Eyes of the Soul

by operation meteor

Passing beyond the veil, Itachi finds himself in an afterlife that is far from the hellfire he'd steeled himself for. With a chance encounter involving a pervy sage, a Flash Goddess and a healer whose angelic appearance hides more than a hint of steel, the bane of the Uchiha Clan finds a chance at a second life... and perhaps redemption. Slow burn. M for language and violence.

3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: So, you know how I said I was going to wait a while before posting more chapters? Yeah, kind of changed my mind, wanted to get another one out there.

Since this chapter introduces Yoruichi's bodyguard and future Squad Two Captain, a quick note on the name. When I first started reading the Bleach manga, the name was written as Soi Fon. I know that Suì-Fēng is considered the canon way to write it now, but I'm not going with that. I'm going with Soi-Fon, so if you don't like it, too bad.

Enjoy!

Chapter Three: Entrance Exams

The next day…

It wasn't hard for Itachi to find his way to the western edge of the Seireitei. Even with the incomprehensibly vast nature of the Soul Society, its governing heart and the seat of its guardians were impossible to miss. A circular city within yet distinctly separate from the sprawling Rukon District, it was still large enough to utterly dwarf every Shinobi Village that Itachi had ever laid eyes upon. Although it appeared to be open, from what Itachi had learned there was an enormous wall hidden in a different dimension that could descend at the moment someone attempted unauthorized entry. Even though he could currently only see the outskirts of the Seireitei and the large hill at the heart of it, Itachi could not fail to notice how much sturdier and cleaner the walls and buildings within that region were when compared to those of the Rukon District. It all appeared so much more orderly and secure, and it was yet another sign of the broad gap Itachi had discerned between the privileged and the poor of the Soul Society.

It would seem that all religions who preached of a utopian afterlife were wrong, he mused as he strode towards his destination, I know that this is not Hell, but it would seem to be far from a perfect Heaven, either.

The morning sun was just beginning to creep over the horizon as Itachi approached the Seireitei. He had left early enough as it was, but even then, he'd had to move at a very brisk pace in order to arrive on schedule. In fact, he'd departed so early that he was gone before the shopkeeper had even gotten out of bed. Itachi had felt bad about leaving without saying goodbye in person; after all the old man had done for him it seemed rude to slip out without a word like that. He hoped that the note he'd left for the proprietor before his departure would suffice and that the old man would not take offense at the manner of his leaving.

He spotted Jiraiya up ahead, but his attention was quickly drawn away from the Sannin and towards the being the sage was conversing with. It was an absolute giant of a man, so much so that he was taller than any house Itachi had ever seen in the Hidden Leaf Village. He wore a black robe with a white sash that reminded Itachi of what he'd seen Unohana wearing the night before, only this one lacked a haori. It also only covered up to the right shoulder of the giant's torso; the left side of his chest was exposed, while the shoulder and upper arm were covered in thick armor. His black hair was tied in a pony tail that fell down to his waist, while his sideburns continued all the way down to his neck and were long enough to be tied in small tuffs at the end. Capping off the ensemble was a red hat with yellow tassels. Itachi could detect a set of faint outlines on the giant's robe, and after a moment he realized that the titan of a man was concealing two incredibly large axes within his uniform.

Remain calm, he told himself as he walked forward, and do nothing that might provoke a confrontation. In my current state, I doubt one would end well for me…

As he got closer he saw that Jiraiya appeared quite relaxed in the presence of the colossal, and he recalled Yoruichi's words from the night before.

"The Gatekeeper's Jidanbō Ikkanzaka. Don't let his size give you the wrong impression; he's actually a pretty nice guy once you get to know him."

The two men turned to face him as he came forward, and Jiraiya gave him a nod. "Morning, Itachi. I thought for sure you'd beat me here."

"I'm not late, am I?" he asked.

Jiraiya shook his head. "You're good. Haven't spotted anyone that might be Yoruichi's subordinate yet, and she did say she wanted us here at sunrise, so as far as I can tell we're right on time."

Itachi turned to the Gatekeeper. "You must be Jidanbō Ikkanzaka."

The giant nodded. "I am. Captain Shihōin told me to expect the two of you. You're not planning on starting any trouble, are you?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. You have my word on that."

Jiraiya smiled. "Mine as well. Don't worry, Jidanbō; we wouldn't do anything to make your job difficult."

Itachi was surprised to see the Gatekeeper offer a friendly smile in return. "That's good to hear. Captain Shihōin seemed pretty excited about the two of you coming to take the Academy entrance exams. I guess you two must be pretty special."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, I suppose that's one way to put it. By the way, there was another Captain that we met last night; Unohana. Did she swing by here by any chance?"

Jidanbō nodded. "Yeah, last night with Captain Shihōin. I like her; whenever I get hurt, she always patches me right up. Last time she even gave me candy! She can be pretty scary when she's angry, though, so don't do anything to make her mad."

Jiraiya smirked. "Did she happen to say anything about yours truly?"

Jidanbō's brow furrowed in thought. "That depends… are you the white hedgehog buffoon?"

Jiraiya's head slumped. "White… hedgehog… buffoon? That's what she's calling me?"

Jidanbō grinned. "Well, it was Captain Shihōin that said it first, but Captain Unohana laughed and said it too. Pretty funny, right? Can I call you that, Jiraiya?"

"Please don't," the Sannin groaned.

Jidanbō chuckled. "Okay, but only because you were polite."

"You had better stay polite," said a new voice, sharp and clearly female, "I will not have you reflect poorly on Lady Yoruichi in even the slightest manner!"

There was a brief flicker in the air before a slender woman appeared in front of the three of them. Her shoulder-length black hair perfectly matched her solid black uniform, and there was a fierce light in her gray eyes as she evaluated Itachi and Jiraiya. Itachi noticed that she wore a wakizashi horizontally across her back, just like Yoruichi had the night before only with a yellow hilt instead. Unlike Yoruichi, her uniform was not backless or sleeveless, but instead it was much more conservative, covering everything except her hands, neck and face.

Jidanbō's eyes widened at her sudden appearance. "Miss Soi-Fon! Forgive me; I didn't see you approach!"

"No matter," Soi-Fon replied dismissively, her gaze still fixed on Itachi and Jiraiya, "You're the candidates Lady Yoruichi spoke of this morning."

Itachi gave her a polite bow. "My name is Itachi Uchiha."

Jiraiya grinned as he looked her up and down. "I'm Jiraiya. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss…"

She folded her arms. "I am Soi-Fon, member of Squad Two and the Executive Militia, as well as the head of Lady Yoruichi's personal guard. Address me as Miss Soi-Fon or not at all, do you understand?"

The no-nonsense type, I see, Itachi mused, I wonder how that plays with her Captain. Yoruichi seemed pretty relaxed last night, even when she was fighting the Hollows. I can't picture her subordinate here acting so casual about such a skirmish based on first impression…

"Yes, Miss Soi-Fon," said Itachi, not wanting to make a fuss.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "Well, I see someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Are you always so high-strung, little lady?"

Her response was a death glare, one which only intensified as Jiraiya seemed to simply laugh it off. Itachi simply stood to the side, not sure how to respond to this unusual and slightly amusing situation.

"Call me 'little lady' again," she said with a dark edge in her tone, "and I will rip your testicles off and feed them to you."

Jiraiya's eyes widened, but he didn't actually seem intimidated by her threat; more amused than anything else if the smirk on his face was anything to go by. "Touchy, aren't you? All right, all right, there's no need for that kind of language, Miss Soi-Fon. I think we just got off on the wrong foot."

Soi-Fon sighed. "I don't know what Lady Yoruichi sees in the likes of you. Personally recruiting candidates for the Academy entrance exams is beneath her. If I had been present when you two had met her I would've sent you packing."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, it wasn't just her; Unohana was along for the ride, and I don't know how things would turn out for you if you'd argued with her. I doubt it would've ended well for you, though."

