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.

12. Chapter 12

Author's Notes: Hey there! Short chapter this time, or at least, short by my standards. This one's a pretty casual one, and as the title indicates it's mostly just to show Itachi and Jiraiya getting accustomed to their new routines as active duty Soul Reapers, although it does take a turn for the serious at the end. Things will start to pick up soon enough, this is just the official shift from the Academy Arc to the next part of the story.

Enjoy!

Chapter Twelve: Settling In

Here it is, thought Itachi as he stood at the main entrance to the Squad Two barracks, My new home.

After the graduation ceremony, Itachi and his classmates had been given a brief window to change into their official Soul Reaper robes before being escorted to their assigned divisions. In Itachi and Visaelya's case, their escort had been a friendly face; none other than Shisui.

His old friend gave him a knowing smile. "You've been here before, but I bet it's different seeing it like this. After all, now you officially belong here!"

Itachi nodded. "I suppose it's still sinking in."

Visaelya smiled. "I know what you mean. It feels good, though. It's… liberating, being here now."

Shisui chuckled. "You might change your mind once our Captain starts putting you to work!"

Visaelya shook her head. "No. This is where I want to be. I'm ready for what comes next."

"Speaking of the Captain, where is she?" asked Itachi as he looked around.

"Meeting with an old friend of hers," Shisui replied, "She's got something special in mind for tonight's welcome party and it's taking her longer than she'd planned to put it all together, otherwise she'd be meeting us here at the gate. Don't worry; she'll give you all a proper greeting as head of the division soon enough."

"In the meantime, why don't I welcome them on the Captain's behalf?" came a new male voice, loud and bellicose and more than a little on the smug side.

I have a feeling I know who this is, thought Itachi, at least, I do if what Yoruichi's mentioned about him in the past is anything to go by…

His hunch appeared to be supported by the exasperated look on Shisui's face. "Oh, for the love of…"

Sure enough, approaching the gate was a man with a Lieutenant's badge tied to his upper right arm. He was tall and bulky, with brown hair that was a bit curly on top while framing his face in long and well-trimmed sideburns. His Soul Reaper robes had a purple collar, and everything about the guy's demeanor screamed 'smug rich prick' to Itachi.

Visaelya's eyes narrowed as she studied the man. "I'm beginning to see why Captain Shihōin was not keen to have him attending the recruitment exhibition… or any of our field missions for that matter."

Itachi couldn't argue with her there.

Strutting forward, the man brushed right past Shisui and puffed out his chest in what he must've surely thought was an intimidating pose but struck Itachi as more buffoonish than anything else. "I am Marenoshin Ōmaeda, Lieutenant of Squad Two! Welcome to our glorious division!"

Itachi had to suppress a smirk as he saw Shisui roll his eyes behind the Lieutenant. "Nice to see that you could take time away from your schedule to give us a warm reception, Ōmaeda."

Marenoshin put his hands on his hips as he looked over his shoulder. "That's Lieutenant Ōmaeda to you, Tenth Seat Uchiha! How many times to I have to tell you that before you get it right?"

Shisui brushed past him. "Too many for you to count. Anyway, pay attention; I need to introduce you to our newest officers. This is Sixteenth Seat Itachi Uchiha and Eighteenth Seat Visaelya Drakken."

Marenoshin smiled as he looked at Visaelya. "It's an honor to have a member of the esteemed Drakken Clan as a fellow officer. About time our division got some more noble blood in it. A pleasure to meet you, Lady Drakken."

"Charmed," Visaelya quipped dryly, "and that's Eighteenth Seat Drakken, Lieutenant; my position in the aristocracy has no bearing on my rank within Squad Two."

She's handling him well, the spirit of his Zanpakutō noted with more than a hint of amusement.

Of course, she is. His family's a small fish in the ocean compared to hers. Besides, if she were easily intimidated, she wouldn't be here right now.

The Lieutenant seemed a bit taken aback by her response, although he recovered quickly enough. "Oh, I see… very well, then. I look forward to working with you, Eighteenth Seat Drakken."

He then turned to Itachi. "Another Uchiha… Itachi, was it?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. It's an honor to meet you, Lieutenant Ōmaeda. You more than live up to what I've heard about you."

Marenoshin grinned. "Finally, an Uchiha that can show some respect! I think you and I will get along just fine!"

How long until he figures out that you weren't complimenting him?

My bet is about a hundred years.

If we're gambling here, then I'll wager seventy.

What does the winner get?

The right to say 'I told you so'?

Good enough for me.

"Are you here to show us to our new quarters?" asked Itachi.

"Actually, that's my job," said Shisui, "Hey, Ōmaeda, isn't it about time for you to give out the final orders to the Patrol Corps for this evening's rotation?"

The Lieutenant's eyes widened, and Itachi couldn't help but notice the smirk that appeared on Shisui's face. "Oh, you're right! I'd better get going! Please don't tell the Captain that I almost forgot!"

Shisui grinned. "My lips are sealed."

The Lieutenant vanished with a Flash Step while the Tenth Seat turned back to Itachi and the other new recruits. "Sorry about that. You all weren't supposed to meet him until later."

Visaelya sighed. "No offense, Shisui, but our Lieutenant almost makes me ashamed of being a noble. His bearing was atrocious!"

"Is he always like that?" asked Itachi.

Shisui shrugged. "To varying degrees. He's not all that bad once you get used to him. Turns out he's actually a pretty competent administrator when his head isn't shoved up his own ass, and he does a decent job at running the Patrol Corps. His pride could stand to be taken down a few pegs, but if he were completely unsuited for this job then the Captain would've found a way to give him the boot by now. He can be a bit much to deal with sometimes, but he does have his part to play in making sure the division functions smoothly."

Visaelya looked skeptical. "Well… I suppose I'll believe it when I see it."

Shisui smiled. "Try to play nice; you are going to be colleagues from here on out, after all. If he steps out of bounds, just tell Kisuke or the Captain and they'll sort it out. Anyway, come on; time to get you all properly acquainted with your new home."

He led the group into the barracks, stopping occasionally to introduce them to officers they passed along the way. Since Itachi had been here a year ago when he'd been drafted along with Jiraiya and Visaelya for the barrow expedition he already had a good idea as to the layout, but it was still nice to have his old friend giving them a more detailed tour.

After showing them to their quarters and giving them a little bit of time to make whatever personal adjustments to them that they felt were necessary, Shisui picked up right where they'd left off. In addition to everything that they had seen on their tour a year ago, the Tenth Seat expanded upon the facilities that were specific to Squad Two and the Stealth Force. There was an arsenal building that housed many weapons which would not have looked all that out of place in the hands of Shinobi, and Shisui assured them that they would get the chance to lay claim to some of them to augment their fighting abilities once they'd put in some work. Itachi could feel the traces of spirit energy emanating from kunai and shurikens that were hung on the wall, and he was looking forward to getting a chance to practice with them.

There were several interrogation chambers and holding cells concentrated in one building, and they were even shown the entrance to the notorious Nest of Maggots prison since it was on the Second Division's grounds. It was a suitably imposing sight, surrounded by a wide moat and wall, and accessible only by a wooden bridge. There was just one entrance; a cold steel door in the side of a rock wall. Itachi felt it was rather fitting.

It makes no grandiose statements about itself. It makes its purpose clear in a very blunt manner.

A pity that weapons are forbidden. I wouldn't mind the chance to take the measure of some of the scum they've got locked away in there.

I'm afraid you'll have to satisfy yourself with the Hollows and criminals that we'll be fighting out in the field.

I'm sure I'll manage.

It was already rather late in the afternoon when the tour had started thanks to the graduation ceremony and the trek through the Seireitei to get to the barracks, and the sun had crept lower and lower in the sky as they continued looking around the facilities. Itachi soon realized that this wasn't just Shisui giving them a chance to acclimate to their new environment; he was playing for time.

Visaelya leaned over to whisper in Itachi's ear: it seemed that she had caught on as well. "Do you think he's stalling for the Captain so she can get her big welcoming party ready for us?"

"That'd be my guess," Itachi replied.

"It'd be a good one," Shisui cut in, smirking at the two of them, "Right on the money, in fact."

Visaelya blushed. "I didn't realize you were listening… forgive me I sounded accusatory."

Shisui laughed. "It's all right, Visaelya! Like I said, you're completely right. The Captain's got something special planned, and she wanted me to buy her enough time to get it ready for you. Don't worry; you won't have to wait much longer."

By the time the tour came to an end, the late afternoon had given way to early evening. The sun had all but vanished, while a crescent moon and the first stars of the night were beginning to take its place. Shisui seemed to take that as his cue, because he suddenly led them towards the main training yard of the barracks.

When they got there, Itachi saw that the rest of Squad Two's officers had been assembled, and at the front of the pack was Yoruichi, Soi-Fon, and Kisuke. The Captain gave Itachi a wink before addressing the group as a whole.

"Hope you all enjoyed the tour!" she said with a grin, "Welcome to Squad Two, everyone! I'm Yoruichi Shihōin, your Captain and, for tonight at least, your party host! I'm pretty sure you all had your fill of formalities and pageantry at the graduation ceremony earlier, so why don't we just kick off the festivities right here and now?"

It was at that moment that Itachi heard something he hadn't had the pleasure of hearing in quite some time coming from behind him and his fellow recruits; the telltale hissing and fizzing of a fireworks fuse being lit. He turned around just in time to catch sight of a shell flying out of one of several dozen assembled tubes at the other end of the training yard, followed by a brilliant orange and yellow pyrotechnic flower bursting into bloom in the night sky.

While the gazes of his comrades lingered on the explosion, Itachi had already shifted his focus back to the source. Standing in the middle of all the mortar tubes almost like a priestess in the midst of a ritual was a rather striking woman. Her height was about average, but that was the only thing that was typical about her. She looked to be about in her mid-twenties or so, but Itachi knew that appearances could be deceiving in the Soul Society and was reasonably certain that she was older than what first glance might suggest. Her figure was athletic and toned, with a very prominent bosom being held back by a red robe that still exposed more than a fair share of cleavage. Her right arm appeared to have been amputated just above where the elbow would've been, and white bandages covered the rest, but it didn't detract in the least from her attractiveness. The left arm had a strange black tattoo on it; Itachi couldn't begin to guess at the meaning behind it. Her red robe was backless, and while a white skirt fell down to about her knees her midriff was exposed, and Itachi caught more than a few of his fellow male recruits openly ogling her. The fading light of the opening fireworks burst illuminated her long and messy black hair, and her green eyes were ablaze with excitement. Itachi caught sight of a sword with red handle-wrapping sheathed and strapped to her back, although given the woman's appearance he wasn't sure if it was a Zanpakutō or not. Her attire certainly didn't fit with that of a typical Soul Reaper, but at the same time Itachi could still sense her considerable spiritual energy.

Soul Reaper or not, she's not to be trifled with, he thought, I wonder what her story is… and why do I feel like I should know her?

She grinned as she called out to her host. "Hey, Yoruichi! You gonna introduce me or what?"

Yoruichi laughed. "I wanted to give you the chance to make your big entrance first!"

The woman smirked. "Well, I don't know if I'd call that last one 'big'; it's a pretty modest party popper compared to the rest of the artillery I brought out for tonight!"

"You'll get the chance to light off every last one of them before the night's through," Yoruichi replied, "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Kūkaku Shiba, an old of mine and the pyrotechnic terror of the Soul Society!"

Shiba, thought Itachi, I thought she seemed familiar; her spirit energy feels similar to that of Squad Ten's Third Seat.

Next to him, he saw Visaelya's eyes widen. "The Kūkaku Shiba?"

Itachi was a bit puzzled by her reaction; he'd never heard the name before, but Visaelya clearly had. "Something I should know?"

"Well… there's a reason Captain Shihōin called her a pyrotechnic terror," said Visaelya, "I heard that she almost burnt down her family's estate with one of her… experiments."

"I heard that, Miss Drakken!" Kūkaku barked, although the smile on her face seemed to indicate that she wasn't all that offended, "It's not nice to whisper about someone right in front of them. I thought a daughter of the dragons' blood was supposed to be above that!"

