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.

25. Chapter 25

Author's Notes: Hello there! Apologies for the wait with this one. I originally intended to have it done in December, but I'm afraid that I've been forced to cut back my writing pace somewhat. I do still write every day, but work's had us on pretty much indefinite mandatory overtime for the past few months, and unfortunately that's not looking like it'll change anytime soon.

To be honest, I'm pretty worn out right now. Bilbo's line from The Fellowship of the Ring film comes to mind; "I feel… thin. Sort of stretched, like… butter scraped over too much bread." No One Ring involved here, though. Just a combination of depression and exhaustion. The fact that my day job's a call center gig where I deal with raging assholes and drooling morons constantly is probably contributing to that. Don't worry, I still fully intend to keep on writing every day, but the pace will be slower for the time being, which means that chapter releases will be less frequent than I'd like. I'm already dangerously close to complete burnout, and I'm trying to get some semblance of balance so I can keep on going.

Anyway, enough about my personal life, it's not what you're here for. Chapter's long, and that was by design; I did tell you all before that I had something special in mind for this one, after all. Speaking of something special, this chapter's actually got a bit of music towards the end. It's not something I intend to make a habit of; I usually save the music for my Gundam Wing/Gundam SEED crossover series. This chapter's one of the rare exceptions I'm making. I won't say which song it is here, but trust me; when you reach the point in the chapter where it's meant to kick in, the cue and song name will be impossible to miss.

Also, there's a little something extra after the end-of-chapter author's notes here. Consider it a belated holiday gift from me to you, along with a teaser for what the next chapter will involve.

Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Five: To Fade With Grace

One year later…

134 years before Rukia Kuchiki's arrival in Karakura Town

As Itachi and Yoruichi approached the entrance of the Kuchiki Clan estate, the latter turned to the former and smiled. "Never fails to impress, does it?"

Itachi nodded as they patiently waited for the guards to open the gate. "I've seen it plenty of times from afar while on patrol, but I have to admit, I've always wondered what it would be like to see the inside of this place. Even simply to walk the grounds, really. From what glimpses I've caught in the past, it seems the Kuchiki Clan spares no expense when it comes to their gardens."

'Gardens' was actually an understatement of the natural beauty that the Kuchiki Clan had cultivated within their estate. While the other Great Noble Houses preferred taller dwellings and focused on the extravagance of the mansions themselves, the Kuchiki Clan took a different approach to displaying their wealth. While the family manor was certainly nothing to scoff at, everyone in the Seireitei knew that the true gem was the grounds surrounding the primary residence.

As Itachi and Yoruichi were escorted through the gatehouse, they were led by two guards along a stone path that allowed visitors like themselves a firsthand glimpse of those meticulously maintained grounds. Gentle slopes carpeted in finely trimmed grass and dotted with expertly cared-for trees spread out in both directions, with branching paths heading down them and leading to not only ponds, but an actual lake beyond them. If rumor was to be believed, both the lake and the smaller bodies of water were filled to the brim with rare Koi specimens that had been transplanted from their natural homes in the Kuchiki Clan's Principality. Although it wasn't visible from their current vantage point, Itachi knew that on the other side of the mansion was actually a river that flowed out into channels that cut through the Seireitei before being funneled underground and passing out into the Rukon District. The chirps of various species of birds filled the air, while a handful of servants bustled about picking weeds and attending to other bits of gardening.

"You've been inside here before, right?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi nodded. "Several times. My family receives regular invitations from the Kuchiki Clan for various banquets and celebrations. We might not be as close of allies with them as we are with the Shiba Clan, but we work to keep our ties strong. Unlike our spats with the Drakken Clan, the Shihōin Clan and the Kuchiki Clan tend to land somewhere between friendly rivals and strategic partners depending on the situation. We're both vested in the long-term prosperity and security of the Soul Society, so it's not in either of our interests to engage in conflict or petty feuds. Well, at least not beyond the typical aristocratic posturing."

"Sounds like cool heads have prevailed with both families, then," Itachi remarked as they were led up the finely polished wooden steps of the manor's front entrance, his voice taking on a somewhat wistful note, "I wonder what might have been in the Shinobi World had the relationship between the Uchiha and Senju Clan settled into a similar state. Had both sides truly put their mistrust to bed, rather than simply sweeping it under the rug for a generation or two and letting it fester… had they acted in the mature manner demonstrated by your family and the Kuchikis, so much might have been different."

She put a gentle hand on his shoulder as the guards escorted them through a spotless foyer lined on both sides with beautiful Ukiyo-e paintings depicting various landscapes, some of which Itachi recognized from their expedition out to the Kuchiki Clan's Principality two years ago. "Had you been in charge of the Uchiha Clan in those days, I have no doubt things would've turned out for the better. Your father was the one holding the reins, though, and while he might not have wanted conflict, he ultimately acceded to the voices of those who did. That's on him, Itachi, not you. Don't let his mistakes shackle you to the ghosts of your past."

Itachi nodded in appreciation of the sentiment. "I won't."

Yoruichi lowered her hand, briefly brushing it against Itachi's. It was clear that she wanted to do more, but the presence of the Kuchiki Clan's servants precluded any blatant public displays of affection. Gossip spread all too easily around noble households, even those as renowned for their discipline as that of the Kuchikis.

Itachi allowed himself to be distracted by the immaculate interior of the manor as their escorts led them towards the back of the residence, particularly focusing on the assorted works of art. "The Kuchiki Clan has fine tastes. It almost feels like we're in a museum rather than a mansion."

"Collecting priceless works of art is a traditional pastime of the aristocracy," Yoruichi replied, "and the Great Noble Houses take that passion to its logical conclusion. If all five families pooled their pieces, you'd have the most extravagant gallery in the entirety of the Web of Worlds."

Itachi smiled as he imagined what it might be like to wander through such an exhibition. "It'd certainly be a sight to behold. Art always took a backseat to other matters in the Shinobi World. There were a few notable exceptions, of course; the Hidden Leaf Village's Hokage Mountain comes to mind, although I suppose that's as much a piece of political posturing as it is a public sculpture. Our jutsus were mostly geared towards either espionage or conflict, but many of them could've had artistic applications in the right hands. Had our world been more peaceful, perhaps ninjutsu could've developed down that path."

Yoruichi gave him a playful wink. "Picturing yourself as an artist, Itachi? You know, I could see that!"

Itachi chuckled as an image of him heating up some clay sculpture with the Uchiha Clan's signature Fire Style techniques played out before his mind's eye. "In another life, perhaps."

As the guards led them up a flight of stairs to the second floor, Yoruichi scratched her chin in thought. "Now that I think about it… didn't that Akatsuki group you hooked up with have a guy who thought of himself as an artist? What'd you say his name was, again? Dei-something?"

"Deidara," Itachi supplied, his brow slightly furrowing in distaste, "and his 'art' was that of an unrepentant bomber. High explosives were his paintbrushes, his canvass whatever target his current employer had in their sights, and his paint the blood of any innocents unfortunate enough to find themselves in the blast radius. Given his constant seeking of more powerful explosions in the pursuit of perfecting his craft, that radius kept on growing… and so did the body count. He was a menace well before the Akatsuki ever recruited him."

Yoruichi winced. "Yeesh. Sounds like a real headcase."

"As good a way to put it as any," Itachi dryly remarked.

They followed their escorts through a broad corridor upon reaching the second floor. At the end of that hall was a set of Shoji with a simple pattern of rolling hills woven into them. Two more guards stood watch over them, and they turned to the Soul Reapers as they drew near.

"You're right on time," one of them said.

"Lord Kuchiki is expecting you," the second added.

Yoruichi smiled. "I'd hope so. He's the one that asked us to come here out of the blue, after all."

"I assume this is in regards to the favor we owe him," Itachi ventured.

The first guard shrugged. "I wouldn't know anything about that. You can ask him yourself inside."

The second guard lightly rapped on the Shoji. "Lord Kuchiki, Squad Two's Captain Shihōin and Eighth Seat Uchiha are here!"

"Understood," came the voice of Squad Six's Captain, "Please, send them in."

The guards slid the doors open, revealing a spacious and well-appointed study. A low and long table of finely polished wood was laid out in the center of the room, with several plush cushions situated around it. Both the left and right walls were dominated by shelves containing all manner of books and scrolls, broken up by jade statues of figures that Itachi assumed were notable ancestors of the Kuchiki Clan's current head. A desk sat at the far end of the room, while the panels that would have made up the wall behind it were slid aside, allowing a pleasantly cool breeze to waft in and revealing a wide-open deck that overlooked the rear grounds of the estate. Sitting behind the desk was Captain Kuchiki, who was in the process of rolling up a scroll and placing it in a cylindrical case as Yoruichi and Itachi walked in.

Standing and coming around the desk to greet them, Ginrei gave his guests a courteous bow and polite smile as the guards closed the doors behind them. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. I had meant send an invitation some weeks prior, but I'm afraid my schedule became somewhat chaotic and swept the matter from my mind. I apologize for my negligence."

Yoruichi smiled in understanding. "It's quite alright, Captain Kuchiki. I know that Squad Six has had its hands full with Terra lately. You were put in charge of dealing with the aftermath of that conflict in the Asian continent… the humans were calling it the Nian Rebellion, right?"

Ginrei nodded with a note of weariness. "You're well-informed, though I would expect no less from you. A bloody mess, though not on the same scale as that horrific Taiping Rebellion, and we're still cleaning up from that as well. As always, Terra insists on being the most troublesome Realm of the Living in the Web of Worlds. I do wish they'd calm down and give us a reprieve from time to time."

Yoruichi shook her head in exasperation. "That makes two of us. Why does the most populous Realm of the Living feel the need to have so many giant wars? Seems they never learn."

Ginrei let out a rueful chuckle. "Agreed. Let us leave that matter aside, though. I did not call you here to burden you with such a dreary topic, after all."

"Care to enlighten us, then?" Itachi chimed in, "Your guards weren't exactly forthcoming with details, though we naturally have a guess."

Ginrei inclined his head. "A guess that I imagine will prove to be accurate. Please, come with me."

He led them past the desk and onto the deck behind it. As a gentle wind blew through his hair, Itachi's mind went back to what was doubtlessly the source of this meeting; the agreement they'd struck with Captain Kuchiki following the battle against the fourth wraith two years ago.

His discretion, and that of his subordinates, regarding the Sharingan in exchange for an unspecified favor somewhere down the line, he recalled, I suppose here's where we find out just what kind of favor Captain Kuchiki has in mind.

Itachi had been uneasy with the arrangement. To him, it felt too broad, with far too much room for exploitation. Only the fact that the proposal had come from Captain Kuchiki himself combined with Yoruichi's reassurances had been enough to convince him to assent to it. Then again, they hadn't told Ginrei everything about the Sharingan. Their disclosures had been limited to the Eye of Insight, as that particular aspect of the Uchiha Clan's Kekkei Genkai had been instrumental to the wraith's defeat. Had they informed Squad Six's leader of the Eye of Hypnotism, perhaps he would've asked a higher price. As things stood, he could ask for quite a bit.

Yoruichi had faith in Captain Kuchiki's sense of honor and justice. Itachi trusted her, but that didn't mean he wasn't nervous. All he could do now was hope that her assessment of her fellow Captain was an accurate one.

Ginrei beckoned for his guests to join him at the railing. They did so, with Yoruichi taking up position to Captain Kuchiki's right while Itachi stood to her right. Ginrei's gaze went down, and following it, the Soul Reapers from Squad Two saw a broad expanse of grass that was currently serving as a training yard for two men. One was middle aged, clad in white and red robes and attacking his student with a wooden training sword. The student in question was easy enough to identify, even though Itachi had actually never met him before. It was a boy who appeared to be in his early to mid-teens, although as was the case with most souls, outward appearances were deceptive. Clad in a sleeveless white robe with sea green leggings, his black hair tied into a ponytail by a red string, his slate gray eyes alight with fierce determination as he fended off his instructor's strikes with a wooden sword of his own, was the future heir of the Kuchiki Clan once both Ginrei and eventually Sōjun stepped aside.

Yoruichi smiled. "Ah, it's been quite a while since the last time I saw little Byakuya getting put through his paces! Looks like he's coming along pretty well. Grown a good bit, too. He's going to have the girls chasing him all over the Seireitei soon enough!"

Ginrei chuckled. "Other noble families are already lining up suitors, despite my best efforts to discourage them. The time will come for that sort of thing, but for now, I want my grandson to enjoy his youth. Even for us souls, it passes all too quickly."

Itachi's eyes narrowed as he studied the youth's swordsmanship. "His Zanjutsu is already quite impressive for someone of his age. A bit towards the impulsive side, but his grasp of the fundamentals is sound. He'd fit right in with students of the advanced track, and would probably exceed the expectations of his instructors in short order."

"I'm pleased to hear you say as much," Ginrei replied, "Nevertheless, there is much more he needs to learn. That is why I have asked you both to come here today, and it will encompass the favor I requested as my part of our agreement. I wish for the two of you take a role in my grandson's education."

Yoruichi actually looked somewhat taken aback; a rare sight in Itachi's eyes. "Wait, you want me and Itachi to train Byakuya? Yours is a Great Noble House, just like mine; you've got access to the finest tutors anywhere in the Soul Society. Byakuya shouldn't lack for qualified instructors."

"I know that we agreed to an open-ended favor," Itachi added, "but asking us to take on your grandson as a student… neither of us have the proper time to fully devote ourselves to the kind of education that would be expected for a boy in Byakuya's position."

Ginrei shook his head. "Perhaps I should rephrase things. I do not wish for either you or Eighth Seat Uchiha to take over Byakuya's instruction full-time. I respect the fact that you're both as busy as I am, and I have no desire to place my family's needs over your own duties. What I desire is for the two of you to come by here from time to time and supplement his training with your own unique lessons. For you, Captain Shihōin, I would ask that you help my grandson enhance his skills in the art of Hohō. As for you, Itachi, I'd like for Byakuya to experience your particular style of Zanjutsu and learn from it."

Itachi's mind went back to the sparring match he'd engaged in with Captain Kuchiki during their hunt for the fourth wraith. The noble's remarks echoed in his head, and they seemed rather at odds with what the head of the Kuchiki Clan might want his grandson to learn.

"Misdirection, speed and unpredictability… you've taken to Squad Two's preferred form of Zanjutsu quite well."

"Perhaps it's not my place to say this," Itachi remarked, "but would my style of Zanjutsu really be appropriate for the heir of the Kuchiki Clan? I would've thought he'd be expected to embrace a more straightforward technique, one befitting the family's honorable reputation."

Ginrei glanced down at his grandson's sparring match before turning back to Itachi. "The family's preferred fighting styles are being drilled into him, but I want him to go beyond that. Orthodoxy has its place, but a fighter should remain adaptable. That is another reason why I came to you the two of you specifically for this request. Of all the units within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, Squad Two is one of those that's more willing than others to break with tradition. Whether in Hohō, Zanjutsu or any other of the Soul Reaper combat arts, I find that Squad Two embraces flexibility and unorthodoxy to great effect. It is a lesson that I wish for my grandson to take to heart. What's tried and true has its place, but time does not stand still. The new generation will have to face challenges that the old cannot imagine, and the ability to react and adjust accordingly will be crucial to Byakuya's survival… and that of the Kuchiki Clan."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow. "Is there something we should be aware of here, Captain Kuchiki? Forgive me if this is out of line, but you seem almost worried. If it's a private family matter, I'll drop it. That being said, if Itachi and I are going to be effective teachers for Byakuya, I think it's important for us to know if anything's going on that might impact our prospective student."

Ginrei was quiet for a moment before meeting Yoruichi's gaze. "Your younger brother, Yūshirō… how is he?"

Yoruichi folded her arms as her eyes narrowed. "Doing well. His studies are coming along nicely, and for the most part he's staying out of trouble. I fail to see what my little brother has to do with Byakuya's training, though. You trying to say something here, Captain Kuchiki?"

Ginrei gave her a small and apologetic smile. "Nothing untoward, Captain Shihōin. You have my word on that. The reason I bring up your little brother is only to emphasize a point."

"That point being?" Yoruichi asked warily.

"Your family is blessed with multiple offspring," Ginrei replied, "You and your little brother represent a fruitful next generation for the Shihōin Clan, with the potential for more siblings should your parents feel the urge. It is the same with the other Great Noble Houses… with one notable exception."

His brow furrowed for a moment, and the look he gave both Yoruichi and Itachi was grave. "Captain Shihōin, Eighth Seat Uchiha… what I am about to tell you is a closely guarded secret of the Kuchiki Clan. Your actions during our joint mission two years ago lead me to believe that I can trust you with this knowledge, but should my trust prove misplaced, our agreement will be rendered null and void. Do you take my meaning?"

Itachi and Yoruichi glanced at each other briefly before nodding in acknowledgement.

"Whatever you have to say will stay between us," Yoruichi vowed, "You have our word, Captain Kuchiki."

"It's the least we owe you for your discretion," Itachi added.

Ginrei let out a heavy sigh before casting a somber look down at his grandson. "I thank you. It pains me to say this, but the unfortunate truth of the matter is that Byakuya will be the only member of his generation of the Kuchiki family."

Yoruichi's eyes widened slightly. "What? How can that be? I know that Sōjun has some health problems, but he's managed them well enough, and they're certainly nothing that would keep him continuing the family line. Byakuya's proof enough of that. His wife strikes me as the type who would have no objections to another child as long as Sōjun is up for it."

Ginrei shook his head. "Unfortunately, my son is not the only one who suffers from medical issues. My daughter-in-law is likewise ailed, though we have endeavored to keep that knowledge concealed from the public eye. She had the strength to bear Byakuya, but our family's physician minced no words; should she conceive and give birth to a second child, she will not survive. I went so far as to arrange a private consultation with Captain Unohana for a second opinion, but she came to the same conclusion. Not even her incredible skills would be enough to save my daughter-in-law in such an event."

"How awful…" Yoruichi whispered, "I had no idea… whenever I've seen her in public, she's always seemed so bright and vibrant."

Itachi glanced down at Ginrei's grandson, a thought occurring to him. "Byakuya doesn't know, does he?"

"No, he doesn't," Ginrei solemnly confirmed, "He needs to learn eventually, but for now… none of us have the heart to tell him. His mother and father want him to simply focus on both his studies and enjoying his life right now. It's too soon for him to have to worry about such heavy matters like the family succession or the health of his mother. That being said, measures must be taken to prepare him for the inevitable day when he must stand on his own."

Yoruichi nodded in understanding. "And that's where we come in."

"Precisely," said Ginrei, "Were he a child of another noble family, or if we were secure in the knowledge of siblings waiting in the wings, the Kuchiki Clan would almost certainly have Byakuya enter the Academy within the next few years. However, as he will be my son's only heir, we must take great care. As you are well aware, a student's term at the Academy is not without risks. Even with their highly supervised field assignments, survival is not guaranteed. The Kuchiki Clan is determined to have Byakuya thoroughly prepared before sending him off to the Academy, so we will be training him in private for quite some time to come. Other Great Noble Houses may see our decision as a sign of weakness, and not without reason, but there is simply no other choice that can be made in this matter. The family's very future is at stake here. I want my grandson to have every possible advantage when he eventually leaves the nest. Instruction from highly skilled Soul Reapers such as yourselves, with your own unique abilities and talents, would be a crucial edge."

Itachi was wary. "When you say 'unique abilities'… you're not expecting me to reveal the Sharingan to the boy, are you?"

"No," Ginrei firmly answered, "I understand your desire for secrecy regarding the Uchiha Clan's unique bloodline trait, and I would not have you risk disclosure here. It is your particular brand of Zanjutsu that I refer to here, much as it is Captain Shihōin's exceptional mastery of Hohō that I refer to with her. Pass that knowledge on to my grandson, and I will consider your favor to me fulfilled."

Itachi turned to Yoruichi. "Well? This is your call."

Yoruichi smiled. "Mine, yes, but I won't make it without your consent, Itachi. We both agreed to this deal two years ago, after all. I find Captain Kuchiki's request here to be acceptable, but do you?"

Itachi looked at Ginrei for a moment before meeting Yoruichi's gaze and nodding. "I do."

Yoruichi inclined her head before facing her fellow Captain. "Well, there you have it. When do we start, Captain Kuchiki?"

Ginrei smiled. "Today. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how Byakuya reacts to being on the receiving end of your talents."

Yoruichi smirked. "Hoping for a show?"

The head of the Kuchiki Clan chuckled. "I confess that I am!"

Yoruichi grinned. "Then you'll have one!"

I wonder what I've gotten myself into this time, Itachi thought with more than a bit of amusement and nostalgia as he looked down at Byakuya again, Ah, well… might as well make the most of my situation here. I suppose I'll be able to add 'tutor of noble family scions' to my rather unique list of roles that I've taken on over the years. I never was the best of mentors back when I was alive, but perhaps there's still time to change.

Let's see if I can be a better teacher to Byakuya than I was to Sasuke.

….

Yoruichi smiled in anticipation as she and her two fellow Soul Reapers came out onto the back porch. Byakuya was still focused on his current sparring partner, but Yoruichi hadn't failed to notice the very brief flicker in his gaze; he'd sensed their approach.

The boy's already gotten sharper since I last saw him, she mused, Oh, Byakuya… Itachi and I are going to have some fun with you!

The young man's instructor pulled back and raised a hand to signal the end of their session. Bowing to the head of the household, the tutor then quickly excused himself, leaving Byakuya to face his grandfather and his guests.

"Well done," said Ginrei, "Your form was solid, though you became overly eager in the closing exchange. Do not let the thirst for victory make you sloppy, Byakuya. A fight is at its most dangerous in the moments when both combatants sense it's nearing a conclusion."

Byakuya inclined his head. "I'll remember that, grandfather."

Stepping to the side, Ginrei gestured at his colleagues as Itachi and Yoruichi came down into the yard. "I have some guests who are quite eager to begin working with you, Byakuya. I can promise that your training sessions are about to become much more interesting."

Byakuya gave Yoruichi a wary look. "With all due respect, grandfather, just what is that supposed to mean? Why would the likes of the Shihōin Clan's fiend be involved with my training?"

Yoruichi laughed; oh, this was getting off to a great start. "What's the matter, little Byakuya? Don't tell me you're still sore about what happened at that last party!"

Byakuya put his hands on his hips and scowled. "I fell into the pond in front of all our guests thanks to you! Of course, I'm still sore about that!"