"That's Captain Unohana to you!" Soi-Fon snapped, although at the same time she did seem to recoil ever so slightly at that name.

It would seem that the Soul Society's healer has a reputation for more than just her medical abilities, Itachi thought, and judging from Soi-Fon's reaction, it is not entirely that of an angel. I wonder what the story is behind that…

The black-haired woman then turned and motioned for the two of them to follow. "We've wasted enough time as it. Come with me; the entrance examinations are due to begin soon. I was instructed by Lady Yoruichi to bring to the Academy on time, and I will not fail any mission that she gives me!"

"Well, you heard her," said Jiraiya as he gave the Gatekeeper a friendly wave, "See you around, Jidanbō."

Itachi nodded. "Farewell."

The giant smiled. "Good luck with the exams! Come back and visit sometime!"

Yoruichi had been right about him, Itachi reflected as Soi-Fon led them through the winding roads of the Seireitei; the western Gatekeeper really was much friendlier than his initial appearance might suggest. Regardless of the way things went with the entrance exams, Itachi resolved to stop by and visit the giant from time to time. After all, a being charged with guarding one of the entrances to the Seireitei undoubtedly had some fascinating stories about the place and how he had ascended to his rank, and Itachi wanted to learn all that he could about the heart of the Soul Society.

In the meantime, there was a matter that Itachi wanted to get cleared up. "Excuse me, Miss Soi-Fon?"

"What is it?" asked Soi-Fon, not even bothering to look over her shoulder at him.

"If you don't mind me asking," said Itachi, "why did you refer to your Captain with the title of 'Lady'? Is that typical for female Captains, or is there something else to it?"

Now Soi-Fon turned to face him, her eyes wide with shock. "You mean you seriously don't know?"

"There's a lot we don't know," said Jiraiya, "We only arrived in the Soul Society a few weeks ago, after all."

Soi-Fon sighed, although Itachi was relieved to see that she didn't appear irritated like before. Her expression softened, and as she spoke Itachi could detect a very distinct note of pride in her voice.

"Lady Yoruichi is not only one of the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," she said, "but she is also the princess of the Tenshiheisōban, more commonly known as the Shihōin Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Houses of the Seireitei. Not only is she of the highest blood, but her combat abilities are amongst the greatest in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. She is not just the Captain of Squad Two, but also the Commander-in-Chief of the Stealth Force and Corps Commander of both the Corrections Corps and the Executive Militia. She can fight in open battle or strike from the shadows, but either way no foe can hope to stand against her!"

Itachi nodded, recalling with perfect clarity her effortless trouncing of the two Hollows she had faced off with the night before. "I see. I witnessed her in action myself when we met; her abilities were truly outstanding."

He saw what looked like the faintest hint of a smile appear on Soi-Fon face, and Itachi took careful note of it; apparently praising Yoruichi was a possible path to getting on her good side, and the former Shinobi was more than willing to take advantage of it.

"Indeed, they are," she replied, with more than a hint of wistfulness in her voice, "and it is my privilege to be her bodyguard. I have dedicated my life to Lady Yoruichi's protection, and I would not have it any other way. I'll never be as strong as her, but it is my dream to improve my skills so that I may continue to prove worthy of serving her."

Jiraiya smiled warmly. "That's an admirable goal. You truly are devoted to the Captain, aren't you? She's lucky to have such a driven and dedicated protector."

Much to Itachi's surprise he actually saw Soi-Fon blush slightly at Jiraiya's praise. "I-I'm simply doing my duty!"

"It is commendable all the same," said Itachi, meeting her gaze, "I owe your Captain my life; without the intervention of her and Captain Unohana, I have no doubt that Jiraiya and I would not be standing here. I wish to find some way to repay the debt I owe to her, and if becoming a Soul Reaper means that I may have the chance to serve in her squad and help her as you do, then that is a path that I would like to pursue."

He saw Soi-Fon's eyes narrow as she considered his words. "Lady Yoruichi told me about your encounter, and how you and your companion were able to defeat a Hollow despite being unarmed and untrained in the Soul Reaper fighting arts. From what she described, it would seem that you two have a great deal of potential. If that is the case and you are able to make it through the Academy, then there is always the chance that you could be recruited into either Squad Two or the Stealth Force. However, neither group is a forgiving one to its members. Lady Yoruichi is kind, but we are still expected to perform our duties with the utmost dedication. If you join our ranks, you must be prepared to be pushed far harder than you ever were at the Academy."

Itachi nodded. "I understand."

"As do I," said Jiraiya, his tone completely serious.

He was surprised to see her smirk. "Maybe, just maybe… you two might have what it takes. Lady Yoruichi must believe that you do, otherwise she would not have asked the two of you to enroll. I will try to set aside my personal assumptions and give you the chance to prove that her faith in you is not misplaced."

"That's all that we can ask," said Jiraiya with a grin.

"Are we almost there?" asked Itachi, "We've been walking for quite some time, now."

Soi-Fon nodded as she pointed up ahead. "It's just around that corner."

As they rounded the bend they came to a stop, and Itachi saw Soi-Fon smile. "There it is; Shin'ō Academy. Seeing it like this really takes me back…"

Itachi hadn't known what to expect, but it wasn't this. His only experience with learning institutions was his time spent at the Academy at the base of the Hokage Mountain in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and while that had been a large facility it was absolutely dwarfed by Shin'ō Academy. In a way, it appeared to be a miniature version of the Seireitei itself, but even then, its sheer size made it seem like something more akin to an actual town than simply a school. The front entrance was a traditional and pristine white wall and gate, but beyond was a truly expansive campus. An enormous multiple-story building held central prominence, but even from their position just outside the entrance Itachi could tell that it wasn't the only structure involved in the educational institution; there were several smaller annexes and other facilities that seemed to be part of the overall operation. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it might be like inside.

Jiraiya whistled next to him. "Boy, they sure do know how to make 'em big in the Soul Society, don't they?"

"How large is the student body?" asked Itachi.

"Several thousand at any given time," Soi-Fon replied, "and that's not counting the instructors and support staff. Shin'ō Academy is nearly two-thousand years old, and it's gone through several renovations and upgrades in its time. It would seem that the list of prospective enrollees for this year alone is quite a long one."

Itachi could see that quite clearly; theirs was hardly the only group outside the main entrance at the moment. He could spot several people wearing the uniforms of full-fledged Soul Reapers, but there were many more who were dressed not too differently from him and Jiraiya. It was impossible to get an accurate count at the moment, and even then, it would not be a complete picture of the candidates for enrollment since that wouldn't be including those who had already entered the campus grounds. In addition to those who wished to enroll this year, Itachi could spot scattered groups of people who wore robes similar to those of actual Soul Reapers, but in this case based on their body language he guessed to be actual student uniforms; blue and white shihakushō for males, red and white for females.

As he studied the crowd he became aware of Soi-Fon's gaze lingering on him. This wasn't quite the same intense scrutiny she had given him and Jiraiya before. In fact, she seemed more curious than anything else.

"Is something wrong?" he asked after a moment.

Soi-Fon blinked before responding. "Your last name… it's Uchiha, yes?"

Itachi nodded, wondering what she was getting at. "That's correct. Have you heard it before?"

Soi-Fon's only response was to peer closer at him for a moment before turning away and walking towards the gate. "If you manage to graduate, I'll answer that question. Come with me; we're running out of time."

Itachi looked at Jiraiya who simply shrugged before following Soi-Fon. With nothing better to do, Itachi fell in behind them. After passing through the gate and the front courtyard, they went inside the main building. It was even more crowded in there than it had been on the outer plaza, and it took them a few minutes to work their way through the throngs of people to what appeared to be their destination; a very large meal hall. Several lines of enrollees stretched across it, and at the far end Itachi spotted several desks set up with what appeared to be Academy faculty sitting behind them.

"Pick a line and get registered," said Soi-Fon, "Don't worry about being late; it's only when the doors to this hall close that the cutoff for tardy applicants goes into effect. Once they're shut, anyone who's not in here will have to wait until next year to take another shot at the entrance exams. As long as you're in one of the lines in this hall, you'll be guaranteed a spot in the first phase of the exams."

