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.

9. Chapter 9

Author's Notes: Well, I was originally planning on waiting a little longer to release this one, but I couldn't resist any longer!

A quick word on the Soul Society's high aristocracy; more of my reshuffle of the nobility and alterations will be on display in this chapter. To help you get your bearings, the Shihōin, Kuchiki, and Shiba Clans are still among the Great Noble Houses. However, two more are new. One is the Drakken Clan, which will be introduced this chapter. As for the last one, you'll have to wait a little while longer for their proper introduction.

Enjoy!

Chapter Nine: Rivalry's Flames

146 years before Rukia Kuchiki's arrival in Karakura Town

"Again!" barked the spirit of his Zanpakutō.

She's relentless today, thought Itachi as he braced himself for her opening assault.

The woman cloaked in black flames came in hard and fast, immediately putting Itachi on the defensive. The blades of the two duelists flashed like bolts of lightning as they clashed, and despite his foe's ferocious strikes Itachi was holding his own. His defense was solid; tight, efficient, and swift. His footing remained firm, and even as he was under attack he was already looking for the opening he would need to initiate a counter.

That opening came a moment later. After deflecting a diagonal slash, Itachi countered with an overhand strike. His foe was forced to block, and Itachi was able to seize the initiative and go on the offensive. He surged forward, his Zanpakutō little more than a series of silver streaks as he went into a sequence of swift and precise blows. His opponent fell back, but she was hardly deterred by his assault. Just like Itachi before, she was patiently waiting for her chance to strike back, and he knew that she would seize it the instant it was available.

Despite sparring with the spirit of his Zanpakutō every day since his return to the Academy following the healing of his soul fracture, Itachi had never once grown weary of these matches. On the contrary, they were a much looked forward to part of his routine. He always felt like he had something to learn from each fight, and he couldn't think of a better way to keep his Zanjutsu skills sharp. These skirmishes had become even more important to him once he'd learned that Jiraiya had also managed to make it to his inner world; a little friendly competition from the Legendary Sannin was a nice bit of incentive for Itachi to maintain his efforts to improve his abilities.

Not for the first time since these matches had begun, Itachi couldn't help but notice that his inner world had subtly changed since the first time he had visited it. The cobblestone pathway remained, as did the stone lanterns with their eerie blood-red flames and the twisted trees, but the environmental conditions had been altered significantly. The clouds that had once filled the sky of his inner world were completely gone now, allowing the crimson moon's full brilliance to shine down from on high. That wasn't the only light coming from the sky, either; red stars were visible all across the black backdrop above. In fact, Itachi could've sworn that they were shining brighter now than they had in the past.

"I'm so glad that you're able to admire the scenery in my humble abode," his foe gently chided him, "but your eyes should be on me, Itachi."

She made him pay for his momentary lapse by thrusting her blade forward. Itachi was able to deflect the strike, but it was still all that she needed to regain the initiative. Once again, she went into a furious assault, as withering and vicious as it was swift and powerful. There was a certain beauty in her movements that Itachi couldn't help but admire; it was the deadly grace of a she-wolf on the hunt, hounding her prey with her eyes set on its throat.

"Why the changes in the weather?" he asked as their blades crossed yet again.

"Come now, Itachi," she replied with a smile, "You know full well that the conditions in this world aren't influenced by traditional means. They reflect your soul, so they're bound to change as your journey down the path of the Soul Reaper continues."

"So does all this reflect progress or regression?" Itachi pressed as he parried her strikes.

"Progress, of course," said his sparring partner.

Itachi raised an eyebrow as he deflected a slash. "That's unusually straightforward of you."

The spirit of his Zanpakutō smirked as she continued to attack him. "I don't always feel the need to speak in cryptic riddles, you know? Besides, I hear that positive reinforcement for such development is a good thing."

"Perhaps," said Itachi, "but it's still a little strange coming from you."

His opponent shook her head. "You know, it's considered rude to question a compliment like that. I thought you were more well-mannered than that."

"Does etiquette have a place in a fight?" Itachi deadpanned as he blocked a particularly powerful blow.

"I suppose not," his adversary replied.

The song of clashing steel intensified as their duel continued. Back and forth the combatants went, trading the roles of attacker and defender fluidly and frequently. Itachi idly wondered what his Zanjutsu instructors would make of a fight like this. Had any of them ever fought their Zanpakutō in a duel like this one?

It wasn't just his technique that benefitted from matches like this. The daily duels were improving his conditioning as well, to the point that Itachi barely even broke a sweat in his Zanjutsu classes anymore. If anything, the Academy's lessons on swordsmanship seemed rather tame when compared to the fierce clashes that he regularly engaged the spirit of his Zanpakutō in. About the only time he really had to put in work during those official sessions nowadays was when he sparred with Jiraiya.

How would he and the Legendary Sannin perform against Hollows now? It had been a year since their encounter on Terra with the beasts that had attempted to invade their Konsō exercise, and even though it had been a brief fight it still hadn't been far from Itachi's mind. Practice matches both in the classroom and with the spirt of his Zanpakutō were all well and good, but Hollows were the enemy that he was ultimately training to defeat, so Itachi was naturally inclined to wonder when he'd get another chance to face them. It wasn't that he was actively seeking out such an encounter, but he knew that it would have to happen sooner or later.

"What's the matter?" asked his opponent as she launched a fresh offensive, "Don't tell me you're growing bored with our little match here?"

"Hardly," Itachi replied as he fended off her attacks.

"Then why the discontent?" she pressed, "You forget that I can read you far better than others, you know."

His eyes narrowed as he countered her strike and retook the offensive. "There is only so much that I can learn in an academic setting. Our matches have been instructive, but you are not my enemy. I need to know that I'm capable of challenging and defeating Hollows consistently. A single encounter during my entire term at the Academy hardly qualifies in that regard."

"Your time will come," his sparring partner replied, "You of all people ought to know the value of patience. Focus on your training; the chance to prove yourself in the field again will find you soon enough."

Itachi nodded. She was right; the best thing for him to do right now was focus on continuing to improve his abilities and learn new skills. It wasn't like him to be eager to face a new enemy, even one that had proven just how dire the need was for experienced warriors to fight against it. Hollows were unlike any foe that he had encountered during his life in the Shinobi World, and there was still much about them that he did not fully understand. It would not do to rush into a confrontation just for the sake of testing his skills out in the field; he had to take advantage of his time in the Academy to gain as much knowledge and practice as he could before he graduated and officially joined the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

The duel continued on, but Itachi could sense that it was approaching a climax. His opponent was growing more aggressive, and Itachi had no choice but to match her. Deflecting a diagonal strike, he countered with a thrust that his opponent redirected. She whirled around, adding centrifugal force to her follow-up slash, and Itachi was barely able to block it. He ducked beneath her next strike before bringing his sword up in a slash, but she swiftly parried that attack. The two of them thrust their blades out at exactly the same time, bringing them to a stop just a hair's breadth above each other's necks.

She smiled before withdrawing her weapon. "A tie… well done, Itachi."

"Thanks," said Itachi as he sheathed his sword, "You certainly made me work for it."

"Well, someone has to keep you on your toes when Yoruichi isn't around," she shot back with a smirk, "We wouldn't want you losing your edge just because your classes can't sufficiently challenge you and she hasn't seen fit to put you back under Minerva's tutelage."

Itachi couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Good point. I wonder how she's doing…"

"Minerva or Yoruichi?" she asked with a knowing smile.

Itachi shook his head a little more forcefully than he'd meant to. "Never mind. I need to get going."

"Of course," she said with a mischievous smirk, "Until next time, Itachi!"

….

The training hall sang with the melody of clashing wooden practice swords. As per the normal routine, the lead Zanjutsu instructor for the advanced track students had already paired them up with the sparring partners for the session's drills, and Itachi and Jiraiya were well into yet another one of their fast-paced yet friendly bouts. It was a ritual that Itachi had grown as accustomed to as he had with the matches the spirit of his Zanpakutō engaged him in, and he would privately admit that he enjoyed these skirmishes with the Legendary Sannin just as much as those with the maiden cloaked in the black flames of Amaterasu.

He couldn't help but smirk as his eyes fell on the bruise on the right side of Jiraiya's forehead. "Should I ease up a little, old man? I'd feel bad about claiming a win that was made possible by a giant toad thrashing you beforehand."

Jiraiya chuckled as he fended off Itachi's assault. "Hah, you mean this? That was just a tap! I didn't feel a thing!"

"A 'tap' from an armored fist or boot?" Itachi asked as he pressed his attack, "Or did you get headbutted this time? The spirit of your Zanpakutō rarely seems to hold its punches these days."

Jiraiya grinned as he countered and went on the offensive. "Hey, it's no fun when he's holding back, and the same goes for you! I may look old, but I feel a hell of a lot younger now that I'm dead, so hit me with your best shot!"

Indeed, Itachi mused as he deflected Jiraiya's blows, I never thought that the afterlife would be quite as rejuvenating an experience as it's proven to be. Death, it would seem, is not without its advantages…

It was actually quite easy for him to forget nowadays that he was indeed dead. He had acclimated well to the Soul Society over the past four years, so much so in fact that it was hard to remember that this was supposed to be the afterlife. Itachi might've passed on from the world of the living, but it was hard to recall a point in his past life where he'd felt as alive as he did now. Yes, he was still dead, but a whole new world of opportunity was before him, and he had taken great strides to realize it since enrolling in the Academy.

Of course, no one could progress as rapidly or ascend as highly as Itachi and Jiraiya had without ruffling some feathers. Itachi was all too familiar with how success and prodigious growth could isolate someone from others, and while he had tried to avoid making the same mistakes as he had in his younger days, he suspected that some alienation might be inevitable. Having a friend like Jiraiya, as odd as their friendship might be, certainly helped, as did the support of Yoruichi and her circle of friends, but his relationship with his fellow students was a little on the tense side. Yes, many admired him, and he knew that he was still the object of desire for an uncomfortably large segment of the female student body, but there were others who saw his rise and prominence as an obstacle and regarded it with jealousy and suspicion.

As he continued his match with Jiraiya, Itachi could sense that one of those not-so-friendly students had their eyes on him. A second of distraction could very easily cost him the match, but Itachi felt that the risk was worth it to find out just who was studying him so intently today. It only took a moment to discover them, but in that brief instance Jiraiya was very nearly able to land the winning hit on him.

Jiraiya laughed as Itachi was barely able to block his attack. "Getting sloppy there, mister class genius! What's got you so distracted?"

"We're being watched," said Itachi as he backpedaled and regrouped, "Their scrutiny seems rather sharp, I might add."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow before looking past Itachi's shoulder and spotting who he was referring to. "Oh, so it's little miss Vissy that's got her eye on us, eh? Interesting…"

'Vissy' was the teasing nickname that the Legendary Sannin had developed for the young woman who would've been at the top of the advanced track student rankings were it not for himself and Itachi. Her full name was Visaelya Drakken, and she was none other than the niece of Squad Ten's Captain, Rhaegon Drakken. A rather tall woman with a slender yet athletic frame, she was quite easily the most popular female student in their class. It wasn't hard to see why; her fair complexion, exotic violet eyes and long, silver-blonde hair definitely made her stand out in a crowd, but she was more than just a pretty face. Like every student in the advanced class, male or female, she had demonstrated great aptitude for the Soul Reaper arts, and despite, or perhaps because of, her hailing from one of the Five Great Noble Houses she was a very hard-working girl, putting impressive effort into both her academic and physical studies. Her gifts were considerable, and Itachi had no doubt that she'd go far once she graduated from the Academy.

Unfortunately, it had become readily apparent that 'going far' wasn't enough for Visaelya. It hadn't taken Itachi or Jiraiya long to tell that she was gunning to make herself the standout student in the advanced track, but from the moment the entrance exams had taken place the two former Shinobi had stolen her thunder. It was the two of them that had been invited to meet the Captains reviewing the exam scores, not her, just as it was the two of them who had consistently stolen the top spots in the rankings ever since beginning their education at the Academy.

"You'd better keep your guard up," said Jiraiya with a smirk as he redoubled his attack on Itachi, "She's got fire in her eyes today. Hell, she might just call you out in the challenge fights later!"

"What makes you think she won't challenge you instead?" asked Itachi as he countered and seized the initiative, "She hasn't called either of us out in years. No one has."

"Please," Jiraiya replied, "it's written all over her face. That's confidence and determination if I've ever seen it. She's gunning for the top spot today, and since only one of us in the advanced track has actually sparred with a Captain, I think it's pretty safe to say we both know who she's got in her sights."

Privately, Itachi had to concede that Jiraiya had a point. Although both former Shinobi were at the top of the class, everyone knew that he was the favorite of not only Yoruichi, but several other Captains. Itachi was as high a profile target in the advanced track as one could get, and just because no one had called him out over the past few years in their Zanjutsu class didn't mean that they couldn't. They were in the fourth year of a six-year education; there was still plenty of time for one of his classmates to try to knock him from his perch. Itachi wasn't particularly attached to his lofty position, but at the same time he wasn't about to let himself be dethroned without a fight.

Their match dragged on for a few minutes longer with no clear winner before it was broken up by the instructor's call. "All right, everyone, it's time for the challenge fights! Cease your duels and gather in the center of the hall!"

Jiraiya smirked as the two of them lowered their training swords. "Saved by the teacher."

Itachi nodded. "Indeed. I would've won the duel on the next exchange."

The Legendary Sannin chuckled. "Is that so? I'll have to prove you wrong in our next match. Maybe Vissy won't get to challenge you today; I might just have to cut to the front of the line!"

"You're welcome to do so," Itachi replied casually, "I'll be waiting."

The two of them joined their classmates in forming a circle at the center of the room. Their instructor, a middle-aged Soul Reaper who went only by the name 'Iemon', stepped into the middle of the circle.

"So, who will go first today?" he asked, "Who wants to open up today's challenge fights?"

Visaelya immediately stood up and stepped forward. "I do, Iemon-sensei!"

Your oaf of a friend appears to be right this time, said the spirit of Itachi's Zanpakutō.

She hasn't called me out yet.

Don't kid yourself. She's looking right at you.

Indeed, she was. Visaelya's gaze was locked on Itachi, and he could see the determination burning in her violet eyes. She wanted a fight; there was no doubt about it.

"I challenge Itachi Uchiha!" she barked.

A collective gasp went through the assembled students, with the exception of Itachi and Jiraiya. The sage had a satisfied smirk on his face; Itachi was sure that it was taking every ounce of restraint the man had to keep him from rubbing it in that he had called this one perfectly.

I'm never going to hear the end of this.

It'll be even worse if you decline her challenge. What's your move?

What do you think? The dice have been thrown, so I'll put my stake on the table and play her game.

He was sure that the spirit of his weapon was smiling. Good.

Itachi stood up and nodded. "I accept."

Iemon looked back and forth between the two of them for a moment. "Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely," Visaelya replied firmly.

"If she insists," said Itachi.

The instructor stepped back as the two of them faced off. Visaelya was glaring daggers at him, and Itachi idly wondered if he'd inadvertently done something to piss her off.

Women were never my strong suit...

You don't say?

No quips. Not now.

Killjoy.

There were no pre-fight taunts or gestures from his opponent. The look in her eyes was enough to tell Itachi that she was all business. She clearly had a great deal invested in this fight, and she'd likely been planning it for some time. Itachi would have to keep his guard up; she'd had plenty of chances to observe his fighting style over the past four years, after all.

Iemon raised his hand. "Ready? Three… two… one… begin!"

Visaelya made the first move, lunging forward like a pouncing lioness and bringing her blade down in a hard-overhand strike. Itachi raised his sword to block the attack and was surprised by the strength behind the blow

She never struck me as a power-fighter, he thought as he fended off her subsequent strikes, Her physical strength has improved considerably, though. She's been putting in some serious extra training.

Her moves were swift, and her strikes flowed with a gracefulness that belied the might behind them. She was aggressive and confident, traits that Itachi could certainly admire even as he was on the other end of them. If nothing else, Visaelya was clearly determined to make him work for his win today, and Itachi was willing to oblige her.

He had an opening to counter and take the offensive, but Itachi declined it. He was curious as to just how far she had come since the last time she had challenged him, so he decided to content himself for the moment with simply deflecting her attacks and studying her form. Itachi continued to backpedal, altering the angle of his retreat so that he wouldn't get forced into a corner and allowing himself flexibility with his defense. When he didn't outright block or parry a blow he would duck and roll beneath it, coming back up just in time to contend with her next assault.

From the way Visaelya intensified her attacks, it was apparent that she had caught on to what he was doing, and she wasn't happy about it. "Take this seriously, Itachi! I won't accept you holding back on me! Attack, damn it! What are you waiting for?"

"Timing is everything," Itachi replied calmly as he redirected her thrust, "You ought to know; is that not why you've waited until now to challenge me?"

She didn't say anything, but from the way she was gritting her teeth Itachi knew that he was getting on her nerves. It wasn't his intention to do so, but if his opponent was going to let herself get riled up then Itachi wasn't above exploiting that.

How ruthless of you.

You disapprove?

Quite the contrary.

He continued to play defense, allowing his foe to further irritate herself and expend valuable energy. Her blows rained down hard and fast, but by keeping himself calm and centered Itachi was able to withstand the assault. She was head and shoulders above the other students in the advanced track with the exception of Jiraiya and himself, but her pride was a critical weakness.

Itachi rolled to the side as she brought her sword down in a vicious overhand strike. Coming back up and brining his weapon into guard position in a single fluid motion, he deftly parried her follow-up attack. Her next sequence of strikes was swift and precise, but her anger was costing her; she was unconsciously broadcasting her intentions, making it a relatively simple matter for a fighter as experienced as Itachi to read her moves and react accordingly.