Itachi glanced at Yoruichi. "Sounds like I missed a good time. When was this?"

"Several months back," Yoruichi replied with a mischievous grin, "You were on assignment at the time. I snatched his favorite hair tie when he was distracted, and got him to chase me all over the estate! Wish you could've been there to see it."

"It was humiliating!" Byakuya angrily snapped.

Yoruichi waved a hand dismissively. "It was all in good fun. Your mother and father got a good laugh out of it, if I recall correctly. I think I even saw your grandfather crack a little smile when he thought no one else was looking. Seriously, Byakuya; you really need to learn how to loosen up a bit."

"She's right, grandson," Ginrei chimed in, looking like he was working quite hard to suppress a smile, "While maintaining our noble image is important, there are times when it is healthy to relax and enjoy a misadventure or two. A lesson I hope Captain Shihōin can teach you in addition to a few others."

"Is that why you invited her here?" asked Byakuya skeptically, "To teach me how to have her definition of 'fun'?"

His grandfather shook his head. "No, though I will be pleased if you pick a bit of that up along the way. Captain Shihōin and her subordinate are here at my request so that they might supplement your Hohō and Zanjutsu lessons. They both have much to teach you."

Yoruichi watched as Byakuya turned to study Itachi. "Does her subordinate have a name?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Byakuya, this is my Eight Seat, Itachi Uchiha. Itachi, meet Byakuya Kuchiki."

Itachi politely inclined his head. "Nice to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise," said Byakuya, appearing to calm down a bit as he regarded him curiously, "Given Captain Shihōin's reputation for proficiency in Hohō, I can only assume that you're the one who is going to be supplementing my Zanjutsu lessons. Please do not take this as a token of disrespect, but what would a Soul Reaper only at the rank of Eighth Seat have to teach me on that?"

Itachi gave the young noble a relaxed smile. "More than you might think. Rank is not everything, young Byakuya."

"Well spoken," said Ginrei as he knelt down to pick up a wooden practice sword before tossing it to Itachi, "In fact, why don't you give my grandson a little taste of what he can learn from you, Eighth Seat Uchiha?"

Itachi briefly examined the weapon before looking at the man who'd thrown it to him. "You wish for a practical demonstration?"

Ginrei gave a very small smirk as his gaze met Yoruichi's. "Well, your Captain did promise me a show, as I recall. I've already seen her run circles around Byakuya in the past, and I look forward to seeing her do so again, but I'm quite interested in seeing how my grandson contends with you at the moment."

Yoruichi gave Itachi a playful shove forward. "You heard the man. Hop to it, Itachi!"

"Putting me on the spot, hm?" Itachi remarked, and Yoruichi was pleased to see a glimmer of amusement in his onyx eyes, "Well, if my Captain insists."

Yoruichi hopped back to join Ginrei on the porch. "She very much does."

Squaring off with Byakuya, Itachi took a basic ready stance and waited for his opponent to do the same. Yoruichi saw the young noble's eyes narrow, and his frame tensed.

He might have dismissed Itachi as just an Eighth Seat earlier, she thought, but at least he looks like he's taking him seriously here.

The two Captains sat down on the porch to observe, with Yoruichi turning to her colleague. "You want to do the honors, or should I?"

"As the head of the household, I think it's only right that I should," Ginrei replied as he raised his right arm, "Are you two ready?"

Their only response was a brief nod, so Ginrei didn't waste any time. "Very well, then. Three… two… one… begin!"

The instant Ginrei's arm dropped, Byakuya rushed forward. The boy was fast, though not as fast as Itachi. Yoruichi knew that her Eighth Seat could've taken the lead easily enough, but from the way he carefully fell back under Byakuya's opening assault, it was clear that Itachi wanted to take the measure of his new pupil's abilities before making a move of his own.

Assessing the young noble's form, Yoruichi could not help but be impressed. His style was very much that of the classic Kuchiki technique, balancing precision and speed with disciplined footwork and carefully applied strength. Were the boy a student at the Academy, his Zanjutsu alone would be enough to place him in the advanced track.

He's going to be something else entirely when Itachi and I are through with him, Yoruichi mused, I imagine the Academy instructors won't know what hit them.

As Byakuya continued to press Itachi, Yoruichi saw Ginrei stroke his mustache while evaluating the performance. "Just like when I sparred against him; an efficient and measured defense to keep his opponent from landing any decisive blows while analyzing their technique. I've seen Lieutenants with less control and discipline. You've done quite well with him, Captain Shihōin."

Yoruichi could feel herself beaming with pride now. "Can't take all the credit there, Captain Kuchiki. Itachi's honed his swordsmanship with me in plenty of sparring matches, but that technique's entirely his own."

Continuing to hammer away at his foe's defenses, Byakuya was clearly growing impatient. "Is this all that Captain Shihōin's Eighth Seat has to offer? If you're only going to defend, why bother with this contest?"

Itachi shook his head as he casually deflected Byakuya's strikes. "If you're asking that question, then you must be less skilled than I was led to believe. How disappointing."

Byakuya's brow twitched in irritation, and he redoubled his efforts. Yoruichi resisted the urge to smirk as she watched the boy put greater power and speed into his blows, unwittingly sacrificing efficiency and precision in the process. Surreptitiously glancing at her colleague, she saw Ginrei's brow furrow slightly; he could see his grandson's mistake just as well as Yoruichi did.

The flow of the fight took the two combatants across the yard, with Itachi constantly adjusting the angle of his retreat so that he couldn't be backed into a corner. Byakuya's aggression only continued to intensify, but Itachi was completely unphased by it. The path of the duel soon began angling towards a pond with several Koi idling just below its calm surface, and it was all Yoruichi could do to keep a straight face as she realized just what Itachi had in mind.

I might've given him some inspiration with that little tale from before, she thought with giddy anticipation, Oh, this is going to be good!

Byakuya furiously pressed the assault, blissfully ignorant of the fact that he'd already made a fatal blunder. Soon he had Itachi pushed back to the rim of the pond, and that was where the former Shinobi made his move. As Byakuya thrust his wooden sword forward in an effort to nail his foe in the gut and knock him backwards into the pond, Itachi smoothly stepped to the side. Evading the blow altogether, he pivoted with fluid grace, adding centrifugal to the counterattack that he unleashed against his overextended opponent. The ensuing blow landed square in the middle of Byakuya's back, sending the boy stumbling and falling headfirst into the pond.

Yoruichi burst out in laughter as Byakuya resurfaced a moment later and frantically scrambled out of the pond. "Perfect! Nice one, Itachi!"

Even the normally reserved Ginrei failed to suppress a light chuckle. "I asked for a show, and I have received. Let it not be said that Squad Two's officers don't know how to entertain."

Lowering his practice sword, Itachi gave the soaking youth an amused smile. "You're hotheaded, Byakuya. I felt you could use an opportunity to cool off a bit. Did that help?"

Byakuya glared daggers at him as he wrung water from his hair and clothes. "I was wrong about you. You're as fiendish as that witch Captain of yours!"

"I'll take that as a compliment," Itachi replied, "Squad Two doesn't fight in as direct a manner as you're accustomed to, Byakuya. If you want to grow into a truly formidable Soul Reaper, you will need to learn to do the same. Luckily for you, that's why your grandfather asked Captain Shihōin and I to aid in your instruction. Consider that match your first lesson."

Byakuya was more than a little skeptical, but he was at least calming down enough to give the matter proper consideration. "What exactly am I supposed to take away from that match?"

Itachi met the question with one of his own. "What was your plan to defeat me?"

"I asked a question first," Byakuya shot back in agitation.

"And I will answer it when you answer mine," Itachi calmly countered, "Your strategy; what was it? Did you even have one?"

Byakuya took a deep breath to regain his composure. "I wanted to back you into a corner and overwhelm your defense, but you made that difficult. Once you started retreating in the direction of the pond, though, I thought I could use that to my advantage."

Itachi nodded. "Not a bad idea, but you didn't think it through fully. Had you not allowed my barb earlier in the fight to get under your skin, you might have recognized that my 'retreat' had purpose."

Yoruichi saw Byakuya's eyes widen as he finally put the pieces together. "You insulted me to rile me up, then you took the fight in the direction that best suited your needs. I thought I was driving you back, but it was the other way around; you were maneuvering me into a suitable position for you to quickly finish the fight."

Itachi smiled again, this time in approval. "Very good. That's your takeaway here; do not allow yourself to become flustered by your opponent. The moment you lose your cool head and begin acting out of frustration, you hand the advantage to your enemy. It doesn't matter if you have that enemy on the defensive. A calm defensive fighter has a better chance of defeating an impassioned aggressive fighter rather than the other way around, because the latter has tunnel-visioned in on the former to the exclusion of all other considerations. In your desire to drive me into the pond as punishment for my earlier insult, you completely neglected the possibility that I wanted our duel to take us there. A feigned retreat can be far more dangerous than a powerful offensive."

Yoruichi was pleasantly surprised to see Byakuya incline his head in newfound respect. "I will remember that. Thank you for the lesson, Eighth Seat Uchiha."

"That's only your first one," said Itachi as he turned to Yoruichi, "Care to help me with the next?"

Yoruichi grinned as she stood up and grabbed a practice sword that was laying nearby. "Sure thing! What do you have in mind?"

"Two on one," Itachi replied as he studied their student, "I want to test how your defenses fare when you're confronted with attacks from multiple fronts."

Byakuya looked askance at Yoruichi as she drew near. "Me against you and Captain Shihōin? That hardly seems fair."

"That's because it isn't," Itachi remarked, "When you eventually go out into the field and face Hollows, do you think they'll grant you the luxury of a fair fight? Better you start learning how to survive when the odds are stacked against you now than when it's too late."

Yoruichi gave Byakuya a faux-innocent smile. "Don't worry, Byakuya; I won't go after your little hair tie this time!"

"I'm so glad to hear that," Byakuya deadpanned as he raised his weapon.

Yoruichi and Itachi did the same, with them and their student both turning to Captain Kuchiki. The venerable noble raised his right hand again and began his countdown. When it reached its conclusion a few moments later, the two Soul Reapers pounced upon their pupil, and the song of clashing wooden swords filled the yard again.

….

The sun was beginning to dip down in the west by the time Itachi and Yoruichi finished the day's session with their pupil. They'd spent more time practicing with Byakuya than Itachi had anticipated, but both him and his Captain had wanted to get a good grasp of the boy's abilities today in order to better plan out future lessons, and that meant being thorough with their initial exercises. Fortunately, the young noble had proven to have stamina to spare, although the Kuchiki Clan's future heir was definitely winded now.

Itachi watched as Yoruichi gave Byakuya hearty pat on the back that nearly sent the tired youth tumbling to the ground. "Good hustle today, Little Byakuya! Consider this a warmup for what we've got in store for you next time."

"You… fiend," Byakuya gasped as he struggled to stay upright, "Were you… trying to… make me pass out earlier?"

"Wouldn't be much of a lesson if you did," Yoruichi replied with a devious smirk, "If you're that much of a glutton for punishment, though, we can go through one more Shunpo exercise. I'm game if you are!"

For all his efforts to retain some semblance of aristocratic bearing, Byakuya could not hide his dread, and he cast a desperate look at Itachi. "I couldn't… I'd drop after the first Flash Step…"

Itachi glanced at Ginrei first, but the elder Kuchiki was impassive. He saw Yoruichi look at him; the ball was in his court. Studying Byakuya for a moment, the choice Itachi faced was quite clear.

He shook his head and placed a reassuring hand on the young noble's shoulder. "I think that's enough for now. We have a good baseline for your current levels of endurance and skill, and we can build upon those in future sessions."

Byakuya loosed a sigh of relief, yet there seemed to be just the slightest hint of disappointment as well. "Thank you. Although… I was hoping for a little more advice on my swordsmanship. Perhaps one more demonstration of your technique that I might observe?"

Itachi definitely had the energy for that, but he and Yoruichi had already spent enough time at the Kuchiki Clan's estate for one day. Both had their own matters to attend to back at Squad Two's barracks in preparation for the next day's duties. Still, it was heartening for Itachi to see that Byakuya had gone from skeptical noble clan princeling to eager student over the course of a single day's session. Seeing the boy's eyes gleam with that hunger to learn despite his exhaustion, Itachi's mind harkened back to innocent days long past. Looking at Byakuya, it was far too easy for Itachi to see another face altogether; that of his little brother.

Aware that Yoruichi was looking on with a knowing smile, Itachi gestured for Byakuya to approach. As the young man did so, Itachi raised his right hand…

…and gave Byakuya a light poke to the forehead.

"Next time, Byakuya," Itachi said with a smile.

….

A few weeks later…

"Are you sure my form is correct?" asked one of the girls Neji was working with, a lithe and pale beauty with short scarlet hair and sparking blue eyes by the name of Constance Moreau, batting her eyelashes at the supposedly blind young man who was helping her, "Could you perhaps check one more time? I'm still not confident that I have it right, Monsieur Hyūga."

Beneath the black band, Neji resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He suspected he knew what the girl really wanted, but he couldn't deny her request without potentially tipping her off to the fact that he wasn't as blind as he pretended to be. So, without fuss, he gently ran his hands up and down her frame, taking care to keep his inspection modest. Of course, despite his best efforts, he still elicited a giggle from Constance and several more from the other girls who had become part of his informal Hakuda study group. Beyond them, Neji didn't need the Byakugan to sense the jealous glares coming from many of the class's male students.

I imagine that Jiraiya would be more than a little amused to see me now, he mused, I wonder if he'd be using this to help his 'research'. It's definitely for the best that he wasn't born a member of the Hyūga Clan. He's definitely the sort that would use the Byakugan for lurid pursuits…

Neji wouldn't have thought that a 'blind' student would become as popular as he had over the course of his first year at Shin'ō Academy. If nothing else, he'd expected the students to all be in fierce competition with each other, especially those in the advanced track, and that a student with any sort of disability would be seen as an easy target. He supposed that his performance in the entrance exams had helped establish amongst the students of his year that he wasn't to be trifled with, and word had gotten around quickly enough once classes had commenced regarding his abilities that older students tended to give him a wide berth. If anything, the hardest part of getting into the Academy had been coming up with a plausible excuse for how he could read the words on the written portion of the exam without assistance. The justification Neji had used was the one Shikaku had supplied before the start of his mission; that he could feel the texture of the ink on the paper enough to discern the words. That was actually somewhat true, albeit still definitely a stretch, and he'd been concerned that his fellow students and the exam proctor, which this year had been Captain Hirako of Squad Five, wouldn't buy it. Indeed, he'd sensed that Captain Hirako had been more than a little skeptical as he'd observed Neji during the exams, but the Soul Reaper had ultimately raised no objections.

It hadn't taken him too long to settle into his new life. For the first few days, Neji had found himself a bit homesick, but that had quickly passed as he dived into his courses. He'd thought that he already understood quite a bit when it came to using spirit energy in the place of chakra thanks to both his travels and the time period he'd spent serving the afterlife's Hidden Leaf Village, or 'Soul Konoha' as some of its residents had taken to calling it, but as his classes commenced in earnest Neji quickly realized that he'd only been scratching the surface of what he was truly capable of. In the span of just his first year as a student, he'd already sensed a marked improvement in his abilities, and he still had so much more to learn.

Naturally, given his area of expertise when he'd been alive, Hakuda had swiftly become the subject he got the highest marks in. It had been fun in those early sessions to handily defeat those students who thought they could bully him because of his supposed disability, and now the only challenges he got were from those who genuinely respected his abilities and wanted to test themselves against him. His growth had been so rapid that the instructor had soon all but given up on trying to teach him directly, perhaps sensing that he had little to offer the gifted pupil. Instead, Neji had informally become something of an assistant to the instructor, helping his fellow students iron out the flaws in their own techniques while working to polish his own in private. Of course, given that he had to maintain his cover as a blind man, his assistance by necessity came with a literal personal touch, and many of the class's female students had quite quickly gravitated towards him with what Neji suspected were intentions to do much more than simply refine their techniques in Hakuda.

"Constance, don't hog him all to yourself!" pouted the slender Xiuying Zhang as she elbowed her way in, a pixyish glimmer in her deep brown eyes, "Neji, I need some help too!"

Neji couldn't help but chuckle as he turned to her; her somewhat childish personality combined how she had her brown hair styled, held up with a pair of buns towards the back, had always made him think of Xiuying as an immature version of Tenten. "No need to fuss, Xiuying. I think Constance can manage on her own for the time being. Take your stance, and we'll see what needs work today."

The fair-skinned girl smiled as she assumed the stance the instructor had them practicing today, and Neji caught more than a hint of a blush on her face as he began guiding his hands along her right arm. Her form actually wasn't all that far off the mark, and Neji suspected the 'imperfections' he might find today would be of her own design as she competed with her classmates for his attention.

"Raise your right arm just a bit," he said as he stopped his hand at her elbow.

"Like this?" she asked as she lifted it up well past where it needed to be; Neji was completely convinced that had been on purpose.

He shook his head and nudged her arm down to the proper elevation. "Not quite. Here. This way, you're better set to execute the blocks that the instructor wants us to perform. You see? Your range of movement with the arm at this position is much better than how you had it earlier."

"Ooh!" the young woman exclaimed, commendably with only a hint of exaggeration, "So that's what we're going for here!"

"That's just with this arm," Neji gently admonished her as he resumed his examination, "We still need to make sure the rest of your form is up to standard."

Xiuying giggled as he worked his way down, although she seemed almost disappointed with his efforts to minimize contact in certain areas. "Well, I'm sure it'll be when you're through with me! Don't rush it. I want to make sure I get it right."

I'm sure, Neji thought as he fought to keep his amusement in check, I wonder… is this how Sasuke felt, always being hounded by the girls of the village? Perhaps part of why he went rogue was simply to get some space. For that much, at least, I find it hard to blame him.

Methinks my Soul Reaper protests too much, echoed a male voice in his mind, I can tell that you're enjoying this, despite whatever arguments you might make to the contrary.

It took some effort for Neji to continue as if he'd heard nothing. The spirit of his Zanpakutō had only started communicating with him within the past month, and it was still more than a little jarring to suddenly hear another voice in his own head. Jiraiya had briefly mentioned it to Neji before the Academy entrance exams as something that he needed to brace for, but Neji still hadn't been completely prepared for it. Then again, how was anyone supposed to properly prepare for sharing their own mind with another being, even if said being was technically just an aspect of themselves?

He had to resist the urge to look down at his Zanpakutō. That would've been a giveaway to his fellow students that something was up, and he'd already attracted far too much at it was. They'd already seen how his sword had changed from the bland Asauchi that he'd been issued at the entrance ceremony to a slightly shorter weapon, one with dark green hilt-wrapping and a white circular guard. If one looked closer at the guard, they would notice multiple engravings of a strange cross-like symbol, one that Neji knew all too well; it mirrored the mark of the main Hyūga Clan family's curse jutsu that had once been emblazoned upon his forehead. Thankfully, Neji hadn't been forced to carry that curse into the afterlife, but having the same marking upon his sword was an unwanted reminder of part of his past that he wanted to put behind him.

Perhaps the distaste he felt for the markings upon his sword helped to explain why his Zanjutsu didn't quite measure up to his Hakuda. Neji wasn't a sub-par swordsman by any means; he'd already proven himself more than capable of keeping up with his peers in their Zanjutsu lessons. The weapon's change once the spirit of his Zanpakutō had first made contact with him actually made things easier in that the shorter length of the weapon played well with Neji's particular fighting style. Nevertheless, the presence of the Hyūga Clan's curse seal mark upon the guard did make Neji reluctant to rely upon the weapon, and he suspected it would also make it difficult for him to properly bond with the spirit of his sword.

Fortunately, Zanjutsu was only one aspect his training, and the only one apart from Konsō that actually required the use of his sword. He didn't have to think about the weapon when he was practicing Hakuda, Kidō or Hohō, and he was doing much better in those subjects as a result. He'd always been quick on his feet, and his proficiency in Shunpo and other Hohō arts was coming along well as a result. As for Kidō, the art of casting spells was something new for Neji, especially since he'd focused on taijutsu when he'd been alive as opposed to ninjutsu. The spells used by Soul Reapers were a new challenge for Neji, but one that he'd come to enjoy, and he had a special advantage in tackling it; the Byakugan. Being able to covertly observe the flow of energy through his own body with such exactitude meant that he could make adjustments and fine-tune the expenditure of power at a much quicker pace than his classmates. He had to be careful so as to not draw undue attention from the instructor or his peers, and his proficiency in Kidō wasn't at the same level as where he was with Hakuda, but he was pleased with the progress he'd made so far and knew that he was only just getting started.

Barrier spells are what we've been focusing on this week, he mused absently, I've always counted more on evasion or the Eight Trigrams techniques to deal with incoming attacks rather than more complex shields, but it's a good tool to have in one's arsenal. If I can achieve greater proficiency with barriers, I'll be able to eliminate a key weakness… and hopefully avoid a repeat of what brought me to the Soul Society in the first place.

"Uhm, Neji?" said Xiuying, "You stopped… is something wrong? What do I need to fix?"

Neji shook his head, mentally berating himself for becoming distracted by his own thoughts. "It's nothing. Your form's good. Just practice this stance until it becomes instinct."

Xiuying nodded, though the look in her eyes seemed one of genuine worry. "I will. Still… if there's something bothering you, you know you can talk to any of us, right?"

"We know that we put a lot on you, Monsieur Hyūga," Constance added, "and we're not ungrateful. If you have troubles, or even if you just need some space, you need only tell us. The least we can do is listen."

Neji had to smile; it was good to know that they really did care about more than just his looks. "I appreciate the concern, but you needn't worry. I just had a few little things on my mind. Nothing worth troubling yourselves over."

He continued helping his informal study group for a little longer before breaking off to practice by himself. They were well into today's Hakuda class now, which meant that the time would soon come for the daily challenges. It had been quite some time since any student had called Neji out, but he always made sure to prepare just in case that changed. He went through a series of open palm strikes and blocks, ones that he'd long ago drilled into his body so that they could be performed by instinct alone. Neji refused to use the Byakugan against his fellow students in any of the challenge matches; it felt like cheating, even though theoretically he was supposed to be the student with the handicap in class. He could see just fine thanks to how expertly the 'blindfold' he wore had been crafted, and he had even begun challenging himself by keeping his eyes closed and relying on his other senses to the exclusion of sight. It was important to reinforce his cover as much as possible, and the more pretending to be blind became instinctual, the easier it would be for Neji to maintain the ruse.