Visaelya's face paled slightly. "I'm sorry!"

Is she really so fearsome?

I think we both know the answer to that. I can feel her spirit energy just as well as you can, after all.

Kūkaku stepped forward, glancing at Itachi and Visaelya before looking past them towards Yoruichi. "Interesting bunch of recruits you got this year! You sure they're up for the wringer you're going to put them through?"

"I'll find out starting tomorrow," Yoruichi answered with a smile, "Tonight's not the time to worry about that, though. After all, it's a party, and you're the entertainment, Kūkaku!"

Kūkaku chuckled. "Fair enough. Time for me to get to work!"

She whipped out a quartet of shells with surprising grace, depositing each into their respective tubes with showman's flair. Each fuse was lit in short order, and a series of 'thuds' sounded as the shells soared up from their tubes before bursting moments later into a veritable rainbow of dazzling radiance.

"There's more than just fireworks on offer tonight!" Yoruichi called out.

Itachi and the rest of the recruits turned back towards her, only to find that she and her fellow officers had stepped aside to reveal a full spread of food. Fish and eel were being grilled, there were rice balls aplenty, beef pots were steaming, and there was plenty of everything to go around.

"Don't hold yourselves back on my account," the Captain ordered with a grin, "Dig in!"

Visaelya smiled at Itachi. "Well, who are we to say no to our new Captain?"

Itachi nodded. "You're right. Besides, I don't think we've had a chance to eat since before the ceremony."

Visaelya's stomach gave a growl that was audible even over the fireworks, causing her to blush with embarrassment. "Yes… best we address that quickly."

Itachi let her take the lead. As the recruits went to fill their plates, he saw several Soul Reapers come out of the barracks carrying picnic blankets which they quickly spread out over the training yard. Soon everyone was dished up and dispersed across the training yard, fresh recruits mingling with officers and unseated Soul Reapers alike. For his part, Itachi waited until most of the others had taken their seats; there was someone in particular that he was hoping to dine with this evening.

Sure enough, he saw that Yoruichi was sitting with Kisuke and Soi-Fon, but there appeared to be room for one or two more on the red blanket that they'd claimed. Seeing that Visaelya had already joined Shisui and Rija, he made his way over to the Captain and her inner circle.

"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked as he approached.

Yoruichi grinned. "Are you kidding? I was about to drag you over here myself!"

"We were hoping to have a chance to chat a bit before you started your new duties," said Kisuke.

Soi-Fon gave him a nod and a smile. "You're the highest ranking of our new officers; you've earned the spot we've saved for you."

"Thank you," said Itachi as he settled in.

They spent a few minutes munching away before Yoruichi nodded at their evening entertainment. "So, what do you think of Kūkaku?"

Itachi glanced over at the fiery woman as she sent another series of shells racing into the sky. "She seems rather… energetic."

Kisuke chuckled as fresh blossoms of multicolored fire burst overhead. "That's a bit of an understatement!"

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "Sometimes it's hard to remember that she's actually a noble, what with the way she acts and all."

Yoruichi smirked. "The aristocratic lifestyle and Kūkaku were never going to fit well together. She's too much of a livewire for it."

"Visaelya told me that she almost burnt down her family's estate," said Itachi, "Is that true?"

Yoruichi laughed. "Oh, yes, and I'm never letting her live that down!"

"We did try to warn her that her experimental mixture was too volatile," said Kisuke.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yeah, but that was never going to stop her from trying it out. She could've at least picked a spot other than the Shiba estate's courtyard, though."

"I take it her family wasn't thrilled about her foray into pyrotechnics," said Itachi dryly.

"That's putting it mildly," Soi-Fon quipped.

"They tried to get her into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as a way of instilling discipline," said Kisuke, "She actually wound up in the same training class as me, Yoruichi, and Tessai."

Yoruichi gave a wistful sigh. "Those were some crazy times, weren't they? You know, sometimes I'm amazed that the four of us actually made it through the Academy with all the shenanigans we got up to!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "So, she was once a Soul Reaper, then?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Not quite. She actually went into the Kidō Corps with Tessai. She has a real knack for spellcasting, especially when it comes to attack spells. I'd say she was actually the strongest in the whole Corps apart from Tessai."

Itachi couldn't help but note the past tense there. "So, what happened?"

"She was reckless," said Soi-Fon, "Excessively so."

Kisuke chuckled. "That's one way to put it. She was a powerhouse out in the field, but back at the base she got restless quite easily. Formalities and paperwork didn't really sit well with her, and she never lost her taste for fireworks, even though that had been the whole reason why her family had enrolled her in the Academy to being with. Her knowledge of Kidō combined with her ever-growing pyrotechnic expertise drove her to undertake riskier and riskier experiments, all for the sake of a bigger and more colorful boom!"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Long story short, there was only so much that even Tessai could put up once he became the Grand Kidō Chief and Corps Commander. When one of her babies misfired rather spectacularly, it damn near took out the barracks in addition to claiming her right arm. The Head Captain and the Central Forty-Six threatened to come down hard, and the only way to avoid imprisonment was for Tessai to expel her. Fortunately, she didn't take it personally. Hell, they're still friends even now!"

"So she went into the fireworks business full-time, then," said Itachi as he watched her fire off another volley.

"Yup," said Yoruichi, "Her products are always in high demand; she's the best in her craft in all the Soul Society!"

Soi-Fon sighed. "She could've been so much more. If she'd actually applied herself to her training, she could've been head of the Kidō Corps herself someday, or at least the Vice-Kidō Chief."

Kisuke shook his head. "I don't think that really would've panned out long-term. Kūkaku's personality is as fiery as her products. Any rigidly structured environment like the Thirteen Court Guard Squads or the Kidō Corps would be a poor fit for her. It was only a matter of time before she left one way or the other."

"What's her place in the Shiba Clan?" asked Itachi, "How's she related to Squad Ten's Third Seat?"

"Isshin's actually her uncle, believe it or not," said Yoruichi, "He's the current heir to the family, so while the Shiba Clan might not necessarily be happy with Kūkaku's choices it's not the end of the world for them. She also has two brothers; an older one named Kaien and a younger one named Ganju."

"Speaking of Kaien," said Soi-Fon, "I heard a rumor that the Shiba Clan is going to have him enter the Academy within a year or so."

Kisuke nodded and glanced at Yoruichi. "I've heard that as well. Any truth to it?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Kūkaku brought it up when I was catching up with her earlier. If he's not with this year's entry class, he'll definitely be with next year's applicants."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "If he's Kūkaku's older brother and she's already been kicked out of the Kidō Corps, why hasn't he entered the Academy before now? If he's the eldest of the three siblings, wouldn't his family have enrolled him prior to her?"

"Normally, that would be the case," Yoruichi admitted, "However, Kūkaku became such a handful that they had to shuffle things around a bit. While they shipped her off to the Academy, they gave Kaien special attention with the finest tutors the family could afford. They want to be sure that he'll succeed so spectacularly that he'll become the new face of the Shiba Clan's next generation alongside Isshin, so they're taking their time to thoroughly prepare him for what's to come. They don't want another Kūkaku, although personally I think she turned out just fine."

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "With all due respect, you would say that, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi laughed. "Well, she is my friend, after all!"

Kisuke smiled. "And a good one, at that. Sure, she's rambunctious, aggressive, and almost as volatile as her fireworks, but she's also fiercely loyal to those that are close to her. She values friendship and those she considers to be her real family more than noble titles, status and wealth. When the chips are down, she'll have your back."

Itachi nodded. "She sounds like quite a woman."

"You got that right," Yoruichi replied.

Her gaze went towards the sky as Kūkaku sent another volley racing into the night. A fresh rainbow of fiery blossoms bloomed above, yet Itachi found it hard to focus on the pyrotechnic artistry. The light from the exploding shells was dancing in Yoruichi's eyes, and when combined with the satisfied smile on her face it made for a sight that was far more entrancing than the fireworks.

Are you finally ready to start being honest with yourself?

The voice of the spirit of his Zanpakutō jolted him, although Itachi kept his reaction limited to just a few blinks. His eyes were still on Yoruichi, and he knew that his weapon had a point. The way he was looking at her now… how she had never been far from his mind since the night she'd saved his life… well, it was rather obvious.

He was attracted to her.

She was so unlike any woman that he'd met during his time in the Shinobi World. He'd met his share of beautiful and powerful Kunoichi to be sure, but none of them could hold a candle to her. He didn't know the full extent of her abilities, but from the few hints he'd witnessed over the past six years Itachi was sure that her true power would be nothing less than a marvel to behold. It wasn't just her strength and her looks that had drawn his gaze, though.

She was a capable and respected leader. She was intelligent and vested with great authority, yet at the same time she was quite friendly, even playful. She was a beacon of vitality the likes of which Itachi had never seen before, shining even in the shadows that the division and Stealth Force that she commanded called home. Had she been born in the Shinobi World, Itachi was sure that she would've become a truly fearsome Jōnin. In fact, it wasn't too hard to think of her as one right now; Squad Two and the Stealth Force seemed to be about as close to Shinobi as the Soul Society could get. He could easily have seen her as a colleague in his past life, and she was officially one now since he'd finally graduated from the Academy.

Skill, strength, brains, looks, energy and warmth… she had it all. More than that, she'd used it to help him. Sure, she'd been nudging him towards her division in the process and had seen him as a valuable recruit, but that didn't change the fact that she'd more than once lent a hand to him when he'd desperately needed it. She hadn't just saved his life; she'd helped him find his footing in a strange and vast afterlife, and had given him the aid he'd needed to find the beginnings of a new path to go down, one that could potentially allow him to do the sort of good that he'd truly wanted to do so back when he was alive.

He'd been given a second chance, and he owed it all to her. In light of that, his attraction towards her was perfectly natural.

So why had it taken so long for him acknowledge what had been obvious for quite some time?

There was a somber answer to that. It even had a name attached to it.

Izumi Uchiha.

She was the first girl that he'd felt anything approaching romantic affection towards… and the last, at least while he'd been alive. There was a very good reason for that, too; she had been his first victim the night he wiped out their clan. In light of that, it was hardly a wonder that he'd been so reluctant to see how his feelings for the woman that was now his commanding officer had been slowly evolving over the years.

Let it go, whispered the spirit of his Zanpakutō in a surprisingly soft and gentle manner, You've been chained to that night for far too long now.

Those are chains that I'm fully deserving of. What I did was beyond any form of redemption, regardless of the motives behind it.

And yet you came to the Soul Society when you passed on, not Hell. Why do you suppose that is?

I doubt it'd be the first time there was a mistake like that in the afterlife.

Please: you just got through six years of learning about the Soul Society. You know how the sorting of souls works just as well as the rest of your classmates do. If you truly were the monster that you believe yourself to be, you would not be here… and I'm sure that a part of you other than me knows it. You're just afraid to recognize it.

Why would that be?

You fear forgiveness. The chains that bind you to that night are a sentence that has become your cornerstone. It's defined you all these years. If you moved beyond it, you would become someone new. You're afraid because you don't know who the new you might be. You shouldn't be; the past six years alone should've given you a glimpse at who you have the potential to become, and I can tell you that that's a man you should not be afraid of. You have earned the right to become him.

It's too soon…

No. You've tortured yourself for far too long. Your family didn't want this for you. Neither did Izumi.

Easy for you to say. You weren't there when I killed them.

I am a part of your soul. Your memories are mine, so I very much was there; you simply did not posses the knowledge required to recognize me at the time. With your parents, you delivered the quickest end you could. As for Izumi, you went to even greater lengths to ensure that she did not suffer. She felt no pain; she passed on in peace, and that was a blessing only you could grant her.

Part of him knew that the spirit of his Zanpakutō was right, but that still didn't change that what he'd done was still murder. He didn't deserve to be let off the hook that easily.

There are others out there that are far more deserving of blame than you. You were given an impossible choice, and I'm not the only one who recognizes that. You already told Jiraiya, after all, and he clearly hasn't shunned you for it.