She has talent. It's a shame that her jealousy of your prominence is undermining it. No matter; that's just one more weakness for us to take advantage of.

She must learn to master her emotions and not let them override her judgment. Once she accomplishes that, I imagine her true potential will be quite impressive.

Yes, but that is for her to realize. You are not her teacher. You task here and now is to crush her and defend your position at the top of the hierarchy.

Not the way I would put it. Defeat her, yes, but not crush her. She can still learn and grow. Besides, I don't care about the hierarchy of our class, and I will not demoralize and humiliate a fellow student simply to assert dominance.

You're too soft.

Itachi didn't bother to respond. As he deflected one blow after another he began to seek out the opening he would need to bring this contest to a close. He tightened up his defenses, minimizing his profile and leaving no gaps for Visaelya to exploit. She continued to rain down blow after blow, but Itachi detected a growing sense of desperation in his adversary. Her strikes were becoming less and less efficient as her frustration grew; their power was now becoming a liability as she succeeded only in draining her own energy reserves in her efforts to bash down the moving barrier that Itachi's sword had become.

It was when Visaelya lunged forward and thrust her sword at his gut that Itachi found the opportunity he'd been looking for. Bringing his weapon low, he altered the angle of his sword so it was pointing towards the floor at a slant. As he redirected Visaelya's strike he then pivoted and whirled around, bringing himself full circle and landing a solid blow right on her back. The strike was just hard enough to knock her off her feet but do no lasting harm; at most she'd have a bruise that would fade within a few days or so.

"Match!" called Instructor Iemon, "Itachi wins!"

Visaelya shook her head furiously. "No! I want another round!"

Iemon shot her down. "You know the rules, Miss Drakken; a student can only be challenged once per day. If you wish to fight Itachi again, then you will have to be the first one to call him out during tomorrow's session."

She hung her head in defeat. "Damn it!"

Lowering his practice sword, Itachi held out his hand. "If you do wish to challenge me again tomorrow, I will accept. You fought very well, Visaelya. Can you stand?"

She glared at him, defiance burning in her eyes. "I don't need your pity, Itachi!"

"I would never deign to insult you with pity," Itachi replied, "Am I not allowed to be concerned for a fellow student?"

She brushed his hand aside and stood up on her own. "I don't need your concern, either."

Like I said; you're too soft.

Perhaps, but that is my decision to make, not yours.

As Visaelya looked him in the eye, he could see fresh determination blazing. "I will challenge you again tomorrow, Itachi, and not just in Zanjutsu. You'd best be prepared!"

Itachi nodded. "I will, so long as you are as well."

She looked like she was going to offer some harsh retort, but seemed to think better of it. Instead she simply huffed and turned her back on him before rejoining the friends she'd been sitting with earlier.

What was all that about?, he thought as he returned to his spot on the sidelines next to Jiraiya, Did I do something recently to anger her and she's trying to seek redress through single combat?

I doubt it's anything like that. You're not the type to go out of his way to anger a woman.

Then what do you propose lies at the root of this? I'm open to suggestions.

Her family name, for starters. Remember, she is not only a member of the Drakken Clan of the Five Great Noble Houses, but she is also the niece of none other than Squad Ten Captain Rhaegon Drakken. No doubt there are great expectations placed upon her as a result of her heritage. It is not enough for her to excel in the advanced track; she must challenge your dominance for the sake of her family's honor and pride. At least, I suspect that she sees things that way.

Itachi had to admit that her arguments made sense. He knew a thing or two about prideful families given his background, after all, and he also knew what it was like trying to live up to the high hopes of prominent elders. Even as friction had grown between the Uchiha Clan and the rest of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, they were still a formidable family with power and influence. In that respect, Visaelya's circumstances weren't all that different from Itachi's back when he was alive.

Except for the part where I turned against my family and slaughtered them in a single night…

He was jolted out of his musings by a friendly elbow from Jiraiya. "What's eating you? Don't tell me you're actually worried about her challenging you again. You handled her pretty well today; no reason you can't pull off a repeat performance."

Itachi shook her head. "It's not that. I'm just not sure about how this is all going to play out. This situation could get… volatile."

Jiraiya smiled. "Or it could be fun! You never really had a rival when you were going through your training as a kid, right?"

"There was Shisui," Itachi replied, "Although that was more an instance of friendly competition, I suppose. Visaelya doesn't appear to be interested in that, though."

"So roll with it," said Jiraiya, "If she's gonna make a habit of gunning for you from now on, it'll keep you on your toes. Besides, she's pretty easy on the eyes; you could definitely have worse rivals!"

"Why am I not surprised that you brought her looks into this?" Itachi deadpanned.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Ah, you know me so well! Look, don't overthink this. Whether you wanted it or not, you've picked up a rival here. Accept it and move forward accordingly."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly do I do that?"

"Keep training and be ready to fight her!" Jiraiya answered with a grin, "I'll be rooting for you, buddy!"

How did I land myself in this situation?

Well, for starters, you died.

Very funny.

….

One week later…

Credit where it's due, thought Itachi as he ducked a punch from Visaelya, she does not give up easily…

In the week since she had first challenged him in their Zanjutsu class, Visaelya had been as good as her word. Not only had she challenged him every single day afterwards in their swordsmanship class, but she had extended that to their Hakuda sessions as well, and if their Kidō and Hohō classes had a means of allowing for one-on-one challenges Itachi was certain that she would've called him out in them as well.

He respected her determination if nothing else; she was clearly quite driven to best him, and she was putting a great deal of effort into it. During every class exercise, she was working herself harder than practically everyone else in the advanced track, and no one could deny the strides that she was making. Her skills seemed to grow more refined with each passing day, and Itachi actually found himself grateful for that; it was just another reason for him to push himself harder.

Jiraiya was right about having a rival not necessarily being a bad thing, he mused as he brought up his arms to block a series of blows, I'll never admit that to his face, of course.

As much as he might admire Visaelya's spirit, though, that did not mean that Itachi intended to let her win. If she wanted a victory over him, then he would make her work for it. The eyes of more than just their instructors and fellow students were on them, after all; the thought of the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads evaluating them and sizing them up was never far from his mind.

Especially the Captain of Squad Two.

Yoruichi was a legend in the Soul Society for her skills in both Hohō and Hakuda, which made Itachi all the more determined to give standout showings in those classes. If he could excel in the areas that she had achieved such mastery in, it would only improve his chances of getting into her division upon graduation. Of course, Itachi wasn't neglecting the other aspects of his studies just to get the most out of those two areas of expertise, but he was keenly aware of the emphasis that Squad Two put on them.

Ducking and weaving through Visaelya's punches and kicks, Itachi found the opening he'd been looking for and took it. As Visaelya made a powerful right hook, Itachi grabbed her arm and flung her forwards, turning her momentum against her. She landed flat on her back, winded but otherwise unharmed. The young woman blinked a few times as if she was still trying to process just how suddenly the tables had been turned on her.

"Did I… lose again?" she asked, although it felt like she was talking to herself rather than Itachi.

He held out his hand. "You did well, but you're overly aggressive. It leaves you vulnerable to more experienced fighters."

She glared up at him. "And is that why you beat me? You're more experienced than me? I find that hard to believe considering that we're both in the same Academy year."

Itachi nodded. "And I imagine that you also believed that the early training you would receive as a member of the Drakken Clan would give you a further boost. Does that sound about right?"

Her eyes widened. "How did you know about that?"

"It's an open secret that the offspring of the Five Great Noble Houses have access to private tutors, and that their families employ them in order to avoid the embarrassment of one of their children failing to make it through the Academy," Itachi replied, "I had help from one of those very tutors when I was recovering from that incident back in our first year."

Visaelya scowled. "It was a Shihōin Clan tutor, right? We all know that the Squad Two Captain favors you. She has since the entrance exams!"

"Because I proved to her before the exams ever started that I had the abilities she sought," said Itachi, "So did Jiraiya. Do you know why that is?"

Visaelya looked a bit taken aback at his line of questioning. "No… what was it?"

"You were born in the Soul Society, Visaelya," said Itachi, "I imagine that the same is true for many of our classmates. Jiraiya and I, though… we were not."

Her face paled slightly. "So… you died, then? In one of the Realms of the Living?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes… and they weren't peaceful deaths for either of us."

He reached down and pulled her to her feet before she could refuse him. When her eyes met his again he saw that she no longer appeared angry. Instead she seemed more curious than anything else as she looked back and forth between him and Jiraiya.

"So… the two of you died in battle, then?" she asked.

Technically, mine was disease, he mused, but that was further exacerbated by my violent lifestyle, and when I succumbed it was during the duel with Sasuke, so I suppose that's splitting hairs.

"Yes," he said, "but before that, we had engaged more than our share of foes. You have wondered why the two of us rose so swiftly in our classes despite not having a background like yours. The answer is experience. There is no training that can ever match an actual life-and-death fight. I suppose you could say that we had our own little advantage coming into the Academy, but it is not one that we were born into. We earned our strength… and we are not done building it yet."

Visaelya's gaze hardened. "My strength is not something that was given to me just because of my bloodline. The power of the Drakken Clan is strong, but it is only strong because its members strive to attain true mastery of combat! Do not mistake me for someone who cannot stand on her own without the power of her bloodline!"

Itachi shook his head. "Forgive me if I gave you that impression. You are obviously quite strong; the past week has amply demonstrated that. If you continue your training with the dedication and passion that you have shown so far, then I have no doubt that you will bring honor to the Drakken Clan."

Some of the tension in her demeanor seemed to ease up, and her hostility faded. "I… I appreciate that… Itachi."

Itachi gave her a respectful nod. "If you wish to challenge me again in order to test and improve your skills, you know where to find me. I will not turn you down. In exchange, I will ask only one thing."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"

"Let go of your anger, and keep your pride in check," Itachi replied, "When you let them rule you, they undermine your skills. If you're able to master them, then I think you'll find that your abilities will make a considerable leap forward."

After a moment she nodded. "I'll keep that in mind… thank you."

"You're welcome," he said before he returned to his spot on the sidelines next to Jiraiya.

The Legendary Sannin smiled. "You handled that pretty well. I'm impressed; never really saw you as the diplomatic type back when you were alive."

"I'm sure," Itachi deadpanned, "I never gave you reason to, after all."

That was your old life. Remember that this is not just your afterlife now; it is a second life. Use it to become who you were meant to be.

Itachi could stop a small smile from appearing on his face. That's quite encouraging, coming from you.

Well, I do have a vested interest in your self-improvement.

That you do…

….

One week later…

Soi-Fon raised her eyebrow as she finished reading the notice Yoruichi had given to her. "A joint operation with Squad Ten… and the Academy students will be involved as well? Lady Yoruichi, I know it's not my place to question the Head Captain, but still… is this wise?"

That was something Yoruichi had actually been wondering herself. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have concerns. Still, I can see the merits behind it."

"Mind if I take a look at that?" asked Kisuke.

Soi-Fon scowled at him, but a nod from Yoruichi was enough to make her relent and pass the sheet over to him. The Squad Two Captain saw her old friend smirk as he reviewed the notice, which she took as a good sign; that usually meant that Kisuke felt that a certain course of action was worth pursuing.

"Interesting," he said, "Possible large-scale Hollow nest just outside the eastern borders of the Rukon District… well, I can see why the old man wants this to be a joint operation."

"That much I can understand," said Soi-Fon, "but Academy students have no place in a mission like this. The level of danger involved is beyond what they're ready for."

Yoruichi smiled. "Not necessarily… at least, not for all of them. The Head Captain specifically ordered for students in the advanced track only to be brought in, and even then, only the ones in the top tier of the fourth, fifth, and sixth years. I can think of two who fit the bill nicely."

Kisuke nodded. "I agree. I think it's about time the two of them had another chance to shine in the field. They did quite well last time around, and I imagine they've only improved since then."

Soi-Fon sighed. "I have no doubt that Itachi and Jiraiya have both made progress with their training, but this may be too much even for them."

Yoruichi shook her head. "No. They can do this. They're ready for it, and I'm willing to bet that most of the other advanced track students that get picked for this mission will be as well."

Kisuke smiled. "Faith in the next generation… it's a beautiful thing. Of course, we need to make sure that they survive long enough to earn that faith first."

Yoruichi nodded. "You're right about that. I'll do everything I can for them, and I know you both will too. However, it won't be just us overseeing them this time… and that worries me."

"Why?" asked Soi-Fon, "I know Captain Drakken's family is a rival to yours, but you've never been particularly worried about that in the past."

"I'm not," she replied, "Rhaegon, on the other hand… he might be a problem."

Kisuke raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that? He has a pretty solid track record in the field. There might be some family friction there, but nothing that we can't work around."

Yoruichi sighed. "I'm not so sure. The Drakken Clan has always been prideful, and while that's to be expected of any of the Five Great Noble Houses, they take it a bit too far. Rhaegon never misses a chance to show off, and if he brings his pet along for this mission then that'll only exacerbate things. He could end up putting the students at risk."

"His own niece would be among them, though," Soi-Fon pointed out, "He wouldn't do anything to put her in danger… would he?"

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Hard to say. I don't know how close Rhaegon is with his siblings or their children. I'd like to think that having a niece in the fray would act as a restraint on his more hot-headed tendencies, but it might just further feed his ego."

"What do you want to do?" asked Kisuke, "Have you considered talking to the Head Captain about it?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "This is an official order, which means the old man's not changing his mind. These are the cards we've been dealt, so we just need to play them the best we can. Besides, it won't just be Squads Two and Ten; according to those orders, Squad Four's also dispatching one of their relief teams to provide rear echelon support. If something goes wrong, at least we'll have some qualified healers nearby. It won't be the same as having Unohana with us, but it's better than nothing."

Soi-Fon nodded. "So be it. Who all do you want on this mission, Lady Yoruichi?"

"You and Kisuke for sure," she replied, "I'll round up several of our top tier officers to cover our bases."

Kisuke smirked. "If they're top tier, then that means we're leaving our dear Lieutenant out of it, right?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. We're gonna have enough on our plate without Ōmaeda strutting about like he owns the place. I'll saddle him with garrison duty; if I put him in charge of managing training drills for our reserves, we can slip away without him causing too much of a fuss."

Kisuke chuckled. "Sounds good to me! It's always nice to leave him out of the action and then watch him squirm when we hint about what happened afterwards."

Yoruichi laughed. "That's true! Maybe we've been a bit too rough on him in the past… but, then again, with how pompous and stuck-up he acts, he kind of deserves it."

Soi-Fon's brow furrowed in thought. "If we're bringing our best officers… then does that mean our new Tenth Seat will be along for the ride?"

"That's right," said Yoruichi, "He's already proven his worth in the past, after all, so it's time to break him into his new rank. What's up, Soi-Fon?"

"When Itachi passed the entrance exams and first started at the Academy, our Tenth Seat was Fourteenth back then," she said, "You told me back then that you wanted to wait until graduation to properly introduce him to Itachi, and that didn't change even after Itachi suffered the soul fracture. If we bring him on this mission now, there's a good chance that they'll meet."

Yoruichi nodded. "I know. I'd been hoping to keep him as a little surprise to spring on Itachi once I learned that they knew each other, but it's out of my hands now. We're going to need as many qualified officers and enlisted on deck as we can get for this one, and he's got more than his share of talent. He's coming along, which means Itachi's going to meet him early. That's all there is to it."

"Understood, Lady Yoruichi," Soi-Fon replied.

Kisuke smiled. "Well, if nothing else, at least that'll be interesting to see. I wonder how he's gonna take it…"

Yoruichi shrugged. "We'll find out tomorrow when the mission starts. In the meantime, we've got a lot of prep-work ahead of us, so let's get to it!"

….

The next day…

"So," said Jiraiya as he looked around the lecture hall, "any idea what's going on?"

"Your guess is as good as mine at this point," Itachi replied.

They had only just arrived at their first class of the day when the instructor had ordered them to go to a different room. While their teacher had assured them that they weren't in trouble, Itachi was more than a little concerned about the fact that the instructor had not offered any further information. Upon their arrival, they had recognized a few other members of their particular class already in the room, and a handful more had shown up since then. Other students were in the room as well, but not enough to bring it to full capacity.

They're all advanced track students, he thought as he studied them, and they're all from either our year or the ones ahead of ours. If the ones I recognize from our class are any indication, they're bringing only the top students from each advanced track group from years four, five and six to this room. The question is why…

He was surprised to see Visaelya approach him. When he met her gaze, he was relieved to see that she wasn't as tense as she'd been whenever she challenged him to a fight; she appeared to be 'lightening up a bit' as Jiraiya often put it.

"I take it the two of you are just as much in the dark as I am," she said, "Am I wrong?"

Itachi shook his head. "No, you're not. I was hoping you might have some insight into all of this, but it seems I was mistaken."

"At least we're on equal grounds here, then," she said as she looked around, "None of my friends have shown up here, but based on the faces I've seen it appears that only the very best of our class have been selected; the elite of the elite, as it were."

"So it would seem," said Jiraiya, "Maybe it's a pop quiz for us hotshots."

"I'm not seeing a proctor for an exam," said Itachi as he scanned the room again, "Of course, they may not show up until we're all assembled."

Visaelya shook her head. "I don't think they're going through all this trouble for a paper test, especially if the top tier students from the fifth and sixth year advanced tracks have also been brought in. They've got something else in mind."

Itachi nodded. "I agree."

Jiraiya smirked. "You two actually agreeing on something? I think that's a first!"