"Understood," said Itachi, "Thank you."

"Yeah," said Jiraiya, "It would've been hard to get here without a guide. We owe you one."

"Hardly," Soi-Fon replied, "I was simply carrying out Lady Yoruichi's instructions. This is as far as I go. Best of luck, Itachi... and to you as well, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya smirked. "Can we boost my chances of success with a little kiss? Just a peck on the cheek will do!"

Soi-Fon was positively seething. "You know what? I take it back. Itachi, I wish you good luck. Jiraiya, I hope you wash out in the first phase and then get stung by a swarm of angry hornets!"

Itachi shook his head as he watched Soi-Fon leave the room. "You have a way with women, you know that?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, of course I do! I was a successful romance novelist when I was still alive, after all. Oh, maybe I should pick the pen back up again! I bet there's a serious market for the Make-Out Paradise series in the Soul Society!"

"Is it possible to get into legal trouble for plagiarizing your own work when you're in the afterlife?" asked Itachi as he and Jiraiya got into line.

Jiraiya's brow furrowed. "Hmmm, you might be onto something there. I might need to start a new series; if any of these people read my books when they were alive then they'll be hungry for something fresh. Guess I'll have to start storyboarding later; I'm sure there's plenty of material out there just waiting to be put to print."

"You do that," said Itachi dryly, wondering how the Legendary Sannin could think of writing a new book at a time like this.

Completing the registration process didn't take as long as Itachi had initially feared. The lines moved quite quickly considering their size, and once the two of them got to the front they were each given a sheet of paper and asked only to write their names and the district that they had resided in before coming to the Seireitei. After that there was nothing to do but wait, so both Itachi and Jiraiya took advantage of several tables with refreshments on them set up on the other side of the hall.

"So," said Jiraiya after a while, "how many do you count so far?"

Scanning the hall, Itachi quickly came up with a rough amount. "Two thousand, give or take a hundred or so."

Jiraiya nodded. "Same here. Looks like your eyes are still sharp even without the Sharingan."

"So it would seem," said Itachi before noting new activity where they had first come in, "It looks like that number should stay that way; they just shut the doors."

Jiraiya stretched before sitting down and leaning back against the wall. "In that case, we might as well kick back and wait for our lovely proctor."

That's right, Itachi recalled as he joined Jiraiya, Yoruichi's overseeing our exams. Is this something she does every year, or does she rotate with the other Captains? I should ask her once I get the chance.

The lines gradually dwindled down before disappearing entirely about twenty minutes later. Ten minutes later one of the doors to the meal hall opened again, and none other than the lady of the hour walked in; Yoruichi. Save for the addition of a white sleeved haori, her outfit was the same as the night before, and Itachi once again could not help but admire her athletic form. She spotted Itachi and Jiraiya almost immediately, but apart from giving them a smile and a wink she did not acknowledge them.

"All right, listen up everyone!" she shouted, "I'm Yoruichi Shihōin, Captain of Squad Two and the proctor for this year's Shin'ō Academy entrance exams."

She then gave the crowd a sly grin. "And believe me when I tell you that you're going to wish you'd gotten anyone but me by the time we're through!"

I wonder if she's serious or bluffing, Itachi mused, more than a little humored by the nervous expressions that were popping up on the faces of applicants across the hall, I suppose we'll find out soon enough…

She then pointed to the door behind her. "Now, first order of business; I want you all to head out that way and hang a right. Auditorium A-1 will be down the hall a little way on the left side. Phase One will take place in there. Get moving, people!"

As the crowd began to move, Itachi carefully studied the face of his proctor. The little smirk she wore as she watched the applicants file out the door told him that she was definitely enjoying the effect her earlier warning was having on the crowd. She clearly was the kind of person who enjoyed a little bit of teasing, and if she wanted to play head-games with the applicants then Itachi was more than ready to roll with it.

"An auditorium, huh?" said Jiraiya as they followed the crowd, "Guess they're getting the written portion out of the way first."

"Just like the Chūnin Exams," said Itachi, "I wonder what sort of rules apply here."

Jiraiya chuckled. "We'll find out soon enough. Man, this really takes me back now that you bring up the Chūnin Exams. That… well, I guess that was literally a lifetime ago now, wasn't it?"

"I see you're having no problem picking up afterlife humor," said Itachi.

"Humor is the spice of life," Jiraiya replied with a smirk, "You Uchihas could certainly do with a little more of it."

"I won't deny it," said Itachi, seemingly taking Jiraiya by surprise with that remark, "If our clan had learned to loosen up a little more, perhaps its downfall could've been avoided. I suppose we'll never know now."

Jiraiya seemed to be regarding him carefully as they entered the auditorium. He undoubtedly had questions regarding what had really happened to the Uchiha Clan, but much to Itachi's relief the Sannin apparently felt that now was hardly the time or the place to press the issue. The two former Shinobi found seats in the middle of the hall and waited patiently for everyone else to file in. Once all the applicants were seated he saw Yoruichi take her place at the head of the auditorium, while on both sides of the room Itachi several academy faculty members.

Yoruichi cleared her through before addressing the applicants. "All right, listen carefully, because I'm only going to go over this once! As you've likely guessed by now, Phase One of the exam is the written portion. This is not an academic test. That being said, there is a scoring criterion, and if you can't meet it then you're out."

She nodded at the staff assembled on both sides of the hall, who quickly began passing out exam sheets and pens. "Make sure to write your names clearly at the top of the front page. Answer each question truthfully and to the best of your ability, and you will make it through the first phase. As long as you are being honest with both the test and yourself, there is no wrong answer. However, leaving any questions unanswered is unacceptable, and you will be disqualified from enrollment if we review your test and found that you skipped one or two. Peeking at another applicant's test or attempting to collaborate with a fellow applicant will be grounds for immediate disqualification, as will lying on any of the questions, no matter how great or small the deception may be."

A devious smirk came to her face. "And trust me; I will know if you're lying."

She's not bluffing here, thought Itachi as he studied the look in her eyes, which means she has some way to ferret out deception among the applicants. What sort of method could that be?

Yoruichi glanced back at the clock on the wall before turning to the applicants again. "From my mark, you will have two hours to complete the test. Once it is complete, simply bring your copy forward and put it in one of the baskets on the desk. After that you will return to the meal hall and wait for Phase One to reach its conclusion. Anyone who's disqualified will be escorted by one of the staff to the front gate of Shin'o Academy. There are no appeals, so if we boot you you'll just have to try your luck again next year."

The pens and test sheets made it down to Itachi and Jiraiya, and Itachi saw the Sannin's eyes widen ever so slightly as his fingers touched his pen. Itachi found out why a moment later when he received his pen; there was a very slight tingling sensation in his fingertips at the moment of initial contact. It would be easy to write it off as pre-test jitters, but paper examinations hadn't particularly phased Itachi in the past. His eyes narrowed as he carefully considered the writing utensil before turning back to Yoruichi. Her gaze met his, and the knowing light in her eyes was enough to convince Itachi that it wasn't a simple case of excitement or nervousness that had elicited the earlier sensation in his fingers. These weren't normal writing tools that had been given to them; there was something about them that Itachi suspected was explicitly linked to this test.

He closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated solely on where his fingertips met the pen. For a few seconds he felt nothing, but then that slight tingle made itself known for just the briefest of moments. In that split second Itachi realized that it was more than just his skin that was touching the pen; a tiny bit of his spirit energy had leaked out and made contact with it as well.

Opening his eyes again and glancing to the right, he saw Jiraiya carefully regarding his writing utensil. He looked briefly at Itachi before returning his gaze to the front of the room with a small smirk on his face. Whatever game Yoruichi was playing with this test, the Sannin had clearly decided to go along for the ride.

As will I, he thought, I've come this far, after all.