The situation might not have been of my making, but the actions I took to resolve it were mine. Regardless of the choice, I allowed myself to become the instrument of their destruction.

To save your village, your country, and the Shinobi World from what would've been an utterly devastating conflict. Your clan made its bed with their ambition and resentment; you and Shisui were the only ones to recognize their folly, and you did what had to be done in order to rectify it. If Jiraiya could recognize that after a lifetime of distrusting you, then don't you think that others could as well?

"Hey, Itachi? You okay?"

Itachi's eyes widened slightly as he realized that he'd been staring at Yoruichi the whole time he'd been having his mental conversation with the spirit of his Zanpakutō. The Captain didn't seem to be uncomfortable about it; rather, she looked genuinely worried about him. Kisuke and Soi-Fon were looking at him as well, and Itachi could only imagine what they were thinking.

"Sorry," he said as he quickly looked down, grabbing a drink as he hastily composed himself. "I was… preoccupied."

Kisuke chuckled. "Zanpakutō talking your ear off again?"

"Something like that," Itachi replied before taking a sip.

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "You can't allow yourself to get distracted like that. You're an officer of Squad Two now, which means that you must be vigilant at all times."

"Hey," Yoruichi cut in as she put her hand on her bodyguard's shoulder, "Ease up on him a bit, all right? It's his first night in his new division after graduation; it's only natural for Itachi to have a lot on his mind."

Soi-Fon sighed. "If that's what you wish, Lady Yoruichi."

She turned her attention back to Itachi, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the surprisingly gentle smile on her face. "Anything you want to get off your chest?"

As a matter of fact, I can think of a few things.

Not here. Not now.

Then when?

That was a good question, and it was one that Itachi didn't have an answer for.

He shook his head, although his refusal was surprisingly hesitant. "It's… nothing."

The Captain's eyes narrowed slightly; she clearly wasn't buying it. "Are you sure? I don't mind breaking away from the festivities for a few minutes if you want to talk."

Her offer was much more tempting than Itachi had anticipated, but he forced himself to decline. "Thank you, but… it's all right. After all, this is a party for all of Squad Two; it'd be wrong for me to distract you from it."

"I don't consider helping my subordinates to be a distraction, Itachi," Yoruichi replied.

Itachi couldn't help but give her a small smile. "That's very kind of you. Perhaps another time… I might take you up on that."

She stared at him for a good long moment, but in the end, she didn't press the issue. "All right, then. I keep an open-door policy, so if you change your mind, just let me know."

Itachi nodded. "I will."

With that, her gaze and those of Kisuke and Soi-Fon returned to the sky as Kūkaku sent yet another volley soaring into the night. Itachi's eventually followed, but it lingered for a moment on Yoruichi.

If he told her the truth, what would she say?

Of all the divisions in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, hers was as close in duties and responsibilities to those of Shinobi as one could possibly get. As the commander of such a unit, there was the distinct possibility that she might understand what he had done more than any other Captain in the Soul Society.

Perhaps… one day…

….

The next day…

His head throbbing with a hangover that felt bigger than the likeness of Tsunade carved into Hokage Rock, Jiraiya groaned as he worked his way back to something resembling consciousness. Rubbing his eyes and his forehead as he sat up, he looked around to survey the damage from the previous evening's festivities.

"Oh, man…" he murmured, "How hard did we party last night?"

He was in the middle of the training yard of Squad Eight's barracks, and he wasn't the only one; it seemed like most of the division was there in varying states of sobriety or lack thereof. Cups and sake bottles were strewn everywhere, with a sizeable collection surrounding Jiraiya alone. He tried to recall what exactly had gone down, but all he got for his efforts was a fresh headache.

Amusingly enough, at the center of the mess and apparently still out cold was none other than Captain Kyōraku. Jiraiya vaguely recalled trying to go head to head with his new commanding officer the night before, but Squad Eight's leader was perhaps the most formidable opponent in a drinking game that Jiraiya had ever encountered. He imagined that the man would certainly have given Tsunade a run for her money if the two of them ever met in the Realms of the Living.

When she does pass on, and if I'm able to find her, I should introduce the two of them, he mused, Then again, I'm not sure if Squad Eight has enough booze for the kind of drinking contest that would likely ensue…

He cautiously struggled to his feet and was about to go over to check on the Captain when he saw Lisa march on over, hands on her hips and scowling at her passed-out commander. She stood over him for a moment before delivering a swift kick to the man's ribs, causing Jiraiya to wince in sympathy.

Apparently, the Lieutenant's kick was enough to break through the Captain's drunken haze, because he groaned in pain before sitting up to rub the point of impact. "Lisa… was that really necessary?"

She folded her arms. "Yes, it was. You don't get to spend the day out cold and leave orientation to me, Captain. Get up!"

Jiraiya chuckled as he walked over. "Captain, are you sure that you're the one who runs this division? It looks like the Lieutenant's the one that wears the pants around here!"

Kyōraku smiled as the division's newest officer approached. "Ah, good morning, Jiraiya! You here to give me a hand?"

"It looks like your Lieutenant's got that covered," Jiraiya replied, "At least, if by 'hand' you mean a good foot to the chest."

"You're lucky that I didn't administer the same treatment to you, Jiraiya," Lisa scolded him, "There's nothing wrong with cutting loose, but both of you seriously overdid it last night, and I'm not going to clean all this up by myself."

Kyōraku nodded as he stood up. "All right, I suppose that's fair enough. Lisa, do me a favor and go round up everyone. We made this mess as a division, and we'll clean it up the same way."

"Very well, then," she said, "Just as long as you pull your weight."

Kyōraku laughed. "Hey, where's the trust? I'll do my part, Captain's honor!"

As Lisa headed off to rouse the rest of the division, she was quickly replaced by Nanao entering the training yard. "Good morning, Captain! Oh, you're up too, Jiraiya! How are you feeling?"

Jiraiya grimaced; the little girl's high-pitched voice wasn't exactly what his throbbing head needed at the moment. "I've… been better."

Nanao giggled. "You were really funny last night! Maybe next time you shouldn't drink so much, though."

Jiraiya forced a smile. "I think you're right, Nanao."

The rest of the division came out from their quarters a few minutes later, and the next hour or so was spent cleaning up the remnants of the prior evening's festivities. Once they were done, most went off to take care of whatever their assigned duties were for the day, with the exception being Jiraiya.

I don't think the Captain ever got around to assigning me specific duties, he mused, or if he did, I'm having a really hard time remembering them right about now…

Fortunately, both the Captain and the Lieutenant were still in the courtyard. More intriguingly, both of them seemed to be waiting on Jiraiya. With nothing better to do, Jiraiya headed their way.

Kyōraku smiled as he approached. "How's the hangover?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "I could ask you the same thing!"

The Captain rubbed his forehead. "Man, don't remind me. This thing's going to take all day to go away!"

"I can't say you don't deserve it, Captain," Lisa deadpanned, "Last night was a bit much even by your standards."

Kyōraku gave her a wink. "Is that so? My mind might be a bit hazy right now, but I do seem to recall you enjoying yourself as well."

Much to his surprise, Jiraiya actually saw the Lieutenant blush at that, at least a little. "Well… it's important to unwind once in a while. Besides, since we were welcoming new recruits, I felt it was acceptable to let my hair down."

Jiraiya smiled as bits and pieces of the prior evening began to form a somewhat cohesive picture in his mind. "You actually had some fun last night, didn't you? Knocked back a few drinks yourself, eh?"

"I drink in moderation," she replied, "Last night… well, I only had one or two more than my usual."

Kyōraku grinned. "Only one or two more?"

Her response was to kick him in the shins. "Only one or two more.".

Kyōraku laughed even as he rubbed the point of impact. "If you say so."

"Now that we've got that settled, what comes next?" asked Jiraiya, "I believe I heard the Lieutenant mention something about orientation earlier."

Kyōraku nodded, although the way he was looking at Jiraiya suggested that it was a secondary concern at the moment. "That'll come soon enough. In the meantime, now that we're at least on our feet, I'd like a chance to evaluate you, Jiraiya."

The sage raised an eyebrow. "An evaluation? Weren't the Academy finals enough?"

"I saw your scores, and they were definitely impressive," Kyōraku replied, "However, a list of grades and instructor remarks only go so far. I want a better idea as to what you're currently capable of."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "What did you have in mind?"

The Captain turned to his Lieutenant. "Lisa, why don't you go a round with him?"

Lisa raised her eyebrow. "Captain? Are you sure about this?"

Kyōraku nodded. "Of course. A practical demonstration's the best way to gauge a new officer's skills."

"Very well, then," said the Lieutenant before turning to Jiraiya, "Hangover or not, you'd best prepare yourself."

Jiraiya shrugged. "Well, we don't always get to choose when we fight, so I guess this'll be some good practice. Any ground rules?"

"Anything goes as long as there's no permanent damage," said Kyōraku, "Lisa, try not to take him down too quickly. It's not much of an evaluation if you knock him out in a single hit."

"I'll exercise appropriate restraint, Captain," Lisa replied, taking a few steps back before placing her hand on the hilt of her Zanpakutō.

Jiraiya did the same, a spark of excitement racing down his spine as he faced off with the Lieutenant. He hadn't counted on a one-on-one match with Squad Eight's second-in-command so soon after joining the division. Having to fight her while still nursing a hangover was going to be a pain, but all the same he was very much looking forward to seeing what tricks she had up her sleeve. Even if she wasn't going all out, it would still be an educational experience.

Lisa turned to Kyōraku. "Do you mind officiating, Captain?"

Her commanding officer shrugged. "I suppose it's the least I can do. You ready, Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya smiled. "As ready as I'll ever be."

He turned to his Lieutenant. "Lisa?"

"Yes," she answered.

She then gave Jiraiya a nod. "This might be anything goes, but I'll do you a favor and refrain from using my Shikai. How's that for a handicap?"

Jiraiya smirked. "I guess that's fine, although to be honest I wouldn't mind seeing it."

She actually smiled at that. "Some other time, perhaps."

Kyōraku raised his right hand. "All right, then. Three… two…one…"

He then brought his hand down in a chopping motion. "Begin!"

The smile on Lisa's face grew ever so slightly…

…and then she was on Jiraiya before he could so much as blink.

….

She might not have been able to rival the likes of the Flash Goddess, but Lisa was still confident in her speed and had no compunctions about unleashing it on Squad Eight's newly-minted Seventeenth Seat. Her Flash Step took her from her starting position to less than a meter in front of Jiraiya in a mere moment, and her blade was drawn a second later. Her Captain might've ordered her to draw out the fight, but if her new subordinate couldn't block this blow then he wasn't worthy of the position that he'd been given.

Fortunately, Jiraiya proved himself to be up to the challenge. Rather than meet her head-on, he initiated a Flash Step of his own and evaded to the right. Lisa was able to close the gap in short order, but the move gave the new officer the space he needed to draw his Zanpakutō and deflect her strike.

Not bad…

It was a promising start, but she wasn't about to ease up just because he'd managed to block her first attack. Keeping her blade locked with his, she balanced herself on her left leg while raising her right to launch a kick straight at his chin. Much to her surprise, Jiraiya didn't fall back, but instead shifted to holding his sword in just his right hand while raising his left arm to block her kick. He then flashed her a smile, and she knew why; with both his legs still firmly planted on the ground, he had a much more solid position than she did.

Of course, she wasn't about to give him the chance to take advantage of it. Smoothly disengaging, she leapt backwards to allow herself an opportunity to regroup. Jiraiya thrust his blade forward, but she parried with fluid grace before going right back on the offensive. A series of rapid-fire thrusts was her counterattack, but Jiraiya stood his ground, blocking and redirecting each one without backing down.

He has solid frontal defenses, she mused, but let's see how he fares against a more acrobatic offensive…

Rolling to the right, she feinted with a stab towards his abdomen before suddenly leaping into the air. Performing a front flip as she passed over him, she lashed out with her sword in an attempt to cut his shoulder. At the last possible moment, he ducked, and as she came down on her feet Lisa was well aware of Jiraiya already whirling around to strike back. Her blade was up in a guard position before her feet even hit the ground, just in time to parry a powerful overhand blow.