Visaelya folded her arms. "I may consider Itachi to be my competition in our class, but I respect him enough that I would be willing to concur with him should his point be valid. I'm glad to see that he seems to share the same level of maturity and mutual regard. I couldn't care less about your thoughts on the matter, Jiraiya the Perv Author!"

Jiraiya scowled. "Perv Author? You take that back! I'll have you know, young lady, that I'm a highly accomplished novelist! My series has been at the top of the Seireitei's best seller list since it made its debut!"

"Only because the masses are easily amused by the cheap smut you peddle!" Visaelya scoffed.

"Cheap smut?" Jiraiya replied incredulously, "It's a romantic-comedy series with no rival in the Soul Society! You just have no taste for good literature!"

Visaelya glared at him. "I'll have you know that I have excellent tastes when it comes to reading material! They just happen to be far too refined for a lout like you to properly comprehend."

If these are my teammates for this mission, then my sanity may not survive…

At least they'll be good for entertainment.

Glad to see one of us is able to find the silver lining…

The two of them were interrupted by the classroom door opening a moment later. Rather than one of the Academy instructors, Itachi was surprised to see none other than Yoruichi and Soi-Fon walk into the lecture hall.

Visaelya's eyes widened, and hers were hardly the only ones to do so. "Captain Shihōin? What is the meaning of this?"

"That's what I'd like to know," muttered Jiraiya, "Well, I guess that throws 'pop quiz' out the window."

"Indeed," Itachi murmured, his heartbeat picking up ever so slightly; he highly doubted Squad Two's Captain and her bodyguard had shown up just to administer a paper test.

Something much more interesting was in the works.

Yoruichi immediately caught Itachi's gaze and gave him a friendly smile and wink. He gave her a small nod in return while at the same time trying to figure out just why his face felt a little bit warmer all of the sudden.

You're an idiot.

I wasn't asking for your input.

That doesn't change the fact that I'm right.

Itachi didn't bother to respond; there was no point in trying to argue with her when she got like this. She would enjoy it more than anything else, and Itachi had much more important things on his mind than trying to take down the spirit of his Zanpakutō in a test of verbal barbs.

The assembled students ceased their chatter as Yoruichi addressed them. "Good morning, everyone! Sorry for the manner in which we dragged you out of your regular classes, but this came down the pipe rather quickly. Time is of the essence, something that you'll find is all too common once you graduate and join the rest of us on active duty."

She then nodded at Soi-Fon, who stepped forward. "When you become a Soul Reaper, you can be called upon at any time to take part in an operation. You must be constantly prepared for such an event, so consider this a taste of what's to come should you complete your education."

Yoruichi nodded. "Well said. Now, we're on the clock, so I'll jump right to the chase; you're all the best of your respective classes, and we're going to put you to the test in the field. Today, Squads Two and Ten will be conducting a joint operation just outside the eastern borders of the Rukon District, and you're coming along for the ride. A group of Hollows have set up a little nest in the foothills out there, and it's our job to clear them out!"

A collective gasp went out from most of the students. Itachi couldn't blame them. It wasn't unheard of for students to take on Hollows before graduation; the Konsō exercise from the year before was proof enough of that. However, for students to be asked to participate in a clear-out operation was another thing entirely.

And it's a joint operation on top of that, he thought, I guess we've either impressed the Thirteen Court Guard Squads significantly enough for them to desire to test us in the field, or they're short on manpower. The only way to find out for sure will be to get on site and see what forces they have assembled apart from us.

"The Hollows have taken up residence in a network of caves beneath the foothills that's rather expansive," Yoruichi continued, "Our objective is to take them all down. While the frontline fighters will all be active duty Soul Reapers, there will also be reserves stationed outside the caves to intercept any Hollows that attempt to flee. Given the nature of the environment will be operating in, it's more than likely that some will evade us in the caves and be able to make a break for the surface. That's where you come in; you'll be operating with the reserves to hold the perimeter and make sure that none of them slip through our net."

"You will not be expected to act on your own," Soi-Fon added, "You will be divided up and placed under the supervision of active duty Soul Reapers. Pay attention to their instructions, follow their lead, and you will make it through this operation alive."

Yoruichi nodded. "I won't mince words; this will be a dangerous mission. We'll do what we can to minimize the risk to you students, but out in the field it's impossible to guarantee complete safety. That being said, missions like this are what you all have been training for. Remember all that you've been taught up to this point, listen to the Soul Reapers that are supervising you, and you'll be all right."

So it's not entirely different from search and elimination missions that Shinobi might conduct, thought Itachi, Hollows may not be the same kind of prey as humans, but some of my old training should come in handy nonetheless.

"All right, then," said Yoruichi, "We've got a lot of ground to cover before we get to the mission site, and we don't have all day. Let's get moving!"

….

Yoruichi hadn't been exaggerating regarding the distance to the area where the mission was taking place. It was true that it was just outside the eastern borders of the Rukon District, but given that the City of Wandering Souls was in fact larger than several small countries that Itachi had seen in the Shinobi World, getting to the site within a day was still no small feat. Even with his improved proficiency in the art of Shunpo, covering so much ground so quickly was hardly an easy task. It had been early morning when Yoruichi had informed Itachi and the other students of their mission, but by the time they actually reached the general region where the mission was to take place it was already mid-afternoon.

So, he thought as the group finally came to a stop, this is where the Rukon District ends…

…and The Wild begins.

As mind-bogglingly vast as the Rukon District was, it was not the whole Soul Society. Far from it, in fact. The Rukon District, and the Seireitei within, were merely the most densely populated areas in the Soul Society, and in actuality were just a very small fraction of the realm that made up the afterlife. While there were other inhabited regions in the Soul Society, most notably the Principalities, the ancestral homelands of the Five Great Noble Houses and their vassals, the grand bulk of the land was actually unclaimed wilderness.

Vast unclaimed wilderness.

It was one thing to see it briefly presented on maps or in paintings in the classroom, but quite another to actually step outside the Rukon District and into it. True, they were only on the very edge, but even here Itachi could feel the difference. The Seireitei was nice, but even then, it still held some of the same crowded vibe that seemed to permeate the Rukon District. Just stepping beyond its borders and onto the frontier was like suddenly getting blasted with an onrushing gale of fresh air. Suddenly there were no more buildings around them, no throngs of people milling about.

There was green, and so much of it. They were atop a small hill, but even that modest vantage point was enough to slam home to Itachi just how massive the world beyond the Rukon District truly was. Mountains were visible just over the horizon, but the expanse before them was a majestic tapestry of trees and plains almost as far as the eye could see. There was nothing manmade in sight; this was nature in all its glory and more.

"It's something else, isn't it?" said a familiar female voice from just over his shoulder.

Itachi turned and saw Yoruichi come up next to him. A knowing smile was on her face, as if his reaction was just what she'd been expecting.

All Itachi could do was nod. "That's… one way to put it."

Jiraiya whistled. "No kidding. Haven't seen something like this in quite some time."

"Beautiful…" said Visaelya softly, "I heard stories, but I never knew…"

"That's right, I almost forgot," said Yoruichi, "You're Captain Drakken's niece, right? You've spent your whole life up until now inside the Seireitei, haven't you?"

Visaelya nodded. "Yes. I always wanted to go beyond… journey across The Wild along the Great East Road to our clan's Principality… but I was never allowed to do so. My parents told me the trip would be long and dangerous, and that it would be better to complete my training before undertaking it."

"They're not wrong," said Yoruichi, "Taking a trip across The Wild is not something to be done lightly. Hollows are much more numerous out there; their Gargantas commonly bring them into the Soul Society through various entry points in the wilderness, and it's from there that they begin to converge on the Rukon District, assuming they're not drawn towards one of the independent settlements. Hollows aren't the only beasts to worry about out there, either; there are plenty of dangerous creatures that make their homes in The Wild, and they're viciously territorial. As if running that gauntlet weren't bad enough, there are also the various bandit tribes and marauders that are on the loose beyond the borders of the Rukon District."

"It wasn't always that way, though, right?" asked Itachi, "Our classes have made the occasional reference to ruins out there that would indicate prior habitation, but they didn't go into much detail; they considered them to be part of a past better left forgotten."

Yoruichi sighed. "I should've known that's what your teachers would tell you. The truth's substantially more complicated; your instructors prefer the sanitized version. Not that they have much of a choice in the matter."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "We don't really have time to go in-depth on that right now. Once you've all graduated and proven yourselves… well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

As if on cue, Soi-Fon appeared in front of them via Shunpo a moment later. "Lady Yoruichi, I've made contact with our advanced teams. Third Seat Urahara is ready for you, and Squad Ten is on site."

Yoruichi nodded. "I see. Did you make contact with Captain Drakken as well?"

Soi-Fon grimaced at the Squad Ten Captain's name. "I did…"

Yoruichi smirked. "Let me guess; he was his usual self?"

Soi-Fon groaned. "To put it charitably. With all due respect, Lady Yoruichi, must we work with him on this mission?"

Yoruichi gave her subordinate a sympathetic smile. "That's the way it's gotta be this time around. I know it's rough, but we've gotta roll with it. Is Squad Four's support team on site?"

"Yes," she said, "According to Kisuke, they arrived just before I did."

"Good," said Yoruichi, "With them around to provide medical aid, we should be able to mitigate any potential disasters. Since they'll be charged with healing Soul Reapers from both squads, that should give Captain Drakken additional incentive to exercise caution to make sure that they're protected. Hopefully that will serve to rein in his overconfidence."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Understood, Lady Yoruichi."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Is something the matter? I beg your pardon, Captain Shihōin, but I fail to see how working with Captain Drakken could be as bad as your subordinate is making it out to be. He is an esteemed member of my clan, and has earned his position just as much as you have!"

Yoruichi nodded. "I never said that he didn't have the skills to go with his rank. He didn't become a Captain just because of his bloodline; he put in the work required for the position. However… Visaelya, was it? What's your personal experience with the man? He is your uncle, so I wouldn't be going out on a limb by saying you've encountered him at family gatherings and other such occasions from time to time, right?"

"Yes," Visaelya replied, "I've met him several times. He is proud and confident, as well he should be given his skill and power. At the same time, though, he is also a man of refinement and high-standing."

"How did he treat you?" asked Yoruichi, "I'm assuming he did interact with you on a personal level from time to time."

Visaelya's brow furrowed in thought. "Well, he was friendly enough. Perhaps… slightly condescending, but given his position when compared to mine, I think that could be forgiven. I do recall more than one occasion where he said that I showed considerable promise, although… well, I don't know if he was actually taking me seriously at the time."

Yoruichi sighed. "Yeah… that sounds like him on a good day. Since you're his niece, you get the relatively pleasant side of him. Those of us that are outside the Drakken Clan… well, let's just say that he can test one's goodwill."

"Will he be a problem?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi shook her head. "You students are under Squad Two's supervision, so you shouldn't have to worry about him."

"That's good," said Jiraiya, "It sounds like he can be a bit of a handful."

Visaelya scowled at him. "You are in no position to criticize a member of my clan! His abilities shall prove all naysayers wrong… no disrespect intended, Captain Shihōin."

Yoruichi smiled. "It's all right. Your loyalty to your family speaks highly of you, Visaelya. Still, take a bit of advice from a fellow noble; don't let that loyalty become unconditional. Family is important, but so is being able to judge individuals on their own merits. You can respect them while still being aware of their faults."

Visaelya nodded. "I'll keep that in mind… thank you, Captain Shihōin."

"Anytime," she replied, "All right, let's pick up the pace. We don't want to keep our dear friends in Squad Ten waiting."

It actually only took about a half an hour or so for them to arrive at the exact mission site. Itachi spotted a broad clearing up ahead, and he could sense multiple presences with higher than average amounts of spirit energy. Sure enough, gathered before the foothills at the end of the clearing were scores of Soul Reapers gathered in what appeared to be a hastily made encampment, and it didn't take long for Itachi to find Squad Ten's Captain.

So that's the man they call the Sunfire Dragon, he mused, I don't know what his abilities are, but the amount of spiritual pressure that he's suppressing is substantial.

A tall man with an athletic yet slightly slender build, Rhaegon Drakken certainly had the air of an individual who fully embraced their noble heritage. With light skin unmarred by so much as a single blemish, vibrant violet eyes, and shoulder-length silver-blond hair, he was an exemplary physical specimen of his bloodline. There was more than enough family resemblance for Itachi to easily connect him to Visaelya, to the point that if he didn't know better he might actually assume that he was her father rather than her uncle. His bearing was just like Visaelya had described; proud and confident. He wore his Soul Reaper uniform and Captain's haori as if they were his birthright, and there was a rather possessive manner in which his hand hovered over the dark red handle of his Zanpakutō. The weapon's gleaming silver circular guard seemed like it was just tailor made to match the man's locks; it certainly looked as immaculate as them.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "That's him? He looks more like an actor than a Captain. Did he get lost on the way to the stage?"

"Don't take him lightly," Itachi murmured, "Play the fool if you want, but I know you can sense his spiritual pressure just as well as I can."

Visaelya scowled at Jiraiya. "Insolent oaf…"

Yoruichi actually giggled. "You're not the first person I've met to have that reaction. If I didn't know better, I might act the same way. He certainly takes his sweet time making sure he looks the part of the pretty boy before a mission."

"Pride in one's appearance is all well and good, but he's a Captain," Soi-Fon muttered, "He should focus less on his looks and more on keeping his division in line!"

Observing the assembled Soul Reapers, Itachi suspected that Soi-Fon was onto something. While there was nothing particularly egregious about their behavior, they did seem a little too laid-back considering that they were gathered right at the mouth of a Hollow nest. Confidence and maintain composure was one thing, but to Itachi's well-trained eyes it seemed as though they were barely bothering with even basic perimeter security. There were patrols and sentries posted, but it wasn't hard to find gaps in their coverage.

Perhaps I'm being too harsh, he thought as he took another look around, I'm evaluating their defenses based on how a trained Shinobi like myself might infiltrate their ranks, but they're not here to face human opponents; they're up against Hollows. The beasts are intelligent, but subtlety is hardly their calling card. The way the patrols here are set up should be sufficient to spot incoming Hollows from the most likely approach vectors.

"Hey, there!" called a familiar voice, "Glad you all could make it!"

Itachi saw Kisuke step out of the crowd and approach them a moment later. He and his fellow students hung back as Yoruichi and Soi-Fon came forward to meet him.

"What's the situation?" asked Yoruichi, "Please tell me Drakken hasn't sent anyone in yet."

Kisuke smiled. "We got lucky; he's exercising some restraint today. He didn't bring his pet either, so there's another bit of good news for you."

Soi-Fon sighed with relief. "This might actually go well, then."

Yoruichi nodded. "Glad to hear it. Sorry for making you deal with him for so long. You know that there's only so fast I can go while keeping an eye on the students."

"I know," Kisuke replied, "I'm not worried about it, but you know how Drakken is. Hope you're ready."

Yoruichi shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be."

She then turned to the students. "I want you all to wait here with Kisuke, all right? Soi-Fon and I are going to meet with Captain Drakken for some last-minute planning before we begin the operation. We'll be back before you know it!"

"Do not leave this area!" Soi-Fon ordered, "Remember that just beyond the border of this encampment is a Hollow nest, and we don't know if all of them are still in there or if some are sneaking around nearby. Remain here unless you want to become their next meal, is that clear?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Now there's some motivational speaking for you."

Soi-Fon scowled at him. "Take this seriously, Jiraiya!"

The sage raised his hands in mock-surrender. "All right, all right! I'll behave myself, little lady!"

"Excuse me?" she growled in reply, "You'd better…"

"Come on, Soi-Fon," Yoruichi interrupted, "I know you're not eager to meet with Drakken, but we really need to get this over with."

Soi-Fon shot one more glare at Jiraiya before turning to follow her Captain. "Of course, Lady Yoruichi. Forgive me."

Itachi shook his head as the two of them departed. "What is it with you and women? Do you try to push their buttons on purpose, or does it just come naturally to you?"

Jiraiya grinned. "What can I say? It's a gift!"

"Hardly the word I would use for it," Visaelya scoffed.

Jiraiya shrugged. "Give it time, Little Miss Vissy. It might just grow on you."

She folded her arms. "After putting up with it for the past four years, I can assure you that it most certainly will not."

As the two of them traded barbs, Itachi turned his attention back to the encampment. Members of Squads Two and Ten intermingled freely as they continued their preparations for the mission, although he could detect a slight edge just beneath the surface. It wasn't hostility, but there did seem to be a mild undercurrent of rivalry between the two groups.

I wonder if that's due to their respective Captains coming from different Great Noble Houses, he mused, All the Squad Two members that I've met so far seem quite loyal to Yoruichi, so perhaps it's the same with regards to Squad Ten and Captain Drakken. Hopefully it won't interfere with the mission.

It was as he passively scanned the assembled Soul Reapers that Itachi nearly gave himself a heart attack. He caught a glimpse of the back of one particular Soul Reaper's head, and it looked very familiar.

Black hair, unkempt but not wild… that profile… it can't be…

He was startled by Jiraiya putting his hand on his shoulders. "Hey, are you all right?"

Itachi silently cursed the momentary distraction; that split-second was all that particular Soul Reaper had needed to slip back into the crowd. Try as he might, Itachi could not find him again.

"Am I imagining things?" he muttered.

Jiraiya gave him a nudge. "Soul Society to Itachi! What's up?"

"Are you okay?" asked Visaelya, "You look like you've seen a ghost... although in our line of work I suppose that's actually to be expected."

Itachi shook his head, his gaze still roving over the crowd. "It's nothing."

I'm hallucinating. That's got to be it.

Why can't it be more? You are dead, after all, and so is he. Would meeting here really be so unlikely?

