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.

19. Chapter 19

Author's Notes: Hello there! So, one of you smart-asses quipped previously that the next chapter should hit 100K words. You know, you really should be careful when saying stuff like that. If I'm not mistaken, this one now takes the crown as the story's longest chapter… and for that, I owe you all an apology.

No, really, I do. I know huge chapters are a running gag for me at this point, but even I can recognize the difference between a fun little joke and a problem, and this is the latter. I'm writing more per day, but I think some part of my brain basically translated that to meaning it was okay if the chapters got even longer, and that wasn't my intention. I really do need to cut back, slim things down, and I'm going to make an effort to do that with the chapters from here on out. Seriously, I'm going to narrow the focus considerably. I love covering lots of different characters, but if it keeps resulting in chapters like this then it's an issue. I might enjoy it, but it's not fair to you all as my audience.

So, I'm sorry. If I manage to do this right, then this will be the last of the giant chapters for a while. The ones I want to put out next will be long by most people's standards, but they won't be anything close to the behemoths that these past few have been. At least, I'm going to try. Most of you have been really patient with me, and I want to return the favor. I figure the best way to do that is by improving my style so that I can write quality chapters with a tighter focus and therefore complete them sooner and get them to you faster. It's going to be a learning curve since I'll be fighting my own author's instincts, so if I slip up feel free to point it out, otherwise I'll backslide into old habits.

One more thing; new Zanpakutō name's meaning, or at least what I was going for with Google translate, will be in the end-of-chapter notes. In fact, that's going to be the rule for all original Zanpakutō that are introduced in this story, so if you see a name you don't quite get, you know where to look.

Enjoy!

Chapter Nineteen: The Teleporter and the Dragon's Daughter

"There," said Lisa as she helped Jiraiya with the last of his bandages, "Afraid that's the best I can do; Kaidō isn't a field that I've really studied in."

Jiraiya smiled. "Don't worry about it. Thanks for the help. If I'd taken that hit somewhere easier to reach, I would've been able to handle it, but using Kaidō on your own back is not easy."

"I'm sure," Lisa replied, "Speaking of Kaidō, thanks for earlier. That whack I took from the cold drake wasn't the worst hit I've ever taken, but it definitely hurt. Thanks to you, the bruising's mostly gone, along with much of the pain. The rest should heal up naturally over the next few days."

Jiraiya nodded. "That's good. Still, try not to strain yourself too much. Best not to take any chances."

Lisa smiled as she looked around. "I don't think we'll have to worry about that for a while. The target's been eliminated, and the trip back to the Valkyries' sacred ground should be much less dangerous."

Giving his bandages a quick pat to make sure they were secure, Jiraiya redressed himself and stood up. Following the Lieutenant's gaze, he couldn't help but smile again as he surveyed the courtyard. The battle against the wraith and its minions had ended less than an hour ago, but the stain of the monstrosity's corruption was already fading fast. The sky overhead was only partially cloudy, and those were now natural clouds, not the foul black ones that had smothered it earlier. The snow in the courtyard had shifted to a much more normal-looking white rather than the sickly pale blue that it had been before, and it didn't feel unnerving to touch any more. The very air they were breathing felt cleaner and lighter, although the dark and gloomy nature of the temple itself did dampen the mood a bit.

I guess this place was foul even before the wraith was interred here, he mused, I can't say I'll be sad to leave it behind. Still, at least it's not the lair of an undead army anymore… gotta take the wins where you can, and this was a big one.

"You're right," he said with a grin, "These lands are safe now, or at least as safe as one can get in the north. We accomplished our mission, and we even kept casualties to a minimum. No more than minor to moderate injuries from what I can tell: I expected much worse given what we were up against here!"

"You know, you're lucky that the cold drake only grazed you," Lisa pointed out, "If its claw had really dug in there, it could've wrecked your spine."

Jiraiya laughed. "Guess I've got the devil's own luck in my second life, eh? Maybe I should celebrate with a night of gambling once we get back to the Seireitei! You and the Captain want to tag along? If fortune keeps smiling upon us, we could get rich with just a few good rolls of the dice!"

Lisa folded her arms. "You're not going to have time for gambling anytime soon. I'm actually going to need your help with something."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What'd you have in mind?"

"The Rasengan," she answered, "I know you've shown me the basics before, but I haven't really given it all that much practice; my normal training has always taken priority over it. I'd considered it a neat little novelty, maybe a useful gimmick, but I clearly didn't give it enough credit. That changes starting today. The big version of it that you used was one of the few moves that did anything more than simply annoy the cold drake. I want to master both versions, and you're going to help me do it."

Jiraiya grinned. "Oh? Is that an order?"

"You better believe it is," Lisa replied as she started walking towards the temple entrance, "We start tomorrow, Jiraiya. I won't take 'no' for an answer."

Jiraiya chuckled as he watched her go. "I do like a woman that knows what she wants!"

He watched as the Captain emerged from the temple entrance and Lisa met him just outside the doorway. His hat had a big chunk missing thanks to the wraith, but apart from that Kyōraku looked no worse for wear. He wasn't alone, either; Kara and Hachigen emerged from the temple behind him a moment later. They'd only been inside for about a half an hour or so, and from how at ease they looked Jiraiya felt it was safe to assume that they'd found no further threats lurking within.

Good, he thought as he watched them chat, I can go another few rounds if needed, but I've really had enough fighting for one day.

He felt a familiar spiritual pressure draw near, and he turned around to see Gunnr approaching. "Eavesdropping on your superiors again, Jiraiya?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "If they've got anything important to say, I'm sure they'll fill us in soon enough. How are you feeling? That hit you took from the cold drake's tail earlier wasn't exactly a love tap."

The Valkyrie flexed her wings and rubbed the torso plating of her armor. "Your concern is appreciated, but there is no need for worry. I'm well enough for the moment. The caretakers back at our sacred ground will see to the rest when we return tonight."

"I can take a look right now, if you want," he said, "I've got some training in the medical field, after all."

The gleam in those silver eyes was all he needed to know that Gunnr was smirking beneath her helmet. "I wonder if your offer of aid is strictly in the name of treating my injuries. Don't forget; I've read your books, Jiraiya. Your reputation shares more than few similarities with that of your Captain!"

Jiraiya laughed. "Looks like I'm caught red-handed! I would promise to be respectful, but why do I suspect that you wouldn't believe me?"

Gunnr chuckled. "Let's not ask questions that we already know the answers to. For what it's worth, were my injuries more serious, I would set aside my suspicions and allow you to render aid. As things stand, I can afford to wait until we return to the lodge tonight. Our caretakers are quite adept in the medicinal arts."

Jiraiya nodded. "So I've heard. I wouldn't mind the chance to learn their tricks of the trade sometime."

There was a brief pause; it seemed like Gunnr was seriously considering it. "Perhaps… if you are going to engage in the healing arts in addition to your combat training, it would be wise for you to acquaint yourself with medicinal practices beyond those practiced by just Soul Reapers. Given the techniques you demonstrated today, you've already shown yourself to possess a far more open mind for new methods and skills than many of your colleagues."

"Is that a yes, then?" Jiraiya asked hopefully.

Gunnr inclined her head. "I will request that one of the caretakers provide a demonstration for you upon our return to the sacred ground. They'll also be instructed to compile notes on their basic practices so you may familiarize yourself with them on your journey back to the Seireitei."

Jiraiya grinned. "Will that demonstration involve them treating you?"

Although she shook her head, the glint in those silver eyes told Jiraiya that she was smiling. "Don't push your luck. You've earned our hospitality, and it would be a shame if we had to throw you out of the lodge and into the cold tonight."

Jiraiya knew when to back down. "All right, I'll take the hint! Speaking of the lodge, is there going to be a victory party when we get back? I feel like we've earned it after what we accomplished today."

"I'll have the caretakers prepare a feast for tomorrow night," the Valkyrie replied, "It would be better if they had at least a little bit of time to make something that's suitable for the occasion, wouldn't you agree?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Absolutely. I'll be looking forward to it!"

….

The following evening…

Pounding back his mug of ale, Jiraiya then slammed the empty cup down on the thick wooden table. "Another!"

Kyōraku laughed as one of the caretakers quickly refilled Jiraiya's mug. "Now you're getting into the spirit of things! Lisa, why don't you join us for the next one?"

Looking at the Lieutenant, Jiraiya saw her give a theatrical sigh before smiling and motioning for one of the servants to bring her a mug of ale. "Oh, all right. Just this one, though; I'm not getting plastered with you, Captain."

"I think I'll partake in this round as well," said Hachigen as he scooted down the bench a bit, mug at the ready, "What shall this toast be to?"

Jiraiya watched the Captain scratch his chin for a moment before giving an answer. "To the man who grabbed a cold drake by the tail and lived to tell the story!"

The Legendary Sannin chuckled. "Oh, come on, that's not really necessary…"

Lisa smirked. "Stow the false modesty, Jiraiya. You're not fooling anyone here."

Jiraiya grinned. "Well, in that case… to me wrangling a giant lizard! Now, down the hatch we go!"

"Here!" they all cheered as they raised their mugs before proceeding to chug away.

Jiraiya and Kyōraku finished at the same time, with Hachigen close behind them. Lisa was a somewhat distant third; she wasn't used to pounding back anything larger than traditional sake cups and was having a harder time adapting than her companions.

She grimaced when she finally lowered her mug. "Ugh… how in the name of the Soul King do you three knock all that back so quickly?"

Hachigen chuckled. "There's a lot more finesse to the practice then one might imagine, Lieutenant!"

"Come on, Lisa, don't you remember that festival we attended up here after that incident with the Menos?" asked Kyōraku, "The locals showed us the tricks of the trade! Weren't you paying attention?"

Lisa rolled her eyes. "I don't think paying attention was the problem; it was recalling it after the hangover the following morning. Besides, that was several years ago, Captain. With all the festivals you've had me drink at with you since then, they kind of start blurring together after a while."

Jiraiya smirked. "I'm sensing some fun stories that would go well with another round of ale! Care to become the life of the party for a bit, Lieutenant?"

Lisa smiled and shook her head. "Some other time. I think I'll stick to water for the rest of the party. I want to wake up tomorrow without my head feeling like it's about to explode, thank you very much. Besides, when you've heard one drinking tale, you've heard them all, right?"

Kyōraku smirked. "I'd beg to differ."

Hachigen shook his head. "I can't say that I'm surprised."

Jiraiya turned his attention to his food and took a bite out of the smoked fish on his plate. "Well, maybe we'll convince you to change your mind later. If you don't mind, I'm going to wolf the rest of this down before it gets cold."

There was plenty more where it came from, of course; the wonderful smell of smoked fish was wafting through the lodge, and it wasn't the only one. Jiraiya had been wondering just what the caretakers would throw together for a feast, and his expectations had honestly been low given the harsh necessities of living in the north. He'd been pleasantly surprised when the expeditionary force had been invited into the log cabin and had been greeted with the sight of a veritable cornucopia spread across several long log tables. Fish was the main meat on the menu for tonight's celebration, and it was clear that the caretakers had gone all out in their efforts to stock up for the feast. Carefully preserved fruits, assorted vegetables and bread provided a nice bit of variety to the meal, and Jiraiya felt it was more than worthy of being considered a just reward for their efforts the previous day.

The food we get back in the Seireitei is nice and all, he mused as he savored the chunk of fish in his mouth, but there's a special kind of satisfaction to be had from a meal like this. It's a celebration unlike any they hold for us at the barracks.

While the north itself was known for its harsh environment and hardy inhabitants, Jiraiya was quickly learning that the latter wasn't a completely fair characterization. They had to be tough in order to survive in their homeland, yes, and many of the people inhabiting the settlements they'd passed through on their journey had definitely given them a cold shoulder, but if the Order of the Valkyries was any indication, there was so much more to the northerners than their reputations suggested. There was a warmth in the cabin where they feasted now that had nothing to do with the roaring fire pit in the middle or the blazing torches mounted on the walls. The caretakers, acolytes and apprentices who inhabited the Order's sacred ground here were freely intermingling with the Soul Reapers, swapping stories and jokes, sharing meals and laughs, and congratulating them on their hard-fought battle. They were making them feel welcome here, not just accepting but embracing their guests and sharing what were surely incredibly valuable provisions with them.

Jiraiya wanted to savor it for as long as he could. It was a wonderful ray of light when compared to the gloomy temple that they'd spent most of the day exploring. Foul and ghoulish statues, eerie and ominous wall carvings, not to mention more than a few nasty-looking torture devices… suffice to say that Jiraiya was quite eager to banish thoughts of the place from his mind. Whatever cult or sect that had built the place had clearly been a serious piece of work, and the north was better off with them having disappeared into the fog of time.

I think Itachi got the better assignment of the two of us, he thought, He said that the city and the Moon Tower in particular actually became quite beautiful once the corruption had been stamped out. You can't really say that about the temple up here. It's an impressive bit of architecture, sure, but that doesn't make it any less chilling. Removing the wraith didn't do much to improve its image.

Looking around the cabin, quite eager to think of something other than the creepy temple, Jiraiya's gaze found both Gunnr and Kara. The Mistress of War and the Lady of Wrath were seated in two raised chairs overlooking the rest of the main hall, and both were still fully armored. When Jiraiya had inquired as to why, Eidunn had informed him that Valkyries traditionally didn't remove their armor or show their faces in front of outsiders, even those that they had just fought side by side with. It wasn't an ironclad rule per se; the apprentice had mentioned a few rare occasions where they had removed their armor, but the noticeable blush that had come to her face was all the clue Jiraiya needed to guess at the rather intimate circumstances behind most of those instances.

It was a shame that they couldn't share their meal with the two fearsome warrior women who had helped make their victory possible, but Jiraiya would respect their traditions. They'd certainly earned that much with the aid that they'd given the expeditionary force in their mission, and certainly a good deal more. It would be a shame to have to part ways with them so soon.

"Are we really heading out tomorrow morning?" asked Jiraiya, a bit of wistfulness creeping into his voice, "Surely the Head Captain wouldn't mind if we stuck around a little longer. The temple needs to be examined thoroughly, right?"

Kyōraku sighed. "I wish we could, but I'm afraid it's not in the cards. Old man Yamma's going to want a full report as soon as possible, and he won't tolerate any unnecessary delays. Besides, this temple's not Menar Issilaya; it's not nearly as big. We've already given most of it a good lookover, and if it did have any artifacts of note, they were clearly removed long ago."

"The corruption that infested these lands has all but vanished," Lisa added in between bites of fish, "Any wights and fell wolves that we missed during the battle would've dissolved once the wraith was slain. Our work here's pretty much done."

"It's a pity, really," said Hachigen as he wiped some crumbs from his mustache, "I had hoped for more time to study the anchors that the Valkyries use for the barrier surrounding this place. The ancient magics of their Order are so fascinating. I wish Corps Commander Tsukabishi could have joined us on this mission. He would've enjoyed examining both this sacred ground and the temple."

Lisa nodded. "His power and skill would've come in handy during that fight, too."

Kyōraku shrugged. "Well, it can't be helped. Make the most of tonight, because we'll be heading out bright and early tomorrow."

Make the most of tonight, hm?, thought Jiraiya as his gaze once again drifted towards Gunnr, I suppose I will…

….

Later that evening…

"I didn't think you were the type that would bow out of a celebration early," came a familiar female voice from behind him.

Jiraiya smiled as he turned around to face the Mistress of War. "Hey, even a guy like me needs a bit of air now and then!"

The gleam of the moonlight shining down from above was reflected in her silver eyes. "A bit of air, hm? That's not the impression I got."

Jiraiya folded his arms and smirked. "And what was the impression you got?"

Gunnr chuckled. "Let's not dance around the point. You know full well that I saw you looking at me back there. Catching my eye only to slip out the door just a little while later? I know we have a reputation down south as being of a more rugged nature, but we're hardly blind to social cues up here, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya held up his hands in surrender. "All right, you got me! Maybe I was hoping you'd join me out here for a bit? You can't fault a guy for trying, can you?"

"That depends on what you wish to try," Gunnr replied, "In your case, I presume it would be more than simply idle chatter."

"Can't a Soul Reaper just wish to engage a Valkyrie in some small talk?" asked Jiraiya, "Might be our last chance for quite a while."

"Ah, and now we come to the heart of it," said Gunnr, "Tomorrow's departure. A pity it had to come so soon, but duty always calls. You are no novice, Jiraiya; you understand this just as well as I do."

Jiraiya would reluctantly concede the point. "Yeah, I do. Even so, doesn't mean I have to like it. All that time we spent on the road coming up here, only for us to turn around and head back after just a few days? Feels like a waste, really."

He was surprised to see her nod. "I agree. I must admit, I had hoped that you and your comrades would stay for a little while longer. You proved your worth in battle, and you have been pleasant guests. The north can be so insular… warm companionship like yours is often hard to come by."

Jiraiya smiled. "For what it's worth, if I get the chance to come back up here, I'll definitely take it. Soul Reapers don't get a whole lot of vacation time, but even a man as strict as the Head Captain knows that he can't run us ragged every day of the year."

"And you would choose a land as harsh as ours to spend such a rare gift on?" asked Gunnr, sounding genuinely curious, "Not the safer and more tranquil parts of the Rukon District, or the beaches of the other four Principalities that we hear rumors about up here? You would instead pick the freezing winds and endless white wastes of the north for your leisure time?"

Jiraiya gestured at the lake beyond the lodge. "You and I both know that there's more to your homeland than its brutal environment. There's beauty here, both in the land and the people who live here..."

He smirked as he met her gaze. "...even if it is often hidden behind a harsh outer shell."

She folded her arms, but the glimmer in her eyes suggested that she was smiling. "You're more artful in your approach than most, but I know what you're after. I trust the apprentices made you aware of our traditions, yes?"

Jiraiya nodded. "They did… along with the fact that one particular tradition has a few exceptions dotted about in the histories and myths of your Order."

She actually giggled at that. "Yes, it does! However, it takes more than impressing one of us with a single well-fought battle to earn the prize you seek."

Jiraiya grinned. "Well, then what are the terms? I'm all for a challenge!"

"If you ever return to the north, I will give you a chance to find out," she said, "Should you rise to the occasion… well, suffice to say that I'll make sure the reward is more than worth the journey."

Jiraiya chuckled. "I'd say that's all the incentive I'd need to return here! How would I find you, though? I may not know much about the north, but I've learned enough to understand that your Order doesn't base itself out of a humble lodge by a lake. Even if I make it to the legendary temple that you and your sisters-in-arms call home, there's no guarantee that I'll find you there when I arrive. As you said, duty always calls."

Gunnr sighed. "So I did, and so it does. The unfortunate truth is that it is impossible for me to promise that I will be present at our temple should the day come that you make your way there. However, I will make it known to my sisters-in-arms that you are welcome in our home, and that they may tell you my whereabouts should I not be present if you come to our abode. I'm afraid I can do little beyond that, though."

Jiraiya smiled. "That's more than enough for me. I appreciate it."

She stepped forward and held out her hand. "In that case, I will look forward to the day that I hear you have returned to our lands. I will not ask you to promise that you'll come within a set time period; I know the work that Soul Reapers must do extends far beyond the confines of the north, or even the Soul Society itself, after all. Rest assured that when the day comes that you do return, regardless of how long it takes, the Order of the Valkyries will greet you as a friend."

Jiraiya took her hand and leaned down to kiss her knuckles. "And should you ever find yourself in the Seireitei again, stop by the Squad Eight barracks. I can't promise I won't be away on a mission or something, but I'm pretty sure that after this assignment you'll be welcome there at any time."

She gave a fake gasp, and Jiraiya wished that she wasn't wearing a helmet; he could only imagine the teasing smile on her face. "Jiraiya, you rascal! I don't know whether you're the boldest Soul Reaper I've ever met or the most suicidal! Most men cower in fear of us rather than do what you just did."

Jiraiya winked. "What can I say? I'm one of a kind!"

She laughed, a sound that was truly music to his ears. "Indeed you are, Jiraiya! Indeed, you are."

….

A little over a month later…

Taking a sip of his tea and tuning out the bustle of the establishment's dinner rush around him, Itachi closed his eyes for a moment before looking at Jiraiya again. "Quite the adventure, all things considered. You definitely had a harder time of it than us, although given that we only fought the weakest of the five, I suppose that shouldn't be surprising. I'm impressed that your expeditionary force and allies managed to win without suffering any fatalities. All in all, from what you've told me, I'd say that your performance in this mission was nothing short of extraordinary."

Jiraiya grinned. "High praise, coming from someone like you! I won't lie, though; I did find myself wishing that you were along for the ride. Same goes for Shisui and Visaelya. We could have really used the three of you up there."

Itachi shook his head. "I appreciate the thought, but our presence would've likely made your mission more difficult on the political front. The Starmont Clan is still nursing a grudge over the Nalatarin discovery from our own wraith hunt, so Squad Two is unwelcome in the north at the moment. That's one of the reasons why your unit was tapped for the job, remember?"

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but screw the petty aristocratic fussing. That shouldn't get in the way of us doing our jobs!"

Itachi nodded. "I agree, but you know just as well as I do that it's never so simple in practice. You may play the part of a fool at times, but I know you have a sharp mind for these sorts of things. You did learn at the feet of the Third Hokage, after all."

Jiraiya smirked as he drank a bit of his tea. "Yeah, but it's not like I was the most attentive of his students! Orochimaru and Tsunade both had me beat there."

"Continue to deflect if you wish," Itachi replied, "We both know that you're sharper than you pretend to be. It's a good act for lulling your enemies into a false sense of security, but I would prefer that you drop it more often when you're around your friends. You make it rather difficult to discuss serious topics sometimes."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "And you had something serious in mind when you asked to meet me here? I thought you wanted to celebrate my return to the Seireitei in good health!"

Itachi gave his friend a small smile. "I do, but I had hoped for a little more than that. It's been some time since we've had a good chat as fellow former Shinobi."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "If that's what you were looking for, then I can see why Visaelya didn't get an invite, but what about Shisui? Last I checked, he's one of us too."

"Both are out on a mission in one of the Realms of the Living at the moment," said Itachi, "They should be back later this evening. My schedule had a little bit of a gap in it, and I was fortunate enough to have it coincide with your return."

Jiraiya sighed. "Feels like it's getting a little harder as time goes by to get the old Academy gang back together. I suppose that's the price we pay for becoming effective Soul Reapers. You shot up to Thirteenth Seat pretty quickly, while Visaelya and I are both Sixteenth Seats, although after this mission I suspect I'll be bumped up a slot or two pretty soon. Speaking of Little Miss Vissy, she's got to be close to unlocking her Shikai, right?"

"I believe so," Itachi answered, "She's growing a bit frustrated, but Shisui and I have been training with her when time permits, and we both agree that she's making progress. Clearing the final hurdle will ultimately be up to her, though. We can only guide her to the jumping-off point; she's the one that has to make the leap."

Jiraiya smiled. "She's smart and persistent. She'll make it. It's just a matter of time."

Itachi nodded. "Agreed."

Hearing that Jiraiya has pulled ahead of her and gained his Shikai might put a damper on her progress, though, Itachi mused, It might be best to keep her in the dark… no. She'd eventually find out one way or the other. Better if it's from a friend. Shisui will be able to encourage her and get her back on track, although it might take a bit of time. Still, he's far better suited to the task than I am.

Across the table, Jiraiya's smile had become a smirk again. "So, those two out in the field together, eh? Is it just them on this assignment? I wonder if they're really working right now!"

Itachi shook his head, resisting the urge to roll his eyes; it was all too easy to know where the Legendary Sannin's mind had gone. "They're leading a team from Squad Two, so they don't have time for what I'm sure you're thinking of right now. Besides, neither of them would take that kind of risk out in the field."

Jiraiya grinned. "Oh? What makes you so certain of that?"

"I know Shisui better than you do," Itachi replied, "He always takes his assignments seriously. Visaelya's just as dutiful. They both know how to save the fun for their off-hours."

"Ah, that figures," said Jiraiya, "Well, as long as they get to have their fun at some point. Those two certainly deserve it."

"They definitely do," Itachi concurred in between sips of tea.

There was a knowing look in Jiraiya's eyes. "While we're on the subject of fun, how are things with you and your favorite dance partner? Still keeping things interesting both in and out of the sparring ring?"

Itachi allowed himself a small smile as Yoruichi's face flashed through his mind. "Very much so."

Jiraiya laughed. "Thought so! Any particularly spicy encounters between you two? Come on, you can tell your buddy Jiraiya about these things! I might be able to give you a couple of pointers."

Itachi chuckled. "Perhaps, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline your generous offer. I did promise her my discretion, after all."

"Boo!" Jiraiya pouted, although the good-humored look in his eyes was enough for Itachi to know that he didn't take his refusal as an offense, "I would've thought that hooking up with a woman like her might've made you a bit more fun! So much for that."

Itachi shrugged. "Sorry to disappoint."

Jiraiya smiled again. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me. Seriously, though, I'm happy for the two of you. The thing you've got going with her… I can tell it's been good for you. Looking at you now, I almost don't recognize the rogue Shinobi that I thought was after my student a lifetime ago, and that's definitely a step in the right direction! I don't know where you two are ultimately going with this friends-with-benefits deal of yours, but as long as it's making both of you happy, that's all that really matters."

"I'm glad to have your seal of approval," said Itachi, "Although… if my reading between the lines of your tale is right, then it sounds like you might be moving in a similar direction with a certain Valkyrie. Your aspirations seem as lofty as mine when it comes to the fairer sex."

Jiraiya laughed. "Never thought I'd be getting that kind of a compliment from you! You might be reading a bit too much into things on that front, though."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Your earlier hints and innuendo indicated otherwise. Then again, while you might've impressed the Mistress of War, I suppose she's not the only powerful woman whose gaze you've attracted. Tell me, have you stopped by to see Captain Unohana since returning to the Seireitei?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Yup! Visited the Squad Four barracks practically the second after I'd finished unpacking. I think she actually missed me! She wasted no time in using the opportunity to schedule our next Kaidō training session, so that's something to look forward to in the near future."

"Does she know that she might have some competition for your attention now?" Itachi asked before finishing his cup of tea.

"I might have declined to mention it," Jiraiya confessed.

"I see," said Itachi, "Playing a rather dangerous game, aren't you?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, it's not like I'll be able to head up north again anytime soon. I'd certainly like to get a vacation scheduled at some point, but Squad Eight still needs all hands on deck right now. Just because we defeated a wraith doesn't mean we get to kick back and unwind, although not for lack of trying on the Captain's part!"

"Your Lieutenant really knows how to crack the whip, it seems," Itachi noted as he grabbed the small teapot in the center of the table and poured himself a fresh cup.

Jiraiya smirked. "Well, with guys like the Captain and I lounging around the barracks, she kind of has to! No rest for the wicked, you know?"

"No," Itachi concurred as he took a sip from his tea, "and that goes doubly for you. I believe you still have another manuscript to finish, yes? Word through the proverbial grapevine is that some of your readers are growing impatient."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Would you be one of them?"

Itachi chuckled. "No comment."

Jiraiya stretched his arms behind his head. "Guess I'll have to hit the grindstone pretty soon. It'll be good to get the writing muscles working again. Hard to write on the road, especially as you go north. Just keeping the paper dry would've been a hassle up there."

"I wish you luck," said Itachi, "Should you require my input, you know where to go."

Jiraiya's brow furrowed for a moment, and his expression became more serious. "Speaking of input, I could actually use some, although it doesn't have to do with writing this time."

Itachi's eyes narrowed; this was unusual for the Legendary Sannin. "What's on your mind?"

"It's what my Zanpakutō told me when I awakened my Shikai," said Jiraiya, "About embracing ambition… I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I know the grouchy old toad's got a point, but I also don't want to take things too far and end up like Orochimaru or Danzō, you know? How do I strike the right balance? Where do I draw the line?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment as he considered the matter. "Let me ask you a question first, and what you say should help us both in finding the answer to yours."

Jiraiya nodded as he finished up his tea and poured himself a refill. "All right, I'll bite. What do you want to know?"

"There's something I've been thinking about over the years," Itachi replied, "The strife between the Uchiha Clan and the leadership of the Hidden Leaf Village… I have no desire to disparage your teacher, but the Third Hokage did not handle the brewing crisis well at all. I do not blame him wholly for the catastrophe that it all ended in, and I will not dance around either my role in the atrocity, the ambition and stubborn pride of the clan, or the machinations of Danzō, but I cannot keep myself from believing that more adept leadership on the part of the Third Hokage could have prevented things from escalating so disastrously."

"That's fair enough," Jiraiya conceded, "Old man Sarutobi was a great mentor, but everyone's got their flaws. Still, where are you going with this?"

"After the Fourth Hokage died, the Third came out of retirement and assumed his old position," Itachi answered, "However, from what I understand of the situation, word was that he actually wanted you to assume the mantle of Fifth Hokage. You were almost constantly away from the village, though, so he felt he had no choice but to put himself forward instead. For the sake of argument, let's say that you had been willing to become the Fifth Hokage after the Fourth's passing. In that position, how would you have handled the aftermath of the Nine-Tailed Fox's attack on the Hidden Leaf Village?"

Jiraiya leaned forward and clasped his hands beneath his chin. "In other words, how would I have dealt with the suspicions that were cast upon the Uchiha Clan and the subsequent tensions? Not making this easy on me, are you?"

Itachi shook his head. "No, I'm not. My apologies, but this is something I need to know."

Jiraiya nodded. "I understand. First, though, I want to make sure that you and I are on the same page regarding that attack. When I learned what had happened and investigated on my own, I came to the conclusion that the attack wasn't a natural occurrence. The details didn't add up… and I ultimately did come to the conclusion that an Uchiha was involved. Specifically, Madara."

"That was my conclusion as well, although it took some time for me to reach it," Itachi concurred, "There was always the chance that an accident of some sort had occurred which caused the Nine-Tailed Fox to break free from its Jinchūriki, but I had considered that to be unlikely. Madara, or at least someone that I believed to be Madara at the time, was a far more likely culprit than an accident or bad luck."

Jiraiya's brow furrowed. "All right, glad we got that out of the way, because it'll make this next bit easier. I don't believe that the Uchiha Clan deserved the discrimination and ostracism that it faced in the aftermath of the attack, but given that the Sharingan was known to be capable of controlling a Tailed Beast, some suspicion would still be warranted. I would've investigated your clan, and I would've been up front with them as to why. In my opinion, that would've been far better than simply banishing the Uchiha to a compound on the outskirts of the village and placing them under covert surveillance. I understand that reconstruction took priority, especially since we didn't want to present any weakness for rival nations to exploit, and that the village leadership felt it was important to at least provide the illusion of a united front. However, the way they went about things only caused resentments to fester within the shadows. It became an infection with eventually fatal consequences."

Itachi nodded. "Well said. Of course, as is also often said, hindsight is twenty-twenty. The steps you're outlining now are quite clear in the aftermath of everything that went wrong, but it wouldn't have been so self-evident at the time. I agree that an open and honest investigation of the Uchiha Clan was a better path forward than what the village leadership ultimately decided to do, and I believe that my father would have willingly cooperated in the interest of clearing our family name. However, this path would have still generated feelings of mistrust between the Uchiha Clan and the Hidden Leaf Village, potentially planting the seeds for the coup plot and extermination. I believe you would've been astute enough to recognize the potential for lingering ill-will and eventual conflict, so how would you have acted to head off that threat?"

Jiraiya scratched his chin for a moment. "I would've brought the Uchiha Clan back into the center of power within the Hidden Leaf Village. The Second Hokage's decision to put your clan in charge of the Leaf Village Military Police Force was both a blessing and a curse. The powers of the Sharingan did make your clan ideal for enforcing the law amongst a village full of strong Shinobi, but there's no denying that Tobirama Senju's move was also designed to place the Uchiha under the control of the village's rulers. Your clan was put into a subservient position with no thought given as to the resentments that could result from it and with no avenue available for addressing grievances. Since your father was both the head of the Uchiha Clan and the leader of the Military Police Force, my first act following the investigation would be to bring Fugaku Uchiha into the Leaf Village's ruling council. After that, I would've decreed that any future Shinobi that rose to command the Military Police Force would also be made a part of the council."

Itachi mulled it over. "Giving the Military Police Force, and by extension the Uchiha Clan, a larger voice in government affairs… increasing their prestige while also keeping them close enough to monitor in case rogue elements began plotting… clever. In one fell swoop, you would've significantly reduced tensions and gained a much more direct tie to the leadership of the Uchiha Clan, and therefore a pipeline into the sentiments of the clan. In such a position, I believe my father would've been open with you regarding the concerns of the clan, and the negotiations that Sarutobi sought in vain would've borne fruit much sooner… soon enough to avert calamity, even. Well, then… I think I have the answer you're seeking."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Really? Let's hear it, then."

Itachi smiled. "You already possess the right instincts for power, along with an acute awareness for how you exercise that power affects others. You're able to put your foot down while also acting in a manner that promotes dialogue and allows for reconciliation. You've outlined a situation that allows you to monitor a potential threat while at the same time giving those under suspicion a chance to clear their name and become staunch allies. In short, the balance that you seek? You already have it, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "You serious?"

Itachi nodded. "Completely. Hearing what you've told me today, I have no doubt that if you had become Hokage after the passing of Minato Namikaze, the history of the Hidden Leaf Village would've been changed, and it would absolutely have been for the better."

Jiraiya scratched the back of his head. "That's nice of you to say and all, but it's not like I can go back in time and do all that. Our Realm of the Living has moved on, and we're in the afterlife now. I need to find a way to make sure that my ambition can serve as a force for something positive in the Soul Society even as I use it to seek out greater strength for myself. I know it's only a matter of the Captain getting the paperwork in order before I get promoted thanks to this mission, but I need something beyond that to strive for. Any ideas?"

"Yes," said Itachi, "Shoot for the very top of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

"You mean to become a Captain?" asked Jiraiya.

Itachi shook his head. "That's a stepping stone, albeit an important one. No, Jiraiya, I mean the very top of our organization. You don't need me to draw a map, do you?"

Jiraiya laughed. "Itachi, do you have a screw loose? In case you haven't noticed, the top spot in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads is already occupied, and I don't think the guy holding that position is going anywhere anytime soon!"

"I'm well aware of that," Itachi casually replied, "but no soul is immortal. Head Captain Yamamamoto will undoubtedly be leading our organization for quite some time to come, but eventually there will need to be a successor. No one else in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads might be willing to consider the matter, but it does merit some thought. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Well, yeah," Jiraiya conceded, "but still… I'm not sure I like the direction that you're taking this conversation in, Itachi."

"To be clear, I'm not advocating for you to actively seek his ouster," said Itachi, "I just think that the Soul Society would greatly benefit if you became one of the candidates to serve as his eventual successor. Given that the Thirteen Court Guard Squads considers him a permanent fixture and won't even contemplate the possibility of life without him, I'd say that gives you an advantage in carving out a role for yourself as a rising leadership figure. Even as just a Captain, you would have far greater influence on the policy of our organization than you do right now, and taking that position opens a very wide door for you. If you are going to feed your ambition in order to become stronger and make a real difference in the world, then you should shoot for the highest possible position of power that a Soul Reaper can attain while still possessing meaningful influence. The Royal Guard doesn't count; they only protect the Soul King and his court, and they exert no influence on wider affairs except in times of extraordinary crisis. The rank of Head Captain should be your ultimate goal, Jiraiya. If you were to become Yamamoto's eventual successor, then I have no doubt that all of the Soul Society would benefit tremendously."

Jiraiya took a deep breath. "Wow… when I first thought of asking you about this, that kind of an answer wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

"I imagine not," said Itachi as he took another sip from his tea, "Whether you pursue that path or not is entirely up to you, of course. You wanted my thoughts on the matter, and now you have them."

Jiraiya slowly nodded. "I guess I do. I'll take some time to consider it. Thanks. It's not quite the answer I was anticipating, but it definitely helps."

"I wouldn't expect you to make up your mind about something like this right away," Itachi replied, "Even if you do decide to commit yourself to such a path, the road ahead would be a long one. Acquiring your Shikai and regaining the powers you possessed in your previous life were big steps forward, though, and I imagine your profile within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads will be on the upswing as word of your mission spreads. It's not everyday that a Sixteenth Seat joins a Lieutenant and Valkyrie in taking on a cold drake, after all."

Jiraiya chuckled. "You're not wrong! That fight was crazy… even now, parts of it don't feel real to me. Grabbing that thing by the tail… what the hell was I thinking?"

"Your plan might have been crazy, but it worked," Itachi reminded him, "At the end of the day, isn't that what matters?"

Jiraiya smiled. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. It probably won't be the last insane scheme I cook up in the middle of a fight, either."

Itachi allowed himself a small smirk. "Knowing you, it most certainly won't be."

Jiraiya laughed. "I'm not sure if that's meant as a compliment, but I'll take it as one! You know, you should come out drinking with my Captain and I sometime. Bring Yoruichi along, too. Between the four of us, I bet it would be a great time!"

Itachi smiled. "I imagine it would, and she would definitely enjoy it. I'll bring it up with her the next time we speak."

"Great," said Jiraiya, "I'll let the Captain know!"

The two of them spent the next few minutes enjoying their drinks before Jiraiya spoke again. "By the way… we've been talking so much about my ambitions, but I haven't heard a peep about yours. You've got to have big plans for yourself, don't you, Itachi?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment. "Not in the same manner as you. I wish to keep developing my abilities, yes, but as for my ambitions… I suppose you could say that what I'm after are answers to questions that I've been asking myself for a long time now."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "I suppose it's not much of a stretch to guess that those questions are tied to what happened with the Uchiha Clan, is it?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. I could say that I did what I felt would allow me to salvage something good from a horrible situation, that I acted in the name of a higher purpose or picked the lesser of two evils, but that does not change the monstrousness of my deeds. My orders weren't just to deal with those responsible for the coup plot, after all; my mission was the utter eradication of the clan. I was allowed to spare my brother, and while he was innocent in the whole affair, there were others his age and even younger who were also blameless… and they were not spared. I was not permitted to distinguish between who was part of the plot and who was not when I carried out my assignment. By rights, my place should be in Hell.. and yet, I'm not. I'm in the Soul Society, but why? When I spoke to Yoruichi about it, she said that it was because I had taken complete responsibility for my actions, that I had wholly accepted that what I'd done was monstrous and made no excuses for it… but is that really it? Is simply admitting the foulness of my deeds from the start and not shying away from the brutality of them really all that was required? Perhaps it is in the eye of whatever power governs where our souls end up when we die… but it's not good enough for me."

"What are you getting at here?" asked Jiraiya.

Itachi took a deep breath. "Since I've come to the Soul Society, the life I've led here… it's been good. No, more than that; compared to all that happened, all that I did in our Realm of the Living, my time here has been nothing short of heavenly. With all the innocent blood on my hands, though… what gives me the right to the second life that I'm enjoying now? My new purpose and duties within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, meeting Shisui and my mother again, and what I have with Yoruichi… have I really earned the right to such happiness?"

"You're here, aren't you?" Jiraiya pointed out, "I'd say the powers that be have already answered your question."

"Perhaps in your eyes," Itachi replied, "but not in mine… not yet. I suppose if I could be said to have any overarching ambition right now, it would be to find out if I can redeem myself in my own eyes… if I can find forgiveness for what I did that horrific night all those years ago. My mother has already said that she holds nothing against me, that she understands, and I believe her. Even so… I feel like I'm missing something. Yoruichi said that I have to learn to forgive myself, and she was right, but I'm still struggling to figure out exactly how to do that."

Jiraiya sighed. "Well, I'm not sure how I can really help you out there. What you're after… that's a much more complicated journey than me rising through the ranks of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. You could be on this path for a long time, you know?"

Itachi nodded. "I expect I will be. The hardest person to know is ultimately yourself, after all. I'm my own harshest critic, so introspection tends to be a rather brutal affair."

Jiraiya shook his head. "You can't beat yourself up like this forever, you know. What happened with the clan, the village, and you… it's not like you're the only one responsible here, after all. Plenty of blame to spread around. You're just the one that got stuck doing most of the dirty work."

"You could make that argument," Itachi conceded, "but we are still responsible for our own actions, and mine extend well beyond the events of that fateful night. What I inflicted upon Sasuke, both then and in subsequent encounters, how I attempted to dictate the course of his life and completely disregard his agency in the matter… so many misdeeds, right up to the very end."

"You came clean when you were brought back," Jiraiya reminded him, "That's got to count for something, right?"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment. "Perhaps… but a confession from a man who's already dead weighed against his sins when he was alive? I'd hardly call the scales balanced, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya gave him a hard look. "You're going about this completely the wrong way. It's not about balancing scales or trying to settle some kind of karmic debt. You want to find out if you deserve the second chance you have in the Soul Society? Do it by becoming the man you believe you could've been if everything hadn't gone completely to hell the first time around."

Itachi's eyes widened; he hadn't expected this. "Jiraiya…"

"Look at who you are now," Jiraiya continued, "You're the Thirteenth Seat of Squad Two, rising star in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, helping lost souls pass on and slaying monsters. You've reunited with your best friend, made some new ones, and even found your mother who, by the way, does not hold anything against you for what happened all those years ago. I might not know her as well as you, but it's clear that she wants you to move on from the past and enjoy your new life here. So do your friends, both old and new. You have a second chance here, Itachi; don't waste it by letting yourself dwell on how badly it all went wrong before."

Itachi took a deep breath. "It's not that simple. I understand what you're trying to say, and I know you're not the only one who wants that for me. Still… there are answers that I need to find. Maybe thinking about it as a karmic debt is the wrong way to go, but even so… there's something inside me that's been out of balance ever since that night. Finding my mother, talking to her, taking this chance to make up for the time we lost… that's helped, but not enough."

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, in that case, I think I have a solution for you. Even better, I've got good news; it's one you've actually been working on for a few years now."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You said it yourself," Jiraiya answered, "Part of you feels out of balance, and reuniting with your mother helped ease it, if only a little bit. I'm assuming something similar resulted from your reunion with Shisui before that, right?"

Itachi thought back to when he'd finally had the chance to talk to his old friend about what he'd ultimately done to the clan. "To a lesser extent, perhaps. With Shisui, it wasn't quite the same. After all, although I played a role in his death, the circumstances were completely different compared to what happened with my mother and everyone else."

"It did help though, right?" Jiraiya pressed.

Itachi slowly nodded. "Yes... in some small fashion, I suppose it did. Where are you going with this?"

"Simple," Jiraiya replied, "That project you and Shisui started, the one you roped Visaelya and me into? Finding more Shinobi from our old Realm of the Living? That's your answer. Specifically, finding more members of the Uchiha Clan."

"I think you're forgetting that most members of the clan did not accept their deaths as peacefully as my mother and father did," Itachi reminded him, "and Shisui was pretty much the only member of the clan that shared my thoughts when it came to the coup plot. Perhaps my father and Izumi might be understanding should I encounter them in the Soul Society, but I can all but guarantee that the others will not."

Jiraiya shook his head. "I never said that such encounters would be easy, but it sounds like they're what you need. Itachi, what you're after is closure. You want to make peace with your past? From where I'm sitting, the best way for you to do that is to confront it head on in the form of finding the rest of the Uchiha Clan. You're off to a good start with Shisui and Mikoto, but you've got a long road ahead. Still, it's a much more concrete plan for finding what you're after rather than constantly beating yourself up in your head, isn't it?"

