Renji Abarai vs. Zabimaru

Renji Abarai vs. Zabimaru is a fight that took place during the Zanpakutō Rebellion. It details the conflict between the lieutenant of the 6th Division and his Zanpakutō spirit.

Prelude


Renji Abarai walks across the rubble in Seireitei, searching around for further evidence of his captain's disappearance. He wonders where Byakuya went, as a voice taunts from afar, causing him to turn around promptly. The voice continues its taunts, as another voice joins the fray, telling him that he is too stupid to figure out who they are. Suddenly, a figure appears behind him at the stairwell, as Renji looks on in shock. Renji wonders who the figure is, to which the figure tells him that his rudeness is unequalled.



She reveals a smaller figure behind her, asking whether he recognises them now. They walk towards him, as he realises that they are his Zanpakutō in human form. Zabimaru asks Renji whether he knew how much he relied on their powers, to which he is unsure. She asks Snakey for his opinion, who ignores her. She smacks him on the head, berating Snakey on his lenience. Renji breaks up their argument, as Zabimaru asks him if he thinks he will leave there uninjured. They tell him that their job is to finish him off, as they hold hands, forming Zabimaru's Shikai. Renji tells them to wait, asking what their motivation is to fight him, as they tell him they heard a voice, telling them to obey their instincts. .

Battle
Snakey swings his sword, which Renji dodges promptly, while Chimpette pulls him back via the chain around his neck. Chimpette asks him why he hasn't drawn his sword, to which he says he won't fight a child. Renji says once more that he has no reason to fight them, as Chimpette asks him whether that will be his excuse once he loses.

Chimpette then tells him that they have no time to fight with a weakling, swinging Snakey’s chain promptly, much to Renji’s surprise. Snakey is propelled forwards, clashing with Renji, the force of the attack pushing him back momentarily. His sword then disappears from his hand, as he swings the chain, sending Chimpette flying towards Renji, just as Zabimaru materializes into her hand, smashing Renji into the nearby building. From the rubble, Renji emerges, panting heavily, much to Snakey’s excitement. Chimpette berates him once more, as they get into an argument, as Renji breaks them up. Renji tells them that he is their opponent, as they regain their composure. They then tell their former master that the reason they left Renji was because they refused to become weak like him. Renji finally resolves himself to fight, attempting to utilise his Shikai, to no avail.

Chimpette and Snakey continue their fight with Renji, overpowering him forthwith. He is constantly thrown back by their attacks, his sword unable to counter theirs. Chimpette calls him a coward, recalling Renji’s prior struggle to rescue Rukia from her execution, how he fought with Ichigo Kurosaki and Byakuya, and lost both times. Chimpette threatens to kill Rukia Kuchiki, wondering if that would make him serious, as she moves in for another attack, sending him hurtling backwards. Renji emerges once more, telling them that they will have to kill him, if they want to leave. Chimpette tells him to stop persisting, as they can see through his ruse. She tells him that he is afraid, that if he fights and kills them, he will lose his power. She asks him whether he thinks that is not weakness, as Snakey grabs him, continually pummeling Renji with his tail, as he wonders what he should do. He ponders whether he is useless and weak, as he slumps to the ground. Snakey asks Chimpette what to do, to which she tells him to kill Renji. Snakey materializes Zabimaru into his palm, raising it above his head, as Renji remembers his past battles and resolutions to get stronger. He thinks of Ichigo, that he fights to protect others, and wonders what his reason to fight is, remembering his hatred of Byakuya Kuchiki.

Renji blocks Snakey’s strike, much to his surprise, forcing him onto the ground. Renji tells them that he might be weak, but he strives to become stronger. He tells them that he has an enemy he must defeat, which is his reason to fight. He resolves that he will not lose, as he tries to summon his Shikai once more, which is successful.

Renji forces Snakey into a retreat, as Chimpette tells him to be careful. They comment upon Renji’s nature being different to before, as Chimpette commends him upon finally being motivated to fight them. However, Chimpette asks him if he thinks his resolve is capable of defeating them, as she charges at him. Renji charges at Chimpette, whose sword forms in Snakey’s hand, as he blocks Renji’s attack, retreating back to Chimpette. Chimpette commends his ability again, stating that he wields them satisfactorily. He berates them, asking them if they know how many decades of training he has underwent. They say it cannot be helped, as they release Bankai, much to Renji’s surprise.

Chimpette questions why he is surprised, as they are Zanpakuto. She then fires Hikotsu Taihō, immersing Renji in clouds of dust, as their Bankai pushes Renji away, crashing into the wall of Seireitei. Renji avoids another blast from their Bankai, as the snake-like form proceeds to follow him through the buildings. Renji swings his sword at it, an attack that proves ineffective. He tries again, as the immense form grabs him in its mouth, as Renji fends it off with Zabimaru. He drops his sword, collapsing to the ground, as Chimpette tells him that his Shikai doesn’t hold a candle to their Bankai. Renji stands up to face her, and he realizes that what she is saying is correct. As Chimpette reverts back to Shikai, she tells Renji not to try and think his way out of things. He realizes that he has one more trick that could work, as he binds the two with Bakudō # 4, Hainawa, preventing them from leaving, proceeding to attack them with a barrage of Hadō # 31, Shakkahō'.

Renji continues using his Kidō, which causes the two to avoid his attacks. Chimpette runs up a wall, and swings Snakey in order to grab Renji’s sword, which crumples suddenly. She laughs at this, and the two spirits proceed to attack a seemingly cornered Renji. He then charges up a larger Shakkahō, which destroys Snakey’s sword. As he does this, fragments of Zabimaru are floating in the air, as he activates his Higa Zekkō technique, with said fragments proceeding to impale his Zanpakuto spirit, as they revert back to their sword form.

Aftermath
Renji approaches his sword, pulling it out of the ground, telling his Zanpakuto that, although he may be weak, so long as he continues in the stead of the strong, he will become strong also. As he leaves, the voices of his Zanpakuto spirits resurface, telling him that he is not a bad combatant, and that they will never fight against him again.