Given the sheer size of the Soul Society, quite so.

Stranger things have happened. Just look at yourself, for example.

A fair point. Still…

After a few more minutes of scanning the crowd, Itachi gave up and tried to push what he assumed to be no more than an apparition from his mind. He had a mission to focus on, and he could not afford to be distracted by ghosts of the past.

….

"Ah, Captain Shihōin," said Rhaegon with that oh-so-familiar-and-annoying arrogant drawl, "How kind of you to finally join us. I was beginning to wonder if your title of Flash Goddess was misplaced for all the time it took you to reach us here. I mean, even the Squad Four relief team managed to beat you!"

Do not punch, Yoruichi silently told herself as she and Soi-Fon approached him, do not punch, do not punch, do not punch…

"A pleasure as always, Captain Drakken," she replied with a smile that carried more than a hint of steel behind it, "How kind of you to have actually held position instead as the Head Captain instructed instead of charging blindly into the caves and leaving the healers defenseless."

"While I would never go so far as to blatantly defy Head Captain Yamamoto, I cannot help but question his wisdom in this regard," said Rhaegon, "This is a simple clear-out mission, one no different than those that Squad Ten has handled in the past. I do not believe that a joint operation is required."

"Your pride in the abilities of your division is commendable," said Yoruichi with a smirk, "but surely you're wise enough to know that there is more to this than just a simple clear-out operation. These Hollows have nested quite close to the Rukon District, so it's imperative that we be thorough and root them all out before they're able to further expand their numbers and attack. Two divisions are better than one in that regard. Having a relief team from Squad Four on hand just in case things get dicey is a bonus."

Rhaegon sighed. "Perhaps so, but still… was bringing along the students really necessary? I'm sure they're a talented lot, particularly my niece, but I fear that they may only get in the way here."

"These aren't just any students, and you know that," Yoruichi countered, "These are the best and brightest advanced track students from the fourth, fight, and sixth year classes. They've earned the right to test their skills in the field and prove themselves. They may surprise you."

Rhaegon nodded. "Well, seeing as we'll have them operating in reserve as opposed to being part of the forward strike force, I suppose they may yet make themselves useful. We do need the extra manpower to cover all the cave entrances, after all."

"My scouts should've helped your division map them all out by now," said Yoruichi, "Are you ready to move in?"

Rhaegon smiled. "Yes. Thanks to the advanced team you sent along, the main tunnel has been located. You and I will lead our primary force through there, while our lower tier officers will position teams outside of the secondary passages to intercept any Hollows that attempt to flee."

Yoruichi grinned. "We'll be the spear, and they'll be the net. Simple, yet effective. The best plans always are."

Rhaegon chuckled. "Indeed. I know we've had our differences in the past, thanks in no small part to the Great Noble Houses that we hail from, but I must say that I am looking forward to fighting alongside you again, Captain Shihōin. Your clan may be a bunch of desert cats, but at the very least you are a lioness with fearsome claws and fangs."

Yoruichi smirked as she folded her arms. "And your clan might be a bunch of lounging seaside lizards, but you've at least got the talent that's worthy of the name Sunfire Dragon."

The proud Captain laughed. "Nice to see your wit remains as sharp as your Zanpakutō! Now, let us go put these beasts down."

Yoruichi nodded before turning to her bodyguard. "Soi-Fon, go and round up our officers. Let them know the operation's about to begin and to get to their positions."

"Understood, Lady Yoruichi," she replied before heading off.

"Lieutenant Dorel!" Rhaegon called.

Squad Ten's second in command, Obran Dorel, stepped forward a moment later. The second borne son of the Dorel noble clan, a less powerful but still respected family, he cut a rather dashing figure. The Dorel house's ancestral homelands were in the southeast, and it showed in Obran's olive skin, dark brown eyes, and black hair. He possessed a well-trimmed mustache and a neat, thin beard, all of which added to that roguish air that Yoruichi knew he loved to put on. Like his Captain, his build was slender but athletic, and Yoruichi had seen him perform enough times at the annual Blade Dancer Festival to know that he was no slouch in combat. His Zanpakutō was a standard-length katana with a crimson hilt and a yellow-orange guard.

"Captain Drakken," he said before smiling at Yoruichi, "Captain Shihōin! What a pleasure to see you again. I do hope my Captain provided at least a courteous welcome."

Yoruichi smiled in return; the Dorel house did not share the Drakken clan's rivalry with her family, and even if it had she knew Obran well enough on a professional level that the two of them got along just fine. "As much as can be expected from him."

Obran chuckled before turning back to his Captain. "Of course. What do you need, Captain?"

"Go find Third Seat Shiba," Rhaegon commanded, "Tell him to get everyone ready. We'll be moving out shortly. Report back to me when you're done."

Obran nodded. "Very well. Consider it done."

Rhaegon smirked and shook his head after his Lieutenant had left. "A bit too insolent for a man of his position, but he does know how to get the job done."

Yoruichi chuckled. "The fact that you're married to his little sister doesn't hurt either, right?"

Rhaegon nodded. "No, it does not. Although I may be a bit too lenient with him thanks to her influence…"

Yoruichi shrugged; that was his business, not hers. "Whatever you say. Time to go to work!"

….

"Check it out," said Jiraiya, nodding towards the center of the encampment, "I think it's almost showtime."

Following the sage's gaze, Itachi could see signs of increased activity. Most of the senior officers of Squad Two and Squad Ten were assembling, as were the rank and file. The Soul Reapers from Squad Four were still setting up the medical field aid station, although some of them had dropped what they were doing to observe the gathering. He spotted Yoruichi step out of the crowd and approach them a moment later, and the serious look on her face was all Itachi needed to know that Jiraiya's guess was right on the money.

"Hey, everyone," she said as she drew near, "Sorry about the wait. I want you all to follow me, okay? Pay close attention to Captain Drakken and I, all right? We're only going to go over this once, so stay sharp!"

She motioned for the students to follow her. Together they went to the middle of the encampment, joining the rest of the assembled Soul Reapers. Yoruichi then motioned for Itachi and the others to halt, and a moment later she joined Captain Drakken at the head of the gathering.

A nod from her was apparently the cue that Squad Ten's Captain had been waiting for. "All right, everyone, it's finally time. Before we begin this mission, I'd just like to thank everyone here for their cooperation. I know that our two divisions haven't always been on the best of terms, but working together today will go a long way towards ensuring that we all get to return to the Seireitei alive."

He gestured at Yoruichi before continuing. "While the safety of the advanced track students today is primarily the responsibility of Squad Two, I wish for any Squad Ten members assigned to the interception teams to keep an eye out for them as well. After all, some of them may end up joining our ranks upon graduation, so let's make sure that they get a favorable first impression!"

Yoruichi then stepped forward. "We'll be dividing into two distinct groups for this mission. The first is the attack group. That will consist of Captain Drakken, myself, and our most capable frontline fighters. Our goal is simple; to enter the main cave and engage the Hollows head-on. Due to the scale of the cavern network, however, it is highly unlikely that we'll be able to kill all of them downward. In fact, it's all but certain that some will find their way to the secondary caverns and make a break for the surface."

"That's where the second group comes into play," she continued, "We've mapped out all of the caverns, and the second group will be charged with intercepting Hollows that come out of the secondary caves. The interceptor group will be divided into multiple smaller teams to accomplish this objective. While members of both Squads Two and Ten will be with the attack and interceptor groups, it will be my division that will supervise the advanced track students as they reinforce the interceptors. Students, that means you will pay attention to my subordinates; if you don't, then you'll have only yourselves to blame when you become dinner for the Hollows."

There was a collective shudder that went through most of the students, though Itachi wasn't particularly bothered. He wasn't the only one, either; Jiraiya actually seemed more amused by the warning than anything else.

The two of us have enough fighting experience to hold our own should trouble come along, he thought, and our continued education has only helped in that regard. I do hope the others heed her words carefully; it would be a shame to lose any of our classmates today, or indeed any of the Soul Reapers here.

He then saw Captain Drakken nod at one of his subordinates. "Third Seat Shiba should have relayed assignments to those of you under my command by now. We'll also be leaving a team behind to defend the Squad Four medical station, just to be on the safe side. You all know the roles that you have to play in this mission, and I expect you to perform as well today as you have in the past. This is nothing that you haven't done before, so believe in yourselves and fight like I know you can!"

Itachi followed the Captain's gaze towards Squad Ten's Third Seat. A tall and muscular man with short and spikey black hair, brown eyes, and rather long sideburns, he wasn't quite what Itachi had been expecting of such a high-ranking officer, although his encounters with the likes of Yoruichi, Kisuke, and others were repeat lessons about keeping his expectations flexible. Isshin Shiba struck Itachi as a rather laid-back man, not all that different from Jiraiya on first glance, in fact. Yoruichi hadn't said much about any of Squad Ten's officers on the trek out to the mission site, but she had mentioned the Third Seat in passing and seemed to have a favorable impression of the man. With Itachi's senses now refined after four years of training in the Soul Reaper arts, he was able to detect a very sizeable amount of spirit energy emanating from Isshin, and he could tell that the officer was holding back much like the other high-ranking warriors in the area. The man might not have been a Captain or Lieutenant, but it was clear that he had plenty of potential.

As had become a habit when he met a new Soul Reaper, Itachi's gaze lingered on Isshin's Zanpakutō. In its sealed state it took on the guise of an ordinary tachi, with a red handle and hexagonal brass tsuba. The way it was carried was rather unusual; Isshin had it on a string that was wrapped around his belt in a manner that reminded Itachi of the iaidō style he'd occasionally seen sported by some of the Samurai that hailed from the Land of Iron in the Shinobi World. Since the design of the sealed weapon was a tachi, it was worn with the edge down instead of up like a katana would've been. Capping off the ensemble was a blue tassel attached to the end of the pommel.

I wonder what he's like in a fight, Itachi mused, I suppose I'll just have to wait and see. Actually, if he's with the attack group, then I probably won't get the chance today; he'll be down in the caves while I'm up here with the rest of the students. That's a shame… oh, well.

Squad Ten's Third Seat stepped forward and began barking out orders. "All right, people, you heard the Captain! Attack teams and interceptor teams, get to your positions! We've got a job to do, so let's move it!"

"The same goes for Squad Two!" called Yoruichi, "Time to go to work, people! Keep your wits as sharp as your blades and we'll all make it home tonight!"

As assembled Soul Reapers began to disperse, Itachi saw several of them from Squad Two's ranks approaching the students. Among them was a woman that Itachi realized was heading straight for him.

"Itachi, Jiraiya, Visaelya?" she said when she reached the trio, her voice a little on the deep side and actually rather melodious, "I'm Rija Usorba, Fifteenth Seat of Squad Two. The three of you will be under my supervision for this mission. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Itachi took a moment to evaluate the officer. She was a rather striking woman, with a tall and very athletic build that was apparent even through her loose Soul Reaper robes. Her skin was definitely on the tan side, and it actually reminded Itachi a bit of Yoruichi. It was accented by a mane of dark red hair that managed to be long and flowing even though it was tied up in a ponytail. Her eyes were a deep and vibrant shade of emerald, and when combined with her dark blue lipstick the affect was rather alluring. She projected an aura of confidence and reassurance, with what Itachi was surprised to realize had an almost motherly feel to it. Her Zanpakutō was secured at her hip, with its bright green hilt-wrapping and golden circular guard quite difficult to miss.

Itachi nodded. "It's nice to meet you."

Jiraiya grinned as he looked her up and down. "Truly, the pleasure is all mine! I feel more confident about this mission already!"

Rija smirked. "Ah, yes; Captain Shihōin warned me about you, Jiraiya. Ply those charms to your heart's content, but I'm afraid you'll find me no easy prey."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Hey, I don't mind a challenge!"

"Please, spare us your vulgar attempts at courtship," Visaelya dryly quipped at the sage before turning to their overseer, "It's an honor to meet you, Miss Usorba."

The officer smiled. "Please, just call me Rija. There's no need for formalities when we'll be fighting alongside each other."

Visaelya nodded. "Very well, then… Rija. I hope you won't find this to be rude, but I'm rather curious as to the nature of your name; I've never heard one quite like it. Would you by any chance happen to be from the Shihōin Clan's Principality?"

"A keen observation," she replied with an approving nod, "and a spot-on guess. Yes, I'm from the ancestral homelands of the Shihōin Clan. They recognized my talents and sent me all the way to the Seireitei, at no small expense I might add. Their support was based on the condition that I join Squad Two in support of their clan's heiress, and I was more than happy to oblige them; the Captain is certainly worthy of it."

Just like Kisuke and Soi-Fon, Itachi mused, Yoruichi seems to have a knack for inspiring loyalty in her subordinates. I wonder if it comes naturally to her or if she had to practice to consistently achieve that… I suppose I'll find out when I join her division.

Indeed. You're already well down the path to being just like them as it is.

I owe her. She saved my life, and she's done a great deal for me since then. Joining Squad Two in order to repay her upon graduation is the right thing to do.

Perhaps…

Itachi could tell when his Zanpakutō was holding back her real sentiments. He wasn't going to push her to come clean here, though; it would just invite quips that he'd rather do without at the moment.

"Will we be working with any of the other students in this mission?" asked Itachi.

Rija shook her head. "No. Captain Shihōin is rather keen on putting your abilities to the test today, so we'll be operating apart from them. We will be in proximity to other Soul Reapers that are assigned to the interceptor teams, though, so we'll be expected to support them should the need arise, and vice versa."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Are we really expecting heavy action? Between the two Captains leading them, it seems like the Soul Reapers in the attack group will have things pretty well covered."

"We still need to remain on our guard," Rija replied, "While the Captains and the Soul Reapers accompanying them will have little trouble dealing with the bulk of the Hollows, the beasts that manage go and make a break for the surface will still be quite dangerous."

"We'll be ready for them," said Visaelya firmly.

Rija smiled. "That's the spirit! All right, then; let's get moving!"

….

As the attack group began to make their way into the main cavern, Soi-Fon stepped in front of Yoruichi and held out her right hand with the palm facing upwards. "Bakudō 3: Hakkō Gaido!"

A small blue-white orb appeared, no larger than an apple. It then floated upwards until it was over Soi-Fon's head, casting light around her. Other Soul Reapers, particularly those up front, were casting the same spell, and Yoruichi had already done so. Classified as a Binding Spell because it 'bound' a tiny bit of spirit energy from the caster to create light, the technique was quite useful for illuminating dark environments. It wasn't as harsh as its Destruction Spell counterpart, Nikkō Bāsuto, and it could be sustained for far longer; almost indefinitely by a sufficiently skilled caster. The spell was also useful in that it could be maintained with almost no conscious thought, leaving the caster free to fight under the orb's light rather than face their opponent in darkness.

Spell casting isn't Soi-Fon's primary area of expertise, thought Yoruichi with a smile, but she's still done a very good job of maintaining her skills in that realm.

To her right, Kisuke smirked. "Aren't we just a merry band of warriors?"

Yoruichi chuckled; the tension in the group could be cut with a knife, so any attempt at humor was welcome. "Merry might be a bit of an exaggeration."

"We need to stay focused, Kisuke!" snapped Soi-Fon, "Now's not the time for your quips!"

Kisuke shook his head. "Looks like someone's a little high-strung today. What's the matter, Soi-Fon? Pre-mission jitters keep you up past your bedtime last night?"

Soi-Fon glared at him. "Shut up!"

Yoruichi smiled. "Now, now, Soi-Fon; play nice. We're all on the same team here, remember?"

Kisuke gave her a playful punch to the shoulder. "You know you'd miss me if something terrible happened down here!"

Soi-Fon folded her arms. "Unlikely."

She would, Yoruichi mused, Kisuke's her comrade, and Soi-Fon cares in her own way… although she'll never admit it.

Up ahead she saw a pair of scouts racing towards them. Their swords weren't drawn, and Yoruichi couldn't hear or see any signs of pursuit, but the two Soul Reapers looked quite nervous.

"What did you find?" she asked as they came up to her.

"The main nest is just down there," said the first one, a woman with short-cropped black hair, "There are more than we expected!"

"How many more?" asked Kisuke.

"We counted… at least forty," said the second scout, a red-haired young man, as he struggled to catch his breath, "There could… be more hiding down there."

"Forty," murmured Soi-Fon as she gave the attack group a once-over, "We should be able to take them, but…"

"It might get messy," Yoruichi finished for her, "Busting out our most powerful techniques could bring the cave down on our heads, so it'll be mostly blade work. We'll have to be careful."

"You almost sound nervous, Captain Shihōin," said Rhaegon from off to the side with a smirk, "That's not like you."

"Caution never hurt anyone, Drakken," Yoruichi replied firmly, "It's certainly warranted given the circumstances."

"What kind of Hollows did you see?" asked Soi-Fon, "Are there any Menos down there?"

The first scout shook her head. "No… I don't think the caverns are big enough for them."

"A Gillian couldn't fit down here," said the second, "An Adjuchas, though…"

"That might be a problem," Kisuke admitted.

Yoruichi nodded. "If we encounter one, we might actually be better off luring it to the surface. It'll be easier to deal with it out in the open than in a tight environment like this."

"That'll put the students in danger, though," Soi-Fon pointed out.

"Not if I keep it focused on me," Yoruichi countered, "If we do find one, I'm pretty sure I can distract it while you and Kisuke get the students clear. Once they're safe, I'll be able to play for keeps."

"Kisuke can see to the students," said Soi-Fon, "Any of the other officers can. I'm your bodyguard, so I'm not leaving your side, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi smiled. "I appreciate that, but I don't know if you're ready for a fight like that yet. A Gillian I know you can take, but an Adjuchas is a whole different beast."