His physical strength was impressive to say the least; in Lisa's trained eyes, it was easily several notches above what was expected from an officer of Jiraiya's rank. What made it even more formidable was that it wasn't the wild strength of a brute, but the controlled force of a trained warrior. It was honed and refined to the point that even though he was fresh out of the Academy he was already engaging her like a seasoned fighter.

His skills from his past life are no doubt a considerable factor here, she thought, I'm sure he'll be a real asset for our frontline teams…

It was time to shake things up a bit; she was here to do more than test his sword skills, after all. The Captain had said that this fight was anything goes, and Lisa was intent on putting their new recruit through his paces before the end of the match.

She Flash Stepped backwards to gain some space before shifting to a single-handed grip on her sword while raising her free hand and aiming the open palm towards Jiraiya. "Hadō 31: Shakkahō!"

She expected one of two possible outcomes based on the level of skill he'd already demonstrated; either he'd dodge it cleanly, or he'd deflect it with his Zanpakutō. Of course, there was always the chance that it might actually hit him, but Lisa wasn't banking on that. If he'd been able to keep up with her up to this point, then a spell like this one was hardly a threat to him.

Then she saw Jiraiya smirk as he did something that she'd most certainly not expected. "Bakudō 8: Seki."

A small orb of light blue spirit energy appeared over the back of his left hand as he raised it to intercept the crimson blast heading his way. When Lisa's attack hit the orb it was deflected, and she quickly found her own spell racing right back at her.

Clever.

She side-stepped to the right, and the blast sailed past her before exploding against the far wall. Lisa then brought up her sword into a guard position; Jiraiya was already charging forward, determined to press the advantage. Deflecting his diagonal slash, Lisa decided to take a defensive posture for the next few exchanges so she could fully evaluate her opponent's Zanjutsu.

It was easy to see how he'd aced the Zanjutsu portion of the final exams. His swordsmanship was far above that of a typical student; indeed, Lisa doubted that even the Academy instructors could match him at this point. He was just the right mix of strong and cunning, unleashing an effective assault that was straightforward yet easily adaptable. He was capable of measuring each of his strikes, ensuring that they were powerful while at the same time not draining his reserves too quickly.

It wasn't just his swordsmanship that was impressive. Jiraiya was proving himself to be quite capable of mixing up Zanjutsu and Hakuda as the situation called for it. He shifted his blade to a single-handed grip, and as he blocked a horizontal slash he then reached out with his free hand, forcing Lisa to backpedal to avoid being grappled. Her opponent pushed forward, returning to a two-handed grip and unleashing a rain of powerful overhand blows. Lisa was able to parry them, but on the last one Jiraiya suddenly lunged forward, attempting to knee her in the gut. Once again, Lisa pulled back to avoid the hit.

He's strong and versatile, she thought as she guarded against a fresh onslaught, At this point, the only reason his rank is that of Seventeenth Seat is because he hasn't unlocked his Shikai. The day that he does, he'll start climbing the ranks quite quickly.

Personality-wise, he might've had a bit too much in common with her Captain for Lisa's liking, but there was no denying that his skills were the real deal. She could definitely do worse for subordinates, and all things considered she was actually looking forward to working with him out in the field. Parrying a diagonal slash from him, she quickly glanced at her Captain, who gave her a nod; he'd seen enough. It was time to end this.

Making a high-kick as she deflected his attack, she then leapt over him, making a slash of her own as she did so. Jiraiya was able to block the attack, but it kept him on the defensive just long enough for Lisa to land on her feet behind him. He whirled around and was able to redirect the thrust she sent his way, but it was a close thing. Now Lisa was picking up her pace, filling the air with streaks of silver as her blade lashed out like a hydra.

Much to her surprise, Jiraiya actually smiled as she intensified her assault. He clearly wasn't intending to go down easily, and Lisa was curious to see what he had up his sleeves. He once again shifted to a single-handed grip on his Zanpakutō, but this time he didn't move to strike her with his free hand right away. Fending off the blizzard of strikes she was unleashing against him, he held his free hand open, and Lisa's eyes widened slightly as blue-white spirit energy began to whirl over his palm, rapidly forming a sphere of swirling power.

What kind of spell is this?

She got her answer a moment later when Jiraiya thrust out with the spinning ball of energy. "Rasengan!"

Rather than aiming at her, Jiraiya slammed his energy ball into the ground between them. Lisa only had a moment to ponder why he would do such a thing before she was provided an answer in the form of a deluge of broken tiles and the dirt and stones beneath them threatened to engulf her.

Even though she'd been taken off guard by her opponent's strange spell, Lisa recovered quickly. Not giving Jiraiya any time to capitalize on the distraction he'd created, she Flash Stepped to the left. A second Shunpo brought her directly behind him, and she charged right at him. Jiraiya spun around to block the attack, but this time he was just a split-second too slow, and the point of her sword came to rest mere millimeters from his face.

She gave Jiraiya a confident smile. "Match."

Jiraiya smiled back. "Looks like it."

The two of them sheathed their swords, and Lisa took a moment to survey the damage caused by Jiraiya's last-ditch attack. It had blasted a decent-sized crater in the training yard, and bits of tile, stone and dirt had been flung everywhere.

She heard applause off to the side, and she turned towards the source to find her Captain grinning. "Well, well… that was quite a show!"

Jiraiya bowed. "I aim to please."

Lisa nodded. "You certainly accomplished that much, although I doubt the Soul Reapers that will be assigned to patch up the training yard will share our sentiments."

Her Captain shrugged. "They've cleaned up worse messes than this before."

"Maybe I should buy them all drinks to make up for it later," said Jiraiya, "I guess I overdid it a bit at the end there."

Kyōraku smiled. "Perhaps, but I'm glad you did. Seeing that technique of yours was certainly worth the damage you caused!"

Lisa's eyes narrowed as she regarded her new subordinate. "What manner of spell was that? It didn't match any Kidō technique that I'm familiar with."

A knowing smirk was on her Captain's face. "Let me guess; a little holdover from your Shinobi days?"

Jiraiya nodded. "I've always liked having an ace in the hole or two up my sleeves. It took me a while to figure out how to recreate it with spirit energy as opposed to chakra, but I've got it down now."

Lisa took a moment to consider the amount of power the spell had packed. "That technique could likely take out lesser Hollows in a single shot."

"Looks like its power is proportional to your own," Kyōraku added, "So, the stronger you get, the more powerful this 'Rasengan' of yours should get as well."

"That's what I'm hoping, anyway," said Jiraiya.

"Intriguing," Lisa murmured, regarding the division's Seventeenth Seat with renewed interest, "Is this a technique that you could teach to others?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Are you volunteering to be my first student, Lieutenant?"

"Can you or not?" she snapped.

Jiraiya nodded. "I suppose I could. The same basic principles apply for the technique in the afterlife as they did when I was alive, although manipulating spirit energy in such a manner is more difficult than chakra."

Kyōraku raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why's that?"

"Spirit energy seems to be more volatile," Jiraiya answered, "That seems to be part of the reason why most of the Kidō spells we learn have incantations; they help control the energy. Firing off the spells without the incantations doesn't just result in a reduction in power, but also lessens the efficiency of the spells."

"But the spell you just used in our bout required no incantation, only the name," Lisa pointed out.

"Saying the name is the easy part," Jiraiya countered, "It's getting the spirit energy to form that ball you saw and properly contain it before releasing it on a target that's tricky. The technique never had an incantation when I was using chakra to fuel it. That might be one of the reasons why it took me so long to remaster it once I came here; I was first trying to manipulate spirit energy exactly like I would chakra, and it was only after taking into account the differences between the two and adjusting accordingly that I was finally able to relearn the technique. Even then, it wasn't exactly easy."

"Any other tricks from your Shinobi days that you can still use?" asked Kyōraku.

"My taijutsu skills are still intact," Jiraiya replied, "They translate pretty well to Hakuda since both are basically the same thing; hand-to-hand combat. As for actual techniques such as ninjutsu or genjutsu, as of right now I'm afraid the Rasengan is the only tool I've been able to pull out of that particular closet. Still, it's early days, so there's no reason why I wouldn't be able to figure out how to use more of my old techniques with spirit energy instead of chakra if given enough time."

He then flashed another grin at Lisa. "So, you still want to learn my little spell? Just say the word, Lieutenant! I'm always happy to have a beautiful woman as a student!"

She actually was tempted, if only for the possible utilizations of the spell rather than the personality of her would-be teacher. "Eventually. For now, though, it'd be better for you to focus on acclimating to your current role as the Seventeenth Seat of Squad Eight."

"I take it there's more to that than partying hard and sparring with my superior officers," said Jiraiya, "So, what's on the list for today?"

Lisa smiled. "First, go gather a suitable group of unseated division members. You're going to help our maintenance personnel clean up the mess you made here."

Jiraiya chuckled. "All right, fair enough!"

As he left the training yard, Lisa turned to her Captain. "He shows more promise than I'd initially given him credit for. He might be a bit too similar to you for my liking, but I have to admit that he'll be a great asset for Squad Eight."

Kyōraku grinned. "Glad to see you're coming around! Can I count on you to keep putting him through his paces? We need to make sure to polish this gem that we've acquired, after all."

Lisa nodded. "Of course, Captain."

….

A week later…

"Hold here!" Soi-Fon ordered as Itachi and Visaelya came to a stop behind her.

Itachi nodded; although he was able to maintain his composure, he was privately thankful for a chance to catch his breath. "Understood."

Next to him, Visaelya sighed with relief. "Yes, ma'am."

Yoruichi's bodyguard was a stern taskmaster, but Itachi couldn't deny her effectiveness. Ever since she'd started running him and Visaelya through these exercises, he'd noticed a measurable improvement in their endurance and speed, and they'd only been doing them for a week.

The day after the welcoming party that had been held for the new recruits of Squad Two, Yoruichi had placed Itachi and Visaelya under the direct supervision of Soi-Fon, who had proceeded to run them through the same series of drills from morning to dusk. The exercises consisted of a series of Flash Step courses that went across the Seireitei, and both newly minted officers had immediately picked up on the dual nature of the drills; they were meant not only to increase their proficiency in the swift movement techniques that Squad Two placed such value in, but also to hammer into them the layout of the Seireitei so that they would be more effective in responding to a potential crisis within its confines.

As the Eighteenth and Sixteenth Seats took advantage of the respite to regain some of their energy, Itachi caught Soi-Fon carefully studying them. The look she gave them was not unlike those he and Visaelya had received from their instructors at the Academy, save that Soi-Fon had much sharper eyes.

After a moment, she gave the two of them a nod of approval. "You've both done well so far. Lady Yoruichi will be pleased."

That was about as high of praise as Itachi had ever heard her give before. "Thank you."

Visaelya bowed. "You honor us, Miss Soi-Fon."

Soi-Fon took a few seconds to survey the part of the Seireitei the three of them were in before turning back to her subordinates. "There's a teahouse not too far from here that Lady Yoruichi's taken me to before. We'll stop there for lunch today."

Itachi was surprised at her sudden announcement; normally she just took them back to the Squad Two barracks for a quick meal before resuming their exercises. Still, he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"We'll follow your lead," he said.

She nodded before leading the two of them to the teahouse in question. It was a modestly sized establishment, with a very cozy feel to it as the three of them walked through the front entrance. As it was midday there was already a sizeable crowd present, the bulk of which consisted of Soul Reapers enjoying a quick break before returning to their duties. Soi-Fon simply nodded at a waitress who immediately led the three of them to a booth in the back corner of the teahouse. The three of them were seated, and a few minutes later they were swiftly provided with drinks and menus.

"This is a nice place," said Visaelya as she looked around, "I've never been here before."

"Lady Yoruichi's fond of it," said Soi-Fon, "and I suppose it's grown on me as well over the years."

There was a very small smile on her face, and Itachi realized that their taskmaster was actually letting her hair down a bit, so to speak. If he played things just right, this would be an ideal chance to not only learn more about her, but their Captain as well.

Gathering intel on the target of your affections?

