Author's note: So, did you like the cliffhanger from the previous chapter? Huh? Huh? I tried really hard to make it suspenseful and such. ^_^ So do you think Hikari is dead? Is she in the same state as Hinamori? Who knows? ^_^ Only ME!
Remember: If you have any questions about the story so far, please ask them! I'll answer them on my "omake" or "overview." I just wanted you guys to understand that. xD
Oh, and obviously, this chapter is shorter than the others....Well, i was really lazy when i was typing this chapter and I was watching The Last Samurai (with Tom Cruise!). That movie was giving me so much inspiration...but not for this chapter. xD Actually, i'm making a mini parody of this story and it'll be based off The Last Samurai. It'll be called "The Last Shinigami." Yeah...it's not really original. Shut up. xD
Anyways, i hope you guys enjoy Chapter 18. ^_^ R&R please!
Chapter 18: True feelings
"Taicho! Are you ok?!" I heard Matsumoto coming towards me. I made sure there were no tears and stood up.
"Get a 4th squad personal. Quickly!" I ordered. When Matsumoto saw Hikari, she gasped.
"Hika-"
"Mastumoto!"
She was taken aback by my sudden anger, but she quickly regained composure and quickly grabbed her phone.
"Lieutenant of Squad 10 requests a squad 4 healer immediately." Matsumoto asked through the phone. There was a brief silence before she started again. "Yes sir….Let me check."
Matsumoto turned to face me.
"Taicho, they're asking if you need-"
"Get Unohana-taicho or Lieutenant Isane."
Matsumoto turned back to the phone and repeated what I asked for. There were a few "Yes sir" and "Yes ma'am" until the Senkon gate opened. We turned to see Unohana-taicho walk out of the gate. I stood up as Unohana looked at Hikari.
"Can you explain what just happened?" Unohana asked. I shook my head.
"No ma'am. I just arrived and saw her in this state." I replied. Unohana nodded. Suddenly, two squad 4 healers came in with a stretcher. They gently laid Hikari onto the stretcher and carried her into the senkon gate.
"Will she be alright, Unohana-taicho?" Matsumoto asked.
"Honestly, Lieutenant Matsumoto, just by looking at her at first glance…she may be in the same situation as Lieutenant Hinamori." She turned to face the Senkon gate. "Or worse."
When Unohana walked through the Senkon Gate, there was a horrible silence that came afterwards. I heard choking sobs from Matsumoto. I turned to face her and asked her to return back to Inoue's house.
"But what if hollows appear?" She asked.
"It's fine."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'll return in a while."
"Should I tell Ikkaku and Yumichika?"
"Yes."
Matsumoto nodded and disappeared. I would have followed her but there was something that made me stay. The blood was still there and the sight of it made me feel sick inside; I knew why.
Not only could I not protect Hinamori…but I couldn't protect Hikari.
"I'm sorry…Hikari." I murmured.
XxXxX
I heard voices. Some sounded familiar, some sounded strange. My entire body felt numb. Was I dead?
I opened my eyes and there was a bright light. Maybe I was dead. It was when my vision cleared that I knew that I was still alive. When the blur went away, I saw that I was in a room: a hospital room. I jolted up from the bed but I felt a surge of pain flow through my body that I had to lay back down. Lieutenant Isane quickly came inside.
"Please, don't be too hasty to wake up." Isane touched my arm. "You're in safe hands."
"I'm alive?" I asked. Isane smiled.
"Yes, you are. Taicho was able to fix your wound. Actually, we had to put you in the ER."
I blinked with surprise. "For real?"
"Indeed. So please be calm. We don't want your wounds to re-open."
I nodded and raised my hand to look at my palm. "Where's my taicho?"
"Hitsugaya-taicho? He's still in the maternal world." Isane frowned. "Would you like me to call him?"
I shook my head and continued to look at my palm. After a brief silence, Insane made sure that I was ok and left. When I was finally alone, I sat up and looked out the window. I began to think about Hitsugaya-kun. I wonder if I caused him worry. I felt horrible about myself. He wanted to protect me after what happened to Hinamori-chan and he probably feels like he failed. I felt like crying, but I'm a shinigami…Shinigami never cry….What absolute bull. I felt a tear on my cheek. Why was I crying? I guess because I probably worsen Hitsugaya's emotions and I probably not only worried him, but I worried Matsumoto-san. What could I do? Nothing.
I heard small chuckling. "Look who's here."
My head turned and saw the Lieutenant of Squad 1, Kagawa Masahiko. I rolled my eyes.
"What do you want, Kagawa?"
"Aw, what's wrong Kaori? Are you not happy to see me?"
"Why would I like to see you?"
"Maybe cause you're my friend-"
"Will you shut up?"
"I suppose." He sat next to me. He smiled. "How ya feeling?"
"Ok, I suppose. How's work in Squad 1?"
"Horrible. I have paper work 24/7 and all that…." He went silent for a bit. "Did you see Usagi-chan?"