"I can take one," Soi-Fon argued, "You've trained me, Lady Yoruichi! I know I have what it takes to defeat one!"

Yoruichi nodded. "I appreciate the vote of confidence in the instruction I've given you over the years, but we need to be realistic, Soi-Fon. Hopefully we won't have to test you in such a manner today."

"We'll know more once we're down there," said Kisuke, nodding at the darkness ahead, "The sooner we get down there, the better. I know we can suppress our spiritual pressure, but given our numbers the Hollows are bound to be aware of us."

"You're probably right," said Yoruichi grimly, "We need to strike now."

The attack group pressed onwards, and Yoruichi instinctively moved her hand so that it hovered over the hilt of her Zanpakutō. She would be ready to engage at the drop of a hat, and her quick-draw skills would very much come in handy in an environment like this.

As they drew closer to where the scouts had come from, Yoruichi began to hear noises coming from down the cavern. It sounded like heavy breathing, claws scraping on stone, drool dripping from fangs, and more. The very air grew foul as they drew near their goal, and Yoruichi saw more than one Soul Reaper's nose wrinkle in disgust.

It's a Hollow nest, she thought, What were they expecting? It was never going to smell like a spring picnic…

"We're close," Soi-Fon whispered.

"How do you want to play this?" asked Kisuke.

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Blind and blitz. Sound good to you, Drakken?"

Squad Ten's Captain smiled. "I'm game. Would you like to do the honors?"

"We'll do it together," Yoruichi replied, "The light bursts will be more effective in tandem."

Rhaegon nodded. "Very well, then."

The two Captains stepped forward before holding out their hands and unleashing their spells as one. "Hadō 6: Nikkō Bāsuto!"

There may have been no incantation chanted, but the power of the Captains was such that it wasn't needed for the spell to be effective. Two large and blazing orbs of bright white light shot forward, and after traveling down into darkness a significant way they burst together, illuminating a vast cavern.

One that was filled to bursting with Hollows.

None of the gathered beasts stood out to Yoruichi as a potential Adjuchas, but it was a large crowd; there was always the possibility that one was using the lesser Hollows as camouflage. Even if there were no Menos to contend with today, that didn't mean that they could let their guard down; rank and file Hollows were plenty dangerous in their own right, as Yoruichi knew from more than her share of firsthand experience.

The scouts were wrong, she thought grimly as she assessed the situation, I'm willing to bet there are way more than forty of these beasts down here. That still won't stop me from taking them down.

She drew her Zanpakutō in the blink of an eye. "Attack!"

"Send these foul beasts into the abyss!" Rhaegon commanded.

Taking full advantage of her speed and the remaining light from the twin Kidō bursts, Yoruichi Flash Stepped forward and decapitated the closest Hollow before the beast could so much as raise a claw to defend itself. The other nearby Hollows immediately charged, swinging wildly with their arms and lunging forward trying to snap her up in their jaws, but Yoruichi was already on the move. She leapt onto the back of one beast and plunged her sword into its head before jumping clear of the creature and stabbing another through the chest. Ducking to avoid a swipe from a powerful arm that ended in fearsome claws, Yoruichi swiftly cut the limb off before carving up the Hollow that it had belonged to.

"Lady Yoruichi!" cried Soi-Fon as she stabbed a Hollow in the back, "You mustn't be so reckless!"

Yoruichi smiled at her bodyguard as she thrust her blade straight through the mask of her next target. "No need to worry, Soi-Fon. I know what I'm doing!"

"It's my duty to protect you!" Soi-Fon argued as she sliced another Hollow's arm off before stabbing it in the throat, "I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you! I won't allow it!"

Yoruichi laughed as she cut a beast's head clean off. "That's sweet, Soi-Fon. I'll make sure to take care of myself to spare you any grief."

Soi-Fon shook her head before kicking a Hollow hard enough to send the creature flying into the nearest wall. "Let's just kill these vermin and get out of here!"

Yoruichi grinned. "Bet I can take down more than you!"

Turning her words into action, she backflipped over a charging Hollow. As she came down she slammed her foot into the back of the creature's neck, sending it crashing to the floor. Her coup de grace came as she plunged her Zanpakutō into the beast's skull. She swiftly withdrew her blade and rolled to the side to avoid a swipe from another foe's claws. As she came back up she thrust her blade into her attacker's shoulder before pulling it out and making a second strike, this one catching the Hollow at the base of its jaw and plunging the sword into the monster's brain.

She was about to strike down another beast that was coming at her from the side when her Third Seat beat her to the punch. Drawing his Zanpakutō and attacking in a single fluid motion, Kisuke cut off the Hollow's legs at the knees, and his follow-up attack took the beast's head clean off.

"Looks like we've really stirred things up," he said with a smile, "Quite a lively bunch here, don't you think?"

"That's one way to put it!" Yoruichi replied as she casually whirled around and sliced a Hollow that had been trying to attack her from behind in half.

"Now's not the time for banter, Kisuke!" Soi-Fon growled as she stabbed another beast in the throat, "We have work to do!"

Kisuke nodded before plunging his sword into a Hollow's torso. "That we do. Given the crowd, I guess I'd better kick things up a notch. You don't mind, do you?"

"Just be careful," said Yoruichi as she nailed a Hollow in the head with a spin kick before slicing clean through its neck, "I'd rather avoid us causing a cave-in while we're down here."

Kisuke smiled as he casually ducked beneath a swiping arm that was almost as thick as his torso. "I think I can manage that."

Whirling around and cleaving the attacking limb from the beast that had used it to attack him, Kisuke's grin turned devious as he held out his Zanpakutō. "Awaken, Benihime!"

Yoruichi felt a surge of spiritual pressure as her old friend unleashed his Shikai. The Zanpakutō glowed with crimson energy as it transformed from a katana into something much more unique. Like a katana, it was still a single-edged sword, but now it was a straight blade instead of a curved one, and it was slightly thicker than it had been in its sealed state. Rather than tapering at the end like a traditional katana, Benihime's Shikai form had tip that ended in a slanted razor-like edge. Meanwhile, the weapon's hilt had significantly changed as well. The grip, which had black decorative wrapping, bent forwards towards the end and had a crimson tassel hanging from it. Rather than a traditional tsuba, the base of the blade now had a U-shaped guard that went up the first three inches of the sword and had a flower-petal design engraved upon it. There was a red string wrapped thrice around the hilt, and it was topped off by a three-loop bow on the back side while a folded paper decoration hung from the front.

Kisuke's smile then became downright cruel. "Sing, Benihime."

He made a broad swing with his sword, and from the arc of the strike flew a torrent of blood-red energy. The wide burst of power cut the Hollow that had attacked Kisuke in half, and it wasn't the only beast to fall; three more monsters were torn apart by the crimson wave of energy.

Yoruichi smirked as she cut down another foe. "Not bad. It's been awhile since you've let her enjoy herself!"

Kisuke chuckled as he blocked a strike from a Hollow before plunging his sword into its chest. "True, but this won't be enough to satisfy her. She wants bigger prey than what we're up against here!"

"She'll have to deal with whatever comes our way today," Yoruichi replied as she ducked beneath a vicious swipe from a Hollow's claws, "She shouldn't be greedy."

She brought her foot up and delivered a solid kick in the chin to the Hollow before cutting its arm off and finishing it off with a stab to the neck. Another monster tried to attack her from behind, but Soi-Fon swiftly intercepted it. Yoruichi saw her bodyguard grab the Hollow by the arm and toss it as though the creature weighed next to nothing. As the beast hit the ground, Soi-Fon pounced on top of it and jammed her blade straight through its skull.

Despite all the beasts that the three of them had already killed, there were still plenty more to go. Yoruichi couldn't help but chuckle as she caught Soi-Fon giving Kisuke the occasional envious glance as he tore into the Hollows with his Shikai. It was obvious what her bodyguard wanted to do, and Yoruichi was inclined to indulge her, although she did wonder why Soi-Fon felt like she needed permission to unleash her true power in the first place.

"No need to be jealous of him, Soi-Fon," said Yoruichi with a smirk as she decapitated a Hollow, "If you want to compete with Kisuke, then what are you waiting for? Go for it!"

Soi-Fon's eyes widened slightly as she leapt over a Hollow before kicking it into the ground and plunging her blade into its back. "Lady Yoruichi, are you sure? My Shikai's still incomplete!"

"Of course!" Yoruichi replied as she kicked another beast in the face, "It'll be good practice for you, after all! If there's one place where your Zanpakutō is guaranteed to grow, it's the battlefield!"

Soi-Fon smiled. "All right, then!"

Ducking beneath a Hollow's claws before stabbing the beast in the throat, Soi-Fon then leapt back to give herself a bit of breathing room to release her weapon's power. "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!"

The blade was bathed in red-white energy before the Zanpakutō transformed into its Shikai state. When the light had faded, the weapon had undergone a radical shift. Rather than a wakizashi, Soi-Fon's Zanpakutō now took on the form of a black and gold gauntlet that was worn on her right forearm. A small golden chain linked the gauntlet to a golden-yellow 'stinger' blade that was fitted over Soi-Fon's middle finger. The stinger blade was roughly twice the length of her finger, and when taken together with the gauntlet it looked like a hornet had taken up residence on her forearm and hand. While small as far as Zanpakutō releases were concerned, Yoruichi knew full well just how deceptive that size could be; the weapon was still capable of blocking attacks from both Hollow claws and swords if wielded correctly, and its slender, form-fitting nature actually was an asset in that it allowed Soi-Fon to use it with remarkable speed and flexibility.

Rushing forward, Soi-Fon immediately plunged her stinger blade into the chest of a Hollow. In addition to creating a rather deep puncture wound, a moment later a butterfly-shaped mark appeared directly over the point of impact. Swiftly withdrawing her blade, Soi-Fon then stabbed the exact same spot a second later. The Hollow stumbled, and its entire body began to seize up. It tried to attack Soi-Fon, but its movements were a jerky and uncoordinated mess. After a few seconds of flailing around, the Hollow was engulfed in crimson energy. A moment later there was a flash as the butterfly mark expanded, and then the Hollow completely disintegrated.

Nigeki Kessatsu, thought Yoruichi as she casually slashed through a Hollow's throat, Soi-Fon's definitely getting better with it. The poison Suzumebachi exudes seems to be working a little faster now, too.

When Soi-Fon had protested that her Shikai was still incomplete, Yoruichi had been well aware that it wasn't the weapon's actual combat effectiveness that her bodyguard had been doubting. As had just been demonstrated, Soi-Fon's Zanpakutō was more than capable of handling Hollows even if she was still refining its abilities. It was more an issue of fine details rather than anything else. For example, the butterfly-shaped marks that appeared on a target's flesh, known as Hōmonka, could currently only be maintained by the force of Soi-Fon's will for approximately ten minutes. In a fast-paced fight such as the one they were involved in now, that was hardly a concern, as Soi-Fon had just proven by how swiftly she had taken down her target. However, from what Yoruichi understood, her bodyguard believed that the crests were capable of remaining for much longer than that; Soi-Fon just lacked the strength to make that possible. There was also the issue of the venom; from what Soi-Fon had told Yoruichi, it seemed that Suzumebachi's poison was actually still developing and had the potential to act faster with further development of Soi-Fon's power.

While Nigeki Kessatsu was a technique geared towards single targets, Soi-Fon was more than capable of applying it in a large fight. Thanks to Yoruichi's tutelage, her bodyguard was highly proficient in both Hohō and Hakuda, and the Shikai form of her Zanpakutō was practically tailor-made to take advantage of those skills. Her speed allowed her to land the required two hits before most Hollows were capable of fully comprehending their peril. It was also well suited to hit and run attacks; she could land the initial blow on one Hollow, then mark another beast or two before coming back around to deliver the fatal second strike when her foe least expected it. It wasn't as effective as Kisuke's Benihime for taking on multiple opponents simultaneously, but it was deadly nonetheless.

While Yoruichi and her subordinates had formed the tip of the spear, they were hardly engaging the enemy by themselves. Their initial lightning strike had naturally drawn the attention of most of the other Hollows, and that had provided an ideal opening for the rest of the Soul Reapers in the attack group to engage. The frontline hitters for Squads Two and Ten were now fully engaged with the enemy, and they were making an impressive dent in the Hollows' numbers.

As she cut down another foe she saw Rhaegon carving a bloody swath through the monstrous horde. Despite her personal dislike of the man, Yoruichi would freely admit that his skill in the art of Zanjutsu was impressive. Squad Ten's Captain was an absolute natural with a blade, as the Hollows were finding out rather brutally today. His swordsmanship was as efficient as it was elegant, to the point that it almost looked like he was dancing around his foes as cleaved limbs and heads from them. Like Yoruichi, Rhaegon was keeping his Zanpakutō in its sealed form, which was definitely a good thing; she'd seen his Shikai before, and while it would normally be quite useful in a large-scale fight, it also would've had just as much of a chance of causing a cave-in as Yoruichi's if something went wrong.

It's always strange to find things that he and I have in common, she mused as she cut a Hollow's arms off before finishing it off with a stab to the neck, but in the case of our Shikais, it's true; they're good for a brawl, but the amount of power they throw around is not to be taken lightly.

Rhaegon's Lieutenant, however, was not under the same constraints. As Yoruichi saw Obran pull his sword out of a Hollow's chest, she felt a surge of spiritual pressure as the man released his Zanpakutō.

"Arise and bite, Akai Baipā!" he said with a smirk.

In a flash of red-white light, his sword transformed into an ornate spear. The handle and shaft were composed of a dark wood that looked polished to almost a mirror-sheen, and the very bottom of it was capped with a small steel point. Meanwhile, the actual business-end of the weapon was a blade with waved edges. A red and bronze serpent coiled around the base of the blade, fusing it with the shaft. Two small rubies served as 'eyes' for the snake, and they were glowing with spirit energy.

A Hollow lunged at Obran, who responded by sweeping the spear across the beast's torso. The cut was quite shallow, and at first glance it appeared to have minimal impact on the creature. However, as the monster tried to attack the Lieutenant again, Yoruichi could tell that its moves were slowing down. The creature's breathing soon became ragged, and that was followed by the Hollow gnashing its teeth in what was clearly pain.

Soi-Fon's not the only Soul Reaper that wields a poisoned Zanpakutō, thought Yoruichi as she tripped a Hollow with a sweeping kick before stabbing it in the back of the head, I almost feel sorry for that beast; Akai Baipā's a slow killer… and a very painful one.

A battlefield was hardly the place to take one's sweet time in dispatching the enemy, though, so rather than allow his enemy to suffer the full agony of his weapon's venom, Obran made a quick thrust that sent the spear straight through the Hollow's gut. He then swiftly withdrew his Zanpakutō, and the beast dissolved a few seconds later as it hit the ground.

Obran wasn't even looking at the Hollow as it died; he had already turned his attention to his next foes. Whirling the spear around him, he inflicted a multitude of cuts on the group of beasts that had been trying to swarm him, and as they recoiled in pain he then finished them off in rapid succession with precise thrusts to their throats. As the Hollows fell around him, Obran smirked and spun his Zanpakutō in an artful flourish before engaging a fresh set of foes. Squad Ten's Lieutenant had a reputation as a rather flashy fighter, but there was no denying his effectiveness, and Yoruichi knew that despite his penchant for showmanship Obran could also be quite crafty in a skirmish. He certainly wasn't a foe to be taken lightly, as the Hollows were finding out the hard way.

Obran wasn't the only one of Rhaegon's subordinates that was unleashing their Zanpakutō. A little way past the Lieutenant, Yoruichi caught a glimpse of Squad Ten's Third Seat, and the surge in his spiritual pressure was all she need to know that Isshin Shiba was getting down to business.

"Burn, Engetsu!" he shouted.

Physically, the sword did not change, but the sudden surge in spiritual pressure was all anyone needed to know that Shiba's Shikai had been unleashed. The blade became sheathed in spirit energy that engulfed the tassels trailing from the hilt, creating long streams of power flowing from the weapon.

He may be a Third Seat, thought Yoruichi as she plunged her blade into a Hollow's back, but his spiritual pressure is easily Lieutenant-class at least. In fact, in terms of raw power, he might actually be stronger than Obran…

She was concerned that the sheer strength of the energy flowing from Engetsu might pose a risk to the integrity of the cave they were fighting in, but Isshin seemed to have it under control. As a group of Hollows charged him, Isshin met them head-on. Yoruichi was intrigued when she saw him actually bite one of his own fingers hard enough to draw blood, but the reason for such a strange action was revealed a moment later as he then spat that blood onto his sword. A wave of blue-white energy ripped forth a moment later and reduced the whole group of Hollows to nothing more than ash.

"Captain Shihōin!" cried one of her subordinates, "We have a problem!"

As she cut down another monster, Yoruichi saw a female Soul Reaper with short-cropped black hair running towards her. She wasn't being pursued, but Yoruichi was still determined to make sure that the woman was able to deliver her message safely.

"Soi-Fon, Kisuke, cover me!" she ordered.

"Right!" Soi-Fon replied.

"You got it!" called Kisuke.

She rushed over to her subordinate, cutting down any Hollows that were unfortunate enough to get in her way. As she drew near, Kisuke and Soi-Fon took over, carving out a bit of much needed space for Yoruichi to hear her messenger out.

"What's happened?" she asked.

"Several Hollows have broken off from the main group!" the woman replied, "They made for one of the side passages and are heading for the surface as we speak!"

"Shit!" Yoruichi hissed, "Who's closest to them?"

"Our Tenth Seat's team," she said, "He wants your permission to pursue; he believes that this group is too strong for the interceptors to handle on their own!"