Despite himself, Itachi felt a very small smile creep onto his face. "Yes… it is. I… I don't know what to say."

Jiraiya smiled. "You don't have to say anything, although you wouldn't go wrong with a 'thank you' or two for your friendly neighborhood author and sage!"

Itachi bowed. "Of course. Thank you, Jiraiya. I'm in your debt"

"Whoa, there!" Jiraiya laughed, "No need to get all formal and serious about it! Tell you what; pay for a round of sake, and I'll call it even."

Itachi had to chuckle at that. "A small price to pay. Very well, then."

He waved a waitress over and ordered a bottle, and as she went off to fetch their booze he saw Jiraiya studying him. "Something on my face?"

The Legendary Sannin shook his head. "No, I was just thinking… you're not the only one who needs to close the book on his past. I lived a good life, and I'd like to say that I went out with no big regrets, but… well, there is a matter that I think needs to be settled. I'm just not sure how to go about it."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"Nagato," Jiraiya answered, "I want to find him and find out why he went down the path that he did. I gave Naruto the guidance he needed to find his own path in life, and when I left Nagato and his friends behind after training them to protect themselves I thought I'd done enough… but clearly, I was mistaken. Why he felt the need to lead the Akatsuki and seek out the power of the Tailed Beasts, why he ultimately became Pain… I need to understand how he went so badly astray."

Itachi's brow furrowed as he thought back to his fellow Akatsuki member. "After I broke free from Edo Tensei, I helped Naruto and Killer B defeat him… and ultimately sealed him in the gourd of the Totsuka Blade. Supposedly, he's forever trapped in a realm of drunken dreams, but since my resurrection was undone and the fragment of my soul that went back to the Shinobi World returned to the Soul Society, I don't know what happened to those that were trapped in the gourd. It's possible that his soul was brought here too… although given that he was resurrected like me, that means he would have suffered a soul fracture as well when Edo Tensei was first cast. I was fortunate in that Yoruichi was present when mine occurred, and she was able to get me to Captain Unohana for stabilization. Nagato would not have had that luxury. Assuming that he wound up in the Soul Society to begin with, his soul may not be in one piece."

Jiraiya sighed. "Damn it, I totally didn't consider that. Crap… what should I do?"

"The same thing that we've been doing for the past few years," Itachi answered, "We keep going by our search grid, narrowing down locations and looking for leads. The area you're currently working in is where you found that strange token with the Leaf Village insignia carved upon it. I know Nagato wasn't from the Leaf Village, but that token right now is the only real lead we have on potential Shinobi enclaves within the Rukon District. For the moment, I'd say your best course of action is to continue pursuing that lead. If we can find other Shinobi, there's a chance we could discover information regarding Nagato."

Jiraiya nodded. "I suppose you're right. Still, should the day come that we actually find him… I'm not sure where I'll even start with that."

"Well, he did kill you," Itachi noted, "I'm sure more than a little awkwardness would be understandable."

"Yeah, that's going to be interesting," said Jiraiya as the waitress returned with a bottle of sake and some cups, "Well, I can worry about that later. What do you say to a toast?"

"What did you have in mind?" asked Itachi as Jiraiya poured them each a cup.

Jiraiya smiled as he raised his glass. "To closing the book on the past, and opening a new one for the future!"

Itachi clinked his cup with Jiraiya's and smiled. "I'll drink to that."

….

Roughly six months later…

141 years before Rukia Kuchiki's arrival in Karakura Town

Zipping around the secret training ground as crimson flaming birds filled the air around her, Yoruichi was glad that she'd ditched her haori prior to the match. The amount of blazing crows that Itachi could generate with his Shikai had grown dramatically in the span of just a few months, and if Yoruichi had to ballpark it she'd put the current number somewhere within the low hundreds of thousands. As a result, the secret training ground was heating up quite quickly, and Squad Two's Captain was grateful for the fact that the Keisen Shōzoku uniform she wore was both backless and sleeveless; wearing traditional Soul Reaper robes while surrounded with the heat Itachi's Shikai was giving off would've been less than pleasant to put it mildly.

His power's improved tremendously in such a short amount of time, she thought with a smile as white lightning danced around her courtesy of her Shikai, I really do need to get him bumped up higher in the ranks. He's far stronger than your garden variety Thirteenth Seat, but I've known that for years. The problem at this point is waiting for a more suitable position to open up.

Now was hardly the time to distract herself with thoughts of bureaucracy, though. She'd promised Itachi her full attention for this test, and she would give it to him. Darting in and out from behind the rocky outcrops scattered around the training ground, Yoruichi carefully searched with both her eyes and her sense for spirit energy as she tried to pin down her elusive prey. It was a game of cat-and-mouse that they'd played many times ever since she'd started training with him, and Yoruichi never grew tired of it.

Rolling to the right as a swarm of flaming crimson crows dive bombed the spot she'd occupied just a moment earlier, she thrust the silver gauntlets of her Shikai forward and let fly with a blast of white lightning. The brilliant bolts flashed across the training ground, momentarily blowing a gaping tunnel through the swarms of red firebirds before the teeming flocks reasserted themselves and ultimately slamming into one of the far walls. The entire training ground rocked from the impact and chunks of stone went flying, but Yoruichi wasn't worried; it would take far more than that to seriously threaten her sparring partner.

Although her attack had only cleared out a small fraction of the crimson firebirds that were flying around the training ground, the window had been enough for Yoruichi to spot one of her targets, and she swiftly pounced. Flash Stepping forward, she punched Itachi right in the gut…

...only for her Thirteenth Seat to suddenly dissolve into a flock of blazing crows.

Figured that would be one of the clones, she thought as she looked around, He'd never let me have a quick and easy win, after all.

Smirking, she leapt high into the air and flipped so her feet would hit the ceiling. The moment she made contact, but just before she pushed off, she thrust both of her gauntlets forward and let fly with a salvo of white lightning. The twin bolts smashed into the ground with a thunderous roar, blasting a veritable blizzard of rocks into the air and dispersing a far greater amount of the crimson flaming crows than her earlier attack had. In that instant she saw not one, not two, but three Itachis. She kicked off the ceiling just a split second later, rocketing towards the one she knew to be her target.

She slammed into her Thirteenth Seat like a cannonball, and this time he didn't dissolve. Pinning her prey to the ground, Yoruichi brought the claws of her right gauntlet to rest against his throat.

"Match!" she declared with a triumphant grin as the two clones behind her dissolved into swarms of crimson firebirds.

Itachi smiled. "Yes… well done. Tell me, what gave it away this time?"

"The clones still have some faint ripples in them from the flames," she answered, "They'll fool your average opponents, but anyone with sharp eyes can pick up on the distortions. Also, the concentrations of spirit energy within them aren't quite enough to pass for the genuine article just yet."

Itachi gave a small nod. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind as I work to refine the technique."

Yoruichi released him and deactivated her Shikai before offering him her right hand. "They were still pretty damn good. You're becoming a real artist with those little birds."

"It's been quite fun experimenting with them," he replied as his Shikai likewise deactivated and he allowed her to pull him to his feet, "I should've tried recreating my Crow Clone Jutsu with them much sooner. It's not exactly the same as using actual crows, but I do like the effect."

Yoruichi chuckled as the two of them sheathed their swords and the remaining crimson flaming crows petered out. "I bet! Any Hollow that tries to sink its teeth into one of those out in the field is going to be in for a nasty surprise."

"That is the idea," said Itachi, "Cloning jutsus had many applications, but since I had lower than average chakra reserves I always had to be careful with how I employed them back when I was alive. It feels easier now to create clones with the firebirds that my Shikai generates, and the technique isn't all that costly in terms of spirit energy either."

Yoruichi nodded. "You're definitely becoming more proficient, both in that technique and with your Shikai in general. Hell, you fought that whole match without using your Sharingan, and you put on a really good show! I really was worrying for nothing."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Worrying? What about?"

"The Head Captain pulled me aside after the meeting a few days ago," she explained, "He's still interested in seeing your Shikai, and I don't think it'll be much longer before he stops by the barracks for a friendly visit. I know you've been working hard at training to use your Shikai both with and without your Sharingan, but I was still concerned that it might not be enough. The Head Captain's senses are damn sharp, after all; he'd be able to tell if you were trying to keep your true power hidden. After today, though, I don't think that'll be a problem."

"Are you sure?" asked Itachi, "I mean, I would still be trying to conceal my true power if he asked for a demonstration. My skill in using my Shikai without the Sharingan active might be improving, but there's still a considerable difference between that and when I am using the power of my bloodline. The Head Captain might be unaware of the Sharingan, but there's still the distinct possibility that he'd sense me holding back."

Yoruichi shook her head. "He would, but now I don't think it'd be the threat that I was originally concerned about. With what you've demonstrated today, I think the Head Captain would be fine with the notion that you were holding back out of concern for causing collateral damage. Yours isn't the only Shikai with the potential for a wide destructive radius, after all; it wouldn't be the first time someone's had to restrain their powers while putting on a show for the old man."

Itachi nodded. "So, as long as I put on a performance that at least show's the Head Captain I take his evaluation seriously, I should be okay even if I hold back?"

"Yup," Yoruichi answered, "You've got this, Itachi."

"How soon do you think he'll put me to the test?" he asked.

Yoruichi's brow furrowed in thought. "Hmmm… not entirely sure, to be honest. From the way he phrased things, it sounded like he's really wanting to see just how far you've come since that test he gave you after the soul fracture incident. Your performance at the past two Blade Dancer Festivals gave him a good impression, but that was just with regards to your Zanjutsu. I did ask him to give you a little more time, playing the angle that you're still working on your fine control with it, but I don't know how much longer he's going to buy that. If I had to throw out a guess, I'd say you've got anywhere from a few months to possibly a year or so at best before he comes knocking on our door."

"I see," said Itachi, "Then it sounds like I'd better redouble my efforts. It wouldn't do myself or Squad Two well if I disappointed him after being granted extra time to train, after all."

Yoruichi smiled. "More training wouldn't hurt, but I think we've both done enough for one day. I worked up a nice little sweat from that…"

She then leaned in close, her lips mere millimeters away from his own as she brushed her right hand up the left side of his neck and jawline. "...and it looks like you did too. I've got a little something planned for us tonight, and we both ought to freshen up a bit beforehand, wouldn't you agree?"

Itachi smiled, and Yoruichi saw more than a hint of red appear on his face. "I'd say so."

Yoruichi gave him a mischievous grin as she started gently but firmly pushing him towards the hot springs at the back of the training ground. "Good. Let's take a nice, long and thorough bath together. We've got a fun little night out on the town ahead of us, and I want to make sure we're both in the right mood for it, you know?"

The confident smirk on Itachi's face as he looked over his shoulder at her was exactly what she'd been hoping to see. "I couldn't agree more."

She spun him around for a kiss as they reached the edge of the hot spring. Their clothes hit the ground a second later, and then there was a great splash as she tackled him right into the water.

….

Later that evening...

As he followed Yoruichi in Flash Stepping through the Rukon District, Itachi was struck by the familiarity of the path they were taking. The Captain hadn't told him all that much about what she actually had planned for the two of them tonight; indeed, the whole thing had been sprung on him almost out of the blue. Of course, since she was his commanding officer and thus could dictate his schedule, that gave her an advantage in planning surprise outings like this, and in hindsight Itachi knew that he should've seen something like this coming.

It's not the first time we've had a little out-of-the-blue fun, he mused as images of the intimacy they'd enjoyed in the hot springs just a little while ago flashed through his mind, but she's never led me out into the Rukon District like this for leisure before. We'll usually go to an establishment or private little spot inside the Seireitei. I wonder…

His regular Rukon District patrols had made him quite comfortable in navigating its sprawling expanses and labyrinthine streets, but their current route was familiar to him for reasons that had nothing to do with his duties as a Soul Reaper. It had been years since Itachi had walked this path, but as he and Yoruichi drew closer to their ultimate destination the former Shinobi recognized the region they had crossed into.

Western Rukon, District 37.

Where he'd first landed in the Soul Society.

Where he'd first met Yoruichi and his new life had truly begun.

There was a tavern up ahead, and Itachi knew just which one it was. "This is where you and Unohana met for drinks that night years ago, wasn't it?"

Yoruichi smiled. "I was wondering when you'd notice."

"It's been quite a while since I was last in this area," said Itachi as he looked around, "but I haven't forgotten it."

"I'm sure," Yoruichi replied as she led him towards the establishment's entrance, "Come on, let's grab a table before we start strolling down memory lane. This place fills up pretty quickly once dusk hits."

Itachi followed her inside, and indeed the tavern was already quite noisy. One of the waitresses guided the two of them to an empty table along the wall, but there weren't many others left unoccupied. The bartender waved at Yoruichi, as did several of the waitresses.

"You know, I always meant to ask how you knew of this place," said Itachi as they both sat down, "Most Soul Reapers tend to stick to the establishments inside the Seireitei."

"The Seireitei joints are nice and all," Yoruichi answered as their waitress went off to fetch their drinks, "but they cater mostly to Soul Reapers, the nobility and their retainers. Not that there aren't plenty of nice people in that crowd and all, but sometimes I want something that's a bit more rough-and-tumble or down-to-Earth, you know? The Rukon District has a ton of unpolished gems like this place here, and it's become one of my favorite places to unwind for a bit over the years."

"And that's why you brought Captain Unohana here?" he asked, "To unwind for a bit before the start of the Academy entrance exams?"

Yoruichi nodded. "She doesn't get out of the Seireitei very often; being in demand as the greatest healer in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads doesn't give her all that many opportunities for leisurely excursions. When I got assigned to proctor the entrance exams that year, I figured that since she was doing the prep work for the medical side of things I'd offer her a chance to take a little break before the big day arrived. She originally suggested a nice little teahouse inside the Seireitei, but I managed to talk her into being a bit more adventurous. I think she rather liked this place."

"Lucky for Jiraiya and I that you were able to convince her to try something new," said Itachi, "Otherwise that night could've had a very different ending."

Yoruichi smiled as the waitress brought over a bottle of sake and some cups. "You're right about that. I've been thinking about that night quite a bit recently… you and Jiraiya weren't the only ones that got lucky. If I'd gone with Unohana's suggestion, you and I never would've met. All that we've done together since then… it never would've happened. I would've missed out on something special… on someone special."

Itachi poured their drinks and raised his cup. "To lucky meetings?"

Her smile grew slightly as her cup met his, and her golden eyes were practically glowing as her gaze locked with his. "To lucky meetings… and the wonderful companions that come from them."

Itachi felt a slight rush of heat come to his face, and it had little to do with the sake that he was drinking. Whenever she looked at him like that, with a gaze that she reserved for him alone… all of Itachi's worries just seemed to melt away. Lucky couldn't begin to describe how fortunate he felt to have met her, to have gotten to know her, to have become so close with her…

...and above all, to have been accepted by her.

While he struggled to accept himself even years after the tragic affair with the clan and his brother, she had done so with open arms. Even after hearing of his past, of all the terrible sins he had committed, she had not backed away from him, had not so much as given even a hint of wanting to push him away. Would any other woman in the Soul Society, not counting his mother, have done the same? Itachi didn't know, but somehow he doubted it.

The smile on Yoruichi's face became a smirk, and Itachi realized too late that he'd been staring at her. "Something on your mind?"

Itachi chuckled as images from the hot spring flashed through his head again. "Perhaps."

The knowing look in her eyes made it clear that she'd guessed where his mind had gone. "Right… I wonder what my grandparents would say if they knew what we were getting up to! Maybe I should tell them when I write them back later."

"You got another letter from them?" asked Itachi, rather eager to change the subject.

Yoruichi nodded. "Just the other day. It was my grandfather's handwriting, but I can always tell when a letter's really meant to be from both of them rather than just one or the other."

"I see," said Itachi, "How are they doing?"

"Very well," Yoruichi replied, "Enjoying things down in the southwest still, but that's nothing new. Honestly, if I wasn't up here, my grandfather probably wouldn't even bother leaving our clan's Principality. My grandmother's never coming back here, but you already knew that. They've both been asking about you, you know?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly. "Should I be worried?"

Yoruichi laughed. "No, not at all! Grandfather likes you, and I'm sure my grandmother would too once she gets the chance to meet you. I really do need to set some time aside for a trip down there soon. I could order you to come along as my escort!"

"I wouldn't say no to that," said Itachi, "but what about Soi-Fon? As the head of your personal guard, I have to imagine that she'd have a few words to say about being left behind, to put it mildly."

"Oh, she definitely would," Yoruichi agreed, "Of course, I'd bring her along too. I know she still gives you a bit of a hard time, but she really has gotten better about backing off when I want some time alone with you. She's not exactly happy about it, but she does accept it. Believe it or not, she does still trust you, both with me and just in general. I think she's still coming to terms with the fact that I've brought you into my inner circle so quickly. She was used to it being just her and Kisuke running the place with me, and even then she hasn't quite been able to stop herself from giving Kisuke the old stink-eye from time to time. You coming along didn't make things any easier for her."

Itachi looked down. "I'm sorry for any trouble I've caused between the two of you."

Yoruichi reached across the table and gently laid a hand over his. "Hey, you haven't done anything wrong, so don't apologize. I knew going in that Soi-Fon would have trouble adjusting to someone else growing so close to me. She's a grownup, just like the rest of us; she can adapt. I still train and spend time with her just like we did before, and I think I've gotten pretty good at balancing things between us since the festival. So don't go worrying about stuff like that, okay? You beat yourself up more than enough as it is without throwing Soi-Fon's issues on top of everything."

Itachi took a deep breath as he faced her again. "I suppose you're right. Still, if there's anything I can do to help smooth things over with her, let me know."

"I will," Yoruichi replied as she refilled their cups, "For now, I'd say just show her that you're still as dedicated to your duties and training as you were before. If nothing else, she'll at least respect you for that."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Itachi, "Going back to your grandparents, is your grandfather going to be making his way up here for this year's Blade Dancer Festival? It's already late spring; if wants to make the trip, he's running out of time."

Yoruichi shook her head. "He didn't indicate that he planned on doing anything like that this year, although he does like to surprise people. Even if he does, though, there's no guarantee that you and I will be in town for it. The stars aligned for the past two years, but you know how our line of work goes."

Itachi nodded. "True enough. I wouldn't mind seeing your grandfather again, or meeting your grandmother at some point. Please, give them my regards when you write them back."

Yoruichi smiled as she raised her cup. "I definitely will. To doting family members?"

Itachi returned her smile as his glass met hers, his thoughts turning towards his mother. "To those who care for us, no matter where in the Soul Society we are."

The two of them downed their drinks again, and Yoruichi leaned forward after setting her cup down. "Speaking of family, how's Mikoto doing? Hard to believe she's already coming up on her third year at the Academy."

"I visited her a few days ago," said Itachi, "She's doing quite well. Still enjoying her lessons, and she seems popular with her fellow students. She's happy, and in the end, that's all I really want for her right now."

Yoruichi giggled. "You know, listening to you, it feels like the roles here are reversed! Who's the parent and who's the child?"

Itachi couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "You're right… please, don't tell her about this. I don't think she'd be able to pass up the chance to tease me over it. You two are far too much alike in that regard."

Yoruichi winked. "No promises!"

"I should've expected as much," said Itachi, "While we're on the topic of parents, how are yours? I imagine their daughter being a Captain must inspire equal amounts of pride and worry in them."

Yoruichi sighed. "You're not wrong. I mean, they know what I'm capable of, but they're always concerned that I'll get in over my head. The best I can do is reassure them that I know what I'm doing."

"How much do they know about… us?" Itachi asked cautiously.

Yoruichi shook her head. "They might have heard a rumor or two after the first Blade Dancer Festival that we dueled in, but they don't know much more than that. I have mentioned you to them a few times, but it's always been in the context of your contributions to Squad Two. They know that you're a skilled Soul Reaper rising through the ranks and that I consider you a good friend, but I haven't clued them in on just how 'good' you are, if you catch my drift."

Itachi nodded. "I appreciate the discretion. I'm sure they'll start to suspect something sooner or later, but for now it's good to not be under the watchful eye of powerful nobles."

Yoruichi smirked. "Even more so since they're my mother and father, right? You know how parents get when their daughter brings a new boy home with her!"

"I can imagine," Itachi replied, "I would like to meet them at some point, but it's probably a bit early for that right now."

Yoruichi gave him an apologetic smile. "I know you're not the type of guy that gets hung up on stuff like this, but I do feel a bit guilty about not having told them more about you. We both agreed that keeping what we have going between us discrete was for the best, and yet… well, you're the kind of guy that a girl should want to introduce to her parents, and in more than the 'he's-a-good-friend-of-mine' context. Keeping you as a secret instead of bragging about what you're really capable of and all that we've done together… it feels like I'm giving you the short end of the stick."

Itachi gave her a small but hopefully reassuring smile in return. "It's quite all right, really. I don't want to cause you any trouble by sending fresh rumors flying amongst the aristocracy, and I don't mind staying out of the spotlight. You told me once that we should take things slow between us, and I'm more than happy to do that. What we have… what we've become ever since that first dance between us… I wouldn't trade it for anything."

She leaned across the table before Itachi could react and gave him a quick kiss. "Thanks… it means a lot to hear you say that. I'll properly introduce you to my parents at some point; we just need to lay the right groundwork for it first. We'll let things keep playing out as they are for now and just go with the flow. Eventually, the opportunity we want will show itself."

Itachi refilled their cups for a third round and raised his. "To a future awkward first meeting with your parents?"

Yoruichi laughed as she tapped her cup against his. "I'll drink to that!"

….

Three days later…

"Are you sure about this?" asked Shisui as he deflected a diagonal slash from Visaelya, "You don't have to prove anything to me, you know? If I use it, all you're going to get out of it is a quick defeat."

Squad Two's Sixteenth Seat nodded as she pressed her assault, alternating between high and low strikes to keep her sparring partner off balance. "You said you were famous for it when you were alive, right? I know you've been working on that technique with Itachi; I want to face it for myself!"

Shisui smirked as he parried her strikes. "All right, then. Don't say I didn't warn you!"

Visaelya thrust her sword forward, but Shisui was no longer there. Well, he was, but not really. While Visaelya had in theory known what to expect, it was still shocking to see her blade pass through the afterimage of her friend.

I didn't even sense him move, she thought as she whirled around, Where did he go?

She caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, and she lunged forward. Her sword streaked through the air, and Shisui's blade was raised to counter, but Visaelya's Zanpakutō passed right through it; another afterimage. As she frantically tried to find her opponent, she suddenly felt the tip of his blade come to rest against the back of her neck.

"Match," Shisui declared from behind her, and Visaelya didn't even need to look to know that he was smiling, "I told you it would be quick."

Visaelya sighed as she lowered and sheathed her Zanpakutō. "You did, but even so… how did you do that? It was like Shunpo, but not… I don't understand it. What did you say it was called again? The… Body Flicker Technique, right?"

Shisui grinned as he sheathed his blade and nodded at a nearby boulder with a suitably flat top. "Why don't we take a load off and I'll walk you through it."

"Sounds good," said Visaelya as she wiped the sweat from her brow, "I could use a break."

"You held your own pretty well," Shisui noted as the two of them sat down, "We were going for a good while there before you asked me to bust out one of my tricks. Your endurance and technique are really coming along."

Visaelya shook her head. "Thanks, but you don't need to flatter me. I still can't hold a candle to you. No reason to sugarcoat the gap between our abilities."

Shisui gave her a pat on the back. "Hey, don't be like that. You've made real progress, and you're still growing. Give yourself some credit; I'd say you deserve it."

Visaelya smiled and found herself blushing slightly. "Oh, well… thank you. That means a great deal coming from a fighter as skilled as you."

Shisui grinned. "Keep at it, and you'll be keeping pace with Itachi and I soon enough. You've got a ton of potential, and with the way you're constantly pushing yourself, you'll go far. Trust me on that."

Visaelya nodded. "I will. Now, about this 'Body Flicker Technique' of yours; how's it work?"

"So, you weren't wrong in saying that it's like Shunpo," Shisui began, "Both are rapid movement techniques, and highly proficient users can reach incredible speeds. The devil, as always, is in the details. You remember the core fundamentals of Shunpo, right?"

Visaelya folded her arms. "Is that a trick question? I was in the advanced class, remember? If it weren't for Itachi and Jiraiya, I would've been the top scorer of our graduating group!"

Shisui smirked. "Just humor me a bit here, okay?"

Visaelya sighed. "If I must. The textbook characterization of Shunpo is how swiftly a Soul Reaper can get from one point to another while using the least possible amount of steps. While physical conditioning is a crucial component, equally vital to proficiency is control over one's spirit energy. Through concentrating our energy in our legs and feet, we can propel ourselves considerable distances with a single step, and can do so at great speeds. Shunpo is essentially those components put together and then taken to their logical extreme, with expert users capable of moving so fast that their rate of travel might as well be instantaneous to those with untrained eyes. Does that suffice?"

Shisui laughed. "You weren't kidding when you called it the 'textbook' characterization! I'm pretty sure I remember that definition almost word for word from the books at the Academy."

"You wanted the core fundamentals," Visaelya reminded him, "The Academy materials covered those quite nicely, and I have a very good memory when it comes to my training."

"So I've noticed," said Shisui, "Well, at first glance, the Body Flicker Technique does share some similar aspects with Shunpo. At its heart is the use of one's energy to vitalise the body and move at great speed. Living Shinobi use chakra, but as you saw earlier, I was able to accomplish the same using my spirit energy, albeit it still feels a bit strange to use the latter rather than the former for this technique. Usually there will be a bit of smoke or some other sign of friction and energy as Shinobi utilize this skill, but I was able to master it to the degree that I left no trace of my presence, no hint that I had even initiated the technique. Hence the convincing afterimages."

Visaelya nodded. "I see. Where are the key differences between this skill and Shunpo, then? So far, I'm not really seeing any other than the name. Captain Shihōin's mastery of Shunpo is such that she's been rumored to leave afterimages as well, although I've never actually seen it myself."

Shisui smiled. "It really comes down to energy expenditure and purpose. In using both techniques, I've found Shunpo to be more economical. However, the Body Flicker Technique offers a bit more by way of maneuverability, while Shunpo works best going in straight lines. That being said, true masters of the latter like our Captain are able to vary the distance and initiate new steps so rapidly that they can more than compensate for the initial lack of flexibility. Neither is really superior to the other; it's all in the application and level of skill on the part of the user. Shunpo places a heavier emphasis on achieving the greatest potential speed in the most efficient manner, while the Body Flicker Technique at its heart is more focused on masking one's movements and confusing the enemy."

Visaelya's brow furrowed in thought. "Using one when a foe might expect the other could make all the difference in a close fight. The Body Flicker Technique would throw plenty of Soul Reapers for a loop, while Shunpo would probably surprise Shinobi. Both would be handy against Hollows, with the most effective one depending on the circumstances of a particular fight."

"That's a good way to think about it," Shisui replied.

"I want to do more than think about," said Visaelya as she met Shisui's gaze, "Could you teach me to do it?"

Shisui's eyes widened slightly. "Where's this coming from?"

"Part of my decision to join Squad Two in the first place was about broadening my horizons," Visaelya pointed out, "I wanted to learn not just from Captain Shihōin, but people like you and Itachi. Your backgrounds are so very different from mind; you have experience and techniques that most Soul Reapers wouldn't dream of. I want to prove to my family that their narrow-minded view of my ideal path is wrong, and what better way to do that than learning skills here that I couldn't learn from people like my uncle?"

Shisui nodded, but the way his eyes slightly narrowed told her that he didn't quite buy it. "Well put, but… there's more to it, isn't there?"

Visaelya sighed; there was no point in attempting to hide the truth from him. "Yes… it will also offer me a distraction from my… current struggle."

The light of comprehension dawned in Shisui's gaze. "You mean your issue with trying to unlock your Shikai. Visaelya, how many times have I told you to lay off that over the past few months? Ever since Jiraiya got back from Squad Eight's northern wraith hunt, you've been trying to force yourself to do what he did, and it doesn't really work like that. You and your Zanpakutō need to be in sync, and trying to compel it to evolve along your time preference rather than its own will almost always result in exactly the kind of friction that you've been experiencing with it lately."

Visaelya groaned, trying and failing to keep her frustration from boiling over. "I know that, but even so… I'm falling further behind! I was in the same year at the Academy as Itachi and Jiraiya, but they've both moved so far ahead since then, and it's only been a few years since graduation. Look at me, Shisui? Compared to them, what have I accomplished? Nothing!"

Shisui shook his head. "That's not true, and you know it. You've already made it to the rank of Sixteenth Seat, you've got plenty of field experience under your belt and are gaining more with each passing year, your skills are developing at a rate that most Soul Reapers would be envious of, and you've only just begun to scratch the surface of your true potential! Visaelya, I've seen people, both Shinobi and Soul Reapers, who plateau early and never move beyond that. You're not one of them; I guarantee that."

Visaelya looked down at her feet, balling her fists as she clenched her robes. "Then why… why do I feel like I'm constantly walking straight into a brick wall? All the training I do with you and Itachi, all the practice I get on our missions… why doesn't it feel like enough?"

Shisui put his arm around her and pulled her in close. "It's because you're still holding yourself up to the expectations that your family have placed on you for your whole life. I'm sure they wanted the best for you, but it wasn't right of them to force you to constantly push yourself and ingrain you with such rigid and defined standards for growth and progress. I know you've been trying to grow beyond what they taught you, but you don't have to hide it from me; part of all this stems from family pride. You're a Drakken, and the daughter of your family patriach's eldest son, which means that you expect yourself to develop and grow stronger in a manner befitting that name. Does that sound about right?"

Visaelya's eyes widened as she looked up at him. "Yes… how did you know?"

"Remember where I'm from and what I once was?" Shisui pointed out, "You're not the only person who was born into a clan that had high expectations of them. I won't pretend that our circumstances are exactly the same, but I do have some experience in what you're going through."

"How did you handle it?" she asked, "How did you… well, cope?"

"I focused first and foremost on who I was and what I believed in," Shisui answered, "The clan's pride was taking it down a dark path, one that I knew I couldn't follow. I was more subtle in dealing with things than you were; I didn't do anything nearly as bold joining a rival company like you did. In hindsight, I was probably too subtle. If I'd been more vocal in my opposition to where things were going… maybe Itachi wouldn't have gotten stuck with the dirty work that followed."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Dirty work? What are you talking about?"

She saw his eyes widen slightly, and she realized that he'd let slip something he very much hadn't intended to. "Oh, nevermind that… it's not related to your situation… not sure where that came from, actually."

Visaelya didn't quite believe him, but she could tell that he was uncomfortable with wherever his thoughts had gone. She was certainly curious, but at the same time she knew that he was trying to help her here; it wouldn't do to get him sidetracked by something that appeared to make him more than a little uneasy.

"Okay," she said, "In that case… was my mistake in being too open with my intentions or too bold with my actions?"

Shisui shook his head. "No, not at all. You did what you believed was best for your situation, and I back your call completely. Our families might have some similarities, but there are plenty of differences too. Since my family was a Shinobi Clan, it's natural that I decided to be a little more sneaky about going down my own path and following my beliefs. Your family… well, don't take this the wrong way, but subtlety doesn't strike me as a Drakken Clan strong point."

Visaelya couldn't help but laugh at that. "It's really not!"

Shisui sighed in relief. "Okay, that makes this next bit easier. Your situation called for an open gesture of defiance, a loud and clear declaration of independence. Subtlety, biding your time; none of those were ever going to work for you or your family. Being upfront and committing an act as blatantly rebellious as joining Squad Two was exactly what you needed to start charting your own path in earnest. However, in doing so, you were inevitably going to damage your connection to the support network that you'd known your whole life up until that point; your family. The repercussions from that aren't dealt with overnight. You might be a few years out now from your choice at the recruitment exhibition, but the ripples created by that decision are still very much reverberating inside you."

Visaelya closed her eyes for a moment as she considered his words. "I… I think you might be right. In the past, I always had someone with them that I could turn to for counsel or direction. Whether it was my mother and father, siblings, my uncle, even our clan's patriarch, I had plenty of options, and while I was seen as firmly in their camp they were eager to dispense with their wisdom. Ever since I joined Squad Two, though, I've been cut off from that. Some of it might have been by choice, and I always knew that my decision would have consequences, but even then… I wasn't as prepared for the backlash as I thought I'd been. My usual channels of support dried up, and I've been floundering about ever since."

Shisui smiled. "I wouldn't put it quite like that. You're just struggling to reorient yourself and find a new equilibrium. Your entire world changed when you graduated and joined Squad Two, and it takes serious time to properly adjust to everything that's new. It goes deeper than simply becoming accustomed to new duties or routines; it ultimately comes down to how you see yourself. Even though you joined Squad Two in order to get out from under your family's shadow, you're still subconsciously defining yourself by your clan's name and reputation. Your family drilled that into you; it's naturally difficult to stop doing so overnight."

Visaelya nodded. "Yes… no matter how much I might try, I can't help but look at where I am now and compare it to where my family always said I should be. My power, rank and skill… I keep holding it up next to the standard that they set for me. Looking back on it, I never really figured out what standard fits me. The real me, I mean, not the 'me' that my family wanted to see… oh, I don't know how to put this. Does what I just said make any kind of sense, or am I going crazy here?"

"I don't think you're crazy at all," Shisui replied, and Visaelya felt the heat rush to her face as he took her hand, "You're trying to find where you truly feel like you belong in the world. End of the day, we all are, in our own ways. The thing is, we can't do it on our own. I mean, we can try, but it doesn't usually end well. We need people in our lives that can help us navigate this crazy world of ours and figure out our unique place in it. You believed that your family was helping you do that before, but even if they've turned their backs on you, you've still got people close to you that are more than willing to step in. You've got friends, Visaelya. Itachi, Jiraiya, the Captain, Soi-Fon, the rest of your comrades… and me."

She found herself smiling as she met his gaze. "I do… and if I'd gone to Squad Ten, I wouldn't. I'd have comrades that would only see my family name, and not the real me. Maybe I'd still turn to my family, but any advice that they might give me… it'd ultimately come back to how I could best serve our family. It wouldn't be counsel on what's truly best for me. I've only found that through the friends I made at the Academy and in joining Squad Two… and through you, Shisui. Above all, through you."

He suddenly looked surprisingly shy, and she thought she caught just a hint of red in his face. "I don't know… you might be giving me too much credit there."

"No," she whispered as she leaned forward to kiss him, "I don't think I am at all."

Her lips lingered on his for a few precious seconds that simultaneously stretched for far longer than was normal and were over all too quickly. When they pulled apart, she could feel his hand tightly gripping hers, and the arm around her still held her quite close to him.

"Will you promise me something?" she asked softly.

Shisui nodded. "Name it."

"That no matter what happens, I can always turn to you for counsel," she said, "Honest counsel. Don't tell me what you think I want to hear; tell me what you believe I need to hear, whether I'll like it or not. I don't know if I could ever get that with my family, but with you, I would have no doubts whatsoever. Please."

Shisui smiled. "I promise."

"Thank you," she said as she stood up, "Oh, I'd also like instruction in the Body Flicker Technique, starting today. I want to hit the ground running, so don't go easy on me. You've still got enough energy to give me a lesson or two before we call it a day, don't you?"

Shisui smirked as he got to his feet. "Is that a challenge? Sure you're not biting off more than you can chew?"

Visaelya winked. "Only one way to find out, isn't there?"

Shisui grinned. "I suppose there is. Very well, then. Let's get started!"

….

Two days later…

"What do you think the Head Captain's got for us today?" asked Soi-Fon as she followed Yoruichi through the halls of Squad One's barracks.

"I've got a rough idea," Yoruichi replied, "If my hunch is right, it's probably related to the letter I got from my mother yesterday morning."

Soi-Fon raised an eyebrow; this was news to her. "You got a message from Lady Yoriko? Why didn't you tell me?"

"The contents were sensitive," Yoruichi answered, "If it makes you feel any better, I didn't tell Kisuke either."

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed slightly. "What about Itachi?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "No, he doesn't know either. There, see? I kept you all equally in the dark. Well, not equally anymore now that you're in the loop."

Soi-Fon folded her arms. "All I know about is the letter itself. That knowledge is of rather limited use since I don't know what Lady Yoriko wanted to inform you of. I don't suppose you're going to clue me in right now, are you?"

"You'll have to wait until the meeting gets underway," said Yoruichi, "I promise that everything will be made clear then."

Soi-Fon was worried; Yoruichi was all business today, and that didn't usually bode well. "Has something happened? You seem a little tense, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi sighed. "You'll get your answer soon enough. This isn't something that's suitable for casual conversation, especially not out in the open."

Soi-Fon took the hint. "Understood."

She dutifully followed in Yoruichi's wake, and was mildly surprised when her Captain led her towards Yamamoto's private office rather than the main meeting hall. That at least allowed Soi-Fon to rule out a full or even partial Captain and Lieutenant gathering, so it would either be just the two of them and the Head Captain or a couple of others at the most that had been summoned today.

Important enough to warrant the Head Captain's personal attention, she mused, but too sensitive for a full-on Captains' meeting. That helps rule out a few possibilities, I guess. Still, it's not enough to really narrow down what's going on here.

Lieutenant Sasakibe was standing in front of the entrance to the Head Captain's office, and he stiffened somewhat as Yoruichi and Soi-Fon approached. "Captain Shihōin, Soi-Fon, welcome. You two are the first to arrive."

"Would you expect anything less?" asked Yoruichi.

The Lieutenant shook his head. "No, I suppose not. I expect the other two will show up momentarily. Please, pick a side of the hall for the time being; the Head Captain would prefer that everyone enters together, so we'll wait here for the rest to arrive."

Yoruichi nodded. "Very well, then."

The two of them moved to the left side of the corridor and leaned against the wall. Closing her eyes, Soi-Fon could sense two familiar sources of spiritual pressure heading their way. As she opened her eyes again, the sources became visible at the far end of the hallway just a minute or so later. One was Captain Ukitake, while the other was Squad Ten's Third Seat Isshin Shiba.

The Captain of Squad Thirteen and another unit's Third Seat? That's… unusual, she thought as she watched the two men approach, I don't know what's going on here, but I don't like it.

Glancing at her Captain for any potential hints as to what was afoot, Soi-Fon saw that Yoruichi didn't look the least bit surprised by either man's presence. All Soi-Fon could think of was that it must've been linked to the letter she'd received; nothing else explained it.

Ukitake smiled as he and his companion drew near. "Ah, Captain Shihōin, Soi-Fon, good to see you! You're a bit early, or are we perhaps late?"

Lieutenant Sasakibe shook his head. "No, you're right on time."

"Good," said Isshin as he gave brief nods of acknowledgement to Yoruichi and Soi-Fon, "I take it the Head Captain's ready for us, then?"

Sasakibe held up his hand. "One moment."

He slid open the door to Yamamoto's office just enough to poke his head in for a moment, and then he yanked it back out a moment later. "Yes, the Head Captain is prepared to see you now. Please, enter."

The Lieutenant fully opened the door and stepped aside as the four of them entered the office. As the door then slid shut behind them, Soi-Fon saw that the Head Captain was standing with his back to them and looking out the window.

"A fine spring day," said the old man with what almost sounded like a sigh, "It seems a shame to spoil it with dark tidings. Unfortunately, it cannot be helped."

Before any of them could inquire as to what he meant, the Head Captain turned around and gestured to a table off to the side of his office with five cushions set around it. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. Captain Ukitake, you seem to have a little more color in you than is normal. I trust you are well enough?"

Ukitake smiled as they all moved around the table, with Yoruichi and Soi-Fon picking the left side while he and Isshin moved to the right. "Yes, quite so. The weather agrees with me, and I daresay I actually have a little pep in my step!"

There was a slight twitching beneath the Head Captain's mustache, and Soi-Fon realized that the old man had nearly smiled. "A good omen, then. I hope that this continues, for you will need your strength and then some in the days to come."

The Head Captain moved to the cushion at the head of the table and sat down while gesturing for the others to do the same. "Given the sensitivity of the matter that we will be discussing here, I'm sure I don't need to remind you of the need for discretion. Captain Shihōin, Third Seat Shiba; the two of you have already been informed by your respective families as to what has occurred. Captain Ukitake, Soi-Fon, I must ask that you take great care with the information that will be revealed today. The situation is delicate, and I do not wish for rumors to spread until your combined force has already departed the Seireitei."

Soi-Fon raised an eyebrow. "Combined force? What's happened?"

"Head Captain, may I?" Isshin chimed in, "It was Shiba Clan scouts that made the discovery, and it was within our House's Principality, after all."

Yamamoto nodded. "Proceed, Third Seat Shiba."

Soi-Fon and the others turned to Isshin as he cleared his throat. "As you're all no doubt aware, ever since Squad Two's expedition to Menar Issilaya revealed that the city had fallen to a wraith, the location and elimination of the remaining four has become a high-priority. Squad Eight's expedition to the north last year resulted in the destruction of the second wraith, and just recently the likely lair of the third was discovered inside the borders of the Shiba Clan's Principality."

Soi-Fon's eyes widened slightly as she processed the revelation. "The third wraith? How was it found?"

Isshin shrugged. "Almost by accident, really. One of our clan's patrol units has been working on cataloguing a series of ruins that lie deep in the Kurai Hebi Jungle. They were looking for relics of the old kingdom and got a bit more than they bargained for when they were attacked by what they referred to as demons."

Ukitake raised an eyebrow. "Demons? That's a bit vague, isn't it? How do you jump from that to a wraith?"

"I can answer that," Yoruichi interjected, "Statements from the survivors were compared with the reports from both my unit's mission in the east and Squad Eight's northern expedition. The traits of these so-called 'demons' matched those of the wights and animals that had been corrupted by a wraith's power."

Isshin nodded. "Exactly. Given the close alliance between our clans and the experience of Squad Two, my family dispatched messages for myself and Lady Yoriko Shihōin. Sounds like she's already passed the information along to you, Captain."

"My mother works fast," Yoruichi replied, "Runs in the family."

"That is most fortunate for us," said Yamamoto, "I trust that Lady Yoriko remains as discrete as ever?"

"Of course, Head Captain," Yoruichi answered, "Apart from passing the information along to myself, the only ones that are aware of the matter are her and my father, and now Soi-Fon."

The Head Captain nodded. "You will need to share this information with your subordinates in order to properly plan the mission, of course, but be sure to stress the importance of them not spreading it beyond the confines of your unit. Captain Ukitake, that goes for you as well."

"So, this is to be a joint operation, I take it?" asked Ukitake, "I assume that's why both Captain Shihōin and myself were summoned today, after all."

"Indeed," said Yamamoto, "Squads Two and Thirteen will be handling this mission. Third Seat Shiba will be joining you as the Shiba Clan's representative in this matter."

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "Head Captain, may I say something?"

She saw the old man slightly raise an eyebrow. "You have an objection, Soi-Fon?"