Save the quips.

Fine. I'll simply watch in amused silence.

"If you don't mind me asking," Itachi cautiously began, "how did you come to be in Lady Yoruichi's service? She seems quite relaxed around you. Were you two friends before you officially became her bodyguard?"

Soi-Fon shook her head. "No. I'm fortunate to have earned her friendship in the time I've served her, but she was not familiar with me when I initially entered her service."

Visaelya leaned forward, sensing a story to be had. "Miss Soi-Fon… you're a member of one of the Shihōin Clan's vassal houses, right? The Fon Clan?"

Soi-Fon nodded. "That's right. My family has served the Shihōin Clan since before the Andunayan Conquest of the Soul Society. The retainers we've provided have typically been for martial or espionage duties. Warriors, bodyguards, assassins, spies; we've performed those roles and many more. In turn, we've been rewarded by the Shihōin Clan with an estate in the Seireitei as well as our own land holdings within the Shihōin Principality. It's quite common these days for members of my clan to serve in Squad Two or the Stealth Force as need and ability dictates."

"I've heard that members of the Fon Clan undergo rigorous training even before they enter the Academy," said Visaelya, "Was it the same for you?"

"Yes," Soi-Fon replied, "The Fon Clan maintains training grounds both within the Seireitei and the Shihōin Principality. Before members of our clan can enter the Academy, we must prove ourselves to the family instructors. It was the same for my generation of the family as it was for those that came before."

"You must've performed very well at the Academy, given such a background," said Itachi.

A slightly more confident smiled appeared on Soi-Fon's face. "I did. My marks in Hakuda and Hohō exceeded those of my peers by a considerable margin. I even outdid my siblings, and they'd been given the same prior training as me."

"How many siblings do you have?" asked Visaelya.

Her smile vanished, and while for the most part she maintained her composure there was a hint of mournfulness in her gaze. "I was the youngest of six. The other five were all brothers… and they all perished in the line of duty."

Visaelya couldn't suppress a gasp. "Oh… I'm so sorry."

Soi-Fon sighed. "It was years ago. Our family's accustomed to such losses. Duty and service come first, and we all go into our training knowing that we may be called upon to give our lives at any time for our missions."

Itachi nodded; he understood all too well where she was coming from. "Whether it risks our lives or our personal honor, the mission comes first."

Soi-Fon's eyes widened ever so slightly at that. "Yes… spoken like a member of my clan, in fact."

"Your clan's duties aren't all that different from those that I had during my time as a Shinobi," Itachi pointed out, "I believe that prior experience played no small part in my gravitation towards Squad Two."

They were interrupted by the arrival of a waitress who quickly took their meal orders. Once she left, Itachi picked up right where they'd left off.

"When we first met," he said, "you mentioned that you were a member of both Squad Two and the Executive Militia. The latter's part of the Stealth Force. When you graduated from the Academy, did you start in Squad Two or the Stealth Force?"

"My initial posting was specifically the Executive Militia of the Stealth Force," Soi-Fon answered, "By my senior year in the Academy my Asauchi had adapted to become my personal Zanpakutō, and the small size of its sealed state lent itself very well to the kind of fighting that's expected of the Stealth Force. When that was combined with my scores in Hakuda and Hohō, the choice was obvious."

"Was that when you first met Lady Yoruichi?" asked Visaelya.

"Yes and no," Soi-Fon replied, "It was my first time formally introducing myself to her, but I had seen her before when she'd visited my family prior to my passing the Academy entrance exams."

A slightly wistful smile then appeared on her face. "When I first saw her… I was captivated. Her bearing, her grace, the strength that radiated from her… she was everything I wanted to be and more."

The smile then became a slight smirk. "When I officially met her upon joining the Stealth Forces… well, I was a little thrown off, to be honest. Then again, looking back on it all, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. After all, when she visited my family it had been in a formal capacity as the heiress of the Shihōin Clan, and since we were amongst her most loyal vassals, she naturally went to great lengths to present a suitable image. She's much more relaxed when she doesn't have to deal with the trappings of the aristocracy, something I quickly came to learn during my time in the Stealth Force and Squad Two."

"Forgive me if this comes across as rude," said Itachi cautiously, "but you two do seem to have somewhat clashing personalities. Did that impact your ability to settle into your new role?"

Soi-Fon shook her head. "I thought it might at first, but I quickly discovered that, despite her laid-back nature, she was and still is a very competent commander. The strength that I had sensed in her the day I first saw her was genuine, and to this day… well, she's a true marvel to witness in combat."

Itachi allowed himself a small smile as images of the night he'd first met her flashed through his mind. "She certainly is."

Soi-Fon nodded. "I resolved to redouble my efforts, both in my missions and in my training, so I could serve her to the fullest of my capabilities. It took seven years, but eventually I'd progressed to the point that she promoted me to one of her personal guards. In time, she actually began to personally instruct me, and we became not only commander and subordinate, but teacher and student. Now I'm the head of her personal guard. I wouldn't be half the Soul Reaper I am today if it weren't for her tutelage."

"To be taught by the Flash Goddess herself would be a huge honor," said Visaelya, "I hope I can earn the same opportunity someday."

Soi-Fon regarded the two of them thoughtfully for a moment. "Both of you are actually closer to that than you might think."

She looked like she was going to continue, but it was at that moment their food arrived. The three of them busied themselves with their meals, although Itachi's mind wasn't fully on his lunch and tea. His past interactions with Yoruichi played out in his head, in particular the efforts she'd put into helping him catch up to his peers after the incident with the soul fracture.

The instruction was from one of her clan's private tutors rather than Yoruichi herself, but still…

Looking forward to some private training time with the lovely Captain?

Yes…

He had the satisfaction of actually taking the spirit of his Zanpakutō by surprise for once. Well, now… I didn't think you'd actually admit it. That's progress.

After a few minutes of eating, Soi-Fon spoke again. "The two of you have progressed quite well in the week that you've been under my wing. We'll still go through the remainder of today's exercises once we're done here, but after that I'll make my recommendation to Lady Yoruichi."

"And that would be?" asked Visaelya.

"That you're both ready to begin your first official Seireitei patrols," Soi-Fon replied, "You'll be on those for a couple weeks in order to reinforce your knowledge of the layout, but after that you'll likely be deemed ready to start branching out into the Rukon District and The Wild. The Realms of the Living will be next, and while that will in large part depend on the performance you demonstrate in your patrols, if what I've seen over the past week is any indication, I don't think it'll take long at all to get you both out there."

Itachi nodded. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Soi-Fon actually smirked at that. "You might want to save your gratitude. You never know what sort of trouble you can run into on your patrols, after all."

Visaelya smiled. "We'll be ready for it."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Yes… I think you two will be."

….

A week later…

Dusk was giving way to night as Jiraiya approached the Squad Four barracks. He couldn't help but smirk as he thought of what an outside observer might think of the situation. Here he was, Seventeenth Seat of Squad Eight, going to visit the Captain of Squad Four just as the sun was fading from the horizon. It was all too easy to imagine what sort of conclusions someone could jump to…

…and Jiraiya would be lying if he said that he wasn't hoping that one or two of those 'conclusion' might someday become something closer to the truth.

Approaching the gate, he saw a familiar figure waiting for him. It wasn't the Captain, but that was okay; Jiraiya wasn't about to send away Squad Four's cute Seventh Seat.

Isane smiled. "Welcome, Jiraiya. Captain Unohana sends her apologies; she felt it would be better if I greeted you in her stead. After all, this is an endeavor that we're trying to keep under wraps, so her standing by the gate of our division's barracks at this hour would draw

Jiraiya chuckled. "And you standing here at this hour doesn't draw attention?"

"I'm only the division's Seventh Seat," Isane pointed out, "Who pays attention to a Seventh Seat?"

"When they're as cute as you, I do!" Jiraiya replied with a grin.

Isane blushed and looked down in embarrassment. "Oh… thank you! Anyway, let's get going. She should be ready for you."

She hastily led him through the Squad Four barracks. The last time Jiraiya had been here it was to visit Itachi during his recovery from the soul fracture years ago, but the place hadn't really changed since then. At this late hour there were only a handful of Soul Reapers milling about, most of whom only gave Jiraiya a curious glance before continuing on their way.

"Sorry for any trouble this causes you," said Jiraiya as he followed the officer inside.

Isane shook her head. "It's quite all right. I'm in full agreement with Captains Unohana and Kyōraku regarding this initiative, and I understand the need to keep a low profile."

"If I keep showing up like this and you keep greeting me, people might start talking," said Jiraiya with a smirk, "They might get certain ideas about the two of us!"

Once again, Isane blushed. "Well… it'll just be gossip. That's hardly unusual in an organization as large as the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. I'm… not concerned about it."

Jiraiya was skeptical to put it mildly, but he figured that he'd teased her enough for one night. It only took a couple minutes for Isane to lead him into a large open room towards the back of the barracks where Unohana was waiting for him. Jiraiya suspected that the room was normally used as a meeting or lecture hall, but tonight its only occupant was the Captain. He certainly wouldn't complain about the atmosphere; the room was only lit by a handful of candles, and his companion for the evening looked all the lovelier in their flickering light.

She smiled as Isane led him inside. "Welcome, Jiraiya. I'm glad you could make it here at this hour. I hope the time isn't an issue to you."

Jiraiya grinned. "Who am I to say no to a late-night rendezvous with a woman like you?"

He had the pleasure of hearing the Captain's soft and warm laughter. "As charming as ever. I do hope that you remember the reason you're really here, though. Should you find yourself becoming distracted…"

Her smile remained, but once again there was that unmistakable shadow in her eyes, one that was given an added menace by the dimly lit room. "…you may find yourself having to apply the lessons you learn here in a practical manner much sooner that you might've imagined."

Even when making threats, there was an undeniable elegance about her that Jiraiya found damn-near irresistible. "I'll try to keep my mind on the lesson. No promises, though!"

A surprisingly pixyish smirk appeared on her face. "Well, then… proceed at your own peril. Isane, thank you for brining him here. You may leave now."

Isane nodded. "Understood, Captain."

As the Seventh Seat shut the door, Unohana nodded at a circular meditation mat that was spread out on the floor in front of her. "Please, have a seat."

Jiraiya did so, and as he settled in, he saw what looked like a cloth covering a small object laying next to Unohana. He suspected he'd find out what it was soon enough; he doubted the Captain would've brought it if it weren't needed for the opening lesson.

Sure enough, a moment later Unohana picked up the object and removed the cloth, revealing a clear crystal about the size of a children's ball. "I know it's been six years since the Academy entrance exams, but surely you remember this?"

Jiraiya nodded. "The crystal from Phase Three. Hard to forget."

Unohana smiled. "If you recall it so clearly, then that will make this much easier. As you know, this crystal will create a visual manifestation of your spirit energy. I need to be able to judge just how much your power and energy control have grown over the past six years, since both of those are crucial to the healing arts. This crystal will give me a sufficient sample. Pour your energy into it, and do not hold back."

She then passed it to Jiraiya. "If you require some time to meditate in preparation, please feel free to take it. I'm in no rush."

Jiraiya grinned as he focused on the crystal in the palm of his right hand. "No need for that."

He sent his spirit energy flowing into the stone, and the fruits of his training made themselves known just a few seconds later. The crystal blazed with blue-white flame, the radiance of which soon lit up the entire room, easily surpassing the light of the candles.

Unohana leaned forward slightly, her gaze focused intently on the crystal and not appearing to be bothered in the least by the bright light. "Impressive. Maintain this until I say otherwise or you are unable to do so."

Jiraiya's brow furrowed in concentration. He hadn't been expecting an endurance test right off the bat, but he wasn't about to back down from the challenge. His focus on the crystal and maintaining the flow of spirit energy was such that he soon lost track of time, and he was only dimly aware of the sweat that was slowly building up on his brow.

After what felt like hours but could very well have been just minutes for all he knew, Unohana gave him the command to stop. As he did so, she passed him a wet washcloth; somehow, she'd left the room and returned without him ever noticing her absence, so intent had he been on the exercise.

