little too late for that!" Renji shouted. Both Renji and Rangiku burst out laughing.

"Hey guys, what's all the ruckus?" Gin asked as he stepped into the room they were in. Renji panicked. He asked in a shaky voice, "Captain Ichimaru! What are you doing here?" Gin turned toward Renji and said in a hurt voice, "I just wanted to see what the all the fuss was about. I could here you singing from all the way on the other side of the building." "I don't know," Renji said hesitantly. "It's okay, Renji," Rangiku reassured him, "Gin and I go way back, like waaaaaay back. Like, back when I was only a C cup." "Woah," Renji was impressed, "You two have known each other for a long time."

After two more hours of constant drinking, random chatter, and harassing Aramaki, the conversation became interesting again. "Hey Gin," Renji said after he downed another cup of sake, "I've been meaning to ask you this. What color are your eyes? I've seen a few pictures, but some of them have brown and some have blue and it gets really confusing." Gin finished his cup of sake and answered, "Yeah, I've seen those to, but the thing is, my eyes are actually yellow. Kinda like Yoruichi's eyes." "Whose eyes?" Renji asked. "It doesn't matter," Gin responded.

After the sun had set and the day was done Aramaki announced the results, "Renji Abari: 14 bottles. Rangiku Matsumoto: 37 bottles. Winner: Rangiku Matsumoto!" Renji was only a little disappointed. "Well," Renji began, "It's not about who wins and who loses, it's about being able to drink all day and seriously tick off your captains." "Totally," Rangiku agreed.

Due to a major hangover, Renji took the next day off. But the day after that he was ready to challenge Yachiru.

"I can do this!" Renji was saying to himself to get pumped, "She's a little girl, and all she cares about is fighting and candy. I can't lose to her! If I do lose, then my only option is Nemu. God help me if I have to challenge Nemu."

"Hey, Tattoed dude!" Yachiru cried out as she ran towards Renji, toting her zanpakto which had wheels attached to the sheath, "I heard about the challenge so I came to find you! We're going to have an all out fight! No holding back!" Renji brightened. No holding back meant he could use his bankai. Today was his day.

Yachiru and Renji were positioned at opposite ends of a field, each in a fighting stance with their zanpakto drawn. They hadn't told their captains about the fight, but they were present anyway. Yachiru is not a hard person to find.

Renji made the first move. "Bankai! Hihiou Zabimaru!" he shouted, releasing his bankai. Hihiou Zabimaru coiled around him, forming a near fortress from its snake like body. "Are you scared Yachiru!" he yelled, "This is the power that separates you from me! We may be equal in rank but my power far surpasses yours!"

"It is pretty big," Yachiru admitted. She wasn't impressed. But you wouldn't be impressed either if you were already standing right next to him. Renji was shocked. "How did you get in?" he asked. "It was easy. I climbed in through one of the gaps while you were talking. It was even easier than sneaking into Byakushi's house." Yachiru drew her blade. "Here I come!" she announced as she started slashing his vulnerable chest.

While Zabimaru is in its bankai form, it can only function as a long range weapon and can only defend against long ranged attacks. He had no way to protect himself from Yachiru's onslaught. It was painfully obvious that Renji had lost this one to. With ten losses, he only had one option left.

A/N: Read to see what kind of challenge Nemu proposes. Also, next chapter the pairing will appear.