Soi-Fon shook his head. "No, I simply seek clarification. I mean no disrespect to either yourself or Third Seat Shiba, but the fact that he's from Squad Ten does raise a potential security concern for this mission. Captain Drakken and his clan reacted rather poorly to Squad Two's expedition to Menar Issilaya once we reported on what we had found there, and I suspect that he will… question our intentions here. I understand the Shiba Clan's desire for a representative in this operation, but is poaching a Soul Reaper from Squad Ten to fill that role really the proper way to go about it? It will raise suspicions, and word will doubtlessly filter through the aristocracy. I doubt it will take them long to start putting the pieces together."

"The Shiba Clan requested for me specifically to act as their representative," Isshin countered, "That's their condition for continued cooperation in this affair. With regards to my Captain, all he knows is that I was summoned here today to report to the Head Captain for a special assignment. I'm sure he has his suspicions, but he has no concrete information that he can relay to the Drakken Clan."

"That's all well and good," said Yoruichi, "but I imagine he'll object once he learns that you're going to be working with my unit on what will likely be a prolonged operation. He's been playing nice in the recent Captains' meetings, but you can bet that he's still nursing a grudge over that artifact business from our eastern expedition. Head Captain Yamamoto, while I'd normally refrain from speaking ill of an esteemed colleague in your presence, Soi-Fon's concerns regarding Squad Ten's commanding officer are well-founded."

Yamamoto nodded. "I'm sure Captain Drakken and his family will raise a fuss once they learn of your mission, but by that point you will be well clear of the Seireitei and on your way to the Shiba Clan's Principality. Your departure will be in two day's time. I know that doesn't give you much room to prepare, but secrecy and speed are of the essence here. Third Seat Shiba, I will send a message to Squad Ten informing them of my decision to send you out into The Wild for a hunt. Strictly speaking, this will not be inaccurate."

Isshin shook his head. "No, I suppose it won't. However, that's still pretty vague. He's not going to buy it."

"I'll add whatever embellishments are needed to sell the deception," the Head Captain replied, "We need only to keep him and his family from interfering with your departure. You will have to arrange a suitable rendezvous point with Captains Shihōin and Ukitake on your own."

"That'll be simple enough," said Yoruichi.

Ukitake smiled. "It's always fun to pull the wool over the aristocracy's eyes, even if it only works for a day or two."

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed as she looked back and forth between Yamamoto and Ukitake. "With all due respect, why is Squad Thirteen involved in this operation at all? If one of our goals is secrecy, then surely limiting those involved in the mission to just Squad Two and Third Seat Shiba would make more sense."

Yoruichi nodded. "Under other circumstances, I'd agree with you. However, remember the nature of our foe this time. The wraith we're hunting in this mission will be much stronger than the one we fought in the east. Remember, Squad Eight required the aid of the Valkyries to contend with their enemy last year. The Shiba Clan's forces are formidable, but as far as individual warriors are concerned, they don't have any that can quite measure up to the north's famous guardians. Captain Ukitake's powers and experience will be invaluable in this operation, as will that of his subordinates."

"The Shiba Clan also has a good working relationship with Squad Thirteen as a whole and Captain Ukitake in particular," Isshin added, "My family requested their involvement along with that of Squad Two. Also, despite that connection, Captain Ukitake is still seen by most of the aristocracy as a relatively neutral player in the political sphere."

Ukitake chuckled. "More like they don't deem me to be much of a threat due to my… condition. That allows me certain freedoms that other Captains lack, at least when my health is cooperating."

Yoruichi scratched her chin. "Speaking of your health, that might be a problem. Don't take this the wrong way, Ukitake; I'm glad you've been doing well lately, but with you it's always hard to tell how long that might last. You haven't had an extended field assignment in quite a while, and there's a good reason for that. Are you sure that you're up for this?"

Ukitake nodded. "I understand your concern, Captain Shihōin, and I assure you that appropriate precautions will be taken. I do believe that I'll be able to fight at peak performance during this mission, and I will be seeing Captain Unohana again before we depart."

"You will see her this evening," said the Head Captain, "and you will bring a message with her; she is to have one of her officers accompany you on this mission. She may decide which one is suitable for the task."

Soi-Fon's brow furrowed. "Another Soul Reaper from a unit outside of Squads Two and Thirteen… Head Captain, with all due respect, is that wise? I understand the practical need, but this does present another potential security risk for us to contend with if we wish to contain the spread of information surrounding our mission."

Much to her surprise, the Head Captain actually gave a slight chuckle as he looked at Yoruichi. "You've grown quite bold as of late, Soi-Fon… Captain Shihōin, your protege is clearly learning from your example. You should be proud of her."

Soi-Fon blushed as she saw Yoruichi smile at her. "I am."

She had to fight to banish the red from her face as the Head Captain turned to address her. "Your concerns are valid, Soi-Fon, which is why I'm having Captain Ukitake visit Captain Unohana in person rather than sending a messenger. His medical visit will serve as a convenient excuse for him to appraise her in private of the situation, and I trust her discretion. She will not speak of your mission, and she will pick a subordinate that she feels can be trusted to handle such information with the appropriate care."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Understood, Head Captain. I will place my faith in Captain Unohana's wisdom and that of whichever subordinate she picks to accompany us."

"Can we count on any kind of logistical support from the Shiba Clan?" asked Yoruichi.

Isshin nodded. "They'll help with supplies and scouting once we enter the borders of their Principality. Given that our force will be taking care of a serious threat for them, it's the least they can do. I'm afraid we won't be getting any help on the combat front, though. If the Shiba Clan redeploys any of their military forces away from their typical garrisons and patrols, spies from the other Great Noble Houses will almost certainly notice. If we want to keep the rest of the aristocracy in the dark until the target's eliminated, we'll have to handle the fighting on our own."

Ukitake leaned forward. "Do you happen to know which wraith we'll be up against here?"

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Well, the last two were found in the same regions where the Lady of Midnight originally met them, or at least close to it. If we go by that logic, then it's likely that the one we're hunting here would've once been the kid that she and her bodyguard encountered… the one that would become their first companion. According to the tale, he had high levels of spirit energy, and he was taught spellcraft by the Lady and combat by the bodyguard."

"Not a master of any one particular skill," Soi-Fon murmured, "but versed in a wide enough array of talents to have plenty of potential tricks up his sleeve."

Isshin sighed. "A jack-of-all-trades monster… that's going to be fun to deal with."

"Anything but," Ukitake muttered.

"I will leave the particulars of engaging this foe in your capable hands," said Yamamoto, "Your mission is simple; destroy the wraith, no matter the cost. Is that understood?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Yes, sir."

"We'll get it done, Head Captain," said Ukitake.

Wraith number three, thought Soi-Fon grimly, The first one was strong enough, and the one that Squad Eight fought in the north was supposedly even more powerful than that…

I'm not looking forward to this...

….

A little over a week later…

"A bit too far out from the perimeter for evening meditation, don't you think?" came a familiar male voice from behind Shisui.

Looking over his shoulder, Squad Two's Seventh Seat smiled as Itachi approached. "I'm not that far from our sentry line. Besides, I always prefer a bit of privacy and space for my Jinzen sessions"

Itachi shook his head. "That's all well and good within the safe confines of the Seireitei, but this is The Wild. I know your senses are sharp, Shisui, but this is still a bit reckless."

Shisui grinned. "It's not when I know you're patrolling this area."

Itachi chuckled as he sat down on a nearby rock. "No, I suppose not. Was it productive? Your communion with your Zanpakutō, I mean?"

Shisui shrugged as he picked up the sword laying in his lap and sheathed it. "No more or less than usual. I got to try out a few tricks and ask a few questions. As you know, the spirits of our swords aren't usually that cooperative when it comes to the latter."

"So I've noticed," said Itachi as he looked up at the stars, "They do not give up their secrets easily. Given our background, I suppose that goes double for Zanpakutō that are bound to people like us."

Shisui stood up and stretched. "Got that right. I like a bit of mystery as much as the next guy, but given what we're walking into with this mission, I'd prefer that Kage no Kodomo be a little more forthcoming."

Itachi nodded. "A sentiment I share. The third wraith… we'll need every possible advantage that we can get against such a foe."

It had come as a nasty shock to both former Shinobi when they'd learned a little over a week ago that they were about to embark on an expedition to eliminate another one of the undead monstrosities. While Squad Two and the Stealth Force were heavily involved in the efforts to hunt down the wraiths, there hadn't been much progress made as of late, so the news that the Shiba Clan had uncovered one within the borders of their ancestral homeland had been a surprising development. Between the rushed preparations and the efforts to keep the departure of the joint expeditionary force from the Seireitei under wraps, they hadn't been given much time to really ponder what they'd be walking into until they were already out on the road.

We knew another one would be found sooner or later, Shisui mused, I guess I was hoping for later.

Memories of their mission to Menar Issilaya and their exploration of the Moon Tower had become an uncomfortable specter lurking in the back of Shisui's mind. Ever since they'd learned the true nature of the horrors that had been sealed beneath the ancient citadel and the cruel fate of the city's former inhabitants, the knowledge that there were more of those unholy creatures out there had been unsettling to say the least. News of Squad Eight's successful elimination of the second wraith last year had been most welcome, and Shisui had hoped against hope that perhaps the remaining three were either still sealed in long-forgotten tombs or would be dispatched by other units of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Of course, he knew that both scenarios were really little more than wishful thinking; given Squad Two's role in this affair, another sortie against the demons of the old kingdom had been all but inevitable.

"You never tried to use genjutsu against the one you faced with the Captain and Soi-Fon, did you?" asked Shisui.

Itachi shook his head. "Truth be told, I wasn't sure if it would even be possible to ensnare a wraith in an illusion. With a mind so warped and twisted by agony and malice, I don't know if I could stomach the efforts it would take to capture such a creature in genjutsu, even with the power of the Sharingan. That's why I didn't make the attempt back then, and I'm hesitant to consider doing so now."

Shisui closed his eyes for a moment as images of the wights that he had fought alongside Visaelya and Aika flashed through his mind. "I can't say I blame you for that. I didn't even fight the wraith itself, but tangling with the wights alone was… unnerving. Looking them in the eye as I cut them down… all they had left was hatred, pain, and the desire to share their suffering with us. The Shinobi and bandits that I fought in my past life were one thing, and most Hollows are fairly beastial in nature, but these things… they might have been human once before, but they sure as hell weren't anymore when they attacked us. Talk about a fate worse than death. Humans can be capable of great cruelty, and animals can have vicious instincts, yet the wights… they were so far beyond any of that. I can't imagine what it was like fighting the creature that made them."

Itachi nodded. "Not an experience that I'm particularly eager to relive, but it seems like I'll have no choice in that regard. I know the Captains told us that they would be the ones doing the heavy lifting against the wraith when the confrontation comes, but you know as well as I do that no plan survives contact with the enemy. In fact, you and I will likely be integral to taking this enemy down thanks to our eyes. After all, it was thanks to the Sharingan that I was able to narrow down what accessories on the wraith served as anchors for the spells that kept it tethered to our plane of existence."

Shisui's eyes narrowed. "You're probably right, but that's likely going to mean revealing the existence of the Sharingan to more people. It'd be one thing if it was just a few more members of Squad Two getting in on the secret, but now we've got a bunch of people from Squad Thirteen including their Captain, Squad Ten's Third Seat, and Squad Four's Seventh Seat in the mix as well. One wrong move, and not only will they learn about our eyes, but it's likely that word will eventually spread to the aristocracy and the Central Forty-Six. Even if we survive taking out the third wraith, our troubles would only just be starting."

Itachi took a deep breath. "Possibly. However, given the Soul Reapers that we're working with here, things might work out. Seventh Seat Kotetsu is friendly with Jiraiya, so I could play up my connection with him and use that to keep her from spreading the word if she learns of our secret. As for Squad Thirteen, from what I've observed, all the members of it that were picked for this expedition seem to be highly loyal to Captain Ukitake, and he strikes me as the kind of man who might be willing to look the other way if our abilities prove vital in taking down the wraith. If he does so, then it's possible that his subordinates would follow his lead and do the same. It's not guaranteed, of course, but I think there's a chance of it."

"What about Third Seat Shiba?" asked Shisui, "I know he was willing to keep Squad Ten's Captain and Lieutenant in the dark about the true nature of this mission, but seeing the Sharingan might be a bridge too far for him. One slip up on our part, and knowledge of our eyes could go straight to the last clan that we want to know about it, with the exception of Visaelya."

Itachi nodded. "He's the true wild card here. On the one hand, the fact that he was willing to deceive Squad Ten regarding the purpose of his departure is promising, but that was by the order of the Head Captain. In lying to his Lieutenant and Captain about the mission, he was acting out of duty. Should he learn about our eyes, we cannot count on duty to keep him silent. On the contrary, he might see it as his duty to inform the Head Captain of our abilities, and he would not exactly be wrong. You and I know better than most just how much of a threat the Uchiha can be."

Shisui folded his arms. "So, how do we keep him from talking? You're not saying that the most permanent solution is on the table, are you?"

Itachi shook his head. "No, I'm not. I believe that there are viable alternatives. Third Seat Shiba seems to have a good working relationship with both Yoruichi and Captain Ukitake. We might be able to take advantage of that. I'll speak with Yoruichi in private about it later."

Shisui smiled. "At least we've got time. Our journey's young; based on the map and our current pace, we've probably still got a month or two of travel ahead. Once we reach the jungle, we'll probably have to go slower in order to safely navigate and reach our ultimate destination. Given that amount of time, between the two of us I'd say we should be able to work out a solution or two for our dilemma."

"Not just the two of us," Itachi reminded him, "We have friends now who are aware of the Sharingan. We'd be wise to be honest with them about this. With more input, we can formulate a more effective plan."

Shisui nodded. "Right. It's not like it was back with the clan… not the two of us against the oncoming tide."

"That was our mistake," said Itachi, and Shisui didn't miss the hint of mournfulness creeping into his voice, "One that I compounded after you were gone. Had we found others that we could be open with about our concerns and intentions, so much could have gone differently."

Shisui put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Well, we can't change the past, but we can take what we learned from it and apply it to the future. How else are we supposed to move forward?"

Itachi looked up at him and smiled. "You're right."

Shisui tried and failed to stifle a yawn. "Oh, man, guess I was out here for longer than I thought! Well, I think that's enough training and planning for one night. I'm going back to camp for some shuteye before my watch starts. You take care of yourself out here, okay? No getting lost in the past while on duty."

Itachi chuckled as he stood up. "You know me too well. I'll see you later, Shisui."

….

One week later…

Compared to what she'd heard of the inner worlds belonging to other Soul Reapers, Visaelya supposed that hers would be considered pleasant. For starters, it took the form of a tropical beach, complete with palm trees, rolling dunes, the cawing of seagulls overhead, and gentle waves lapping against the shore. There was little at first glance that could be considered creepy, eerie or otherworldly, and in fact it actually reminded her of paintings she'd seen of the beaches that stretched up and down the vast eastern coastline of the Drakken Clan's Principality. If she had any complaints, they were mostly weather-related. Rather than a clear blue sky with the rays of the sun beaming down on her, overhead there was nothing but gloomy gray clouds as far as the eye could see. There was a cool breeze in the air that normally would've been welcomed in a tropical setting, but without the warmth of an unobstructed sun it just served to further dampen the mood. She could take comfort in the fact that it wasn't raining at the moment, but Visaelya supposed that could change, and with her luck it probably would.

Where her inner world shifted from natural to otherworldly came in the form of a strange stone temple that dominated the center of the beach. No normal architect would've chosen to construct a building in this spot; sand made for a poor foundation, after all, and in the real world the structure's position meant that it would've been swamped by the incoming tide. The building itself was also rather ominous, with its exterior dominated by engraved images of dragons with their wings spread and jaws opened wide, as if they were about to swoop in to devour unsuspecting prey lurking below. A broad stone staircase led up to the front entrance, framed on either side by lanterns with yellow flames flickering within.

Then again, the temple itself looked downright tame compared to the strange being that sat at the base of its steps. At first glance, it didn't seem all that unusual, taking the form of a woman garbed in white robes embroidered with golden inlay that formed a series of flame patterns. She was taller than average, with Visaelya ballparking her at close to seven feet in height, with a rather lithe figure that belied incredible strength. Her long and flowing blonde hair fell almost to her hips, and her bright violet eyes always seemed to have a sharp and piercing look in them. Where she departed from the realm of normal women came in the form of two draconic wings on her back. Holes were cut in her robes so she could freely stretch and fold them, with each one covered in gleaming silver scales. Her full wingspan wasn't as large as, say, that of an actual dragon, but it was still impressive for a humanoid figure who really shouldn't have had wings in the first place.

What was even stranger than the winged woman sitting before Visaelya, though, was the weapon lying in her lap. The first time she had laid eyes on it, Visaelya hadn't known what to make of it; it had been unlike anything she'd ever seen before. The term that she'd ultimately gone with was glaive, but such a tame word hardly did the weapon justice. The polearm consisted of a shaft wrapped in purple in the middle, while on each end was a long, straight and double-edged silver blade. At the base where each blade met the shaft was a round violet gem, and on the flat side of each blade was the neck and head of a dragon, ending with a blast of flame shooting from the creature's open mouth.

Fighting against the weapon in her sparring sessions with the spirit of her Zanpakutō had proven to be far from easy. The winged woman wielded the glaive with a sublime grace that belied a truly ruthless level of aggression. Their first several matches had consisted of little more than Visaelya desperately trying to defend herself as her mind struggled to track both whirling blades. She'd soon learned the error behind that mindset. Both blades were attached to opposite ends of the same shaft, after all; by knowing the location of the first, she automatically knew where the second was. Keeping that in mind had allowed her to adjust her fighting style accordingly and had yielded considerable improvement, but that had just been the first step down the long and painful road to mastery. In the hands of the winged warrior, the glaive became nothing less than a beautiful and deadly cyclone, leaving little more than flashes of silver and violet as it whirled through the air and rained blow after blow upon Visaelya's defenses. Even though she was now quite familiar with the weapon and the fighting style of the spirit of her Zanpakutō, Visaelya still tended to lose more often than she won whenever the two of them clashed.

The woman before her stood up, and Visaelya wasted no time in drawing her sword. The spirit of her Zanpakutō didn't tend to give much in the way of a warning before kicking off their duels; indeed, she already had the glaive at the ready. She saw the winged woman give her the smallest of nods, and that was the only signal Visaelya got before she was immediately forced to fall back under her opponent's furious opening assault.

"Not wasting any time tonight, are you?" Visaelya noted as she deflected a series of elegant and swift slashes.

"Why would I?" asked the woman as she switched stances and thrust her glaive forward, with Visaelya barely able to redirect the attack, "Time is of the essence."

"It'll still be a while before my watch begins," Visaelya pointed out as she was finally able to counterattack with a diagonal slash that her adversary almost casually batted aside with a twirl of the glaive, "I was hoping for a chance to talk."

The woman smirked as she blocked Visaelya's follow-up strike. "Talk, or badger me about my name again?"

"Both!" Visaelya hastily admitted as she pressed the attack with a flurry of thrusts that the spirit of her Zanpakutō fended off with such effortless grace that it was almost insulting, "Given what we're walking into, I would think that you'd have an interest in doing everything in your power to make sure that we're prepared. Remember, if I die, so do you!"

"There are far worse fates than death," the woman pointed out as she allowed herself to be driven back by Visaelya's assault, "Falling to the wraith or its servants will result in one of them, and I'm not particularly eager to meet that kind of an end."

"Nice to know that we're on the same page," Visaelya quipped as she was suddenly forced to backpedal as the winged warrior swung the glaive around and brought the second blade to bear in her counterattack, "If that's a fate you want to avoid, then wouldn't it be in your interest to help me grow stronger?"

"Is that not what I'm doing right now?" asked the woman as she spun the glaive like a tornado, with blow after blow falling upon Visaelya's upraised sword in rapid succession.

Visaelya found her frustration growing as she gave ground against the fierce assault. "I mean through more than mere sparring, and you know it! Not that I don't appreciate this, but I'm going to need more than an improvement in my Zanjutsu to make a meaningful contribution in this mission."

"Isn't that why you've been training with your precious Teleporter these past couple of weeks?" the woman reminded Visaelya as she twirled the glaive around her in a mocking flourish before transitioning to a sequence of lunging thrusts, "All that practice in trying to mimic his Body Flicker Technique has been more than just a clumsy excuse to spend time with the pretty boy, hasn't it?"

Visaelya felt herself blush as she frantically redirected her opponent's blows. What made it worse; the spirit of her Zanpakutō using the nickname Shisui had shared with her during one of their recent practice sessions, or the teasing remarks at her feelings towards him? Visaelya couldn't decide, but she was determined to make the winged woman pay for her careless words.

Side-stepping another thrust, she lunged forward and brought her blade down in a hard downward strike. Unfortunately for her, the spirit of her Zanpakutō had anticipated the move and seamlessly rotated the glaive so one of its blades could swat her attack aside.

The woman smirked as she resumed her offensive, her polearm a silver and violet storm that Visaelya was growing increasingly desperate to fend off. "Touched a nerve, did I? For all your talk of trying to grow beyond your family name, you're still as temperamental as the rest of them! Just as arrogant, too."

Visaelya's eyes widened as she deflected a sequence of slashes that were as elegant as they were vicious. "Arrogant? Arrogance would've been me following down the path my family had set out for me and believing that a clan name and powerful bloodline was all I needed! I have relied on neither of those since graduation, and you know it!"

"I never said that was what I found to be arrogant," the winged warrior calmly replied as she made a flurry of quick strikes at Visaelya's legs, forcing her to quickly adjust her stance in order to compensate for the low angle of these new attacks, "It's the presumption that you hold in the back of your mind every time you visit me, the assumption that simply because you've trained hard and are trying to forge your own destiny that I'll decide you've hit some arbitrary marker and deem you worthy of my name this time. I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"Then what am I missing?" Visaelya asked, her anger growing as she leaned back to avoid a sudden upward swing from the glaive, "Itachi told me he asked the spirit of his Zanpakutō for her name every time he trained with her, and she eventually gave it to him! I'm doing nothing that he didn't do!"

The woman shook her head as she spun the glaive in front of her, forcing Visaelya to fall back even further. "It wasn't persistence that got him what he sought. I know he told you that; you were quite insistent in interrogating him regarding the exact moment that he unlocked his Shikai, after all. Don't even try to deny it."

Visaelya couldn't even formulate a proper response; it was taking everything she had now to simply keep her sparring partner at bay. She weaved a veritable wall of steel in front of her with her sword, years of training and practical experience having honed her defenses well. Yet neither the countless sparring matches with her fellow Soul Reapers or the many missions since graduating from the Academy were proving to be sufficient here. The spirit of her Zanpakutō was very familiar with her fighting style, after all, and her peculiar weapon was fiendishly difficult to fight against.

At least, it was whenever Visaelya let her temper get the better of her.

Shut her out and focus, she admonished herself as she parried and deflected a blizzard of strikes, She knows how to rile you up, so quit making it so easy for her! Remember what you've learned. It won't be easy, but you can beat her!

While her record to this date against the spirit of her Zanpakutō might have consisted of more losses than wins, a good chunk of those victories had been achieved over just the past few months. They had their roots in a moment of clarity and humility, when Visaelya had spoken to both Itachi and Shisui regarding her struggles with fighting the winged woman and her strange weapon. It had only been then that she'd actually described to them the unique polearm wielded by the woman, and when she'd gotten answers from the two former Shinobi she had honestly wanted to slap herself for not realizing what they'd told her sooner.

"Your opponent's primary advantage with such a weapon is twofold," said Itachi, "A polearm is formidable first and foremost because of its reach, and it sounds like the one wielded by the spirit of your Zanpakutō is no exception. Compounding that first advantage is the second one; the exotic nature of this particular polearm."

"Most people assume that a double-ended weapon automatically offers double the options of a more conventional one," Shisui added, "However, that's an illusion. It's good for intimidation and catching people unfamiliar with it off balance, but you've fought against it enough by now to have a pretty good handle on your opponent's fighting style. That lets you negate the advantage that comes from the exotic nature of the weapon as long as you keep a cool head."

Itachi nodded. "In practice, the weapon that you've described to us is actually more limited than your sealed Zanpakutō. It might have greater reach and destructive potential, but it sacrifices precision. Most of its moves would be based around broad and sweeping motions, and while thrusts are normally a strong suit for a polearm, transitioning from one kind of attack to another with such a weapon is much more difficult than it would be with your sword. Fine control and versatility are valuable edges that you have against her; exploit them."

"Your opponent has to take far greater care with their weapon than you do with yours," Shisui pointed out, "One wrong swing and they can cut themselves just as easily as they could hurt you. If you pay close attention, I imagine you'll find that the spirit of your Zanpakutō has to either twist their own body around their weapon or move the glaive in elaborate flourishes in order to properly transition from one attack sequence to the next. That's an opening you can seize if you know what to look for."

"The large size of your opponent's weapon might serve her well in open areas," Itachi continued, "but if you can take the fight to a more confined space, you'll limit her options considerably. I know you said that your inner world is primarily a beach, but you mentioned a structure there as well. If you can lure her in there or at least close to it, you'll have a greater chance of success."

Indeed, that had been how Visaelya had notched her first victory against the winged woman; by drawing her up the stairs of the temple and cornering her against the doors. Unfortunately, that was a trick that the spirit of her Zanpakutō had learned not to fall for. Visaelya had other options, of course, but they would be more difficult to implement.

Weather the storm, she thought as she blocked one whirling strike after another, and watch for the transition. It has to come eventually; be ready for it!

That was easier said than done, of course. She had pulled it off before, but each time she scored a win the spirit of her Zanpakutō would respond by coming at her that much harder in the next round. The windmilling strikes of the double-ended weapon would grow even more intense, their speed and power ramping up with each subsequent match. This duel was no exception, and Visaelya was having to take great care to angle her sword properly in order to bleed off at least some of the incredible force behind each blow so as to avoid exhausting herself. The winged woman never seemed to tire, but fatigue was definitely a weakness that Visaelya had to be ever mindful of. It wasn't fair, but since when were her opponents obligated to give her a fair fight outside of the Blade Dancer Festival?

Blow after blow fell against her upraised blade as Visaelya's opponent drove her back across the sand. The winged woman had the glaive spinning almost constantly, bringing slight alterations to the angle of each strike and keeping Visaelya perpetually on her toes. Were she a simple spectator rather than a target, she might've found the display to be beautiful, even enchanting. The silver blades and violet gems rotating seemingly forever, weaving a deadly tapestry around her opponent, was nearly as captivating as Itachi and Shisui's Sharingan. Getting mesmerized by the performance would mean defeat, though, and Visaelya would not allow herself to be beaten simply because she'd gotten caught up in the show.

"You've gotten awfully quiet," her opponent noted as she continued to hammer away at Visaelya's defenses, "What's the matter? Normally you're so much more feisty than this!"

Visaelya wouldn't grant her the dignity of an answer, or at least not a verbal one. Her blade would do the talking here, and it was waiting for its chance to speak. The spiraling glaive was now a particularly verbose preacher, but even the most freewheeling and rambling of priests had to stop for air in the midst of their sermons at some point. Chapter, line or verse; the trick was to pinpoint where the break would come.

The glaive went through one more rotation, with the front blade and then the back glancing off of her sword in turn. Then the winged woman shifted her footing, rotating not the weapon this time but her body, and Visaelya knew that her moment had come. The glaive began to lower as her opponent readied a thrust, and that was when Visaelya struck. The world around her became a blur as she lunged forward, and she was vaguely aware of a small puff of smoke being left behind where she'd been standing just a split-second ago. Her opponent had the glaive running perpendicular to the ground from the right side of her body, so Visaelya went for the left, and her blade came to rest just over the woman's neck.

She smirked as she met her adversary's gaze. "Match."

There was a pause before the winged warrior nodded and smiled. "Well played. Shisui would be proud."

Visaelya blinked for a moment as the last second of the fight flashed through her mind again and she realized just what she'd done. "Wait a second… that was…"

The woman actually laughed as she lowered her glaive and pulled away from Visaelya's sword. "Oh, goodness… you mean you didn't even realize that you were performing the Teleporter's precious Body Flicker Technique just now? How rich! I'd be angry at myself for getting beaten in such a manner if it wasn't so amusing!"

Visaelya couldn't even be bothered to notice the woman's obvious mocking of her, so surprised she was at what she had just done. "I've only been practicing it with him for a couple of weeks… short sessions at night after we've made camp… and I've been so clumsy in them. How…"

"Adrenaline is a key that can unlock many doors," the spirit of her Zanpakutō suggested, "Your use of the technique was quite sloppy compared to what Shisui's shown you, but it was still good enough to get you the win here. You were determined to use every tool in your arsenal to defeat me today, even one that you've only just begun figuring out how to wield. Given the result, I'd say you have much to be proud of."

Visaelya's eyes narrowed as she lowered her weapon. "Victory in a sparring match is all well and good, but it's not what I'm truly here for. You and I both know that."

The winged woman sighed. "Insistent as ever. I won't give you my name just because you were able to notch a win against me. However, I suppose you've earned a bit of insight."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow. "Insight?"

"Yes," the woman replied as she sat down in the sand, laying the glaive across her lap, "Unless you'd prefer to end today's session having accomplished nothing more than merely winning a sparring match."

Visaelya bit back a retort as she sheathed her sword and sat across from the woman. "Very well, then. What insight do you have to offer?"

The spirit of her Zanpakutō answered with a question of her own. "Why do you truly seek my power?"

Visaelya blinked a couple of times; this wasn't what she'd been expecting. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me right the first time, and don't pretend otherwise," said the woman, "Why is learning my name so important to you? Most Soul Reapers don't even become officers, and fewer still manage to unlock their Shikai, let alone their Bankai. So many of them content themselves with their Zanpakutō remaining in its sealed state."

Visaelya folded her arms. "You're seriously asking me why I won't settle for what so many others do? I will not content myself with skating by or taking the easy path. My decisions since graduation should be evidence enough of that."

"Oh, I'm well aware of that," the woman replied, "We both are. What I don't think you're truly aware of, though, is why you won't settle. Easy answers would range from living up to your family name, competing with friendly rivals like Itachi and Jiraiya, or personal advancement, and there might even be some truth to them… but not the whole truth."

Visaelya nodded. "I want to protect my friends, to do right by my Captain and the Soul Society as a whole, combat Hollows and make the afterlife and the Realms of the Living safe for souls, make a difference in the world… there's no one specific reason."

The winged woman shook her head. "That's where you're wrong, at least partially. We are all complex creatures with varying desires and motivations. There are many reasons why someone might drive themself down a particular path… but there is always one reason that takes primacy over all the others. Do you know yours?"

Visaelya opened her mouth to speak, but she found herself at a loss for words. Closing her eyes, she rolled the question around in her mind. A single overriding reason for wanting to unlock her Shikai? One motivation that was above all the others? Was it duty? Pride? Ambition? Those played a part, but the more Visaelya considered them, the more she found that they rang hollow. They might have fed into her desire to learn the name of her Zanpakutō, but none of them really felt worthy of being considered her prime motivation.

In the past, I might've said it was to bring honor to my family name and prove I was worthy to be in the line of succession for our clan, she mused, but I suppose that went out the window at the recruitment exhibition. Wanting to grow beyond my current rank and power is all well and good, and there was a time when the desire for advancement and glory might've been a core motivator for me, but not so much these days. I want to protect others, but that's broad… probably too broad for something like this.

She slowly opened her eyes. "I… I don't. All the ones you said earlier, the ones I brought up as well… I think they're all valid reasons, but none of them really feel like the core reason that I want so badly to learn your name. I… don't know what to say… what to do."

She was surprised to see the winged woman give her a small and gentle smile. "What you need to do is take time to think carefully on this. Fortunately for you, you're only two weeks into your journey to the Shiba Clan's Principality; you do not lack for time to think. The question can sound simple at first, but upon closer examination it is fiendishly difficult for many people to answer, as you are now discovering for yourself. The hardest person to understand is often ourselves, after all."

Visaelya sighed. "So I've been learning over these past few years. Any other sage words of advice for me?"

The woman sitting across from her smirked. "Don't you have a certain handsome Seventh Seat that you could turn to? An outside perspective might do you some good, and you've never shied away from running to your favorite Uchiha for counsel in the past."

What the spirit of her Zanpakutō had just said certainly wasn't wrong, but Visaelya suddenly felt rather nervous over approaching Shisui with such a topic. His smiling face flashed through her mind, and while such an image would normally bring her comfort, this time it caused her to blush fiercely.

The winged warrior immediately noticed and pounced. "What's the matter? Suddenly not so eager to spend some quality time with your paramour?"

The heat rushing to Visaelya's face only intensified. "Paramour? He's not… we haven't even… it's not like that!"

The woman laughed. "Oh, to think that it's so easy to reduce a proud princess of the Drakken Clan to a flustered schoolgirl! You always are good for a laugh, even if it's unintentional."

Visaelya scowled furiously as she quickly stood up. "Well, I'm glad that you're finding this all to be so amusing. I think we're done here for today."

The woman sighed and shook her head. "Running away from the truth? That's not like you, and it won't help you learn my name."

"No, but it'll help me keep my wits intact," Visaelya huffed as she prepared to end this session, "Seeing as I'm still out in the field, I believe I will need those in the days to come. Good day to you, whatever you're really called!"

The woman in front of her smirked. "Whenever you're ready to act like an adult, you'll know where to find me!"

"You're insufferable!" Visaelya snapped, the scenery beginning to blur around her as she started the transition back from her inner world to the outside one.

"And you have homework," the woman retorted, determined to get in the last word, "Think hard on what I said. If you really want to learn my name in time for it to be of any use to you on this mission, you'll need to find an answer to my question. Good luck!"

….

One week later…

Kisuke sighed as he wiped sweat from his forehead. "I keep forgetting why I don't like trips to the southeast this time of year. It's not the heat that gets you; it's the damn humidity."

"And we're still a good ways out from the borders of the Shiba Clan's Principality," said Itachi as the two of them came to a stop at the crest of a small hill, "I imagine it'll get much worse before it gets better."

Kisuke gave a weary chuckle as the two of them surveyed the area. "Oh, you have no idea! Just our luck that we'd have to come out this way just as summer's kicking off. Talk about bad timing, right?"

"I'll take your word for it," said Itachi, "I've never been out this way before, but it sounds like you have plenty of experience with the region."

It was early afternoon, and the two of them were scouting ahead of the expeditionary force. Itachi was quite enjoying this particular stretch of The Wild, with lush green fields and scattered forests making for quite pleasant scenery. True, Kisuka wasn't wrong to be complaining about the heat and humidity, and if it was bad now then Itachi wasn't looking forward to finding out just how badly they'd be sufferince once they reached the Kurai Hebi Jungle. It wouldn't be his first time in what he assumed would be a rather muggy environment; his travels as a member of the Akatsuki had taken him through a few of those during his previous life. There were worse lands that one could find themselves in, although the name of the region that their particular destination was in did give him cause for concern.

The name means 'dark serpent', he mused, I doubt it got that name because of scenic views or friendly wildlife…

"So, how are you liking them?" asked Kisuke as he nodded at one of the small pouches on Itachi's belt, "Yoruichi said you've taken to the Anken like a pro. Guess they must be pretty similar to some of the ninja weapons you used in your old life."

Itachi pulled out one of the slender double-edged throwing knives and idly flipped it between his fingers. "I'm glad she let me have some. They're well crafted and perfectly balanced. I should've asked her if I could have a set back when I first joined Squad Two."

Kisuke smiled. "Most new Soul Reapers focus on training with their Zanpakutō for the first few years or so after graduation. They're all so eager to get their Shikai, and you were no exception. Nothing to be ashamed of, and you unlocked yours much quicker than most."

Itachi shook his head. "Perhaps, but I should've availed myself to all available tools right from the start rather than overly focusing on one particular weapon. That's a mistake I plan to rectify, and Yoruichi was kind enough to give me access to everything at the Stealth Force's disposal."

It was something that had actually come up during the rushed preparations for the joint operation. There wasn't much known about the inside of the temple that the third wraith was hiding in, and Itachi had been concerned about fighting in a potentially cramped environment. While he still considered his Zanpakutō to be his primary weapon as a Soul Reaper, as a member of Squad Two he had access to more specialized equipment, and when he'd brought up the matter with Yoruichi she'd eagerly taken him to the Stealth Force's armory so that he could examine the implements of their trade and outfit himself accordingly.

They're not exactly the same as the old kunai that I was accustomed to, he thought as sunlight gleamed along the knife's edge, but at the same time, there are enough similarities for me to adapt. I still need to train more with them, but as of right now I'm confident in my ability to use them competently in the field.

Kisuke nodded. "Well, if you're looking for a chance to make up for lost time in that regard, this mission's as good a place as any to start. Those knives will come in handy where we're going, especially once we're in the thick of the Kurai Hebi Jungle. In there, sometimes the difference between life and death comes down to having the right blade for the situation. Our swords are fine and all, but smaller weapons do have their advantages."

"Quite so," Itachi agreed as he glanced at Kisuke's Zanpakutō, "That being said, though, from what I've seen, I imagine that Benihime's power will prove useful. If nothing else, those energy blasts she can fire away would probably be good for sending any particularly persistent predators running for the hills."

"That'd be a bit overkill," Kisuke argued, "at least against the garden-variety creatures in there. Then again, there are some rather nasty specimens living in there, too. Especially when it comes to snakes; that jungle's more than earned the name Kurei Hebi, after all."

The face of a certain disgraced Legendary Sannin flashed through Itachi's mind. "I imagine the likes of Orochimaru would find himself quite at home there, then."

Kisuke raised an eyebrow. "Orochimaru? Would that be an old colleague from your Shinobi days?"

"Only until he became an enemy," Itachi replied as his thoughts started going down memory lane, "and it didn't take him long at all to do just that."

Kisuke looked curious. "Was he dangerous?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. Ambitious, amoral, cunning, experienced, and powerful… not to mention an enthusiast for all manner of experiments that threw ethics right out the window. All in all, a rather nasty piece of work."

Kisuke scratched his chin. "Sounds a bit like a certain prisoner in the Nest of Maggots… not sure if he'd be better or worse."

Itachi had helped out Kisuke a few times in the notorious prison maintained by the Stealth Force's Detention Unit, and he had a feeling he knew which prisoner the Third Seat was referring to. "You mean the one kept in solitary? Mayuri Kurotsuchi was his name, right?"

"That's the one," Kisuke confirmed, "Sounds like he should be kept far away from this Orochimaru character of yours… he doesn't happen to be dead by any chance, does he?"

Itachi scratched his chin as he considered the matter. He'd endeavored to seal Orochimaru within the gourd of the Totsuka Blade during his battle with Sasuke, but with his death at the conclusion of that fight he had no way of knowing for certain what happened to the souls of those he'd locked away.

"I'm not sure," he finally answered after a moment, "His situation might be a bit… unusual. I certainly tried to put him down before I died, but the manner in which I did so wasn't conventional. It's possible that his soul might've found its way to the afterlife, though I can't say for sure if it'd go here or to Hell. On the other hand, he could have still found a way to resurface in our particular Realm of the Living despite my efforts. It wouldn't be the first time he'd survived a seemingly certain demise."

Kisuke nodded. "I see. Sounds like we should keep an eye out for him. Have you told Yoruichi about him?"

"Yes," said Itachi, "If you'd like an idea as to what he looks like, I could do a rough sketch once we make camp for the night. I have a pretty good memory for faces, and Orochimaru certainly stood out in a crowd, at least when he was using his true face."

"Works for me," said Kisuke as he started walking down the hill, with Itachi right beside him, "I have to admit, the more you mention people from your Realm of the Living, the more curious I get about it. The Shinobi World… it sounds fascinating. Maybe I'll have to convince Yoruichi to let me take over monitoring it for a bit."

Itachi shrugged. "It couldn't hurt to ask. I know she's become more keen on keeping an eye on it over the years thanks to what I've told her about it. Members of the Stealth Force are handling that for her at the moment, and I know she likes to save you for more important assignments like this one, but I imagine she'd be willing to consider the notion. You probably would find it to be quite educational."

Kisuke smirked. "Now you're really making me want to check it out! Keep this up and it'll be hard for me to focus on our current assignment."

Itachi chuckled. "You give yourself too little credit. I think we both know that a mind as sharp as yours is more than capable of multitasking. Between your duties to Squad Two, watching over the Nest of Maggots, and all those private experiments in your spare time, you certainly do seem to know how to keep your brain active and stimulated."

Kisuke's brow furrowed for a moment as he looked at Itachi. "Speaking of experiments… I don't suppose you'd be willing to play assistant for me with a few of them when we get back to the Seireitei, would you? With those special eyes of yours, you'd be quite valuable as an observer."

Itachi was wary. "What manner of experiments are you looking for aid in?"

Kisuke smiled. "Nothing unethical, I promise! I'm just trying to invent some equipment that I think would be useful for Soul Reapers. The Academy focuses on training students in Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō and Kidō, and those provide a good foundation, but there's so much more to how we do our jobs than just those four areas of study. I've seen many Soul Reapers focus solely on what they learned in the Academy even after gaining experience out in the field, and I want us to broaden our horizons. We need to become better at thinking outside the box and innovating, otherwise we'll become ossified and stagnant."

From the way that the Third Seat was speaking, Itachi realized that these were more than just idle musings; Kisuke had clearly been giving this matter serious thought. "You've had this on your mind for a while now, haven't you? The tinkering you do in your off hours is more than just a hobby, isn't it?"

Kisuke nodded. "You're not the first person I've brought this up with; Yoruichi and Tessai know how I feel, too. They both help me out from time to time, and Yoruichi's been great about setting aside space and resources for my work. She understands the trap that the Thirteen Court Guard Squads are in danger of falling into, and she's encouraged my efforts to try and do something about it. I'm still good about doing my duty for Squad Two, as you know, but I've got dreams that go beyond this unit."

"What kind of dreams?" asked Itachi.

"Establishing a department for genuine research and development within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," Kisuke answered, "Right now, the closest we've got to that is Squad Twelve, but their endeavors under Captain Hikifune are more along the lines of archival work and scholarly study rather than invention and innovation. That's not necessarily a bad thing; she does a great job at maintaining valuable records and keeping potentially dangerous artifacts out of the wrong hands, and the Soul Society owes her big for that. However, we need something more than a unit that looks after a library and some vaults. Preservation of past knowledge is all well and good, but we need to look towards the future too."

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he considered the matter. "I don't object to your goal, but it sounds like you'd require significant resources to truly get such a department off the ground. Not just whatever Yoruichi manages to set aside for you; you'd need dedicated personnel, equipment and facilities. Funding would be important too, of course. In order to get all of those lined up, what you'd really need to do is become a Captain. That would at least put you into a position with the kind of access and authority needed to lay the groundwork for such an endeavor."

Kisuke sighed. "You know, Yoruichi told me as much. I'm… not so sure about taking that step."

"Why not?" asked Itachi, "Your skills and power are undeniable, as is your intelligence. You've achieved mastery of your Shikai, and given your strength I don't think I'm out of line in assuming that you'll unlock your Bankai eventually. Of course, for all I know, you might already have it and are simply keeping it secret. Regardless, between your cunning, experience and power, I'd say you're a natural future candidate for Captain."