He saw Yoruichi look over her shoulder at the clock on the wall again. "All right, then. Your test begins in five… four… three… two… one… go!"

After writing his name at the top of the first page, Itachi decided to forgo answering the questions right away and instead skim through the test as whole. Roughly the first page consisted of entirely trivial questions; favorite foods, hobbies, whether the applicant was an early bird or a night owl, and other small matters. However, after that the questions became much more serious, delving deep into the beliefs and philosophies of the applicant and how they might respond to particular situations. Itachi quickly began to comprehend what Yoruichi had meant when she had said that this wasn't a typical academic quiz.

They're having each of us build a psychological profile of ourselves, he realized, I can definitely understand why she emphasized honesty earlier. Still, how would they enforce it on a paper quiz? There's no way that they could already know the background of every single applicant; Jiraiya and I can't be the only ones who are here by little more than virtue of a chance encounter with a Soul Reaper, after all.

He went back to the first page and was about to start answering the questions when he heard a student cry out. "What the hell?"

Every applicant in the auditorium turned towards the source and found a young man standing up. That wasn't the attention grabber, though; it was the fact that his paper had suddenly ignited in a burst of crimson flames.

At the front of the room he saw Yoruichi shaking her head, very much the picture of a disappointed teacher. "Really? You couldn't even make it past the first page without fudging something? That's just sad, kid."

"You're wrong!" the applicant protested, although just from how pale his face was and how high his voice had become Itachi could tell that he was full of crap, "You… you can't prove anything!"

Yoruichi smirked. "I have all the proof I need. It's right there in those flames. You were warned, kid. You have no one to blame but yourself."

"H-how the h-hell…" the applicant stammered as he looked frantically back and forth between his burning test and the proctor.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "If you can't figure it out, then you won't be ready to join our ranks for at least a hundred years. Get him out of here."

While most of the applicants watched nervously as the washout was escorted from the hall, Itachi's gaze was focused elsewhere; the failure's exam. The crimson flames burnt themselves out a moment later, but there wasn't so much as a scorch-mark on the surface of the desk beneath. Itachi turned his attention back to his pen, pieces of the puzzle beginning to fall into place.

So this is the enforcement mechanism, he thought as he studied the pen in his hand, I don't know how, but it's somehow able to discern whether or not we're telling the truth based on the hints of spirit energy that it takes from us.

The flames had done more than just expose a liar; they had also given Itachi new insight into just how difficult this test would be. On the surface, telling the truth in what was essentially an elaborate personality quiz didn't sound all that hard, but it didn't take much effort for Itachi to see past that and find the true obstacle; the test-taker's internal biases. No matter how self-aware people claimed to be, it was only natural for most of them to have a positive view about themselves. To truly pass this test would require the ability to peel back misconceptions and biases that had been built up over the years and be willing to face up to one's flaws.

This was not just a psychological profile. It was an inquisition in which the subject was also his or her own interrogator.

Itachi took a deep breath before closing his eyes. An outside observer might think that he was meditating, and that wasn't too far from the mark. Before he could begin the test, he would have to mentally center himself. He would have to find the clarity of mind that was necessary for a proper and honest self-evaluation. Only then would he be ready for what lay ahead.

It's fortunate that we have two hours for this phase of the exams, he mused, I'm going to need them.

….

And another one's down, Yoruichi mentally hummed to herself, another one's down, another one bites the dust. Man, they're really dropping like flies. I'll have to thank Kisuke for the pens later. Every other year before now it's just been special paper that inks out when someone lies, but thanks to these little toys everyone who manages to pass Phase One under me will be whispering about it with fear long after it's over!

The pens or the paper used the years before would have no effect on fully-fledged Soul Reapers, but against the uninitiated it was a different story. Before someone underwent proper training, how their spirit energy was emitted depended in no small part on their emotional and mental state. Outbursts of anger, fear, joy, sorrow or other powerful feelings corresponded with stronger surges in spiritual pressure, but even much more subdued and controlled processes would trigger emissions and fluctuations. One of the subtlest of those fluctuations in spiritual pressure came when someone was lying. After learning how to truly control their spiritual pressure, the person in question could easily suppress those fluctuations entirely, but anyone who lacked that ability to regulate the energy within them was vulnerable.

That was what the pens were designed to do; exploit that vulnerability and turn deception against a liar. Of course, on the off chance that one of the applicants had already mastered proper regulation of their spiritual pressure the pens would be reduced to little more than normal writing utensils. However, it was a very small percentage of applicants that had that sort of innate ability or prior knowledge, and Yoruichi was relatively confident that no one in her batch of enrollees possessed that degree of skill.

Those who truly excel at this test aren't the ones who race forward and try to finish first, she thought with a smile as she studied the remaining applicants, Victory here requires patience and the capacity for true self-awareness… and it looks my two rookie Hollow-slayers from last night have precisely that!

While the rest of the enrollees had undergone something of a minor panic attack after the first student had been disqualified, Yoruichi had immediately picked up on how Itachi and Jiraiya both closed their eyes and retreated inwards once the flames had died down. They had intuitively grasped the true nature of the test, and they were clearly not about to charge in blindly. The raven-haired young man had spent a full twenty minutes in silent contemplation before picking up his pen again, while his white-haired companion had taken a little less than fifteen minutes to complete his inner preparations. However, now both were proceeding forward with boldness and resolve while many of their fellow examinees were faltering as the test went on.

There was a loud thud as one of the bulkier students slammed his fists into his desk when his test was suddenly covered in crimson flames. "This is bullshit! This is fucking bullshit!"

Yoruichi waved her finger. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? There's a time and place for that sort of language, and Phase One of the entrance exams isn't it. Come back next year."

"No!" the young man growled as he glared at her, "I demand a redo! I wasn't lying!"

"Maybe not consciously," said Yoruichi, "You were probably lying to yourself rather than the test, although it's really all the same as far as the exam's concerned. Now scram. You're making a scene."

"Do you know who you're messing with, lady?" the petulant applicant snarled, "My father…"

"Cannot help you here," Yoruichi finished for him firmly, her eyes narrowing, "Leave. Now."

The young man hocked a fat wad of spit onto his desk and gave her a look of utter contempt. "Or you'll do what, you uppity bitch?"

That was the last straw. In a single fluid motion Yoruichi stood up and initiated Shunpo. A single Flash Step was all it took to close the gap between her and the failed enrollee, and a swift gut-punch was more than enough to make her target double over before passing out entirely.

Yoruichi then effortlessly tossed the unconscious oaf with one hand to a nearby assistant. "Take out the trash for me, will you?"

The assistant, a blonde-haired girl, looked at her in a mix of awe and fear before hastily replying. "Y-yes, ma'am!"

Yoruichi then gave the rest of the applicants a hungry grin. "Anyone else want to play 'overgrown spoiled brat' with me? I'm game if you are!"

As she'd expected, none of the applicants took her up on the challenge. Most of them were appropriately terrified, although more than a few had looks of awe on their faces. Quickly picking out Itachi and Jiraiya amongst the crowd, she saw that the later actually looked rather amused at what had just occurred. The former was harder to read, although as their gazes met Yoruichi could detect more than a hint of admiration in his calm and thoughtful eyes.

You're one cool customer, aren't you, Itachi?, she mused as she gave him a playful wink, I like that.

Dropping back into Shunpo, a single Flash Step later and she was back at the front desk. The exam continued apace once the majority of the remaining applicants were able to regain their wits, and Yoruichi did a quick headcount of the survivors.

We started out at 1,947 applicants, she thought as she finished her tally, and we're down to 1,403 now. That's about on track with the average pace recorded for the first phase of prior entrance exams. Another straggler here and there might fall, but at this point I think I've got my crowd that's moving on to Phase Two. All that's left for me to do now is wait for them to finish up.

The minutes gradually ticked by, and ten minutes after the one-hour mark passed applicants began to rise to turn in their tests. Periodically her gaze drifted over to Itachi and Jiraiya; as proctor, she wasn't supposed to play favorites, but their performance the night before was never far from her mind and she was genuinely intrigued with how they were tackling the first phase of the exams.