Yoruichi nodded. "Let him know that he can go after them. I'll send someone with you to clear a path."

The woman nodded. "Understood, Captain Shihōin."

Yoruichi then turned to her Third Seat. "Kisuke, go with her! Make sure she gets to where she needs to go no matter what, you got that?"

Kisuke nodded as he shredded a group of Hollows with a burst of crimson energy from Benihime. "Understood!"

"Soi-Fon, with me!" Yoruichi ordered.

With that, she plunged back into the fray.

….

His eyes closed and his hand hovering over the hilt of his Zanpakutō, Itachi concentrated on the spirit energy of the attack group as they battled it out with the Hollows down in the cave. It was hard to get an exact feel for the fight, but his senses had developed enough over the past four years for him to understand that the engagement was an intense one. The spikes in spiritual pressure that he felt indicated that multiple Soul Reapers had activated their Shikais, although Itachi doubted that either of the Captains were among them.

Yoruichi's spiritual pressure has been steady, he thought as he focused on Squad Two's leader, She must be relying purely on skill rather than power. That makes sense; Captains are strong enough that even their Shikais can do a tremendous amount of damage, and given the environment that they're fighting in it would make sense for her to restrain herself to avoid collapsing the caverns.

He wished that he could be down there, both to witness Yoruichi in combat and to fight alongside her, but Itachi understood his role quite well. He was support this round, and since he was still a student he could hardly fault the logic in that decision. Itachi didn't mind being on defense rather than offense, but he looked forward to the day when his Soul Reaper powers would be developed enough to the point that he could engage on the front lines. It wasn't a desire to fight for fighting's sake, but rather so that he could repay Yoruichi's investment in him and prove that her faith had been well placed.

"Looks like we're missing out on quite the fight," said Jiraiya.

Itachi opened his eyes and turned to his friend. "You sense it too?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Yeah… it feels pretty hectic down there. Too bad I can't sense Hollows as well as Soul Reapers, otherwise I'd have a better idea as to what the odds are."

"True," Itachi replied, "It's a lot harder to get a feel for them than it is our fellow Soul Reapers. Hopefully that will change with time as our skills develop."

"It will," said Rija with a smile, "More time in the field will help you refine your ability to detect Hollows. Tracking spirit energy is important, but don't neglect your other senses as well. Every advantage you can get is crucial to survival."

Visaelya folded her arms and tapped her foot impatiently as she stared at the mouth of a nearby cave. "They've been down there for quite some time now. What if they need help?"

"The attack group is led by two Captains," Rija reassured her, "They can handle anything that rears its ugly head down there."

Visaelya sighed. "I do not mean to doubt their abilities. I just don't like waiting up here while the others are down there fighting."

"Part of being a Soul Reaper is accepting the tasks given to you and completing them to the best of your abilities, even if you don't like them," Rija reminded her, "We have our role to play in this operation, and we need to see it done. If individual Soul Reapers disregard their orders simply because they don't like them, then the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would fall apart overnight. You're in the advanced track because you show great promise, Visaelya, but talent does not exempt any of us from the tasks that we are given."

Visaelya nodded. "Of course. I'll keep that in mind… and I will do my part to make sure our mission is a success."

Rija smiled and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Now that's the right attitude to have! I think you'll do just fine, Visaelya."

Itachi closed his eyes again while the others chatted. Stretching out with the rest of his senses, he concentrated on the opening of the cave again. A few seconds went by before he detected a change in the spirit energy coming from down in the dark. Some of it appeared to have broken away from the main fight.

And it was heading straight towards them.

Itachi's eyes snapped open as he immediately drew his sword. "We're about to have company."

Jiraiya, Rija, and Visaelya wasted no time in unsheathing their blades. Rija stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied the entrance of the cave.

"Hollows," she hissed, "I can't tell how many… shit!"

"What should we do?" asked Visaelya, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness despite her best efforts."

Rija swiftly issued orders to the others. "I'll hold the front. Itachi, take my left flank! Jiraiya, you've got the right! Visaelya, pick whatever spell you can fire off the fastest and unleash it the moment you can see them!"

The three students quickly formed up around the veteran Soul Reaper. Itachi's mind flashed back to his early days as a Shinobi; their current formation reminded him of countless drills with classmates and comrades.

My weapon and powers are different this time around, he mused, but the rest of this feels quite familiar.

Don't get lost on a trip down memory lane, the spirit of his Zanpakutō chided him, We're about to be up to our necks in Hollows.

Itachi had to work to suppress a smirk. If you insist…

There was a slight rumbling in the ground as the enemy drew closer, and the tremors were a sign that the pack of Hollows racing towards them wasn't a small one. Itachi was ready, and he knew Jiraiya was as well, but he wasn't sure if Visaelya was prepared for what was coming their way. She was gifted, but unlike the two former Shinobi or the Fifteenth Seat of Squad Two she had no prior combat experience. This would be a trial by fire, and Itachi could only hope that she had what it took to survive it.

As the first white death masks appeared out of the darkness, Visaelya raised the palm of her right hand and made her incantation. "Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!"

A blast of blue-white energy ripped forth and slammed into the Hollows at the front of the pack. The impact staggered the group and caused a pileup, and Rija wasted no time in taking advantage of it.

"Hadō 5: Hotaru Bāsuto!" she shouted.

A stream of tiny green energy balls flew forth and hammered the already disoriented Hollow. Rija swept her hand from left to right in an arc, and the barrage of small emerald spheres continued, spreading across the entire group. It was a much more sustained burst than Itachi was capable of maintaining with that spell, and what made it even more impressive to him was the fact that she was doing it without an incantation.

Seated officers really are a cut above the rest, he thought, I'm glad she's on our side.

None of the Hollows had been killed, but they were wounded, and none of them were prepared for when Rija lunged forward. She immediately stabbed one of the beasts straight through the head, while Itachi and Jiraiya plunged their blades into the monsters flanking her target.

Meanwhile, Visaelya had already begun a second incantation. "Lord of Storms, Queen of the Sky, Wrath of the Heavens! The Knight of the Bolt rides forth to strike down the Heart of Corruption! Hadō 19: Raimei!"

The spear of lighting that flew forth impaled a Hollow that had been about to pounce on Jiraiya. The sage smirked as he delivered a follow-up attack, slicing the beast in half. As the Hollow dissolved, Visaelya moved forward; there would be no more time for further incantations. The skirmish was now a full-on close quarters clash, and it would only be by working together that the four of them would be able to survive.

Raising his Zanpakutō, Itachi fended off a swing that had been meant for Rija before countering by slicing the Hollow's arm off. He then thrust his blade forward, and it went right into the monster's neck. Returning the favor, Rija sliced the head clean off of a Hollow that had been about to pounce on Itachi.

"Keep it up!" she yelled as she ducked beneath another beast before stabbing it in the gut, "This fight's just getting started!"

Fighting in unison, the four of them stood as a bulwark against the onrushing pack. Their blades flashed through the air, and each combatant carved into the charging Hollows with their own style. While Itachi maintained his swift and precise swordsmanship, Rija had a more graceful and flowing nature to her Zanjutsu that reminded him of Minerva's technique. Jiraiya and Visaelya, by contrast, both favored more powerful styles. The key difference between the two of them was experience; Jiraiya's strikes carried with them the confidence that was born from surviving fights to the death, while Visaelya's attacks were a little rougher, as if she were trying to find her step. That was to be expected, though, and she was giving a commendable accounting for herself.

"There's plenty for all of us," said Jiraiya with a smirk as he slashed a beast across the torso, "May the best man win!"

"This isn't a game, Jiraiya!" Visaelya snapped while stabbing a Hollow in the face, "Besides, who's to say that a woman wouldn't win whatever contest you're thinking of?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "So you are counting, aren't you?"

"Save the competition for when you've got more experience!" Rija ordered as she sliced the legs clean off of a Hollow before finishing it off with a thrust through its mask, "Stay focused!"

She's right, thought Itachi as he cut down another foe, The last thing any of us need right now is a distraction.

I can count your kills if you're too busy at the moment.

Don't.

He saw Rija's eyes narrow as more Hollows came out of the cave. "Not good. Itachi, cover me! I just need a second!"

Itachi stepped forward and plunged his sword into a Hollow's stomach. Behind him he felt a sudden spike in spiritual pressure; Rija was releasing her Zanpakutō.

"Shock and awe, Sutōmudansā!" she shouted.

A moment later she stepped forward again, giving Itachi a good view of her Shikai. Her sword had taken on the form of an exotic curved blade, which had a barbed point on the inside just a little bit behind the main tip of the weapon. Flowing runes that were beyond Itachi's ability to decipher ran up along the inside curve of the weapon, and they glowed with a green-yellow light. The weapon's handle had changed from a traditional katana hilt to a golden design with a curved wrist guard that began at where the blade met the handle and ended at the end of the pommel. Rubies and emeralds were embedded in the handle, and greenish-yellow sparks danced up and down the blade.

The design of the sword was intriguing enough, but that wasn't the end of Rija's Shikai. While the blade was held in her left hand, her left hand now grasped a circular shield unlike anything Itachi had ever seen before. A green ring made up the border of the design, while the main body was composed of a violet circle emblazoned with a set of golden wings. Running straight up the middle of the shield in a line were three gems; two sapphires flanking a ruby. The light reflecting in the gems made the shield radiant to behold, and Itachi hoped that he would have time after the fight to study it in detail.

Rija wasted no time in giving the enemy a taste of her Shikai's power. "Take this!"

She made a horizontal slash with her sword. The blade cut through nothing but air, but it wasn't the sword itself that the Hollows had to worry about; it was the bolts of greenish-yellow lightning that flew forth from the arc of the slash. The Hollows were engulfed in the energy, with bolts of electricity coursing all over their bodies and causing them to jerk and spasm uncontrollably.

Itachi and his fellow students immediately recognized their opportunity to strike and seized it. Their blades carved into stunned Hollows, ripping them apart before they could defend themselves. Rija leapt forward to join them, and her engraved sword danced through the air a significantly greater speed than her sealed Zanpakutō had.

The blade's actually smaller in its Shikai form, Itachi noted, I bet it's lighter, too, even with the gems embedded in the handle. It really suits her fighting style.

Jiraiya smiled as he finished off a Hollow. "Impressive! I'm shocked, truly!"

"Save the bad puns for later, Jiraiya!" Visaelya barked as she delivered the coup de grace to her latest target.

Jiraiya chuckled. "What can I say? I was struck by the spark of inspiration!"

Rija smirked as she blocked a heavy blow with her shield. "Thanks, but don't let it distract you! I'll take your praise after the fighting's done!"

As Itachi cut down the Hollow that Rija had just fended off with her shield, the Fifteenth Seat leapt forward and slashed through the air again. Just like before, bolts of lightning flew from the arc of her slash and stunned a fresh wave of Hollows. Even as he moved in to attack the vulnerable monsters, Itachi's mind was already hard at work analyzing how Rija fought with her Shikai. Its special attack was clearly an area-of-effect strike, and the way that she had put herself out in front of the students before unleashing the ability was a clear indicator of its indiscriminate nature.

She could probably cover a much wider area with that attack if she wanted to, he thought as he stabbed a Hollow in the neck, but she doesn't want to risk hurting us in the process. I wonder how much control she really has over her power…

Even with the knowledge that he, Jiraiya, or Visaelya could be hurt by an errant bolt of lightning did not change the fact that Itachi was quite grateful that Rija had decided to unleash the true power of her Zanpakutō. The group of Hollows attacking them out of the cave did not seem to be letting up anytime soon, and Rija's abilities were invaluable for crowd control. It had become quite clear to Itachi that Yoruichi had put her with the interceptor group for more than just to keep an eye on the three of them; her Shikai was ideal for corralling and stunning Hollows, making them much easier for her comrades to take out.

If Itachi had a concern about Rija's Shikai beyond its area-of-effect, it was how much spirit energy it took for her to use it. While he still had much to learn about the nature of the Zanpakutō, one lesson that had been taught early on was that only higher ranked officers could typically utilize their Shikai in the most efficient manner possible. As Squad Two's Fifteenth Seat, Rija was likely still trying to develop her skills with her Shikai and discover the full extent of its abilities. The power and skill that she was displaying in the current fight was quite impressive, but Itachi had to wonder just how long she could fight like that. She didn't show any signs of strain at the moment, but that could always change.

It was up to him, Jiraiya and Visaelya to cover the much more experienced Soul Reaper and make sure that she wasn't carrying the bulk of the fight on her own. Fortunately, despite their differing personalities and fighting styles, all three students were already proving that they were more than capable of working together. Despite her clear distaste for Jiraiya, Visaelya was still cooperating with him and working fluidly to fill in any gaps in his defenses, and the same was true the other way around. Since Rija was between Itachi and the two of them, he saw his role as serving as a second sword and shield for the officer, giving her some much-needed breathing room so she'd be able to unleash her invaluable lighting-attack and keep the attacking Hollows off balance.

Rija seemed to catch on to what Itachi was trying to accomplish, because she gave him a knowing smile and nod as he cut down a beast that had been trying to flank her. "The Captain was right; you are a natural at this!"

"Thanks," Itachi replied.

As he fended off another Hollow that tried to attack her from the side, Rija stepped forward and unleashed another arc of lightning against the pack of enemies. The burst of electricity once again engulfed a wave of the monsters, but there were even more behind them. As the Hollows that were hit by the lighting stumbled, the others simply rushed around them. The situation was beginning to deteriorate, and to make matters worse Itachi didn't see any sign of reinforcements heading their way.

The other teams in the interceptor group must be occupied, he thought as he thrust his Zanpakutō through a Hollow's chest, Just how many of these creatures were nesting here?

Itachi still had plenty of energy left for the fight, and he could tell that the same was true for Jiraiya and Rija, but he wasn't so sure about Visaelya. She was still holding up, but from the sweat that was beginning to gather at her brow it was clear that the battle was starting to take its toll on her. For all her promise and skill, this was still her first real life and death fight. If the Hollows' assault didn't ease up soon, she would be in trouble. Itachi could only hope that Jiraiya would be able to give her a chance to catch her breath.

Their blades flashed through the air in streaks of silver as one monster after another fell before them, but the enemy just kept on coming. What this batch of Hollows lacked in individual power they made up for in numbers and tenacity. It was times like this that made Itachi curse the loss of the Sharingan; its powers would be most useful for evening the odds. Even more conventional Justus such as Shadow Clones or Summoning would come in handy in a situation like this, but for all their similarities spirit energy was not quite the same as chakra; it had its own qualities and rules of manipulation, and unfortunately Itachi still had a long way to go before he could achieve mastery of it.

"Well, these guys don't lack for enthusiasm!" said Jiraiya as he cleaved clean through a Hollow's neck, "How many do we have to kill before they take the hint that they're not welcome around here?"

"Too… damn… many!" Visaelya growled as she thrust her blade through a beast's knee before finishing it off with a stab to the chest.

"No kidding," said Rija as she bashed a Hollow in the face with her shield before cutting it down, "We might be in trouble here…"

She's not wrong. How are you holding up?

You actually sound concerned.

If you die, I die, remember?

I'm not dying here. None of us are.

Of course, that was a case of easier said than done. They were holding their own, but how long could it last?

The Hollows seemed to sense an opening, because if anything their already fierce assault suddenly became even more aggressive. They were pressing hard, and it was all Itachi could do to hold his ground at Rija's side. To make matters worse, it was becoming increasingly clear that Visaelya's strength was waning. Her breathing was growing labored, her strikes were losing speed and power, and her footing was becoming shaky. Jiraiya was still going strong, but more of his efforts were being spent now just keeping the Hollows from exploiting the growing gaps in Visaelya's defenses. As skilled as the Legendary Sannin was, he no longer had access to the vast array of Jutsus that had made him so powerful in life; he was still building up his new abilities, just like Itachi. Experience and skill were vital, but they weren't enough.

A trio of Hollows charged forward, aiming right at Jiraiya and Visaelya. The sage met them head-on, and while his powerful strike was enough to instantly take down the lead Hollow, its companions went around him, gunning for Visaelya with dripping fangs and grisly claws. She brought her sword up in response and was able to block an attack from one of the beasts, but the second one lunged at her from the side. Visaelya tried to dodge, but the monster's claws still got a hit on her. The force of the blow knocked her to the ground and winded her, and Itachi could see blood seeping from her wounds.

"Damn it!" Jiraiya snarled as he stabbed the second Hollow in the back, "Visaelya, hang on!"

Despite her injury and her struggle to catch her breath, Visaelya still brought her sword up into guard position, and her violet eyes were burning with defiance as she stared down the third Hollow. The beast's claws were raised for a killing blow, and Itachi knew that his classmate wouldn't be able to withstand it. Another Hollow was already moving on him, though, and he couldn't help Visaelya without leaving his back exposed to his new foe.

"Visaelya, move!" he shouted.

Even as he gave her that desperate command, he knew it was too late; her wounds would not let her evade in time. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and Itachi could only steel himself for the horror that was to come.

He was about to lose a comrade to the horrors of war once again.

And that was when the Hollow's arm was cut clean off by a flash of silver.

As he plunged his Zanpakutō into the throat of his opponent, Itachi's eyes widened as a second strike against Visaelya's assailant resulted in the creature's chest being ripped open. The beast dissolved, and the face of Visaelya's savior was revealed.

A face that Itachi hadn't seen in years.

"Shisui…" he said softly as his mind struggled to process it.

He wore the robes of a Soul Reaper now, and the blade he wielded was quite clearly a Zanpakutō, but there was no denying that the man he was looking at was his best friend. The short and unkempt dark hair, the black eyes with the friendly gleam to them… it was truly him.