I bit my lip. Kagawa was Akemi's boyfriend. Akemi used to tell me that she and him went to Academy together and became lieutenants. They had a strong love. I'm pretty sure when news that Akemi was killed, it must have hit hard on Kagawa. I didn't know what to say to him. Should I tell her that Akemi is no longer the girl you used to date? Should I tell him that she's a horrible arrancar? What should I say?
I suppose that Kagawa read my mind because I heard him sigh.
"I know she's an arrancar." He said bluntly. There was something off in his voice when he said it, though.
"Oh…well, I'm not sure really. In the beginning, she came to me and started to warn about the upcoming events. Then, another arrancar came and attacked me. I guess she had some relationship with Akemi because she arrived and took her away after Hitsugaya came and such."
Kagawa nodded. "Alright. Hey, let's try to be in a lighter mood of things. How's you and your new boyfriend?"
"And what's your purpose to want to know my personal relationships?"
"Hm, touché."
I smiled and lightly punched his arm. "We're fine."
"That's good to hear. Anyways, I better get back to work. I'll check on you tomorrow."
"Alrighty."
He got up and walked out of the room.
Now, click the pause button on that remote. You might be thinkin' "How the heck do you know this guy?" Well, it all starts on a warm, calm day in Shinigami Academy…
-flashback-
"I'm going to get you to meet a good friend of mine." Akemi-sama said. I cocked an eyebrow.
"Who?"
"You'll see." She stood up from the grass and walked into the trees. I waited a few moments until I saw Akemi come back with a young person, about the same age as Akemi-sama, with pretty blond hair and sky blue eyes. He wore a lieutenant badge on his right thigh. The normal sleeves on his uniform were torn off and wore a white cover-up.
"Meet Lieutenant of Squad 1, Kagawa Masahiko."
"L-L-Lieutenant of Squad 1?!" I exclaimed. Lieutenant Kagawa laughed and shook my hair.
"Usagi told me a lot about ya. I heard you got talent. You don't need to be all formal around me unlike this person-"
Akemi-sama slapped the back of his head. "Shut up, will ya? I'm trying to set a good example to this kid."
"You? Set a good example? That can kiss my a**-"
Another slap across the back of his head. Lieutenant Kagawa rubbed his head and grunted. Akemi-sama pouted and then turned to me with a smile.
"Anyways…." She said. "He's on a break right now so I decided to use that moment for you two to meet."
I nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant Kagawa, sir."
"What did I tell ya, kid? Don't be all formal around me, geez…" He murmured. Akemi-sama laughed.
"You remind me of Lieutenant Kaien…." She drifted off and Lieutenant Kagawa's eyes went dark. I didn't know who this Lieutenant Kaien was until after I graduated and learned from Rukia. Akemi-sama let out a sigh and smiled again, though I could tell it was a fake smile. I gave her a reassuring smile and turned to Lieutenant Kagawa.
"Well, my name is Kaori Hikari." I said with a smile.
"Hikari, huh?" He smirked. "Good name. Good name. I see some talent in ya, kido." Then he leaned in. "But be careful around Usagi. She got a crazy temper and-"
There was a whack on the back of his head again and he was on the ground, gripping the back on his head.
"Watch what you say, idiot." Akemi-sama said angrily. Lieutenant Kagawa slowly turned his head to face me and he mouthed "I told you so."
I laughed and helped him up. "Will I be seeing you more often, Lieutenant?"
He straightened and shook his head. "Probably not. Got a sh*t load of work. It sucks being Lieutenant of Squad 1. Oh well. But hey, I'll do my best to visit and when you join the Gotei 13, then I'll probably see you more often. Speaking of which, I got to go. Captain-Commander is going to burn my a** if I don't come back!"
"I'd like for him to do that." Akemi-sama murmured and Lieutenant Kagawa turned to her with a look. Akemi-sama shrugged it off as he left.
From that moment on, I saw Lieutenant Kagawa at least once a week. It was great when he arrived. Even Akemi-sama felt calmer around him, even though she got angry at him when he was around. It was about a month later that I learned that the two started dating. It was very cute! I started to call him Kagawa since he never cared much about formality. He also started to call me Kaori instead of kid. After Akemi and Kagawa started dating, I saw him 2 or 3 times a week. But after Akemi died, I didn't see much of Kagawa. I saw him when I walked around Seireitei, but he would be under a tree, staring at the clouds. I felt bad for him. I wanted to comfort him. But nothing can heal the pain when someone you care so much about disappears from your world forever.
-End of flashback-
Now that Akemi is supposedly alive, I saw more of Kagawa. The only difference was that his warm, kind eyes I saw before were darker; As if he was still in doubt or in thought about Akemi. Yet, this time, his eyes returned to those old warm eyes I was so familiar with. Maybe he was doing it for me, like he didn't want me to worry. I sighed. I bet I worried him after the attack. Great, just great. Another person I worried for my stupid actions. Sh*t. And they both have their own things to worry about. I'm an idiot….