One hour and twenty-five minutes later she saw Jiraiya stand up and walk forward. As he dropped his test into one of the baskets on the desk he gave her a smirk.

"That was interesting," he said with a chuckle, "I'm looking forward to Phase Two."

Yoruichi gave him a sly smile. "Trust me; you won't be disappointed."

At the hour and a half mark Itachi rose and came forward. He lingered in front of her desk for a moment with a thoughtful gaze on his test before he dropped it into the basket.

"Nice trick with the pens," he said, "That was… unique."

Yoruichi grinned. "That's what I was going for. Afraid I can't take all the credit, though; I had a buddy put them together for me. If you thought this was fun, just wait until you see what comes next!"

She saw what looked like the slightest hint of a smirk appear on his face. "Very well, then."

Good thing you and Jiraiya got done relatively early, Itachi, she thought as she watched him leave the room, I hope you take this chance to rest up, because Phase One's a walk in the park compared to what I've got set up for you in Phase Two!

The final half-hour passed relatively uneventfully. When time had finally run out, only three additional students had washed out, leaving an even 1,400 to proceed to the second phase.

I'll have to split them up into waves for Phase Two, she mused as the last applicant left the room, otherwise the field's gonna be way too crowded. 140 per wave should work just fine.

There was a knock on the door, and Yoruichi smiled; she could tell from their spiritual pressure who they were. "Test's over, so come on in, Tessai!"

A tall, muscular, lightly tan-skinned man wearing glasses entered the room. His black hair was cornrowed and he continued to sport that large handlebar mustache that Yoruichi loved to sprinkle pepper in whenever he fell asleep at parties; the resulting sneeze was always worth a laugh or two. As both the Kidō Corps Commander and the Grand Kidō Chief of the Soul Society, he wore the standard black Soul Reaper uniform, but over that he sported an ornate dark blue robe with an upturned collar to signify his rank. The greatest spell master in the Soul Society and an old friend of Yoruichi's, Tessai Tsukabishi and his subordinates were to play an important role in Phase Two of the entrance exams, and the Captain of Squad Two wanted to make sure that they were all set to go on their end.

"How did it go?" he asked as he shut the door behind him.

"Pretty well, all things considered," she replied, "It wasn't quite as boring as I thought it'd be. There's a couple of special candidates I've got my eyes on, and they did pretty damn well from the looks of things. I can't wait to review their tests later. There was also an idiot who thought it'd be a good idea to pick a fight with me, so that was entertaining."

Tessai winced. "I do hope that you refrained from doing any permanent damage to the buffoon in question."

Yoruichi laughed. "Come on, Tessai, you know me. I just gave him a little love tap and sent him on his way!"

Tessai nodded. "Hopefully he'll learn his lesson from that encounter."

Yoruichi shrugged. "If not, then he'd better pray he doesn't get Unohana as the proctor next year. She'd do far worse to him than I did."

Tessai shuddered. "Very true."

Yoruichi grinned. "All right, enough about people with brains the size of acorns. Are things ready on your end?"

"Yes," said Tessai, "although I still have my reservations about this."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "You were able to get enough specialists, right?"

Tessai nodded. "Of course."

"Then you've got nothing to worry about," said Yoruichi, "After all, I'm just looking to sting them, not kill them. If you've got enough people with that kind of finesse with Kidō then everything will be just fine. Who knows? They might even adopt this as the permanent template for Phase Two in future entrance exams."

Tessai chuckled. "Yes, and I bet you'd like it very much if they named it after you."

Yoruichi giggled. "You know me too well. How does 'The Shihōin Gauntlet' sound?"

"Rather fitting, all things considered," Tessai replied.

Yoruichi stood up and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "That's why we're pals, Tessai. Come on; let's keep things rolling. After all, it's just starting to get fun!"

….

Leaning back against the wall of the meal hall, Itachi's mind was still preoccupied by the first phase of the examination. While he had indeed answered every question truthfully and to the best of his abilities, that didn't mean that it had been easy. Even after his initial period of contemplation and self-centering, tackling the test had still required a considerable amount of mental discipline and fortitude on his part. The fact that his exam copy hadn't burst into flames was certainly a good sign, but he had to wonder what Yoruichi and whatever aides she had would think when they reviewed his exam.

Although Phase One was over and he was trying to get a little bit of relaxation in before Phase Two began, he knew that he was still under scrutiny. It wasn't hard to find the source; although Jiraiya had pretended to focus most of his attention on his own test, Itachi had not missed how the sage had been quietly monitoring him throughout the written exam and was still observing him now. Itachi wasn't surprised in the least, though. After all, it wasn't as though fighting side by side one time could erase all the years that Jiraiya had viewed him as a threat to Naruto, and Itachi was sure that it would be a long while yet before the Sannin might finally be willing to completely remove the pall of suspicion from him. Perhaps that day would never come. If that were the case, Itachi wouldn't be sore over it. Regardless of his motives, he would not pretend that he deserved forgiveness for his past actions.

I may not have been sent to Hell, he thought grimly, but that does not mean that I have gained absolution in death. I doubt that's even possible for me at this point…

"So," said Jiraiya, dragging Itachi from his thoughts, "how do you think you did?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "The fact that I'm here with you would seem to answer that question."

Jiraiya shook his head. "That's not what I mean. Sure, we're both here, which means we both passed, but what kind of impression do you think you left?"

"I would imagine that Yoruichi has already formed an impression of the two of us from the night before," Itachi replied, "The written test will tell her more, but it's impossible to say whether our answers will reinforce those impressions or change them since we cannot presume to know what she is thinking."

Jiraiya chuckled. "I should've expected something like that from you. I doubt she'll be reviewing all of those tests by herself. She has to have help given the sheer amount, and if I had to guess I'd say that there'll be people who share her rank that'll want to review the written tests of those who make it through the entirety of the entrance examinations."

Itachi nodded. "I can see that. It would stand to assume that her fellow Captains could use our written tests as a means to begin scouting potential new recruits for their decisions. Even if we haven't formally graduated or even made it into the Academy yet, a test with a working enforcement mechanism to compel applicants to tell the truth would still provide them with valuable information."

Jiraiya smiled. "Indeed. It would be interesting to know who looks over our tests."

Itachi shook his head. "There's little sense in thinking about that right now. We need to be focused on preparing for Phase Two."

Jiraiya smirked. "Says the man who's been so lost in his own little world since he got back here that he hasn't noticed that I'm not the only one watching him. You're getting sloppy, Itachi."

Taking a fresh look around the meal hall, Itachi noticed that Jiraiya was right; he was being watched, and by more than a fair share of the remaining applicants at that.

And it didn't take him long to notice that the ones watching him were all women.

"Some things never change," he muttered, recalling all the girls who had vied for his attention back when he was openly serving the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Even in death, the ladies still go for the Uchiha," said Jiraiya, shaking his head, "Some guys have all the luck."

"You can have mine if you want," said Itachi, "I'm not here to chase every skirt in our class."

Jiraiya grinned. "You don't say? Well, then feel free to send them my way!"

It wasn't that Itachi was completely disinterested in woman, but at the moment he truly was focused on passing the entrance exams. There was also the fact that the only girl who had managed to get romantically close to Itachi while he was alive had eventually paid the ultimate price; tragically, she had been his first victim the night of the Uchiha Clan massacre. Given those circumstances along with the aftermath of the slaughter of his clan, Itachi had been rather reluctant to pursue romance ever since.

I wonder if there's a woman out there who could truly accept me and what I've done, he mused, The Soul Society is incredibly vast, but even then, the chances of one residing in it that would take me while knowing the full truth of me…

It was at that moment that one of the doors to the meal hall flew open. In strolled Yoruichi, and Itachi found himself almost unconsciously rising to his feet. Jiraiya was right behind him, and Itachi barely noticed the smirk and knowing glint in the Sannin's eyes as he briefly regarded the former member of the Akatsuki. Yoruichi's gaze met Itachi's, and when she smiled the young man could not help but be intrigued by the warm and playful light in her brilliant golden eyes.