Shisui Uchiha.

"Itachi, focus!" Rija ordered as she took a blow on her shield that had been meant for him, "We still have a job to do!"

Itachi nodded, his eyes narrowing as he turned his attention back to the fight. "Right."

We'll have to catch up later, he thought as he stabbed another Hollow in the chest, but still… he's back.

Yet another reason for you to make it through this fight alive.

I couldn't agree more.

….

The pain was considerable, but Visaelya still retained enough awareness to know that she had to put pressure on her wounds and stop the bleeding. Her Academy robes weren't ideal, but they were all that she had to work with at the moment. Fortunately, the blood flow wasn't as bad as it had initially looked. She was hurt, but her wounds weren't as deep as she had first feared.

Unfortunately, she was a prime target for the Hollows now. All her instructors had been quite clear; once someone was wounded, the beasts would concentrate their efforts on that individual like sharks after bleeding prey in the water. Keeping pressure on her wounds meant that she could not fight back, while trying to defend herself would likely only make her injuries worse. Visaelya hated that she was stuck in this situation, but she could draw solace from the fact that she had defenders. While she might not be particularly fond of Jiraiya, she trusted his skills and his personal integrity enough to know that he would not let the Hollows get to her without a fight.

It wasn't Jiraiya that her gaze was on now, though. Her eyes were riveted to the Soul Reaper that had just saved her life…

…and was utterly decimating the Hollows around her.

While Visaelya was still a student, she had always believed that she knew more than a thing or two about Hohō and Zanjutsu. She was in the advanced track, after all, and while she still had yet to surpass either Itachi or Jiraiya, her skills had always earned the praise of her instructors. The display her savoir was putting on now served as a stark reminder as to just how far she still had to go.

His sword was like a viper, striking at blinding speed before his foes had a chance to react. Each blow was as precise as it was lethal. As for the few Hollows that got the chance to attack him, none of their strikes even came close to touching him. He moved with an agility that Visaelya could only marvel at. At times he almost seemed casual in the manner that he was dodging the blows of the Hollows.

After clearing out a space around them, the newcomer turned to Jiraiya. "Keep her stable until the Squad Four relief team is able to tend to her! I'll keep the Hollows off of you!"

Jiraiya nodded. "Right!"

He then knelt next to her and used his Zanpakutō to cut strips of fabric from his own robes. Visaelya could not help but be impressed with how Jiraiya was swiftly able to turn the torn clothing into makeshift bandages; he'd clearly done this before.

"Hold still," he said as he began to bind her wounds, "These won't perform as well as real bandages, but they should keep you alive until you can get real medical attention."

Visaelya nodded. "Right… thanks."

"Anytime," he replied.

Despite the seemingly carefree attitude he tended to have during class, Visaelya was surprised at just how serious Jiraiya could be when the occasion called for it. His conduct in the battle had been quite commendable, apart from the handful of irritating jokes he had cracked earlier, and he was handling his treatment of her wounds with the gravity that the situation warranted.

It seems that I misjudged him, she thought, He may act like an oaf, but he is more than that. He's certainly not bothered by our current predicament, which is more than could be said for many students faced with their first real battle… myself included.

Confident in her classmate's ability to treat her wounds, even if it was only temporary, she returned her attention to the Soul Reaper that had saved her life. He was ripping through the Hollows like a cyclone, and that was just with a sealed Zanpakutō. Visaelya could sense from his spiritual pressure that he was actually holding back; with the amount of energy he had, there was no doubt in her mind that her savior was a seated officer, and one at a greater rank than Rija to boot.

She recalled hearing Itachi speak his name before Jiraiya had begun tending to her wounds, although it had been hard for her to make it out. "Shisui… they know each other?"

"So it would seem," said Jiraiya.

She felt as though her classmate knew more than he was letting on, but she decided not to press the matter. It wouldn't be fitting of someone of her stature to interrogate the man that was currently treating her injuries, after all. Besides, how Itachi and Shisui knew each other hardly mattered at the moment. What mattered right then and there was his ability to kill Hollows, and it appeared his talent in that realm was considerable.

Despite Visaelya being down and Jiraiya occupied by bandaging her wounds, the situation for their little group had actually stabilized. Now that the Hollows immediately surrounding Visaelya had been cleared out, Shisui had shifted his focus to holding the front with Itachi and Rija. The Fifteenth Seat had a confident smile on her face now, and Itachi seemed to be fighting with renewed vigor. Whoever Shisui was, he seemed to have enough of a connection with both fighters that his very presence was enough to bolster their morale.

"What's the situation down in the caves?" asked Rija as she sent another arc of lighting towards the beasts.

"There was heavy fighting when I broke off to chase these guys," said Shisui as he cut the legs out from under a Hollow before jamming his blade through its mask, "It's nothing the Captains can't handle, though."

"Good to hear," said Itachi as he sliced a monster's head clean from its neck.

"Let's wrap this up," said Rija, and Visaelya couldn't help but notice that her breathing had grown slightly labored, "I don't know how much juice I've got left."

Shisui nodded as he stabbed a Hollow through the side. "Itachi, fall back and guard the others. Rija, you got one more burst in you?"

"Absolutely!" she replied.

"Then let fly on my mark," he said, "Ready… mark!"

As both Shisui and Itachi stepped back, Rija made another wide slash with her sword. With the Hollows stunned by her latest lightning attack, the two Soul Reapers and the student now had a critical bit of breathing room. While Itachi moved towards Visaelya and Jiraiya, Shisui raised his Zanpakutō. The intensity of his spiritual pressure immediately surged, and Visaelya realized what was happening.

"Playtime," he said with a smile, "Kage no Kodomo!"

Dark blue energy engulfed his Zanpakutō as the weapon's Shikai was unleashed. The weapon shifted from a katana with blue handle wrapping and a black guard into a slender short sword. The guard had changed into a silver circle with four slits carved into it, and tendrils of dark blue spirit energy were wafting out from them.

Such a strange design, Visaelya thought, I wonder what it does…

She got her answer a moment later as Shisui raised his sword in mock salute, smirking at his opponents. "Let's go."

The dark blue spirit energy that had been gradually leaking from the slits in the silver circle that made up the weapon's guard suddenly became a flood. It quickly formed four distinct spheres, and a moment later those spheres took on human form. Visaelya's eyes widened in shock as she was soon confronted with the sight of not one, but five Shisuis.

"What sorcery is this?" she whispered.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, well… now that brings back memories."

The Soul Reaper and his four copies moved as one, charging the Hollows. While their physical appearances were identical, Visaelya was able to detect a greater amount of spiritual pressure coming from one of them, which she assumed to be the real Shisui. It didn't seem matter that the clones were weaker than the original, though, as all of them swiftly began carving into the beasts before them. Weakened by Rija's earlier attack, they were no match for Shisui's onslaught.

Swiftly and efficiently, Shisui and the clones generated by his Shikai cut down the remaining Hollows. One of the beasts managed to get a defiant strike in, but it didn't hit the real Shisui; its claws met a clone, and the doppelganger simply dissipated into dark blue smoke. The Hollow's efforts were rewarded by the real Shisui stabbing it through the back of the head.

Visaelya could only look on in awe as her savior finished mopping up the surviving beasts. His speed, his power, his technique… they were all unlike anything that she had ever seen before. Through it all, he remained calm and in control, setting the pace of the fight and never missing a beat.

"Incredible…" she said softly.

Standing guard over her and Jiraiya, Itachi nodded. "Just like the old days…"

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "How do you two know each other?"

She was surprised to actually see a small smile appear on his face. "Another time, and another life."

Visaelya found herself blushing with embarrassment. It was so easy to forget that he and Jiraiya hadn't been born in the Soul Society like she had. Her etiquette lessons had been quite clear that asking someone like Itachi about their prior life was brutally insensitive to say the least, and yet she had blundered like a buffoon right across that line. Fortunately, he didn't seem particularly bothered by it.

The last Hollow fell as Shisui stabbed it through the chest. As the beast dissolved, the Soul Reaper's Zanpakutō reverted back to its sealed state. He smiled as he approached the others, and Visaelya's blush actually intensified; he was surprisingly handsome, now that she had a chance to study his appearance as opposed to just his fighting abilities.

W-what's gotten into me?, she thought, I-I'm a noble! I shouldn't be ogling an officer l-like some common schoolgirl!

"Glad that's over with," he said, and Visaelya's already burning face became red-hot as he knelt next to her, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm… I'm all right," she said softly as her gaze met his, "Thanks to you…"

Shisui nodded. "Glad to hear it. Looks like Jiraiya did a good job with those bandages. I should've expected nothing less from one of the Legendary Sannin."

Visaelya blinked in confusion. "Sannin? I beg your pardon?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "It's a long story."

"We never actually met in person," said Shisui, "but I was a great admirer of you. When Captain Shihōin told me that you were in the Soul Society, I was shocked; I didn't think there was anyone out there that could kill someone like you."

Jiraiya gave him a weary smile. "Yeah, well… there's always someone younger and more powerful out there. I had a good run. That's more than many can say."

Shisui then turned to Itachi. There was a moment of silence as the two men looked at each other, and Visaelya felt as though the very air around them had thickened. Something told her that the two of them had been more than casual acquaintances in whatever past life they'd shared.

It was Itachi that broke the silence. "How long have you known that I was here?"

Shisui sighed. "Since the Academy entrance exams. I wanted to come and find you, but Captain Shihōin overruled me. She said I'd be a distraction and wanted to keep me as a little surprise for when you graduated. Still… I'm sorry."

Itachi shook his head. "No, she was right. I needed to focus on my training… even though I would've liked to know that you were here. I thought about it when I arrived, and even considered looking for you, but... well, you know how big this place is."

Shisui nodded. "Indeed, I do."

He then stepped forward, held out his hand and smiled. "It's good to see you again, Itachi."

Itachi returned his smile and shook his hand. "You too, Shisui. It's been a long time."

"Don't take this the wrong way," said Shisui, "but I'd hoped that it would be longer. As incredible as the Soul Society is, I wanted you to live longer before seeing it. I guess that wasn't to be."

"It's all right," Itachi replied, "I had my time, and I used it the best that I could… and I made sure that your death was not in vain."

Shisui sighed with relief. "So you stopped our clan, then. That's good."

Itachi nodded, but Visaelya didn't fail to notice the dark look in his eyes. "Yes… though it came at a high price."

Shisui closed his eyes for a moment. "It really came down to that, did it? Damn…"

"Believe me," said Itachi grimly, "it wasn't a task that I undertook lightly. Still… it had to be done."

Visaelya looked back and forth between the two of them. "What are you talking about?"

Shisui opened his eyes and looked at her. "Something that I had left undone before my passing. I'm afraid it's a personal matter."

Visaelya nodded. "I see. Forgive me for prying."

"It's all right," said Itachi, "We're still in the field, so now's hardly the time for us to be catching up."

"Agreed," said Rija, "We've got a job to do… and now one of us is wounded."

Visaelya looked down in shame. "I'm sorry… I thought I was stronger than this."

Shisui leaned down and put his hand on her shoulder. When she met his gaze again, she saw an encouraging smile on his face, and she felt herself begin to blush once more.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," he said, "You did well to hold out as long as you did. You should be proud; you show great promise. I think by the time graduation rolls around you'll be more than ready to join the ranks of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Visaelya slowly nodded. "Oh… thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied, "That being said, I think your part in this mission is over. Rija, take her back to the staging camp and see that the Squad Four relief team treats her immediately. I'll remain here with Itachi and Jiraiya to cover for you."

Rija smiled. "Understood, Shisui."

She knelt down and carefully picked up Visaelya. It was embarrassing to have to be carried like this, but she knew that it couldn't be helped this time; she certainly wouldn't be moving very quickly under her own power.

"You boys take care of yourselves," said Rija, "We'll see you back at camp!"

Before Visaelya could bid farewell the world around her became a blur as the Fifteenth Seat began the series of Flash Steps that would take them both back to the staging camp. Even so, the face of her savior remained perfectly clear in her mind's eye.

Shisui Uchiha…

…thank you.

….

Once Rija and Visaelya disappeared, Itachi turned to Shisui. Since it was just the two of them and Jiraiya now, his old friend appeared more willing to let his guard down. He gave Itachi a smile, and the former Shinobi almost felt like he was back in Konoha.

Strange how a simple gesture can take one back to memories of better times, he thought, I certainly won't complain, though.

"I really wanted to give you the grand tour of the Seireitei once Captain Shihōin told me that she'd found you," said Shisui, "This place is incredible, Itachi! Forget the Rukon District; the Seireitei alone puts our old village to shame several times over!"

Itachi nodded. "I'd like to explore it at length sometime, but as a student I'm confined to the Academy grounds most of the time. I have seen some of it, though. It's truly a fascinating place."

Jiraiya smiled. "It's impressive, but… well, you know what they say; you can't beat the comforts of home."

Shisui chuckled. "I know what you mean. I still find myself thinking of the Hidden Leaf Village from time to time. Still, that's no longer our home, no matter what our sense of nostalgia may say to the contrary."

"Good point," said Jiraiya.

Shisui turned to Itachi again, and the dark look in his eyes did not bode well. "I didn't want to go into too much detail in front of the others, but… how much does Jiraiya know about our clan?"

"I told him the truth," Itachi replied, "All of it. What they were planning, what we had planned in response… and what ultimately happened."

Shisui sighed, although now he looked a little nervous. "I see. Since my plan failed, I've got a pretty good idea as to what you had to do. Still… what happened to Sasuke? Did you have to…?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. That was the deal I struck with Danzō; the rest of the clan for Sasuke's life. I upheld my end of the bargain, and I took steps to make sure that he upheld his."

Shisui nodded, his apprehension replaced by pity. "I'm sure you did. I know you would do anything for your little brother. Sasuke, though… he must've hated you. There's no way that you could've told him the truth, after all."

"That's what I told myself for the longest time," Itachi admitted, "However, looking back on it all… it would have been better to tell him what really happened. He deserved the truth, not a lie. At least I got the chance to correct that mistake, although it came only after our final fight."

"The soul fracture incident, right?" asked Shisui, "Captain Shihōin told me about what happened, although she doesn't know about the world that you and I are from. Whoever performed the Resurrection Jutsu on you must've lost control at some point, otherwise I doubt they would've given you the chance to find Sasuke of your own will."

Itachi nodded. "That's correct. Before the Jutsu wore off, I was able to impart the truth to him. It was the least I could do after all that I put him through. It didn't change what I had done, but… I think it at least closed the circle, if you will."

Shisui smiled. "Sometimes, that's all we can do."

Jiraiya nodded. "Agreed. Now that we're all here, we have a chance to make a difference on a larger scale than we ever thought was possible. We can take the pain and loss that we experienced in life and use that to guide us going forward. We can avoid the mistakes of our past, if we have the wisdom to recognize them."

Itachi concurred. "Yes, although I for one have a long way to go on that front. There's still so much to learn about the Soul Society, not to mention my own power."

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, I'm in the same boat, so no pressure there."

"You've both come quite a long way as it is," said Shisui, "Captain Shihōin's showed me your test scores; you're both dominating the Academy rankings. There's quite a bit of buzz going around about the two of you, and for good reason."

"That wasn't my intention," said Itachi, "I've no desire to draw attention to myself."

Shisui smirked. "Maybe, but you've done that just the same… especially with regards to Captain Shihōin. Whenever the subject of the Academy comes up, your name's the first word out of her mouth."

Itachi nodded. "I'm honored that she thinks so highly of me. After she saved my life, devoting myself to my studies was the least that I could do."

"Well, it's certainly paid off," Shisui replied, "She can't wait to recruit you, and I'm right there with you. After all, I know what you're capable of even more than she does!"

Itachi couldn't help but smile as he thought back on all the sparring matches they'd had in their old life. "Indeed, you do. I'm afraid some of that capability is gone, though… as I'm sure you're well aware of."

Shisui grinned, and there was a knowing look in his eyes that gave Itachi pause. "You mean the Sharingan? I wouldn't be so hasty, if I were you."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? The Sharingan does not activate after death; I tried to do so when I arrived here. It's gone, Shisui… and after the arrogance its power inspired in our clan, I don't think that's a bad thing."

Shisui nodded. "Oh, I get where you're coming from. However, I think you'll find that you're mistaken with regards to the status of the Sharingan in the afterlife."

His old friend closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again Itachi was stunned. Crimson irises, three black tomoe orbiting the pupil…

…it was the real deal.

"I'll be damned," muttered Jiraiya.

"How is this possible?" asked Itachi.

"When I first arrived, it was gone, just like yours," said Shisui, "I figured it wasn't something that we took with us when we died, and like you I actually didn't mind that too much. I joined the Academy and began my training as a Soul Reaper, and for a while that was all that I was focused on. Eventually I went out to the field, though, and one of my comrades got into trouble. I unlocked my Shikai that day… and the Sharingan. It was thanks to both that I was able to save them. Since then I've worked in secret to restore it to its full power, minus the Mangekyou. Not even the Captain knows about my Sharingan, and I plan to keep it that way for as long as I can."

"Probably for the best," said Itachi, "So it was awakened by your desire to protect someone? That sounds familiar."

Shisui smiled. "Indeed. It's not all that different from when we were alive. Your Sharingan's not gone, Itachi; it's just dormant. Give it time, and like your Shikai, you'll unlock the true power of your eyes soon enough."

Itachi's brow furrowed in thought. "If that's true, then we may have a problem. You and I are hardly the only members of the Uchiha Clan to have passed on over the years, after all. The Sharingan made us formidable in life, to the point that you and I had to turn against our own family to thwart their ambitions. The Soul Society is vast, but…"

"You fear that our clan may be working to rebuild itself in the afterlife," Shisui finished for him, "I've made a few excursions into the Rukon District to look for signs of them, but I haven't found any."