Kisuke chuckled, although it sounded like a nervous one to Itachi. "I appreciate that vote of confidence, but… I don't know if I'd be a good fit for that position. The authority, leadership responsibility… it's not exactly something that comes naturally to a guy like me."

Itachi disagreed. "You're already in a leadership position as head of the Stealth Force's Detention Unit, and from what I've seen you're clearly good at it. Your subordinates respect you, the inmates don't dare mess with you, and you have a clear understanding of the particular requirements of your position. The same can be said whenever we go out in the field; Yoruichi always puts you into a leadership role, and those assigned to work under you trust that you know what you're doing. You might not see yourself as a natural authority figure, but I've seen far worse ones than you. I think you'd do well in a command role, and clearly Yoruichi does as well."

Kisuke shrugged, but when he smiled Itachi saw that he looked just a little more confident than he had before. "Well, let's see how things play out. I'd have to pass the Captain's examination to start with, and right now I'm lacking one of the key requirements. You see, one of the experiments I'm working on has to do with my Bankai, which I very much don't have at the moment. That's not for lack of trying, of course. Tell me, what do you know about the process of achieving Bankai?"

"Just the basics," Itachi replied, "While unlocking our Shikai involves us communing with the spirit of our Zanpakutō and travelling to our inner world, Bankai training revolves around the opposite of that second part; the idea is to force the spirit of our Zanpakutō to materialize in our world. After that, we fight and then subjugate our materialized Zanpakutō. On average, completing that process typically takes at least a decade to achieve, and it's only a minority of Soul Reapers that are able to see it all the way through. Even after achieving Bankai for the first time, one must still train relentlessly for years following that initial success in order to achieve true mastery over it. Did I miss anything there?"

Kisuke shook his head. "No, you hit all the key points. What I'm about to tell you, I've only told Yoruichi and Tessai, so I'd appreciate it if you don't spread this around. You promise to keep it to yourself?"

Itachi nodded. "You have my word. What you tell me next won't go beyond myself, Yoruichi or Tessai."

"Thanks," said Kisuke, "The truth is, I've been having trouble with the materialization stage of that process. Benihime is… well, 'stubborn' would be an understatement. Forcing her to manifest in our world is utterly exhausting, and I have no strength left for training on those few occasions that I'm able to pull it off. I can't exactly subjugate her if the very act of materializing her leaves me so completely drained."

"No, you can't," Itachi concurred, "How long has this been going on?"

"The better part of the last several years," Kisuke answered, "I haven't given up or anything, but it's definitely discouraging. Bankai isn't supposed to be easy to achieve, but even so, I feel like I should've made some form of progress by this point. These days, conventional Bankai training feels like little more than bashing my head against the wall surrounding the Seireitei."

Itachi didn't miss the key word there. "Conventional training… are you implying that there's an unconventional method of unlocking one's Bankai?"

Kisuke smirked. "You catch on quick. No, there's not… at least, not yet. That's one of the things I've been working on recently; researching a way to expedite the materialization process and force Benihime to come to our world while at the same time leaving me with enough energy to actually train with her."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly; this was very much new ground for him. "How would you accomplish this? Are you trying to create some sort of device intended to drag her into our plane of reality?"

Kisuke smiled. "Exactly! Materialization of the Zanpakutō spirit in our world through an artificial medium. I'm only in the preliminary stages right now, but I've come up with a hypothesis and a few sketches that I want to take to the next level. This is groundbreaking work, and I could really use an assistant with some extra sharp eyes to help me iron out the kinks, if you catch my drift."

Itachi folded his arms. "Assistant, or lab rat? You wouldn't be the first who'd want to use an Uchiha for both roles."

Kisuke held up his hands. "Only the former, I promise! There's only one lab rat that I use for my experiments, and you're looking right at him."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "The researcher using himself as his own test subject? I suppose I can't fault you for bravery. Still, are you sure that's wise? As you said, this is groundbreaking work, but since it's a path that no one else has tread yet, that means there are potential dangers lurking in the shadows."

Kisuke nodded. "Believe me, I'm well aware of that. Still, given the potential rewards, I'd say the risks are worth it. That's another reason why I want your help; with your Sharingan, you might be able to spot threats that I'd be blind to. I'd feel a lot better about this research if I had you watching my back. What do you say? Want to help me make history?"

Itachi thought about it for a moment before giving the Third Seat a small smile. "Yes, I think I do."

Kisuke grinned. "Great! I'll let Yoruichi know so she won't be surprised when you and I start disappearing together. Of course, if you're going to be helping me, that does mean you'll have less free time. You already keep a pretty busy schedule, and I'm not just referring to your duties as a Soul Reaper. Are you sure this is the kind of commitment that you want to make?"

Itachi nodded. "As you said, it'd be helpful to someone with eyes like mine watching your back, and this project of yours is a worthy one. I'll have to find a way to balance it with everything else in my life, but I'm sure I'll be able to work something out."

Kisuke smirked. "A genius like you? I don't think you'll have any trouble at all with that."

"Here's hoping," said Itachi, "So, when do we start?"

"When we return to the Seireitei," Kisuke answered, "Consider it one more incentive for the two of us to survive this mission!"

Itachi smiled again as he thought of his friends and comrades. "I have plenty already, but one more certainly won't hurt."

….

One week later…

She really is a natural, thought Shisui as he watched Visaelya run through the drills he'd laid out for her, I never imagined that she'd take to the Body Flicker Technique so quickly.

She was still quite rough around the edges, of course; a few weeks of practice wasn't anywhere close to what was needed for true mastery. However, she had picked up the core fundamentals of the Body Flicker Technique in a remarkably short amount of time. As Shisui studied her movements intently, he saw that the amount of smoke she was creating with each initialization of his signature skill had been reduced considerably from when she'd first started out. It was still easy for his trained eyes to track her, even without the Sharingan, but someone unfamiliar with the Shinobi technique would probably be taken aback by it.

She wrapped up the round by coming to a stop just before him, breathing heavily and sweating profusely, but with still enough energy to give him a confident smile. "How was that?"

Shisui returned her smile. "Not bad. You're really getting the hang of it."

Visaelya wiped some of the sweat from her brow. "Thanks. Mind if I take a break? I'd normally go another round, but this humidity… my robes are drenched!"

It was an exaggeration, although not by much. Sweat stains were clearly visible in her black Soul Reaper robes, and Shisui couldn't blame her. The heat and humidity seemed to grow worse with each passing day, and even limiting their training to after nightfall wasn't helping all that much.

To think that we're still a couple weeks out from the borders of the Shiba Clan's Principality, he mused, I can only imagine how bad it's going to be once we're there… and that's before we plunge into the Kurai Hebi Jungle. We just had to get a mission in the southeast as summer was kicking off…

"I'd say you've put in enough work for the night," he answered, "Come on, let's head back to camp. We'll grab a quick bite and some water, then relax for a little. I've got plenty of time before my patrol starts."

"You really should be sleeping before that starts," said Visaelya as the two of them set off from the clearing that they'd been practicing in, "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that you're willing to stay up and help me train like this, but you should have some proper rest before going on sentinel duty. If something were to happen to you out there because training with me made you too tired to react quickly enough, I'd never forgive myself!"

Shisui shook his head. "You've got nothing to worry about. I know how to balance a busy schedule while still getting the rest I need. Besides, it's not like I did much in the way of training this time. I gave you a few quick examples, but you did most of the actual workout."

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "My point still stands. At least promise me you'll nap for a bit before your patrol begins."

Shisui held up his hands in surrender; there was no arguing with her when she got like this. "Okay, okay, I promise! Quick catnap before starting my night watch; you have my word."

She sighed with relief, sweat still dripping down the sides of her face. "Thank you."

It was relatively quiet as the two of them wandered back into camp. Most of their fellow Soul Reapers were either resting or on guard duty, and Shisui didn't see many familiar faces amongst the few that happened to be just milling around the encampment. Of course, that was partially because this wasn't just a Squad Two operation; they were working with Squad Thirteen for this mission, which meant that there were a lot more faces to keep track of than usual.

"I'll be right back," said Visaelya as she nodded towards the stream that ran along the eastern edge of the encampment, "I at least want to wash my face off. Mind grabbing a bowl for me?"

Shisui nodded. "Sure. I'll see you in a bit."

Heading off towards the field mess that had been set up while Visaelya went to the stream, Shisui got them both two bowls of soup. Wandering around camp for a bit, he was surprised to see Squad Thirteen's Captain sitting by the fire and decided to join him.

"Room for company?" Shisui asked as he approached.

Ukitake looked up and smiled. "Ah, Seventh Seat Uchiha, was it? Please, join us!"

Squad Four's Seventh Seat Isane Kotetsu, who was sitting next to the white-haired man, sighed. "Captain, with all due respect, you really should be resting right now. We have another long march ahead of us tomorrow, and I don't know what the increasing humidity will do to you."

Ukitake shook his head. "I appreciate your concern, Isane, but I'm feeling quite well at the moment. A bit too energetic to fall asleep, at any rate. Another colleague to chat with might be just what I need."

"Happy to help, sir," said Shisui as he sat on a small log, "Speaking of colleagues, my unit's Sixteenth Seat will be joining us in a bit. Hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, Seventh Seat Uchiha," Ukitake replied.

Shisui shook his head. "Just call me Shisui, Captain. We can relax on the formalities a bit while we're out in the field, don't you think?"

Ukitake chuckled. "Yes, I think so. I do wish more Soul Reapers had your flexible outlook, Shisui."

Shisui smirked as he sampled his soup. "Be thankful your unit got paired with ours instead of one like Squad Six. I hear that Captain Kuchiki keeps his unit wound a bit too tight, if you know what I mean."

Ukitake laughed. "I've heard the same! It's a bit of an exaggeration, although not by much. Captain Kuchiki's a good man and a reliable leader, but he can be too serious at times. Most of the time levity seems like an alien notion to him, although I have seen him crack a rare smile or two now and then. Once I even heard the man tell a joke!"

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Really? Ginrei Kuchiki, of all people, telling a joke? I suppose that stranger things have happened, but even so, that sounds a bit fishy."

"It's true!" Ukitake insisted, "I can understand why you'd be skeptical, though. Captain Kuchiki's reputation is well earned, after all."

"So I've noticed," said Shisui, "I don't know the man too well myself, but Squad Two and Squad Six have worked together a few times in operations since I graduated from the Academy. They might need to lighten up a bit, but credit where it's due; Captain Kuchiki and his subordinates are very reliable in the field. If you're ever partnered with them for a mission, you can guarantee they'll do their jobs effectively and professionally. I suppose you can't ask for much more than that."

"Much more than what?" asked a familiar voice from behind, and as Shisui looked over his shoulder he saw Visaelya approaching.

Shisui smiled as he gestured at the spot on the log beside him. "Nothing important. Care to join us?"

He saw her stiffen slightly as she caught sight of Captain Ukitake. "If I'm not interrupting anything."

Ukitake smiled. "You're most certainly not, Sixteenth Seat Drakken. The more the merrier, as they say!"

Visaelya seemed to ease up a bit as she sat down. "Thank you, Captain Ukitake… and please, just call me Visaelya. So, what did I miss?"

Shisui shrugged. "Not much. Just gossiping about another division. You know, the usual jabs and insults, the fun rivalry stuff."

"I see," said Visaelya before sampling her soup, "I know it's pretty much tradition for units to trade barbs with each other and all, but I've honestly found that sort of thing to be rather counterproductive. We're all on the same side, aren't we?"

"We very much are," Ukitake answered, "Still, there's nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition amongst the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. It helps foster growth and drives everyone to constantly improve themselves!"

Isane sighed. "Tell that to the Squad Eleven brutes that keep harassing my subordinates. They're not exactly 'fostering growth' with their constant jeers and insults."

Ukitake winced. "Ah, yes… there are those unfortunate Soul Reapers who do tend to take things too far, I suppose. Still, from what I've heard, they seem to straighten out their behaviour quite quickly once they catch sight of Captain Unohana."

Isane actually smiled at that. "They do, and it's the one thing that makes their boorish behaviour bearable; seeing the Captain utterly terrify them with just a smile."

Ukitake chuckled. "An art that she's had plenty of time to refine, and it's good for more than just sending the brutes packing! I can speak from experience there, as can most senior members of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Visaelya's eyes narrowed slightly as she gulped down more soup. "That's something I've always found odd. Captain Unohana's reputation as the Soul Society's greatest healer is well-known, but I find it strange that a figure with such status can also inspire such fear in others. It's so jarring to think about. She's respected and loved, and those make sense, but the fear? I've seen her fight at the Blade Dancer Festival, and her Zanjutsu is truly incredible, but it doesn't explain the utter terror that people fear whenever she gives them her 'special smile, if you will. Captain Ukitake, is there something that younger Soul Reapers such as myself are missing here?"

Shisui leaned forward; he was curious, too. "You know, she's got a point. I've never really looked into it, but it is weird that she gives what are otherwise brave warriors a sudden urge to flee whenever she so much as looks at them funny. Isane, you know her pretty well, don't you? What gives?"

Isane looked down in embarrassment. "While I've become relatively familiar with Captain Unohana, I'm afraid that there's much about her I still don't know. I've never really worked up the courage to ask her anything about why or how she can scare people witless one moment and then heal them the next. It's not that I'm not curious about it, but… well, maybe it's just a feeling, but I don't think she really likes people asking about her past."

Shisui was surprised to see a rather dark look in Ukitake's eyes. "That's not too surprising, really. She prefers to keep that part of herself under wraps these days, and it's hard to blame her."

"It sounds like there's an interesting story that she's keeping locked away," said Shisui as he studied Squad Thirteen's Captain carefully, "and that you might know what it is. Care to enlighten the rest of us?"

Ukitake shook his head. "No, I think not. I understand your curiosity, but out of respect for my fellow Captain I'm afraid that I'll have to decline your request. Captain Unohana's story is for her to tell, and her alone. That being said, I will offer you this warning; while she is indeed the finest healer you could ask for, she is just as capable of taking life as saving it. You all know the motherly caretaker that watches over not just Squad Four, but all of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Be thankful for her medical prowess and watchful gaze… and do not venture into her shadow."

While Shisui definitely wanted to know more, he could recognize when it was time to cut bait and move on. "I'll bear that in mind."

Visaelya sighed, but likewise relented. "Very well, then. Shame, though; from the way you speak, Captain Ukitake, it sounds like the sort of thing that would make for a good campfire story."

Ukitake grinned. "If you're looking for a scary tale or two, I've got plenty of them! When you've been a Captain for as long as I have, you pick up more than your share of ghost stories."

Shisui chuckled. "Ghost stories… those take on a new meaning with our line of work."

Visaelya shuddered. "Given that we're on our way to confront the third undead abomination out of a set of five, perhaps we should refrain from those sorts of stories while we're on this mission."

Isane hastily seconded the motion. "Yes, I could do without a scary story before bedtime, thank you very much!"

"While we're on the topic of our target, do you think you'll still be up for a fight by the time we reach our destination?" asked Shisui, "No disrespect intended, Captain Ukitake, but I'm surprised that you've made it this far without incident. Actually, I'm surprised that the Head Captain picked you for an assignment like this in the first place."

Ukitake smiled. "That's quite understandable. While part of the reasoning for my unit joining forces with yours for this operation comes down to the aristocracy not feeling particularly threatened by me, there is another reason why the Head Captain wanted me to be part of this mission; he believed that the specific abilities of my Zanpakutō might come in handy against the wraith we're likely to find."

Visaelya's eyes widened slightly. "Really? How so?"

Shisui scratched his chin as he considered what little he'd heard of Ukitake's weapon over the years. "Your Zanpakutō is Sōgyo no Kotowari, right?"

Ukitake nodded. "Very good, Shisui! Tell me, what do you know of its Shikai?"

Shisui shrugged. "Only that it becomes a pair of blades when it transforms, and that twin-blade Zanpakutō are quite rare in the Soul Society. Can't say that I know much more than that, though."

"No reason you should," said Ukitake, "I don't get many opportunities to show it off these days, so word of its capabilities hasn't spread too far. While I won't go too far into the weeds here, suffice to say that it's well suited to countering energy based attacks, and the Head Captain believes that those will be a significant threat from this specific wraith. Based on what we know about the first two wraiths that have been eliminated, he's quite certain as to the identity of this third one, and he wanted to make sure that there was a Soul Reaper on hand that could act as an appropriate counter."

Visaelya looked at the fire, her brow furrowed in thought. "The companion that the Lady of Midnight and her bodyguard recruited in the Shiba Clan's Principality… he was little more than a boy with high levels of spirit energy, or at least that's how the old tale goes. He was trained by both the Lady and her bodyguard, but I don't believe the story ever stated what he wound up specializing in, if anything at all. Based on what you've just told us, Captain Ukitake, it sounds like the Head Captain's convinced that the primary threat from this wraith will come primarily in the form of spells rather than direct combat."

Ukitake nodded. "It's a distinct possibility, hence my presence. However, I would caution you not to make any assumptions regarding this foe. Even if this particular wraith does end up favoring spells over physical attacks, we should not rule out the possibility of it being just as deadly in close-quarters-combat. We must be prepared for any eventuality. Of course, you could say that for any mission, really."

"Well, between you and Yoruichi, I'd say that we've got our bases covered," said Shisui, "We've even got some extra firepower with Squad Ten's Third Seat. I don't know too much about Isshin Shiba personally, but I've heard that his Zanpakutō is a very strong one."

Ukitake smiled. "Oh, yes, absolutely. Truth be told, I think that Third Seat Shiba really should be a Lieutenant by now. He's got the power and skill to be one, and I'm almost certain that he'd ace the Lieutenant's examination should he take it. In fact, I think it's very likely that he has the potential to become a Captain someday. When you've served in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads for as long as I have, you tend to start recognizing such individuals as they start making their way up through the ranks."

"If that's the case, then what would you say about the potential of some of the other Soul Reapers involved in this mission?" asked Visaelya.

Shisui playfully nudged her with his elbow. "Any Soul Reaper in particular that you're referring to?"

Visaelya blushed. "Well…"

Ukitake laughed. "There's no need to beat around the bush, Visaelya! If you want an evaluation of where you currently stand and what sort of potential I believe you have, you need only to ask."

Visaelya sighed. "I didn't want to come off as presumptuous, but… yes, I would like that, actually."

Ukitake smiled. "To put it simply, I know you've got a bright future ahead of you, and it's not merely by virtue of your family name. You graduated from the advanced track with impeccable marks, and you're already the Sixteenth Seat of Squad Two. I've gotten a good read on your current level of power as we've travelled together, and I can tell that you're constantly striving to improve yourself even out in the field. From what I can sense, I'd say you're close to unlocking your Shikai, and that's a key that will open many doors for you. Beyond that… well, I'd be surprised if you didn't at least make Lieutenant down the line, and perhaps go even further with that. As long as you continue to push yourself as you've done up until now, your potential is formidable indeed."

Visaelya blushed again, somehow even deeper than she had before. "I… thank you, Captain Ukitake. I'm honored, truly… and I'll do everything in my power to live up to your expectations for me."

Ukitake shook his head. "Don't think of it as living up to expectations, whether they be mine or anyone else's. Drive yourself forward because it's what you want, and everything else will follow in time."

Shisui gave her a friend pat on the back. "And if you ever need help with it, you know who you can turn to, right?"

She met his gaze, and Shisui was struck by how pretty her eyes were with the light of the campfire flickering within them. "Yes… I certainly do."

….

One week later…

Sweat dripped down along the left side of Itachi's face as he parried a diagonal slash from his sparring partner. The perspiration wasn't from the training session itself, although his opponent was certainly giving him a good workout. Rather, it was from the ever-present humidity, which had only continued to grow as their trek southeast had continued. It wasn't exactly unbearable, but it was definitely becoming more oppressive.

Good thing our current path has been running alongside a river, he mused as he counterattacked with a thrust that his sparring partner swiftly redirected, Being able to simply break off from the group for a drink or to splash my face in the water goes a long way towards dealing with these conditions…

His sparring partner didn't seem the least bit bothered by the climate, although perhaps that was to be expected. After all, they were heading towards the land owned by the man's family, so he'd likely visited before and was used to the conditions. Even if that weren't the case, though, Itachi doubted that Isshin would've let something like oppressive humidity stop him from throwing himself into a fight with everything he had.

Itachi had been surprised when, after they'd set up camp for the evening, Squad Ten's Third Seat had asked him for a match. He'd sensed Isshin keeping an eye on him ever since they'd set out from the Seireitei, but the man hadn't actually approached or spoken to him at all beyond whatever was needed for the mission. Had the Head Captain been mistaken about the man's ability to keep a secret from his superiors? Was the Soul Reaper in fact spying on the expeditionary force on behalf of Squad Ten's Captain, or was there another reason for his behaviour? Itachi couldn't say for sure one way or the other, but perhaps the sparring match could offer the chance to investigate. That had been one of the reasons why he'd agreed to it, although even if there hadn't been an ulterior motive Itachi still would've considered the sparring session to be worth his time; Isshin was proving to be very much a capable opponent and then some.

In their initial exchange, Itachi thought that Isshin was a power fighter, but he quickly learned that there was much more to the man's particular brand of Zanjutsu than that. While the Third Seat of Squad Ten did use plenty of overhead strikes that had more than sufficient force behind them, he was hardly a mindless brute. He was aggressive, but it was very much a case of controlled force, a punishing and relentless offense meant to back the enemy into a corner, make them panic and increase the chances of them making a mistake. His strikes were more than just powerful, though; they were damn fast as well. In short, he was a formidable swordsman, with skill and strength that were both considerably greater than his official rank might suggest.

Angling his blade to bleed off some of the force behind Isshin's strikes, Itachi patiently observed and waited for an opening. The day's march had been long, but he had energy to spare, and he was curious to see just what Isshin would do when his harsh assault proved insufficient. He kept his sword in close, limiting himself to deflections and parries with only the occasional counterattack thrown in to keep his opponent guessing. From the look in Isshin's eyes, Itachi was certain that the Soul Reaper knew he wasn't the least bit intimidated by his powerful and swift blows. The song of clashing steel picked up in tempo as the duel intensified, with Isshin driving Itachi back towards the river at the edge of camp.

You'll have to make a move soon, noted Jigoku no Joō, unless you plan on taking this fight into the water.

A swim would be nice, but I'll save that for another time.

I thought as much. Well, what are you waiting for? Show him what you've got.

Itachi would do just that. He allowed Isshin to drive him back just a little bit further, but as the Third Seat brought his blade down in another overhand strike Itachi stepped to the right instead of deflecting like he had before. The Thirteenth Seat of Squad Two then immediately swung his sword upwards in a diagonal slash that was meant to go across his opponent's chest, but Isshin managed to lean back just far enough to avoid the hit. Still, the strike had disrupted Isshin's momentum, and that was all Itachi needed to go on the offensive.

The passive defense from before was replaced by a flurry of thrusts and slashes as Itachi forced Isshin to fall back. He didn't try to match the power that his opponent had put into his swings earlier, instead focusing on precision and speed. One tight staccato burst of thrusts aimed at his opponent's chest was blocked, but Itachi immediately shifted to striking at Isshin's legs. He continued to switch up his attacks, coming in low and high to constantly keep his adversary on the backfoot, never sure where Itachi would strike next.

Still, even as he laid into his opponent with a veritable blizzard of attacks, Itachi saw that Isshin was not wavering. He might've been falling back, but his defense was still controlled and efficient; there was no sign of desperation in his movements. In fact, the man was actually smirking, although whether from simple amusement or confidence was difficult to determine.

"As good as I'd expected and then some," said the Third Seat with a chuckle as Itachi pressed his attack, "No wonder you beat my unit's Lieutenant in the Blade Dancer Festival."

"He's not sore over that, is he?" asked Itachi as he made a pair of quick slashes in an X-shape, both of which Isshin deflected.

Isshin laughed as he continued to fend off Itachi's strikes. "Obran? Not even a little bit! You beat him fair and square; he's not the type to hold a grudge over an honest defeat."

"Good to know," Itachi replied as he thrust his blade at Isshin's torso, only for the man to quickly redirect the blow, "He's a talented fighter, and he definitely didn't give me an easy win. I wouldn't mind the chance for another bout with him."

Isshin smiled as he parried a follow-up thrust from Itachi before counterattacking with a wide slash that forced the former Shinobi to back off and cede the initiative. "I know he feels the same way. If anyone's got a problem with it, it's probably my Captain."

"Did I insult his pride by beating his subordinate?" asked Itachi as he deflected a series of powerful slashes from his opponent, "No offense, but your Captain's ego seems quite easily offended. A leader should have thicker skin than his."

"None taken," said Isshin as he began laying into Itachi with a sequence of brutally strong overhead strikes that the Thirteenth Seat was hard pressed to fend off, "I actually agree with you there. I've tried to get him to lighten up a bit, but noble pride's a hard thing to shake. Given my own experience, I suppose I can't blame him. Old habits die hard and all."

"You don't seem to hold the same mindset as him," Itachi noted as he weaved a series of tight circles around himself with his sword to bat aside Isshin's blade, "In fact, if I didn't know your family name, I probably wouldn't even recognize you as a noble, let alone the scion of a Great Noble House. You remind me of Yoruichi; neither of you define yourselves by your bloodline or let it control you."

Isshin laughed as he switched to a sequence of thrusts aimed at Itachi's legs. "Don't say that around my family, or they'll never let me hear the end of it! They wish I was more like my Captain. I don't think I could live like that. He's got the aristocrat stick shoved way too far up his ass for his own good!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow as he rolled to the left and brought his blade up in a slash that nearly caught Isshin on the arm. "I haven't heard many subordinates talk about their Captain like that."

Isshin gave him a knowing smirk as he blocked Itachi's counterattack. "And I haven't seen many Thirteenth Seats that are on a first-name basis with their Captain."

Itachi had to chuckle at that even as he continued to trade strikes with his opponent. "Fair enough. Don't mistake my familiarity with my Captain for a lack of respect, though."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Isshin replied as he deflected a series of mid-level slashes from Itachi, "I've worked with Captain Shihōin enough to know how she runs things, and I've seen the faith that her subordinates have in her. As for my Captain, while he's got his faults, he is a capable commander and fighter. His Zanjutsu's top notch, and the rest of his skills are damn sharp, too. If he could take a step or two back from aristocratic politics, I think he'd actually ease up a bit. He just loves the game too much, though."

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he parried Isshin's counterattack. "I was under the impression that the Head Captain preferred officers of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to stay out of political matters as much as possible. I understand that a certain level of involvement is unavoidable given particular family relations, but from what you're saying it sounds like Captain Drakken enjoys the intrigue to a degree that the Head Captain likely wouldn't approve of."

"Good a way as any to put it," Isshin confirmed as he started driving Itachi back towards the river again, "As long as it doesn't get in the way of our duties, though, I suppose the old man's willing to tolerate it."

"But it is getting in the way of our duties," Itachi argued as he focused on fending of a rain of blows from his opponent, "It was aristocratic rivalry that caused him to accuse Squad Two of impropriety after we retrieved the Nalatarin from the east, and the fallout from that is why any subsequent missions involving wraiths or potential artifacts from the old kingdom have been handled with such delicacy. The petulance of your Captain and his family during that affair are why we had to take steps to keep our departure for this mission as low-profile as possible. If noble grudges take on greater prominence in the operations of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, it'll only be to our detriment."

Isshin sighed as he pressed his assault. "You really don't mince words, do you?"

"Ugly truths must be told by someone," Itachi replied as he blocked strike after strike, "I learned that the hard way in my past life."

Isshin's eyes narrowed as Itachi parried a thrust from him and countered with a wide slash. "Is that what this match is about to you? Got some ugly truths you need to get off your chest?"

"You're the one who wanted to spar," Itachi pointed out as he followed-up with two diagonal strikes that Isshin swiftly deflected, "I'm simply taking advantage of it."

Isshin shrugged as he steadily fell back. "Fine by me. Wasn't why I wanted the match, but I'll play along if you want."

"Why did you want this match?" asked Itachi as he fired off a flurry of rapid thrusts aimed at Isshin's torso, "I'm all for sharpening my skills, but is that what you're after here?"

Isshin chuckled as his blade whirled around him, picking off each of Itachi's strikes with surprising grace. "You don't trust easily, do you? Believe it or not, I really just wanted to see how you measure up. You beat my Lieutenant in a bout at the Blade Dancer Festival, and you've gone toe-to-toe with your own Captain a few times now. You've got a reputation, Itachi, and it's slowly growing. Sparring partners like you are hard to come by!"

The man seemed quite earnest, and even in the heat of the match Itachi could detect no signs that his opponent was lying. He'd spent plenty of time with unsavory and untrustworthy people in the past, and he just didn't get the same sensation from Isshin as he did from some of the Shinobi he'd once known, rogue or otherwise. His swordsmanship was as energetic and open as it was powerful and skilled; he was clearly enjoying the fight.

And so was Itachi. Despite his misgivings about his opponent, Itachi had to give him credit for both ability and straightforwardness. He was being upfront, and while Itachi still had some concerns, he would privately admit that Isshin struck him as being not only more honest and trustworthy than those who commanded him, but also more humble as well. Despite his aristocratic background, he really was serious about not letting his family name define him, especially when compared to the Captain of Squad Ten. Isshin appeared to be a man that valued genuine ability and merit over bloodline, and who was willing to set aside noble obligations and expectations if it meant doing the right thing.

Yoruichi trusted him to play along with the Head Captain's plan for this mission, he mused, I suppose the least I can do is give him the benefit of the doubt.

They picked up the pace, with both of their blades only visible as brief flashes of silver in the air. Isshin was grinning the whole time, and Itachi couldn't help but smile slightly as well. He was having fun, with the tone of the fight actually reminded him of the sparring matches that he and Shisui had partaken in back when they were Shinobi. Isshin had the edge as a Soul Reaper in experience, but Itachi had plenty of fights under his belt as well. It would've been interesting to go Shikai-to-Shikai with the Third Seat, but both Soul Reapers had agreed to a sealed sword duel mostly out of concern for the environment; it would've been all too easy to accidentally start a wildfire, after all.

After another minute or so of back and forth between them, the two fighters initiated what Itachi could sense would be their final exchange. He went low at first in an attempt to disrupt Isshin's footing, but the Third Seat saw it coming and had already angled his sword to intercept Itachi's strike. Isshin then counterattacked with a broad swing that Itachi narrowly was able to duck beneath, and he swiftly struck back with an upwards diagonal slash. Isshin took a step back to avoid the strike, and then he lunged forward. His blade darted forward just as Itachi made his follow-up strike, and the tips of their swords came to rest at each other's necks.

Isshin actually laughed. "A draw! Haven't had one of those in a while. Nicely done."

"Likewise," Itachi replied as the two men lowered and sheathed their blades, "We'll have to do that again sometime."

"Definitely," said Isshin, "Well, I'm feeling a little better about this mission now. Nice to know that Captain Shihōin's got subordinates like you out here. I can't wait to see you fight for real."

Itachi nodded before looking off in the distance towards the southeast, where their target waited somewhere beyond the horizon. "I imagine you'll get the chance for that soon enough."

….

One week later…

"About time we hit the border," Soi-Fon muttered, "Shiba Clan scouts are supposed to guide us once we clear the checkpoint, right?"

Yoruichi nodded as they steadily drew closer to the border crossing post up the road. "Once Third Seat Shiba gets us through, surveyors and trackers from his family's private forces should be just on the other side. We'll still have another week or so before we reach the region where the target is, though; even with guides, working our way through the Kurai Hebi Jungle won't be easy."

Soi-Fon stretched her arms. "We'll at least get to have proper rooms for a night or two before we start traipsing through the jungle though, right? I thought the Shiba Clan was supposed to provide lodgings for us where they could."

Yoruichi smiled; an actual bedroll at an inn instead of making camp again sounded really nice right about now. "Yeah, there are a few outposts along the way that have accommodations set aside for us. They won't have enough room for everyone in the expeditionary force, though, so some people are going to have to camp outside. I'll work out a rotation with Captain Ukitake later this evening to keep things as fair as possible."

She then looked behind her. "Shiba, get up here! Time for you to earn your keep."

Isshin chuckled as he made his way to the front of the column. "Cracking the whip, Captain Shihōin? I thought you had a more relaxed command style than that!"

Yoruichi smirked as Squad Ten's Third Seat joined them. "When there's indoor beds and fresh food that's not field gruel on the line, I'll do whatever it takes!"

"I guess that's fair," said Isshin as his gaze focused up ahead, "Finally at the border, eh? It's been awhile since I was last back here. Hope they still remember me… actually, it might be better if they don't. Was it this one that I started a drunken brawl at, or...?"

Soi-Fon looked concerned. "We're not going to have a problem here, are we?"

Isshin laughed. "Oh, come on, you really need to learn how to detect sarcasm! Captain Shihōin, are you training your subordinates properly? I'm a bit worried about this one."

"She's coming along just fine," said Yoruichi before giving Soi-Fon a reassuring smile, "Don't listen to him. Border guards for the Principalities are always given updated sketches of all the important members of their respective Great Noble Houses. They'll recognize him, and they'll let us through. The Shiba Clan should've gotten most of the paperwork out of the way for us already."

Soi-Fon sighed with relief. "That's good."

"What's with all the commotion, Captain Shihōin?" asked Ukitake as he came forward, with Isane close behind him.

Yoruichi gestured at the border post and the visible outline of the fort beyond it. "First big leg of our trip's over, Ukitake."

The white-haired Captain smiled. "Ah, excellent. Good timing, too. Sun's already a fair way down."

Isane nodded. "It'll be nice to spend the night somewhere other than out in the field for a change. Do you think they'll actually be able to heat some baths for us, too? I could really use one!"

"It's a border fort, not a fancy inn," Yoruichi reminded her, "Amenities might be a bit limited here."

Isane sighed. "Oh, right…"

Ukitake patted her on the shoulder. "Chin up, Isane! We take our creature comforts where we can. This is all part of field work. Facilities between here and our destination may be sparse, but look on the bright side; it'll make the long hot bath you get upon our return to the Seireitei all the sweeter!"

Isane smiled. "I suppose that's true. I shouldn't be complaining like this. My little sister wouldn't let me hear the end of it if she could see me now."

Ukitake's brow furrowed for a moment. "Sister… I know you mentioned her before. Her name… it's Kiyone, right? You said she's planning on becoming a Soul Reaper as well, yes?"

Isane nodded. "That's right, sir. I think she's actually going to be entering the Academy next year. She probably won't join my unit; she's a bit too… rambunctious to be a healer."

Ukitake chuckled. "Sounds like a real handful! Perhaps I'll be the lucky Captain that gets to recruit her."

Yoruichi was curious. "Is she a good fighter? Or does she have strong spiritual pressure?"

"She'll need plenty of training to become a skilled fighter, Captain Shihōin," Isane answered, "but she has plenty of guts and isn't afraid to tussle with the boys in our neighborhood. As for spiritual pressure, I suppose she's a little above average. Her power's still raw, though. I don't know if she has the patience required to refine her control over it."

Yoruichi smiled. "The Academy will take care of that. I've seen plenty of hot-heads who couldn't normally be bothered to even think about meditating or focusing on anything other than getting into fights come out with a firm grasp on their power. Give the teachers credit; they know what they're doing. If your little sister is half as strong as you, I think she'll turn out just fine."

Isane bowed. "Thank you, Captain Shihōin."

"We can chat about family later," said Soi-Fon, "Lady Yoruichi, the checkpoint awaits."

Yoruichi nodded. "So it does. Shiba, you're on point."

Isshin smiled. "All right, then. Let's go say hello."

The border checkpoint itself was really nothing special. It consisted of little more than an archway over the road with a few buildings along either side. The real muscle lay in the fort behind it. Set off to the right side of the road, it consisted of a square stone outer wall, a fortified iron gate, and several squat buildings within. Yoruichi couldn't see beyond the wall from here, but she'd seen enough border outposts in her time to know what to expect; garrison, stables, storehouses, administrative office, a well or two, and a few other structures.

Judging from the size, we're probably looking at a couple hundred soldiers and about as many support staff, she thought, Pretty standard, all things considered. Enough troops to handle most customs duties or hold the line while messengers head off to summon reinforcements in the event of serious trouble.

A handful of guards were milling around out front, no more than a dozen or so strong. They wore lightly colored robes, with a mix of green and blue seeming to be the preferred hues. Yoruichi was jealous; at least they didn't have to wear black in this climate. Sure, her outfit was sleeveless and therefore wasn't nearly as bad to wear in warm regions as the standard Soul Reaper robes, but her haori cancelled out most of the benefits. It might've been white instead of black, but it still kept in heat rather than letting it flow outward. Yoruichi would've preferred to not have it on at all, but this was the border post of a Great Noble House's Principality; there were certain expectations that she had to meet. It wouldn't do their mission any favors if the Shiba Clan perceived a slight on her part, no matter how minor or unintentional it might be.

The guards were lightly armed, mostly with swords and daggers sheathed at their hips. A couple had spears slung over their shoulders, and one of them stepped forward as the expeditionary force drew near. It was a woman, one with a rather tall and muscular build. Her dark skin gleamed in the setting sun, while her long black hair glistened with sweat. Her dark brown eyes narrowed slightly as she studied the approaching Soul Reapers, and they took on a rather sharp look as they fell upon Isshin.

"She doesn't look too happy to see you," Yoruichi muttered.

Isshin smirked, the light of recognition gleaming in his eyes. "Oh, her? Don't worry; this is how she always greets me."

Squad Ten's Third Seat stepped forward and grinned. "Hey, Aaliya! How long's it been?"

"Isshin Shiba," the woman replied as she brandished her spear, "Not long enough, if you ask me. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shove this where the sun don't shine."

Isshin chuckled. "Oh, come on, are you still mad about how that party ended? We had a pretty good time, if I recall correctly!"

"Sure," she growled, "Right up until you got absolutely hammered, tried to rope my sister in for a threesome and then threw up on her! My parents were livid when they found out, and I was the one they took it out on because you had already skipped town!"

"Well, this is off to a great start," Soi-Fon muttered, "I thought crossing the border was supposed to be the easy part of this mission."

"Relax," said Yoruichi, "It'll work out."

I hope.

Yoruichi saw Aaliya shift the spear over to her left hand, and she knew what was coming. She was certain that Isshin did, too, but the Third Seat didn't even try to block or dodge the slap that the border guard walloped him across the cheek with.

"That's for hitting on my sister, puking on her, and leaving me to clean up the mess!" she yelled.

Isshin actually had the audacity to smile as he rubbed his cheek. "Yeah, I kind of deserved that."

Much to Yoruichi's relief, Aaliya then smiled as well before leaning forward and kissing Isshin on the other cheek. "And that's for the wild ride you gave me before the shit hit the fan! How've you been, you rascal? I'm surprised you're still in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads! How have you not hit on a Captain's daughter and gotten yourself thrown out yet?"

Isshin laughed. "Trust me, it hasn't been for lack of trying!"

Aaliyah rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised? You know, you're lucky that your family told me ahead of time that you were coming. If you'd shown up here out of the blue, you wouldn't have gotten off with just a slap."

Isshin breathed a mock sigh of relief. "Bullet dodged…"

"Got that right," said Aaliyah as she looked past him, "So, two Captains and their divisions along for the ride, huh? Nice to see that the Seireitei is taking this seriously. Care to introduce us?"

Isshin waved Yoruichi and Ukitake forward. "Sure. Captain Shihōin, Captain Ukitake? This is Aaliya Devi, Lieutenant in the Shiba Clan's border guard forces."

Aaliya raised an eyebrow as she looked at Yoruichi. "The Flash Goddess herself? Didn't realize we'd be getting a VIP. Nice to meet you."

Yoruichi smiled. "Likewise."

Ukitake chuckled. "Do I not count as a VIP, Lieutenant Devi?"

Aaliya smirked. "You will if you drop the formal crap. It's just Aaliya out here. Save the titles for those fancy noble dinner parties."

Ukitake nodded. "I'll bear that in mind, Aaliya."

"Good," she said, "Now, don't take this wrong way, but the whole lot of you look like shit. Seeing as you've probably been on the road for a good month or so, can't say that I blame you there. So, how about this? Follow me, I'll get you all set up in the fort for tonight. Warm meals, tolerable beds, and a chance to wash up a bit. What do you say?"

"I won't say no to any of that," Yoruichi replied.

Soi-Fon sighed with relief. "That makes two of us."

Isshin grinned. "While everyone else is cleaning up, what do you say to grabbing a drink with me and seeing where the night takes us?"

Aaliya shook her head. "Don't push your luck, Isshin. I'm on the job, and so are you. Once you all have had a good night's rest, I'll have some of my scouts assigned to guide you onwards in the morning. You'll need them if you want to make it through the jungle."

Ukitake bowed. "We're grateful for your assistance. If there's any way we can return the favor, let us know."

"Kill the damn monster that's caused this whole ruckus, and we'll call it even," Aaliya answered, her eyes narrowing, "I've lost some good scouts to your target and its minions, and I want payback. I'm not strong enough to fight that thing myself, though, so you lot will have to do it for me."

Yoruichi gave her a firm nod. "We'll get it done. Squad Two has experience in dealing with wraiths. You'll have your payback by proxy, Aaliya. I guarantee it."

Aaliya grinned. "I think I'm starting to like you, Miss Flash Goddess. Hope you live up to your reputation."

"She does," Soi-Fon confirmed with a small smile.

Yoruichi winked at her bodyguard. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Aaliya then turned to Isshin again. "If you and your friends kill that wraith and live to tell the tale, swing on back this way. Then I might let you buy me a drink or two for old times sake. Deal?"

Isshin gave a hearty laugh. "Deal!"

Aaliya smiled. "I'll be holding you to that, Isshin. As for the rest of you, welcome to the Shiba Clan's Principality. Take care of our little undead monster infestation, and we'll treat you to a damn good party afterwards!"

….

The following morning…

Splashing some water on her face, Visaelya took a moment to study her reflection in the bucket before her. The woman looking back at her had shadows under her eyes, and her hair was a mess. Despite being able to sleep indoors at the border fort, she hadn't gotten a full night's worth of rest.

She sighed as she dried herself off. "Get it together, you fool."

That was easier said than done. Ever since her talk with the spirit of her Zanpakutō, Visaelya had been on edge. She'd continued to wrack her brain for answers as their journey had progressed, but she didn't feel like she'd gotten any closer to finding the core motivation she was supposed to be looking for. Protecting her friends, honoring her family name, personal advancement and making her comrades in Squad Two proud were all well and good, but none of them felt like what the spirit of her Zanpakutō wanted her to look for.

I'm running out of time, she thought as she finished cleaning up, We're a week out at the most now from the Kurai Hebi Jungle, and our target's lurking somewhere within. I need the power of my Shikai!

Her increasing sense of desperation wasn't enough for the spirit of her Zanpakutō, of course. The winged woman had dropped no further hints since that one conversation, no matter how persistently Visaelya tried to get them. The warrior had set what she'd felt was needed, and now it was up to Visaelya to take the next step.

"Motivation," she muttered as she wandered through the quiet courtyard of the fort, "I'm a Soul Reaper, not a damn actress. Why should my motivation matter so much?"

"Because why you fight is just as important as how," came a familiar male voice from behind her.