As he regarded the Captain of Squad Two he almost didn't hear Jiraiya mutter under his breath. "So that's your type, eh?"

"What was that?" asked Itachi.

Jiraiya gave a faux-innocent smile and shrugged. "Oh, nothing."

Itachi returned his attention to Yoruichi as the Captain addressed the remaining applicants. "First of all, congratulations on making it through Phase One! Don't pat yourselves on the back just yet, though; we've still got two tests left, so you're far from out of the woods. Follow me and I'll take you to where we're holding Phase Two."

Itachi and Jiraiya fell in with the rest of the applicants as Yoruichi led them out the meal hall and down the hall for a bit. A few twists and turns later they came to a door, and when Yoruichi opened it Itachi saw only a flight of descending stairs that were dimly illuminated by a series of torches on the wall.

"Come on, people," she said with a smirk, "If you're afraid of the dark then you're not cut out to be a Soul Reaper."

Not one of the applicants made to leave, but Itachi noticed that more than a few were nervous as the group began their descent. It took them several minutes before they finally reached the bottom, and it was no longer the wooden floor of the Academy that was beneath their feet; it was cool and slightly damp stone.

We're quite some ways underground, he thought as he looked around, I wonder what awaits us down here…

He received his answer a few seconds later when the passage they were in opened up, revealing nothing less than an underground lake. The light of all the torches along the far walls reflected off of both the surface of the lake and the crystals that adorned the ceiling, meaning that the subterranean environment was surprisingly well illuminated. There was a slight drop from the ledge that they were on down to the surface of the water, which Itachi measured at roughly two and a half meters, while the lake itself was dotted with hundreds of smooth stone pillars that were about the same height as the ledge. About a third of the way across the lake Itachi spotted a row of blue flags mounted on a series of stone pillars, while two thirds of the distance to the opposite shore there was another row of flags, these ones green.

There were scores of people on both sides of the lake, and Itachi noticed a sharp division in their ranks; those that were positioned along the first two thirds of the shoreline on each side appeared to be regular Academy faculty or Soul Reapers, while those standing along the final third seemed to be from a different organization. They still wore black robes similar to those belonging to Soul Reapers, but their faces were obscured by white wrappings that covered the entire head, save for the eyes. His eyes narrowed as he spotted a solitary figure waiting on the far shore; a tall and well-built man wearing a black uniform with an elaborate blue robe over it.

"Okay, people, listen up!" Yoruichi barked, "This is Phase Two, known as the Pillar Run. Before I explain the rules, there's something that I need to know first. How many of you can't swim?"

No one raised their hands, although the nervous looks of several of the applicants told Itachi that at least a few were lying. Yoruichi seemed to pick up on it as well, because her expression softened into one of gentle concern.

"Now is not the time to refrain from speaking out," she said, "I promise that whether or not you can swim will not impact your ability to pass this test. This is purely a safety concern. The tests are important, but they're not worth your life. If you raise your hands I promise you will not be disqualified from the exam."

After a moment, several students raised their hands, and Yoruichi nodded at several assistants who came forward with red ribbons. "Each of you who can't swim is to tie a ribbon around one of your arms. Make sure it's visible. If you fall into the water, raise that arm and one of us will retrieve you before you slip under. Is that understood?"

After the applicants nodded Yoruichi went on to describe the test itself. "Your goal here is simple; using the stone pillars, you'll cross from this side of the lake to the other end. You'll be on a time limit of ten minutes, and anyone who can't complete the crossing within that timeframe will be disqualified. You will also fail the test if you fall into the water."

Sounds straightforward enough, thought Itachi as he scanned the lake, but it can't be that easy. There has to be more to it than that.

Once again, the rows of blue and green flags caught his gaze. Yoruichi hadn't mentioned them in her outline of the test, but Itachi was sure that they were there for more than just decoration.

"Since there's so many of you, not all of you will be able to take this test at the same time," Yoruichi continued, "That's why we'll be splitting you up into groups of 140 each. All the groups not currently taking the test will wait upstairs until they are called. Once you complete the test you will return to the meal hall. You are not to tell anyone who hasn't taken the test yet anything about it. Disclosing any information whatsoever will be grounds for disqualification."

Meaning that the later groups can't observe the earlier groups and learn from their mistakes, Itachi mused, The course remains an unknown entity to each applicant. That settles it; there's definitely more to this than simply hopping across some stone pillars.

Next to him he heard Jiraiya chuckle. "This should be fun."

A little while later, the groups had been formed. Itachi and Jiraiya were in the first wave, so they and their fellow applicants lined up along the shore while the others left the cavern. Yoruichi moved off to the side and raised her right arm.

"Your test will commence on my mark!" she shouted, "Three… two… one… go!"

The applicants rushed forward, and it didn't take long for Itachi and Jiraiya to move to the front of the pack. Itachi had lost track of how many trips he'd leapt from tree branch to tree branch for kilometers on end back when he was alive; it was second nature for Shinobi. Hopping across the much sturdier stone pillars was child's play for a veteran ninja like himself, but Itachi would not let himself become complacent. He was confident that Yoruichi had much more in store for them than a simple balance and speed exercise.

Glancing to his right, he saw Jiraiya easily keeping pace with him. The late Sannin had an amused smirk on his face as he effortlessly leapt from one pillar to the next. He would even through in the occasional flourish like a front flip or hand spring just to spice things up; the sage was clearly enjoying himself. Still, the sharp glint in his eyes told Itachi that Jiraiya wasn't taking anything for granted in this exercise, and whenever the proverbial shoe dropped he would definitely be ready for it.

Looking over his shoulder, Itachi realized that Yoruichi had completely vanished from where she'd been when she'd given them the order to start. As he scanned the area he was surprised to see that she was already at the opposite end of the lake standing next to the man with the ornate blue robe; he hadn't even seen her move, and yet she had apparently already cleared the entire course.

I have got to learn how she does that, he thought as he recalled her astounding speed from the fight with the Hollows and the incident with that one student during Phase One of the exams, I won't rest until I figure it out…

The row of blue flags was rapidly drawing near, and Itachi braced himself; he had a feeling that the real tricks hidden in this test would begin to reveal themselves once he passed them. Sure enough, as soon as he leapt past the flags and onto the next pillar his platform began to rise. Looking around, Itachi quickly realized this his wasn't the only pillar in motion; all of the stone platforms had begun moving up and down.

"So, it's a test of timing," he muttered under his breath as he plotted his course, already mentally compensating for this new obstacle, "Very well, then."

As soon as the pillar he was standing on reached the apex of its ascent Itachi jumped. The increased altitude had given him an advantage in both visibility and the distance he could dover with a single leap, and he exploited it for all it was worth. He came down on a pillar that had just reached the halfway point of its climb, and he already knew which way he would jump next.

A little way behind him and to the right he heard Jiraiya laughing. "All right! Now this is more like it!"

Indeed, he mused with a smirk, it was far too easy earlier. I wonder what other tricks they've got in store for us…

Reaching the next pillar and waiting for it to rise a little more before making his next jump, Itachi took a moment to assess the other applicants. For the first time, he noticed just how far ahead Jiraiya and him had gotten; most of the group was still working their way towards the blue flags. A few had already fallen into the lake, and those who couldn't make the swim to shore on their own were rescued by the assistants Yoruichi had positioned along the shoreline earlier.

Returning his gaze forward, Itachi pressed on. He was neck and neck with Jiraiya, and while he didn't consider the test to be a race he did push himself a little harder to try to keep ahead of the Sannin. It hadn't taken long to work out the rhythm of the pillars' rise and fall, so the two former ninjas continued to make steady progress. The row of green flags ahead grew closer with each passing second, and Itachi was already bracing for the next surprise that passing them would trigger. He did note that the pillars holding those flags and the ones beyond them weren't rising and falling like the ones he and Jiraiya were currently on, but there was always the chance that could change once they reached them.