Besides, he thought as he continued his drills, if an enemy believes I'm blind, then my sight becomes a valuable ace in the hole.

It was thanks in no small part to those efforts to hone his other senses that his ability to detect the spirit energy of others had improved dramatically over the course of his first Academy year, and it was what allowed Neji to pick up on a powerful presence approaching their classroom. While keeping up his exercises, he angled himself so that his head would be facing the door, and the presence he'd sensed entered the room a moment later. As it turned out, the visitor was a familiar face; Yoruichi Shihōin.

The first time Neji had seen Squad Two's Captain, it had been in the immediate aftermath of the entrance exams. His stellar performance had won him a meeting with a few Captains and Lieutenants who had decided to check out the scores for the new students, something he learned was a tradition for them. Yoruichi had been among them, and Neji had suspected that she'd been there specifically for him. The way she'd studied him and met his supposedly blind gaze immediately told him that his ruse hadn't fooled her in the least. In fact, he was almost certain that she'd known about it ahead of time.

Neji could only assume that Jiraiya had told her. Either that, or he'd informed Itachi who had in turn passed the information along to her. Normally, Neji would be incensed by such a betrayal of trust from the Legendary Sannin, but the fact that there had been no action by Academy faculty or Soul Reapers indicated that the knowledge of the Byakugan had not spread. Neji had been puzzled by this for a while, and eventually he came to the conclusion that Squad Two's Captain was familiar with more than just the Hyūga Clan's Kekkei Genkai. She had multiple Uchiha in her unit's ranks, and if knowledge of Neji's eyes gave her no cause for alarm, then it was only logical to assume that she was comfortable with it because she knew of the Sharingan as well.

He furtively watched as the instructor went over to greet her. She wasn't the first Captain who had stopped in to observe one of Neji's classes, but the way her gaze immediately locked onto him suggested that she was here for more than just to watch prospective recruits. Indeed, mere seconds after exchanging pleasantries with the instructor, she followed him towards Neji. Bringing his current sequence of palm strikes to an end, he turned and bowed in greeting.

"Neji, Captain Shihōin is here for you," said the instructor.

Neji inclined his head. "What can I do for you, Captain?"

Yoruichi smiled. "I need you to come with me."

Beneath the blindfold, Neji raised an eyebrow. "Have I done something wrong?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Nothing of the sort. Consider this an extracurricular activity of sorts, one that'll be far more exciting than lectures and sparring. You'll be missing the rest of today's classes, and perhaps tomorrow's as well. Don't worry; I've already cleared this with your instructors."

The instructor nodded, though he seemed rather flustered; whatever Yoruichi had in mind for Neji, it didn't seem to meet with his approval. "There will be no problems, although I must stress how irregular this is. Advanced track students can get special assignments, yes, but for one in the first year…"

Neji was more intrigued now than ever. "Special assignment? What's going on?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Yoruichi answered with a slightly devious grin, "Come on, we've got work to do!"

"Captain Shihōin, I really must protest this," the instructor interjected, "This almost entirely without precedent! More to the point, it's asking too much of a new student, regardless of how talented he is."

Yoruichi folded her arms. "Need I remind you that this has already been cleared with the Head Captain? Your concerns are noted, but they've already been taken into account. If you're going to delay this further, you'll be impeding official business of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. You're aware of how the Head Captain typically responds to that sort of thing, yes?"

The instructor gulped nervously, with a significant portion of the color draining from his face. "I am, yes."

"Good," said Yoruichi as she gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, "Then you'll let Neji and I be on our merry way?"

The instructor nodded quickly. "I will. Best of luck to you, Neji. I look forward to your return."

Every student in the class was gawking at the two of them as Neji followed Yoruichi out of the Hakuda training hall, and the former Shinobi could hardly blame them. He didn't have the slightest clue as to what he was being pulled into, and now he could only go with the flow.

"Sorry to catch you in the middle of class like that," said Yoruichi as the two of them quickly made their way across the Academy grounds towards the exit, "I meant to grab you during your lunch break so we could make less of a scene, but I wound up leaving the barracks later than I'd originally planned. Intelligence briefings can run long sometimes, unfortunately; that's just part of the job."

Neji's mind raced as he tried to piece together what limited information he had. "You mentioned a special assignment earlier. Are you actually taking me into the field?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Hey, Jiraiya was right; you are quick on the uptake! Great, that'll make this much easier."

Neji was puzzled. "Jiraiya's involved in this? I thought he wasn't part of Squad Two."

"He's not," Yoruichi confirmed, "but Captain Kyōraku's lending him to me for this mission."

"Why would you need outside personnel?" asked Neji as she led him down the streets of the Seireitei, "Squad Two's not short-staffed, is it?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Hardly. Let's just say that I require personnel with very particular skills and backgrounds for this assignment. Won't say more until the mission briefing starts, so don't bother asking."

Taking that as his cue to shut up, Neji followed Yoruichi in silence. The Captain set a brisk pace, though Neji supposed it was probably slow for one whose unofficial title was that of Flash Goddess. That was naturally due to necessity; Neji's Hohō lessons were coming along quite well, but his proficiency in Shunpo was only that of a gifted student. There'd be no way in hell he could keep pace with Yoruichi as he was now if she really decided to rush their trip.

It was the first time he'd really gotten a chance to check out the Seireitei since beginning his Soul Reaper training. Like most of the Academy students, Neji didn't leave the campus much. The facilities provided everything one needed for both educational and living needs, and with the exception of those descended from noble families, most students weren't allowed to venture out and explore the Seireitei. There were some occasional tours, but those were strictly extracurricular activities and only hosted by students with aristocratic backgrounds that were both generous and willing to grease the wheels with the Academy faculty. As he'd been devoting much of his free time to either training or making use of the campus library to enhance his knowledge of the Soul Society, Neji hadn't partaken in any of those tours despite receiving his share of invitations.

Perhaps it's poor form for a spy to turn down such invitations, he mused, but I'd rather focus on honing my own skills for the time being. Besides, Commander Nara gave me quite a bit of freedom with how I go about my assignment, and he's not expecting my first report for some time yet.

It was actually quite easy for Neji to forget that he was a spy. He'd quickly found himself getting lost in his studies and taking in all that the Academy had to offer. In some ways, it reminded him of the education he and his fellow Shinobi had shared in their formative years, yet Shin'ō Academy put the school in the Leaf Village to shame in so many ways. The curriculum was structured with a particular focus just like the Shinobi Academy had been, yes, but there was also much greater freedom for students to explore their talents and find just what they truly had an aptitude for. While the instructors were primarily focused on turning their students into prospective Soul Reapers, they made sure to point out that alternative and perfectly viable paths were available in the form of the Kidō Corps and Stealth Force. Even if a student preferred to focus on the Soul Reaper's path, the instructors took efforts to identify individuals who might be suited to taking on a particular role, whether it be as a direct combatant fit for Squad Eleven, a healer in Squad Four, and everything in between.

Shin'ō Academy was superior to Neji's last school in more than just curriculum and faculty; the resources available to students in the afterlife had the Leaf Village Shinobi Academy completely beat. The library on campus alone was impressive, a comprehensive collection of not just supplemental texts meant to guide Soul Reapers in their education but also literature from both the Soul Society itself and several Realms of the Living. There were biographies and historical texts, scientific treatises, the assembled works of various playwrights, geographical studies and maps beyond measure, and so much more. Neji had never considered himself a particularly bookish sort, having preferred in the past to focus on developing his physical conditioning and visual prowess, but now he found it all too easy to just lose himself in the library, burying his head in all manner of works.

When he wasn't getting caught up in a particularly interesting text, the Academy had other diversions to offer. Training halls were made available outside of scheduled class time so that students could hone whatever skills they wished, and the spacious campus grounds also lent themselves well to such pursuits if one preferred to practice outdoors. Outside of that, there was an assortment of student clubs, each of which was granted an official budget from the Academy. Neji had yet to join any, but a few had caught his eye, especially the Hakuda Club. A few of its members had already attempted to scout him, and while he'd demurred thus far, he was tempted to sign on. With Neji's first Academy year now under his belt, perhaps it was time to branch out a bit more since he had become well acclimated to his new living circumstances.

Well, acclimated to the Academy, at least; the Seireitei itself was another beast entirely. Perhaps it wasn't as vast as the sprawling Rukon District, but its twisting maze of streets and side alleys could be quite disorienting to the uninitiated. Neji was quite grateful that he had as experienced a guide as Yoruichi to lead him to the Squad Two barracks, otherwise he would've gotten lost several times over by now. Passing both Soul Reapers and the civilian inhabitants of the Seireitei, Neji found himself the subject of many curious looks, and he had to fight his instincts to look back in order to maintain his cover. He supposed he couldn't blame his onlookers; after all, how often did one see a mere student in the company of a Captain?

Eventually, they reached the barracks. They passed through the empty central training yard, which Neji assumed meant that most of the unit's Soul Reapers were out performing their daily duties. Following Yoruichi through the complex, Neji only found a handful of Soul Reapers and members of the Stealth Force going about miscellaneous errands and, unlike those they'd passed out in the Seireitei streets, these individuals didn't even give them a second glance. Neji considered that they were probably accustomed to their Captain bringing unusual guests to the barracks.

They came to a stop before a sliding door, with Yoruichi turning to Neji. "Before we go inside, I need something from you."

"What would that be?" asked Neji.

"Your word that you're not going to pick a fight," Yoruichi replied, her eyes narrowing, "I know your village's history, Neji Hyūga. I know that one of my subordinates is a man that your Realm of the Living viewed as a criminal and one of your homeland's worst traitors."

There was no need for names here; they both knew who she was referring to, and Neji didn't mince words. "You know who he is and what he's done, yet you still employ him in your unit. Why?"

Yoruichi sighed. "I could give you the standard answer of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; that who you were before death means nothing in the Soul Society. That wouldn't be good enough for you, though. It's not my place to tell you the truth about what really happened; that's for him alone to decide. So, for now, I'll only say that you don't have the whole picture. Consider that in your interactions with him going forward."

"And if I don't?" Neji challenged, "If I find his past crimes to be too heinous to ignore?"

"Then you'll be off this assignment and back at the Academy before you can blink," Yoruichi casually answered, "Your future as a Soul Reaper will also be called into question. Us Captains expect the Soul Reapers under our command to be able to put grievances and grudges aside and carry out their duties accordingly. If you prove yourself incapable of doing that, then you may find it difficult to join our ranks. A word from me to the right ears can either propel your career forward or end it before it even begins. Given that you're here for more than just to become a Soul Reaper, you'd do well to weigh your next actions carefully."

There was no doubt about it now; the Captain knew that Neji was in the Seireitei as a spy. The fact that she hadn't already thrown his ass out of the Academy and Seireitei despite commanding the Soul Society's equivalent of the ANBU Black Ops undoubtedly meant that she saw a way to use his situation to the advantage of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads and was thus willing to give him a chance, but the underlying message was impossible to miss. The moment Neji gave Yoruichi cause to act, she would, and she'd do so decisively.

Neji had no choice but to acquiesce. "I understand. I won't cause trouble, and I won't let my personal feelings regarding your subordinate interfere with the mission. You have my word."

Yoruichi smiled as if they'd been discussing something as trivial as a sporting event. "Excellent! Oh, and there'll be no need for the blindfold once we get inside. Everyone who will be in that room knows that the Uchihas aren't the only ones from your Realm of the Living with particularly sharp eyes, if you take my meaning."

Neji sighed. "I do. I know some people who won't be pleased to hear that, though."

Yoruichi shrugged. "That's their problem, not mine. Come on, we've dawdled long enough already."

She slid the door open and stepped inside. Neji followed her, removing his blindfold as Yoruichi shut the door. Seated on cushions around a long and low table waiting for them were seven individuals, some of whom Neji recognized. One, of course, was Jiraiya, who gave him a friendly smile by way of greeting. Others he knew more by distant acquaintance, in this case being both Mikoto and Shisui Uchiha. The two of them smiled and nodded politely, while the third Uchiha in the room simply inclined his head and studied him intently. Neji bristled slightly as his gaze met that of Itachi Uchiha, and despite his promise to Yoruichi he had to work quite hard to fight his instincts. The face of the former Akatsuki member was impossible to read; whatever Itachi's thoughts on the current situation were, he wouldn't be cluing anyone in anytime soon. The last three faces were a bit more difficult to place. One was that of a black-haired woman who wore the garb of the Stealth Force, while the other was a young lady with silver-blonde hair and violet eyes. It took Neji a moment to place her features; he'd seen three members of the Drakken Clan at the Academy, although they were all in the fourth year of their training. This must've been the daughter that so many rumors swirled around, the one who had snubbed her Great Noble House by joining the unit most closely associated with the family's prominent aristocratic rival. As for the third, they were a rather pale man with somewhat messy blond hair. He didn't look like much, but Neji suspected that there was more to him than his rather disheveled appearance might initially suggest.

The introductions given by Yoruichi confirmed Neji's guess a moment later. "Neji Hyūga, these are some of my subordinates. Fourteenth Seat Mikoto Uchiha, Tenth Seat Visaelya Drakken, Eighth Seat Itachi Uchiha, Seventh Seat Shisui Uchiha, Third Seat Kisuke Urahara, and Soi-Fon, head of my personal guard and member of the Stealth Force's Executive Militia. I understand you're already well-acquainted with Squad Eight's Tenth Seat Jiraiya."

"I am," Neji confirmed as he bowed in greeting, "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Jiraiya grinned. "Good to see you again, Neji! How's Academy life treating you?"

"Well enough so far," Neji answered as he took a cushion that Yoruichi had gestured at, "It's been an interesting experience."

Shisui smiled. "That's certainly one way to put it. Make the most of your time there. Trust me; your student days will go by all too quickly."

Neji inclined his head. "I will take your words to heart."

"Try to have some fun while you're there," Mikoto added, her gaze radiating warmth as she looked at him, "Your studies are important, but don't forget to take some time for yourself. Make friends and discover new interests, and your time in the Academy will be all the more enjoyable."

Neji couldn't help but smile; the motherly concern she extended to those beyond her family was undeniably touching. "I'll try my best to do so. Thank you for the advice."

He couldn't help but be struck by just how surreal this was. Itachi had murdered his family, and there had been strong suspicions that Shisui's death had come at his hands as well, although nothing had ever been proven in that case. Yet here both Mikoto and Shisui were, sharing a table with Itachi and not looking the least bit concerned over it. It was an utterly baffling sight, one that prompted words that Neji had heard from Jiraiya a year ago to come to mind.

"Just keep your eyes open to possibilities that you hadn't considered before, and be prepared to reexamine what you thought you once knew. If Naruto could teach you that fate is not set in stone, then perhaps Itachi can teach you what you might do should you be confronted with an impossible choice."

Neji had been given plenty of time since then to ponder what the Legendary Sannin had told him back then, but he still didn't truly know what to make of it. One thing that seemed clear enough, though, was this; the way Shisui and Mikoto were acting now, completely comfortable being in the presence of the one who had slaughtered their clan and ended both their lives, suggested that Neji was definitely missing something. There was no ill-will evident in either of them, not a shred of discomfort or mistrust towards Itachi. They were at-ease with him, treating him as the beloved friend and family member he had been before he'd gone down the road of mass murder and treason.

None of this adds up, he thought as he cast a brief look towards Jiraiya, whose expression betrayed nothing, Jiraiya… what didn't you tell me? What information do I lack that's needed to make sense of this situation?

He noticed that Visaelya was studying him with unusual interest. "Can I help you with something, Tenth Seat Drakken?"

She blinked in surprise before shaking his head. "Oh, no. Forgive me for staring. My friends here had told me about your eyes beforehand, but… well, I suppose I was still unprepared to see them for myself. Almost pure white, yet you're really not blind… it's quite remarkable. And this is with your… Byakugan… active, correct?"

Neji nodded before looking at Jiraiya. "Correct. That's something that was supposed to remain under wraps."

Jiraiya met his gaze and did not back down. "And it will remain so. That being said, in order to convince Captain Shihōin to play along with the scheme that Shikaku had set up for you, compromises had to be made."

"Counterintelligence operations fall under the Stealth Force's purview," Yoruichi explained for Neji's benefit, "Even without Jiraiya, though, I would've already known about your eyes."

Neji turned to Itachi, and his eyes narrowed. "I suppose I have you to thank for that?"

Itachi simply nodded, not the least bit intimidated. "You do. I told Captain Shihōin about the Hyūga Clan's Kekkei Genkai quite some time ago. Years before your team ran into mine out in the Rukon District. The moment the Hyūga name would've popped up on the Academy's enrollment lists, the Stealth Force would've been aware; they help with security at the school."

"Luckily for you, I can be quite discreet should the need arise," said Yoruichi, "The secret of your eyes will remain just that, Neji."

"Just as you're keeping the Sharingan a secret from your superiors," Neji noted.

Yoruichi nodded. "Just so."

Neji cast another sharp look at Itachi. "I understand that your superiors would consider the power of the Sharingan to be a potential threat. What would happen if they learned of it?"

"The same thing that will happen should I inform them of the Byakugan," Yoruichi replied with a mirthless smile, "Surely Jiraiya's already told you what to expect. You don't need me to elaborate, do you?"

The veiled threat was all too clear, and Neji knew it was time to drop the matter. "No, I don't."

"Good," said Yoruichi as she looked around the table, "Let's get down to business then, shall we?"

She nodded at Soi-Fon, who handed her two small books. Based on the wear and tear on the covers, Neji guessed that they were most likely field journals used by scouts to quickly take notes or sketches while out in the field, and it turned out he wasn't far from the mark.

"Since the Thirteen Court Guard Squads has finite resources and manpower, that means we have to prioritize our focus on certain areas," Yoruichi began, "Defending the Soul Society itself and monitoring the most populous Realms of the Living tends to be where we concentrate our efforts, which means that Realms of the Living that aren't quite so heavily populated usually get only token scouting efforts, with perhaps the occasional resident officer Soul Reaper assigned to watch over things. For a very long time, the Realm of the Living that you know as the Shinobi World was one such place."

Squad Two's Captain then nodded at Itachi before continuing. "Since I had the great fortune of encountering some of its inhabitants and getting to know them, I've taken steps to improve our understanding of this particular Realm of the Living. Over the past several years, I've had members of the Stealth Force assigned to patrol it. Their mission has been to gather information on the world as a whole while also monitoring Hollow activity. During the course of those duties, they've made some rather interesting discoveries."

Yoruichi opened one of the books and flipped through a few pages before laying it on the table. "I want you all to take a look at this and tell me what stands out."

Neji and the others leaned forward, and his eyes narrowed as he studied the book. The open pages before them were dominated by two sketches, drawn with what in Neji's eyes appeared to have been a quick but surprisingly deft and detailed hand. The left page had a middle-aged woman that Neji, while he didn't know her personally, instantly realized was a member of the Inuzuka Clan. The large canine at her side was the most obvious giveaway, but there was more to it than that. She had the same triangular markings on her cheeks that Neji knew were commonplace amongst the members of that clan, along with the somewhat wild hairstyle that many of them seemed to prefer. Her garb, though, wasn't that of an Inuzuka Clan member that was serving as a Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village. Instead, she wore a set of rather plain-looking travel robes, while the belt was lined with pouches that Neji suspected housed traditional Shinobi implements like kunai and shurikens. The older man on the right page wore similar attire, though his dark goggles and the large beetle perched on his right hand identified him as a member of the Aburame Clan rather than the Inuzuka Clan. Both had a badge tied to their upper left arms with a rather strange symbol upon it; an unusually shaped skull with a pair of kunai crossed in front of it.

No, Neji thought as he realized his error, that's not a skull. It's a Hollow mask.

Neji saw Itachi's brow furrow as his gaze focused on the woman. "I've seen her face before."

Shisui nodded. "So have I. She was in our old Bingo Book. That's Manami Inuzuka. She was reported to have gone M.I.A. while on a scouting mission along the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain."

"It was about a year before your death," Itachi added as he looked at his old friend, "A few supposed sightings after her initial disappearance suggested she'd gone rogue, and a detainment order was placed on her. No one ever caught her to my knowledge, though."

Jiraiya scratched his chin as his gaze focused on the second sketch. "This guy… I remember him. His name's Tamotsu Aburame. He was back from my generation. Was supposedly K.I.A. during the last year of the Second Shinobi World War."

Itachi looked at Yoruichi. "Any other faces in here we might recognize?"

"You tell me," Yoruichi replied as she nodded at the book, "My operative took quite a few sketches."

Intrigued at where this might be going, Neji took it upon himself to flip to the next pages. Sure enough, there were two more figures, each garbed similarly to those on the previous pages. This time, Neji recognized one of the faces.

"This one," he said, pointing to the image on the left page of a young and rather plump woman, "She's Teruko Akimichi. One of Chōji's distant cousins, if I remember correctly. She went missing about a year before the Fourth Shinobi World War kicked off. I think her mission at the time involved dealing with some bandits that were causing trouble in the southeast of the Land of Fire. There were rumors going around that she'd actually joined them, but no one ever found proof and she pretty much just dropped off the face of the world."

Itachi's focus was on the sketch of a rugged-looking man with hair tied in a long ponytail on the right page. "That man… that's Yuu Yamanaka. He was working espionage in the Land of Wind back when I was a Chūnin. Eventually, he reportedly went silent. Rumors were flying that he'd either been captured and tortured or was about to be so and took his own life instead. Some thought he'd defected, but there was no supporting evidence to back those accusations. As far as we knew, he'd just vanished into the ether."

It went on like that for several minutes as they flipped through the sketchbook. Oftentimes, the faces recognized were those of former Leaf Village Shinobi that had supposedly suffered one mishap or another over the years. However, others turned out to be familiar faces for another reason; they were foreign Shinobi that had been marked in their Bingo Books under various threat classifications. All had one thing in common, though, whether native to the Land of Fire or otherwise.

They'd all vanished at some point in their careers without a trace.

And now, in this sketchbook, they were all shown to be wearing the same kind of robes and the same badge on their upper left arms.

When they'd finally gone through all the sketches, Mikoto shook her head in confusion. "All these Shinobi went missing at one point or another during our lives, supposedly K.I.A., M.I.A, gone rogue, or a combination of them. Yet now they're all being found by your scouts, and the badges they're wearing indicate that they're all part of some new organization."