She gave him a warm smile as he set the crystal down and wiped his forehead. "Very well done, Jiraiya."

"How long did I last?" he asked.

"Long enough for me to determine where you currently stand as a Soul Reaper," she answered, "I must say, I'm quite pleased with your progress. Your current rank may be that of Seventeenth Seat, but I can think of more than few officers in higher positions who would be envious of the power you just demonstrated."

Jiraiya smiled. "You're too kind."

Unohana chuckled, the smile on her face taking on a slightly ominous feel now that the light from the crystal had died down and only the candles were illuminating the room again. "You may wish to retract those words once the night is over. That was only the first test I have in store for you, Jiraiya. The night is young, and it shall not go to waste."

….

His endurance is impressive, mused Unohana, although I imagine that he'd like me to be thinking that in a different context…

Throughout the night, the Captain of Squad Four had run her guest through a series of exercises designed to fine-tune his manipulation of spirit energy. These were just the first steps; it would still be some time before Jiraiya would be ready to begin applying it to actual healing spells. Still, it was a promising start, and the fact that he was able to complete all of them even after pouring so much energy into the crystal at the beginning gave Unohana high hopes as to his potential.

Breathing heavily as the glow of spirit energy once again faded from his hands, Jiraiya took a sip of water before turning to Unohana again. "So, what next?"

Unohana smiled. "Actually, that's the last of what I had in store for you tonight. Since this was our first session, I wanted to make sure that you had a solid foundation before we proceeded further. I'm pleased to say that you've exceeded my expectations."

Jiraiya grinned. "Good to know!"

Unohana stood up and motioned for him to follow. "It'll be dawn in a few hours, but you should be able to make it back to the Squad Eight barracks with a little time to spare for rest. It wouldn't do for you to go about your duties with no sleep whatsoever."

Jiraiya yawned. "Next time, can we schedule this so that the morning after will be on one of my off days?"

Unohana shook her head. "I can make no such promises, unfortunately. Remember, we are trying to keep this a secret from the Central Forty-Six for the time being. It's necessary to vary the nights that we have these lessons. If you're seen coming and going at regular intervals, that will only serve to raise suspicion."

Jiraiya smirked as she led him towards the entrance to the barracks. "Are you sure? Sounds like the real reason might be that it'd be embarrassing for you to be seen with a guy like me at such an hour! Is that closer to the mark?"

Unohana giggled; if nothing else, his willingness to joke about such things with her was actually rather refreshing when compared other Soul Reapers who feared stepping over the line. "Well, as a Captain I do have my reputation to consider. After all, for me to take on a student so lacking in technique and experience is scandalous in and of itself, wouldn't you say?"

She had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes widen ever so slightly for a moment before he started laughing. "All right, I guess you've got me there!"

Unohana nodded. "Jokes aside, I do hope that you'll remember the importance of this little endeavor of ours. I'd hate for all the work that we're going to put into this to be undone just because of some careless words or a poorly-timed sighting."

"Don't worry," said Jiraiya, "I'll be careful. Can't have the stiff old geezers from the Central Forty-Six ruining the fun, after all."

"I'll send a Hell Butterfly with the date and time for our next session," said Unohana, "Please give Captain Kyōraku my regards; his help in this matter is greatly appreciated."

Jiraiya smiled. "I'll let him know. Until next time, Captain!"

Unohana nodded and smiled as she watched him depart. "Yes… until next time, Jiraiya."

….

A few weeks later…

It was his day off, but that didn't mean Itachi was relaxing. Keeping up with his training was one of his duties as an officer of Squad Two, and the Sixteenth Seat didn't intend to slack off now. He had the training yard to himself today, so he was taking full advantage of it, honing the precision of his Shunpo by Flash Stepping across a web of mats that he had set up earlier in homage to the test that the Head Captain had run him through years ago during his recovery from the soul fracture. His accuracy and speed were leagues beyond what it had been back then, but it wasn't nearly good enough as far as Itachi was concerned.

Compared to her, this is sloppy, he thought as he finished up another circuit, I still can't hold a candle to her…

Well, she is known as the Flash Goddess for a reason, after all, the spirit of his Zanpakutō gently reminded him, I'm all for you improving your skills in the art that she's gained such renown for mastering, but you need to be realistic. You're not going to catch up to her in a short amount of time, and I doubt she's expecting you to either. This will be a marathon, not a sprint.

She was right, but that wouldn't stop Itachi from working up a sweat just the same. Speed was one of the qualities that Squad Two prized so highly, and if Itachi wanted the Captain to see him as more than just a gifted subordinate he figured that refining his Shunpo was as good a place as any to start.

Again, he silently told himself, in three…two…one.

The wind whipped through his hair as he took off, and the training yard became little more than a blur to his eyes as he traversed the course. That was a problem; the ability to discern key details at high speed was crucial when one was out in the field. He still had a long way to go when it came to training his eyesight to keep up with the speed that he was capable of reaching. Shunpo far surpassed the movement speed that most Shinobi were capable of in their Realm of the Living, although Itachi had to wonder how it could compare to the likes of someone like Shisui in his prime or Minato 'Yellow Flash' Namikaze. Perhaps he would find out someday. After all, the Soul Society was a vast place, and just because he had not yet encountered the late Fourth Hokage did not mean that such a meeting would never happen.

His understanding of the physical layout of the heart of the afterlife had grown by leaps and bounds over the past few weeks. The patrols he'd been conducting within the Seireitei built upon the already solid foundation that he had gained through the training runs with Soi-Fon, and Yoruichi had already indicated that she'd be giving him his first crack at the Rukon District soon enough. It was an opportunity that Itachi had been itching for since before joining Squad Two, and he was quite eager to apply his skills outside the Seireitei.

He'd managed to get some time in between his official duties and training sessions to check in with Shisui regarding his unofficial sweeps of the Rukon District in search of signs of the Uchiha Clan. His old comrade had compiled meticulous charts and notes to keep his search organized, but despite his best efforts and the years he'd already spent on the project he hadn't found so much as a trace of the clan. It was through no fault of his own; the sheer mammoth scale of the Soul Society meant that a single-man search was up against monumental odds. Even the addition of Itachi to the sweeps, along with Jiraiya once he got the chance to help out, would barely put a scratch in such an obstacle.

Itachi was undaunted, though. Yes, the task before them was nothing to sneeze at, but it wasn't impossible. They could beat the odds through cooperation and thorough study of their environment. They'd catch a break sooner or later.

Itachi could only hope that it wasn't too late.

If your clan's arrogant enough to think it can pull the same stunt here that it attempted to pull back then, they're in for a rude awakening.

It doesn't mean they won't try. Shisui can't be the only Uchiha in the Soul Society that's regained the Sharingan over the years. The clan's pride in the power of our eyes helped fuel one downfall, and it can easily plant the seeds for another.

Perhaps. Still, they'd have to find each other first. That's no small feat around here, as Shisui can attest.

Don't underestimate the lengths an Uchiha will go to in order to achieve their ambitions.

Her chuckling echoed in his mind. Oh, trust me; that's the last mistake I'll make.

He went through a few more circuits before he decided it was time to take a little break. As he gathered up the mats to put them away, Itachi couldn't help but feel like someone was watching him. Looking around the training yard, he realized that he did indeed have an audience… and a rather unusual one to boot.

Sitting at the edge of the training yard was a black cat. It didn't look too out of the ordinary in and of itself, although its golden eyes did appear a bit brighter than normal. The feline seemed to be focusing specifically on Itachi, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

Finishing his cleanup, Itachi sat down to meditate, keeping one eye on the cat as he did so. The feline walked over towards him before sitting down right in front of him.

"Meow."

Curious, Itachi leaned forward to study the creature in further detail. He couldn't recall any of his fellow members of Squad Two owning a cat, but since he'd only been in the division for a short amount of time it was entirely possible the feline did belong to one of his comrades. Interestingly enough, the cat leaned forward a bit as well, mirroring Itachi's posture as well as it was capable of. He was about to return his focus to meditating when the creature suddenly hopped into his lap. Settling in, the cat then looked up at him expectantly.

Itachi couldn't help but give a small smile at the situation he found himself in. "Looks like cats aren't all that different in the Soul Society from those in the Shinobi World… at least the friendlier ones, anyway."

"Meow!" came the feline's reply as it gave his leg a light smack with its tail.

Regarding the creature for a moment, Itachi determined that it was female. "You're a rather impatient little girl, aren't you? Well, I suppose I shouldn't keep you waiting."

He reached down and began to scratch behind the kitty's ears. In short order, he had the feline purring comfortably in his lap.

Nice to see that I haven't lost my touch.

Oh, this is absolutely precious!

Itachi raised an eyebrow. I didn't think you were the type to be smitten by a cute little cat.

The spirit of his Zanpakutō laughed. Oh, you foolish young man! I almost don't want to spoil it now!

What are you talking about?

Focus on the cat. Really focus. You'll see what I mean.

Itachi couldn't begin to guess what she was playing at, but he decided to humor her. The cat had shifted in his lap so that it was now lying face-up, so Itachi switched to rubbing her belly. The purring increased slightly at that, although Itachi found it a bit odd how the kitty seemed to be constantly adjusting her head so that she'd maintain eye contact with him. Still, there was nothing visually abnormal about the creature.

At that was when it hit him. He was looking only with his eyes, and not with the rest of his senses. The cat was in his lap; he didn't need to look with his eyes to know where it was. Closing his eyes, he instead focused on trying to detect the feline using only the senses for spirit energy that he had developed during his time in the Academy.

And that was when his eyes snapped back open in shock. Sure enough, he'd felt just a hint of spirit energy.

Very familiar spirit energy.

Looking down at the cat, his hand still rubbing her belly on instinct, Itachi's mind struggled to comprehend just what he was actually looking at. "It can't be… Yoruichi?"

The feline winked before it was suddenly engulfed in bright blue-white energy. Itachi was forced to shield his eyes, but even without his sight he was all too aware of the suddenly growing weight of the 'cat' in his lap… as well as rapidly changing texture of what his hand was on, as fur soon became the oh-so soft and smooth skin of a woman's bare belly.

Itachi's face flushed red. Was she really…?

The light faded a few seconds later, and Itachi felt a slender arm drape itself over his shoulder while a hand gently grasped the back of his neck. Cautiously opening his eyes, he saw that it was indeed none other than Squad Two's Captain now sprawled out in his lap.

And she was completely naked.

He didn't think it was possible, but the already-burning heat in his face only further increased. No mirrors were available, but Itachi suspected that if he could see his reflection it would be the deepest humanly possible shade of crimson. Matters weren't helped in the least by playful smile of the woman in his lap.

"Someone's got magic hands," she purred, "Want to take those fingers of yours a little further south? I haven't scratched that particular itch in a long time…"

It was all he could do to keep his gaze focused squarely on Yoruichi's face and not ogle the absolutely stunning figure that was on full display before him. Needless to say, he was very grateful at this particular moment that Jiraiya had gone to Squad Eight rather than Squad Two; if the Legendary Sannin could see him now, Itachi knew that he would never hear the end of it.

"How…" was the only reply that Itachi could muster, and he was amazed that he was capable of saying even that much at the moment.

He felt a slight pressure at the back of his neck as Yoruichi pulled him down, while at the same time she leaned in just enough to whisper in his ear, her warm breath on his skin sending fresh chills racing down his spine. "I'm a girl that's full of surprises, Itachi."

That's putting it mildly…

He was at a complete loss for words, something that his nude superior was quick to take note of. "What's the matter, Itachi? Cat got your tongue?"

Say something… do something… anything…

"I…" he stammered, almost certain that he was going to pass out from just how hot his head felt at the moment, "This is…"

The Captain giggled before licking him on the cheek. "Mmm… If I'd known you'd be this cute when flustered, I would've done this weeks ago!"

"I… I don't understand," he replied, using every ounce of his willpower to focus on her face rather than the rest of her oh-so-generously displayed body, "This transformation… how's it even possible?"

Yoruichi winked. "We all have our gifts, Itachi. This one in particular's quite special, and not one I just share out in the open. If you really want to know, then how about we go somewhere private?"