Visaelya nearly jumped out of her robes as she turned around to find Shisui leaning against the wall of one of the nearby storehouses. "Shisui! How long have you been there?"

Shisui shook his head. "Not that long. What're you doing up so early? It's not even dawn yet."

She folded her arms. "I could ask you the same question. You should be resting. We'll be moving out shortly after daybreak."

"I got plenty of rest last night," Shisui replied as he strode forward until he was standing in front of her, "You clearly didn't, though."

Visaelya smiled wearily. "Is it really that obvious?"

Shisui nodded. "Trust me, you're not the first person I've seen with that look. What's going on?"

Visaelya sighed. "The same thing that's been going on for a while, now."

Shisui immediately grasped what she was referring to. "Still obsessing over getting your Shikai, huh? I know it's a big deal for you, but it shouldn't be something that you're losing sleep over, especially not while we're out on a field mission."

Visaelya looked down. "I know, I know, but still… I can't help it. There's this sense of urgency I've been feeling ever since we left the Seireitei, and it's only been growing with each passing day. You, Itachi, and so many other of our officers have your Shikais, which means that you'll be front and center when the fighting starts. I get that I can still fight and support you even without knowing the name of my Zanpakutō, and if we were going up against Hollows I might not be bothered by it. This is different, though. You and I only fought wights during our expedition to the east, and maybe it'll be the same this time, but if it's not… if you and I do end up being part of the group that fights the wraith itself, I want us to have every advantage that we can get. The wraith that was destroyed in the east was the weakest of the five; this one's going to be a much greater threat."

"I'm well aware of that," said Shisui, "and we have no idea what kind of creatures it's managed to corrupt out there in the jungle, so who knows what we're actually walking into. I can appreciate you wanting to have enough strength to take on anything that might threaten us on this mission, but depriving yourself of sleep over it isn't going to help. Quite the opposite, actually."

"I know that!" Visaelya snapped, "Do you think I want to drag everyone else down and be a burden?"

"I never said you were doing that," Shisui pointed out, looking far more concerned now than he had before.

Visaelya took a deep breath to calm herself; Shisui was trying to help her here, and the last thing she wanted to do was go off on him like this. "No, you didn't. I… I'm sorry, Shisui. I know I should remain calm and rest while I can, but I just… I've got this feeling, Shisui."

"What kind of feeling?" asked Shisui.

She put a hand on her stomach. "Just this… this pit of dread, I guess. Foreboding, fear… call it what you will. It's been getting worse the closer we get to our target. I thought practicing the Body Flicker Technique with you would help distract me from it, but it hasn't. It makes no sense, but I feel like… if I can't unlock my Shikai by the time we face the wraith… something terrible might happen."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "What brought this on? You know something about this particular wraith that the rest of us don't?"

Visaelya shook her head. "No, it's nothing like that. Just a feeling, that's all. I have no evidence to base it off of whatsoever. I could just be psyching myself out for all I know, but no matter what I try, I just can't shake it. I know it doesn't make any sense. I probably sound crazy to you, don't I?"

Shisui put a hand on her shoulder. "No, not at all. Stranger things have happened, and given what we're up against, I can't say that I blame you for having a bad feeling about it. Still, you're not doing yourself any favors by running yourself ragged like this."

"Then what should I do?" she asked.

He looked down and scratched his chin for a moment before responding. "Walk with me for a bit. Don't worry, we're not going far."

She followed him out the front gate of the fort and a little ways up the road. There didn't seem to be anything in particular that he was after, and he stopped just a few seconds later. Visaelya realized that he probably wanted to get clear of potential eavesdroppers, which probably meant that whatever he had to say next likely involved his Sharingan.

Her guess was confirmed a moment later. "Remember what I said earlier about why you fight being just as important as how? Motive is more important than most for an Uchiha, and that's not always a good thing."

Visaelya was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Members of our clan had an unfortunate tendency of getting too fixated on individual goals," Shisui explained it, "Personal glory, protecting a loved one, or making the clan stronger; there was a trend within the Uchiha to be driven more by ambition centered around ourselves or the clan rather than the greater good. The Sharingan had a way of amplifying that, especially in the process of unlocking it. Awakening it for the first time typically involves powerful emotions, ones that can often get out of control later on and corrupt whatever our original intent might have been."

Visaelya folded her arms. "Is that what you're afraid of me doing here? Putting my own goals ahead of the greater good?"

"Only if you can't balance your personal goals with those of the mission," Shisui clarified, "From what you've told me about the spirit of your Zanpakutō, it sounds like she recognizes that. It's probably why she wants you to truly understand what your primary driving motivation is before she grants you her true power."

"I can appreciate that," said Visaelya, "but it still doesn't help me figure out what that primary motivation is. We've talked about this before; I keep going over it in my head, but nothing I come up with feels right."

"Right as in morally right, or right for you personally?" asked Shisui.

"Shouldn't it be both?" Visaelya countered, "I mean, we can have aspirations for our power that are both altruistic and selfish, right?"

Shisui nodded. "They're not mutually exclusive, but it's still important to recognize if they lean more towards one direction or another."

Visaelya rubbed her forehead. "You're not making this any easier, you know?"

Shisui smiled. "Sorry, but awakening your Shikai isn't supposed to be easy. It's a lot of power that you're trying to unlock, after all. Your Zanpakutō needs to know that you're ready for it. You're at the final hurdle, and I think you're ready to make the jump, but it's the hardest one for a good reason."

Visaelya chuckled. "Is that supposed to make me feel better or worse about this?"

"I was going for better," said Shisui as he took her hand, "Look, I know how much this means to you, and it's clearly getting to you, but remember what I told you before; this isn't something that you can force. We've all got our own kind of flow for this, our own journey towards learning the name of our Zanpakutō. I can tell that you're close, but this last step needs to be one that you and your Zanpakutō take together. You can't push it to fit your own timetable."

Visaelya sighed. "In other words, even if my need is great, it won't happen until the spirit of my Zanpakutō feels that I'm ready."

Shisui shook his head. "Not quite. Our Zanpakutō can tell when our need is dire and will respond, but only if they know what the power they grant us will be used for."

"I'll use it to defeat our enemies!" Visaelya argued, "Isn't that enough?"

"No, it's not," Shisui answered, "because who your enemies are can change. For this mission, it's the wraith and anything that monstrosity has corrupted, but what about afterwards? If we succeed in this operation, there will only be two wraiths left, and there's no guarantee that Squad Two will be the unit that gets assigned to take them down. What target will your power be directed at then?"

"Hollows, of course," said Visaelya, "They're our primary enemy. The wraiths are a unique threat, but they're not the foes that we normally face. We're just targeting them because we have a chance to eliminate them as a threat."

"That's the easy answer," Shisui replied, "but I'm afraid it's not the right one here."

Visaelya was taken aback by that. "What do you mean?"

"Who our power is ultimately directed at is very much at the whims of our personal motivations," Shisui answered, "Since we're Soul Reapers, the natural answer to who we're supposed to fight against is Hollows. However, that's not the enemy we'll always fight against, and I'm not just referring to creatures like these wraiths. Eventually, a day may come when your power finds itself directed at fellow souls… perhaps even fellow Soul Reapers."

A chill went down Visaelya's spine. "It wouldn't…"

"Wouldn't come to that?" Shisui finished for her, "Remember what unit you joined, Visaelya. Squad Two is more than just the scouts and first strike arm of the Seireitei; thanks to our connection with the Stealth Force, we are also its enforcers. Since you're still relatively new, the Captain has avoided giving you assignments where your target is a rogue Soul Reaper, but that will change eventually. I have been given those assignments before, and so have others."

Visaelya nodded, although she still felt uneasy. "I was aware that I could be called upon to perform such a mission when I joined Squad Two. I'm not blind to the full scope of our unit's duties, Shisui. My powers may very well have to be directed against other Soul Reapers someday, but only because those Soul Reapers have become criminals and must be taken down to protect the Soul Society. That is Squad Two's responsibility, after all, and I am a fully committed member of this unit."

Shisui sighed. "Perhaps you think you're prepared for such a task, but… what if it's not a few isolated criminals that you end up going after? What if it's something more widespread?"

Visaelya recoiled. "Shisui, what you're talking about… it sounds like something akin to civil war! The Soul Society hasn't suffered one of those since the fall of the old kingdom. Aren't you going a bit too far with this hypothetical scenario here?"

Shisui closed his eyes, and when he opened them they held a dark look that chilled Visaelya to her core. "I hope I am, because I've seen what happens when people go down that road… and what is required to stop them. It's not pretty, Visaelya."

Something clicked in her mind. "You're talking about your own family, aren't you? The Uchiha Clan… something terrible happened with them while you were still alive, didn't it?"

He hesitated for a moment before answering. "Yes… both when I was alive and after I died. Perhaps Itachi should be here… well, I'm sure he'd forgive me for giving you the short version without him. You've gone long enough without knowing, and perhaps our example can help illuminate your path forward."

"What are you talking about?" asked Visaelya, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer.

Shisui took a deep breath. "What I'm about to tell you can't go beyond us. I need your word on that, or I'm walking away now."

She could tell that he was completely serious, and all she could do was give him a small nod in return. "Okay… I promise. Whatever you say here stays between us. You have my word, Shisui."

"And I'll hold you to it," said Shisui, "You've known about the power of the Sharingan for some time now. How strong do you think a clan of people with such eyes would be?"

Visaelya didn't know where he was going with this but felt obligated to play along. "Based on everything that you've told me about the Sharingan, they'd be incredibly powerful. Few would be able to stand against them."

Shisui nodded. "Simply put, but quite accurate. When the Uchiha Clan accepted a truce with the rival Senju Clan and founded the Hidden Leaf Village, that power was meant to be focused in two directions; against the enemies of the village in times of war, and against those who would disturb its order and security in times of peace. For a long time, their power was used properly, and the Hidden Leaf Village was prosperous and safe for it. However, a confluence of tragic events combined with the inherent power of the Sharingan caused our clan to grow arrogant and bitter. The Uchiha had always had their pride, but it became infected with distrust, resentment and suspicion. It became a toxic brew, a poison injected into the lifeblood of one of the village's strongest clans, and a threat to the village itself."

Visaelya blinked a couple times; she wanted to be sure that she'd heard him correctly. "Your family became a threat to the village it served? How?"

"In short, ambition and grievance turned to hatred and lust for power," Shisui replied grimly, "The desires of the clan leadership and many of its members slowly turned against the greater good of our village and nation. They ultimately morphed into the worst possible expression of discontent; a plan to stage a coup d'etat and install the Uchiha Clan as the rulers of the Hidden Leaf Village."

Visaelya's face paled and her eyes widened as she took it all in. "Your family… was plotting a coup? Shisui… did you…"

"Go along with them?" Shisui finished for her, "No, I did not. I was against the entire scheme, and so was Itachi. We were amongst the very few who stood against the ambitions of the clan because we recognized the bloodshed they would unleash if they allowed their dark passions to carry them down this path."

Visaelya smiled. "Of course. I shouldn't have expected anything less. You and Itachi would never go along with something like that."

Shisui sighed. "Don't give us too much credit. We might've been able to recognize what the disastrous end results of a coup would be, but neither could we convince the clan to change course. I thought I'd found a solution, but before I could put it into action I was attacked by the hardline anti-Uchiha faction within the Leaf Village's leadership. I lost one of my eyes, and I knew that they would be after the other one. My Sharingan had a very special ability, you see, one that I had been planning to use in order to influence our clan into abandoning their plot. Unfortunately, I could no longer use it after the attack, and there was only one solution that I could think of."

"What was that?" asked Visaelya.

"The Sharingan that you've seen Itachi and I use is just the basic one," Shisui replied, "It has a much more powerful form known as the Mangekyou Sharingan, although using its incredible abilities comes at the cost of gradually encroaching blindness. I had the Mangekyou, and that special ability I mentioned earlier was unique to my specific version of it. Itachi did not have the Mangekyou at the time, and with the loss of one of my eyes, I knew that he would need it in order to stop the clan. Acquiring the Mangekyou, though, comes with its own cost, and it's a very steep one."

Visaelya gulped nervously. "And that is?"

There was a haunted look in Shisui's eyes as he met her gaze. "You must witness the death of one close to you. For me, it had been a fellow Shinobi. For Itachi… it would be me."

Visaelya's hands flew to her mouth as she tried and failed to stifle a gasp. "No…"

"I met him in the forest," Shisui continued, "We stood on the edge of a ravine with the Naka River flowing far below. I knew what had to be done. Itachi didn't want to go through with it. Neither did I, of course; it's not like I was eager for my life to end, after all. There were no other options that I could envision, though. This was the only one where we could still stop the clan before they plunged the village into civil war. So I plunged into the ravine, ending my life and giving Itachi the power he needed to take down our clan."

Visaelya didn't fail to notice the key wording. "Take down? What happened to your plan to influence them to call off the coup?"

Shisui shook his head. "That plan was limited to the powers of my Mangekyou Sharingan. Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan would be different; each one is unique. Influencing the clan through an illusion and getting them to change course was no longer an option. Itachi and I both knew what he would have to do. He got the short end of the stick, really. I died and went to the Soul Society, while he remained behind to do the only thing that could be done now; purge the Uchiha Clan before they could launch their coup."

Visaelya's blood felt like it had turned to ice. "Purge… you mean…"

There was a sorrowful look in Shisui's eyes. "Don't hold it against Itachi. He was stuck in an impossible situation. The same hardliner that attacked me and took one of my eyes went after him, too, although this strike was much more insidious. He was given an ultimatum; side with the clan and help with their coup, thus kick off the civil war that would see all of the Uchiha killed… or wipe out the clan himself in exchange for his little brother's survival. The Uchiha were dead either way, but siding with the village at least gave Itachi a chance to salvage something from the disaster. He played his part, dropped the curtain on the clan, made sure his brother was safe, and then went into exile. He spent the rest of his days known as one of the vilest criminals to have ever come from the ranks of Leaf Village Shinobi, when in truth his actions had averted both civil strife and a war."

Mikoto's face suddenly flashed through Visaelya's eyes. "His mother… did he…?"

Shisui nodded. "Yes; he killed her. The ultimatum allowed him only to spare his brother, no one else. Mikoto knew what he was doing and why. From what I've gathered, it sounds like she never held it against him, although I'm sure it's eating Itachi up inside even now. It's why he checks up on her whenever he can. He feels like he has to make it up to her, and that he might never be able to. He hasn't said as much to me, of course, but I know him well enough to understand how he thinks. Mikoto would hate it if she found out he was thinking like that. That's for the two of them to work out, though."

Visaelya took a deep breath; she was still struggling to process everything, and she'd need a great deal of time later to think about it all. "If you say so. Why tell me all of this, though? I mean, this can't be easy for you… reliving all of that, I mean."

Shisui smiled. "It's not, but it's worth it if it can help you with what you're going through right now. My point from all of this is that we have to understand our motives so we can be sure that we're doing the right thing. Look at the Uchiha Clan. I only gave you the short version, but suffice to say that my family did have some valid grievances with the leadership of our village. However, they lost sight of the big picture and allowed their personal ambitions to become warped and twisted. Whatever nobility and virtue that they had before was corrupted, and it brought them to ruin. The power of our eyes played no small part in that… and the power that you seek could do the same if you're not careful. You aren't just any Soul Reaper, after all. You're a princess of the Drakken Clan; a daughter of dragons, if you will. You're the heiress to a powerful bloodline, and while I respect how you've been trying to not let your heritage dictate your path, it does have a role to play. Believe me, I know what it's like to try and get out from under that, but being part of a powerful family brings with it certain responsibilities that we cannot avoid whether we like it or not."

Visaelya nodded. "You're right. Even if I seek to walk my own path, the power that flows through me due to my heritage carries weight. If it's going to grow, if I'm going to tap into its full potential, then I need to make sure that I'm doing so for the right reason. One that resonates with me both morally and personally… one that I can use as a lighthouse of sorts to keep me on the right course."

"Very well put," said Shisui, "I can't speak for the spirit of your Zanpakutō, of course, but from what you've told me about her over the years it sounds like that's what she's going for here. You said she wants you to focus on figuring out your primary motivation, right? From where I'm sitting, it looks like she wants you to find a purpose for your power that will make sure it's not corrupted by the particular dangers that you might face. I don't think those will come in the form of Hollows or wraiths, although it'd be nice to have your Shikai for fighting both of those. I believe she wants you to have a reason for wielding your power that will serve as your compass for when the threats aren't simply the monsters that we fight out in the field."

Visealya sighed. "That's all well and good, but I'd still like to have her power to deal with threats that we'll face in the field, particularly this one."

Shisui put his arm around her. "I know you do, and I don't blame you. I might have an idea. You don't have to try it, but just keep it mind, okay?"

Visaelya nodded. "Sure. What were you thinking?"

"We've still got several days ahead of us at least until we'll be within striking distance of the wraith," said Shisui, "At the end of each day, after we've set up camp for the evening, take a little time to meditate. I don't mean communing with your Zanpakutō; actually sit down, take a deep breath, and reflect on the day you just experienced. Think about what got you through that day to where you are now, and what will get you through the days to come. Do that between now and when we face the wraith, and it might just help you find what you're looking for."

Visaelya smiled. "A little bit of evening introspection, hm? Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt. I'll give it a shot."

"That's the spirit," said Shisui as he pulled her close, causing her to blush furiously, "Don't overthink it, or you'll just stress yourself out. It doesn't have to be for very long, either. Could be just a few minutes if that's all you have time for. All I want you to do is just take a step back at the end of each day, sit down, reflect on what you experienced over the course of that day and what helped you make it through with your sanity intact… and what will give you the strength you need to get through the next one. I won't promise that doing so will completely solve your problem, but it might just help lend you a new perspective."

Visaelya nodded, her confidence growing somewhat. "I'll do that. Every night between now and when we face our foe… and every night after that if I need to. Shisui… thank you."

"Anytime," he replied with a smile, "Now, why don't we head back to the garrison? The Captains and some of the others will probably be up and about by now, and I'm sure they'll have us on the road soon enough. We've got another long day's march ahead of us, after all."

"We do indeed," she said as she leaned in to kiss his cheek before the two of them started walking towards the fort, "and I'll have the strength to get through it thanks to you."

….

One week later…

Leaping through the trees, Yoruichi found herself a little twitchy as she followed close behind the Shiba Clan scout. The young dark-haired man in front of her clearly knew the terrain well and was proving to be quite adept at navigating it, but he wasn't moving fast enough for her tastes. Then again, few people could move fast enough for her tastes, Soul Reaper or otherwise.

One of the downsides of being the Flash Goddess, she mused, I'm so used to moving at my own pace that I get agitated when I have to slow down for others. Can't be helped, I suppose…

The expeditionary force had made good time since leaving the border fort, and they'd actually hit the edge of the Kurai Hebi Jungle a little ahead of schedule. Traversing through the thick greenery from here on out would be slow going, though. There was a road, although it barely qualified as such in the traditional sense, being more of a dirt path that wasn't as worn and well-trodden as one might've liked. The expeditionary force would have to proceed with much greater caution from here on out, and maintaining an active scouting presence to prevent ambushes was crucial. Normally, Yoruichi would've taken point in such work, but first she needed to understand the environment that they were dealing with. She'd done plenty of reading up on the region in the runup to the mission and while on the road, but it had been a long time since she'd last visited the Shiba Clan's Principality, and she'd never ventured within the Kurai Hebi Jungle before.

That was where the local guides came in, and Aaliya had assigned a dozen to help the expeditionary force navigate the region. They were already proving their worth, with the young man that she was following deftly leaping from tree to tree with the confidence and skill that came with a detailed knowledge of the terrain. If he hadn't already been part of a Great Noble House's private forces, Yoruichi would've made a pitch to convince him to enter the Academy; either Squad Two or the Stealth Force could always use more skilled scouts, after all. Unfortunately, poaching the local talent wouldn't endear the expeditionary force to their hosts, and Yoruichi valued the alliance between her family and the Shiba Clan too much to rock the boat like that.

She'd shed her haori prior to her current scouting run; it was liable to snag on a branch otherwise, plus in the oppressive and damp heat of the jungle it would be about as helpful as wearing a blanket. Yoruichi could move about in such an environment much more freely without it, although even with such practical considerations she knew that the Head Captain wouldn't be happy if he ever found out. The old man did love to remind Captains of what their rank and the symbols that came along with it really meant, after all. Still, Yoruichi suspected that the venerable commander of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would understand her decision, regardless of how much he might've grumbled about it if he had been present. Besides, it wasn't like the color white would do a good job of blending into their current environment; there was a reason that the serpents this jungle was so well known for were black, after all.

Yoruichi wasn't the only member of Squad Two following this particular guide. Soi-Fon and Itachi were both following in her wake, easily matching the pace set by their pathfinder. They were spread out, with Soi-Fon to the right and Itachi on the left, each of them watching their flank for potential threats. It felt good to have the two of them watching her back, especially in an environment like this. Snakes were the most famous of the predators lurking within the Kurai Hebi Jungle, but there were plenty of other carnivores to watch out for as well, and more than a few species of big cats could be found hiding in the trees just waiting for unsuspecting prey to come within striking range.

She caught the occasional flash of red in Itachi's eyes as he briefly activated his Sharingan whenever he felt he could do so without getting caught by their guide. It would only be for a second or two at the most, and Yoruichi was impressed with how he managed to keep his spiritual pressure from spiking whenever he used it. He'd come a long way in a very short amount of time since awakening both his Sharingan and Shikai, and it was comforting for Yoruichi to know that Itachi was using the former to scout their environment with a gaze keener than even that of their experienced guide.

Up ahead she saw the guide come to a stop and hold up his hand. Yoruichi quickly grabbed the branch she was on to halt her momentum, while Itachi and Soi-Fon did the same. Her eyes narrowing, she spotted several bushes and trees shifting up ahead as something big moved just beyond them.

Must be one of the giant snakes that this jungle is so famous for, she thought as she tried to catch a glimpse of the thing, I've always wanted to see these things, and it looks like I just might get my wish!

She did indeed get it courtesy of a small break in the trees up ahead. It wasn't enough for a full view, but it gave her a good look at what looked like a moving log of slick black scales. The creature was thick, with Yoruichi estimating the diameter of its body to be roughly equal to that of a decent-sized tree trunk. It was difficult to judge its length thanks to the limited view, but as she watched it slither past until eventually its tail slipped out of sight, she guessed that this particular specimen was roughly meters or so in length. If the tales were true, then this snake's size was actually just a little over average for an adult; legends had it that there were some true behemoths lurking deep within the Kurai Hebi Jungle, and Yoruichi was inclined to believe them.

The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up; Yoruichi hadn't realized just how tense she'd gotten upon seeing the obsidian serpent. As exciting as it had been to catch a glimpse of one of the Kurai Hebi Jungle's famous snakes, it had also triggered some of the feline instincts that were the byproduct of her transformation ability. While she was very much in her human form, sometimes particular mannerisms or hints of her animalistic side could leak through. In this case, Yoruichi had subconsciously been working to keep herself from hissing at the sight of the snake, and had she been in her feline form she might not have been able to resist that urge. It was one of the downsides of her special ability, and she had to focus in order to make sure that those animal instincts simmering in her mind didn't override her human ones while she was leading her subordinates out in the field. While the thought of turning into a hissing cat in front of her fellow Soul Reapers was mildly amusing, the loss of her clothing as a result of the transformation would be more of a hassle than it was worth.

Up ahead, she saw the scout's brow furrow. As he looked around, he seemed more than a little apprehensive.

"What's wrong?" asked Yoruichi, "That thing's moving on, isn't it?"

The scout nodded. "It is, but… we'd normally have to be further into the jungle to find a serpent of that size. Juveniles might venture out here, but the adults typically don't stray far from the deep interior. Something's got them spooked."

Yoruichi was willing to hazard a guess as to what that might be. "Probably the wraith. The corruption must be spreading."

"At least there aren't many humans out here for it to turn into wights," said Soi-Fon as she looked around, "The wildlife would be nasty if the wraith managed to turn it, but we can deal with that."

Yoruichi saw Itachi's eyes narrow as he turned to the guide. "The jungle is uninhabited, right?"

The guide actually hesitated, and Yoruichi instantly realized something was up. "You're hiding something."

The scout shook his head, but the gesture was far too emphatic and frantic; he was starting to panic. "No, I'm not!"

There was a black blur as Soi-Fon Flash Stepped forward, her blade drawn and at the guide's neck before he could so much as blink. "Lady Yoruichi says you are, and from the way you're acting, I happen to agree. There's something else out here apart from the wraith and the wildlife, isn't there?"

"Perhaps threatening one of our valuable pathfinders isn't the wisest course of action," Itachi noted, looking between Yoruichi and Soi-Fon.

Yoruichi gave him a quick nod before leaping forward to join Soi-Fon and the guide. She placed one hand on her bodyguard's arm, gently pushing it and by extension her sword away from the scout.

"Soi-Fon, ease up," she ordered.

"But he's hiding information from us!" Soi-Fon protested.

"He is," Yoruichi concurred as she looked at the pathfinder, "but there are better ways to get to the heart of the matter than brandishing our weapons at someone we're counting on to safely navigate this jungle."

That was enough to get Soi-Fon to back off and sheath her blade, but she was still wary. "How do you propose making him talk, then?"

"By asking nicely, for starters," she replied as she gently put a hand on the scout's shoulder, "Diplomacy can work wonders when used correctly, after all."

She met the pathfinder's gaze and gave him an encouraging smile. "I can tell you're scared, so don't try to hide it. We're on the same side here. This wraith's a blight on your homeland, and we want to get rid of it. However, we need help to do that. Your guidance through this jungle has been invaluable, but if you know something else beyond simply how to navigate this area that's relevant to our situation, then we need to know it too. Keeping secrets from your allies is no way to run a successful joint operation."

The scout looked down nervously. "I… I'm not supposed to say anything… none of us are. It would violate the treaty."

"What treaty?" asked Itachi.

Soi-Fon looked puzzled. "Lady Yoruichi, what's he talking about?"

"Good question," said Yoruichi as she regarded the guide, "I don't know of any treaties that were supposed to be relevant to this operation."

"It wasn't supposed to be like this," the scout muttered as he looked back and forth between Yoruichi and the jungle ahead, "They weren't supposed to be in danger… the threat was just supposed to be inside the temple!"

"Perhaps it originally was," said Itachi, "It's possible that when the Shiba Clan scouts discovered the wraith it decided remaining isolated was too dangerous. Maybe it started spreading its corruption after the survivors retreated."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Sounds pretty likely, actually. The one we fought in the east limited its stain to the Shadow Pass, but from Squad Eight's report it seems that the one in the north suddenly became eager to spread its influence. When the Shiba Clan's artifact hunters disturbed it, perhaps it decided to start claiming the surrounding jungle as its domain to ward off potential threats."

Yoruichi nodded. "That would be bad enough if it only had giant snakes and other nasty predators to corrupt. However, it sounds like there might be more than just serpents and big hungry cats for it to enslave out here."

The scout gulped. "Enslave?"

Yoruichi gave the young man a pitying look. "Poor boy… you really had no idea what you were getting into with this mission, did you?"

"We're supposed to be going after some demon from the ancient world, right?" the guide replied, "They didn't tell us a whole lot about what a 'wraith' is or what it can do, except that it's extremely dangerous and that we should leave fighting it to you guys."

Soi-Fon's brow furrowed. "Keeping their own scouts in the dark? I expected better from the Shiba Clan, especially given the stakes here."

"Probably trying to head off a possible panic by limiting what information gets out," Itachi surmised, "The Shiba Clan's role in this mission is to primarily provide logistical support, after all, with Third Seat Isshin being their only active combatant taking part in the operation. They've likely compartmentalized key information regarding the wraith's powers. Scouts like this one were instructed to guide us to the target and then stay out of the way. In that context, they don't need to know just what a wraith can actually do."

Yoruichi nodded. "Sounds about right. I get the reasoning, but they're not doing their grunts any favors here."

"A need-to-know flow of information rarely does," Itachi bitterly concurred, "I've seen the effects plenty of times in the past."

"Just because their grunts are in the dark doesn't mean that we have to be," said Soi-Fon as she gave the scout a piercing look, "Whatever this 'treaty' you spoke of is, I'm assuming the Shiba Clan is one of the signatories, right? Who's the other party?"

"I'm… I'm not supposed to say!" the guide stammered.

Yoruichi sighed. "I understand not wanting to go against orders, especially ones from a Great Noble House, but this is a life-or-death situation. If you know something that's relevant to the mission, you need to share it. The only way we're going to be able to take this thing down once and for all is if we have as much information as possible before we challenge it."

"The longer you stall, the longer the wraith has to spread its corruption," Itachi added, "The longer that happens, the more people will be at risk. If you wish to save lives rather than condemn them, now would be the time to step up."

The pathfinder took a deep breath before finally coming clean. "Officially, the Kurai Hebi Jungle is listed as uninhabited. Unofficially… there are several villages hidden within its deep interior."

The missing pieces rapidly began falling into place for Yoruichi, "They're native villages, aren't they?"

The guide nodded. "Yes."

Itachi turned to Yoruichi. "Native?"

"Peoples who inhabited these lands before they came under the sway of a Great Noble House," Yoruichi explained, "and by extension the Soul Society. They're remnants of scattered societies that existed before even the old kingdom. Not many have survived the ages with their original cultures still intact. Most of the documented ones are tribes that live in isolated pockets of The Wild, although there are a few still within the Principalities. Looks like the Shiba Clan was hiding this one."

"Why would they do that?" asked Itachi.

Soi-Fon beat her to the punch. "If I had to guess, this one probably has a shaman order. Think of them as predecessors to the old kingdom's Mages, or the modern Soul Society's Kidō Corps."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed as she considered the implications. "Most tribes have a few practicing shamans, and the Central Forty-Six heavily frowns upon those who practice ancient spells, but since they're so few in number the Seireitei doesn't consider them to be a threat. If the Shiba Clan felt the need to hide whatever tribes are living in the Kurai Hebi Jungle, then I think Soi-Fon's guess about a functioning shaman order is a pretty likely one."

The guide confirmed her suspicions. "The bloodlines of these tribes are rich in spirit energy; they have many practicing shamans. In exchange for their help in monitoring the region and occasionally providing their services to the family, the Shiba Clan agreed to keep their existence a secret from the outside world."

Soi-Fon's gaze met Yoruichi's, and the Captain knew that she and her bodyguard had already jumped to the same grim conclusion. "If a tribe with powerful shamans was corrupted by the wraith…"

"...then there will be far more dangerous wights to worry about this time around," Yoruichi finished for her, "We need to rejoin the others immediately. Our mission just got much more complicated."

….

Four days later…

Breaching the jungle canopy was surprisingly easier said than done, even for Itachi. The branches and foliage were devilishly thick, so much so that the former Akatsuki member was amazed that sunlight could filter through them in the first place. Of course, not much light was getting through now; it had grown considerably darker over the past few days, even during the daylight hours. Itachi suspected he knew what that meant, and he got his confirmation a few moments later when he finally managed to find a perch that allowed him to poke his head above the canopy.

On another occasion, he might've savored the fresh and unobstructed breeze, not to mention just how much cleaner the air felt up here compared to how thick and oppressive it was below. The same went for the view; the jungle was huge, with trees spreading in all directions for as far as Itachi could see. However, it wasn't nature's magnificent vista that had Itachi's attention right now. Instead, it was the ominously familiar inky black clouds off in the east. His mind instantly flashed back to Squad Two's adventure in the Shadow Pass, and he knew exactly what he was seeing.

The wraith's sphere of influence is expanding, he thought grimly, just as we feared. At our current rate of travel, we'll probably hit the edge of it within the next two days or so.

He was about to head back down to the jungle floor when a curious flash of light caught his eye. For a moment he thought he'd imagined it, but then he saw it again just a few seconds later. It faded momentarily, but then it flared up yet again, a defiant column of yellow energy temporarily piercing the black clouds ahead. His onyx eyes became crimson beacons as Itachi activated his Sharingan, and he focused hard on the light. Its cycle of flaring and fading continued to repeat in steady intervals of every few seconds, and Itachi could detect the unmistakable signs of spirit energy each time it waxed.

He poked his head back down beneath the canopy while deactivating his Sharingan. "Yoruichi, I think you and our guide should see this!"

His Captain joined him a second later, followed shortly by the same pathfinder from their confrontation a few days ago. Yoruichi's eyes narrowed as her gaze instantly locked onto the pillar of yellow light once it appeared again.

"Well, this is new," she said, "The energy up there doesn't have the same feeling as the stuff coming from the wraith. What is it?"

"A Sunlight Ward!" the guide answered excitedly, "It's coming from one of the villages; there are survivors!"

Yoruichi turned to the pathfinder. "You're certain?"

The young man nodded emphatically. "Yes, absolutely! It's a spell that's used by shamans to protect a village in times of crisis. It repels anything that the caster considers to be a threat."

Itachi quickly did the math. "If the corruption began spreading after the Shiba Clan's scouts disturbed the wraith, then the shamans have probably been maintaining this spell for nearly two months by now. How long can a Sunlight Ward last?"

The guide looked worried. "Not this long, not normally. The shamans must be maintaining it in shifts. A Sunlight Ward takes an extraordinary amount of energy to cast and hold. For them to have held one for this long in defense of a village… it's unheard of!"

Itachi turned to Yoruichi. "Which means the shamans maintaining it could be reaching their limit."

Yoruichi nodded. "Even a group of experienced and powerful casters can't hold out forever. Looks like our assignment just turned into a rescue operation."

"You're going to help them?" asked the scout, sounding like he didn't dare let himself hope.

Yoruichi smiled. "If there's a chance we can save them, then yes."

The scout breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. We have to hurry, though. Those shamans must be on their last legs from holding the Sunlight Ward for this long! It could die at any time!"

"Getting to that village before the spell fades will be tricky given the terrain," said Itachi, "We might not be able to do it with the entire expeditionary force and our supplies in tow."

Yoruichi was already crafting a plan. "I'll form a vanguard with the fastest Soul Reapers in Squad Two, along with one of the scouts and Third Seat Shiba. If his clan has dealings with these people, then it'll be good to have him in the rescue party. Besides, we can always use the extra firepower. I'll ask Ukitake to bring the main body of the expeditionary force up behind us."

Itachi nodded. "If it's not too presumptuous, I'd like to be in the vanguard with you."

Yoruichi grinned. "Are you kidding? You were always going to be in it, Itachi! Now, we've got villagers to save, so let's get moving!"

….

Despite the fact that the temperature hadn't changed at all, Shisui felt chills going down his spine as he raced through the jungle. Each step brought him and the rest of the vanguard closer to the foul being that was the source of the inky black clouds overhead. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins, even though his expression remained calm and focused. His right hand never strayed far from the handle of his Zanpakutō, and his eyes were constantly darting about as he scanned for the first sign of a threat.

The vanguard was moving quickly, but despite the urgency of the situation and the skilled pathfinders guiding them, they had to keep their pace measured. It wouldn't be wise to tire themselves out before engaging the enemy, and there was most certainly a fight awaiting them. Shisui was still having a hard time believing what Yoruichi had told them; that against all the odds, a village was holding out against the tide of darkness and needed their help. Images of what he'd seen in the Shadow Pass were constantly flashing through his mind, and it felt almost too good to be true to imagine what anyone or anything could keep such malignant and twisted energy at bay.

Snap out of it, he told himself, Squad Eight's report about the Valkyries' protective wards prove that it's possible to hold this foul energy back. Whoever these 'shamans' are, they've just got their own way of doing what the Valkyries did. The force you're up against is powerful, but it can be beaten. Squad Two's done exactly that before, and you'll do it again!

Glancing over his right shoulder, he saw Visaelya hot on his heels. "How are you holding up?"

"Just fine," she replied, looking at him with concern, "but what about you? You seem a bit on edge."

He flashed her what he hoped was a confident smile. "Just the usual pre-fight jitters. We all get them."

She nodded and smiled as well, a beacon of encouraging light against the dark tide that they were racing towards. "Don't worry. No matter what happens, I've got your back!"

He knew she meant it, and it definitely helped him steady himself. It was reassuring to know that he had such a good friend in her.

That's odd, Kage no Kodomo chimed in, I was under the impression that you two were more than simply 'good friends'.

Shisui's brow twitched in irritation. He didn't need this, not now.

Fine, I'll back off for the moment. When things quiet down, though, I think that you and I need to talk about what exactly she is to you.

Shisui rolled his eyes. The last thing he needed was the spirit of his Zanpakutō playing the role of relationship counselor.

Looking up, he saw that the amount of daylight slipping through the gaps in the jungle canopy was severely reduced now. They were nearly at the edge of the area covered by the inky black clouds; soon they would be inside the wraith's sphere of influence. It had taken the vanguard several hours to make it this far even with the quick pace they were moving at; the jungle remained as treacherous as ever.

Actually, it was growing worse with each passing hour. The closer they drew to the area under the wraith's shadow, the more agitated and distressed the wildlife around them became. Predators and prey alike were fleeing the slowly spreading corruption, and the vanguard had been forced more than once to detour in order to avoid getting in the way of a veritable river of giant black snakes. A few of the great serpents had even lashed out at the Soul Reapers who had gotten too close, although thankfully they'd been able to evade the beasts' dripping fangs and massive bodies. The snakes could move at surprising speeds when they were in a rush, and they were definitely in one now.

They're the apex predators of this region, Shisui mused as he saw one serpent slither along the ground below in a hurry, but you wouldn't know it by looking at them now. I don't know if they're smart enough to truly comprehend just what they're running from, but they're clearly intelligent enough to know that they should be running.

Their fight or flight instincts had been triggered, and the great predators of the jungle had definitely chosen the latter. Shisui couldn't blame them; he wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of there. That wasn't an option, though, and he knew it. His mission was to rescue the villagers if possible and then move on to dealing with the wraith. It wasn't the first time, in this life or his previous one, that he'd pressed on with a mission even though he very much didn't want to, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. Whether as a Shinobi or a Soul Reaper, Shisui wouldn't shirk from his duty. Even the plunge into the Naka River that had ended his first life had been a fulfilment of duty, in a way; it had given Itachi the power he needed to accomplish the mission that Shisui had no longer been able to.

I'd really rather avoid a repeat performance of that here.

That makes two of us.

A few minutes later, Shisui saw the Soul Reapers up ahead come to a halt. Looking past them, Shisui saw that the vegetation ahead was no longer the thick and vibrant green that had surrounded them since they'd entered the Kurai Hebi Jungle. Instead it was withered and decayed, twisted and deformed. Tree trunks were no longer a health brown, but instead an ashen grey. Sickly yellow and white leaves hung from the branches, and the air around them was thick with the stench of rot. Even the dirt itself was tainted, marred by splotches of grey and pale blue that most certainly were not natural.

The Shiba Clan scout at the head of the group looked around in confusion. "What… what's happened here? I've never seen anything like this before!"

"We have," Yoruichi replied grimly as she surveyed the damage, "This is from the wraith. The corruption is spreading."

Soi-Fon looked like she wanted to puke. "Ugh… and here I thought the Shadow Pass was bad."

"How awful…" Visaelya murmured.

Shisui nodded. "Agreed."

"I don't suppose there's an alternative route we can take, is there?" asked Kisuke.

"This is the most direct route," the scout answered.

"Any alternative path would likely be marred by the wraith's corruption as well," Itachi noted, "Searching for a way around would cost us valuable time."

Yoruichi nodded before surprising Shisui by looking at Isshin. "Agreed. I didn't want to resort to this earlier, but I think now's the time. Third Seat Shiba, care to clear this out?"

"With pleasure," said Isshin, and Shisui could feel his spiritual pressure spike as he gripped the handle of his Zanpakutō.

The man drew his blade, and the release command came a moment later. "Burn, Engetsu!"

It wasn't the first time that Shisui had seen Isshin's Shikai, but the fact that the sword itself didn't actually transform when released still struck him as odd. Still, the sheer power of the flame-like spirit energy surrounding the blade was undeniable, and it would serve the vanguard's purpose quite well.

Isshin raised his sword overhead, and Shisui felt the man's already-impressive spiritual pressure flare up even more. "Getsuga Tenshō!"

As Squad Ten's Third Seat brought his blade down, a massive torrent of blue-white energy was unleashed with a thunderous crash. It was blindingly bright, forcing Shisui to momentarily shield his eyes. Not that he needed his eyes in order to sense the incredible power behind Isshin's attack.

Third Seat, my ass, he thought, This spiritual pressure is damn near Captain-class!

When he opened his eyes a few moments later, Shisui was amazed by what he saw. Isshin's attack had blasted a broad and deep furrow into the land, carving a path through the corrupted jungle wide enough to comfortably march an army down. The impromptu 'path' stretched so far ahead that Shisui could only barely make out a distant tree-line, and the rhythmic flaring of the Sunlight Ward in the distance was now much easier to see.

Yoruichi whistled. "Nicely done!"

Kisuke chuckled. "Remind me never to piss you off, Isshin!"

"So much for stealth," Soi-Fon muttered, although she certainly looked impressed by Isshin's display of might.

"I'll probably have to do that a couple more times between here and the village," Isshin noted, "If it's under siege, our enemy's going to hear us coming from miles away."

"Can't be helped," said Itachi, "Speed is of the essence now."

Yoruichi nodded. "He's right. Let's go!"

….

We're normally a unit known for being as sneaky as we are swift, Kisuke mused as he and the rest of the vanguard rushed along the trail blazed by Isshin's Shikai, but I suppose there are exceptions. This isn't exactly subtle, but I can't argue with the results.

Isshin had been correct in his guess that he'd have to use Getsuga Tenshō again before they were able to reach their destination. Squad Ten's Third Seat had unleashed his Shikai's power in spectacular fashion two more times since he'd first started blasting a path through the corrupted jungle, and while it meant that vanguard was forfeiting the element of surprise that Squad Two normally prized so highly, their destination was now finally in sight. The light from the Sunlight Ward protecting the village gleamed up ahead, illuminating both the settlement and the foul creatures laying siege to it.

Kisuke's eyes narrowed as he studied the rapidly growing outline of the village. It didn't appear particularly large, with perhaps barely more than several dozen simple round huts built from mud, wood and straw. There was a larger central dwelling which Kisuke took to be either a chief's residence or perhaps some sort of temple; he couldn't discern the exact purpose of the structure later. There were several people spread out around the settlement, clad in simple brown tunics and headdresses consisting of multiple rows of brightly colored feathers, and Kisuke could sense their spirit energy. Each one held what appeared to be a plain wooden staff in their hands, and they angled those staves towards the perimeter of the village, with streams of light emanating from them. These were the shamans maintaining the Sunlight Ward and keeping the hellish creatures beyond the gleaming light at bay.

Kisuke had been expecting wights, and there were plenty of them, enough to completely surround the village. Those were a known threat, though, one that Squad Two had already proven itself capable of efficiently dispatching in their expedition to the east. What was much more concerning to the Third Seat was the serpents intermingled with them. A few seemed to be juveniles, but many more were the larger specimens that inhabited the depths of the Kurai Hebi Jungle. Their normally black scales were now emanating a familiar icy blue light, and their eyes burned with pale azure fire. Nasty black liquid dripped from their fangs, and Kisuke could only imagine what the wraith's power had done to their already-formidable natural venom.