"One that's involved with Hollows in one fashion or another," Visaelya noted, "That mask on the badge is a dead giveaway."

"Quite the interesting bunch here," Kisuke commented, "and that badge… I feel like I've seen something similar to it before. Can't quite place it, though."

"We're missing some context," said Itachi, turning to meet Yoruichi's gaze, "Are you able to help us fill in the blanks?"

Yoruichi inclined her head. "I can. According to the scouts I've had working this assignment over the years, all of the Shinobi you see in that book were able to see them."

Shisui's eyes widened somewhat at the implication. "In other words, they're Shinobi with more than just the typical blend of physical and spiritual energy composing their chakra going for them; they actually have greater amounts of spirit energy, perhaps to the point of using it separately from chakra. At least enough to be able to actually perceive souls."

"And likely to do a good deal more than that," Neji mused aloud, his gaze focusing on the badge, "The crossed kunai on the emblem… perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but I believe that whatever group they belong to is perhaps why the Shinobi World hasn't had a serious problem with Hollows before."

"You may be right," Itachi remarked before looking at Yoruichi again, "Is he?"

"In short, yes," Yoruichi confirmed, "My scouts have seen these Shinobi and others in action against Hollows. They use the tools of your old trade; kunai, shurikens, short swords and more, not to mention jutsus. Their spirit energy is channeled through whatever bladed weapon they're holding whenever they make a killing strike against a Hollow."

Neji saw Itachi's eyes suddenly narrow. "In that strike, is the Hollow cleansed… or obliterated?"

Neji blinked in confusion. "Why would that distinction matter?"

Visaelya sighed. "Have your instructors not gone over the Quincy yet?"

Neji shook his head. "There's been no mention of them in any of my classes, though I've heard the name before. Another Hollow-hunting faction of some sort, right?"

"An oversimplification," said Jiraiya, "though not entirely inaccurate."

"The Academy must've shuffled the curriculum around," Visaelya grumbled in apparent exasperation, "The Quincy were a topic that at least got an introduction in the first year back during our time in class. At the very minimum, we were told why the manner in which they fought Hollows was a problem."

Neji get what the issue was. "If they were dealing with Hollows, wouldn't that make them natural allies to Soul Reapers? I fail to see how them killing Hollows in a different manner than Soul Reapers would be a problem."

Soi-Fon gave him a sharp look. "What do you know about how Soul Reapers dispatch Hollows? Please tell me your Academy instructors have gone over that much at least."

Neji had the textbook answer practically memorized at this point. "When Soul Reapers slay a Hollow with their Zanpakutō, the sins that Hollow committed are cleansed and they're allowed to pass on. Whether the soul that the Hollow once was goes to the Soul Society or Hell depends on the actions that being took when they were alive."

Soi-Fon nodded. "Well, at least you know the basics. The problem boils down to this; Soul Reapers cleanse Hollows, while the Quincy destroy them. Can you see why that would be undesirable?"

Neji's blood chilled as he instantly grasped what she was getting at. "While Soul Reapers cleanse Hollows, they're still preserving the balance of souls because the soul of the Hollow passes on. If a soul is destroyed, though… well, one or two here and there might not mean much, but if an entire organization or culture were dedicated to hunting Hollows in that manner, they'd eventually have an impact on the balance. A calamitous one, if the Academy instructors are to be believed."

"Try apocalyptic instead, and you'll be more on the mark," Visaelya corrected him, "There's a very good reason why all Quincy were purged, and why the Thirteen Court Guard Squads keeps a sharp eye out for any who might slay Hollows in a similar manner."

"Captain Shihōin, what did your scouts find?" asked Mikoto, her tone more than a little nervous, "These Shinobi…"

Yoruichi smiled. "You all can rest easy on that front. I don't know exactly how they've done it, but when they strike Hollows down with their weapons, they've somehow managed to replicate the cleansing of a Zanpakutō. In fact, based on what my scouts were able to glean in conversations with these Shinobi, it seems they carefully refined their techniques with that end goal specifically in mind."

Jiraiya's head snapped back in surprise. "Wait, you mean the Stealth Force has actually made contact with them?"

Yoruichi nodded. "It took some doing, but eventually, yes. Both sides were quite wary, so for the first several years our interactions were really just mutual observation. After a good long while, I guess they finally decided that my scouts weren't a threat. My subordinates came to the same conclusion, and they managed to open up a dialogue. It'd be too soon to call them friends, but they're definitely not foes."

"Lucky for them," Kisuke remarked, "I'd hate for the Central Forty-Six to declare another extermination campaign. It'd be a damn waste."

"How do they factor into our mission?" asked Itachi.

"They're the ones that provided the intel for it," Yoruichi replied, "They actually reached out to one of my scouts who was patrolling out in the wilderness of the region you know as the Land of Fire. Turns out they got a rather nasty Hollow specimen on their hands, one that they've tried and failed repeatedly to deal with. Worse, it's been gathering help over the past few days, and it's gained a sizeable following."

Shisui's eyes narrowed. "We talking Menos Grande here?"

Yoruichi nodded. "The lead one's an Adjuchas, and now multiple Gillians are working under it. To make matters worse, this Adjuchas is rather unique in that it's using more than just the standard Hollow powers. It's got some nasty tricks up its sleeves. Well, more like up its arms, if you want to get technical about it."

Neji saw a dark look in Itachi's eyes. "Did your scouts catch sight of the beast and get any sketches?"

"Partially," Yoruichi answered, "One's working with these Shinobi now to track the target, but they haven't been able to safely do a sketch. However, these Hollow-hunting Shinobi were able to provide some sketches of their own. Not of the Adjuchas itself, but what it's been using whenever they've tried to fight it."

That was when she opened the second book, flipped through a few pages and laid it out on the table. She looked at Itachi, and her gaze became grim.

"I think you're going to recognize this one," Yoruichi said, "The way it uses these matches what you've told me about one of your past associates, Itachi."

Leaning forward with the others, Neji studied the new sketches intently. A chill went down his spine when he realized what he was looking at. The drawings at first glance appeared to be of animals. Some were of spiders, others of birds. However, these weren't lifelike depictions. Their forms were rounded, almost like cartoonish caricatures of the creatures in question. In fact, Neji knew that they weren't animals at all.

They were bombs.

Looking at Itachi, he saw the former Akatsuki member's brow furrow, and there was a glint in his onyx eyes; he too recognized just what they were looking at. "Detonating clay. This Adjuchas… it's Deidara."

"Who?" asked Visaelya.

Mikoto looked puzzled as well. "I don't recall ever hearing that name."

Jiraiya, on the other hand, let out a heavy sigh. "A member of the Akatsuki. One of their more destructive adherents, and that's saying quite a bit."

"The mad bomber of the group," Shisui added as he looked at his old friend, "You mentioned him to me before… he's the guy that committed suicide trying to kill Sasuke, right?"

"One and the same," Itachi confirmed, "He was also one of the Akatsuki members revived by Kabuto for the war."

"He was sealed, though," Neji pointed out, "All the revived Shinobi with the exception of Madara were sealed before I was killed in the fighting. Deidara would've suffered a soul fracture due to the reanimation jutsu, but once it was undone, the fragment of his soul that was brought to the Shinobi Realm of the Living should've gone back to join the rest of his soul in either the Soul Society or Hell. That's how it works, right?"

"That's how it should work," said Soi-Fon, "but it seems that's not how it worked here. I wonder why…"

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, his gaze was somber. "I have a theory. I'm not sure if it's accurate, but it fits the current evidence."

"Lay it out for us," Yoruichi prompted, "and we'll judge it on its merits."

Itachi nodded. "When Deidara died, he was fighting my little brother, but his true hatred was for me. I was part of the team that recruited him for the Akatsuki, and I had to fight him to get him to join the group. The clash was easy; I ensnared him in a genjutsu right off the bat. He's hated my guts ever since, and he would've tried to kill me if he thought he could pull it off and not arouse the wrath of the Akatsuki's leadership. Him trying to kill Sasuke was simply payback by proxy. I imagine that he died believing he had killed Sasuke, but since he still hadn't bested me, his soul probably couldn't pass on in peace. He must've lingered in our Realm of the Living."

Soi-Fon's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Yoruichi. "If he couldn't pass on, then it would've been just a matter of time before he became a Hollow. If he was resurrected after becoming a Hollow or sometime during the process… just what would've happened to him?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "I honestly don't know. That'd be something more appropriate to ask Captain Unohana, but I'm not sure if even she'd be able to provide a real answer. Still, depending on when the resurrection took place… he either could've been a sitting duck for Hollows, or already become one himself. A soul fracture under either of those conditions probably wouldn't do one's sanity any favors. That actually lines up with the reports I've gotten from the scouts; according to their Shinobi contacts, this particular Adjuchas has been unusually aggressive. It lashes out at the slightest provocation, letting fly with these clay bombs and devastating the land around it. The Ceros it unleashes are nothing to sneeze at, either. The resurrection and its aftermath… it might've driven Deidara insane."

"And he wasn't exactly a bastion of mental stability to begin with," Itachi grimly noted, "He believed that explosions were art, and that 'art' claimed many innocent lives. An Adjuchas with his powers is a monster that will unleash utter terror upon whatever Realm of the Living it's in. He needs to be put down for good."

Jiraiya nodded. "Agreed. Who knows what kind of damage he could do like this?"

Shisui had a puzzled look on his face. "Hold on a second… are we sure that Deidara would've suffered a soul fracture here? I thought those occurred when resurrection was performed on a soul that had already acclimated to the Soul Society. If Deidara never passed on to begin with, then wouldn't the reanimation jutsu have just taken his entire soul?"

"Not necessarily," Yoruichi replied, "Depending on how long after death he was resurrected, he could've still suffered one. He might not have passed on to the Soul Society, but if enough time had passed then his soul could still have adapted to life outside of a physical body. The shock of resurrection after a prolonged period of time wandering around as a spirit might have been enough to cause a soul fracture. Of course, that's just me guessing here. We'd really need to run this by Captain Unohana, and right now we don't have time for that."

"Wouldn't mind a chance to study this particular specimen up close and take some notes," Kisuke chimed in, "An Adjuchas using Shinobi techniques isn't something you see every day, after all. If he's really that dangerous, though, then I suppose in-depth research is off the table this time."

Neji nodded. "You said he's in the Land of Fire with a bunch of other Hollows right now. Are they just rampaging aimlessly, or do they have a target?"

"At first, we weren't entirely sure," Yoruichi answered, "They were initially just roaming the wilds, far away from any major settlements. That's changed recently, though, and it's become a problem. These Hollow-hunting Shinobi aren't strong enough to take down an Adjuchas, but they've been able to stall him and his little entourage so far. My scouts and a few of the Shinobi not engaged in the skirmishing itself took the time to plot out the trajectory based on previously observed movements and where earlier engagements had taken place. The pattern was a bit haphazard in the beginning, and it seems like Deidara himself didn't quite know where he was going. From what I've gathered, it sounds like he's not all 'there' in the head. However, this has been going on long enough that my scouts have been able to pinpoint a likely target. He's heading for the Leaf Village."

Itachi let out a heavy sigh. "I suspected as much. Since Sasuke survived Deidara's so-called 'ultimate art', he's out for payback."

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "You told me Sasuke had abandoned the Leaf Village and gone rogue. He was a fugitive from the Leaf when you died, and that status doesn't seem to have changed by the time you were resurrected. Deidara might've been psychotic, but from what you told me about him, he's not an idiot. He would almost certainly have been aware of Sasuke's status as a rogue ninja, which means that the Leaf Village would be a poor target for his retribution."

Jiraiya smiled as Neji saw him look at Itachi. "Sasuke was rogue when Itachi died both the first and second times, sure… but I have a feeling he didn't stay that way. Not if my last apprentice had anything to say about it, at least."

Neji nodded, understanding just what the Legendary Sannin was getting at. "Naruto… he wouldn't shut up about bringing Sasuke back. He hadn't accomplished that at the time of my death, but knowing him, I'm willing to bet that he found a way to pull it off sometime afterwards."

Mikoto smiled confidently. "I believe that Sasuke found his way home. If Naruto's anything like his mother, then I have no doubt whatsoever that he brought him back."

"Nor do I," said Itachi, "I put my faith in him for a reason, after all."

"Assuming the village is his ultimate target, what's our plan?" asked Visaelya, "Intercept and exterminate?"

"That's the gist of it," Yoruichi replied, "but with this particular foe, it won't be that simple. Itachi, you had the most exposure to this guy. You know his bag of tricks, and we need the details before we jump into this fight."

Itachi nodded as he grabbed the second sketchbook and studied the pictures of the clay bombs for a moment before looking at the others. "In that case, listen carefully. Time is of the essence here; I doubt these spirit-sensitive Shinobi will be able to stall Deidara forever, which means we'll need to make this quick. I defeated him with the genjutsu of the Sharingan once before, but it would been foolish to count on him making the same mistake twice. He's quite dangerous, all the more so now if he's an Adjuchas and has other Menos Grande backing him up, but he can be beaten."

….

As Itachi was following the others leaving the briefing room, Yoruichi gently but firmly grabbed him by the arm. "Mind staying for a bit?"

Itachi regarded her quizzically. "I thought every second counted here."

"This won't take long," she promised, "Just got a little something that I want to talk to you about before we head out."

Looking at the others, Itachi saw that they were looking at him and Yoruichi curiously. Itachi gave them a brief nod before sliding the door shut, leaving just him and his Captain in the room.

"Alright," he said as he turned to face her, "What is it?"

Yoruichi's hand moved to his shoulder, and Itachi was struck by the look of concern in her eyes. "Are you going to be okay out there?"

"What do you mean?" asked Itachi, though he had a feeling he knew what she was getting at.

Yoruichi shook her head and sighed. "Don't play dumb, Itachi. It doesn't suit you."

"I suppose not," he conceded.

"You don't need to hide it from me," she said, keeping her gaze locked with his, "This is your first time going back to your old Realm of the Living since your resurrection. Combine that with the fact that this mission is taking place in your former homeland, and that the last time you went there you wound up fighting your little brother… no one can blame you for having some mixed feelings about this."

Itachi looked away for a moment as he tried to get his thoughts in order. "Perhaps, but I can put them aside until the job is done."

"Can you?" asked Yoruichi, her tone both skeptical and worried, "Itachi, this won't be any old homecoming, and you know it. What's waiting for you there are the memories that have haunted your dreams for years."

"The same goes for my mother and Shisui," Itachi pointed out, "Jiraiya and Neji have their own baggage, too. I don't see you pulling any of them aside."

Yoruichi wasn't having his attempt at deflection. "None of them carry the weight that you do, and we both know it. Your mother's might be the closest to it, but I think even she would readily admit that you had it worse. I'm sure she's just as worried about you as I am."

His gaze on the floor, Itachi was at a loss. "What do you want from me, Yoruichi? Deidara's rampage puts innocent lives at risk. What do my personal feelings matter in light of that?"

Her grip on his shoulder tightened. "They matter because they could get you killed out there, Itachi. Going into a fight distracted is a good way to make that fight your last, and you know it. After coming so far, is that how you want to go out? Ending your second life at the hands of a bastard that you defeated once before with literally just a glance? There's no way in hell that I'm letting you go down that way!"

Yoruichi's tone then softened as she gently cupped his chin in her other hand. "Itachi, look at me. Please."

He did so, and he saw something that was an incredibly rare sight in her golden eyes; fear.

Fear for him.

Throughout most of his life, especially after the massacre of the Uchiha Clan, Itachi had become accustomed to people looking upon him in dread when they recognized him. Fear was a sentiment that he was quite used to being directed at him. Someone fearing for him, though, being genuinely scared for his well-being… that was something new.

He took a deep breath, knowing now what Yoruichi wanted from him; the truth. She deserved nothing less.

She said as much a second later. "Itachi, tell me how you really feel about all of this. Now is the time to get this off your shoulders, not while we're out in the field. By then, it'll already be too late."

Itachi nodded, and he actually felt his chest lighten somewhat as he began to speak. "To be honest… I don't know how I should feel about all of this. When I was alive, protecting both my brother and the Hidden Leaf Village were foremost in my thoughts. With this mission, I have the chance to do so again. In that sense, I suppose I should be excited about it, but that's not the case. What I'm…. really feeling about all of this... is dread, Yoruichi."

A soft smile graced her lips, all the more beautiful for its fragility. "I thought so. You're going to back to a land where so much pain awaits you. The memories of what happened with your clan and family, with Izumi, with Shisui, with the Leaf Village leaders… none of that's something to be faced lightly. Even if the purpose of our trip is to protect your homeland from Hollows, all of that is still waiting in the wings. It's always been on your mind, no matter how much time's gone by, and now it'll be staring you in the face… but you're not going to face it alone."

She leaned forward and gave him a tender, lingering kiss. When she eventually pulled her lips away, she brought a hand up to his face and caressed his cheek.

"I'll be by your side," she promised him, "We all will. Your mother, Shisui, Jiraiya, Soi-Fon, Kisuke, Visaelya… hell, even Neji, though I highly doubt he sees things that way. This is more than just another field mission… and more than a confrontation with the phantoms of your past. It's a chance to see for yourself just how far you've really come. Not as a Soul Reaper, but as a person. For so long, you've been held down by the weight of your earlier life, but I've always believed that you can move forward. More than that; you deserve to move forward."

Itachi gave her a very small smile. "I… for the longest time, I couldn't bring myself to believe that. Even now, after all I've seen and done with you… the thought of really letting go, moving on… it's daunting. Has enough time gone by that I can say I've earned my penance? Could enough time ever go by for that?"

"It's not about the time," Yoruichi argued, "It's about how you've grown, Itachi. For as long as I've known you, you're a man who's never shied away from his crimes or mistakes. You're your own worst critic, something that's to both your credit and detriment. You've spent years punishing yourself more thoroughly than anyone else ever could for what you did to your clan and family, but not all of the blame belongs to you. I know that your mother feels the same way. She came to terms with what happened, along with her own part in it. She wouldn't have you continue to drown yourself in guilt, and neither would I."

Itachi closed his eyes for a long moment as he considered her words. "She's made that clear enough ever since I found her here in the Soul Society. Even so, I've held onto that for so long… letting go's not that easy."

"It's not supposed to be," Yoruichi replied, "but the chains of your history need to be thrown off if you truly want to step out of the shadows and into the light. You took the first step towards that when you confessed your past to me years ago, and I've seen you take others since then. Reconnecting with your mother and Shisui, fighting alongside me and the rest of Squad Two to protect souls across the afterlife and the Realms of the Living, helping Visaelya with her family issues and her growth as a Soul Reaper, putting the ghosts of the Soul Society's past to rest in our wraith hunts and releasing the victims of those abominations in the process… you've already done so much, Itachi, and I know that your journey into the light is just beginning. You can go further; you deserve to go further. If you're not in the right mindset for this mission, though, then your old enemy will take that chance away from you. You're not going to let a mad bomber do that, are you? I sure as hell won't."

"Neither will I," said Itachi, his tone becoming firmer as his resolve grew, "We'll deal with Deidara together. After that… my past."

Yoruichi nodded. "I'm not expecting this mission to completely bring you closure. Still, I think it's a chance to move in that direction. I know we don't normally linger in a Realm of the Living for too long after completing our objectives, but I'll make an exception here. Not just for you, either; Shisui, Mikoto, Jiraiya and Neji will have it as well. If you want to see someone or something, try to make contact with your brother… just name it, Itachi, and I'll do everything in my power to help you with it."

Itachi smiled. "I appreciate that. I really do. Although… I believe that all goes against quite a few regulations. Soi-Fon won't be happy about that."

"Give her a chance," Yoruichi countered with a smirk, "I think she might surprise you this time. Your mother's gotten pretty close to her, and I think she's actually lightening up a bit because of it. Besides, you know how I like to play fast and loose with the rules, right?"

Itachi couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I suppose I do."

"Consider it motivation to get through this fight in one piece," Yoruichi added.

Itachi's smile grew. "I will... though I hardly need it. I already have all the motivation I could possibly need in you."

Surprising both her and himself, Itachi slid a hand behind Yoruichi's head and pulled her in for a kiss. She immediately reciprocated, through both arms over his shoulders and clasping her hands behind his neck. It was much more passionate than the gentle kiss they'd shared earlier, with a fire and intensity that was usually reserved for the nights they spent together in her quarters.

Her golden eyes were positively radiant when they eventually parted for breath. "I could get used to that kind of treatment before a mission starts."

Itachi smirked. "I wouldn't mind making a habit out of it. Speaking of missions, we'd better get moving. Deidara's not just going to sit around patiently waiting for us."

"Good thing Squad Two's known for its speed, then," Yoruichi replied with a grin, "We travel light. Let's hunt some Menos!"

….

Death was omnipresent for Shinobi. It was an inevitable fact of life for all humans, but all the more so for those who made their living through jutsus, weapons, and more. Whether they loyally served a Hidden Village or were out purely for themselves, every Shinobi inevitably came to the understanding that death would forever shadow their footsteps. As a result, Shinobi from every nation came to find their own ideas regarding death and what lay beyond it. Many simply decided to accept the interpretations of whatever faiths were prominent in their own homelands, while others concocted their own beliefs and theories. As it turned out, none of them were sufficient to prepare Shinobi of any nation for the peculiar reality of what lay beyond death.

Especially when the Shinobi in question had an unsettled grudge and a burning hatred for the subject of it.

Such had been the case for the mad bomber of the Akatsuki. While Deidara had exulted in the demonstration of his ultimate art and the transcendent ecstasy that came with knowing that not even the power of the Sharingan would allow his Uchiha target to survive it, that euphoria had been cheapened by the knowledge that the final and purest embodiment of his dedicated craft would not strike down his most loathed of foes. Yes, it would slay Itachi's little brother, and Deidara had initially believed he could settle for that, but when the reality of death had set in, that turned out to very much not be the case.

Oh, how surprised he had been to find himself standing at the epicenter of what had been the greatest and final explosion of his life, with a chain sprouting from his chest and the powers he'd wielded in life no longer at his command. The mouths on the palms of his hands had, of course, not been natural; they were the product of forbidden jutsu native to the Village Hidden in Stone. Since they were not natural, that meant they were not carried with Deidara beyond death, something the Akatsuki member had discovered with overwhelming dismay. Looking upon his bare palms in horror had been just the start of Deidara's misery as a soul. Having not passed on due to his smoldering resentment towards Itachi, he found himself cursed to wander the Realm of the Living with no power to impact it. Sure, he could feel energy coursing through him, but it wasn't the chakra that he'd spent his entire life with. This new energy was foreign and strange, utterly alien to his understanding. With time, perhaps he could learn to harness it, maybe even use it to recreate his old powers, but in that first stage of his afterlife, the crushing despair and impotent fury consuming him precluded any such efforts.