Itachi sighed. "That doesn't mean that they aren't out there… and plenty of them would have reason to hold a grudge, given what I did to them."

"Death may have changed their perspective," Jiraiya pointed out, "Even if the Uchiha Clan did reconstitute itself in the Soul Society, I have a hard time believing that it'd be able to take on the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Shisui nodded. "I'm with you there. Hopefully they'll have moved on from the ambitions they had in life. That would be best for everyone."

"Agreed," said Itachi somberly.

Shisui smiled again. "In the meantime, we've got more pressing concerns on our hands. The mission's not over yet, and since Rija's taking Visaelya back to the staging camp, that means we've still got a point to hold. You guys still have some fight left in you?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Plenty!"

Itachi nodded. "Same here."

"Good," said Shisui, "We'll stay here until Captain Shihōin gives us the all clear. Good to be working with you again, Itachi."

Itachi couldn't help but smile. "Likewise, Shisui."

….

"Take this!" yelled Yoruichi as she kicked a Hollow right in the gut.

The blow sent the beast flying, and it knocked over three of its allies in the process. A single Flash Step was all it took for Yoruichi to pounce on them, and a few swift slashes from her Zanpakutō tore them all to shreds. She could sense another Hollow coming at her from behind, but she wasn't worried; she knew that her bodyguard had it in her sights.

Her faith was proven right a moment later as Soi-Fon intercepted the beast. Suzumebachi's twin stings were administered with blinding speed right to the Hollow's chest, and the monster began to succumb to the lethal poison seconds later.

She's getting even better with that technique, she thought with a smile, I can't wait to see just how much further she can refine it!

Putting some space between herself and the enemy, Yoruichi took a moment to assess the situation. From what she could see, it appeared that the surviving Hollows were attempting to fall back deeper into the cave. Their lines of retreat to the surface had been mostly cut off, apart from the group that her Tenth Seat had pursued earlier, and their numbers were definitely dwindling.

"I think we've got them on the ropes!" said Kisuke with a grin as he sliced a beast clean in half.

Yoruichi nodded. "Keep up the pressure! Let's end this here!"

With a Flash Step, she was back into the fray. Her Zanpakutō danced through the air, slashing one Hollow's throat and stabbing another through the torso in the blink of an eye. Soi-Fon was right beside her, and yet another Hollow fell to her lethal twin stings.

Squad Two's top fighters weren't the only ones carving into the enemy. Squad Ten was fighting just as fiercely, and clan rivalries aside, Yoruichi would freely admit that Rhaegon was giving a good accounting for himself. Her fellow Captain didn't look remotely tired, and in fact appeared to be slaughtering any Hollow unfortunate enough to cross his path with contemptuous ease. The same went for his Lieutenant and the rest of his top officers, all of whom were making steady headway through the horde of monsters.

Kisuke smirked as he stared down another charging group of Hollows. "Sing, Benihime!"

Once again, a wave of blood-red energy flew forth as he swung his Zanpakutō. The fearsome attack ripped apart the Hollows, and Kisuke immediately charged into the gap created by the dissolving beasts. One monster after another fell to his blade, and Yoruichi swiftly moved to join him. With her watching his back and Soi-Fon watching hers, the three of them mauled anything unfortunate enough to get in their way.

As she stabbed a Hollow through the back of the head, Yoruichi saw Kisuke's eyes narrow. Following his gaze, she saw that he was focused on a Hollow at the far end of the cave. There was nothing that particularly set it apart from its fellows at first glance, but Yoruichi was sure that her Third Seat had a good reason for singling it out.

"That one's about to bolt," he said as he stabbed another beast through the chest.

"Deeper into the caves?" she asked while slicing a monster's arm off.

Kisuke shook his head. "No, it's about to summon a Garganta."

"Does how it runs away really matter?" Soi-Fon argued while plunging her stinger blade into a Hollow's back, "Either way, if it retreats, then it'll come back later on! We need to kill it now!"

Yoruichi was inclined to agree with her bodyguard, but she knew that look in Kisuke's eyes. The gears in his mind were spinning; he wanted something from this particular Hollow.

"I'll be right back," he said before vanishing in a Flash Step.

The horde of Hollows had thinned out enough that a skilled practitioner of Shunpo could easily traverse the cavern, and Kisuke did precisely that. As Yoruichi took down another beast, she saw Kisuke reappear a little way off to the side of his target. His sudden appearance startled the monster, and sure enough, the space behind it began to shift. It soon opened like a mouth, and a swirling black mass was revealed by the rift.

He was right about it fleeing via Garganta, she thought as she decapitated another Hollow, Kisuke, what are you playing at?

Her Third Seat's eyes narrowed, and to Yoruichi it appeared that he was studying the Garganta itself rather than the Hollow that had created it. For a moment she thought that he might actually let the beast escape through it, but her fears were put to rest when he surged forward in the blink of an eye and thrust Benihime through the back of the Hollow's head. The Garganta collapsed, and the monster dissolved a moment later.

A Flash Step took Yoruichi over to him, and as she casually struck down another Hollow she addressed her Third Seat. "Mind telling me what that was about? You almost let it get away."

"I wanted to study the Garganta a bit," Kisuke replied as he effortlessly sliced another beast in half, "That was rather informative."

Yoruichi smirked while stabbing a third monster in the throat. "Oh, really? And what exactly are you going to do with that information?"

Kisuke smiled. "Well, if everything else goes my way, something fun!"

Yoruichi laughed; Kisuke's idea of 'fun' could be rather unorthodox at times, to put it mildly. "I bet! Well, just don't do anything crazier than usual, okay?"

Kisuke grinned. "No promises!"

Together they dived back into the fray. The remaining Hollows were in a state of full-blown panic now as the Soul Reapers moved to finish them off. The beasts fought frantically as they tried to escape, whether by going deeper into the cave or opening more Gargantas, but the net was closing in. Neither Squad Two or Ten had any intention of letting a single Hollow slip through their fingers, and both divisions were pressing their assault as they sensed that the battle was entering its home stretch.

"Oh, no you don't!" yelled Yoruichi as she sliced up a Hollow that had been trying to open a Garganta.

"Time to finish them off!" cried Soi-Fon as she struck down another beast that had been attempting to flee.

Yoruichi couldn't agree more. Unleashing the speed that she was so renowned for, she became naught but a blur of death. Her Zanpakutō was little more than the faintest of silver streaks in the air as she cut down none Hollow after another. Her foes didn't even see their own demise coming, and she wasn't about to give any of them the chance to fight back. She was precise, she was efficient, she was swift, and she was utterly lethal. No one could keep up with her, least of all the garden variety Hollows that she striking down in rapid succession.

As always, the Hollows fought on to the bitter end. It wasn't Soul Reaper policy to take the beasts alive, and Yoruichi wasn't aware of any instances of Hollows surrendering. If the beasts could not flee, then they would fight; there was no middle ground with them. They were primal, tenacious, and vicious, but none of that would do them any good this day.

Looks like there were no Menos among them, she thought idly as she carved up yet another foe, I imagine we would've found them by now, otherwise. Small favors…

Soon it was just a handful of beasts left, and then not even that. One by one they fell, until there was just a single Hollow remaining. The monster lunged at Rhaegon in a last, defiant attempt at a strike, but Squad Ten's Captain simply sidestepped the creature's attack before cutting it down.

Yoruichi sighed with relief as she surveyed the area to make sure that there were no stragglers. "Looks like it's finally over."

"Agreed," said Soi-Fon as she deactivated her Shikai and sheathed her blade, "Are you all right, Lady Yoruichi?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Of course. See? Not a scratch on me!"

Soi-Fon nodded and smiled in return. "Thank goodness."

"That wasn't too bad," said Kisuke as he looked around, "This lot wasn't much to write home about. Still, at least I got a little bit out of it."

Soi-Fon scowled. "Are you referring to that bit of stupidity where you almost let that Hollow escape through its Garganta? What the hell was that about? You were sloppy, Third Seat Urahara!"

Yoruichi put a hand on her shoulder. "That's enough, Soi-Fon. I know it doesn't make sense to you, but Kisuke had his reasons. Let it go, all right?"

Soi-Fon nodded, but not before shooting one last glare at Kisuke. "Fine."

"We should check up on the others," said Kisuke as he sheathed his blade, "The three of us might be fine, but we could still have some wounded to take care of."

Yoruichi nodded. "Agreed. I want both of you to fan out and round up the others. Once everyone's accounted for, let's get back to the surface."

"Understood," Kisuke and Soi-Fon answered in unison.

….

"…and the next thing I knew, I'd gotten a face-full of the Captain's boobs!" said Shisui with a laugh.

Itachi shook his head but could not suppress a smirk. "I can't believe it… I know I heard Captain Muguruma mention after the entrance exams that she could Flash Step out of her clothes, but still…"

Jiraiya grinned. "Shisui, you lucky son of a bitch!"

Shisui gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it…"

"What possessed her to do such a thing in the first place?" asked Itachi.

Shisui smiled. "I was a newly seated officer, still learning the ropes. I might've been a bit too serious for my own good, so Captain Shihōin decided I needed a little teasing to loosen me up."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Too serious? You?"

Shisui shrugged. "What can I say? I took the second chance this afterlife offers to heart, but now that I look back on it, I think I was trying to change too much of who I was. I thought that, since this was essentially a new life, that I should try to be a new person. That wound up working against me though; my technique started to suffer because I wasn't allowing myself to get into a flow that came naturally to me. The Captain saw that and decided to address it. I'm glad that she did, but… well, I'm not sure if that particular method was necessary."

"Indeed," said Itachi, "I never realized that she was such a… liberated woman."

"She's definitely not as stiff as some of the other officers that you'll find in the Soul Society," Shisui replied, "Still, she does have a sense of decorum and propriety when it's appropriate. She is the heir to one of the Five Great Noble Houses, after all."

"I've been meaning to ask about that," said Jiraiya, "Since her family's so powerful, does that mean Squad Two gets preferential treatment? It sure seems like she gets away with quite a bit."

Shisui shook his head. "It's not quite that simple. Yes, it's true that her family's pretty high up in the Soul Society; the head of the Stealth Force is a position that always goes to a member of the Shihōin clan, and the same goes for the rank of Captain for Squad Two. They may both be hereditary offices for her family, but there's no denying that she's more than earned her rank. Her abilities and strength are recognized throughout the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and she consistently produces excellent results in missions that fall under her purview. She may be a bit more easy-going than other Captains, but she's also effective enough to get away with it. We're consistently in the Head Captain's good graces thanks to her, and as a result we tend to get entrusted with more than our share of special assignments that require top tier Soul Reapers to successfully complete. They're not just a sign of her position; they're genuinely challenging missions that keep us on our toes."

Itachi nodded. "I see. How do you like it in her division?"

Shisui smiled. "It's great. Honestly, I think it's the perfect one for guys like us. Its structure and mission profile are about as close as we could find to what we were used to as Shinobi. Hell, I think the Captain runs things better than a lot of the old Jōnin or Hokage. They could learn a thing or two from Squad Two!"

"High praise," said Jiraiya, "Sounds like we've got quite a treat to look forward to come graduation. Of course, that's assuming we're lucky enough to get picked for your division."

Shisui grinned. "Please, you two are shoo-ins for sure! I'm sure some of the other Captains will make offers to you, but if you ask me, you couldn't do better than Squad Two. Then again, after a few years as part of the division now I might be a little biased."

"I should hope so," said a familiar female voice, "I put a lot of work into making sure my subordinates feel welcome in my squad!"

The three men turned to see Yoruichi approaching them. She was flanked by Soi-Fon and Kisuke, and none of them seemed any worse for the wear.

"Captain Shihōin," Shisui greeted her, "I take it the operation's concluded, then?"

Yoruichi nodded. "All the Hollows that we could find have been eliminated."

"No thanks to someone almost letting one get away," said Soi-Fon as she shot a glare at Kisuke.

Kisuke smiled. "Hey, now, there's no need for that kind of attitude! I still took it down, remember?"

Soi-Fon folded her arms. "That's not the point!"

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about," said Yoruichi as she looked around, "Where are Rija and Captain Drakken's niece?"

"By now, they should be back at the staging camp," Shisui replied, "The girl was wounded, so I ordered Rija to get her to the Squad Four relief team."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed in concern. "Is she all right?"

Shisui nodded. "Her wounds didn't look too bad, and Jiraiya did a good job of binding them in the field. Once Squad Four's finished with her she should be good as new, although she might still end up with a scar or two."

Yoruichi smiled with relief. "Sounds like things went about as well as they could have up here, then. Glad to hear it."

"How did the fighting down in the caves go?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well enough. The Hollows are gone, and apart from a few wounded we didn't suffer any real casualties."

"We still need to check in with the rest of the interceptor teams," Soi-Fon pointed out.

"Hopefully they'll be all right," said Kisuke, "I think the only group of Hollows that managed to make a break for the surface was the one that Shisui chased."

"If any of the other teams needed help, I imagine they would've sent a messenger or something by now," said Jiraiya.

Shisui nodded. "You're probably right. Still, we do need to make sure that they're all accounted for."

"The three of us will take care of that," said Yoruichi, "Shisui, I want you to go back to the staging camp with Itachi and Jiraiya, okay?"

"Understood, Captain," Shisui replied.

Yoruichi then turned to Itachi and gave him a soft smile. "I'm sorry that I kept Shisui hidden from you. From what he's told me, it sounds like you two were close friends in the past. I wanted to keep him as a little surprise for when you finally joined my unit, not to mention make sure that you were focused on your studies, but… well, now that I think about it, it all strikes me as selfish. I shouldn't have been playing a game like that with the two of you, especially given how far you've come since you started at the Academy; I think you could've kept making progress even with the knowledge that an old friend was out there, and it actually might've served as further motivation. Please, forgive me."

Itachi wasn't used to see her act so serious, but all the same, he appreciated the sincerity of her apology. "It's all right. I understand why you did it, and it was important that I remained focused on my training. Our meeting like this today may not have been planned, but it was a pleasant surprise. Shisui's spoken quite highly of you; you've given him a place to belong in the Soul Society. Thank you… Yoruichi."

She seemed a bit surprised at his response, but she recovered quickly enough. "I see… you're quite welcome. I hope that I'll be able to do the same for you when you graduate and take your place in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

"Of that, I have no doubt," Itachi replied.

She gave a warm laugh, and the light in her golden eyes burned like a brilliant summer sun. "You know, you may play the tall, dark and handsome role, but you've got a kind heart where it counts. Don't lose that, no matter what life throws at you."

Itachi was surprised to feel his face warm ever so slightly at her words. Was he actually on the verge of blushing? That wasn't like him at all. What had brought that on?

He heard the spirit of his Zanpakutō sigh. Idiot…

Itachi ignored the voice in his head and simply gave Yoruichi a nod. "I'll try to remember that."

"Good," she replied, "Now get back to the staging camp. I think you've put in more than your share of hard work for one day. Shisui, keep an eye on things there until I return, you got that?"

Shisui smiled. "Yes, ma'am!"

Yoruichi nodded. "We'll catch up with you later, then. See ya!"

She disappeared into a Flash Step a moment later, followed by Kisuke and Soi-Fon. Itachi and Jiraiya turned to Shisui, who gestured in the general direction of the camp.

"Come on, let's get a move on," he said, "We can check up on Rija and Visaelya back at camp. After that… well, I guess we've got some catching up to do."

"I'm looking forward to it," said Itachi.

"Hope you don't mind if I join the two of you," said Jiraiya, "It has been awhile since I've had someone else from the Hidden Leaf besides Itachi to talk to, after all."

Shisui grinned. "Sure thing. Let's move!"

As the three of them took off in the first of several Flash Steps, Itachi felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The mission was not technically over until they returned to the Soul Society, but the tension was already beginning to fade. Here he was, side by side with an old friend that he'd lost long ago. Once again, he was struck by just how fascinating, how life-like, this afterlife of his truly was. In many ways, it was almost like he hadn't really died at all.

I hope that it is a long time until Sasuke makes his way to the Soul Society, he thought, but when he does… if he lets me… there's so much of this place that I want to show him. If I can do so with Shisui, so much the better. May I see you again someday, little brother…

…but not yet.

Not for many years to come.

Author's Notes: With regards to Rija Usorba, if you're a Zelda fan then it probably didn't take you long to realize that she was based off of Urbosa from Breath of the Wild. Couldn't help it, she's my favorite Champion and I was dying to find a way to include her in a story of mine, even if it was under a different name! As for Obran Dorel, he's based off of another fictional character that I love, although not one from a video game: his model was Oberyn Martell from 'A Song of Ice and Fire', also known on HBO as Game of Thrones. While we're on the subject of 'Game of Thrones', if you follow the series then the physical appearances of Captain Rhaegon Drakken and his niece, Visaelya, along with how their names are structured, probably rang a few bells. That's intentional; they're pretty much dead ringers for House Targaryen, minus the incest. Yeah, I felt that might've been a bridge too far.

This story draws elements and influences from a few grand fantasy epics. 'A Song of Ice and Fire' is definitely one of them, no denying that. There is one more, though, and its influence will be felt quite keenly in the next chapter. You'll find out what it is in due time.

On an unrelated note, Shisui's back! Yes, I know some of you said it would be cliché if it was him. Here's the thing; I'd planned on bringing him in from the beginning, and that wasn't going to change no matter what you guys said. If you don't like it, that's your deal. Don't take this personally, but I've got more important things to worry about.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review!