"Those look nasty," he said.

Yoruichi nodded, already drawing her sword. "Agreed. The snakes are our priority target, people! Hit them at range first, then move in for the kill. Isshin; opening shot's yours! Kisuke, get ready for follow-up."

As Isshin raised his Zanpakutō over his head, Kisuke drew his own. "Awaken, Benihime!"

While his sword transformed into its Shikai, Isshin was already unleashing the power of his own. "Getsuga Tenshō!"

A great blast of blue-white fire ripped forth, washing over wights and corrupted snakes alike with a deafening roar. For a moment, Kisuke feared that Isshin might've overdone it, but as the energy blast faded he saw that the village beyond was still standing; Sunlight Wards were apparently powerful enough to hold back even something as mighty as an attack from a Shikai. The wights and serpents weren't so lucky, though. Those that hadn't been outright destroyed by the blast were writhing on the ground, missing limbs or entire chunks of flesh.

It was as good an opening as any for Kisuke, and he took it. "Scream, Benihime!"

A wave of crimson energy raced forward and punched into the disorganized and wounded undead like a hammer. It was more than sufficient to disintegrate those directly caught in the blast, while those at the edges of it were either torn apart or sent flying. There was now a gaping hole in the undead mass, but there were plenty more monstrosities left to deal with.

The song of steel scraping against scabbards rang out around Kisuke as the rest of the vanguard drew their blades. The force began to spread out, with some Soul Reapers preparing spells or unleashing their Shikais while others raced in to engage with sealed blades. Yoruichi and Soi-Fon were at the head of the latter group, with both barely more than blurs as they Flash Stepped towards the enemy.

The first battle of their mission was on.

….

With her sealed Zanpakutō in her right hand as she rushed forward, Yoruichi held out her left with the palm facing the enemy. "Hadō 63: Raikōhō!"

The blast of yellow lightning that ensued flashed forward and struck one of the corrupted serpents right in the head. Reeling from the raw power of the spell, the snake did not even notice Yoruichi leaping atop it. She drove her blade down into the creature's skull and brain, and the beast dropped to the ground with a heavy thud before dissolving into a flurry of light blue particles.

Wights poured in from all directions, but Yoruichi wasn't concerned. As her blade darted through the air, leaving streaks of silver around her and cutting down the oncoming monstrosities, Soi-Fon hit them from behind. Cutting one wight's head clean off, her bodyguard then crushed the skull of another with a powerful kick before stabbing her blade into the face of a third. Mentor and protege proceeded to quickly carve out some space amidst the swirling mass of undead, and they soon had backup.

A fresh wave of crimson energy from Benihime tore through a cluster of wights and signalled Kisuke's arrival, with her Third Seat joining the two of them in butchering any foe unfortunate enough to be within the reach of their blades. "Quite the reception!"

Yoruichi smirked as she caved in a wight's chest with an upthrust knee before whirling around and cutting another one's skull open. "They certainly know how to give an enthusiastic welcome!"

"Glad you two are enjoying this," Soi-Fon deadpanned as she thrust her blade through a wight's neck.

Taking a quick look around as she kicked a wight's head off, Yoruichi saw Shisui and Visaelya diving into the fray. The former had already activated his Shikai, which resulted in five Shisui's carving into the wights with their blades, while the latter picked off any that they missed with quick and precise strikes. Her Seventh and Sixteenth Seats were already creating another pocket within the teeming masses of undead, with more Soul Reapers swiftly exploiting the gap created by them to drive a wedge into the ranks of the wights.

Glancing past them as she gutted a wight with her blade, Yoruichi caught sight of Itachi. He actually hadn't joined the fighting himself just yet, opting instead to activate his Shikai at a distance and give it space to work its magic. Flocks of flaming crimson crows were already airborne and fanning out, with more joining them each passing second. Yoruichi could immediately discern Itachi's intent; he meant to summon a swarm great enough to encircle their foes and pen them in for slaughter. Yoruichi fully approved.

Don't let any of them slip away, Itachi, she thought as she caught his gaze and gave him a quick nod, I want every last one of them destroyed.

The look in his eyes was all she needed to know that he'd gotten the message. Yoruichi could feel his spiritual pressure building as the flow of firebirds from his black sword intensified. He wasn't using his Sharingan, but thanks to all the training that he'd put in since first unlocking his Shikai, he didn't need to. Even as he focused on generating larger and larger flocks for his eventual attack, though, his eyes were constantly darting around and checking for potential threats from the flanks. He wasn't just hanging back to build up his own power, but to watch the backs of the rest of the vanguard. Even during their rush to get here and the haste to engage, Itachi still had an eye for the larger strategic picture. Yoruichi couldn't ask for a better Thirteenth Seat. He'd probably be due for another promotion or two after this mission.

Meanwhile, much closer to the action, Yoruichi caught sight of a bunch of wights and even a few of the giant snakes suddenly go flyinging through the air as Isshin barreled into the fray. Squad Ten's Third Seat was truly cutting loose, grinning from ear-to-ear as he cut down wights and serpents alike with broad swings. A great blast of blue-white light was unleashed as the man let fly with another Getsuga Tenshō, blasting wights and corrupted snakes into dust and sending more comically sailing through the air.

A chill wind blew in from her left, and as she stunned a serpent with a kick to the jaw before plunging her blade into its right eye Yoruichi caught sight of her Sixth Seat. Katya Sokolova had already activated her Shikai, and she was twirling the silver spear of Shimo no Hebi around her. Any wight or tainted snake that was too close quickly found itself becoming encrusted in frost, and their slowed movements made it easy for the veteran officer and her comrades to finish them off. A serpent attempted to strike her from behind, but the Sixth Seat casually pivoted before thrusting her spear right into the roof of the snake's open mouth. A cluster of wights attempted to take advantage of the momentary opening created by the serpent, but they were blasted apart by a sphere of orange energy. The source was the man watching Katya's back; Ninth Seat Mindiwo Opolo and the obsidian skull-topped staff of Gyakusatsu no Akuma.

I couldn't have asked for a better vanguard, she told herself as she cut down multiple wights in rapid succession, or better subordinates, for that matter. Everyone here understands their role without having it explicitly communicated to them. Captain can't ask for better unit cohesion or teamwork than that. We all know what needs to be done here. We've got a village to save and monsters to slay!

And they would do both with gusto.

….

As Shisui and his four clones continued to carve a bloody swath through the wights and snakes around them, Visaelya focused her spirit energy in the palm of her left hand. "Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!"

A wave of pale blue fire flew forth from her open palm and washed over a particularly nasty-looking serpent and the cluster of wights around it. The giant snake and its allies were violently thrown back into the Sunlight Ward, outright disintegrating when they entered the yellow rays of light given off by the protective spell.

Note to self, she thought as she saw her foes dissolve, don't touch the barrier!

The real Shisui glanced over his shoulder at her and smirked as he pulled his blade out of a wight's head. "Nice one! Care to charge up another?"

Visaelya smiled. "Got a better idea, actually! Can you keep them off me while I wind this one up?"

Shisui grinned as he decapitated another wight. "You got it!"

As the Seventh Seat and his clones tore into wight and snake alike, Visaelya concentrated on the incantation; she wasn't as good with this particular spell as she'd like to be. "Incense on the wind, leaves from the vine, tears from the widow! The funeral bell tolls for the unrepentant soul. Let the banshees wail and the storm rage on! Hadō 58: Tenran!"

She held her sword in front of her before letting go, and the blade actually floated in the air before her. Visaelya then tapped the handle of her Zanpakutō with her right hand, and the weapon began to rotate. It swiftly picked up speed, and when its rotation sufficiently intensified a cyclone blast of wind flew forth. The spirally gale sent a serpent and dozens of wights flying into the Sunlight Ward, and just like Visaelya's previous victims these corrupted creatures were quickly reduced to icy blue dust in the wind.

"Good thinking!" Shisui cheered as he gutted one wight before slicing another in half, "I should try that one myself."

"One of you should, at least," Visealya quipped as she grasped her sword again and thrust it through the neck of a charging wight.

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "Clone humor? Really?"

Visaelya smirked. "Couldn't resist."

Shisui chuckled as he drove his blade into another wight's chest. "Fair enough!"

With his four clones having established a rough perimeter of sorts, Visaelya positioned herself so that she was back to back with the real Shisui. The Seventh Seat adjusted the deployment of his clones accordingly, and together they formed a veritable wall of flashing steel that let nothing through. It allowed Visaelya to conserve her energy and focus only on a single front while at the same time giving her enough breathing room to take in the larger engagement at a glance.

It was hard to say just how things were going overall. On the one hand, the vanguard had clearly disrupted the siege of the village, with the wights and corrupted serpents having been thrown into disarray from the sudden attack to their rear. With the Captain leading the charge and several experienced officers following her in, the Soul Reapers were tearing into the hordes of undead with brutal efficiency. The air was full of icy blue particles as wights and snakes alike were dissolved by Zanpakutō strikes and Kidō spells, but it was difficult for Visaelya to determine just how much of a dent they'd truly made in the enemy's numbers.

The vanguard was truly stuck in now, and the corrupted creatures were swirling around them. Even if the vanguard was able to defeat them before the main body of the expeditionary force arrived, there was a very good chance that many of the wights and tainted serpents would escape into the jungle and live to fight another day. They could destroy a good amount of them today, but each one that managed to flee would be one more that they'd inevitably have to fight when they went after the wraith itself. It wasn't enough for the Soul Reapers to just save the village; they had to cut off the enemy's line of retreat and utterly destroy them. The vanguard didn't have the manpower for that, though.

And that was when Visaelya noticed a curious absence. All of the vanguard's Soul Reapers, even those who had initially hung back to fire off spells at the wights and corrupted serpents, were now fully engaged…

...except for Itachi.

Where is he?, she thought as she cut down another wight, Itachi's not one to normally leave the heavy fighting to others.

Thrusting her blade through a wight's skull, she was suddenly aware of a slowly swelling spiritual pressure. It was coming from the path that Isshin Shiba had blazed to the village with his powerful Shikai, and the energy was unmistakable; it belonged to Itachi. Quickly glancing at the source, Visaelya soon found Squad Two's Thirteenth Seat…

...and she was stunned by what she saw.

How did I not sense this before now?

Her friend and old Academy rival was silhouetted against a backdrop that consisted not of the jungle or the path that Isshin Shiba had literally blazed through it, but of a veritable wall of crimson flaming crows. They stretched for as far as the eye could see, from the ground to well up in the sky. A river of firebirds was continuously pouring forth from the black blade in Itachi's right hand, and Visaelya struggled to process just how many of them there were. An exact count was beyond her, but just from eyeballing it she swore there had to be at least a quarter million of them, and more were joining them with each passing second.

So many, and to have been produced in such a short amount of time…

...just how powerful had Itachi truly become?

Visaelya realized that she didn't know…

...and suspected that what she saw now was just a hint of what the answer might be.

….

Three hundred thousand, Jigoku no Joō noted as the torrent of crimson flaming crows continued to pour forth from the gap in Itachi's black blade, and still growing… most impressive. A bit much, though, don't you think?

I will not allow a single tainted creature to slip away.

I can appreciate wanting to be thorough, but you should take care not to over exert yourself. I know the kind of strain you're putting on yourself here by doing this without your Sharingan.

I have it under control. Nice to know that you care, though.

I'm the Queen of Hell, but I'm not heartless. This is a skirmish, not the decisive battle. You have the power you need to end it now. Unleash it so that you may then rest for a bit.

I intend to.

A few quick sweeps with both the sword and his free hand were all Itachi needed now to set his flocks into motion; most of the real work in commanding his Shikai was mental rather than physical. Had he been wielding his Sharingan, physical gestures to direct the swarms of firebirds would've been almost entirely unnecessary, but there were too many witnesses not in on the secret of his eyes for Itachi to reveal the true power of his bloodline here. Still, he had the ability and strength needed to drop the curtain on this fight, and he would do so in grand fashion.

By his will, the great swarm began its advance. Moving forward in a broad crescent, the mass of bloodred firebirds moved around Itachi and his allies as it proceeded to envelop the village in a blazing ring. Careful to leave gaps where his fellow Soul Reapers could slip through, Itachi began to tighten the noose. Gradually, inexorably, the swirling flock of fiery crows washed over the wights and corrupted serpents in a titanic wave. The air was soon full of shrieks and hisses as the twisted minions of the wraith found themselves engulfed by the inferno, while the members of the vanguard pulled back to secure the perimeter. Once the last of his fellow Soul Reapers was safely out of the way, Itachi closed off the escape routes and constricted the infernal ring one last time. There was a great flash of light and a cacophony of unholy screams, and then the air around the village was full of icy blue particles that were swiftly blown away by a strong breeze just a few seconds later.

A clean sweep. Well done.

Indeed, it was. Deactivating his Shikai and letting the remaining firebirds scatter on the wind, Itachi sheathed his sword and moved forward to join the others.

The opening skirmish of their operation was over.

….

Sheathing her blade, Yoruichi smiled as Itachi approached. "Nice job cutting off their retreat and finishing them off. You saved us a lot of trouble there."

Itachi shook his head. "It wasn't hard; they were all focused on you and the village. These things are deadly and vicious, but they have a serious case of tunnel vision in combat. Exploiting that is relatively simple."

"Even so, the fact that you had the presence of mind to hang back and use your Shikai like that instead of moving in with the rest of us is impressive," said Yoruichi as she gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, "You did good, so take the praise, okay?"

Itachi chuckled. "Is that an order?"

"Do I need to make it one?" she asked.

Itachi shook his head and gave her a small smile. "That won't be necessary. Thank you."

"Anytime," she replied as the rest of the vanguard gathered around, "All right, headcount time. If anyone's wounded, sound off now!"

Looking around, she saw that everyone appeared to be in one piece. There were no signs of any enemy reinforcements that she could see or sense, and there was a stillness in the air surrounding the village. The energy of the Sunlight Ward continued to bathe them in warmth, and Yoruichi saw several villagers cautiously emerge from their huts. They started to gather around one of the shamans at the edge of the Ward, a rather tall and well-built man with a green serpent tattoo running down the left side of his face. The shaman raised his left hand and waved at the vanguard, motioning for them to approach.

Yoruichi turned to their Shiba Clan representative. "Isshin, you're up."

Squad Ten's Third Seat stepped forward, stopping just short of the Sunlight Ward's edge. His eyes widened ever so slightly, and so did those of the shaman's; they clearly knew each other.

The suspicion was confirmed a moment later when Isshin smiled. "Citlalli, you're alive! Should've known a bunch of undead wouldn't be enough to take you down!"

The shaman gave a weary chuckle. "Had you gotten here a week or so later, that might not be the case! Lord Isshin, I'm glad you were the one the Shiba Clan sent. We need your might now more than ever."

"We'll do all we can to help," said Isshin, "Mind if we come in?"

Citlalli held up a hand. "Wait here while I inform the others so that they may attune the Ward to the spiritual pressure of you and your companions. Only then will it be safe for you to cross."

Isshin nodded. "Understood. Do what you got to do."

"Old friend of yours?" asked Yoruichi as Citlalli headed off.

"Yeah," Isshin confirmed, "Citlalli's one of the few shamans that comes to the Shiba Clan Principality's capital on a regular basis, so I usually catch him whenever I visit. Guy can pound back the sake with the best of them, and that stuff's tame compared to what he's used to. The home brews they cook up out here in the jungle will really knock you off your feet."

Soi-Fon folded her arms. "I hope you remember that we're not here to drink."

"Not before the wraith's taken care of," said Yoruichi, "Afterwards… well, maybe these guys will host us for a little thank you party."

"That should be fun," Rija chimed in as she and some of the other officers approached, "I've heard rumors about the kind of cocktails that are brewed in the southeast. Always wanted to try them out!"

Kisuke's brow furrowed as he studied the village. "Would they be able to afford treating us to any? If they've been maintaining the Sunlight Ward for as long as we believe they have, then they've been under siege for nearly two months now. I'll wager that their provisions are probably running low."

Midiwo nodded. "Quite likely, especially if this is a village with a large proportion of inhabitants that possess strong spirit energy. It certainly feels like one."

"There aren't many large structures here that could be used for storing significant quantities of food," Visealya noted, "I'm amazed they've lasted this long."

"They probably don't have much longer left in them," said Shisui grimly, "Surrounded by a corrupted environment, their sources of food and water tainted… their position isn't tenable."

Itachi nodded. "Agreed. We need to eliminate the wraith as quickly as possible to help these people. Destroying it will remove the corruption and give the jungle a chance to recover."

Soi-Fon looked back down the path that Isshin had cleared earlier with his Shikai. "I hope Captain Ukitake and the rest of the main force hurry."

Yoruichi put an encouraging hand on her bodyguard's shoulder. "Captain Ukitake would've felt the spiking spiritual pressure from our battle. I'm sure he's ordering the others to pick up the pace."

She saw Citlalli approach them a few seconds later. The shaman smiled and motioned for her and the others to come forward, although Yoruichi couldn't help but notice that her subordinates were rather hesitant to do so. That was understandable; they'd just seen what a Sunlight Ward had done to the wights and corrupted serpents that were unfortunate enough to get flung into it, after all.

Citlalli's eyes widened slightly as he saw their apprehension. "I promise, it's safe for you to come inside. You have nothing to fear. The Ward will now recognize that you are not hostile, and you shall not be harmed by it."

Visaelya still looked nervous. "You're certain of that?"

Citlalli nodded. "I give you my word. You will be safe within the Ward's light."

Shisui smiled at her. "We're helping these guys out, so I'm pretty sure they're not going to fry us. We can trust them."

Visaelya took a deep breath, still looking more than a little uneasy. "If you say so."

"Relax," Isshin reassured her, "Citlalli and I go way back. Betrayal's not his style. If he's out to get you, he'll be up front about it."

"Stab you in the face instead of the back, eh?" Yoruichi quipped with a smirk, "How comforting."

She stepped forward, still privately a little uneasy but wanting to lead by example. Yoruichi took a deep breath before crossing over the Ward, and much to her relief she found herself to be still in one piece on the other side. In fact, the energy given off by the spell was invigorating, like sitting next to a blazing campfire after a long day's march.

She turned around and smiled at her subordinates. "Well, what are you all waiting for? Come on in!"

The others joined her, looking around with varying degrees of relief and surprise once they were inside the Sunlight Ward and felt its refreshing energy like Yoruichi had. Citlalli motioned for them to follow him, and he quickly led them towards the large dwelling at the center of the village.

"How have you guys been keeping this field up for so long?" asked Kisuke.

"We have enough shamans here to set up a steady rotation," Citlalli answered, "To my knowledge, what we've done here is unprecedented. I would normally celebrate such a milestone, but the grim events that led to it overshadow our achievement."

Yoruichi saw a dark look come to Isshin's eyes. "The other villages… have you heard anything from them?"

"Yes," Citlalli grimly replied, "They are no more. The abomination at the heart of this calamity struck swiftly once it was disturbed, and our brethren were overwhelmed. Some of the shamans were able to put up a delaying action, but only a handful of residents from the other villages were able to escape and make their way here. The rest were slaughtered... and if the horde that's laid siege to us is any indication, brought back to serve this monstrosity as its twisted thralls."

"I'm sorry," Yoruichi said softly as she struggled to process the weight of the tragedy, "Had we left sooner, moved faster, perhaps…"

Citlalli shook his head. "This was not your fault. The wraith struck quickly, and I know the distance your force had to travel in order to get here. You arrived when you were meant to do so, no sooner and no later."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed as she stiffened her resolve. "We won't let this thing get away with what it's done to your people. We're here to destroy it, and we won't leave until that job is done. You have my word on that."

Citlalli smiled. "I believe you, Miss… forgive me, but I just realized that I never asked for your name earlier."

"It's Yoruichi," she replied, "Captain Yoruichi Shihōin of Squad Two from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Everyone here with the exception of Isshin are my direct subordinates. One of my colleagues, Captain Jūshirō Ukitake of Squad Thirteen, is leading the rest of our force. They'll be following the trail we blazed to get here, and they should be arriving here before nightfall."

Citlalli nodded. "I'll have lookouts posted to watch for them, and the rest of the shamans will be notified so they can attune the Sunlight Ward to their spiritual pressure once they arrive. I do not mean to sound ungrateful, but I must impress upon you the urgency of our situation. Our provisions are running low as it is, and we cannot support an army while still feeding our own people."

"We've got our own supplies," Soi-Fon chimed in, "We won't be a burden."

"We understand that your need is dire," Yoruichi reassured him, "That's why we plan only on staying here long enough for Ukitake and the main force to join us. We'll rest for the night, and then we'll immediately set out the following morning to rip out the heart of this infestation."

"That is good to hear," said Citlalli as they neared the temple, "You will have our hospitality and support, but I must ask a favor of you. Please, allow me to accompany you when you leave tomorrow."

Isshin's eyes widened. "Whoa, Citlalli, hold on a second here! Don't your people need you to help keep up the Ward?"

Citlalli shook his head. "We have enough shamans here that the shift rotation can continue without me. I am not one for idle boasting, so believe me when I say that I am the strongest of the shamans in this village, and I know the Kurai Hebi Jungle very well. I can guide you to your ultimate destination more effectively than any pathfinders the Shiba Clan may have loaned you, and my spells will bolster you in your clash with the demon that's sickened our jungle and murdered my people."

Yoruichi regarded the shaman carefully, focusing her senses on his spirit energy. He certainly hadn't been bragging; the power she felt emanating from him was quite potent. It was difficult for her to gauge its true depth, but from what she could sense she pegged him at somewhere between Hachigen and Tessai in terms of potential spellcasting might. She normally would be reluctant to involve someone she'd only just met and was technically a civilian in such an operation, but her experience with the first wraith in the east made her willing to broaden her horizons.

He's not all talk, she thought as she looked at him, but how much can he really walk the walk? I'd be making a real gamble here…

She turned to Isshin. "You know this guy better than I do. Do you think he can keep up with the rest of us? You know as well as I do that we can't have any dead weight here, especially once we engage our target."

Isshin nodded. "Oh, yeah. He's not your typical squishy caster; he can roll with the punches. We'll be better off having him backing us up when we go after the wraith, I can promise you that."

Yoruichi took a deep breath; she hoped Isshin was right. "Okay, then. You're in, Citlalli. However, if you're tagging along, then you'll be following our orders out there. That means if we tell you to get back, you get back, no questions asked. Deal?"

"Deal," the shaman replied without hesitation.

"Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get situated here," she said, "I want you to brief us on everything that's happened since the wraith started spreading its corruption in the jungle. We'll set up camp once Ukitake and the main force arrives, and we'll turn in for the night soon after that. I want us heading out tomorrow morning at first light, so you'd better be ready."

"I assure you that I will be," said Citlalli as he led Yoruichi and the others inside the great lodge at the center of the village, "Please, make yourselves at home. It will be a tight fit, but all of your vanguard should be able to squeeze in here. We have much to discuss, and little time to do it."

….

Sitting just within the edge of the Sunlight Ward, Visaelya looked out at the dark jungle beyond the radiant light engulfing the village. Night had fallen, and she knew that she should be sleeping, but rest would not find her easily. Everytime she closed her eyes, flashes of the wights from both today's battle and the one in Menar Issilaya dominated her mind. They would be facing more tomorrow, along with the fell being that had made them.

Such a sharp contrast, she thought as she peered into the tainted jungle, This village is an island of life and light in a sea of corruption and death. It's our last safe harbor before we plunge into the storm…

"Thought I'd find you out here," came a familiar male voice from behind her, causing her to jump, "Didn't you hear the Captain's orders? You need to get some rest, Visaelya."

She gave a weary smile as she looked over her shoulder and saw Shisui approaching her. "You're one to talk. Aren't you defying orders just as much as I am by being out here?"

Shisui chuckled. "All right, you got me. Mind if I join you?"

Visealya nodded and gestured at the ground beside her. "Please. I could use your company."

"Feeling's mutual," he replied as he sat down to her left, "I'm pretty sure I know why you're out here. Can't say that I blame you."

She regarded him curiously. "Are you…?"

"Afraid?" he finished for her, "Yeah."

Visealya was used to his honesty, but she was still taken aback by it here. "But the way you fought today, and your power…"

"Doesn't change the fact that what we're up against gives me the creeps," he said, "Especially thinking about what'll happen to us if we lose."

Visaelya shuddered; the idea of becoming a wight was too horrifying to contemplate. "I… I'd rather not talk about that."

"Ignoring the possibility doesn't make it go away," Shisui argued, "It's good not to become overly preoccupied by it, but willfully denying the fear isn't helpful either."

He reached over and took her hand. "It's okay to be scared, you know?"

Visaelya felt a familiar surge of heat come to her face. Even as she was blushing at his touch, though, she was shocked to realize that his hand had a slight tremor in it. Meeting his gaze, she saw the truth in his eyes.

He really was afraid.

"Shisui…" she murmured, at a loss for any further words.

"Fear's natural," he continued, "Especially for something like this. Everyone has to face it, whether they like it or not. Doesn't matter if you're a civilian or a soldier, Shinobi or Soul Reaper… noble or commoner. It's pretty universal."

Visaelya took a deep breath. "You're right. It's… it's not fear of dying... or of… of becoming another one of that thing's slaves that's the worst, though."

"Then what is it?" asked Shisui, "What are you truly afraid of?"

She looked out at the jungle. "Failure… failure to help the people I care for… failure to help them when they need it most. The thought of not being strong enough when we face our foe, of letting you and Itachi and the Captain and everyone else down… that's what terrifies me, Shisui."

His grip on her hand tightened. "I feel the same way."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Really? You? But… you have your Shikai… you skills… your special abilities…"

Shisui shook his head. "Doesn't change the fact that it might not be enough. There are times when it hasn't been."

"You mean like what happened with your clan?" asked Visaelya.

"Not just that," Shisui replied, looking down, "Our abilities and skills mean nothing if we don't have the will to use them. We can still hesitate out of fear… or envy."

Visaelya realized that there was a story behind his words, and she found herself desperate to hear it. "What do you mean?"

Shisui took a deep breath, clearly struggling to gather his thoughts. "I… I suppose I owe it to you. I aired some of Itachi's dirty laundry for you, after all, so it's only right that you get mine. Remember what I told you about how an Uchiha awakens the Mangekyou Sharingan?"

Visaelya nodded. "You have to witness the death of someone close to you, right?"

"That's right," Shisui answered, "In my case, it was a close friend. Another Shinobi, one quite gifted... even more so than me. Despite our bond, I couldn't help but be jealous of his skills. One day, we were out on a mission, and my friend needed help. In that crucial moment… I held back. In the after-mission report, I claimed that I'd frozen up out of fear. That was part of it, but only a small part. The true reason why I froze… it was jealousy, Visaelya. I let a good friend die because of something as petty as envy, because my fragile ego couldn't take the fact that they were better than me. I gained the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan because in that instant, I was willing to sacrifice my friend to stroke my own damn pride!"

When he met her gaze again, the haunted look in his eyes was impossible to miss. "I swore to never let myself be ruled by something as petty as ego and jealousy again, but even so… there are times that I still fear making that same petty and stupid mistake. You might think I'm gifted, Visaelya, but in the Soul Society I'm very much a small fish in a big pond. There are plenty of Soul Reapers that are more powerful than me, and there are others that are rising in strength and talent. Itachi's one of them, and you're another. I tell myself that I'd give anything to keep you both safe, but there's always that nagging doubt in the back of my mind… that fear of succumbing to the same weakness that doomed a friend of mine years ago."

Visaelya emphatically shook her head. "You're stronger than that, Shisui. I know you are!"

Shisui smiled. "I appreciate that, but even so… the ghosts of the past aren't easy to put to rest. That goes double when you're an Uchiha. Still, those ghosts have their uses; they can motivate us to be better than we once were. I can't bring my friend back, but I can honor their memory by committing myself to not making the same mistake that led to their death. The fear of making that mistake will always be there, but it walks hand-in-hand with the resolve to overcome the petty feelings that led to it in the first place."

Visaelya smiled as well when she realized what he was getting at. "You've accepted your fear, acknowledged it, and turned it into motivation. I must do the same with mine. Doubts about my strength, dread at failing to help when I'm needed most… what you're saying is that I can use them to propel myself forward."

"In a way," Shisui replied, "The key is to be aware of those doubts and fears while not succumbing to them. Fear is a natural survival instinct, and it is useful; we would not have it otherwise. Sometimes, the proper response to fear is to run or hide, while in other circumstances we must face it and turn it into a fuel that drives us to overcome the threats before us. Recognizing what response is the right one for each situation is the tricky part, of course. For you, I would say that understanding your doubts and challenging yourself to move past them is the way forward. Of course, in the end, the only one that can actually do that is you. I can tell you of my own experiences and show you a path, but you're the one that must ultimately decide whether or not to walk it."

Visaelya nodded, feeling a bit more confident than before. "I understand. Tomorrow, when we face our foe, confront the abomination at the heart of this darkness… I'll use all the power and skills at my disposal to help you and the others survive this mission. Whether I unlock my Shikai or not, what I must do remains the same. No matter what happens, I'll stand beside you, fight with you, and survive with you."

Shisui put his arm around her and pulled her close. "Now that's the kind of attitude I like to see! Keep up that resolve, and I think we'll make it through this."

Visaelya felt the heat rush to her face again, but she didn't stiffen or pull away. Instead she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder and savoring Shisui's comforting presence.

He always knows just what to say when I'm doubting myself, she thought, Shisui… I don't know what I'd do without you.

"Thank you," she whispered.

He leaned over and gently kissed her brow. "Anytime. Now, we really should go get some rest. When the Captain says we're rising early, she always means it."

"I know," she said, "but… can we stay here? Like this? Just for a little longer?"

"Yeah," Shisui answered after a moment, "We can."

….

The next day…

Itachi had to give credit where it was due; the shaman certainly wasn't slowing them down. Citlalli knew the Kurai Hebi Jungle even better than the Shiba Clan scouts that had been assigned to help out the expeditionary force, and as a result they were making remarkably good time. It wasn't just his knowledge of the terrain that was impressive, either. The man could move both quickly and quietly, and if Itachi hadn't known better he would've pegged the shaman as a former Shinobi or perhaps member of the Stealth Force.

Even with the corruption altering the vegetation, he's still guiding us through with little apparent effort, the former Akatsuki member thought, It's a good thing the wraith didn't manage to turn him into a wight.

They'd been travelling for several hours now, and the unmistakable energy signature of the wraith was drawing closer with each passing moment. The sky overhead was a curtain of black clouds, and an unearthly chill was on the wind. Itachi actually found himself missing the oppressive heat and humidity from before; at least those were natural. He would've gladly endured mugginess and being drenched in sweat if it meant travelling through an environment that wasn't malformed and twisted. Comparing the corrupted heart of the Kurai Hebi Jungle to the ominous Shadow Pass, Itachi preferred the latter; at least in that valley there had been greater room to maneuver. The vegetation surrounding them might've been rotting and tainted, but it was still thick and intertwined.

Behind him, he heard the voice of Squad Four's Seventh Seat. "Captain, how are you holding up?"

Glancing over his shoulder, Itachi saw that Ukitake looked no worse for wear. "For the third time, Isane, I'm quite fine. I appreciate your concern, but I think you would do better to look after yourself at the moment."

Itachi appreciated having a professional healer along for the ride, although he was more than a little concerned. He'd seen Isana face off with Jiraiya at the Blade Dancer Festival, but apart from that he knew very little as to what her combat capabilities were. Her Zanjutsu seemed competent enough, but if she actually got involved in the heavy fighting then it meant something had gone very wrong. Yoruichi had seemed to share the sentiment, because Itachi had seen her order the woman to hang back when actual combat broke out. Her primary role was to keep an eye on Captain Ukitake and either evacuate him if his illness showed signs of resurging or treat any member of the expeditionary force that was wounded.

Ukitake smiled as his gaze met Itachi's. "Don't tell me you're worried as well, Thirteenth Seat Uchiha?"

"You're a Captain," Itachi casually replied as he returned his focus to the path ahead, "I'm assuming you can take care of yourself, and that you possess the wisdom needed to know when you must exercise caution. You wouldn't have survived long enough to make it to your current position otherwise."

Ukitake actually laughed. "Well, I suppose I'll take that as a compliment! Not many lower ranked officers are so blunt with Captains, you know? I must say, your candor is refreshing. Yoruichi did well to get you into her unit!"

Itachi allowed himself a small smile. "That she did."

Up ahead, he saw that the tainted vegetation was starting to thin out. There were flashes of an open area through the treeline, and Itachi thought he caught glimpses of water. At the same time, he could sense an intense locus of corrupted energy; their destination was quite close now.

The path that Citlalli was leading them down rounded a cluster of gnarled and rotting trees before fanning out and leaving the corrupted foliage behind entirely. The expeditionary force found themselves standing in a clearing, and just up ahead was a vast lake. Taking a quick guess, Itachi estimated the body of water to cover an area of roughly between fifteen to twenty square kilometers. Its waters were the same oily black as those of the river that had run through the Shadow Pass before Squad Two had eliminated the wraith that had despoiled them, and Itachi could smell the same acrid fumes wafting up from it.

It wasn't the lake itself that snagged Itachi's attention, though. The scouts had called the place where the wraith was holed up a temple, but that was a wholly inadequate descriptor. The complex situated out on the lake was less a single structure of worship and more of a small city. At the center was a broad pyramid, divided into four tiers with a flat top. Surrounding the pyramid were a series of much smaller but still elaborate structures, with ogival towers resembling lotus buds jutting up from them. The overall effect was that of a large central temple surrounded by a field of stone 'flowers' of sorts. The entire complex was situated on an island that appeared to have been carved out to form a near-perfect square, with each side facing one of the four cardinal directions. A broad stone bridge jutted out from each side to connect the complex to the shores of the lake, with statues of serpents and feline predators flanking the walkways. It all appeared to have been constructed from some form of red coarse volcanic stone, with several peaks in the distance supporting this guess. In its original form, Itachi imagined that it had been the jewel of the Kurai Hebi Jungle.

It was most certainly not so now.

It wasn't the ravages of time that truly degraded the complex in Itachi's eyes. The vines and other forms of vegetation growing along the bridges and hanging from the walls and roofs of the various structures could've enhanced the place's beauty in their natural state, but the wraith had scuppered that. The same rotting and twisted foliage that had surrounded the expeditionary force through much of their journey through the Kurai Hebi Jungle thoroughly infested the temple complex, and that wasn't even the worst of it. Icy blue light emanated from the central pyramid, a sickly beacon of sorts that stretched into the sky and taunted the assembled Soul Reapers.

The expeditionary force came to a halt at the shore of the lake, and Itachi hurried forward to join Yoruichi, Soi-Fon, Isshin and Citlalli at the front. It didn't take long for Captain Ukitake and Isane to join them.

"We're here, then," said Squad Thirteen's Captain.

Squad Two's Captain nodded. "Yes."

Citlalli's eyes narrowed, the embers of smoldering fury alight within them. "Desecration… then again, what did I expect? The old kingdom didn't care about our heritage or rights when they interred this abomination here in the first place."

Isshin sighed. "Yeah, you guys got the raw end of that deal."

Itachi's gaze went to the nearest bridge. "No outer defenses. They have natural chokepoints, but they aren't using them."

"Lack of reserves, maybe?" Soi-Fon suggested.

Citlalli shook his head. "No, this creature will have plenty. I'm quite familiar with the people of the other villages… the ones that were taken by our foe. There are still plenty of wights left for this monstrosity to throw at us, I promise you that."

"Speaking of wights," said Yoruichi, a grim look in her eyes, "I couldn't help but notice something about the ones that we fought yesterday. They were all garden-variety, but you said that there were shamans in the other villages, right? We didn't see any amongst the undead from yesterday's horde."

"By design, I would guess," Ukitake ventured, "Shamans turned into thralls would undoubtedly be useful pawns for the wraith."

Isane shuddered. "Undead shamans… can this mission get any worse?"

Soi-Fon glared at her. "Now that you've jinxed it, it certainly will!"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Ease up, Soi-Fon. Save your fire for the enemy."

Soi-Fon nodded contritely. "Of course. Forgive me, Lady Yoruichi."

Itachi turned to Yoruichi. "We can't just go in all at once. I know our guides understand this region, but I'd feel better if we scouted it out ourselves before committing to an attack. We don't know what the wraith and its servants have done to this place."

Yoruichi nodded. "Agreed. We'll do a sweep of the bridges and perimeters. Itachi; you, me and Soi-Fon will cover the south and the east. Kisuke will take Shisui and Visaelya to make a quick run around the north and west. We'll meet back here once we're done. Spot any threats, note their positions and strength but do not engage."

Itachi immediately understood the reasoning for the breakdown. Both groups would have a Sharingan wielder in them, and the other members were already in on the secret of the Uchiha Clan's eyes.

Ukitake stepped forward. "I'll organize our force at the base of the nearest bridge. We'll be ready to move out once you return."

"Appreciated," said Yoruichi, "Let's get to work."

….

Running across the water, Shisui's Sharingan blazed to life as he led Kisuke and Visaeyla around the western side of the complex. They were quickly nearing the north, and as far as Shisui was concerned, the sooner they wrapped this up the better. His eyes were constantly darting about, checking not just the temple complex and the bridges but also the water itself. He and his companions were taking care to leave as little of a disturbance as possible; the last thing they needed was to draw the attention of any predators lurking in its oily black depths.

Natural predators would be bad enough, he mused, I don't even want to think about what this corruption has done to the creatures that call this lake home.

For all the sophistication of the temple complex, as far as Shisui could tell it was sorely lacking in fortifications. The island itself was defensible simply by virtue of geography and limited points of access, but he still found it surprising that whoever had gone through so much work to construct such an elaborate site of worship had not considered adding even rudimentary defenses like walls or gates. Perhaps it had all been built in an era of peace, and the only threats that the builders had needed to concern themselves with were whatever predators swum beneath the surface of the lake.

"Anything?" asked Kisuke.

Shisui shook his head before shifting his gaze back towards the island. "Not yet."

"The western bridge was clear of anything that looked suspicious," Visaelya noted, "and nothing's tried to stop our scouting run so far. None of this feels right."

"Reminds me of Menar Issilaya," said Shisui, "and I don't just mean what we're up against here, either."

Kisuke nodded. "Nothing tried to waylay us there. The city's walls and gates were in ruin and didn't even count as obstacles for us. This place doesn't even have that much, and there's no effort by the wraith to fend us off. It's wide open."

"Maybe wraiths in general are just sloppy," Visaelya suggested, "I mean, none of these things have really displayed much in the way of tactical thinking. The one in the north just raided the countryside with its wights and corrupted animals before letting Squad Eight come to its lair for a fight, and the one we encountered in the east didn't even do that much. They really just seem to rely on thralls and then their own power when the true threat draws near."

"Maybe," said Shisui, "but their power is such that they don't really seem to need much else. The lack of defenses might be something we'd consider an oversight, but for creatures like this, it could just be irrelevant. The Captain, Soi-Fon and Itachi had to fight pretty hard to kill the first one, and from Squad Eight's report it looks like the second didn't go down easy either."

"There's something else to consider," Kisuke added, "In both engagements, the wraith's in question didn't cut loose with everything they had until their enemies were within their strongholds. For us, it was the Moon Tower, and for Squad Eight it was the courtyard of that temple they found their target in. Wraith's might not consider an enemy worth fighting earnestly unless their foes are brave enough to come to them."

Visaelya raised an eyebrow as the group turned and began their run across the water to the north of the island. "Is that why the bridges all appear to be unguarded? It's a challenge?"

Kisuke shrugged. "Possibly."

They might be onto something, Shisui mused, I mean, it would explain the behaviour exhibited by the wraiths that have been encountered so far…

After they finished checking the northern bridge and moved on to the last leg of their scouting run, Shisui's eyes narrowed as he caught a glimpse of what looked like a humanoid silhouette at the top of the pyramid. Shisui focused as hard as he could with the Sharingan; it couldn't really compete with the Byakugan when it came to viewing something at a distance, but it was still better than relying on normal eyesight. Shisui's blood froze as more details quickly became apparent. The figure might have once been human, but it no longer was. Pale skin pulled taught over the skull, eyes blazing with icy blue fire, a mouth perpetually frozen somewhere between an agonized scream and a cruel grin…

… it was the wraith.

The figure vanished before Shisui could analyze it further, but that split second was all he'd needed to at least identify the target. He stopped in his tracks, and his companions both turned to him.

"What is it?" asked Visaelya.

From the look in Kisuke's eyes, he already knew the answer. "You saw it, didn't you?"

Shisui nodded. "The wraith… it was standing atop the pyramid, but only for a moment. I looked into its eyes… even from this range… it knew."

Kisuke nodded. "It knows we're here… I should've figured as much."

Visaelya looked back and forth between Kisuke and Shisui. "What do we do?"

"Not much else to see up here," Shisui noted as he looked at the island's northern shore, "I don't think the wraith's going to show itself again unless we head into its territory. It revealed itself to me on purpose, I'm sure of it. It's as you said, Visaelya; the open bridges and lack of any organized defense are a challenge. I'd stake my life on it."

"Agreed," said Kisuke grimly, "Let's head back and inform the others. If this thing wants to call us out, then so be it. We're here to put it down for good anyway, so let's not pass up the invitation."

….

While she'd briefly considered sending Squad Thirteen's contingent around to another bridge and striking from two fronts, Yoruichi ultimately decided against it. The enemy clearly already knew they were here, so it would be best to strike in a united front that brought their full power to bear. She and Ukitake therefore took point as they crossed the southern bridge into the temple complex, with the rest of the expeditionary force right behind them. Her gaze flickered briefly towards the top of the central pyramid, but there was no sign of their target.

It showed itself once to my scouts, she thought, and now it waits inside for us. I don't like this one damn bit.

Shisui wasn't the only one who had caught sight of the wraith atop the pyramid; Itachi had seen it as well. Yoruichi couldn't help but be slightly envious of the visual prowess of her two Uchiha subordinates. The Sharingan was proving to be a very valuable ace in the hole for Squad Two, and she wondered what it was like to see the world through those scarlet gems. Then again, given all the trouble that those eyes had brought Itachi and Shisui when they'd been alive, the price tag that came with their visual prowess was one that Yoruichi didn't think was worth it.

She glanced up ahead and to her right, spotting Itachi on one of the temple rooftops overlooking where the bridge met the island. Yoruichi had sent both him and Shisui out independently from the rest of the expeditionary force so they could continue to observe the path ahead with their Sharingan without revealing their Kekkei Genkai to those that weren't already aware of it. Her Thirteenth Seat had taken the right while her Seventh was on the left. Both were under strict orders to not move beyond her line of sight. While she trusted them, she didn't want them to enter any of the structures and risk getting caught alone in an ambush.

Itachi mentioned earlier during our perimeter run about how the Byakugan was better for this kind of work than the Sharingan, she mused, I'm going to have to keep my eyes out for any Academy students from this 'Hyūga Clan' that he was talking about. From what he was saying, it sounds like we could really use one or two of them in Squad Two.

Alas, right now there was no one in her force with eyes that could see through walls at great distances right now. What she did have, though, was a shaman who had some very useful knowledge about the place that they were walking into.