As he'd wondered the Shinobi World as a soul, he'd soon found out that just because he was dead didn't mean he could let his guard down. A Shinobi he didn't recognize had crossed his path, and Deidara soon realized that the individual in question could see him. It was a Shinobi that didn't wear the identifying headband of any nation, major or minor, but from their physical features Deidara pegged them as having originated from the Land of Fire. As soon as that Shinobi in robes bearing a strange badge had begun speaking of helping Deidara pass on fully to the other side, the former Akatsuki member realized that he wanted nothing of what this guy was selling. Sure, being a ghost wasn't exactly fun, but Deidara was smart enough to guess just where he'd be going should the strange Shinobi convince him to accept his aid, and being a wandering soul was a fair sight better than roasting in the pits of Hell.

Escaping that odd ghost-seeing Shinobi had proven to be much harder than Deidara had anticipated. Had he been alive, it would've been a simple matter to let fly with a bunch of clay bombs to discourage pursuit, but he didn't have that option. In fact, had he been alive, Deidara was sure that he could've snuffed out this particular Shinobi with little effort; they looked like small-fry compared to the foes he'd tangled with in the past. However, stuck in a form that did not have his forbidden jutsu applied to it and having a poor understanding of this new energy now coursing through his body, Deidara had no choice but to flee. Unfortunately for him, the strange Shinobi had been able to keep pace, and it was only thanks to the arrival of a horrific masked beast that Deidara had been able to slip away.

That beast had proven to not be the only one of its kind wandering the Shinobi World, though Deidara noted that what few passersby he saw close to the creatures usually could not see them. Only he and Shinobi like the one that had tried to send him on to the afterlife seemed capable of perceiving them, and soon Deidara found himself fleeing from both man and beast alike on multiple occasions. Even when he was able to find respite from such pursuits, he soon found that he had other problems on his hands. The chain that was attached to his chest turned out to be more than just an odd bit of ornamentation for his soul; it was alive, and it had a most unusual diet. Periodically, the furthest link down in the chain would devour itself, an occurrence that Deidara quickly learned to associate with extreme pain. As he'd wandered the world, those occurrences of auto cannibalism on the part of the chain had begun to increase in frequency, particularly when his mind focused on his unfinished business with Itachi, which proved to be quite often.

Those instances had only become worse when he'd eventually learned that not only had Sasuke possessed the impudence and insolence to survive Deidara's ultimate art, but that the Uchiha brat had been the one to dispatch Itachi. Deidara had initially held out some hope that he could master the new energy inside him and find a way to wield that against his hated former colleague in the Akatsuki, but now Itachi's little brother had robbed him of even that consolation. Now utterly bereft of a path to achieve his long-sought revenge, Deidara had proceeded to sink further into the depths of despair and gnashing rage. The chain had been positively delighted at that turn of events, and its bouts of auto cannibalism had only intensified in both frequency and torment.

Before he'd known it, that chain had been reduced to just a handful of links. By that point, Deidara had encountered other lost souls, and he'd actually seen the end result of a chain's consumption; the transformation of that soul into one of the masked beasts he'd witnessed before. Others might have been terrified at such a fate, but not Deidara. While that beast, like those preceding it, had tried to devour him, Deidara could sense the power coursing through it, calling to him with the promise of strength and an escape from the punishment that surely awaited should his soul pass on from this plane. Taking on such a form had initially struck him as disgusting, but after sensing the energy within this most recent specimen, Deidara realized that it might just be his only salvation. If he could take on such a form, perhaps he could achieve control over the power that had taken the place of the chakra he'd known so well throughout his life… and perhaps he could exact vengeance against Sasuke.

That had become his new plan, and he'd been close to achieving it when something completely unexpected occurred; Orochimaru's pawn Kabuto revived him. That hadn't been readily apparent to Deidara at first. He'd suddenly felt the strange energy inside him spike and dive seemingly at random, and his body had been wracked with violent seizures. Darkness had claimed him, and Deidara's last thought before that onrushing night had been dread at the prospect of finally descending into the underworld, having been truly denied his vengeance once and for all.

It had only been upon the release of the Edo Tensei and the return of the fragment of his soul that had been summoned by Kabuto that Deidara was able to learn just what had happened. When he'd awoken, though, he made a shocking discovery. The self-devouring chain had apparently not been idle during his forced unconsciousness… and Deidara was now truly no longer human.

Without even being aware of it, he'd crossed the threshold. He'd become a Hollow while his soul had been fractured, and when the part of him that was still human reunited with his new form, it was impossible for the two halves to properly reconcile. It would've been bad enough had he still be human, but now this was a human soul fragment trying to merge with a Hollow, and that brought with it… complications.

Deidara always knew that the rest of the world had seen him as insane. He'd brushed it off; the rabble could not hope to comprehend the beauty of his art and the genius it took to perfect it. They called him mad, and he saw no point in proving them otherwise. He had moved beyond such profane definitions of morality or sanity, and only fellow artists like Sasori were worthy of his attention and respect, even though the two of them differed considerably in their chosen mediums. Had he truly been insane? Well, the world had called him a mad bomber, and while the label was crude to almost the point of insult, Deidara could at least appreciate that it captured the bare fundamentals of his craft.

Now, though, with the human portion of his soul merging into his new form and unable to reconcile, with the energy that marked those in the afterlife as above common souls racing uncontrollably through him, with any hope for so much as a semblance of balance completely thrown out the window…

…the Shinobi World's mad bomber took a flying leap off the deep end and never looked back.

….

It almost didn't feel real.

The vast expanses of forests, the night sky gleaming with constellations that he hadn't seen in sixteen years, the hoots of native owls and screeches of bats taking flight; all that and more met Itachi as he and his comrades came through the Senkaimon and into the Realm of the Living that five of them had once called home. Even the very air itself was a blast of nostalgia, with an evening breeze whipping up the scents of particular flora and fauna that Itachi had left behind so long ago.

This isn't a dream, he silently told himself, I know it's not, but even so…

It's a lot to take in, Jigoku no Joō finished for him, especially for you. Your Captain was right to worry. Will you be able to focus on the task at hand with your memories assaulting you?

I'll do what must be done. I always have.

I know, and I'll be with you. You no longer walk alone. You never shall again.

Itachi had to work to suppress a smile. The spirit of his Zanpakutō wasn't usually this comforting or sentimental. He was tempted to tease her over it, but that wasn't warranted. If she was going out of her way to provide reassurance, Itachi would gladly take it.

"It's been so long…" he heard his mother murmur, "So many years since I've walked these woods…"

"Been meaning to make my way out here for a little research expedition or two," Kisuke chimed in as he studied the area, "Never figured it'd be quite like this. Doesn't look all that different from the Soul Society at first glance, but I suppose this isn't much of a sample."

"The wildlife's not going to be a problem, is it?" asked Soi-Fon as a group of bats took flight from a nearby tree.

"Hardly. This isn't The Wild of the Soul Society," Shisui remarked, "The animals out here aren't anything too special. Just watch out for the usual nocturnal creatures, and you'll be fine."

"It's quite lovely," Visaelya noted as she looked around, "These woods… they don't feel as daunting as those of The Wild."

"They're well-travelled," Itachi replied as he nodded at a beaten path not too far from their position, "Many roads and footpaths go through here. Navigation won't be too difficult."

"Good, because we need to get to work," said Yoruichi, "The current scout team should be about a kilometer northwest of here. They're waiting for us with one of the spirit-sensing Shinobi; they'll be our liaison."

"Any idea who that Shinobi might be?" asked Jiraiya as he glanced at Itachi, "Depending on who it is, there might be some… complications."

Yoruichi shook her head, though the look in her eyes was all Itachi needed to know that she'd gotten the underlying message. "No, which is why I want you up front with me, Kisuke and Soi-Fon, Jiraiya. Itachi, you'll need to hang back a bit just until Jiraiya can smooth over any ruffled feathers."

Itachi nodded. "Of course. A sensible precaution."

The calm night air was disrupted by a series of explosions in the distant. The sounds were coming from the northwest, the direction of the scout and liaison…

…and, well beyond them, the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Move out!" Yoruichi ordered.

A second later, they were little more than blurs amongst the trees.

….

Beneath his calm and focused expression, Jiraiya's mind was racing. The blasts they'd heard had come from the direction of the Hidden Leaf Village, and he was certain that wasn't coincidental. With everything Itachi had told him about Deidara and his fellow Akatsuki members in the past, it wasn't hard for the Legendary Sannin to begin piecing together a worst-scenario.

He's going for the village, thought Jiraiya as he followed closely behind Yoruichi and Soi-Fon, and he's probably gunning for Sasuke. Still, with his love of explosives, he won't care how much collateral damages he causes as he searches for his target. The Leaf Village can deal with attacks from rival Shinobi, but they're not equipped to fight Hollows! Even with these spirit-sensing Shinobi watching over things from the shadow, they're in trouble; otherwise, our intervention wouldn't be needed here.

Images of familiar faces flashed through his mind. Tsunade, Shizune, Naruto, Kakashi, Yamato and a host of others, one after the other. None of them had any inkling of what was bearing down on them. Jiraiya frantically searched his memories for any hints that his old associates might have unwittingly given of being spiritually sensitive, for any clues that he might have brushed off before but could understand now given all that he had learned. Unfortunately, he found nothing.

Being a strong Shinobi with abundant chakra means little when it comes to detecting Hollows, Jinsei no Kenja remarked, Your kind seem to enter the afterlife with that chakra converted to spirit energy and thus make for fine Soul Reapers, but in your own Realm of the Living Shinobi are just as vulnerable to Hollows as any other living person. If that sketchbook from the briefing was anything to go by, it seems that spirit-sensitive living individuals are a distinct minority in this world.

That was something Jiraiya had been pondering for quite some time, actually. His endeavor to establish a connection between Soul Reapers and Shinobi had gotten off to a good start, at least in the Soul Society itself, but he wanted to go further than that. He'd always wondered what Shinobi who could see souls and Hollows while they were alive might do with that knowledge, and the information gleaned by Yoruichi's scouts had finally provided an answer. Now that he knew Shinobi existed who had put aside their duties to their nations and villages in the name of a much larger purpose, he wanted to make contact with them and see just what kind of partnership could be forged between them and Soul Reapers. Every possible alliance began with a small step, and Jiraiya believed that this one would be no different.

Of course, those alliances remained hypothetical for the moment. He'd kept an eye on Neji over the past year, occasionally visiting the young man at the Academy and pulling him aside to learn more about the new Hidden Leaf Village that had been established in the Soul Society, but that was about it as far as his involvement with afterlife Shinobi went for the moment. Apart from going with Unohana to help Dan and Chen recover from the lingering after-effects of their own soul fractures just as they had done for Asuma previously, he hadn't made contact with any Shinobi from the afterlife's Leaf Village, or 'Soul Konoha' as he'd come to call it. He could at least rest secure in the knowledge that the village was out there, a place for Shinobi who were weary from lives of conflict to find peace and safety, but he wanted more than that.

Your ambitions are growing strong, but you must remember to temper them with patience. These things take time to properly unfold. You know this just as well as I do. Besides, you have more immediate concerns to attend to; your mind had best remained focused on them.

That much was certainly true. Another chorus of distant explosions echoed on the horizon, and this time they were joined by several familiar howls. Deidara was hardly being subtle here, but that was to be expected. The man had made his reputation through destruction and terror, and Jiraiya was sure that the former Akatsuki member wouldn't let an inconvenience like death stop him from practicing his deadly art. From what Itachi had relayed to Jiraiya, he understood that much of Deidara's lethal power in life had stemmed from a forbidden jutsu that he'd performed upon himself. In death, that jutsu should no longer be a factor since it wasn't something natural to Deidara like the Byakugan was to the Hyūga Clan or the Sharingan was to the Uchiha, but Jiraiya knew that he'd be foolish to rule anything out here.

It's been sixteen years since his death, reanimation and final death, Jiraiya told himself, which means he's had plenty of time to grow accustomed to the form he's taken on now. It's entirely possible that he's since been able to recreate the forbidden jutsu that allowed him to so readily craft explosives and deploy them quickly. In fact, given the sketches in that book, it seems reasonable to conclude that he's already done that, perhaps even more. Combine that with whatever powers he's gained as a Hollow, and he'll be a formidable foe.

Casting a quick glance over his shoulder, he could see the rest of the team keeping pace just behind him. Just as Yoruichi had ordered, Itachi was at the tail end of the group. Although his expression was one of calm focus, Jiraiya suspected that the man's thoughts were less than serene. It was hard to blame him when one considered that their journey was taking them in the direction of where the single most defining act of his past life had taken place. He would be fighting here to defend the souls residing in the Hidden Leaf Village, a place that he had loyally protected from the shadows in the past and had ultimately sacrificed everything for in the name of that task. Jiraiya could only guess at what conflicted thoughts might be going through his friend's mind, and he could only hope that whatever words Yoruichi had said to him when she'd pulled him aside at the end of the briefing would be enough to keep him concentrated on the task at hand.

"There they are," Yoruichi announced as she came to a halt on a sturdy tree branch, "Jiraiya, see anyone you recognize?"

Pausing and focusing his gaze ahead, Jiraiya spotted two distinct figures standing at the base of a tree. One was a slender woman with sharp silver eyes and short-cropped blonde hair garbed head-to-toe in the black uniform of the Stealth Force. Jiraiya had never met this particular scout before, but then again, he could say the same for the majority of the Stealth Force's members. The figure standing next to her, though, was another matter. Age had clearly caught up with them in the decades since Jiraiya had last seen them, but the spiky white hair and sharply focused dark eyes remained distinctive, as did the short sword that was sheathed and strapped to his back. Pouches lined the belt of his robes, and Jiraiya was willing to bet that they were stuffed full of kunai, shuriken and ninja hound summoning scrolls.

"I do," he replied, "That man's Eiji Hatake. During the Second Shinobi World War, he went missing and was presumed dead during a skirmish with scouts from the Village Hidden in the Clouds. Seems news of his death was greatly exaggerated."

"How well do you know him?" asked Soi-Fon.

Jiraiya's brow furrowed as his mind went back in time. "Fought alongside him in a few battles during the war, but he was more of a casual acquaintance and comrade than anything else. Skilled fighter, though if those wrinkles in his face are anything to go by, he's probably not quite as spry as he was back in the day. Still, best not to take him lightly; he's as quick with that sword on his back as he is with a kunai or shuriken, and he's pretty sharp to boot."

"Any special eyes that we need to be aware of?" asked Kisuke, sounding a little too hopeful for Jiraiya's liking.

The Legendary Sannin shook his head. "The Hatake Clan isn't known for possessing any ocular jutsu, at least not naturally. Sorry to disappoint.

Kisuke shrugged. "Oh, well. I'll just have to content myself with our resident Uchiha. I wonder if Neji would mind being a research subject; need to get some good Byakugan data too. We need to get him into Squad Two after he graduates."

"If he joins us, it won't be as one of your guinea pigs," Soi-Fon snapped, "Stay focused, Urahara!"

Kisuke chuckled. "No promises, Soi-Fon."

Jiraiya pointedly ignored the two of them and kept his eyes on Eiji. "For a liaison, we could do worse. He's got plenty of experience under his belt. I just hope he hasn't gotten rusty over the years."

"Let's see if he remembers you and play this by ear," said Yoruichi, nodding in the former Leaf Village Shinobi's direction, "We'll follow your lead."

Jiraiya took a deep breath to prepare himself. "Understood. Who's the young lady with him?"

"Velia Trentini," Yoruichi answered with a note of pride, "one of my finest field scouts. Don't even think about turning on the charm with her, Jiraiya; when she's on a mission, she's all business."

Jiraiya smiled. "Alright, I'll play nice."

A Flash Step brought them down to the ground and in front of their allies. Velia bowed her head in deference to her Captain and Soi-Fon, while Eiji's gaze almost immediately locked on Jiraiya.

For his part, the Legendary Sannin smirked. "What's the matter, Hatake? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

The venerable Shinobi chuckled. "Literally, in this case. When I'd heard that you'd died, I wondered if you would remain in the Soul Society or walk a new path… seems it was the latter. It's been a very long time, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya nodded. "It has. You're looking well. Age doesn't seem to have done too bad a number on you."

Eiji sighed wearily. "Let's not play games here, Jiraiya. I've still got my skills, but time's march gets us all in the end. I've definitely lost a step, and pretending otherwise won't do us any favors."

"A realistic assessment of your own capabilities," Velia noted, "You may yet survive the night, Hatake."

"We can only hope," said Yoruichi as she looked at her scout, "Trentini, report. How bad is it looking?"

Velia did not mince words. "Untenable before your arrival. These Shinobi are skilled, but none are powerful enough for dealing with Menos Grande, let alone a pack led by an Adjuchas. Smaller Hollows have also been trickling in over the past few hours. All we've been able to do so far is stall for time."

"Against Menos Grande and without Soul Reaper backup, that's no small feat," Kisuke reassured her, "You've done well to slow their advance for as long as you have."

"How many are we dealing with here?" asked Soi-Fon as explosions and howls echoed in the distance.

"Still only one Adjuchas, thankfully," Velia replied, "but he's both powerful and wily. The Shinobi in this world capable of seeing spirits have been trying to track this one for well over a decade now, but in the past he's always slipped away. Now he suddenly turns around and launches a frontal assault, and he's got the strength to pull it off. He's got six Gillians backing him up, along with at least two dozen lesser beasts, possibly more. They're stirred up and hungry, and they've got a prize in their sights."

"The Hidden Leaf Village," Jiraiya said, looking at Eiji for confirmation.

The old Shinobi gave it to him a moment later. "They're still some distance out, but their trajectory is unmistakable. The Leaf Village has a Hollow pack bearing down on it, and they don't have a clue."

"Why now, though?" asked Shisui as he came forward, "Deidara's been dead for sixteen years and probably a Hollow for most of them. He's had plenty of time to go after the Leaf Village or anywhere else, so why wait so long?"

Eiji gave him a curious look before turning his gaze past Shisui. "An Uchiha… and not the only one, by the look of it."

Looking over his shoulder, Jiraiya saw that the rest of the group had come forward. Mikoto, Neji and Visaelya were clearly visible, with the former clearly trying to obscure her eldest son, who was standing behind her.

Moment of truth, thought Jiraiya as Itachi stepped between the two women, Eiji never knew him, and he went missing long before the Uchiha Clan's downfall, but even so… I'm sure word reached him and the rest of these spirit-sensing Shinobi one way or another.

Sure enough, Eiji's eyes narrowed when he realized just who he was looking at. "Of all you could bring in our hour of need, Jiraiya… it seems the afterlife is not without a sense of irony."

Jiraiya took a deep breath. "I'm sure you've heard the worst, but the truth's more complicated than that."

Eiji only looked at Itachi for a moment before nodding. "The fact that he's a Soul Reaper rather than roasting in the pits of Hell would indicate as much. I'm sure it's an interesting story, but I hardly think we have time for it now."

Jiraiya glanced at Yoruichi, and the two of them shared small and relieved smiles; they'd feared a far worse reaction than this. The Legendary Sannin then looked back at his friend, and he was pleased to see that Itachi seemed to be standing almost imperceptibly taller now. The weight on his shoulders was still heavy, but a very small bit of it had just been removed, and Jiraiya would happily take it.

Eiji then turned to Shisui. "As for your question, we have only speculation as to why Deidara's attacking the Leaf Village now. The best guess is that it took him this long to become familiar enough with his new powers as a Hollow before he felt confident in planning such an offensive. Corralling and directing Gillians is likely not an easy task for a relatively newly-minted Adjuchas."

Velia nodded. "He likely spent a good deal of time fending off other Menos trying to take a bite out of him, securing what power he could. Based on his behavior, it's honestly impressive he was able to secure what minions he commands now. He's erratic and volatile, and that's putting it mildly."

"Death, resurrection and becoming a Hollow completely unhinged him by the sound of it," Itachi remarked, "and yet he still possessed enough wit to increase his power and amass a following. He's definitely more dangerous than before."

Eiji let out a heavy sigh. "It's worse than you know. As the blasts you've no doubt heard in the distance can attest, Deidara has not lost his fondness for explosions in the least. I was able to get close enough to confirm that he's somehow managed to recreate the forbidden jutsu he utilized to such deadly effect in life; the hands of this Hollow have mouths in their palms, and within them his detonation clay is stored and refined. He's used these clay bombs in combination with the Ceros of the Menos Grande to surround himself with destructive power. Try as we might, getting in close to engage has been a losing proposition. The Gillians and lesser Hollows accompanying him only further complicate matters."

"There is an opening," Itachi argued, "but one that you and your colleagues might not have known how to exploit. Do you or any of your comrades use lightning-based attacks?"

Eiji shook his head. "None of us currently on site specialize in Lightning Style jutsu. Why?"

"Because Deidara's clay bombs can be defused with lightning," Itachi answered as he looked at Yoruichi, "Luckily for us, we'll be going into this fight with an abundance of lightning."

Yoruichi grinned, and Jiraiya saw her hand brush along the hilt of her Zanpakutō. "Soon as I can close the distance and cut loose, his bombs will be duds. He's going to be in for quite the nasty shock then… no pun intended."

Eiji's expression became a bit more confident, though his apprehension was still clear as day. "Being able to neutralize his explosives will help tremendously, but even then, this Hollow's a powerful one. I've only seen a few Adjuchas-class Menos Grande in my time, and this one is by far the most lethal. He's impulsive and wild, lashing out at often no provocation whatsoever, yet there remains a guiding intelligence behind his reckless abandon. I have no doubt that he's gone completely mad, but his insanity has its own sort of focus and wit. He's not to be taken lightly."

"That should go without saying," Yoruichi replied as her expression became one of sober resolve, "I've hunted plenty of Menos in my time, but none that were once Shinobi, let alone rogue ninja who used to be members of your world's most dangerous criminal organization. We'll bring this bastard down no matter what it takes."

