Hero

Abarai Renji, Vice Captain of the 6th Shinigami Squad of The Soul Society, was in a bad mood. That traitor Aizen and his Hollows had brazenly attacked a 10th Squad convoy, and Renji hadn't gotten to lock swords with any of the invading trash. True, Toshirou and Matsumoto had driven the filth back with heavy casualties, but Aizen had escaped, wounded, but not dangerously so. Of course, Toshirou was even angrier than Renji, with him, it was very personal, Aizen's continued existence was a slap in the face for the young captain, who'd nearly died a few years prior trying to bring him to justice. Not to mention what Aizen had done to Hinamori. Renji scowled at the memory and walked on.

"THAT'S A LIE!" A youthful voice shouted angrily from around the next corner. Renji recognized the voice, it was Rikichi, the young Shinigami who was constantly annoying him with his overzealous hero worship. He started forward, but stopped at the sound of the reply. "I'm telling you, kid," A gruff voice stated mockingly, "Renji only joined the 6th Squad because he was too weak for the 11th!" Renji's eyes narrowed in rage, Who the Hell . . . "Vice Captain Abarai Renji is the Greatest Shinigami in all of Soul Society! He could RUN the 11th if he wanted too!" The other laughed, "He couldn't run the 4th! He's just a loser who couldn't make the cut! He -" There was a grunt of pain, and Renji rushed around to see what had happened. A very large, very surprised 11th Squad bruiser was lying on the ground, clutching his knee and crotch as Rikichi wailed away on his prone form. Renji couldn't help it, and laughed at the sight, and both looked up at him, finally noticing his presence. The fallen man's eyes widened in horror, while Rikichi's black eyes shone with boundless admiration. Renji smiled broadly, walked over to his young defender and ruffled his jet black hair, at which Rikichi's already huge eyes grew even wider, blushing as a huge grin crossed his boyish face. "C'mon kid," He put a hand on the boy's shoulder, "Let's go get somethin' to eat, on me." Rikichi looked as if he'd just been invited to Heaven itself, he couldn't even speak, he just followed his hero's lead as they walked away.

The man from the 11th Squad got up, forgotten and in pain, How could that scrawny little kid have beaten me ? Thinking never was his strong suit, so he just thanked whatever powers there were that Abarai had been in a good mood . . .

The End