"What was it you said they worshiped here again, Citlalli?" she asked, "An ancient sun god, right?"

The shaman nodded. "Yes. When this island was inhabited, it's said that the central pyramid would gleam like a blazing red sun in the heart of the complex. The surrounding temples were dedicated to deities that were considered aspects of the sun, like the dawn or the dusk. For it to be turned into the tomb of a Servant of Midnight is a bitter irony and cruel insult. Slights like this are why the old kingdom deserved to fall."

"For what it's worth, it probably wasn't an intentional slight," Kisuke argued, "The sealing spells practiced by ancient Mages work best when anchored to architecture. From what I understand, structures like that central pyramid worked to solidify their barriers, or maybe amplify them… not entirely sure how it was supposed to work, to be honest. It's hard finding intact primary sources about spells from that era these days."

"That was why they picked the Moon Tower as the tomb for the one we fought, right?" asked Yoruichi.

Kisuke nodded. "Yup. Same goes for that strange death cult shrine that Squad Eight's expedition found their target at."

"Were temples like these booby-trapped?" asked Ukitake.

Citlalli shook his head. "No. They were meant to be places where all could come and go freely to bask in the majesty of both the structures themselves and the gods that they were built to honor."

"That just means they weren't designed with traps," Soi-Fon argued, "There's always the chance that some could've been added since then, either by the old kingdom or the wraith itself once it broke free from its seal."

Yoruichi nodded as they reached the end of the bridge. "Agreed. Stay on your toes, people."

As they entered the island itself and began walking up the central stone road that led to the pyramid, Yoruichi's eyes darted about as she took in her surroundings. Up close, it became clear that the temple complex was gravely suffering from the ravages of time. There were many pronounced and severe cracks in the various structures, edifices that had once sported elaborate carvings were worn down and overrun with gnarled and twisted vines, and many statues had their edges dulled or were pitted and chipped.

Kisuke picked up on it as well. "This wear and tear isn't from the wraith. The island's been abandoned for centuries, possibly even millennia."

"Not by choice," said Citlalli, "Our ancestors once worked diligently to maintain its splendor, but according to the records I've reviewed, those who took care of it despite their dwindling population quite suddenly uprooted themselves. I'd previously wondered if there had been some kind of plague or mass predator attack, but in light of our recent discoveries, it clearly was neither."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Once the old kingdom interred the wraith here, everyone else must've cleared out immediately. Sacred ground or not, no one was sticking around knowing what was being held here."

Citlalli sighed. "Yes, and they were likely so terrified of it that they wanted to forget all about it. That would certainly explain the gaps in our archived accounts of this place."

"It's sad to think about, really," said Ukitake as he looked around, "I can only imagine the splendor of this complex back in its heyday."

"Well, when we put this thing down, maybe your people can start a restoration project," Isshin suggested to the shaman, "I doubt anyone would try to stop you given just how deep in the jungle this place is."

Citlalli smiled. "Yes… we just might."

"Let's not count our chickens before they hatch," said Yoruichi, her gaze focused further up the road, "Citlalli, did your people's records have anything to say about the layout of that pyramid?"

Citlalli nodded. "There should be four entrances, each one corresponding to one of the four cardinal directions. They will be wide open; they were not built with doors. It won't matter which one we go through, for they all lead to the same central chamber. From there, we should be able to find various side halls and staircases that allow inhabitants to ascend the pyramid and eventually reach its summit."

Ukitake turned to Yoruichi. "How do you want to handle this? Surround the pyramid and send in teams through each of the entrances, or a single concentrated push?"

Yoruichi considered it for a moment. "Take your unit's detachment around the back, then fire a spell up into the air. That'll be our signal to move in. Squad Two will be the southern pincer and Squad Thirteen will be the northern one. Isshin, Citlalli; you're with our unit."

Ukitake nodded. "We'll see you inside, then."

"Soi-Fon, go fetch Itachi and Shisui," she ordered.

"Understood, Lady Yoruichi," her bodyguard replied.

As Soi-Fon raced forward while Ukitake and his subordinates split off to begin their trek around the pyramid, Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. Her gaze was fixed on the open southern entrance of the pyramid, a dark rectangle with icy blue light faintly emanating from inside. Somewhere within was their target. She could feel its energy pulsating from the pyramid; the monstrosity wasn't even trying to hide its presence.

It wants a fight, she thought grimly, and we're here to give it one.

….

Itachi looked around as they waited for the signal from Squad Thirteen. Under other circumstances, he might've admired the architecture of the temple complex, but every carefully crafted statue or ornate stone column was potential cover for a lurking threat. Now that he was back with the rest of Squad Two's contingent, he was stuck with scanning his surroundings without the aid of the Sharingan. His normal eyesight was quite sharp, but Itachi definitely would've preferred the enhancement provided by his bloodline.

Better yet, I'd prefer having a member of the Hyūga Clan present for this operation, he mused, Shisui and I really need to redouble our search efforts in the Rukon District once we return from this mission. We'll have to check in with Jiraiya as well. More Shinobi recruits for either of our units would be welcome, especially ones with the Byakugan. I'm honestly surprised we haven't encountered any within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads by now…

He shoved such thoughts aside. There was no use in complaining about the lack of other former Shinobi in this operation. One went to war with the army they had, after all, and the expeditionary force had more than its share of skilled Soul Reapers. Itachi was a little concerned about Citlalli, though. The shaman was powerful and a valuable ally, but seeing a sacred place like this desecrated by the wraith was clearly getting under his skin. He'd proven himself to be a skilled guide, but could he keep his emotions in check once they faced the creature at the heart of the corruption? Itachi would have to keep an eye on him.

In the meantime, he found himself examining the central pyramid. Jiraiya had mentioned the strange shrine where Squad Eight had found their target had a barrier protecting its entrance, but Itachi saw no sign of that here. Could this particular wraith not create a barrier without solid doors to anchor it in, or did it simply not see the need for one in the first place? There was still so much that they didn't know about these things, and it bothered Itachi to no end.

"We're working off of the assumption that this wraith used to be the first companion that the Lady of Midnight and her bodyguard recruited, right?" he asked Yoruichi.

His Captain nodded. "Based on where we found the other two wraiths and who they turned out to be, it's a reasonable guess."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "In your tale, you said that he was personally trained by the Lady in spellcraft due to his high levels of spirit energy, while the bodyguard taught him at least the fundamentals of self defense. We're expecting this creature that used to be him to lean more towards spells than physical attacks then, yes?"

"You got it," Yoruichi confirmed, "That's why Ukitake's along for the ride."

"We'll need his Shikai," Soi-Fon added, "Especially if there are now undead shamans in the mix as well."

"Do we know anything about what kind of spells our target specialized in?" Shisui chimed in.

"Less than we'd like to," Kisuke answered, "From what I've read, it seems he was skilled at both offensive and defensive spells. Not too precise, but quite powerful."

"So, we should be expecting wide area-of-effect spells as opposed to concentrated attacks, then?" asked Visaelya.

Kisuke shrugged. "I'm not sure. He might've been a spellcasting powerhouse, but there's no reason why he couldn't have learned to apply more finesse to his craft. Sorry, but I really couldn't find much in the way of concrete information on this guy."

Yoruichi sighed. "You can thank the Central Forty-Six for that. So eager to purge the memory of past disgraces that they get rid of anything that might be useful to us. That's so typical of the old bastards…"

"Lady Yoruichi, please be careful who you say that sort of thing around," said Soi-Fon, "You're among friends and comrades here, but in other places…"

"I know, I know," Yoruichi acknowledged, "I'll keep my real thoughts on the judges discrete."

Isshin chuckled. "If it makes you feel any better, I don't like those old farts any more than you do. Nothing but a bunch of power-hungry fools. Can't believe the Head Captain actually obeys their decrees."

"The Head Captain is a man of duty and honor," Soi-Fon argued, "He respects the laws of the Soul Society and is obligated to make sure they're upheld. Whatever the personal faults of the judges might be, they are one of the pillars of order within the Soul Society. Without that order, what do we have?"

"Something better than what we've got right now," Isshin grumbled.

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "Such as?"

Yoruichi held up a hand; they didn't have time for this. "Enough, you two. We've got more immediate concerns than politics to deal with here."

Soi-Fon bowed her head. "Understood, Lady Yoruichi."

As much as Itachi might've enjoyed such a discussion, he had to agree with his Captain on this one. His eyes focusing on the sky above the pyramid, he caught sight of a burst of white light just a few seconds later.

Yoruichi saw it too. "That's Ukitake's signal. It's time. Everyone, let's get in there."

They advanced at a measured pace, drawing their blades and preparing for a confrontation at any moment. There were still no signs of open opposition as they passed beneath the broad archway of the temple entrance, but Itachi was not fooled. The wraith knew that they were here. If it meant to lull them into a false sense of security, it would not work.

As they stepped into the pyramid itself, Itachi studied the walls of the entrance corridor. Both sides sported intricate engraved images, with the sun featuring prominently in all of them. That was natural given the purpose of this temple, but Itachi was still intrigued by the various depicted scenes. Taken in order, they appeared to be representations of the daily sun cycle, showing the blazing orb passing over the temple complex at various points. In all of the scenes, the sun was surrounded by serpents, but unlike those of the jungle or the statues that he'd seen earlier, these ones had what appeared to be great plumes running down their backs or arranged in manes at their necks.

Feathered snakes, he mused, I wonder who came up with that…

It actually took a bit longer than he'd anticipated to transition from the entrance corridor to the central chamber of the pyramid; the structure was much bigger on the inside than it's already grand exterior might suggest. When they emerged from the corridor, they found themselves in a very large square room. It could've hosted several simultaneous Blade Dancer Festival bouts within and still had leftover room not only for the audience, but also the judges platform and several food vendors. Stone braziers were carved into alcoves along the walls, with each one holding erie icy blue flames. In addition to the four main entrances, there were various smaller doorways leading to what Itachi assumed were secondary chambers along with the staircases that would allow worshipers and attendants to ascend the great pyramid. More intricate images were engraved upon the walls, once again featuring the sun and those strange feathered serpents in all their majesty. Unlike the carvings that Itachi had seen in Menar Issilaya, none of these had been defaced. Perhaps this wraith didn't care for such petty destruction, or maybe it actually liked them. Who could say?

Captain Ukitake and the rest of Squad Thirteen's contingent were visible across the chamber, but Itachi only briefly made note of his allies' entrance. His gaze had come to be fixed on the center of the chamber, where a large rectangular chasm had been carved out of the floor. Thick ropes, surprisingly well preserved given the age of the temple complex, plunged into the gap. Tracing them upwards, Itachi found that they disappeared into the ceiling overhead; they were clearly part of a larger lift mechanism. Its depths were nearly pitch black, with only flickers of icy blue fire visible within. Focusing on the hole, Itachi sensed a sudden pulse of spirit energy, one that nearly made him retch. It was foul; a wave of such virulent hatred and malice that was utterly inhuman.

No mistaking it, he thought, his grip on his sword tightening, Our target's down there.

It won't be for long, Jigoku no Joō chimed in.

As if on cue, the sound of hidden gears grinding away creaked from the ceiling overhead just a moment later. The ropes were moving… and the flickering icy blue flames from below began to ascend.

"Spread out!" Yoruichi ordered, "It's coming!"

"Watch out for opening portals!" Soi-Fon called out, "This thing could summon wights from anywhere in the chamber!"

It doesn't really need the lift, Itachi thought as he and the others fanned out and prepared for battle, Jiraiya said that the wraith they fought was able to leap clear to the top of the temple. This pit looks deep, but not that deep.

Perhaps it's going for theatricality? A villain needs an appropriate entrance, after all.

Didn't think a wraith would care about something like that.

These are more than just demons of a bygone age; they're monuments to the vanity of a sorceress who believed her will to be greater than that of time itself. The conceit of the Mage that created them has seeped into the fabric of their being.

If you say so.

Another pulse of vile spiritual pressure hit them, and the light emanating from the pit intensified. What followed was a shrill shriek, and the entire chamber became bathed in an icy blue aura. A beam of azure energy flew straight up out of the pit before splitting off into four branches, each one going right for the main corridors. Circles of pale light suddenly materialized over the four entrances and began slowly rotating, each one with strange glowing runes along the edges.

Barriers. Good thing you all came in together. Your full might will most certainly be needed here.

Indeed. I'd say it's safe to assume that they won't dispel until we defeat this creature.

Yes. Triumph or ruin; there is no middle ground.

There never is with these things.

Focusing on the wraith's steadily growing spiritual pressure, Itachi immediately realized the true gravity of the situation. The one they'd fought in Menar Issilaya had been powerful, but its strength was a mere shadow of what he was sensing now. There could be no holding back here; every card he had in the deck would have to be played.

He glanced at Shisui, and he saw his friend give him a small nod in response. His fellow former Shinobi had already come to the same conclusion; no pulling punches here. Whether they liked it or not, they'd have to go all out.

Which meant no hiding their Sharingan.

What would the consequences be of revealing the true power of their bloodline before so many who had not seen it before now? Could they trust the colleagues outside of their circle of trust to keep the secret, or would word inevitably reach the Head Captain and the Central Forty-Six? Given that this was a joint operation with Squad Thirteen and Captain Ukitake was known to be one of the Captains closest to Yamamoto, the latter seemed like the far more likely outcome. There was also Squad Four's Seventh Seat to consider. Jiraiya had spoken well of Isane in the past, and she seemed nice enough, but as far as Itachi was concerned she was still very much a wild card here. Then there was Citlalli, who represented yet another potential can of worms. Itachi didn't like having so many unknown variables to deal with, especially when the stakes were this high.

There was no choice, though. Itachi and Shisui would have to cross the Rubicon and deal with the repercussions once the mission was over. The foe that they were about to face demanded nothing less than their best. It was the only way they'd have a chance at keeping their friends and comrades alive.

And so, before the lift had completed its ascent, before the wraith had even come into view, before any other Soul Reaper in the group had activated their Shikai, the eyes of the two Uchiha were already blazing crimson beacons. They let their power flow freely, knowing the attention that they would draw from their companions. An odd quote that Itachi had found in one of the history texts stored in the Academy's library section on the most heavily populated Realm of the Living crossed his mind, and he found it to be quite fitting for the occasion.

Alea iacta est.

Yes…

Let the die be cast.

….

"Playtime," Visaelya heard Shisui murmur, "Kage no Kodomo!"

Itachi's voice rang out as well. "Purge through perdition's flames, Jigoku no Joō!"

The near-overwhelming malicious spirit energy coming from the slowly ascending wraith was momentarily cast from the Sixteenth Seat's mind as her two friends activated their Shikais. They were the first in the expeditionary force to do so, and as Visaelya looked at them she realized in shock that they had revealed more than simply the unsealed forms of their respective Zanpakutō. Thirteenth and Seventh Seat alike had utterly thrown caution to the wind, and the blood red Sharingan flared to life in their eyes.

"Shisui…" she whispered, fully aware of what it meant that he'd gone straight to his Kekkei Genkai even with so many witnesses.

Her dear companion gave her a small smile. "We'll deal with what comes from this later. Right now, we have bigger fish to fry."

She couldn't argue with him there. Visaelya's grip on her sword tightened, and her brow furrowed as her gaze focused on the inexorably rising lift.

If you're feeling generous, now would be a really good time to tell me your name!

Silence was the only answer she got from the spirit of her Zanpakutō. Visaelya hadn't expected her plea to bring results, but it had been worth a shot. For the moment, all she could rely on was her own strength and that of her companions. It would have to be enough.

The other assembled Soul Reapers who were capable of doing so took their cues from Itachi and Shisui, activating their Shikais as they prepared to face the onslaught. That included both Yoruichi and Ukitake, with both Captains stepping out in front of their respective contingents before doing so. The chamber was big enough that the other Soul Reapers could spread out and give Yoruichi plenty of room to avoid friendly fire, although stray bolts of white lightning from her silver gauntlets would still be something to watch out for. As for Captain Ukitake, Visaelya had never seen his Shikai before, although she'd heard plenty of rumors. She knew that she was in for a treat, but even with that bit of foreknowledge, what she saw still took her breath away.

"All Ye Waves, Become My Shield!" Ukitake chanted, "All Ye Thunder, Become My Blade!"

As the incantation came to an end, Squad Thirteen's Captain grasped the handle of his sword with both hands. The blade then glowed, and before Visealya's eyes the single sword became a pair. Each individual blade was more slender than the single sealed sword had been, and while the base design remained that of a traditional katana, the backside of each sword had a strange second blade that jutted out at about the halfway point and then sharply dropped down towards the hilt, with the cutting edge actually facing inwards towards the dull part of the sword rather than out. At the base of each sword's hilt was a thick red rope-like chain that actually bound the two weapons together, with several metallic square charms dangling from it. Overall, Visaelya found it to be a strikingly elegant Shikai, and while its design at first glance appeared more ceremonial than practical she was certain that it would be deadly in the Captain's capable hands.

"Sōgyo no Kotowari!" Ukitake finished as he crossed both blades in front of him, ready for whatever the enemy threw his way.

One of the Soul Society's two legendary twin blade Zanpakutō, she thought, and I'm about to see it in action…

Don't go getting starstruck on us here, the spirit of her own sword chided, If we die in this place and become a wraith's thralls because you can't take your eyes off of a pretty Shikai then I'm going to be very disappointed.

Jealous that I'm not staring at you? Tell me your name and then you can have that kind of attention!

Ha! Good try, but I'm afraid you'll need to do more than provoke my envy to earn my name.

Figured as much.

It wasn't just Squad Thirteen's Captain and his subordinates unleashing the power of their blades; Squad Four's Seventh Seat was getting in on the action as well. "Run, Itegumo!"

Visaelya had actually completely forgotten that Isane being of a rank higher than Sixteenth Seat meant that she had awakened her Shikai; she was so used to thinking of the woman as a healer first and foremost that she'd totally disregarded her Zanpakutō. She watched as Isane's katana became a straight double-edged sword, but that wasn't the most intriguing part of the weapon's transformation. No, that came in the form of the two smaller blades that suddenly jutted out from the hilt at forty-five degree angles, each one less than half the length of the main sword. The end result was a strange three-pronged weapon. There didn't appear to be any sort of special effects beyond that, although Visaelya could sense Isane's spiritual pressure noticeably increase.

She actually feels stronger than what one might expect from a Seventh Seat, Visealya mused, Isane might be further along the road to Lieutenant than she realizes. She just needs to work on her self-confidence. I guess I can relate with her there…

Now was hardly the time to be comparing herself to her colleagues, though. Four more beams of pale blue light shot up from the pit where the lift was rising. Unlike the earlier beam that had separated into four smaller ones, these continued straight up until they hit the ceiling. Four swirling vortexes appeared, and Visaelya quickly realized that they were portals. Wights began spilling out of them, and the creatures swiftly formed a ring around the lift. They did not move to attack, though; they were clearly waiting for their master to appear.

Looking back and forth between Yoruichi and Ukitake, Visaelya didn't see either Captain move to engage or give any order. It seemed foolish to give the enemy time to properly assemble, but at the same time the expeditionary force still didn't know just what they were really up against. In particular, they needed to lay eyes on the wraith itself so they could begin determining where the anchors for the reanimation spell were on its body. There was also the uncomfortable matter of the missing shamans as well, and Visaelya suspected that at least some of them might be on the lift with their new master.

The icy blue light that dominated the chamber began to have competition in the form of crimson flaming crows; Itachi's Shikai was already starting to spread its little birds out. Looking around, Visaelya saw that they were gathering into four distinct flocks overhead, and she realized that Itachi intended to block the portals with them. He would need time to gather a sufficient amount of them to do so, though, and he would have to continually replenish them in order to keep the portals plugged.

At least he has a plan, she thought, Not one that'll let us defeat the wraith itself, but it'll at least allow us to manage the tide of enemy reinforcements. The rest of us will have to figure something out for dealing with the main target.

Speaking of the target, it was finally coming into view. It was Visaelya's first time seeing a wraith in person, and while the wights had at least given her an idea as to what she should expect, it still wasn't enough to truly prepare her for what she saw now. Wispy white strands of hair framed a truly demented and twisted face, while two arctic blue eyes glared at the assembled Soul Reapers with such visceral hatred and killing intent that Visaelya's breath nearly caught in her throat. Bits of its skull were visible where the skin had been drawn so tightly to the point of tearing, and one such gap on the left side of its face was large enough to actually expose its jaw and some severely decayed teeth. An ornamental silver circlet with a bright green gem in the center was placed upon its brow, but that was the only remotely clean bit of what was otherwise a gruesome visage.

Thankfully, the rest of the creatures doubtlessly grisly body was covered. Itachi had told Visaelya how the first wraith had been armored, and she had expected this one to be as well. However, this one had swapped out plate and chainmail in favor of flowing robes. Visaelya supposed that it made little difference whether the creature wore protective gear or not given that both previously encountered wraiths had demonstrated frighteningly efficient regenerative capabilities, but it was still a rather jarring departure from what she'd learned about the monstrosities so far. An ornate bronze amulet with an amber gem set in the center hung around the creature's neck and came to rest against its chest, and she caught sight of a golden ring with a ruby on the middle finger of its left hand. Between those two bits of jewelry and the circlet upon its head, Visaelya was willing to bet that she'd just found the anchors for the spell that bound the wraith to this plane of existence.

Its weapons weren't at all what Visaelya had been expecting. The previous two wraiths had reportedly been armed with swords, and this one had a blade as well. However, this one was a rather plain straight short sword held in the creature's left hand. There was a bit of fancy floral engraving upon the blade itself, and the silver hilt had a small sapphire set in the middle, but apart from that the sword didn't appear to be anything special. It was clearly just an off-hand weapon, and that was readily apparent when one compared it to the much more ornate and prominent staff clutched tightly in the wraith's right hand. About as tall as the wraith itself, the shaft was carved from a strange oily-black stone that Visaelya had never seen before. Spiraling and glowing azure runes ran up and down the shaft, and at the peak the black stone split into four prongs ending in sharp tips. Held within the prongs was a spherical crystal, its translucent surface revealing a pulsating sapphire light within.

Didn't imagine it'd look like this, she thought, Reminds of the descriptions in those old tomes about what ancient Mages were supposed to look like. Given who this thing used to be and who his master was, I guess that's fitting.

Be wary. This creature is far beyond any foe that you've faced before.

I know. Even worse, it's got friends.

Probably not the word they'd choose for their current situation… if they could make any choice at all, that is.

True enough.

The 'friends' in question were a dozen wights. Unlike the shambling and wretched ones that she was used to, though, Visealya could immediately tell that these were much more dangerous. They wore tatters of what had once been tunics, animal tattoos adorned various parts of their bodies, and upon their heads were feathered 'crowns' of sorts. Each one held a staff in their right hand, with the four closest to the wraith raising theirs towards the ceiling; they were the ones that had conjured the portals through which the weaker wights now flowed. The spiritual pressure she sensed from them was a mix of the wraith's and what Visaelya assumed had once been their own, although the former was definitely dominant over the latter.

The solemn look in Citlalli's eyes was all that Visaelya needed to know what they were looking at. "My own brethren corrupted by such fell power… it is as I feared."

"Sorry, old friend," said Isshin, "You know what we have to do."

Citlalli nodded, his expression one of grim resolve. "Yes, I do. So be it, then."

"Consider this motivation, people," said Yoruichi, "We fail here, and that's what we have to look forward to."

"Not going to happen," Soi-Fon growled.

Yoruichi smiled. "Now that's what I like to hear! Ukitake, Soi-Fon and myself will take the wraith directly. Everyone else, clear out wights and watch our backs! Itachi, you warmed up enough?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. Shall I?"

"Do it!" she ordered.

The crimson flaming crows that Visaelya had spotted earlier suddenly surged forward, cutting off the flow of wights from the portals; Yoruichi had clearly seen the same thing as the Sixteenth Seat earlier and had simply been waiting for the right moment to take advantage of Itachi's foresight. A chorus of shrieks rang out overhead as wights began falling directly into a 'cushion' of firebirds as soon as they came out of their portals. Streams of additional blood red crows flowed in to replace those that were expended by the impact of the wights, but Visaelya had to wonder just how long Itachi could stem the tide.

Then Itachi spoke again and reminded Visaelya that he was good for more than just blocking a few portals. "I've pinpointed the anchors; the circlet, amulet and ring."

"Can confirm!" Shisui chimed in, "Aim for those, Captain!"

"Rather keen eyes your subordinates have, Captain Shihōin!" Ukitake called from across the room.

Squad Thirteen's Captain wasn't the only one to notice, of course; Visaelya had caught several Soul Reapers from the expeditionary force stealing curious or downright shocked glances at Itachi and Shisui since the moment the two of them had activated their Sharingan. She knew just how important it was to them that the secret of their eyes be kept hidden, and the decision to use them right off the bat in full view of so many witnesses couldn't have been an easy one for them. Visaelya could only hope that Captain Ukitake and the others would understand the need for discretion when it came to the two Uchiha.

"Yeah, they're really something special!" Yoruichi replied with a smile, "We can talk all about them after we're done here."

The underlying message wasn't lost on Visaelya, and Ukitake thankfully grasped it too. "I'll be looking forward to it."

A reckoning postponed, she thought, I suppose that's the best we can ask for right now.

A great shriek suddenly rang out from the wraith, and while it contained no discernible words, it didn't need to. It was a signal for thrall and foe alike, and Visaelya raised her sword. The Soul Reapers charged forward from both sides of the chamber, with the wights rushing to meet them.

The Battle of the Sun Pyramid was underway.

….

Shisui had already brought his four clones to life before the Soul Reapers had charged, and he had deliberately sent them out ahead to gauge the enemy's response. The regular wights would be of no challenge to them; it was the undead shamans that he was trying to bait. Four of them appeared to be trying to combat Itachi's efforts to keep their portals blocked, but the other eight surrounding the wraith were focusing on the approaching Soul Reapers. They'd split up, with four facing Squad Two's contingent while the other four stared down Squad Thirteen. Shisui could feel them gathering their power, and his Sharingan was focused on them.

"Getsuga Tenshō!" roared Isshin.

For a moment, Shisui was alarmed; he'd been given plenty of chances to see that attack in action on the way through the corrupted jungle, and there was a very real risk of Squad Ten's Third Seat bringing the entire damn pyramid down on their heads. However, he calmed himself when he sensed just how much energy Isshin had actually put into the attack. It was substantial, yes, but it was also considerably less than the massive blasts he'd used to blaze their trail the day before. It tore through a gash through the ranks of the wights, but before it could reach the wraith a shimmering barrier of icy blue energy appeared. Isshin's attack splashed against it and dissipated, while the barrier itself disappeared a moment later.

Shisui's Sharingan was able to pick up the energy coursing through the staves of the four undead shamans facing Squad Two's contingent; they had been the ones who'd created the barrier. It had apparently only been a temporary shield meant to tank Isshin's attack rather than a sustained defensive energy field, but Shisui doubted that was the only trick up their sleeves. Sure enough, the tips of their staves were glowing with icy blue energy, and this time they pointed them at Shisui's four clones.

A hail of pale blue energy balls shot forth from the four corrupted shamans and dissolved two of Shisui's clones. Was this a spell that the shamans had possessed when they were alive, or was the wraith simply using them as channels for its own power now? Either was possible, but Shisui would leave questions like that for Kisuke to figure out.

Sprays of energy balls seemed to be what the shamans on the other side of the wraith were going for as well. Squad Thirteen was already shifting its tactics in response, with several of their Soul Reapers hanging back to fire off attack spells of their own. This forced the shaman wights to adjust and put a bit more emphasis on defense, with two of them focusing on barriers while the other two continued to fire volleys of energy balls at the Soul Reapers.

Meanwhile, Yoruichi and Soi-Fon had plowed right through the gap created by Isshin's earlier attack. Squad Two's Captain thrust both of her gauntlets forward, and a salvo of white lighting shot forth. The twin blasts were unfortunately blocked by the wraith, which had erected a barrier of its own in response. That barrier, though, had apparently only been enough to stop the attack itself, as it dissolved almost immediately after the lightning had dissipated.

Short-term barriers, Shisui thought as he focused on generating two more clones to replace those he'd expended earlier, able to be generated quickly, but not able to take more than just the single attack they were deployed to intercept in the first place. Probably much more energy-efficient than a sustained shield, but it does leave gaps that we can exploit.

A crimson tide of energy swept forth, dissolving more wights before the undead shamans stepped in to block it with another barrier. The source was Kisuke, who had come in just behind Yoruichi and Soi-Fon. Scarlet light danced along Benihime's edge as Squad Two's Third Seat interposed himself between the shamans and the wraith, giving Yoruichi and Soi-Fon a clear shot at their target.

"I'll keep their casters busy!" Kisuke shouted.

"Thanks!" Yoruichi replied as she took a swing at the wraith with her right fist, only for her foe to block the punch with its short sword.

Realizing their peril, the undead shamans fanned out. At the same time, the four that had summoned the portals currently being blocked by Itachi's fiery crows sent forth another quartet of icy blue beams. These impacted the ceiling just like the previous ones, and now there were suddenly eight portals for Itachi to manage. Shisui feared it might be too much.

"How many can you keep blocked?" he asked his friend as he stabbed a wight through the empty socket where its right eye had once been.

"All of them," Itachi answered firmly, his Sharingan blazing as fiercely as the firebirds streaming forth from his black blade.

Much to Shisui's surprise, it was true. He'd gotten so used to Itachi using his Shikai without the aid of his Sharingan in order to keep the latter concealed from others that he'd forgotten just how much stronger his friend's unsealed Zanpakutō became with the aid of his Kekkei Genkai. The flow of blood red flaming crows coming from the gap in the onyx blade intensified, with four new streams appearing in the air as Itachi directed the fresh blazing avians to concentrate on the additional portals. At the same time, Squad Two's Thirteenth Seat was still sending more firebirds to keep the original quartet of portals blocked. It was an impressive display of fine control, situational awareness, and pure power; Itachi was clearly pulling out all the stops here.

Shisui was no fool, though; Itachi's efforts came with a cost. Although he could now command his firebirds with little more than mental commands and a few quick gestures, coordinating and constantly replenishing them like he was doing now was still a demanding task. It meant that when it came to physical combat, Itachi was forced to limit himself more or less to strictly self-defense. Any wight that came near would feel the fatal bite of his black sword, but he was in no shape to aid Yoruichi and Soi-Fon in directly confronting the wraith as he had during that clash beneath the Moon Tower.

To make matters worse, the undead shamans weren't done with their tricks by a long shot. Yet another quartet of slender icy beams shot forth from the staves of those who had created the eight portals Itachi was now blocking, and four more of the swirling vortexes of azure energy appeared. These were spread out much further than the others, and as more wights streamed forth Shisui knew that Itachi wouldn't be able to handle them all.

His old friend confirmed it a second later. "That's going to be a problem."

"What should we do?" asked Visaelya as she cut down wights left and right.

Deploying his two new clones to protect Itachi, Shisui directed the two surviving original doppelgangers to break off from the main assault and head towards the left side of the chamber where one of the fresh portals was depositing its reinforcements. "We stem the tide as best we can and buy time for the Captains to take out the wraith. Itachi, can you manage back here?"

Itachi nodded. "Go. With your two clones guarding my flanks, I should be fine."

Shisui glanced at Visaelya, who had just finished cleaving a wight's head from its shoulders. "Come with me!"

She followed him without hesitation, and the two of them rushed to the right side of the chamber. More wights were tumbling down from another portal here, a macabre rain that had no place in this world or any other. Shisui dived right into it, his blade flashing as he cut down multiple wights in rapid succession. Visaelya was at his side, her sword whirling about her as the two of them began to carve into the undead horde that was trying to assemble.

There was another volley of blue energy balls from the undead shamans facing Squad Two, and Shisui's remaining two original clones took the hits on behalf of his comrades. The clones dissolved, and Shisui wasted no time in generating new ones. He would have to be careful if they were regularly depleted in this battle; while they didn't cost as much energy to create as traditional Shadow Clones, eventually the strain would begin to show. Rather than dispatch these new clones to help out the main assault, he sent them to occupy the space beneath another one of the portals. They wouldn't be able to destroy every single wight that fell from them, but they could slow the flow somewhat. It would have to be enough for now.

As he gutted one wight before whirling around to cut down another, Shisui suddenly heard Isshin's voice ring out over the din of combat. "Citlalli, how about a boost?"

Taking a quick glance at the only living shaman inside the pyramid, Shisui saw that his eyes were closed, and his staff was clutched tightly in both hands. The man was muttering an incantation in a tongue that Shisui could not understand, and he saw streaks of blue light begin to converge on the staff. It took Shisui a moment to realize what was happening; the shaman was drawing in Reishi from the pyramid itself.

The shaman then raised the staff over his head so that the shaft ran parallel to the ground. Blue fragments of Reishi continued to pour into the top of the staff, but out of the other end came ribbons of bright orange light. These rapidly began to spread out, and Shisui momentarily panicked when he realized that they were going straight for the battling Soul Reapers. Had the shaman turned on them?

As if sensing this concern, Isshin shouted as he made a wide swing with his blade and cut several wights in half. "Let the orange energy streamers touch you! Trust me; I've seen this before!"

Shisui was still a bit skeptical, but what did they have to lose at this point? If the Soul Reapers were defeated here, then Citlalli would fall as well, and they would all be reduced to thralls of the wraith. He had no incentive to backstab them here; it wasn't like he could escape, after all. The former Shinobi was naturally wary of strange new powers that he did not understand, but if Isshin was vouching for it then Shisui would take a chance on it. It wasn't like he was in a position to turn down help, after all.

He focused solely on slaying the wights before him, making no move to avoid the ribbon of orange light floating towards him. Shisui braced himself as it hit him in the back…

...and nothing happened.

At least, not right away. As his blade streaked through the air and cut down the wraith's thralls one after the other, Shisui felt a strange warmth slowly spreading through him. His body felt lighter, his breathing came easier, and his spirit energy was gradually building without any conscious effort on his part. It took Shisui a moment to realize just what Citlalli had done.

Incredible…

Shisui had no idea how, but the shaman's spell had essentially converted the Reishi he'd taken from the surrounding environment into usable energy, and he had then taken it a step further by transferring that energy to the former Shinobi. Citlalli was boosting Shisui's strength, and not just his; he could sense the spirit energy of every Soul Reaper in the expeditionary force rising. His spell was supplementing their energy reserves with fresh power, and Shisui felt like he could fight for days on end without rest.

He actually found himself smiling as he thrust his blade through a wight's chest. "I'll be damned… you feeling this, Visaelya?"

"Absolutely!" she enthusiastically answered as she cut down two wights with a broad swing, "I had no idea a shaman could do this!"

Dispatching several more wights with ease, Shisui glanced at Citlalli again. The power boost was undeniable, but since he was taking Reishi from the pyramid itself he had to be careful in order to avoid potentially weakening the structure to the point that it collapsed on top of everyone. Fortunately, he seemed to be well aware of this, and the Reishi he absorbed was peeled off from scattered sections of the temple, even distributed so as to keep any one section from becoming compromised. He wouldn't be able to maintain this spell forever, though, so the Soul Reapers had to make the most of it.

There was also the fact that Citlalli was vulnerable while casting his spell. The shaman wasn't moving at all; he was focused purely on the task of maintaining his spell. He was an easy target for wights, and some were already trying to get at him. For a moment, Shisui feared that he and Visaelya would have to pull back in order to protect the shaman, but then he caught sight of a black blur out of the corner of his eye. That blur turned out to be Squad Two's Eighteenth Seat Flash Stepping to interpose herself between Citlalli and the wights. Aika Hirata's Zanpakutō flashed through the air as she cut down the wraith's thralls, and once they were dispatched she took up position between the shaman and the rest of the action.

She's gotten much more confident with her Zanjutsu over the past two years, Shisui thought as he jabbed his blade up through a wight's lower jaw and into its skull, I suppose if we need to have someone protect Citlalli, she'll do nicely.

Confident that the shaman would be safe for the moment, he returned his full focus to the wights before him. The Sharingan blazing in his eyes, Shisui tore into his foes with ruthless efficiency. Visaelya remained at his side, her elegant and wide slashes and sweeps a perfect foil to his precise and tight thrusts. Together, they were determined to turn back the undead tide, and they would fight like hell to do so.

….

The twin blades of his Shikai had plenty to occupy themselves with as Captain Ukitake tore his way through the ranks of the wights before him. Weaving a series of circles around himself as he fought to clear a path towards Yoruichi and Soi-Fon's clash with the wraith, he kept one eye on the undead shamans even as he continued to strike down one twisted thrall after another. The sustained fire of low-level spells from his subordinates that had chosen to hang back and provide such valuable support were keeping the attention of the corrupted shamans split, and those who had joined Ukitake in advancing thus had much greater freedom to engage the enemy in a more direct manner.

One of those was Isane, who had just finished pulling her sword out of a disintegrating wight's skull. Ukitake had been worried about her getting into the thick of the action given that her primary role was that of a healer rather than a fighter, but she was handling herself quite well so far. Itegumo's unique three-pronged design was proving to be rather effective as Isane swung it back and forth, with both the primary blade and the two 'prongs' of her sword getting ample opportunities to carve into the wraith's thralls. Her Zanjutsu could still use some work in Ukitake's experienced eyes, but by the standards of most Soul Reapers she was more than holding her own.

The boost we're getting from Citlalli certainly helps, he mused as he thrust his right blade through a wight's chest while taking down two more with a broad slash from the left, I had no idea that the ancient spells could have effects such as this!

He honestly felt better than he had in many years, even in the midst of a fight against an ancient horror and its minions. Ukitake couldn't recall what it meant to be truly healthy given just how long he'd dealt with his particular condition, but he had to imagine that what he was feeling now must have been pretty damn close to it. There was a great warmth kindled inside his chest, his limbs felt almost as light as feathers, and if he didn't know better he'd swear he could take on the Head Captain by himself.

He actually found himself smiling as he ripped apart a trio of wights; this would be an engagement to savor. "Perhaps we should bring Citlalli back to the Seireitei with us! Isane, what do you say?"

Isane gave him an incredulous look as she gutted another wight. "Captain Ukitake, he's not some stray dog we can take home! Besides, now's really not the time for this!"

Ukitake sighed as he cut down three more of the wraith's thralls. "I suppose you're right."

She certainly was; power boost or not, the situation was grave. Yoruichi and Soi-Fon had gone straight for the wraith, and Ukitake needed to get into. Their best chance at success was to drive the wraith away from the undead shamans that surrounded it, and Squad Two's Captain was clearly trying to do just that. She and her bodyguard were hammering away at the wraith, but their strikes were less aimed at destroying the creature itself than they were at forcing it to move. With Kisuke keeping some of the shamans focused on him, the two of them had some breathing room, but having another Captain in the mix would definitely improve their chances.

"Isane, join the others in taking the fight to the shamans," he ordered his companion, "Keep them from supporting the wraith! I'll help out Captain Shihōin and Soi-Fon!"

"My orders are to remain by your side!" Isane protested as she stabbed a wight through the neck.

"I appreciate your dedication to Captain Unohana's orders," said Ukitake as his whirling blades eviscerated four more of the undead thralls, "but I doubt she would want you facing off directly with a wraith. If I should start to waver due to my illness, then feel free to intervene. Until then, help my subordinates deal with things here! Is that understood?"

Isane relented as she cut down a pair of wights. "Yes, Captain Ukitake. Please, be careful!"

Ukitake rushed ahead, but two of the undead shamans had seen him coming and interposed themselves between him and the wraith. Their staves were glowing, and two thick beams of azure energy shot forth, both aimed directly at him.

"Captain Ukitake, look out!" Isane screamed.

Ukitake calmly raised his left blade; he was more than prepared for this. With a broad swing, he caught both beams on his sword…

...and they vanished.

Well, not quite. A keen-eyed observer would've seen the left blade briefly flash the same shade of blue as that of the beams that it had intercepted. That same shade of blue would then be briefly reflected in the metallic charms dangling from the crimson rope connecting the left sword to the right, passing through each in turn…

...and then ripping forth from the right blade, which Ukitake had aimed squarely at one of the shamans.

The entire process was actually close to instantaneous; even veteran Soul Reapers who knew what to look for could easily miss it. There were a few amongst the expeditionary force, though, that Ukitake believed would've seen and understood it with little effort…

...especially the two Uchiha that Yoruich had under her command.

Ukitake was no fool. Yoruichi had made no mention of the strange crimson beacons that now blazed within the eyes of her Thirteenth and Seventh Seats before the mission, or indeed in any of her after-action reports as far as he was aware. That could only mean that whatever power was granted to Itachi and Shisui from their unusual eyes was one that both they and Yoruichi wanted to keep secret. They'd probably only unveiled them here because of the severity of the threat that they were up against; most Hollows certainly wouldn't be worth the kind of energy that Ukitake could now sense flowing from the two Uchiha. Whatever the true nature of their power was, Ukitake suspected it was something that Yoruichi and both Uchiha were keen to out of the gaze of the powers that ruled the Soul Society, and given his experience with the Central Forty-Six over the years he could hardly blame them for that.

I'm sure there's an interesting tale to be told, he thought, I'll give Captain Shihōin and her subordinates a chance to explain themselves once we're done here. It's the least I can do for them.

For the moment, Ukitake was simply glad to have the two young men fighting on the same side as him in this fight. Itachi's power was proving to be invaluable, with no less than eight seamless streams of flaming red birds flowing from his black sword to the portals that the wights were flowing from and putting a severe bottleneck on the enemy's reinforcements. Unfortunately, there were currently twelve portals open, and Itachi's Shikai was only proving sufficient to keep two-thirds of them blocked; there were clearly limits to the Thirteenth Seat's abilities. Still, it was quite an impressive display of power for someone of his rank, and Ukitake was more than grateful for the aid that Itachi was currently giving the expeditionary force.

As for the other Uchiha, the unique capabilities of Shisui's Shikai had put him in a good position to help hamper the deployment of wights from at least some of the remaining portals. The four clones generated by his Zanpakutō were hard at work, with two slicing and dicing wights that streamed forth from one of the portals on the left side of the chamber while the other two acted as bodyguards for Itachi as he continued to clog what portals he could. Meanwhile, Shisui himself had taken Visaelya to the right side of the chamber, and together the two of them were butchering newly arrived wights almost as quickly as they hit the floor. They were both clearly giving it their all, but they weren't able to dispatch all of the enemy reinforcements. Some wights stayed to fight them, while others streamed around the chamber to attack both halves of the expeditionary force. The flow of reinforcements was currently a trickle, but if any more portals were opened then the Soul Reapers would be in trouble.

For the moment, they were holding their own. Across the chamber, Ukitake saw Isshin Shiba unleash another brilliant blast of power with his Shikai. The wave of blue-white fire washed over dozens of wights and utterly obliterated them, clearing a path for Squad Ten's Third Seat to join Kisuke in distracting and trying to eliminate the undead shamans. Squad Two's Third Seat was currently trading energy blasts with them, and having Isshin's firepower backing him up would definitely help even the odds.