"Speaking of the bastard, who's taking the shot at him?" asked Soi-Fon, "Since Deidara's being supported by Gillians and lesser Hollows, we can't focus all our power on him. If we do, we'll risk his minions breaking off and making a run on the village."

"That's been just one of our dilemmas," Eiji grimly confessed, "We've had to spread out across a wide front to delay this group for as long as we have. Liberal use of Paper Bombs along with various shuriken jutsus and other ranged weapons have helped us slow their advance, but we've been doing little more than annoying them. Whenever we've assembled teams for a strike at their leader, we've risked leaving openings for the others to exploit. We've been walking a fine line, and we can't keep our balance for much longer."

"You've done well enough, Hatake," Velia chimed in as she looked at her commanding officer, "We can step in and take it from here."

Eiji raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean to simply push us aside now that Soul Reapers are on the scene? I welcome the aid, but my comrades and I will not meekly leave the field now that you're here. This is our Realm of the Living, and we will not stand back and watch others fight for it in our stead."

"There's still a place for you in this fight," Jiraiya hastily interjected, looking at Yoruichi with concern, "We can use their help. Far be it from us to turn down aid against a group of Menos, right?"

Soi-Fon folded her arms. "You deign to speak for Lady Yoruichi, Jiraiya? You presume too much."

Yoruichi held up a hand, gesturing for calm. "Soi-Fon, it's alright. I actually think Jiraiya's got the right idea here. We have local allies here, and we'd be foolish to deny their help."

"Perhaps they can help maintain a perimeter and final line of defense," Mikoto suggested, "At the very least, their help against the lesser Hollows would certainly be welcome."

Yoruichi nodded. "Thank you, Mikoto; those were my thoughts as well. We'll be splitting up our responsibilities here. Itachi and I will take on Deidara directly. Soi-Fon, you'll be in command of the others. Your job will be to manage the Gillians and lesser Hollows. Trentini, I want you to continue working with Hatake and make sure that none of the lesser Hollows are able to slip past us and make a run towards the Leaf Village."

Soi-Fon inclined her head. "It will be done, Lady Yoruichi."

Jiraiya was concerned. "You sure you don't want additional backup against Deidara? I might not have fought him directly like Itachi, but even so…"

"The power of your Shikai will be needed against the Gillians," Itachi gently interrupted, "You know that just as well as I do, Jiraiya."

"If you're able to dispatch them quickly enough, then come to help us," Yoruichi added, "I won't turn down the help then, but I want you to make sure none of the other Menos are a threat first. Even a single Gillian getting through is one too many."

Jiraiya nodded; he didn't like it, but he understood and would respect her decision. "Very well, then. I'll try to make quick work of them."

"You're not the only one," Shisui chimed in, "We'll cut them down as fast as we can, Captain."

Kisuke smirked as his hand touched the handle of his Zanpakutō. "Benihime's been anxious for some good prey. Gillians should slake her thirst quite nicely."

Mikoto glanced at him warily. "Your Zanpakutō sounds rather… disturbing."

Kisuke chuckled and shook his head. "You don't know the half of it."

"We should get moving," Visaelya added, "There's little time to waste."

Itachi held up a hand before turning towards the most junior member of their group. "Not just yet. Neji, what's the maximum range of your Byakugan?"

The young Hyūga blinked, seemingly taken aback at being addressed so casually by the former Akatsuki member. "Currently, I'd say about 800 meters. Why?"

"We're going to need you on point," Yoruichi chimed in, clearly already grasping what Itachi had in mind, "You'll pinpoint our target, then Itachi and I will make the final approach."

"Focus on both the ground and the target ahead," Itachi added, "Deidara might be advancing aggressively, but there's the possibility that he's laying traps as he goes. His clay bombs were infused with chakra when he was alive, and I imagine he's now using spirit energy to provide their explosive punch. I know the Byakugan could perceive the former, and I'm willing to bet it can do the same with the latter."

Neji nodded, his eyes narrowing as he comprehended his role. "It can. I'll let you know if I see any mines."

"Much appreciated," said Yoruichi, "Now, we've got a village to save. Move out!"

….

Kunai flew out of the shadows beneath the trees, all with Paper Bombs attached to them. The monstrosity that Deidara had become barely even felt the points of the blades or the subsequent detonations. He'd thought that the immortal body his soul had been implanted in by the reanimation jutsu had been splendid, but that one had come with the drawback of Kabuto being able to override his free will at any given moment. Compared to that, this new form was by far the superior one. Sure, it wasn't actually immortal, but his hide as a Hollow was hard and resilient, so much so that it had shrugged off everything these pesky Shinobi had thrown at him with barely more than a handful of scratches and scorch marks to show for it.

He laughed with glee as he made looked in the direction that the kunai and Paper Bombs had come from. Whoever had thrown them had no appreciation for the artistry that Shinobi should dedicate to their explosives. They'd simply chucked them as a paltry tool, nothing more. For them to believe that such soulless implements, completely lacking in creativity and the spark of ingenuity, could defeat him was nothing less than an insult. Fortunately for Deidara, it was one that he could easily strike back at now.

Refusing to dignify the Paper Bombs with clay bombs as a response, he instead opened the mouth of his mask and let fly with a Cero. The blast of crimson energy pulverized earth and trees alike, digging a furrow through the forest and sending animals running and flying in all directions. He could still sense the spiritual pressure of the Shinobi that had thrown the Paper Bombs in the first place, though; they were either fast or very lucky.

The swath of destruction left by the Cero left a pond exposed, and in the surface of the water, illuminated by the pale moonlight, Deidara could see just what he had become. His humanity was long gone, and that was reflected in his bestial and powerful new form. The human body he'd known throughout his life had been replaced by a towering frame, several times taller than the man he'd once been and far more imposing. His black hide was marred by crimson splotches, a corrupted homage to the long coat he'd once worn as a member of the Akatsuki. Legs and arms alike felt akin to coiled springs of pure muscle, easily putting to shame the somewhat wiry build he'd possessed in life. The ivory mask that now made up his face had the symbol of the Hidden Stone Village carved into it above his eyes, along with a single horizontal line that ran through the emblem. Out from the upper edges of the mask flowed a wild mane of blond hair, no longer even partially restrained as it had been in life. That was perhaps a rather fitting mirror of Deidara's mental state, with the last vestiges of sanity cast to the wind without a single regret.

He could hear teeth grinding, but they weren't in his head. If his mask was capable of smiling, Deidara would have done so as he glanced down at his right hand… or, more specifically, the mouth in its palm. An identical one was in his left hand, and every time he saw them, Deidara was taken back to the euphoric exultation he'd experienced upon finally achieving the full recreation of his trademark forbidden jutsu in his Hollow form. It was such a heady rush, one that served to further fuel his single-minded drive towards the Hidden Leaf Village.

All around him, howls rang out as the six Gillians and dozens of lesser Hollows fought their way through a minefield of Paper Bombs, all the while weathering the bites of kunai and shuriken thrown by Shinobi who didn't dare come any closer. To venture even within projectile range was to invite potential death, and Deidara wasn't the only Menos letting fly willy-nilly with Ceros. Repeated flashes of scarlet light illuminated the night as his minions pulverized the surrounding landscape in an effort to flush out their pesky attackers. Deidara idly wondered what the spectacle might look like to Shinobi who weren't as gifted in 'sight' as those who were actually able to perceive him and his pack. Trees and clods of earth flung into the air seemingly at random, preceded by the unholy siren's song that signaled the unleashing of a Cero, all the while demonic howls echoed upon the wind while the Shinobi struggled to pinpoint their source… oh, how Deidara would love to see them tremble in fear at a threat that they could not see or understand.

I could be seeing that right now, he silently grumbled, if I was more accurate with the Garganta. Can't believe I came out so far from my target…

It could not be helped. In his zealous quest to relearn and incorporate his previous powers into his new form, Deidara had neglected mastering the various abilities that theoretically were now at his command as a Hollow. The only real exception had been the Ceros that was the calling card of the Menos Grande, and only because Deidara had an appreciation for the pure destructive power that such a technique could unleash upon the world. It was a worthy addition to his repertoire as an artist, fully deserving of his dedication and focus just as the detonating clay had been, and he would not insult it with half-hearted study. That dedication had come at the cost of narrowing his overall toolset, as it were, but Deidara could still travel between Hueco Mundo and the various Realms of the Living well enough, and that was all he cared about. So what if his transitions and emergences weren't accomplished with pinpoint accuracy? Who cared that he could not move with the speed and precision that other Adjuchas were supposedly capable of achieving? As long as he could at least drop himself in the right region, that was all that mattered to him.

In all fairness, Deidara hadn't been able to devote the 16 years he'd spent thus far as a Hollow purely to refining and strengthening his abilities. Much of his early years following his resurrection, subsequent final death and full transformation into a Hollow had been spent simply trying to stay alive, or at least survive his afterlife. He'd quickly learned that Hollows were still a threat even though Deidara could now count himself among their number, and he had started out at the bottom of the food chain. Garden variety Hollows could be frightened off easily enough on an individual basis, but the creatures unfortunately tended to hunt in packs, all the more so when they were going after rival Hollows across the rolling dunes of Hueco Mundo. Once Deidara had learned that Hollows sought to devour their own kind in the hopes of eventually becoming a Menos Grande, he was forced to treat approaches towards even the weakest of Hollows with extreme caution. Such prudence was most certainly uncharacteristic of him, but his survival was of the highest priority, and so adaptation had become the order of the day.

Such adaptation had served him well when he'd started encountering Menos Grande. While most tended to stick to the vast Forest of Menos that stretched out beneath the wastes of Hueco Mundo, many were not content to simply sit back and wait with their fellows for an Adjuchas or Vasto Lorde to take command with them. These specimens slipped back and forth between the world of Hollows and the various Realms of the Living, and by ill-fortune Deidara had encountered more than his fair share. Such encounters had been the worst in his early days; all he could do then was simply run and hide while suffering the indignity of knowing that he lacked the power to stand against them openly or otherwise.

Thankfully, that pathetic status quo had begun to wane with time as Deidara built up his strength. He'd soon begun focusing his hunting efforts almost exclusively on other Hollows in a frantic race to speed along his growth. It had been slow going for quite some time, but eventually he was able to roam the sprawling deserts of Hueco Mundo in full confidence that none but a Menos Grande could challenge him. After several years had gone by, even Gillians could be dealt with in short order so long as their numbers weren't too great.

Unfortunately for Deidara, he'd also encountered Adjuchas and even the rare Vasto Lorde, and those meetings, whether by chance or otherwise, had almost universally been damn-near catastrophic. He had to suppress a shudder as he recalled sensing a particularly strong one from a great distance and being brought to his knees by its raw power, instinctively grasping that to venture close enough to actually lay eyes upon this specimen would be nothing less than suicidal. There had also been the blonde female Vasto Lorde to worry about. Deidara had angered her once by trying to devour members of her pack, and her ensuing wroth had been terrible to behold. More than once, he'd been pursued by her, and he'd only escaped by virtue of running straight into packs of Gillians and managing to shake her off in the subsequent confusion. Then there was the self-styled God-King of Hueco Mundo, a Vasto Lorde whose powers over decay and death both disgusted and terrified Deidara. As distasteful as he'd found the presumptuous lord of Hollows, Deidara had immediately known better than to challenge him for the throne and had thus steered quite clear of him.

Avoiding those stronger than him while increasing his own power and gathering a following had been no easy task. The latter in particular had been a considerable challenge, for Deidara had never really been proper leadership material. He didn't sway others with charisma; that simply wasn't his forte. Thankfully, Hollows typically ruled their lesser brethren by fear, and when he'd finally become an Adjuchas Deidara had gotten strong enough to begin inspiring the appropriate amount of dread in the beasts beneath his station. Caution had been required, for to recruit in the territory of other Adjuchas was to invite a conflict that Deidara might not be able to win. Trying to poach the followers of a Vasto Lorde was right out, for painfully obvious reasons.

It had taken painstaking effort, but eventually his own pack had begun to form. Well, perhaps 'pack' wasn't the right word. While most Hollows commanded their lesser brethren by virtue of raw power, bonds of comradery and loyalty were not unheard of amongst groups that had been together for long periods of time. Deidara didn't have that here; he just had a bunch of cowed minions. Perhaps his group was something more akin to a gang, a gaggle of marauding beasts who had only joined up out of fear and opportunism. That was fine by him. So long as he could point his entourage in the direction of his enemies and watch the body parts fly, what else did he need?

Pack or entourage or gang or whatever one preferred to call it, once Deidara had gained his following it became a matter of who to aim them at. The hunger to avenge himself for the humiliating usurpation his art had suffered at the hands of Itachi Uchiha remained burning in his mind, but his target was beyond his reach. Itachi had been a kin slayer and traitor, after all; if the fires of Hell awaited Deidara as retribution for all the lives his bombings had claimed over the years, then his hated rival was certainly already roasting there. As amusing as the thought of watching Itachi suffer in the deepest pits of the underworld was to Deidara, he had no desire to journey down in to Hell himself just for the chance of observing that spectacle. After all, once a soul went down there, there was no coming back. Deidara wasn't sure if the same rule applied to Hollows, but despite the severe degradation of his sanity after death there were still some risks that he refused to take.

So, that ruled Itachi out as a target, but there were other ways that Deidara could extract a measure of vengeance. Popping in and out of the Shinobi Realm of the Living over the years to keep an eye on how events had played out following the war, Deidara had learned that Sasuke Uchiha was still alive and well. Itachi's little brother would be more than a fitting substitute, and the Leaf Village he now purportedly protected from the shadows would be a bonus prize. However, Sasuke had proven to be incredibly difficult to track down. He rarely, if ever, stayed in one place for long, and in fact he'd repeatedly vanished from the Shinobi World entirely. With the powers of a Hollow now at his command, Deidara theorized that Sasuke had somehow found a way to travel between worlds in a manner similar to how he and other Hollows used Garganta to leap from Hueco Mundo to the various Realms of the Living. That had made Sasuke fiendishly tricky to find, let alone stage an effective attack on.

Deidara could've just struck the Leaf Village years ago and waited for Sasuke to return home. The thought of savoring the boy's look of sorrow and terror upon seeing the village in ruins when he came back to it certainly had its appeal, but it wasn't enough for Deidara. He wanted to slay Sasuke either in sight of the village or within its walls so that the boy would fall knowing that his defeat doomed everyone that he cared about as well. He wanted Sasuke to suffer for the insults that his older brother had given to Deidara's art, and for the mockery that Sasuke had made of it by surviving what should have been Deidara's magnum opus. Nothing less than slaying Sasuke before immediately afterwards destroying the Leaf Village would suffice as retribution.

Setting the stage for that retribution had demanded patience. After determining that tracking Sasuke across the various Realms of the Living was an exercise in futility, Deidara had settled upon a more passive strategy. Hollows loyal to him would wander the Land of Fire and observe the Hidden Leaf Village, snacking on isolated souls but mostly keeping an eye out for Sasuke's return. Maintaining this vigil had been tricky to say the least; the lesser Hollows that Deidara had coerced into his service were not exactly the most disciplined of creatures, and keeping a low profile while cautiously observing people going about their daily lives was hardly natural for them. Adding another wrinkle of complication to the plan was the interference of black-clad scouts from the Soul Society and the spiritually sensitive Shinobi that were attempting to stall him now. Both would routinely pick off his minions and force Deidara to find new ones, thought he supposed he ought to thank them for weeding out the truly incompetent from his pack. Eventually, he had found minions who were cowardly enough to understand the value of keeping their heads down and actually doing what they were told, and so his surveillance efforts stabilized. Regular reports came in, with Deidara managing the whole business from afar even as his rage and ravenous hunger for revenge boiled within.

Now, after so many years of watching and waiting, the hour was at hand. Not only had Sasuke been spotted, but Deidara's minions reported that the irksome Uchiha was actually sticking around the Leaf Village now. They didn't know why he had decided to cease his world-hopping travels for the time being, but Deidara wasn't about to question his good fortune. His prey had finally settled down, which almost certainly meant that Sasuke's guard was down. He had returned to his wife and daughter, and was enjoying their company. Now was the time to attack.

And so, Deidara had marshalled the full might of his gang, from the lowliest scavenger to six Gillians. There was no thought to holding anyone back in reserve in case something went awry; this was the moment Deidara had spent years waiting for, and he would seize it with everything he had. Only vengeance mattered now. Whatever future might lay beyond this night was completely immaterial to him. Oh, he had a few casual ideas. Perhaps he'd target the Hidden Stone Village after this, retribution for them refusing to recognize his genius. Maybe he'd go after Sasori's old home of the Hidden Sand and destroy it with one brilliant blast, his final victory in their perpetual argument over the true nature of art. One monumental and transient explosion consuming the home of his colleague who had believed that true art showed itself in its ability to last throughout the ages and had used macabre puppets to embody that principle… yes, the notion of decisively overthrowing that stagnant belief definitely had its appeal. But those were all just idle musings with no consequence or bearing on Deidara's current trajectory. He was one with this moment, just as every explosive he'd ever set off in the past had existed wholly in that beautiful instant alone. Who cared about the future? The now was all one really needed to live for, whether they be human or Hollow, and for Deidara that 'now' was sweetened by the scent of long-overdue payback.

A series of shrieks from his minions jerked Deidara back to reality. Were the creatures whining over something as trivial as another volley of kunai and Paper Bombs? The lesser Hollows, he couldn't care less about, but the Gillians? Deidara thought they were made of sterner stuff than this.

That was when he saw flickers of light out of the corners of his eyes. It was scarlet, but it wasn't from the lesser Menos Grande firing off their Ceros. The source of that light revealed itself to be several birds…

…made of crimson flames.

Those few firebirds turned out to be merely the heralds for a great swarm of thousands that soon swirled around Deidara and the other Menos. This was no jutsu; Deidara could sense the spirit energy within each flaming avian, and it was far more potent than anything either the spiritually sensitive Shinobi or the black-clad scouts from the Soul Society had unleashed thus far.

And that was when Deidara stopped dead in his tracks.

The energy he sensed felt familiar.

Very familiar.

As the thousands swiftly became tens of thousands and kept on climbing, Deidara looked around frantically. He'd last felt this presence through chakra rather than spirit energy, and it had been a long time ago, but there was no mistaking who it must've belonged to. Invigorating exuberance and transcendent rage simultaneously coursed through every fiber of his being, and the eyes behind his death-white mask picked out a black blur amidst the ever-growing scarlet blaze that had surrounded the Hollows. His head jerked rapidly from side to side as he tried to track that blur, and a couple of times he saw flashes of an eerily beautiful bloodred light.

The same bloodred light that had left him trembling in awe during that unforgettable and infuriating first encounter all those years ago.

Then the blur resolved itself on the ground below. There, standing defiantly in the path of Deidara and his pack, was a figure that the Akatsuki member had burned into his mind's eye so deeply that nothing less than the fires of Hell itself would be able to purge it now. Raven hair tied back behind his head while locks framed a fair face marred by lines birthed from blood and death, black robes rustling in the wind, an obsidian sword with a gleaming crimson eye in its guard held up in challenge while a river of scarlet flaming crows flowed forth from the gap running down the center of the blade…

…held by a man that Deidara would sunder Heaven and Hell alike for the chance to slay once and for all.

The bane of the Uchiha Clan and the greatest insulter of Deidara's profound art raised his left hand and pointed a finger at the being who had once been a fellow agent in the Akatsuki's plot to remake the Shinobi World. The bloodred orbs of the Sharingan blazed in the night, and their wielder's greeting was a mere two words.

"No further."

….

I think it's safe to say that you've got his attention, Jigoku no Joō remarked as Itachi stared down the monstrosity that his former colleague had become, I can sense his rage without even trying.

Good, because I need that rage focused on me if this is going to work. Can you keep this up?

My power is your own, and it has grown substantially these past years. You'll have your spectacle for as long as you need it.

The 'spectacle' in question was the massive swarm of crimson flaming birds surrounding not just Itachi and Deidara, but the entire pack of Hollows. A hundred thousand of the blazing crows were already airborne, and that number was swiftly climbing. If he had wanted to, Itachi could've brought them all crashing down upon Deidara or any of the accompanying Hollows, but that was not the purpose of this swarm. It was to delay the Hollows and obscure the approach of not just Itachi, but his comrades as well. If they were going to strike down the pack and keep stragglers from making a run on the Hidden Leaf Village, they had to set up their opening attack just right.

Buy time and keep Deidara focused on you, he told himself, and trust the others to play their parts.

Fortunately, Itachi would have no trouble with that. Deidara had come to a complete halt, and his gaze was fixed on Itachi. His massive frame seemed to tremble with astonishment and incandescent fury; the cool and relaxed 'artist' was nowhere to be found. Even in his dumbfounded rage, though, Deidara still managed to keep his gaze from locking with Itachi's. That was to be expected in light of just how tremendous his hatred was for the Uchiha Clan's powerful eyes, and Itachi had accounted for it. It would be much harder to ensnare Deidara in any sort of Sharingan-based genjutsu this time around.

Fortunately, Itachi had more than one way to pull off a genjutsu. Even better, it wasn't a method he'd ever used in front of Deidara or any other member of the Akatsuki for that matter. Only a select few had ever experienced this particular trick, and none of them were on this battlefield tonight. Like so many others, including the Uchiha themselves, Itachi knew that Deidara associate the clan with their special eyes first and foremost, with the mad bomber feeling unrivaled disgust and jealousy where Itachi's late kin had known unending pride. Both could be easily exploited, and Itachi would demonstrate just how at Deidara's expense.

After a long moment of stunned silence, Deidara finally spoke, though his voice quivered with a combination of smoldering anger and stunned disbelief. "You… you! You died! You're supposed to be dead!"

"I am," Itachi casually replied, "as are you. Seems neither of us are the type to rest quietly in our graves."

Deidara trembled as he tried and failed to suppress a bout of manic laughter. "Oh, this… this is perfect! I came out here… to destroy your village and kill your little brother as revenge for the mockery you made of my art… and you deliver yourself to me on a silver platter! Forget that little shit Sasuke! Forget that steaming pile of shit that is the Hidden Leaf Village! I waited my entire life for the chance to have another shot at you, and I didn't get it. Now, though, with both of us beyond the grave… oh, if I didn't know better, I'd say I was in Heaven!"