He could feel a pair of eyes on him that weren't Jiraiya's and looking ahead it wasn't hard to find them. At the end of the course, Yoruichi's gaze was locked on him like a hawk. Even from this distance he could see the smile on her face, and the mischievous flicker of light in her eyes made him suspect that what lay ahead would be much more formidable than just some rising and falling stone pillars.

When he and Jiraiya crossed the line of green flags a few seconds later and entered the final leg of the course, the pillars ahead did not move. However, the people on both sides of the shore with the black robes and white facial coverings began to cross their arms before reaching out with one palm open, and they each took on a crimson-pink aura. The hairs on the back of Itachi's neck stood up as he realized what was coming, and he was dimly aware of the smirk disappearing from Jiraiya's face.

"Hadō 31: Shakkahō!" cried the masked figures.

Itachi dropped to his stomach on top of the pillar he was on, and not a moment too soon. A second later the air was filled with blazing red-pink spheres of spirit energy. Itachi and Jiraiya were both able to avoid taking any hits, and they were on their feet as soon as the immediate threat had passed. The two of them wouldn't have much of a reprieve, though; the robed and masked figures were already preparing another salvo.

And now the true nature of the test is revealed, he thought as he raced forward, It's one of speed, balance, timing and, most importantly, spatial awareness. It'll be a gauntlet from here to the finish line.

He moved as fast as he could, and even though he could no longer command chakra he still advanced with the confidence he'd carried when he was amongst the living. Constantly assessing his surroundings to keep himself aware of both the pillars and the masked shooters on the shoreline, he plotted his final course to the finish line and made his final throw of the dice. His trajectory drifted slightly until he was as close to the middle of the course as he could be, all the while ducking and jumping to evade the flying balls of spirit energy. Instinct took over as he hit the home stretch, and with a fluid series of leaps and flips Itachi found himself on the shore almost before he'd realized that he'd made it. Catching his breath, he saw Yoruichi approach him with a proud smile on her face.

"I knew you were something special!" she praised, "Great job, Itachi!"

She then nodded past him as Jiraiya arrived on shore a moment later. "Same to you, Jiraiya. Too bad for you Itachi's already set the new course record; he got you by barely over a second."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, you can't win 'em all."

Yoruichi jerked her thumb over her shoulder towards a torchlit passageway. "Head up that way and you'll eventually make it back to the surface. You should be able to find your way back to the meal hall from there. Just sit tight and relax; I'll come find you guys when it's time for the final phase. Remember, no blabbing to the others about what happened down here. I'd hate to have to disqualify the two of you after a run like that."

Itachi nodded. "Understood. I'll see you in a little while, then."

"Have fun with the rest of the new meat!" said Jiraiya with a smirk.

Yoruichi grinned. "Oh, trust me, I will!"

….

Over an hour and a half later the last of the surviving applicants had completed the Pillar Run and gone back above ground, leaving Yoruichi with a few free minutes to run through her sheet and do a fresh count. The attrition hadn't been quite as bad as she'd initially feared; there were still 1,207 applicants left in the running.

Looks like we've got a pretty strong pool of contenders this year, she thought with a smile, Phase Two is usually the one that gets the most washouts, and that was before I put my own spin on it!

"You seem rather pleased with yourself," said Tessai.

Yoruichi nodded. "You could say that. I do like to consider myself a good judge of talent, after all."

"You're referring to the two men who finished at the head of the first wave," said Tessai, "I take it those are the two special candidates you mentioned earlier, yes?"

Yoruichi grinned. "You got it. Pretty impressive, eh?"

"I would certainly say so," Tessai admitted.

Her grin became a smirk. "Even more so when you consider that they took down a Hollow barehanded the night before, don't you think?"

Tessai looked a bit taken aback. "You cannot be serious!"

"Oh, I totally am," Yoruichi replied, "Go ask Unohana if you don't believe me; the two of us saw the whole thing."

Tessai shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I've known you long enough to be able to tell when you're joking and when you're not. Do you think they have what it takes to pass Phase Three?"

Yoruichi nodded. "They've got strong spiritual pressure, even if they don't realize it yet. They'll be fine. That doesn't mean it won't be interesting to watch them in Phase Three, though; it's always fun to see how peoples' energy manifests in the Crystal Lens."

"That it is," said Tessai, "Will you be needing any further assistance from myself or my subordinates?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Nope, Phase Two was all I required you guys for. Thanks for the help with that. I owe you one."

"Not at all," Tessai replied with a smile, "I'm always happy to lend a hand. Enjoy the final phase of the exams. I look forward to hearing the results later."

Yoruichi smiled. "Don't worry; after the Captains' review is finished, you and Kisuke will be the first ones I come find. Catch you later!"

Now, then, she thought as she headed up the passage towards the surface, It's time to move forward to the final act. I hope you're ready, Itachi!

….

Once again, Itachi was back in the meal hall trying to rest up before the next phase of the exams. Once again, he was all too aware that people were watching him. Jiraiya had him under the scrutiny that he had come to expect from the Sannin since the exams had begun, but he was still surprised at how many of the applicants kept glancing his way. Initially several had approached him and Jiraiya after they'd returned from Phase Two in order to gain insight into what lay ahead, but the two Shinobi had maintained their discipline and declined to answer all inquiries. After a while the applicants who hadn't taken the test yet gave up, the attention Itachi continued to receive from his fellow candidates for enrollment remained. It was especially noticeable amongst those who had actually been part of the same wave in Phase Two that Itachi and Jiraiya had been in when they'd taken the test; they could not believe that the two men had completed the Pillar Run so quickly and with such apparent ease.

To his right he heard Jiraiya chuckle. "It's tough being famous, isn't it?"

"I have no interest in fame or notoriety," Itachi replied, "What others think of me is their business. It does not matter to me."

Jiraiya smirked. "Oh, yeah? Does the same go for our lovely proctor?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Just what exactly are you implying?"

"Don't bother denying it," said Jiraiya, "In that last leg of Phase Two you pulled out all the stops to finish first. You wanted to impress her!"

"She's our proctor," Itachi replied coolly, "Whether we pass or fail these exams is up to her. It's only natural for me to desire her to witness what talents I have, even with my powers reduced as they are."

"Really?" said Jiraiya with a knowing look in his eyes, "It was just for the exam score, you say? How come I'm having a hard time buying that?"

"Because yours is the mind that came up with the Make-Out Paradise series," Itachi quipped, "You can't help but construe other meanings from the interactions between men and women."

Jiraiya laughed. "Is that what you think? Well… you might not be entirely wrong there, I suppose."

It was just at that moment that one of the doors opened, and in walked Yoruichi. She wasted no time in addressing the remaining applicants.

"All right, everyone, follow me!" she ordered, "Phase Three is this way!"

Itachi, Jiraiya, and the others did as they were told. Eventually the group found themselves inside a broad courtyard. There were rows upon rows of what looked like meditation mats, and sitting on each mat was a clear crystal about the size of a ball from a child's game.

"Congratulations on making it to the last phase of the entrance exams," said Yoruichi, "Brains and skill have gotten you this far, but your final test is going to examine something else entirely; the quality of your spirit energy."

She then gestured to one of her assistants, who brought her a crystal just like the ones on the meditation mats. "Phase Three is known as the Crystal Lens, and these rocks are the reason why. They're naturally forming crystals found in caves scattered across the Soul Society. These stones have a special property to them; they can create a visual manifestation of someone's spirit energy. Here's an example for you."

She held the crystal in one hand and focused her gaze purely on that stone. Itachi's eyes narrowed as a white flame suddenly appeared in the center of the crystal. The flame rapidly expanded until the entire stone was bathed in its light.