Further back, Ukitake could see the rest of Yoruichi's subordinates standing their ground against the undead horde. Arcs of greenish-yellow lightning flew from Rija's blade, stunning clusters of wights and making them easy pickings for her comrades to finish off. A sphere of orange energy was unleashed from Mindiwo's staff, detonating in the midst of a group of wights and blowing them to smithereens. Katya twirled her spear around her as she practically danced amongst the thralls, coating in frost those she didn't kill outright and leaving them slowed and vulnerable to follow-up strikes from her colleagues. Seated and unseated Soul Reapers alike worked to cover each other's flanks, lending support where it was needed or throwing themselves fully into the fray. It was hard to remember that Squad Two's specialty was supposed to be scouting and assassinating high-value targets; they were waging open battle here with ruthless efficiency.

Everyone else was pulling their weight, and it was time for Ukitake to do the same. He cleared the final bit of distance with a Flash Step, coming in behind the wraith as it focused on defending itself from Yoruichi's onslaught of punches and kicks. Ukitake thrust both of his blades into the wraith's back, knowing that it wouldn't kill it but hoping to distract it so Yoruichi and Soi-Fon could take out at least one of the anchors. Unfortunately, the wraith wouldn't let them have it so easy; it swiftly pulled itself off of Ukitake's blades, blocking a strike from Soi-Fon with its short sword while a circle of azure energy was generated by its staff. This circle turned out to be a small shield, one that shattered under a single punch from Yoruichi but served to protect the wraith long enough for it to zip over to the left side of the chamber.

It was fast, but not faster than the Flash Goddess. More than living up to her name, Yoruichi was the first to pursue and instantly caught up with it. She hammered away at the wraith with a brutal barrage of punches, bolts of white lightning flying from her gauntlets and blasting the wraith back into the wall. As Ukitake and Soi-Fon caught up to her, she aimed another punch at the circlet upon the wraith's head, but another small blue barrier suddenly materialized between her fist and its target. The wraith then took to the air, eerily floating over the fray as it pointed its staff at Soi-Fon, sparks of sapphire light shimmering at the end of it.

Ukitake rushed in front of her, left blade at the ready. "Not on my watch!"

A beam of blue energy shot forth, similar to what the undead shamans had fired at him earlier but much more powerful. However, it was nevertheless still an energy attack, which meant that Ukitake's Shikai was quite capable of handling it. Just like before, the beam was sucked into the left blade, passed through the metallic charms, and fired out of the right blade a split-second later. The returned beam caught the wraith by surprise and hit it right in the gut, blasting the abomination up towards the ceiling…

...where Yoruichi had already moved to intercept it.

Ukitake hadn't even seen his fellow Captain Flash Step up there, but he did see her kick off the ceiling and nail the wraith in the back with both gauntlets. At the moment of impact she let loose with another salvo of white lightning, and the wraith actually spasmed as Yoruichi's energy coursed over its body. Soi-Fon disappeared from behind Ukitake, and when she reappeared she was in front of the wraith. She jabbed at the wraith's ring with her stinger blade, but it managed to deflect her strike with its short sword before gracefully and quickly sliding to the right. Both Yoruichi and Soi-Fon came back to the ground and touched down next to Ukitake.

"Glad you could join us," said Yoruichi, her eyes narrowing as she studied the wraith floating overhead.

Soi-Fon gave him a quick nod. "Thanks for earlier."

Ukitake smiled at her before turning to Yoruichi. "Anytime. This thing's a rather slippery foe, isn't it?"

"I'll say," Yoruichi replied as white sparks crackled around her gauntlets, "Ukitake, you and I will take this bastard head on. Soi-Fon, go for flanking shots. We'll do what we can to expose one of its anchors for you."

"Understood," said her bodyguard.

Ukitake readied his blades as he saw azure light begin to gather at the tip of the wraith's staff. "Shall we?"

Yoruichi smirked. "Let's go!"

….

You're really pulling out all the stops here, Jigoku no Joō noted, sounding more than a little concerned, but how long can you keep this up? Even with the shaman boosting you, the amount of energy you're pouring into this…

You don't have to remind me. I know that I'm stretching myself thin with this. This isn't like that skirmish at the village.

That much was certainly true. Back there, all Itachi had done was build up a flock large enough to encircle their foes and then unleash it when the time was right. That had simply been a matter of patience and basic tactical thinking. This engagement, by contrast, demanded that he play a much more dangerous game.

Blocking eight out of twelve portals might have seemed like underperforming for him, but in fact it really was all that Itachi could manage. Even with the power of the Sharingan, the task was much more complicated than simply placing his crimson firebirds in front of the vortexes and calling it a day. The fiery crows were themselves destroyed in the process of reducing wights to ash, and he had to constantly replenish their numbers. Individually, the firebirds were only the size of regular crows, which meant that it required quite a few to continuously keep just one portal clogged. Multiply that by eight, and one could begin to understand the drain that this task was imposing on him.

Itachi was thankful for the energy boost provided by Citlalli; the shaman's native brand of spell casting was really coming in handy here. It was thanks in no small part to him that Itachi could juggle the task of keeping eight portals blocked while still having enough energy left to defend himself. Of course, Shisui's two clones were helping out with that latter task. Between their blades and Itachi's black sword, any wight that tried to take him out found itself cut down within seconds.

Periodically, Itachi would glance at the shaman to make sure that he was doing okay. Aika and a small group of unseated Soul Reapers had formed an impromptu escort for him; they clearly understood just how important it was to keep Citlalli alive and supporting them. At this point, Itachi's concern for the shaman had less to do with wights trying to kill him than it did with simple endurance. While Itachi was disintegrating a constant flow of wights from eight portals, Citlalli was using his spell to bolster the energy of every single Soul Reaper in the expeditionary force. Itachi didn't know much about the spell that the shaman was using, but he imagined that Citlalli was typically used to wielding it with other shamans supporting him rather than having to sustain it by himself.

He's putting everything he has into this, Itachi thought as he saw the sweat building at the shaman's brow, and he might not last for the duration of the fight. We're in a race against the clock here…

A chorus of shrieks took his attention away from the shaman; a group of wights was charging Itachi's position. As Shisui's two clones moved forward to engage, Itachi shifted to a single-handed grip on his sword, with the right hand holding the weapon while aiming the open palm of his left at the oncoming wights.

"Hadō 33: Sōkatsui," he said.

A river of pale blue fire discharged from his left hand, tearing into the group of wights and blowing them apart. The few survivors were easy pickings for Shisui's two clones, who made quick work of them with a series of thrusts. His surroundings relatively secure for the moment, Itachi took a second to observe the larger battle.

It was frustrating, having to remain back in a support role while his friends were deep in the fray, even if what Itachi was doing now had been wholly his idea. He'd recognized how the abilities of his Shikai could apply to this tactical situation and had acted accordingly, but that didn't mean Itachi was happy with his decision. What he wanted more than anything else was to join Yoruichi, Soi-Fon and Ukitake in taking the fight to the wraith itself. His Captain and her bodyguard knew that he could stand with them against such a foe, and if Squad Thirteen's commander had any doubts Itachi would've been able to put them to rest quite quickly. As things stood, he could at least minimize the threat of wights swarming them while they focused on the main threat, but that didn't feel like enough in his eyes.

As things were, the three of them were in a stalemate with their foe. They might've had the numbers advantage, but the wraith's spiritual pressure was formidable, its power easily eclipsing that of the monstrosity Squad Two had confronted beneath the Moon Tower. Yoruichi was unleashing a swift and brutal assault on it, with flurries of punches and kicks hammering the creature from the front and keeping its attention mostly on her. The wraith wasn't backing down, though, and it was proving to be quite adept at defending itself with its short sword while firing off attack spells with its staff. The latter mostly came in the form of powerful azure beams, easily equal in strength to that of a Cero. There was a serious danger of such attacks bringing the pyramid down on their heads, but none of them hit the structure or any of the Soul Reapers thanks to the intervention of Squad Thirteen's leader.

Itachi had been concerned about whether or not Ukitake would be fit to fight; given that the man was chronically ill, such fears were justified even if he was an experienced and powerful Soul Reaper. However, Ukitake was more than proving that he'd meant it when he said that he was in good health lately, and his Shikai had become critical in the fight against the wraith. With his left blade absorbing each and every beam fired off by the wraith while his right one returned it right back to its source, he was hammering the wraith every bit as hard with its own power as Yoruichi was with her electrified gauntlets. Meanwhile, darting about at the edges was Soi-Fon, zipping in like a hornet whenever she spotted a potential opening and quickly pulling back when the wraith inevitably rounded on her.

Their strategy was easy enough to discern; both Captains were keeping the wraith focused on them while Soi-Fon tried to destroy the anchors for its reanimation spell. It was a simple plan, one that Itachi would've gone with as well, but the wraith was proving to be a fiendishly difficult enemy to pin down. The monstrosity could fire off powerful spells remarkably quickly, and it was surprisingly agile. It bobbed and weaved through the air like a bird of prey trying to keep its freshly-caught meal away from scavengers, and whenever a strike threatened one of its anchors it always managed to deploy a small barrier at the last possible moment. These barriers always shattered once they'd blocked the incoming attack, but what they lacked in durability they apparently more than made up for in ease of deployment.

If I could get in there, I might be able to help them overwhelm its defenses, he thought, his brow furrowing in mounting frustration, but any lapse on my part would give the portals a chance to swamp us all with wights.

As things stood, the situation was precarious. He was blocking eight portals, two of Shisui's clones were at least cutting into the reinforcements flowing from a ninth while Shisui himself and Visaelya were doing the same with a tenth, but that still left two portals with no obstruction whatsoever. A steady river of wights was pouring forth from both of them, with one stream heading towards Squad Two's side of the chamber and the other going to Squad Thirteen. These alone were proving to be more than enough to keep the other Soul Reapers occupied. Of all the members of the expeditionary force, only Isshin, Kisuke and Isane had made it to the center of the chamber to fight the shamans, and they were having a hard time of it. The undead spell casters had expertely divided themselves into offensive and defensive roles, firing off salvos of icy blue energy balls at the Soul Reapers while deflecting their counterattacks with barriers.

Individually, Itachi could sense that Kisuke and Isshin were both stronger than the undead shamans, and Isane was close to matching the spell-slinging wights too. However, the enslaved casters had overlapping fields of fire and were disciplined enough to mutually support each other. Despite powerful blasts of blue-white energy from Isshin's Shikai or arcs of crimson power from Kisuke's, neither could break the deadlock. Isane tried to help where she could, but each time she attempted to stab one of the wights it blocked her blade with the same kind of barrier that the wraith itself was using against its opponents.

Studying the engagement more carefully, Itachi realized that the two Third Seats and the Seventh Seat were only engaging ten of the twelve wights. Two of the undead shamans were staying completely out of the fray, with small vortexes of icy blue energy swirling over their staves. Focusing on those two with his Sharingan, Itachi could detect faint tethers of spirit energy emanating from the staves. It wasn't hard to trace those tethers to where they ended; the twelve portals.

It took four undead shamans to create those portals, Itachi thought, but apparently only two are needed to maintain them after they're opened.

Those two undead shamans were the key; take them out and the portals would dissolve. The others could cast new ones, of course, but the momentary reprieve might be enough for the expeditionary force to turn the tide. Itachi was sorely tempted to make a strike at them, but he knew that he couldn't do it; it would risk allowing one or more of the portals he was blocking to send in reinforcements unobstructed. He was about to call out to Kisuke, but as he focused on Squad Two's Third Seat he saw that the blond man's eyes were already focused on the same two undead shamans that Itachi had singled out. Kisuke had arrived at the same conclusion as Itachi, and he was trying to act on it.

Itachi could only hope that he was able to do so before it was too late.

….

Rolling to the right in order to dodge a hail of blue energy balls, Kisuke nearly bumped into Isshin. "Whoops, excuse me!"

Isshin chuckled as he ducked beneath a flurry of azure spheres. "Getting a bit cramped up here, isn't it? Isane, how you holding up?"

"Could be better!" she shouted as she leapt over a volley of sapphire balls.

That about sums it up, Kisuke mused as he took a swing at the nearest undead shaman only for his blade to shatter a blue circular barrier instead, I don't know how we're going to get out of this one…

Credit where it was due; the wraith was using its pawns well. Kisuke didn't know if these were all of the shamans it had managed to enslave, but these twelve alone were proving to be quite a handful. The three Soul Reapers were hemmed in to the point that they were liable to collide with each other if they weren't careful. They might have been keeping the corrupted shamans' focus on them and away from their comrades, but Kisuke knew that they needed to do much more than that, and quickly.

He let fly with a fresh arc of crimson energy from Benihime. For a moment, it looked as though this time the attack would actually land on target, but another barrier materialized in front of the shaman that he'd been aiming at. Kisuke grit his teeth in frustration; this pattern had been repeating for some time now, and it was really starting to get old.

"Getsuga Tenshō!" Isshin roared as he unleashed another pale blue blast of energy from his Zanpakutō.

Kisuke could sense the raw power in the attack, and dared hope for a moment that it might be enough to overwhelm the undead shamans' defenses. Unfortunately, it was not to be; the blast hit a shimmering wall as two of the shamans combined their efforts to summon a barrier strong enough to stop the blast in its tracks. There was a brief gap as the barrier shattered, but two more wights unleashed a barrage of icy blue energy balls before any of the Soul Reapers could exploit it.

Damn near seamless offense and defense, Kisuke thought, We need to disrupt their rhythm.

In order to buy him and his companions a bit of space, Squad Two's Third Seat decided to change things up a bit. "Scream, Chikasumi no Tate!"

A broad, crimson hexagon barrier materialized. It only covered one direction, but Kisuke knew from experience just how durable it was. The shield created by his Shikai could tank the attacks that the undead shamans were throwing at them for hours if need be; the enemy would have to seriously up their firepower if they wanted to punch directly through it. Of course, nothing was stopping them from going around it, and several of them were already doing just that. Still, it would at least eliminate one angle that the enemy could attack from.

"Nothing's working!" Isane yelled as she tried to stab one of the corrupted shamans, only for one of its fellows to drop another small disposable barrier in front of her blade, "We need to change things up!"

"Got any ideas, Kisuke?" asked Isshin as he ducked and weaved through a hail of azure fire.

Rather than answer directly, Kisuke deployed another barrier. "Ryūbi no Jōmon!"

Rows of white pillars bound by a blue roof and side bar dropped down and formed a wall beginning at the left edge of the barrier created by Kisuke's Shikai; now they had two angles covered. It wasn't perfect, but it at least gave them a bit of breathing room.

"We need to hit those two shamans that are hanging back," said Kisuke, "They're the ones maintaining the portals. We do that, then the others can mop up the wights and help us out here."

"Easier said than done!" Isshin replied as he swiped at two shamans, only for his sword to yet again hit barriers rather than his targets, "They're not giving us any openings to strike at them!"

"If we could just slow some of them down, we might be able to make a move," Isane suggested as she rolled to the right to dodge a volley of icy blue energy balls.

"Slow them down…" Kisuke murmured to himself, an idea coming to mind, "I might be able to do that. Isshin, Isane, can you distract a few of them? I've got something I can use!"

Isshin grinned. "Can do!"

He charged forward, deliberately placing himself in the middle of at least four wights. Shaking her head, Isane joined him. The two of them then proceeded to constantly duck, roll and leap as a truly ridiculous hail of sapphire spheres was hurled at them by the shamans. The undead shamans that weren't attacking them were either standing by to generate barriers or were maneuvering around Kisuke's shields to attack him instead. The Third Seat knew he wouldn't have much time to put his plan into action.

"Get back here on my mark!" he shouted.

Kisuke then leapt high into the air, gathering energy in his sword. "Mark!"

Isana and Isshin immediately Flash Stepped back towards the partial shelter of the barriers, and Kisuke made his move. "Shibari, Benihime!"

He swung his weapon, and a blood red energy net was flung forth. The net fell upon three of the undead shamans that had been bombarding Isshin and Isane, and it brought them to their knees. It stretched as the corrupted beings fought against it, but it would take far more strength than the wights possessed to break free.

Kisuke then Flash Stepped forward and stabbed the net with his blade. "Hiasobi, Benihime, Juzutsunagi!"

A series of blazing orbs appeared along the strands of the net, and they swiftly detonated. The string of blasts went in towards the center of the net, and when the last orbs went up it was in a massive blast. The entire pyramid shook, and when the dust settled the three undead shamans had been reduced to a scattering of bright blue particles that quickly dissipated.

"Nice one!" cheered Isshin.

"Thanks," said Kisuke as he brought his sword to the ready again, "but we're not out of this yet."

The loss of three of their number caused the remaining wights to adjust their tactics. The seven remaining active ones formed a tight circle around the two that were maintaining the portals. Four of them immediately began pouring forth streams of blue energy balls, while the other three were ready to drop barriers as needed.

They know what I'm after, he thought, I should've expected them to play more conservatively after denting their numbers. This is going to be tricky...

….

"Damn it!," Visaelya hissed as she cut down several wights with a flurry of swift slashes, "There's just no end to them!"

"I know!" Shisui shouted over the din of combat as he gutted one wight and then decapitated another, "We can't keep this up forever!"

That much was certainly true. They still had Citlalli's spell boosting their energy, but even with that vital aid Visaelya knew that things weren't looking good. Yoruichi and Soi-Fon had drilled their subordinates hard so they could fight long and grueling battles if needed, but Squad Two's primary combat doctrine was that of the quick and sudden strike. Attack with the element of surprise, take your foe down as efficiently as possible, and then immediately withdraw. Prolonged battles were to be avoided if possible, but the wraith and its thralls were under no obligation to play along with Squad Two's preferred methods of engagement. The Soul Reapers were very much fighting on the enemy's terms here, and right now all they had to show for it was a stalemate.

The clash between the two Captains, Soi-Fon and the wraith was the clearest example of that. Visaelya would be the first to admit that she couldn't come anywhere close to matching the incredible power and skill of the three of them as they battled it out with the abomination, but it just wasn't enough. This wasn't their fault; Visaelya understood that Yoruichi was reluctant to use her Bankai out of fear of harming her comrades, Soi-Fon didn't even have a Bankai, and it was entirely possible that whatever Ukitake's Bankai was didn't lend itself to group engagements or indoor battlegrounds. Between Yoruichi's blinding quick and devastatingly powerful punches, Ukitake's graceful swordsmanship and his Shikai's unique ability to absorb and then fire back enemy energy attacks, and Soi-Fon's persistent flanking attacks, the three of them were keeping the wraith focused solely on them and thus keeping their subordinates relatively safe. Visaelya was profoundly grateful for that, and without their efforts she knew that the battle would've already been lost.

Unfortunately, their foe was both powerful and skilled enough to match them and keep the engagement deadlocked. Between the deft handling of its short sword as a defensive weapon and its prodigious mastery of both offensive and defensive spells, the wraith had every tool it needed to prevent the Soul Reapers from landing a decisive blow. It was guarding its weaknesses well; whenever Soi-Fon got close to hitting one of the anchors, it would pop one of those infuriating small barriers in the way. Visaelya could only imagine just how frustrated Yoruichi's bodyguard was becoming at having her efforts constantly thwarted in such a manner.

One more Soul Reaper getting in there could make all the difference, she thought as she stabbed her blade clean through a wight's neck, Third Seat Urahara or Itachi; either of them would be able to tip the scales!

Between the former's clash with the undead shamans and the latter's efforts to keep at least some of the portals covered, though, neither of them were in a position to lend that decisive aid. Kisuke might have destroyed three of the corrupted shamans, but there were still more than enough left to keep him, Isshin and Isane busy. As for Itachi, Visaelya didn't know the exact limits of what his Shikai could do, but from the slowly building sweat she saw on his brow whenever she chanced a look at him she had to imagine that it was taking almost all of his focus to prevent what reinforcements he could from taking the field.

Everyone else was simply trying to survive and keep the wights from hitting Yoruichi, Soi-Fon and Ukitake from behind. Visaelya had long ago lost track of how many wights she and Shisui had slain. Other Soul Reapers, especially those in Squad Eleven, might have liked counting their kills and bragging about their tallies, but Visaelya had no time for such petty practices. She and her friends were in a fight for their lives; there were far more important things on the table here than personal glory.

Visaelya wouldn't be able to compete with her friends in such a contest anyway, especially not Shisui. The Seventh Seat was demonstrating just why his fellow Shinobi had nicknamed him 'Shisui the Teleporter' back when he was alive. He seemed to fade in and out of existence as he darted about, backstabbing wights left and right thanks to his mastery of the Body Flicker Technique. His blade was little more than a glimmer of steel, his very form often hazy when it was visible at all. He was surrounded by a constant swirl of tiny azure particles as wight after wight fell to his precise and swift strikes, all the while his eyes blazed with the crimson light of the Sharingan.

Yet it still wasn't enough. No matter how many Shisui struck down or how skillfully Visaelya watched his back and picked off those he'd missed, the wights were still streaming in. More were starting to get by them, now; even the energy boost provided by Citlalli wasn't giving them the strength and speed needed to keep them all hemmed in. At the rate things were going, eventually the expeditionary force would be overwhelmed.

"Got any bright ideas?" asked Shisui as he pulled his blade out from a dissolving wight's skull, "I'm all ears!"

"These portals need to be closed!" Visaelya replied as she cut another wight down with a diagonal slash, "There has to be a way to shut them down, right?"

"Gotta be the shamans in the middle," said Shisui as he stabbed one wight in the neck and another through the chest, "Looks like Kisuke and the others are trying to do something about that."

"They're stuck!" Visaelya pointed out as she impaled another wight, "Just like we are. None of us are getting anywhere!"

Shisui grimly nodded as he picked off two more of the wraith's thralls. "I know. Things aren't looking good. All my clones are still in the game, but I'm not sure how much longer that'll last."

"Is four at a time really your limit?" she asked as she cut a wight in half.

"So far, yeah," Shisui confirmed as he stabbed a wight through the jaw, "I've tried to get more, but Kage no Kodomo always shuts me down. Something about balancing my energy. I'm not sure if there's any workaround to it. Sorry."

Visaelya sighed as she gutted another wight. "Well, it was worth a shot."

A shriek rattled her ears, and for a moment she thought it was the wraith. It was followed by a second shriek and then a volley of icy blue energy balls from overhead that Visaelya was barely able to dodge, and when she looked up she saw not one but two undead shamans descending from the portal that she and Shisui were fighting beneath.

Looks like the enemy decided to up the ante.

Those two needed to be eliminated quickly, and Shisui saw that just as clearly as Visaelya did. "I'll take these out. Keep the others off my back!"

Visaelya nodded as she jabbed her blade into a wight's neck. "Got it!"

He vanished in a blur, appearing behind one of the undead shamans a moment later. Visaelya saw Shisui thrust his blade towards the back of his target's head, only for it to instead hit a small disk-like blue shield. The Seventh Seat was then forced to go evasive as the other shaman unleashed a hail of sapphire spheres against him. Visaelya wanted to help, but more wights continued to pour through the portal, and it was all she could do to keep them away from Shisui.

A third shriek rang out a second later, and sure enough, a third undead shaman dropped in to support the other two. Shisui was now leaping and rolling left and right to dodge their fire, and whenever he tried to use the Body Flicker Technique to backstab one of them it always ended the same way; with his sword hitting a barrier.

No, thought Visaelya frantically as she cut down a string of wights in rapid succession, I need to get in there and help him!

In that moment, nothing else mattered to her. Not the broader battle, not the rest of the expeditionary force, and not even her own safety. The only thought in her mind was finding a way to protect Shisui, to keep him from dying on her. If he fell here, she would never forgive herself. After all he'd done for her, not just over the course of this journey but since her Academy days, she couldn't let him die here.

Becoming a powerful Soul Reaper, protecting souls from Hollows, honoring her family name, making her Captain proud; none of that mattered anymore. The only thing she cared for, the one desire in her heart, was to save the young man who had come to mean so much to her.

And that's when a familiar voice echoed in her head.

Took you long enough, said the spirit of her Zanpakutō, I was starting to get worried that you'd never figure it out.

Visaelya instantly knew what she was referring to. Her motivation, her reason for fighting, for seeking greater strength; it had been right in front of her the whole time, and she wanted to smack herself for not realizing it sooner.

Hey, better late than never. You still have time to prevent your worst fear from coming to pass… and I can give you the power to do it.

Indeed, she could. Visaelya could hear it now, even over the chaos of battle. It echoed in her mind as clear as a temple gong. She almost laughed. Now that she knew it, she felt as though she should've guessed it long ago.

Making a broad swing, she cut down a group of wights that had been about to pounce on her. She then shifted her sword to just her right hand, holding it so that the blade was horizontal and formed a cross with her body. Power swelled within her, a mere taste of what was to come.

"Bring forth the dawn," she commanded as her blade was wreathed in brilliant white light, "Nikkō Kanshi-in!"

….

Shisui didn't see the release of Visaelya's Zanpakutō; he was a bit too busy dodging energy balls from the corrupted shamans for that. He definitely heard it, though. More importantly, he felt it. Even a deaf and blind man would've sensed the sudden spike in spiritual pressure. It washed over Shisui as if he was stepping outside into a warm summer day. Despite the continued severity of his situation, he couldn't help but smile.

She's finally done it!

There was a flash of white light and a chorus of shrieks, and Shisui glimpsed a large cloud of icy blue particles, the telltale sign of several wights being destroyed at once. Another brilliant flash erupted, and out of it Shisui saw a silver blade thrust towards one of the undead shamans besieging him. The edge of the blade had a thin layer of spirit energy over it, sharp and thin, focused thinner than the best maintained razor. A familiar circular shield of azure energy materialized before it…

...and the blade cut right through, piercing the undead shaman's chest and reducing him to pale blue ashes floating in the air.

It was only thanks to the incredibly sharp sight provided by the Sharingan that Shisui had been able to perceive just what had really happened. The white energy emanating from the silver blade had been focused so tightly that it had actually disrupted the energy used by the wight to create the barrier. As a result, it had cut clean through, and without even token resistance to give the strike pause the wight couldn't get out of the way in time. The other two undead shamans momentarily ceased their assault, seemingly in shock at what had just occurred. That gave Shisui a chance to see his dear companion's Shikai in all of its glory.

He'd kind of expected it given what Visaelya had described to him of the weapon wielded by the spirit of her Zanpakutō during their training sessions, but seeing it for himself was something else entirely. The purple shaft ending in two silver blades, the violet gems at the base of each blade glowing with an inner white fire, the intricate images of dragons' heads on the flat side of each blade… it was a majestic sight. What was even better in Shisui's eyes, though, was the smile of the woman wielding it. It had been far too long since he'd seen her look so confident; the doubts that had plagued her since well before their mission began were nowhere in sight. She was liberated, and all the more beautiful for it.

He didn't have much time to savor the moment, unfortunately. Whatever shock had gripped the remaining two undead shamans had worn off, and both were now firing off streams of icy blue energy balls with an almost frantic determination. They clearly recognized their peril and had decided to go all in on offense. They filled the air with their sapphire spheres, but it was to no avail. Both Shisui and Visaelya became little more than blurs as they used the Body Flicker Technique to weave through the barrage and outflank their foes. Visaelya cleaved her target clean in half, while Shisui thrust his blade into the back of his foe's head; in its sheer desperation to kill them, it had completely neglected defense.

As both undead shamans dissolved, Shisui knew what needed to be done next. "Go help Kisuke deal with the casters! I'll stay here and stall the wights. If you can take out the two middle shamans that the others are protecting, the portals should disappear!"

Visaelya nodded. "Got it. Be careful!"

Shisui smiled as he whirled around and decapitated a wight. "Same to you!"

….

Gathering energy in his blade again, Kisuke let fly with another arc of crimson power. "Scream, Benihime!"

To his left, Isshin cut loose as well. "Getsuga Tenshō!"

Red and blue waves of energy flew at the cluster of undead shamans. Neither Squad Two nor Squad Ten's Third Seat were counting on their attacks to actually hit; they both knew from experience that the wights would block them. What they were counting on, though, was for the sheer power behind both attacks to force the wights to devote all their focus to the shields they would need to stop it, and thereby give Isane an opening. As the blasts collided with azure barriers, Squad Four's Seventh Seat zipped in from the left and thrust her blade at the head of a shaman. Unfortunately, another one of those extremely annoying circular blue shields appeared, shattering before her blade but giving the caster enough time to shower Isane with a rain of sapphire spheres and forcing her to back off.

"Damn it!" Isshin snarled as he and Kisuke split up to avoid a fresh barrage, "I thought we had them that time!"

Kisuke sighed. "So did I."

What he wouldn't give to have the power of a Bankai at his beck and call right now. None of Kisuke's usual tricks were working, and while he was always up for a stimulating mental challenge, sometimes he really just wanted to cut the Gordian Knot. Unfortunately, he had nothing in his arsenal that could do that. The enemy's defense was perfectly conceived and maintained even with their reduced numbers; try as he and his companions might, there wasn't a single opening for them to exploit. Kisuke wasn't about to throw in the towel, but he was having a hard time coming up with a new plan of attack.

And that was when a surprising voice rang above the fray. "Third Seat Urahara, do that again! I just need a quick opening, and what you just did will provide that!"

He'd felt the familiar burst of power that came with a Soul Reaper unlocking their Shikai earlier, so it wasn't a surprise to see a new weapon in Visaelya's hands. The inquisitive side of him wanted to pepper her with questions about what its abilities were and how it could help turn the tide, but there wasn't time for that. She seemed confident enough, and Kisuke was willing to roll the dice.

"Well, you heard the lady," he said as he rolled to the right to dodge another flurry of icy blue energy balls, "What do you say, Isshin?"

Isshin smiled. "Ready when you are!"

"Isane, get ready for another run!" Kisuke called out.

"Got it!" she replied, sounding a bit skeptical but thankfully still willing to play along.

The two men ducked and weaved their way through the hail of azure spheres and got back into the position they'd held earlier. Both raised their blades, power flowing through them yet again.

"Scream, Benihime!" Kisuke commanded.

"Getsuga Tenshō!" Isshin roared.

Red and blue waves of energy surged forth again, and once again both attacks were blocked by a combined shield. Isane came in from the right this time and thrust her sword at a wight's chest, but her blade met another circular barrier again. Visaelya struck from the other side and made a brought sweep with her glaive. Kisuke saw yet another round azure barrier appear and expected the worst, only to be pleasantly surprised to see Visaelya's strike cleave right through it and into the wight it was protecting. There was a shriek as the wight dissolved, and Kisuke's mind was already racing. He could analyze her Shikai later and figure out how it had done what it had just done; right now, they needed to bring this battle to an end.

"Come on," he said, "Let's keep them focused on us and not her!"

Isshin grinned, the sight of one of their pesky foes falling reinvigorating him. "Don't have to tell me twice!"

The two men charged forward. The undead shamans responded with another barrage, but this time their fire was scattered and disorganized. They were struggling to adjust to the fact that they now faced a foe that could pierce their defenses, and their disarray would be their undoing. Swinging her weapon again, Visaelya brought the second blade of her glaive to bear and cut down a second undead shaman with graceful ease. Isshin and Kisuke dived headlong into the fray, making broad slashes at the wights and forcing them to deploy their barriers against them. Isane darted in again, unleashing a series of quick thrusts that drove her target back before her. Kisuke didn't know if wights could actually experience fear, but they certainly looked afraid now.

Visaelya's strange glaive whirled around her, its edges brimming with white spirit energy. Kisuke's eyes narrowed as he saw it slice right through another blue circular barrier and cut down the undead shaman that had cast it. Seeing the attack up close, he now had a theory as to how it worked, but he could get confirmation on it later.

The two wights maintaining the portals were now exposed, and Kisuke went in for the kill. Unlike the other undead shamans, these two creatures could neither attack or defend; all of their efforts were focused on keeping the portals open. He Flash Stepped forward, and a single slash with his sword was all it took to strike both of them down.

All that work, and that's how they go down, he mused, I guess I shouldn't complain, but it's a bit of a letdown…

It didn't matter, though. Sure enough, as those two wights dissolved into azure ash, the dozen vortexes they had spawned began to pulsate and spasm. Arcs of blue energy sparked around their edges, and they collapsed in on themselves. In a matter of mere seconds, the dozen portals that had threatened to overwhelm the expeditionary force with wights had completely vanished.

Then Kisuke saw the streams of crimson blazing crows that had been blocking eight of them divide into smaller flocks. Those flocks rapidly began dive bombing the surviving wights, taking the undead hordes completely by surprise. Between them and the rest of the expeditionary force, Kisuke knew that the small fries would be dealt with in short order. As for the Soul Reaper that had been responsible for creating those firebirds in the first place, he was already Flash Stepping forward, racing towards the furious clash with the wraith itself. Isshin, Isane and Visaelya could mop up the remaining undead shamans; Itachi was going for the primary target.

With a grin, Kisuke joined him.

….

Driving a lightning-imbued fist into the wraith's chest, Yoruichi smiled. The tide of the battle was turning, and everyone knew it. Especially her enemy. The wraith was already being pressed by her, Soi-Fon and Ukitake, but things were about to get so much worse for it.

There'll definitely be some promotions to go around once this is over, she thought as she followed up her punch with a kick at the wraith's head before pulling back to avoid a swipe from its short sword, especially for our young dragon princess…

She hadn't been able to see everything due to her fierce clash with the wraith, but she'd caught a few glimpses and could fill in the blanks from there. Her Sixteenth Seat had awakened her Shikai, the undead shamans had been slain and the portals they'd been creating were destroyed, and two of her top fighters were about to join in the fight against the wraith. They just had to maintain their discipline and focus, and the fight would be theirs.

The wraith took aim with its staff, and a powerful azure beam flew forth. Yoruichi had already stepped to the side, and Ukitake took her place. His left blade once again absorbed the attack, and his right blade fired it back. The blast struck the wraith in the chest, and Yoruichi dared to hope that the amulet had been destroyed. Unfortunately, the hit had been low enough that the anchor had escaped destruction this time.

There was a black blur above, and Soi-Fon descended a moment later. Her stinger blade lashed out at the circlet upon the wraith's head, but one of those pesky blue barriers intercepted it. The wraith rounded on Soi-Fon and attempted to strike her down, but Yoruichi had seen the move coming and blocked the fiend's blade with her left gauntlet while attacking with her right. Her claws embedded themselves in the wraith's jaw, and she let loose with a powerful burst of white lightning. Sickly flesh tore and burned before swiftly mending itself; just like the others of its kind, this thing's regenerative abilities worked at a devilish speed.

She felt a wave of heat building up behind her, and scattered red firebirds began to appear at the edges of her vision. Yoruichi knew what was coming and Flash Stepped out of the way. A swarm of crimson flaming crows engulfed the wraith; Itachi had entered the fray.

She smirked at him as he came up beside her. "Nice of you to join us! Thanks for keeping this thing's reinforcements at bay."

Itachi nodded. "You're welcome. We have little time; I sicced enough birds on that thing to keep it busy for a bit, but they won't last long."

"I've got an idea," Kisuke chimed in as he joined them, "If we can drive it back towards the ground, I can pin it. After that, we strike the anchors together."

Ukitake smiled. "Works for me!"

Soi-Fon actually smirked. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Yoruichi grinned. "Let's end this!"

There was a burst of icy blue energy, and the remaining firebirds surrounding the wraith dissipated. Itachi was already summoning new ones, but it would take a bit of time before he had enough to seriously threaten the wraith and pull off their plan. He wasn't sitting back and just gathering his flock this time, though; he moved in together with Yoruichi and Ukitake, clearly determined to do more than play a supporting role.

He thrust his black blade towards the wraith's chest. The enemy was able to block it with their short sword, but it gave both Yoruichi and Ukitake a chance to strike. Ukitake came in from the left, aiming for the wraith's ring, while Yoruichi Flash Stepped around and struck from behind. She fired off two large blasts of white lightning from her gauntlets, hammering the wraith in the back. As the creature struggled to fend off Itachi and Ukitake, Soi-Fon leapt over it and was coming at the wraith from above again. The wraith raised its staff and tried to blast her, but Yoruichi grabbed it and pointed it at Ukitake, who already had his left blade at the ready. The Captain returned the azure blast right at the wraith's face as Yoruichi released the staff, and it was only by deploying another barrier that their foe was able to protect the circlet upon its brow.

After a few minutes of trading strikes with the wraith, Itachi suddenly pulled back, and Yoruichi knew it was time. Sure enough, a swarm of crimson flaming birds descended upon the wraith. With Yoruichi behind it, Itachi in front, Ukitake to the left and Soi-Fon now to the right, there was only one direction for the wraith to go; down.

It descended, and as soon as it hit the ground Kisuke made his move. "Shibari, Benihime!"

Out flew the blood red net, draping itself over the wraith and pinning it to the floor. Yoruichi could feel the creature's spiritual pressure swelling; Kisuke's trap wouldn't hold it for more than a couple of seconds at the most. Fortunately, that was all they needed.

True to her name, the Flash Goddess struck first. She was on top of the wraith in less than the blink of an eye, and she drove her fist into the amulet upon its chest. Soi-Fon appeared just a split-second later, her stinger blade thrusting twice in blindingly fast succession at the circlet. Last, but certainly not least, came Ukitake, who stabbed his right sword into the wraith's ring.

A shriek so loud that Yoruichi thought her eardrums would burst rang out, and arcs of icy blue energy began cascading wildly over the wraith. The Soul Reapers immediately pulled back to a safe distance, and the wraith convulsed beneath Kisuke's net. A particularly powerful burst of blue lightning tore the net, but at that point it didn't matter; the wraith was in its death throes. Then there was a flare of brilliant white light, and the wraith was consumed in a powerful explosion of raw energy.

When Yoruichi lowered the arm that had been shielding her eyes, it was over. The only trace of the wraith remaining was a scattering of light blue spirit energy particles hanging in the air, and the same went for its wights. Soon even those faded from view, and there were four audible 'pops' as the barriers that had been blocking the exits dispersed as well.

Yoruichi smiled as she deactivated her Shikai. "It's done… we did it."

"We did," said Itachi as he approached her, his remaining crimson firebirds disappearing as his black blade reverted to its sealed form and was quickly sheathed.

Their eyes met, and her amber gems gazed for a long moment at his crimson orbs. She wanted nothing more than to pull him into the fiercest kiss of his life, and Yoruichi was only barely able to keep herself from doing just that. Instead, she settled for sheathing her blade and putting a hand on his shoulder. The two of them shared a small nod and a smile. It was enough for now.

"Woohoo!" Isshin bellowed at the top of his lungs, "We won!"

"Sound off, everyone!" Ukitake yelled, "Is anyone wounded?"

There were a few answers in the affirmative, and Isane wasted no time in gathering them around her. Others simply sat down, needing a moment to let the adrenaline bleed out of their systems. Some cheered, most smiled, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Soi-Fon was as close to ecstatic as Yoruichi had ever seen her. "Lady Yoruichi, victory is ours! You… you were magnificent!"

Yoruichi gave her bodyguard a proud grin. "So were you, Soi-Fon. That might have just been your best fight yet! Your training really paid off here."

It was always satisfying to see Soi-Fon blush, and she didn't disappoint here. "Lady Yoruichi… thank you."

At the edge of her gaze, Yoruichi saw Shisui and Visaelya approaching. The former had already sheathed his sword, but the later still had her Shikai activated. Yoruichi couldn't fault her for that; the first time one achieved their Shikai, often they could be reluctant to return their Zanpakutō to its sealed state, as if the magic and power might be lost for good by doing so.

She gave her Sixteenth Seat an approving nod. "Congratulations, Visaelya. A beautiful weapon, one that you've more than earned."

Visealya bowed. "Thank you, Captain."

"It's more than just pretty," Shisui chimed in, "We wouldn't have won here without it. The way it channels spirit energy… it cut right through the barriers that the wights were casting!"

Kisuke scratched his chin. "So I noticed. Visaelya, mind going a few matches with me while we're on the way home? I want to study your Shikai in action."

Visaelya's eyes widened. "Oh… of course, Third Seat Urahara. It would be an honor!"

"That will be interesting to watch," said Ukitake, "Before we begin that journey in earnest, though, there's a few things we ought to discuss. Wouldn't you agree, Captain Shihōin?"

The white-haired man's gaze flickered back and forth between Itachi and Shisui, and Yoruichi knew what he was referring to. "Yes, we should… and I'd like my Thirteenth and Seventh Seat to be present for it."

Ukitake smiled, clearly sensing her concern. "Of course. I wish only to understand what I've seen here today. I think I know why you've been so keen to keep certain… aspects of your subordinates a secret. All I ask is to learn, and if I'm satisfied that you've been keeping this knowledge hidden for the right reasons, then I see no need to spread it. That goes for my subordinates who saw it today as well."

Much to her relief, Yoruichi saw the members of Squad Thirteen's contingent nodding in agreement, along with Squad Four's Seventh Seat. Many of them were regarding Itachi and Shisui with undisguised curiosity, but none seemed afraid. Checking her own subordinates, Yoruichi saw that it was much the same with them.

Things might just work out, she thought, giving both Itachi and Shisui a small nod, We just need to be very careful about this.

"Why don't we talk about it back at the village?" she suggested.

"Yes, preferably after a suitable celebration," Citlalli added as he approached them, a weary smile on his face, "I'd say you've all more than earned that."

Isshin put his arm over the shaman's shoulders. "You going to bust out some of the good stuff tonight, old friend?"

"Yes, I shall," Citlalli replied with a smirk.

Yoruichi grinned. "That'll be something to look forward to. All right, people, you heard the man! We've got a victory party to attend, so let's get out of here!"

As the expeditionary force gathered and began making their way out of the pyramid, Yoruichi caught Itachi's eye one more time. She gave him a reassuring smile, and he nodded in return. She could tell that he was a little worried about Ukitake and everyone else who had witnessed his Sharingan, and she imagined that Shisui probably felt the same. Of all the possible Captains to witness it, though, Ukitake might have been the best. Yes, he was close to the Head Captain and thus a potential vector for knowledge of the Sharingan to spread to him and then the Central Forty-Six, but he was quite fair and reasonable. Once he heard them out, Yoruichi was confident that he'd be willing to play along.

Between the Sharingan and Visaelya's Shikai, our victory here wouldn't have been possible, she thought, Ukitake's smart enough to recognize that. It might take a bit of convincing, but things will work out.

In the meantime, she allowed herself to savor the fresh air as she and the others exited the pyramid. The unnatural cold was already waning, and the oppressive jungle heat was returning in force. The wraith's corruption was receding, and nature was beginning to reassert itself. It would take time, but this land would heal.

And it would have Squad Two's three rising stars to thank for it.

Author's Notes: Hot damn, finally got it done! Again, sincere apologies; this one really blew up on me, and I will get a better handle on things going forward. Shorter chapters will mean more frequent releases, and they'll also be easier from an editing standpoint. Seriously, proofreading these is work!

Okay, Zanpakutō name time. For Visaelya's Shikai, the rough translation I was going for is Sunlight Warden. Again, I use Google translate because I am an uncultured swine, deal with it. As for the design, it's based off of the Holy Glaive used by the Masked Lumen from Bayonetta 2, with some cosmetic changes made to it.

Well, by the time you read all this, it should be unreasonably late at night and I'll be sleeping off a well-deserved high! God, I love living in Washington state, I swear that legal weed and anime are the only things keeping me sane these days.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please review, stay safe, and I'll see you all next time!