Chapter Eight: Whispers in the Dark
I was standing in front of the man with the thin moustache. The man who took my friend away.
My friend? Who?
He was speaking, I can't hear him.
I was irritated.
There was some sort of barrier preventing me from hearing and completely understanding what these visions are.
As if someone drugged me.
My friend walked into the room, I was sad.
Why?
These visions are important. But I can't make any sense of them.
Why?
What are they trying to tell me?
Team Headquarters
My head hurt. It was if someone had hit me over the head with a war hammer again. I could hear hushed voices speaking close by. I was lying on a mattress.
I'm in the infirmary.
My eyes snapped open and I shot up startling Steve who was curled up on the chair next to my bed. Steve was a mod soul put into a plush blue dragon. He's about four to five years old.
"Rai's awake! Rai's awake!" Steve the blue dragon chirped happily. Yuki and Hanatarou walked in from outside. It was their voices I had heard.
"How are you feeling Yutaka? Is there any lightheadedness?" Hanatarou asked. He was the main medic of the Karakura Team. When the Team was established we needed medics otherwise Orihime would be overwhelmed. Hanatarou was among the few who volunteered.
"No my head just aches, what happened?"
Yuki and Hanatarou looked at each other, and then turned back to me. "We were hoping that you could tell us."
"I don't remember." All I could remember was a red light.
Liar.
I froze; it had been a while since I had heard that voice. I had hoped tha-
You thought I had left? That I had been destroyed?
"Sir what's wrong? "
I had curled into the fetal position and was grasping my head. That voice had haunted me since my arrival in Rukon. My medication had held it at bay, until now.
"The voice is back and it's not my conscience."
If my eyes hadn't been clenched tight I would've seen the alarmed expressions on Yuki and Hanatarou's faces. As it was I only heard Hanatarou fumble for my medicine and force it down my throat.
The medicine will work for a time but eventually I. Will. Triumph. I will be the King!
The voice faded into nothingness and I relaxed. Then a thought occurred to me. If I was in the infirmary, why the hell was Yuki here? He's supposed to be my second in command!
"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" I demanded, facing Yuki.
He has new orders.
"I was ordered to give you a message when you regained consciousness." Yuki shifted his feet as he said this, refusing to meet my eyes. "Halibel is manning my station at the moment."
"And?"
"Hinamori Momo the lieutenant of your division achieved Bankai yesterday."
I froze then relaxed, it only been a matter of time after the war for her to reach that level.
"All squad members fifth seat and above are commanded to return to the Seireitei to be tested for the vacant lieutenant spot."
I groaned I'm the fifth seat so I just made the cut for the lieutenant proficiency test. I kicked the blanket off of my feet and stood.
"I better get ready then."
London, Headquarters of the Black Order
Komui sat at his desk with his head in his palms. Of all the places in the world Karakura Town, Japan was one of the last places he wanted to go to. Not after they had lost a certain exorcist there, it would be too painful.
Lavi, Krory, Noise and Allen probably wouldn't care, they had never met him. But Kanda and Lenalee would care very much, the three of them had been nearly inseparable. Komui was not looking forward to informing Kanda that they were traveling to Karakura, especially so soon after Alma's resurrection.
Reever came in through the door holding his customary stack of papers talking over his shoulder to the exorcists trailing behind him.
Komui motioned for the exorcists to sit on the couches in front of his desk. He ignored Reever's statement about how he had more work for him.
"I have some bad news."
That got everyone's attention, he may not be too serious most of the time, but his tone told them how serious he was.
"Levverier has decided that he wants to recruit the allies of the group we picked up in North America."
"Cool," Lavi said, "so where are you sending –"
"Brother what's wrong?" Lenalee interrupted noticing the troubled look on Komui's face.
"First, it's been decided that I'll be accompanying you in order to research their technology."
"And the second?" Kanda asked. Komui fought back the urge to wince; Kanda was not in a good mood. Then again, was he ever? 'He used to be, before he died 'said his traitorous mind.
Komui sighed and said, "A place many of us here in this room are familiar with. We are being sent to Karakura Town, Japan. "
Dead silence filled the room at his words.
"No" Kanda said, his voice frosty.
"Come on Yuu-"Lavi began.
"I'm not going there, find someone else." Kanda made to leave.