Itachi nodded, doing all he could to reassert his composure. "All right, but first… please, put some clothes on."

"Aw, what's wrong?" she asked, mischievous light gleaming in her eyes, "Aren't you enjoying the show?"

"That's… not the point," said Itachi, nervously looking around and hoping that no one else was about to enter the training yard, "It's just… you're my Captain, and… I don't think that this is… proper."

Yoruichi laughed. "Now you're starting to sound like Soi-Fon! I thought you'd be a little more relaxed than her. You can't chill out with your Captain on your day off?"

"It's… not that," Itachi muttered, "It's… I…"

What was he supposed to say? An incredibly beautiful woman was naked in his lap, and it was one that he'd finally admitted to himself that he was attracted to little more than a month or so ago. Itachi didn't know if she understood his true feelings, but she had to know the affect she was having on him right now. Was this just one of her games, or did she want something more?

She then stood up, smiling down at him while not even bothering to cover herself. "I'm feeling generous today, so why don't you wait here for a bit? I'll be right back!"

Before Itachi could reply, she vanished into a blur as she Flash Stepped off to what he could only hope were here quarters for some clothes. Looking around the training yard again, Itachi could only sigh in relief that apparently no one else had stumbled upon the two of them during that surprise encounter.

Well, that was entertaining!

Why in the world did she do that?

Because teasing you is the most fun a girl can have in the Soul Society.

Very funny.

She returned a few minutes later, thankfully in her Captain's attire this time. Itachi had mostly been able to regain his composure, although he was still more than a little flustered by what had happened earlier.

Yoruichi smiled as she offered him her hand. "Better?"

Itachi nodded as she pulled him to his feet. "Yes. I mean… well…"

Yoruichi giggled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "Still a little hot under the collar? I've been wanting to tease you like that for a while now!"

"Is this… something you do with all of your subordinates?" he asked.

She winked. "Only the cute ones!"

Uncharacteristic embarrassment once again came over him; Yoruichi seemed quite adept at bringing that out in him. "I see… thanks, I think."

"As for how I'm able to do that, why don't you take a walk with me and I'll tell you all about it," she said.

"Is that an order?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi smiled. "Does it have to be? Can't I just want some time to relax and shoot the breeze with a colleague on a day off?"

Itachi gave her a small smile in return. "In that case… lead on."

He followed her out of the barracks, and they began a leisurely stroll down the streets of the Seireitei. It was late morning, and apart from a few other Soul Reapers going about their daily business it was rather quiet. Occasionally one would glance their way, no doubt wondering what a Captain was doing with such a low-ranking officer like himself, but they didn't linger too long.

"I thought you wanted to discuss your ability in private," said Itachi.

"This is good enough for me," Yoruichi replied, "If anyone starts eavesdropping on us, a Flash Step or two will be all we need to get out of range. If they start following… well, let's just say that I'll be well within my authority to make them wish that they hadn't."

It was hard for Itachi to think of anyone who'd be foolish enough to pursue a Captain, let alone one that would be able to keep pace with the Flash Goddess herself. "Very well, then."

"So, about my little… ability," she began as the wound their way through the Seireitei with no real destination in mind, "What do you think of it?"

"It's fascinating," Itachi replied, "although… when you come out of your transformation…"

"Why did it have to be without a scrap of clothing?" Yoruichi finished for him with a smirk, "Well, isn't that obvious? Cats don't wear clothes!"

"Do collars count?" he asked dryly.

"Ooh, you thinking of buying me one?" she purred, "I didn't know you were into that sort of thing, Itachi!"

Yet again, Itachi felt a rush of heat come to his face, along with the accompanying loss of composure. "I'm… I'm not."

Yoruichi laughed and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "Oh, man, you really are too easy to tease! Lighten up a bit, Itachi. I was hoping you'd be a little more fun than Soi-Fon!"

"I'm… not used to this sort of… fun," he said, looking down bashfully.

What's gotten into me?

Oh, this is too much fun!

You're not helping.

I know.

Yoruichi smiled. "Fair enough. I'll ease up on you a bit, all right?"

He nodded. "Thanks. Anyway, how did you learn such a technique? It's not a Shikai release or anything like that, right?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Nope. Believe it or not, it's actually a little something that only members of the Shihōin Clan are capable of."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yup," said Yoruichi, "and only certain members at that. The talent tends to skip a generation or two. It's a bit fickle that way. I think it's also gender dependent; to my knowledge, only the women of my family have ever manifested this ability."

Itachi's brow furrowed in thought. "Interesting. Has this ability always been something that your clan's had?"

"Not quite," Yoruichi replied, "It does go a way back, though. It originated during the reign of the old kingdom."

Itachi hadn't been expecting that. "Really? Was it tied to the Andunayans?"

"Kind of," said Yoruichi, "You remember how my clan was one of those that the five Andunayan princesses married into during the Conquest? As it turned out, the princess that the Shihōin Clan got was more than just a daughter of a king; she was a powerful spell caster. She brought her expertise into our family, along with a considerable archive. My family spent the subsequent millennia building upon it. We might be better known for producing assassins, scouts and spies, but the Shihōin Clan actually has a less well-known history of turning out some highly skilled spell casters. Their powers were often considered closer to outright sorcery than the modern Kidō that's become prevalent in the Soul Society."

"And your shapeshifting ability came from that… sorcery?" asked Itachi cautiously.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. In fact, it was from the greatest caster that was ever born into my clan. Her real name's been lost to history; the records of her that remain refer to her only as the Lady of Midnight."

"That's a rather ominous moniker," said Itachi, his eyes narrowing, "Her real name… was it really lost, or was there something more going on?"

Yoruichi smirked. "That was faster than I expected. You really do have the brains to match those looks of yours!"

"I don't think my looks are relevant to the conversation at hand," Itachi countered, quite eager to get back to main topic, "This 'Lady of Midnight'… there was no mention of her in any of the Academy history lectures. Her scrubbing from the historical record… what led to it?"

Yoruichi sighed. "Long story short? She was incredibly gifted, but she pushed boundaries to their absolute limits… and one day, she pushed too far. There are lines in Kidō that aren't meant to be crossed, and for good reasons in this case. Suffice to say that the treatment she's been given by posterity, while extreme, isn't entirely unwarranted. Anyway, before she crossed the point of no return, she discovered how to use spirit energy as a means for transformation. I don't know if a cat was the only form that she figured out how to use, but it's the only one that's stuck around my bloodline. That ability has typically manifested itself in members of my clan who have higher than normal levels of spirit energy and successfully go on to refine our powers."

"How did you discover that you were one of the members of the clan that could perform it?" asked Itachi.

"Well, for starters, the Lady of Midnight was at least helpful enough to leave behind a scroll in the family archives with instructions on how to recognize those who might have the potential to achieve the transformation," Yoruichi answered, "It also included a series of spirit energy exercises that those who might have the gift could perform to discover if they were truly capable of it or not. Since only certain women in my clan have been able to pull it off, it's become a tradition for every girl in the family to read that scroll after she's deemed sufficiently powerful and skilled enough to potentially pull it off. I'm simply the latest one in my line to pass the test."

Itachi nodded. "I see. How long are you able to maintain the transformation?"

Yoruichi smiled. "As long as I want. The transformation itself requires a certain expenditure of energy, but staying in that form afterwards is a breeze."

"How many people know that you're capable of this?" he asked.

"Well, obviously Kisuke, Tessai, and Kūkaku for starters," she replied, "Soi-Fon knows too, along with a few other Squad Two officers."

"Would Shisui be one of them?" asked Itachi.

"Yup," she answered, "Feel free to tell Visaelya later too if you want."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You'd trust your two newest officers with a secret like that?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Sure. I've had my eye on you two for more than just your abilities, after all. You're both very bright individuals, and you've got good heads on your shoulders. If I'm going to be counting on you two out in the field, its only right that I let you both in on stuff like this. I've got high hopes for you, and by choosing my division you two have put your trust in me to command you responsibly. I want to be the kind of Captain that returns that sort of trust, especially considering what I'll be asking of you once you start climbing the ranks."

"I appreciate that," said Itachi, "If I tell Visaelya, I'll ask her not to spread the word further. If you're going to trust us with information like this, then the least we can do is honor your confidence. I'm sure she'll feel the same way."

His Captain smiled. "Smart, discrete, and a sense of honor… I do know how to pick 'em!"

Itachi bowed. "I think the two of us owe you that much. Going back to your transformation, can you fight in that form?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Unless my opponents are mice, I'm afraid its combat utility is minimal. It really shines in an information gathering role. I mean, who takes much notice of a cat wandering around? As long as I suppress my spiritual pressure, I can infiltrate basically anywhere I please."

"Does it impact your senses at all?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup. I get a nice boost in night vision, and when you combine that with the black fur that form is great for nocturnal scouting. My hearing's improved while I'm transformed as well, and of course the whiskers serve the same purpose with me that they do for any cat. All in all, it's a sweet little package."

"I'll take your word for it," said Itachi.

Yoruichi smirked. "I think I've spent enough time in that form that certain characteristics have rubbed off on me."

"Like what?" asked Itachi.

"For starters, I didn't use to be a huge fan of seafood," said Yoruichi, "Now I'm all for it. Also, after a while milk became my favorite drink. I sometimes get the urge to chase after mice, too."

Itachi nodded. "I see. What about balls of yarn?"

Yoruichi giggled. "Well, if you toss one my way, I might start playing with it if I think no one else is looking!"

Itachi gave a small chuckle. "I'll have to remember that."

Yoruichi playfully elbowed him. "Hey now, don't go thinking that you can bribe me with a bunch of rolled up string! I'm a daughter of nobility, after all."

"And the descendant of royalty and sorceresses to boot," said Itachi, "Yours is quite the fascinating lineage."

She gave him a rather thoughtful look. "Maybe… but I bet yours is just as interesting."

"What makes you say that?" he asked.

"I don't know much about your clan," said Yoruichi, "Both you and Shisui have been rather light on the details over the years. Still, based on what I've seen from the two of you, I'm willing to bet that your bloodline's really something special."

"That's… certainly one way to put it," Itachi replied hesitantly.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't exactly sound proud of it."

Itachi shook his head. "It's… complicated. Every family has its paragons and demons, after all."

"Is that part of why you're still not getting a full night's worth of sleep?" she asked pointedly.

His eyes widened just a bit. "How…?"

"I'm not blind, Itachi," said Yoruichi firmly, "The meditations you perform during breaks in your training or after your patrols are for more than just to help you catch your breath. They're to help you recoup energy that you should be regaining through sleep."

Itachi nodded; he wouldn't insult her with a lie. "You have sharp eyes."

"I'm a Captain, remember?" she pointed out, "If I can't pick up on these things, then I don't deserve my position."

And you thought you could still slip it past her.

My mistake.

"Well, no one can accuse you of negligence," said Itachi, "With regards to my lack of sleep… I won't let it impact my duties."

Yoruichi sighed. "I know the Soul Society's nobility has the taboo against prying into the past lives of people who came here from the Realms of the Living, and I want to respect your privacy, but if this keeps up, I'm going to have to step in. Your meditations might be working for you, but how long can you keep this up? You've been operating like this ever since you came to the Soul Society… and if I had to guess, I'd say it's a practice you picked up and refined while you were still alive."

"You're not wrong," Itachi conceded.

She put her hand on his shoulder, and despite her slender frame her grip was quite firm. "So, tell me; how many years has it been since you actually got one full night's worth of sleep?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment. "A little over fourteen, I think."

When he opened his eyes again, he saw that hers had widened in shock. "What?"

"As you said, I've had time to adapt," he said, "My system might not be ideal, but it's served me well enough."

Yoruichi emphatically shook her head. "It's going to get you killed. Hell, it already has."

"It wasn't lack of sleep that did me in the first time," he replied, "Besides, that was a death that had been more than earned."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "You know what? That's it; screw the taboo. I don't know what the hell happened, but you've been torturing yourself over it for far too long. That ends on my watch. I'm your Captain, which means your wellbeing is my responsibility. That's a duty I take just as seriously as my obligation to protect the Soul Society."