Itachi shook his head. "We both know that the lighter side of the afterlife isn't your final destination, Deidara. Leaving out all your deeds as a member of the Akatsuki, the trail of mangled corpses all of those bombings left in your wake would be enough to send you into the abyss. You already know that, though, don't you? It's why you've chosen to linger; you prefer thrashing about as a beast between worlds rather than facing your ultimate fate head on. I should've expected as much from you. For all your talk of artistry, you never learned how to leave the stage with dignity and grace. No one likes a loudmouthed throwback who can't accept that their time has passed, and you're an uglier version than most. Rather ironic, really; weren't you always going on and on about how true art is fleeting and transient, to be experienced only in the present? Yet here you are, unwilling to accept that your own moment has come and gone, insisting that the world suffer your permanence. If the world of art has ever seen a bigger hypocrite than you, I've yet to find them."

Deidara slammed his fists into the ground, sending tremors through the earth while clods of dirt and stone flew into the air. "Shut up! What would you know about art? What would any of you damnUchiha know about it? Your clan's eyes pick apart the works of others, reducing them to their crude elements and stripping away all forms of beauty! You Uchiha were born with that power; you didn't earn it! I might have disagreed with Sasori's belief in fine art lasting for eternity, but he at least worked for his skills. He kept refining his craft, spending years on it, just like I did! I respected him for that, but you? Everyone called you a genius, but I saw the truth from the start; you're a damn hack! Without your cursed Sharingan, you would've been nothing!"

Itachi simply shrugged, knowing that mere dismissal would get under Deidara's skin far more effectively than any further elaborate taunts. "Perhaps so, perhaps not. We play the hand that life deals us, for good or ill. I suppose the same applies to the afterlife. The hand that you were dealt in death… well, you've clearly done something with it, although you've become all the pettier for it. No accounting for taste, it seems. Not that any of it matters now. I'm a Soul Reaper, and you're a Hollow. You know what that means, Deidara? When I defeated you the first time, it was to bring you into the Akatsuki in service to my cover. This time, though, it'll be nothing more than a chore."

Sure enough, the ensuing surge of spiritual pressure from Deidara was all Itachi needed to know he'd struck a nerve. "A chore? Oh, I'm going to enjoy blasting you into oblivion! By the time I'm done with you, Itachi, there will be nothing left! After I destroy your soul, I'll demolish your homeland. Not even the memory of who you were will survive!"

"If the Shinobi World loses all memory of me, it will be no great loss," Itachi replied as he mentally counted just how many of his Shikai's crimson flaming crows were now airborne, weighing carefully whether or not he had bought enough time, "We're both relics of a shameful past, Deidara. This Realm of the Living is better off without either of us. We deserve to be forgotten."

"You will be forgotten," Deidara snarled, "but my memory, the memory of my art, will be forever engraved upon this world! I'm an Adjuchas now, Itachi. In this form, I have the power to not only destroy you, your brother and your old home, but to turn it into the great canvass that my art was always meant to be displayed on. No Soul Reaper will stop me, least of all the likes of you! This world will never forget me, for I will never leave it!"

Itachi sighed with purposeful disdain. "Once again, your ravings fly in the face of the artistic beliefs you professed such love for in life. Clearly those beliefs were not as deeply held as you would've had us all think. Hell would've suited you better than this pitiful existence as a Hollow, Deidara. At least in the abyss, you could've remained true to yourself even as you suffered your penance for a life of unrepentant carnage."

"Call me a hypocrite all you like," Deidara hissed as he raised his hands, revealing two slavering mouths in his palms and the white clumps of detonating clay in the back of their throats, "I wouldn't expect an Uchiha to understand. Most beings in this world cannot see Hollows, but they can see the effects of our power. My craft will ascend to new heights, and the Shinobi World will tremble in awe and terror as each beautiful explosions is followed by an even greater one in a never-ending cycle of transcendent destruction! Once our old home has become a monument to my art, I will then move on to a grander stage. I will climb the ranks of the Menos Grande and become a Vasto Lorde! All of Hueco Mundo will shake and shield their eyes and ears from the brilliant glare and titanic thunder of my bombs, and then it will be the turn of the Soul Society. All of creation will be forced to acknowledge the true nature of art!"

"You truly have gone mad," Itachi said, "Then again, you were already half-way there to begin with."

How many?

Almost half a million now. Is that enough?

It will have to be. I don't think he'll be able to hold himself back for much longer.

Neither do I. All his ravings about art, yet he's blissfully unaware that he's already been caught in the middle of your own piece. Let us show him who the true artist is here!

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Sure enough, Itachi saw the mouths on Deidara's hands close, and from the way the surface of the palms shifted it was clear that within teeth were grinding away, molding the detonating clay into the various explosive sculptures that their wielder had made his calling card. His old colleague would be letting fly with his 'artworks' any moment now.

Spiting Itachi with the most hateful glare that his mask would allow, Deidara straightened his posture and loosed a mirthless laugh. "Mad? Don't you know, Itachi? Genius and madness are two sides of the same coin! You'll understand that before the night is over. You'll comprehend it in the final moments before I devour you! The morning will dawn with the Uchiha Clan's genius gone for good, and the supremacy of my art will reign unchallenged!"

"You're mistaken, Deidara," Itachi countered, allowing a hint of menace to enter his voice, "This Realm of the Living has suffered both of our presences for far too long. By the time the sun rises, you and I will no longer be in this world."

Now.

The curtain of crimson firebirds covering the sky and surrounding the Hollows suddenly collapsed inwards, with the scarlet flaming crows divebombing Menos and lesser beast alike. Agonized screeches rang out as many of the minor Hollows were reduced to ashes, while even the Gillians howled in pain as flames coursed over their hides. As an Adjuchas, Deidara was better able to weather the onslaught than his minions, but even his tough skin was charred and scorched, and he had no choice but to cover his mask with one of his arms to keep the blazing birds from getting in his eyes. Brushfires were ignited in the surrounding groves of trees, an unfortunate and unavoidable bit of collateral damage from such a large-scale attack. It was nothing that Shinobi using Earth and Water Styles could not deal with, though, and Itachi had already sensed Shinobi in the area well before setting up his strike.

Of course, it would take more than a bunch of flaming birds, even if they numbered in the hundreds of thousands, to destroy Menos Grande. Itachi's attack had been spread out over a wide area rather than concentrated against individual targets, and the Menos were quite resilient creatures. Even as patches of their vast black surfaces were aflame, the towering Gillians turned their gazes towards Itachi, and he could sense their spirit energy surging as they prepared their counterattacks. As for Deidara, he made broad and sweeping motions with both arms, and the mouths within his hands spat out a horde of round white spiders; his plan was clearly to carpet bomb Itachi's position. The space directly over Itachi became full of the clay bombs, and not even he would be able to evade them all.

What Deidara didn't know, though, was that Itachi didn't have to evade any of them.

Two massive blasts of ivory lightning flashed through the night. Racing through the swarms of clay spiders in the blink of an eye, lesser arcs of electrified spirit energy branched off from the main bolts and zapped every single one of the explosive sculptures. Deidara's creations fell to the ground with no fanfare, with Itachi casually brushing a few from his shoulders and head as if he was merely getting rid of some mildly irritating dust.

Deidara frantically looked around, gnashing his teeth in impotent rage and shock. "What the…?"

Itachi gave the smallest of smiles. "Do you know what my greatest weakness was in life, Deidara? It had nothing to do with relying upon the Sharingan. Rather, it was relying upon myself, rather than learning to trust others and share my burdens with them. It took dying for that lesson to finally sink in, but I've aspired to take it to heart since then."

From the trees surrounding Deidara and his pack, seven Soul Reapers and one student emerged. Six of the black-clad figures along with the student went for the Gillians and surviving lesser Hollows, but one came to Itachi's side.

The one he'd learned to count on above all others.

With white sparks arcing across her silver gauntlets, Yoruichi stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Itachi. Grinning, she faced down Deidara, and while the air around the two Soul Reapers was literally electrified, Itachi knew that no harm would come to him. He hadn't been the only one refining the powers of his Zanpakutō over the years, after all; the Flash Goddess had not been idle in her training. More important, though, was the simple fact that Itachi trusted her with everything he had, and he knew that the feeling was mutual.

With fresh scarlet flaming crows flowing forth from his obsidian blade, Itachi pointed the weapon at Deidara. "The Shinobi World is no longer our stage, Deidara. Before the dawn comes, we will both leave it."

Then the heirs of the Uchiha and Shihōin Clans surged forward to meet their foe, and battle was joined.

….

Your old friend sure knows how to make enemies, Kage no Kodomo commented as Shisui rushed one of the Gillians, I've never seen such visceral hatred from a Hollow before…

Shisui paid the remarks no mind; his focus was wholly on his own target. Together with three of the clones created by his Shikai, his Sharingan blazing as he moved in, Shisui sunk his blade deep into his target. His own strike hit the Gillian in the back of the head, while his trio of clones struck other parts of the beast. The towering pillar of a Hollow was swiftly reduced to a black cloud of ashes by the four blades, and that was quickly dispersed by the evening breeze.

His other two clones had gone with Visaelya, who had chosen the Gillian to the right of Shisui's as her own target. The clones weren't meant to assist her directly against the Menos Grande; Shisui had seen Visaelya's Shikai in action more than enough times by now to know that she would have no in cutting the beast down to size. Instead, the two doppelgangers focused their efforts on keeping the lesser Hollows at bay while Visaelya whirled her double-ended polearm before her and charged the Menos Grande. She carved into the Gillian's legs, cutting through the two pillars holding the monster up as if they were made of water rather than tough flesh and hide. The creature toppled to the ground, with Visaelya plunging one of her Shikai's two silver blades straight into its face to finish it off.

"That's my girl," he murmured softly as he watched her target dissolve.

Visaelya turned around, her silver-blonde hair whipping about her head and moonlight glimmering in her violet eyes as she looked at Shisui. "Did you say something?"

Shisui felt a surge of heat rush to his face at the beautiful image, and he had to work to keep his concentration on the battle rather than her. "Don't mind me. Stay focused!"

Speak for yourself.

Not helping!

He turned to face the third Gillian, but Third Seat Urahara had picked that one as his target and was wasting no time in dispatching it. A wave of scarlet energy from Benihime hit the beast from the left, causing it to cry out as the crimson light cut deep into its black body.

"Oops, it's still alive!" Kisuke remarked somewhat embarrassedly, "Thought I'd put enough power into that strike to one-shot it. Let's fix that. Kamisori, Benihime!"

Another arc of crimson energy flew forth from Kisuke's Shikai, though this one was narrower than others Shisui had seen from Benihime in the past. Unlike the first attack, though, this one didn't simply crash into the Gillian and hurt it. Instead, it cleanly sliced right through the creature's body just below the mask, neatly removing the beast's head.

Kisuke smirked. "Now that's more like it."

The rest of the Gillians were fairing no better. With both his Shikai and Sage Mode activated, Jiraiya had been a powerhouse right out of the gate, and his first target likely hadn't even known what had hit it. Shisui had only caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye as the Legendary Sannin had leapt into the air and come down upon a Gillian's head, slamming his spiked club into the top of its skull with tremendous might. So quickly had his first target fallen that Jiraiya was already moving on to the next, though he had some competition in the form of Soi-Fon. Yoruichi's bodyguard had struck swiftly and silently, dispatching her initial target with the trademark twin pinpoint strikes of Nigeki Kessatsu, Suzumebachi allowing her to accomplish with finesse and precision what Jiraiya had done through overwhelming power.

As a result, Jiraiya and Soi-Fon were now coming at the last of the Gillian's in an unintentional pincer attack. Shisui almost felt pity for the beast; it was screwed no matter which way it turned. As Soi-Fon plunged her stinger blade into the back of the creature's head, Jiraiya smashed its face in with his club.

"That one counts as mine!" she snapped as the Menos dissolved between them.

Jiraiya smirked. "Is that so? I thought you only got one stab in back there, not two!"

"Fine, we'll split it," Soi-Fon grumbled, "Now, get back to work!"

While the others had gone for the Gillians, Itachi and Yoruichi were contending with the Adjuchas. The two of them had charged the monstrosity that Deidara had become together, but they'd immediately been forced to split up as their target let fly with a Cero. The crimson blast of energy tore a furrow in the ground, sending dirt, stone and brush flying everywhere, but the targets of the attack were completely unscathed. Deidara's focus was almost solely on Itachi, and he swiped wildly at the former Shinobi with his claws while the mouths within his hands chewed and worked the detonating clay within, no doubt preparing another explosive barrage. His almost single-minded concentration on Itachi left him exposed to Yoruichi, and she made him pay for it with a series of fearsome punches and kicks. Shisui heard the Adjuchas grunt and groan as sparks of white lightning arced over his frame, and Itachi only added to the pain with a sequence of slashes from his black blade. None of the hits from either Soul Reaper were fatal, but from the way Deidara thrashed about wildly in his attempts to strike back, they were clearly getting on the former Akatsuki member's nerves.

Shisui was about to move in and help when a chorus of howls rang out. While Itachi's earlier attack had decimated the ranks of the lesser Hollows in Deidara's pack, several were still alive, and they were concentrating their efforts against Neji. Shisui couldn't help but be impressed with how the first-year student bobbed, ducked and weaved through the various swipes, kicks and lunging bites from the beasts. The enhanced field of vision provided by the Byakugan was more than proving its worth now, with none of the Hollows able to lay so much as a finger on Neji. The gifted student made the beasts pay for each missed attack with swift counterattacks of his own, chopping off limbs with the sealed Zanpakutō held in his left hand and making open-palmed strikes with his right that targeted what Shisui assumed were either pressure points or junctions where the spirit energy that flowed within the Hollow became concentrated. The latter attacks caused the beasts to violently spasm, giving Neji some much needed breathing room. Even so, he was surrounded, and Shisui feared he could still become overwhelmed.

Fortunately for Neji, he wasn't fighting alone. A black bident speared a Hollow through the back of the head as it had been about to pounce on the student; Mikoto had the young man's back. Whirling her polearm, Shisui saw the violet flames dancing along the weapon's prongs surge in brightness and intensity as Mikoto's Shikai drained its victim's spirit energy. As the Hollow dissolved, Mikoto made a wide swing with her weapon, and tendrils of purple fire sprang forth from the tips of the bident. Lashing out like flaming whips, the twin strands struck down three more of the beasts, and the purple fire thrummed and pulsed as it fed its victims energy to the weapon and its wielder. The remaining Hollows approached much more cautiously, and Shisui knew that Mikoto and Neji would need help.

"Visaelya, with me!" he shouted, already racing into the fray.

"Right behind you!" she called back.

The two of them, along with all five of Shisui's clones, dived headlong into the brawl. His blade darted forth like a viper, striking one Hollow in the back of the neck before the pathetic creature even realized what had hit it. A wide sweep with her double-ended glaive was Visaelya's opening move, slicing two of the beasts in half and taking off the left arm of a third. With the five clones taking out targets of their own, the ranks of the lesser Hollows rapidly began to thin out.

We won't even need Kisuke, Soi-Fon or Jiraiya's help, Shisui thought, which means they'll be able to lend Itachi and Yoruichi a hand.

That's what he would've liked, at least, but the enemy had other ideas. There was a surge of sinister spirit energy, and Shisui's eyes widened in alarm as he saw a giant crack appear in the night sky. It quickly widened, and the faces of several more Gillians appeared.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Visaelya yelled as she sliced a Hollow through its mask, "Reinforcements? How big is Deidara's pack?"

"They might not be his," Shisui pointed out as he ducked beneath the swipe of a Hollow's claws before stabbing the attacking creature in the throat, "Hollows are opportunistic hunters. They might've been drawn here by our collective spirit energy and think they can take advantage of the chaos!"

"Who's going to deal with them?" Mikoto asked as twin rivers of violet flames surged forth from her Shikai and devoured a Hollow.

"We will!" Soi-Fon announced, already taking command of the situation, "Jiraiya, Urahara, Shisui, Visaelya, with me! Mikoto, you and Neji work with the Shinobi to mop up the small fry. Then come back us up. We need to turn the Garganta into a chokepoint!"

"What about Deidara?" asked Neji as he slammed his palm into a Hollow's chest, stunning the beast before finishing it off with a slash from his sword.

"Lady Yoruichi and Itachi will take care of him!" Soi-Fon answered, with not so much as a hint of doubt in her voice.

Daring only the briefest of glances, Shisui saw that Itachi and Yoruichi were actually falling back to the east, with Deidara alternating between firing off Ceros and letting fly with volleys of clay bombs. At first, he thought that the Adjuchas actually had his old friend and Captain on the ropes, but it only took Shisui a second to comprehend what was actually going on.

They're drawing him away from the rest of us, he realized, all so we can deal with the Gillians and lesser Hollows without having to worry about the Adjuchas. They're trusting us to defend the Leaf Village from these beasts while they deal with the primary target. Well, Itachi, I was willing to place my faith in you before I died the first time around…

…and I've got no problem with doing so again.

….

"Coward!" Deidara snarled as he slammed his fist into the ground where Itachi had stood just a moment later, "What's the matter, Itachi? Is running away all you're good for when your enemy doesn't fall for the Sharingan's genjutsu?"

Silence was Itachi's answer, along with a flock of crimson flaming crows crashing into Deidara's face. Deidara shrugged them off; the irritating firebirds would do little more than leave a few scorch marks on his mask. The black blade that they came from was a much greater threat, but through a relentless assault combining both physical attacks and Ceros he'd been able to keep Itachi on the defensive so far.

He'd attempted to add his clay bombs to that assault, but Itachi's companion was proving to be their bane. Every time Deidara attempted to strike at Itachi with his explosives, to demonstrate the superiority of his art, bolts of white lightning had defused his clay bombs mid-flight. It was downright infuriating, and Deidara had attempted to rectify the situation by dealing with the dark-skinned woman who seemed determined to join Itachi in making a mockery of his craft, but she was fiendishly quick. Whether it be with his claws, feet, teeth or Ceros, nothing Deidara threw at the female Soul Reaper could so much as graze her. To make matters worse, she wasn't content to merely defuse his bombs and dodge his attacks. Her gauntlets were for more than just firing off bolts of lightning, and the bite they gave to her punches couldn't just be shrugged off. The kicks she mixed in with those punches hit nearly as hard, and Deidara's only saving grace was that her feet were not armored like her fists.

I'm not getting anywhere with this, he thought as firebirds peppered his hide while arcs of white lightning coursed across his back, I need to change things up.

Driving both hands into the ground, he released two long centipedes made of detonating clay. They burrowed into the earth, where they would remain concealed until Deidara was ready to unleash them against Itachi. He then raised his head and let fly with another Cero, all the while chewing and molding new clay bombs within his hands and waiting for the right moment to use them.

He pulled back somewhat, hoping Itachi would take the bait and walk right into his mines. That, of course, was too much to ask. Instead, Itachi moved around to the right while his companion mirrored his moves on the left. Leaping high into the air, he aimed a Cero at the woman to keep her at bay while unleashing a rain of clay bombs against Itachi, hoping that his blast of energy would be enough to prevent his companion from bailing him out with her damned lightning like she had before.

He was only partially successful. The Cero did force the woman to momentarily go evasive, but she was still able to fire off another blast of ivory lightning from her gauntlets. This time, though, the bolts didn't disable Deidara's entire salvo. About half of the clay bombs were defused and plummeted harmlessly to the ground, but the others were still live and falling towards Itachi. Deidara dared to hope that this time he'd at least wound his hated rival, but it turned out that Itachi had other means of defending himself from the notorious bomber's signature jutsu. A wave of scarlet flaming crows surged forth from Itachi's blade, washing over the clay bombs that were still live and knocking them off course. They all still detonated, sending earth and plants flying into the air and animals scurrying for cover, but none of the explosions were close enough to harm Itachi.

Deidara's target glanced back at some of the craters that had been left by the blasts, and the disdainful look in Itachi's eyes set the mad bomber's blood freshly aboil. "For all your talk of artistry, you have no sense of finesse."

"Don't you dare try to lecture me!" Deidara growled, lunging forward as he tried to impale Itachi on his claws, "A critic with no artistic talent of his own has no right to look upon my work with the contempt you have for it!"

Itachi shook his head as he casually dodged Deidara's strikes. "And here I thought you were irksome back when you were alive. Seems death has turned you into a full-blown diva."

Deidara had a retort ready, but it died on his tongue as a series of sharp and slender points punctured the back of his neck. Those were followed immediately by an agonizing surge of electricity that coursed through his entire body. It felt as though Deidara was about to burn alive from the inside out. Shaking furiously and clawing wildly at his own back, he felt the energy surge mercifully subside a second later. There was a blur to his left, and Deidara caught sight of the annoying woman who'd been helping Itachi this whole time, completely unscathed by his frantic efforts to dislodge her. His eyes zoomed in on her gauntlets, specifically the claws at the tips of her fingers.

She used those to pierce my hide and attack beneath my damn flesh, he thought with horror, and I didn't even see her make her move!

His threat assessment of her immediately went up a notch. Her lightning attacks were already a concern by virtue of their ability to defuse his clay bombs, but now he knew that she could do more than just render his artistic works impotent. If she could pull off another attack like that and hang on longer, she could potentially pour enough energy into him to essentially cook him from within.

"Looks like you found a partner who's as annoying as you are!" Deidara sneered as he fired off another Cero at the woman.

She smirked as she twisted in mid-air, dodging the beam as if she was evading a stone thrown by a child. "Finally got your attention, eh? I'm flattered!"

"Let's see if you feel that way when I'm through with you!" Deidara yelled as he leapt at her, claws swiping and jaws wide open, ready to bite her head off.

Unfortunately for Deidara, she simply vanished in a blur. He detected her reappearing behind him less than a split-second later; she moved damn near as fast as the lightning from her gauntlets. Speaking of which, Deidara was driven to the ground as two powerful bolts of white lightning slammed into his back, and even that wasn't the worst of his problems. While she had struck from behind, Itachi was moving in from the right, his obsidian blade gleaming in the light of both the moon and the scarlet flaming crows flowing forth from it.

Scrambling to his feet, Deidara was only narrowly able to avoid a fatal wound from Itachi. As it was, his black sword cut deep into the Hollow's hide, and that wasn't the worst of it. As the blade sunk into Deidara's flesh, it continued to release those crimson firebirds, which in this case meant that his insides were quite literally being set aflame. Deidara couldn't suppress an agonized howl, and only a desperate swipe from his claws forced Itachi to pull his blade out and back off. Even then, the crackling of electricity in the air behind him told Deidara that his troubles were only just beginning.

