9 Chapter 19: Memories & Rivalry
A red eye is all I saw a man with a scared face, glaring at me.
"Kakashi!"
He knew my name, but I did not know his. I wanted to ask questions, who was he? How did he know my name?
"Die!"
A flash of darkness covered my eyes, to only feel a familiar touch. Opening my eyes, I saw a pair of golden orbs gazing into mine.
"Bad dream?"
Yoruichi? Her hand caressed my cheek, as it settled on a spot rubbing circles on my covered face. Her soft skin, her violet hair, was this a memory? If so I wished it had happened.
"Something wrong?"
Her faced dimmed a bit, my eyes lowered at the realization of it being a dream.
"Hmph you're so hard to read you know that right?"
I took her hand in my own, feeling the warmth that comforted me. Though I had wake up, as I closed my eyes.
Morning
Knock! Knock!
Opening my eyes, the sun hitting my eyes, sitting up as my back popped a bit. Opening the door a messenger stood with a letter from Captain-Commander Yamamoto.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto, requests your presence"
Taking the notice it seemed to be a simple summons.
"Thank you"
Closing the door I stood looking at the piece of paper. A long moment of though came as if a decision needed to be made.
"Well let's get dressed"
Captain-Commander Office
The elderly man sat at his desk writing down a note it seemed til he refocused on me.
"Kakashi, you've proven to be an asset to the Soul Society"
"Thank you"
"In hindsight you should already be a Captain, if not for you insistence on being a Vice-captain" He explained
"I just feel more comfortable where I am"
"I under, but you will have to take on the mantle sooner or later"
"Just...Why me? You have many other capable Soul Reapers"
He stood up waving my over, and doing as gestured we looked at the Soul Society.
"In truth? I need a successor...Souls do not live forever despite our belief in it" he answered honestly
"Why me? Why not Shunsui? Or Utitake?"
"Shunsuis has very tactical mind and has often shown great leadership, but I fear he lacks the ability to make harsh decisions" he answered
"And Captain Utitake?"
"He denies it, but he sick and unsure of how long he has to live"
"And why must I be your successor?"
He looked over at me with a wary eye, and gripped his cane.
"Because unlike your colleagues, you have difficult decisions, like when you were confronted on with the now Exiled former Captains"
A small flashback of that night came, I still remember fighting them.
"And your steadily increasing ability to turn all those around you into your allies, and your leadership to use that to the Seireitei advantage" he explained
"So I became likable?"
"I suppose, but when you first got here my opinion was very different"
"Oh how so?"
"When you got here I thought you would be a liability, and would leave with Urahara, but I was wrong you kept your loyalty with the Seireitei and acted as needed" he answered
In that moment a sharp pain in my mind hit me hard. Yamamoto saw this as I clutched my head.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes...I've been having these images in my head at night" he halfway explained
"I see, so you're feeling"
"Feeling what?"
"Souls cannot keep their memories when they were alive, so they slowly deteriorate" he explained
"So how do mine resurface?"
"It usually happens to those with strong spiritual energy due to either strong emotion or age and is a grueling experience" he explained
"I see" I said in pain
"It will take sometime to pass, so I'll inform Captain Shunsui of your condition"
Home
As I sat in my home I could feel the pain, as each memory surfaced.
Another image came to mind, a girl with brown hair and a bright smile.
'Come on Kakashi!'
She was always smiling, then a boy with black hair, and orange goggles with a crest on his vest.
'Kakashi! One day I'll beat you!'
"Kakashi!"
A voice at the door woke me out of my painful experience. Opening it Soi Feng stood with a disappointed look on her face.
"Soi Feng? What're you doing here?"
"Shunsui told me about your condition, and I wanted to check up on you!" She yelled which worsened it
"W-well I'm doing fine"
"Not buying it!" She yelled again
She came in still wearing her Captains uniform. I sat in my armchair waiting for an explanation.
"Are you okay? Are you running a fever?" She asked
"I-its alright, I-Im fine"
"That's not all I'm here for, I need advice"
"On what?"
Pouring herself and I cup of tea which wasn't the best.
"I have a new Vice-captain, and he...he's weak no way around that couldn't even lie if I wanted to" she said with disappointment
"Who is he?"
"He's one of the Omaeda Clan, his family is wealthy and somehow got onto my Division, why couldn't you be my Vice-captain?" She asked
"Cause I would be doing all the work"
Before she could retort my comment, as the door flew open.
"Kakashi-sensie!" Kaien shouted as he entered with Toshiro behind him with an annoyed look
"Kaien? Toshiro? What are you two doing here?"
"We-"
Kaien was cut off by the sight of Soi Feng, as well as the cups of tea.
"Kakashi-sensie?"
"Yes?"
"Is this a date?"
Soi Feng spat out her drink, as the suggestion was made.
"W-what are you talking about!?" She shouted angrily
"No, Kaien this is not a date, more of a check up"
"Oh anyway we brought you some medicine to help you" he said as Toshiro held the bag
"Oh Toshiro you brought me medicine how thoughtful"
"Me!? Don't be ridiculous!"
Handing me the bag roughly he folded his arms. Looking down at the bag a small smile formed on my face, as Soi Feng continued to scold Kaien.
Night
I tossed and turned as flashes of battle rushed through my skull. Bodies and faces covered in blood and burned marks. Fields destroyed that look like a massive grave.
I looked down at my hands covered in the crimson liquid. The horrible smell of iron and dead hit my nose hard. My body tired sweat and heat as the fires gave very little light.
"Kakashi!"
Turning a man with bright yellow hair came with that brown haired girl, and the orange goggle wearing boy.
"We need to leave!"
As we began to run away, my eyes shot open. Sweat ran down my body like a river, breathing heavily seeing the moon still out. Calming down I began to feel the pain easing, this must have been the passing.
Next Day
Though the memories stopped Captain-Commander Yamamoto said that they would continue in unexpected moments. As I walked holding my head due to an a headache that followed. Not seeing wearing where I was going, I bumped into a tall man.
"Sorry"
Turning I saw him a tall man with long black hair and a scar that ran down his face. He also wore the uniform of Division 11, the new Captain: Kenpachi Zaraki.
"I know you" he said in a low growl
"Hmm?"
"Yes, you're Kakashi Hatake, the man that took on more than one Captain" he grinned
"Yes I suppose you could say that" I said trying to dodge the question
I was then face to face with his blade, there seemed to be a ragged edge.
"Fight me" he challenged with a wide smile
"Oh boy"