"My past is mine to deal with," he said defensively.

"Clearly you're doing a poor job of it," Yoruichi shot back, "I let it slide while you were at the Academy because I thought you had a handle on it, but I definitely misjudged the situation. Given what I've learned about you over the past six years, the only reason I can think of for that is that whatever happened was absolutely horrific. Am I wrong?"

Itachi looked down, feeling the full weight of the guilt and shame that he'd carried over the past fourteen years. "No…"

He froze for a moment when her hand moved from his shoulder to his cheek, her firm grip becoming the gentlest caress. "Itachi, look at me."

He did so, and he was struck by what he found. It reminded him of that night during their expedition to the Andunayan barrow where she'd called him out the first time for his persistent lack of sleep. The compassion and sympathy glowing in her golden eyes made her gaze utterly entrancing; a spell that, to his grieving soul, felt as powerful as any genjutsu he could've conjured with the Sharingan at the height of his strength.

"Let me help you," she said softly, her voice sweeter than any music, "Not just as your Captain, but as your friend. You've been holding onto this pain for far too long. It's become a chain that's gradually tightening around you, and it'll eventually strangle you completely. I'm not going to let that happen to you. Your future here is so bright; the shadows of your past don't deserve the chance to choke it off. I want to set you free."

Caught under her charms, the walls that he'd spent the past decade and a half building and maintaining finally began to crack. A casual observer wouldn't notice, but he had no doubt that Yoruichi could spot it in his eyes.

He could only manage a single word in reply. "How?"

She smiled. "Meet me in the barracks' kitchen tonight after the others turn in. We'll start there."

….

What got into me back there?

It was a question without an easy answer, although she at least had the solitude to ponder it in her office. Kicking back behind her desk, steam wafting up from a cup of tea in front of her, Yoruichi kept replaying the conversation from earlier in her head. It had started off so casual, just a chance for her to have a little fun and tell her favorite new recruit about her special gift, yet somewhere along the way it had become something entirely different.

With the chance to think things over, it had become clear to her that they were going to reach this point sooner or later. She'd been intrigued by Itachi from the moment she'd met him. His talent for combat had been clear enough from the beginning and certainly played a role in her interest, but there was more to it than that.

Itachi was quite skilled when it came to putting on a calm and aloof front, but Yoruichi had never failed to notice that it was precisely that; a front. Try as he might, there were some things he couldn't hide from a sufficiently experienced observer. Since intelligence and scouting comprised a significant portion of Squad Two and the Stealth Force's duties, Yoruichi was quite adept when it came to picking up even minute hints from peoples' mannerisms. Itachi's were more subdued than others, but they were there just the same if someone knew how to look for them. To Yoruichi, they were as clear as daylight.

He was a man that was torn by his past, restlessly trying to reconcile it with the afterlife he now found himself in. Whatever had happened, it was quite apparent that he was mercilessly punishing himself over it. The fact that he had wound up here rather than Hell should've been all that he'd needed to realize that he was not beyond redemption, but clearly the wounds carved upon his psyche went too deep for that.

Yoruichi might've enjoyed playing around with her subordinates, but she was more than capable of recognizing when they needed genuine help. It had taken her far too long to realize that Itachi was at that point. The hints had certainly been there, particularly when her subordinates in the Stealth Force had reported to her about his apparent insomnia during his time at the Academy. She thought that she had addressed that with him during their talk while they were traveling to the Andunayan barrow, but looking back on that with today's evidence in mind it was abundantly clear that she had failed to properly assess the situation and take the appropriate steps. An argument could be made that since he was in the Academy at the time, she wasn't seeing him as often as she was now that he was her direct subordinate and thus didn't have as many chances back then to properly observe him, but Yoruichi still considered herself to have been negligent.

Intervention was required, and Yoruichi was determined to make up for lost time. It was simple enough to argue that she was doing this out of the desire to improve the mental health of a gifted subordinate, but she knew that there was more to it than that. She had been completely serious earlier when she'd said that she wanted to help him as a friend, not just a Captain. Their interactions over the past six years might've been on-and-off given her responsibilities and him being a student at the Academy, but between her saving his life, investing in his recovery and training after the soul fracture, making sure he got the chance to prove himself on field trips, and her personal efforts to recruit him into Squad Two she was more than willing to consider him a friend at this point.

Just a friend, though?

It was an interesting question. She had to admit, there was a lot to like about Itachi. Maybe he could be a bit too serious for his own good, but she'd caught hints of a softer side to him, even bits of humor when the mood seemed to strike him. Despite his natural gifts he still studied and trained diligently, never taking his astounding progress for granted and always pushing himself to move forward. He was incredibly intelligent for a freshly graduated student, and it was clear that the experience from his past life in the Shinobi World definitely had a hand in that. He'd already demonstrated bravery in battle and a willingness to put himself at risk for the sake of others; the very night they'd first met was proof enough of that. He was a very contemplative young man, always observing his surroundings and trying to learn as much as he could about the afterlife he'd found himself in and what it all meant for himself. He'd also shown that he was willing to face hard truths head-on and was more than capable of asking the questions that others might want to leave alone. In short, he was a fascinating individual.

The fact that he was quite handsome was just the icing on the cake.

He's your type, isn't he?

Yoruichi allowed herself a small smile; the spirit of her Zanpakutō certainly knew how to cut to the chase.

Perhaps…

….

Night had fallen, and apart from the occasional Stealth Force sentry making their rounds the Squad Two barracks was as still as stone. It was quite a beautiful evening, with a lovely crescent moon and the sea of stars on full display in the clear sky. On another occasion, Itachi might've stopped to admire the view, perhaps even head up to the rooftops of the barracks to take in its full splendor, but tonight he had a more pressing engagement.

He hadn't been able to get his earlier conversation with Yoruichi out of his head, and as a result the rest of the day seemed to go by so slowly it was almost painful. Itachi wasn't normally one to allow himself to be consumed by anxiety, but the prospect of what might happen tonight had thrown him completely for a loop. On the one hand, part of him had always been tempted to come clean to her about what he had really done in his past life, while the other had steadfastly refused, daunted by fear and shame. He had hoped to be able to spend more time in Squad Two, learning more about his commander as he served her in order to get a better idea as to what her reaction might be when the time for this revelation finally came. Unfortunately, he had dropped his guard during their earlier talk, likely due in no small part to the lingering embarrassment he'd been unable to shake thanks to her bit of teasing with that transformation technique of hers. As a result, he was now walking to a meeting that he knew was not prepared for.

Stopping just outside the kitchen, he took a deep breath in an attempt to keep some measure of composure. Why she'd decided to meet here rather than her office or some other part of the barracks was a mystery to him, but that was a secondary concern at best.

Am I really ready for this?

He'd considered talking to Shisui prior to his appointment with Yoruichi, but his old friend had been on Rukon District patrol duty all day. Itachi had been so wrapped up in his own head that he hadn't even noticed when Squad Two's Tenth Seat had returned, and by the time he realized it Shisui had already turned in for the evening. Itachi was loathe to wake him; given just how vast the Rukon District was, putting in a full day's worth of patrolling out there, even if it was just in a small segment of it, was no easy task. His friend deserved the chance to rest.

What's done is done, the spirit of his Zanpakutō gently chided him, I think we both knew that it was only a matter of time before this moment arrived. It simply came earlier than either of us expected.

What should I do?

Trust the woman who's so graciously reached out her hand to help someone in need. She's shown quite a bit of faith in you thus far. I believe that you'll be pleasantly surprised if you return the gesture. Her desire to aid you is sincere; you know that just as well as I do.

It didn't completely calm his nerves, but it did help Itachi steady himself a bit. Under the circumstances, that was probably the best that he could hope for.

Quietly opening the kitchen door, he quickly slipped inside and closed it behind him. He needn't have bothered with stealth; apart from him, the only occupant was the lady of the hour, so to speak. His Captain stood next to a table that held only a small candle and a cup with wisps of steam curling out of it. As he approached, Itachi saw that within the cup was a light blue-green drink the likes of which he had never seen before.

"What is this?" he asked.

Yoruichi smiled. "An old family recipe. A cup of this will guarantee you a night of dreamless slumber. My mother occasionally made it for me when I was little and had nightmares."

Itachi gave a soft chuckle. "You, having nightmares? I find that a bit hard to believe."

Yoruichi giggled. "Believe it or not, I wasn't always a powerful Soul Reaper. I might've been an energetic and playful little girl, but even I could get scared at night from time to time. Trust me, I'm speaking from firsthand experience when I say that this will give you the first full night of peaceful sleep that you've had in a long time."

Itachi could only look back and forth between the cup and his Captain. "I… I don't know what to say."

"Good, because that'll give me the chance to lay out my terms," she replied, "This is a pretty powerful concoction, so it's not to be taken lightly. It's best used sparingly, and for good reason; it can become addicting if taken multiple nights in a row."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. What are your terms?"

"First, if you drink this, then I'm giving you tomorrow off," said Yoruichi, "The sleep you'll get from this is a deep one, which is another reason why it shouldn't be taken every night; it's easy to blow right past the time you'd normally wake up for your assigned duties. I'd never give you something like this out in the field because if our encampment was attacked at night, you'd sleep right through it, and that'd be a death sentence."

"It could be the same if the Seireitei were attacked tonight," Itachi pointed out.

Yoruichi shrugged. "True, but the odds of that are significantly lower than they are out in the field, which is why I'm willing to chance it. We're about as secure as we can get here. It's not impossible to attack, but it would be exceedingly difficult. Anyway, that's beside the point. You take this, you don't report for duty tomorrow. No training either, especially with your sword; your reflexes will be a bit sluggish for the first part of the day while this passes through your system, and I don't want you hurting yourself. Deal?"

Itachi gave her a small smile. "That term sounds more like you're doing me a favor than anything else. I'm assuming there's more to this deal than that, though."

Yoruichi nodded. "There is. Itachi… do you trust me?"

His reply came without hesitation. "Yes."

She walked around the table and put her hand over his. "Then my second term is this; tomorrow, once you've had a full night's worth of rest, come find me. I'll be taking the day off too, so don't worry about interfering with a mission. I'll take you somewhere private, and this time I don't mean lightly-travelled streets in the Seireitei. It'll just be the two of us, and there will be no chance whatsoever for eavesdroppers to listen in. Once we're there, you tell me everything, and don't hold back. I promise that what you say to me will not go beyond the two of us. Do you accept?"

Itachi took a deep breath before nodding. "Yes. You'll have the truth… all of it. I give you my word."

She smiled before taking the cup in both hands and offering it to him. "Then take this, and accept a long-overdue peaceful slumber."

Itachi accepted it. The concoction was surprisingly sweet, almost fruity, even. It only took a few seconds for him to down the whole thing.

"How long until it takes effect?" he asked.

"Five minutes or so, tops," she answered, "You'd better get moving."

"All right, then," he said, "and… thank you."

She stepped forward, and before he could react, she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "You've earned it."

His face flushed almost as deeply red as it had earlier that day when she'd been naked in his lap. From the gleaming light in her eyes, Itachi had no doubt that she'd noticed.

"Sleep well, Itachi," she said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Not wanting to keel over in one of the hallways, he rushed back to his quarters, barely even bothering with trying to step quietly. By the time he reached his sleeping roll, his eyelids were already beginning to feel quite heavy.

His head hit the pillow, and just a few moments later he was out like a light.

Author's Notes: As I'm sure you noticed, I made some changes to Kūkaku Shiba's backstory, as well as her and her brothers' precise relation to Isshin. I also decided to have some fun with the story behind Yoruichi's ability to transform into a cat since we don't really get a whole lot in the way of details on that in the canon Bleach story.

With most of the chapters going forward, I'll be trying to split them between Itachi and Jiraiya. That being said, the next one's going to solely be devoted to Itachi's conversation with Yoruichi; he's got quite a bit to tell her, after all. The balance will pick back up in the subsequent chapters, and things will move forward from there. To all of you who have been clamoring for Shikais, don't worry; they're coming, I promise!

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review, and see you next time!