"Kanda Yuu! I know that he was your friend, he was mine as well and I would rather steer clear of Karakura all together. But the higher ups have ordered us to go, so go we will" Komui said steal in his voice daring Kanda to object.
Soul Society
I stepped out of the Senkaimon and into the Seireitei. Two nameless shinigami from the first division were waiting for me. I had no idea who they were, and they didn't offer their names.
"We have been waiting for you fifth division fifth seat, please follow us."
I nodded, not like I could do anything else. Well… I could but I don't think they'd appreciate me cackling or singing "I know a song that gets on every-bodies nerves". Spoilsports.
"Yutaka Rai as you are the fifth seat of the fifth division, you are a candidate for the vacant lieutenant position. In order to obtain this position you are required to take the lieutenant proficiency exam. Do you understand?"
"I have no interest in taking the exam"
"Excuse me?" the one on the right said. Maybe I should call him Thing 1? Nah. " To be a candidate for the lieutenant spot is a great honor! How can you say that you have no interest in taking the exam?"
I shrugged, "you two obviously haven't read up on my medical history, I'm mentally unstable, putting me in a position like that is not. A .Good. Idea. Furthermore I'm the head monitor for the Karakura Team how could that possibly work out in the end?"
"I think you misunderstand your position fifth seat," the one on the left said finally speaking. That's it he's Tweedle-Dee and the other is Tweedle-Dum! "This isn't a request, as per the command of Central 46 you are to take the lieutenant proficiency test."
I glared but nodded, somehow I knew arguing would be futile.
"Then if I may take my leave gentlemen, I wish to drop off my things before I take the exam."
"Very well report back to this room when you are done we will start immediately."
I nodded and left heading toward the fifth division barracks. Stupid Central 46, why did they have to be reinstated?
Later, First Division
I sighed as I glanced at the papers in front of me. Here I was a veteran of the Winter War being forced to take a written test. Great, well if they want to force me to do this, then they better be prepared for some interesting answers.
2. What does the Captain's Haori represent?
I smirked; time to mess with Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee's heads.
It represents a giant target painted on them saying "here I am look at me! Kill me, and my squad will probably fall apart!"
7. Why did you join your squad?
To show all of you ass%^#^ that the fifth division wasn't weak as you thought it was.
18. What is a lieutenant's duty?
I fail to understand this question. This "duty" so called, varies from division to division. If you're talking about the tenth then the lieutenant does nothing, if it's the eighth then the duty is to keep the captain's mind out of the gutter. Need I go on?
23. Do you think you're qualified for the job?
What kind of question is that? We're taking the test aren't we? Obviously we think we're qualified. Except in my case someone else thinks I'm qualified and I want in on whatever they're smoking because it's obviously some pretty good stuff.
I answered most if not all the questions similarly. I was pretty certain that I would fail.
No you won't the written test part doesn't count for much
I shook my head slightly, that was weird and I've been getting those weird visions or feelings a lot recently.
"You will be allowed to have a break; your next exam is near the academy." Tweetle dee said.
I nodded to show that I'd heard. I stepped out of the room and started to wander around.
Eventually I reached the academy grounds and blinked. I felt weird something was nagging me, as if I should be doing something, but my exam didn't start for another hour.
I was about to leave when a student grabbed my arm. I turned and saw it was a red haired male with a mask thing on the right side of his face.
"Yutaka? Yutaka Rai? "The student asked.
"Sorry do I know you?" I asked him, I didn't recognize him but that didn't mean anything.
Yes it does
The man blinked and shook his head. "I thought you were someone else; excuse me, good luck on your test."
He walked him away.
I watched him go, that was weird. He was very polite; he was always anything but polite. I froze where had that come from? Did I know that man? If so why couldn't I remember? Normally when souls arrive in Soul Society they remember their past life. But I didn't, when I arrived in Soul Society the only thing I knew was my name.
I sighed there was point mulling over something like this. I had to go take a stupid test. Wait….how did he know that I was taking a test?
Unknown Location
The man was sitting on the bench once again feeding the birds.
"It appears that the former member remembers who he is." The stern woman stated.
"And what of the potential one? Has he remembered yet?"
"No, he feels a sense of familiarity with the member but doesn't know why."
"Let us hope that he remembers soon, danger approaches quickly and if he doesn't awaken then the Soul Society will be destroyed."
An: if there any grammar/ spelling mistakes please tell me! Review please.
The next few chapters are the ones that I really want to write.