"The spirit flames that appear in these crystals will allow my assistants and I to measure your spirit energy," said Yoruichi, "These are the properties we'll be examining; the strength, durability, and most importantly the stability of your spirit energy. Don't be surprised if the flames that appear in your crystal aren't the same as mine; the color depends on the individual touching the stone. This phase of the exam will last a half an hour. In that time, my assistants and I will be wandering around the courtyard and monitoring your spirit energy. If either myself or one of my aides places a hand on your shoulder before time's up, that means you washed out. Everyone still in the courtyard at the end of the half an hour will pass the test."

Passing the crystal back to her aide, Yoruichi gave the applicants her final instructions. "When you hold the crystal in your hands, empty your minds of everything else except for the crystal. If you need to take some time to meditate before grabbing the stone, that's perfectly fine; just remember that you don't have all day for this. Now, I want all of you to pick a mat and sit down. Phase Three will begin on my mark."

Itachi grabbed a mat towards the rear of the courtyard, while Jiraiya took the one next to him. The Legendary Sannin looked perfectly at ease with the nature of the final test, which didn't surprise Itachi in the least. After all, Jiraiya had been renowned in the ninja world as a master of Sage Jutsu, which required plenty of meditation in order to gain proficiency in; an exercise like this would be a walk in the park for him. Sitting down, Itachi looked at the stone in front of him. He already had his approach in mind; just like during Phase One, he would take a little bit of time to center himself before beginning the test in earnest.

Ten minutes of warmup meditation should suffice, he thought as he watched Yoruichi, prepared to start his mental timer the second she gave the go-ahead.

A moment later the Captain raised her right arm. "All right, then. Three… two… one… begin!"

….

Yoruichi sighed as she touched a red-headed girl on the shoulder. "You're out. Sorry."

The girl's eyes widened as she stammered in protest. "B-but I've barely even started!"

Yoruichi shook her head. "You can't fool me. That crystal's all the evidence I need."

It was true; the tiny crimson flame within the crystal was very weak, barely clinging to life. The pitifully small bit of spirit energy flickered and sputtered, far too inconsistent and frail for it to receive a passing grade.

The girl hung her head in disappointment as the flame disappeared entirely a few seconds later. "But… I worked so hard…"

"This isn't the end of the line," said Yoruichi, giving the girl an encouraging smile, "This just means that your spirit energy needs a little more time to grow. Build up your strength and come back next year. The Academy's not going anywhere, I promise you that."

She nodded at an assistant who came over to lead the girl out of the courtyard. Turning her attention to the rest of the applicants, Yoruichi's smile grew when she finally saw Itachi reach for his crystal.

So he used ten minutes for preparation, she mused, Just like Phase One; he doesn't jump in without making sure he's ready. That sort of prudence will serve him well in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads…

Jiraiya had taken much less time to prepare than Itachi had; he had only spent five minutes in preliminary meditation. That smaller window didn't seem to hurt him in the least, though, for Yoruichi could see the blue-white flame within the crystal still burning brightly and steadily. The white-haired man seemed to be a natural at this exercise, and his was definitely the strongest flame that she had yet seen amongst the applicants.

Her eyes narrowed as she studied Itachi closely. The raven-haired young man held the crystal in both hands with his eyes closed. For a few seconds, there was no activity whatsoever, but that changed the moment he opened his eyes. A black flame ignited, and it quickly grew until it came to dominate the entire crystal. It was an entrancing sight, and Yoruichi wasn't the only one drawn to it; all the other aides had ceased observing the rest of the applicants and were staring in awe at Itachi's crystal.

"Impressive," she said softly, "Most impressive…"

As much as she wanted to focus her attention solely on Itachi, Yoruichi forced herself to pull away and scan the class as a whole. There were still about twenty minutes left in the exercise, and it looked like everyone had manifested their flames of spirit energy within the crystal. From here on out it would be a test of endurance and stability. There was no rule that stated someone had to maintain their flame from the moment it ignited until the end of the test, but doing so certainly wouldn't hurt that person's final score.

It's too bad Unohana's prepping for the physicals right now, she thought as her gaze went back to Itachi and Jiraiya, I bet she would've loved to see this…

The minutes slowly went by, occasionally interrupted by Yoruichi or one of her aides informing a student that they had failed the test. By the time Phase Three finally came to an end there were 1,105 applicants remaining. It actually was about the middle of the road as far as prior enrollment groups were concerned, but Yoruichi wasn't particularly interested in whether or not the exams proctored by her had the largest or smallest amount of people who were able to pass them. She was just glad that it was nearly over. She still had to go over the Phase One test results of those who had survived the whole process, but that was something she was actually looking forward to doing since she would have a considerable amount of help with it.

"All right, you can all rise," she said with a smile, "Congratulations on making it through the last phase of the Shin'o Academy entrance examinations!"

A round of cheering went through the group of surviving applicants. Jiraiya had a pleased grin on his face, and while Itachi appeared more subdued Yoruichi still caught a hint of a satisfied smirk from him.

"Okay, settle down," she said after a moment, "Feel free to throw a party later, but there are still a few things we need to get out of the way before you can officially start your freshman year at the Academy. For now, I want you all to return to the meal hall. You'll find members of Squad Four waiting there. They'll be handling your physicals, so cooperate with them fully if you want to make sure you get to go to class on the first day of the semester. Once your physical exam is complete, you'll be taken to the student dorms. Orientation will begin tomorrow morning, so make sure you rest up."

As the successful candidates began leaving the courtyard, Yoruichi called out to her two favorite applicants of the bunch. "Itachi, Jiraiya! Come over here for a minute, will ya?"

The two men glanced at each other for a moment before approaching her. The rest of the new students gave them curious looks before leaving the courtyard. Yoruichi didn't really care about impressions or appearances of favoritism now that the exams were officially over, especially since she had something special in mind for the stars of today's tests.

She grinned as the two of them came up to her. "Well done, both of you! I'm pretty sure I'm not blowing smoke when I say that you two blew these tests completely out of the water!"

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, now, it's a pleasure to hear you say that! Any chance you can pass that praise along to Unohana?"

Yoruichi smirked. "You can tell her I said that yourself; she'll be personally handling your physical, along with Itachi's. You two are getting the VIP treatment, so make the most of it!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Oh, I will!"

"We weren't being given similar treatment during the tests without our knowledge, were we?" asked Itachi, his eyes narrowing.

Yoruichi shook her head. "No. You two went through the exact same tests as everyone else. You just happened to be by far the most gifted candidates this year. I was rooting for you guys, but I didn't do any favors for you; you passed the exams on your own merits, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

Itachi nodded. "I see. Thank you for that; my success here would have no meaning if it were not achieved honestly."

Yoruichi smiled. "That's a good attitude to have. You'll go far in the Academy, Itachi. Hell, I bet you'll be the favorite of all the teachers before the first week of the semester is up!"

Jiraiya folded his arms and grinned. "Oh, yeah? What about me?"

"Gifted class clown, all the way!" Yoruichi replied with a laugh, "At least, that's the vibe I get from you, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya smirked. "That sounds fine by me."

"Good," said Yoruichi, "By the way, once your physicals are done, I want the two of you to return to the meal hall, all right? I'll swing by and pick you up; there's some people that I want to introduce you to."

"Colleagues of yours?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi grinned. "Yup! You two scored one hell of an opportunity with the way you performed today; I'm gonna introduce you to some of the other Captains later! They're gonna want to meet you when they see your test results, and don't be surprised if they start throwing out recruitment offers!"

If I know them, those'll start flying as soon as I tell them about the Hollow incident, she thought, I'd like to get both of these guys into Squad Two when they graduate from the Academy, but if I have to share I suppose I can give up Jiraiya. That being said…

…you're gonna be all mine if I have anything to say about it, Itachi!

Author's Notes: So, I'm sure you noticed the bit early on in the chapter when Soi-Fon mentioned Five Great Noble Houses instead of four. No, that wasn't an error on my part. I'm expanding the Soul Society's high nobility, and you'll see why later on in the story.

With regards to the Academy entrance exams, I decided to make them a milder form of the Chūnin Exams. No life or death battles, but still a mixture of written and physical tests.

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!