….

"Who invited you bastards to this party?" Jiraiya growled as he caved in the chest of a Gillian with his spiked club.

"I doubt they require any such formalities," Visaelya deadpanned while cutting the legs out from under another of the towering creatures.

"You know the Menos Grande," Shisui chimed in as he stabbed Visaelya's crippled target in the eyes while his clones swarmed another Gillian, "They've got no sense of decency or manners. Always butting their heads in where they're not wanted."

"Cut the chatter and focus!" Soi-Fon admonished them as one of the giant beasts fell prey to the signature pair of pinpoint strikes from her Shikai, "There's plenty more where these monsters came from!"

That much was certainly true. The flow of Gillians through the rift was so far manageable, but it was also steady and showed no signs of letting up. To make matters worse, it wasn't just additional Gillians entering the fray; clusters of lesser Hollows were squeezing in at the margins. The battle had whipped the beasts up into a feeding frenzy, and they were eager to join in regardless of the peril they faced.

"They're clearly thinking with their stomachs rather than brains," Kisuke noted as he struck down one of the Menos Grande with a wave of crimson energy from his Shikai, "Gillians aren't the most tactical of Hollows, but single-minded hunger as a motivator presents its own problems. It might be hard to convince their fellows that joining this fight is bad for their health."

"Mikoto, Neji!" Jiraiya called out while smashing his club into another Gillian's face, "How are you two holding up?"

"We're managing!" Mikoto replied as Jiraiya caught a glimpse of the violet flames from her Shikai consuming two lesser Hollows.

"For now," Neji remarked as he sent his latest target into convulsions with a palm strike before finishing it off with a sword thrust to the back of its neck, "If the rate of reinforcements coming through that portal increases, though, we'll be in trouble."

He certainly wasn't wrong. Perching on the sturdy branch of a nearby tree, Jiraiya took a quick moment to survey the wider area. The Gillians were contained for the time being, but the packs of lesser Hollows sneaking in at the edges was becoming a problem. Fortunately, the Soul Reapers did have support on that front in the form of the scout Velia along with Eiji Hatake and the other spiritually tuned Shinobi who had joined him for this mission. Some, including Velia and Eiji himself, were helping out Neji and Mikoto by getting up close and personal with the enemy. Velia darted in and out from cover, striking at Hollows with her short sword in a deadly series of hit-and-run strikes. Eiji, by contrast, was taking a much bolder tack than Jiraiya had anticipated, engaging the enemy head-on with his short sword. The wily old Shinobi had done himself a disservice with his earlier remarks; while age had taken its toll, from what Jiraiya was seeing now Eiji still had what it took to fight the good fight. Moon and starlight gleamed along his blade as it flashed in the night, always aiming for the neck of whatever hapless Hollow was closest to him. The elder Hatake retained the clinical grace and professionalism that Jiraiya had seen in him back in the old days, with no unnecessary movements or flashy jutsus on his part. It was simple taijutsu combined with skillful swordsmanship, and it was all the old man needed.

The other Shinobi in the fray were proving to be no slouches either. Jiraiya recognized a few others from the sketchbook that they'd been shown during the briefing, including Tamotsu Aburame and Teruko Akimichi. The former, one of the Aburame from Jiraiya's generation, was doing what few Aburame did; mixing it up in the thick of things with a rather impressive showing of Leaf Village taijutsu. Yes, his insects still swarmed around him, but instead of solely relying on them for offense like many members of the Aburame Clan traditionally did, Tamotsu utilized them as supplements for his close-combat prowess. Punches and kicks were aided by the stingers and pincers of thousands of tiny bugs, with their assorted poisons ensuring that the unfortunate Hollows within range died slowly and very painfully. Meanwhile, the Akimichi girl that Neji had recognized was proving just what her clan's signature Calorie Control techniques and resulting jutsus could do against Hollows. She plowed through the assorted creatures, a rolling ball brimming with spirit energy that actually served to draw Hollows in and make it all the easier for her to, quite literally, flatten them.

While faces both familiar and not aided Mikoto and Neji in keeping the lesser Hollows on a somewhat manageable level in close-quarters combat, others did their work from afar. Kunai and shuriken flew out from the shadows beneath trees, perforating creatures that tried to break off from the main fight and make their way towards the distant Hidden Leaf Village. While these strikes didn't typically kill the Hollows, they served instead to drive the creatures down certain paths…

…which had been mined by metric crap-tons of Paper Bombs.

A chorus of shrieks rang out, and Jiraiya caught glimpses of blown-off limbs and even heads of Hollows flying through the air as the explosives did their bloody work. Sure, maybe Paper Bombs weren't as powerful as the unique explosives fashioned by Deidara, but Jiraiya could settle for practicality over artistry and strength.

While he could be confident that the rear was relatively secure for the moment, that still left the beasts fighting their way through the Kūmon to contend with. Jiraiya was already losing count of how many Gillians he and his compatriots had struck down, let alone the lesser Hollows, and yet the creatures just kept coming. The Soul Reapers could keep up a sustained effort for quite some time to come, but unless they wanted to be battling at this rift from now until old age, they really needed to find a way to close it.

Soi-Fon appeared to be of the same mind, at least if her grumbling after striking down another of the towering creatures was anything to go by. "Persistent and hungry bastards… they just won't take a damn hint. Kisuke! How do we close that Kūmon?"

"Come on, Soi-Fon," Kisuke replied as he obliterated one of the massive beasts with a blast of scarlet energy from Benihime, "You know how it works; the Kūmon is a tool that bends only to the will of the Hollows. Only they can open and close it. As long as Hollows back in Hueco Mundo are still determined to come through this rift, it will remain open."

"Then we just have to take away that will," Shisui remarked as he and his clones set upon a Gillian and tore it to shreds with their blades.

"It's not like it'll be that easy!" Visaelya protested while cutting one of the lumbering behemoths in half with her gleaming double-ended glaive, "Menos Grande aren't easily deterred, especially when they've got numbers behind him."

"There's got to be some way to convince them to find their next meal elsewhere!" Jiraiya persisted as he drove his spiked club into the side of a Gillian, toppling the creature and making it easy pickings for the follow-up strike that he delivered to its head.

He saw Kisuke stare intently at the portal for a moment, and Squad Two's Third Seat smiled a second later. "Actually, there might be… a display of overwhelming power. That'd normally be the Captain's privilege, but she's a bit preoccupied at the moment. I think I can fill her shoes for this occasion, though."

"As if!" Soi-Fon scoffed as she dodged a Cero, "You're strong, Urahara, I'll give you that. But you filling Lady Yoruichi's shoes? Don't make me laugh!"

"A poor turn of phrase, I suppose," Kisuke conceded as he sliced up a Gillian's legs before driving his sword into one of the creature's eyes as it fell in front of him, "That being said, I should be able to at least summon enough power to serve our needs here. I just need a favor from the rest of you."

"Name it!" Shisui called out.

"Buy me some time," Kisuke replied, "I don't need much. Just enough to complete the incantation… and then some protection afterwards. I've yet to try this spell in actual combat, but it's been quite draining whenever I use it in training."

"Under the circumstances, it sounds like utilizing such a spell might be a bad idea," Visaelya pointed out as she evaded a Cero before cutting down the beast that had unleashed it, "Wearing yourself out with a single spell is rather counterproductive, to put it mildly!"

"It's the only way to convince our enemies to go hunting elsewhere," Kisuke replied, his tone surprisingly firm.

"I'll try anything at this point," said Jiraiya, already seeing more Gillians jostling with each other as they all tried to squeeze through the Kūmon.

"I don't think we have a choice," Shisui added.

"Fine," said Soi-Fon, "Kisuke, begin the incantation. We'll keep the enemy at bay for as long as we can. Just try to avoid hitting us with whatever this spell is!"

Kisuke chuckled. "Don't worry. With how strong it is, you'll sense it coming well before I fire it off."

Soi-Fon, Shisui, Visaelya and Jiraiya rushed into the fray together as Kisuke took up position behind them and faced the rift. Even as he smacked foes left and right with his club, Jiraiya could indeed feel the rapidly building energy in Squad Two's Third Seat, and that was before Kisuke had even spoken.

The incantation came a moment later. "Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders. Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, grey fortress tower. Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired."

The very air itself became heavy with Kisuke's spiritual pressure, and Jiraiya was floored by what he could feel. The amount of power Kisuke was summoning for this spell was way beyond anything a Third Seat, even one from a unit like Squad Two which had several quite powerful officers with suspiciously low ranks, should've possessed. If this wasn't Captain-level spiritual pressure, it was damn close.

Daring to glance away from his foes for just a moment, Jiraiya saw that Kisuke had his Zanpakutō in his left hand, and while that hand was outstretched towards the Gillians, his grip on his sword was reversed so that the blade itself actually pointed towards the ground. Kisuke's Shikai was not particularly important at the moment, though. Instead, what really got Jiraiya's attention were the ten lances of pink spirit energy floating around the Third Seat.

Realizing what was coming, Jiraiya barked out what was probably an unnecessary warning to his comrades given that all of them could feel what Kisuke was about to unleash. "Scatter!"

As the four of them Flash Stepped away from the Gillians, Kisuke triggered his spell. "Hadō 91: Senju Kōten Taihō!"

The ten spears of pink light flew straight into the Kūmon and the Gillians attempting to squeeze through it. Upon impacting the beasts at the head of the pack, there was a damn near blinding flash and a deafening blast that shook the entire battlefield and almost knocked Jiraiya right off his feet. As it was, he had no choice but to shield his eyes, and his ears rang from the thunderous detonation.

Daring to turn his gaze towards the rift a few seconds later, Jiraiya saw that a vast cloud of black ash now floated where multiple Gillians had stood mere moments ago. He could see the silhouettes of additional Menos Grande in the gloom beyond the rift, but none of them dared to come forward. In fact, the Kūmon was already beginning to close, as if its creators were suddenly quite eager to put as much distance between themselves and the man who had fired off that spectacular attack as possible. There were stragglers in the form of lesser Hollows still scattered about the battlefield, but their much larger brethren were no longer willing to reinforce them.

Kisuke dropped to one knee, breathing heavily from the exertion and wiping sweat from his brow. "Phew… that one really takes it out of you…"

Jiraiya smiled as he approached Squad Two's Third Seat, ready to act as his bodyguard while he recovered from the attack. "Maybe, but the enemy's definitely looking worse than you right now. Nice job!"

Kisuke managed a weak smile. "Thanks… but I think I might be out of the action for a bit. Mind giving me a lift?"

Jiraiya moved to let Kisuke lean on his left side while brandishing his Zanpakutō in his right hand. Fighting like this would be quite challenging, but fortunately none of the surviving Hollows seemed able or willing to approach him. Soi-Fon and the others had the stragglers well-in hand, which meant that Kisuke could get some rest while Jiraiya kept watch. A series of explosions in the distance, though, reminded Jiraiya that the battle wasn't over quite yet.

Watch your back over there, Itachi, Jiraiya thought, I know that you beat this guy handily before, and I believe you can do it again, but don't get reckless. After all…

…you and I need to pay some old friends a visit once this fight is over.

….

Firing off another Cero at Itachi's companion before showering the former Leaf Village Shinobi with a cluster of clay bombs, Deidara's impatience was beginning to boil over. He was dimly aware that the Gillians attempting to get in on his clash had been driven back by the other Soul Reapers, and he could sense the diminishing presence of the surviving lesser Hollows as they were picked off one by one. If he wanted to kill Itachi before reinforcements arrived, he would have to do so quickly.

Unfortunately for Deidara, Itachi wasn't make it easy. Putting aside the ever-increasingly irritating fact that his companion kept zapping his clay bombs and rendering them inert, Deidara was finally learning the hard way that the form he had as an Adjuchas came with some rather notable drawbacks. Yes, he was powerful and tough, but he was also much larger than he'd been as a human or a wandering soul, which meant that he was a much easier target to actually hit. Evasion was difficult when one's body was larger than a damn house, and that issue only became even more troublesome when Deidara's foes were as agile as Itachi and the woman fighting alongside him. He also wasn't nearly as fast as he'd like to be, and that only compounded the problems he had with both trying to avoid his foes' attacks and land strikes of his own. Even the wide range he could achieve with both Ceros and his clay bombs wasn't doing all that much to mitigate those very serious problems.

I'm not going to be able to take him down in time at this rate, Deidara fumed as he let fly with two large sparrow-shaped bombs, only for one to be neutralized by the woman's lightning while the other was swarmed by Itachi's crimson flaming crows and knocked into the surrounding brush where it harmlessly detonated and sent plants flying every direction, I'm running out of time!

He still had an ace in the hole, though; the two centipede-shaped mines he'd planted earlier. They remained in position, and Deidara was confident that Itachi and his ally did not know about them, otherwise the woman would've blasted the area with lightning and defused them. Their raging battle had remained relatively close to where they were planted. If Deidara could just force Itachi within range, even if it was just for a second, that would be all he needed.

Acting quickly and desperately, Deidara shot another Cero at the woman along with a barrage of clay spiders from his left hand. As Itachi's comrade dodged the scarlet blast of energy while firing of bolts of white lightning that rendered the explosives inert, he made a waving-gesture with his right hand that sent another batch of explosives towards Itachi. Another swarm of crimson firebirds washed over many of them and disrupted their trajectory, but some got through. None hit Itachi, but Deidara hadn't meant for them to do that in the first place. As he'd planned, the detestable Uchiha had already discerned their vectors thanks to the keen visual prowess of the Sharingan and was moving to evade them…

…and his path took him right over the patch of earth where Deidara's mines had been planted.

You're mine!

Deidara was already imagining the detonation, the gruesome image of Itachi being ripped apart by the blasts captivating his mind's eye. In a split-second, that would be made reality. Focusing his spirit energy on the two buried clay bombs, Deidara gleefully triggered them.

Only for the former Akatsuki member turned Hollow's arms to suddenly be ripped apart from the inside out by two devastating explosions.

As Deidara's mind struggled to comprehend just what had happened, both Itachi and his companion moved in. Nothing more than blurs, the two Soul Reapers went for Deidara's legs. A single swipe from his obsidian blade was all Itachi needed to sever Deidara's left leg just above the knee, while the woman sunk the claws of her gauntlets into the right leg. Ivory lightning surged from those claws into Deidara's very flesh, and that was followed by a sickening tear as the deceptively slender woman ripped the limb off and tossed it aside like it was nothing more than a paperweight. Unable to support himself, Deidara fell to the ground, his teeth gnashing impotently as he writhed in agony.

"What… what was that?" Deidara frantically asked, more to himself than anyone else, "My mines, they detonated… they should've blown you apart!"

"And they would have," Itachi calmly answered as he stood before him, "if they had ever left your arms to begin with."

A bone-chilling sense of realization began to creep up Deidara's spine. "Genjutsu… but how? I never looked directly into your damn eyes!"

"No, you did not," Itachi confirmed as he raised his sword before the former Shinobi's deathly pale mask, "but in focusing purely on the threat posed by the Sharingan, you ironically made the same mistake as so many of the Uchiha that you despise. The clan took so much pride in our eyes, holding them up as pinnacles of power… and so many of them neglected other possibilities in the process."

Deidara's mind suddenly flashed back to before the fight had begun. The swirling flaming crows surrounding him, Itachi's entrance, standing defiantly in his path…

…and the gesture he'd made in doing so.

The finger…

"Impossible…" Deidara hoarsely whispered as he put it all together.

"Not at all," Itachi countered, and the look in his onyx eyes was arctic in its focused fury, "Feel free to ruminate upon it in the abyss."

Then the black sword plunged into Deidara's skull, and his world became consumed by unspeakable and eternal torment.

….

Withdrawing his sword and stepping back, Itachi watched as a brilliant burst of energy ripped forth from the wound in Deidara's head. While the defeated Adjuchas twitched spasmodically, Itachi's focus was less on his doomed adversary than on what was springing forth from where he'd struck the fatal blow. Two towering doors appeared behind the Hollow, slabs of dark violet stone with two nightmarish skeletal figures jutting out from their surface. The doors then began to creak open, with the foulest sort of spirit energy seeping out from them.

Itachi and Yoruichi looked on in silence as a massive blade suddenly thrust out from the swirling maelstrom of bloodred and black beyond. Skewering Deidara upon it like he was nothing more than a slab of delectable meat cooked on a grill, it then immediately began pulling back through the haunting gateway. The Adjuchas continued to spasm upon the blade as blood poured from the massive wound, with indecipherable gurgles and moans issuing from Deidara before he was taken beyond the threshold and down into the vile pit. Then the doors slammed shut and shattered, leaving no trace of themselves within the Shinobi World.

"Was that… what I think it was?" a haunted male voice asked from behind.

Looking over his shoulder, Itachi saw Neji come out from the brush. "Where are the others?"

"On their way," Neji replied, though his gaze was still fixed on where the massive doors had been just a moment before, and his face was rather pale, "We've put down the rest of the Hollows, and I decided to act as a scout before we joined your fight with Deidara. Seems that was unnecessary… especially if he's now where I think he is."

"You strike me as the type that pays attention in class, Neji," Yoruichi chimed in as she deactivated her Shikai and sheathed her Zanpakutō, "You might only be a year into your studies, but I'm sure the Gates of Hell have already come up in lectures."

Neji nodded, with some of the color returning to his face. "They have… though I didn't think I'd see them here."

"I was expecting them," Itachi said as he also put away his weapon, his mind only half on the current conversation, "Deidara's list of crimes was long even before he joined the Akatsuki. Then again, so was mine…"

"…and yet you're here instead of down there," Neji finished for him, his eyes narrowing as he studied Itachi, "Something that's puzzled me for quite some time now."

Itachi nodded. "For a long time, I felt the same way. I suppose part of me still does… but only a part."

Yoruichi put a hand on his shoulder, and when Itachi met her gaze, he saw that she was smiling. "It's because you're coming to terms with everything that happened back then. All that led up to that horrible night, all you did and saw from that moment up to your death… and what it was all ultimately for. What you descended into darkness for versus Deidara's reasons for his own bloody path makes all the difference."

"Perhaps," Itachi replied softly, "but even so… blood isn't easily washed away, regardless of the reasons behind its shedding."

"What reasons were yours?" asked Neji, his tone one of genuine curiosity and completely lacking the accusatory bite from before the mission.

Itachi closed his eyes for a moment, his mind flashing back to those desperate days leading up to the impending coup attempt and the preemptive purge. "Loyalty, peace… and love."

When he looked at Neji again, Itachi saw that the Soul Reaper-in-training seemed sincerely flummoxed by his answer. "Hold on… are you…?"

Whatever thought the student was trying to articulate remained incoherent as Itachi felt additional Soul Reapers approaching. Soi-Fon, Mikoto, Shisui and Visaelya were the first to appear, while Jiraiya and Kisuke lagged a bit, the former allowing the latter to lean against his left shoulder.

Yoruichi looked at her Third Seat in concern. "Kisuke, you're not looking so hot. You need to head back?"

Kisuke gave her a weak smile. "Just need to catch my breath for a bit. Had to actually work for this one."

Jiraiya chuckled. "No kidding. You definitely more than pulled your weight this time around."

Soi-Fon folded her arms, but there seemed to be a begrudging sense of respect in the look she gave Kisuke. "You were reckless, pouring that much of your energy into one attack… but you got the job done, so I guess I can let your carelessness slide this time."

"Where's Velia?" asked Yoruichi.

"Running an area sweep with the Shinobi," Shisui answered, "The Hollows have been dealt with, so it's really just a formality at this point."

Visaelya smiled. "Job well done, all things considered. Are we ready to return home?"

"I suppose the mission's complete," said Mikoto, gazing off to the northwest, "but…"

That was when her eyes widened slightly and she turned to Itachi. Itachi didn't even need to ask; he could feel what she was doubtlessly sensing now. A glance at Shisui told Itachi that his old friend felt it, too. Multiple presences were approaching, their chakra quite strong even from this distance. The lead one, especially.

One that Itachi had last felt sixteen years ago.

The other Soul Reapers bristled, with Soi-Fon drawing her sword. "Lady Yoruichi, we have company inbound."

Yoruichi met Itachi's gaze for a moment, and a shake of the head from her Eight Seat elicited a knowing smile. "Stand down, Soi-Fon. Weapons won't be needed here."

As the Captain's bodyguard reluctantly sheathed her blade, Itachi turned in the direction of the approaching presences. Sure enough, three Shinobi came through the tree-line a moment later; one man, one woman, and a girl who couldn't have been older than her pre-teens at the most. The latter two looked around in confusion, and Itachi found the sight mildly amusing. Despite the rather conspicuous clash of hairstyles, there was more than enough family resemblance for Itachi to instantly know that they were mother and daughter.

Her green eyes gleaming in the moonlight as she brushed a lock of pink hair out of her face, her long red qipao fluttering in the wind as she drew a kunai, the mother was the first to speak. "They should be here, right? Where's the enemy?"

The onyx eyes beneath the daughter's glasses had a similarly confused look in them, her black hair spooling over her Leaf Village Shinobi headband and resting upon the scarlet rim of her visual aids as she pulled out two shuriken from the pouch strapped to her right leg and adjusted the collar of her maroon qipao. "Papa, you said you sensed someone here. Have they moved on?"

"No," said the raven-haired man, a small smile gracing his face as his right obsidian eye shone with a warmth that harkened back to innocent days long gone.

The long black cloak covering most of the man's body was rustled by a gust of wind, and the long locks of raven hair covering the left side of his face were briefly brushed aside, revealing a violet eye with a rippling pattern; the Rinnegan. Unlike what Itachi had witnessed with Pain, though, this one had a rather intriguing twist to it. In the center of it were six tomoe, arrayed in an inverted triangle formation around the eye's pupil.

Must be quite the story behind that, Itachi thought as he returned the smile of the man that stood before him, along with the family that now accompanies him. I imagine there's a similarly interesting tale behind him only having one arm now…

"He's still here," the man continued, "He's right in front of me, in fact. Aren't you… brother?"

As the eyes of both women widened in stunned disbelief, Itachi inclined his head. "I am…"

"…Sasuke."

….

To think that this was supposed to be just a rare and quiet family night, Sasuke mused as he gazed upon his older brother while Sakura and Sarada gaped in confusion and shock, I suppose it still is, in a way… with a bit more family involved than I had originally anticipated.

The Uchiha family had just been in the process of wrapping up dinner when word had reached their residence that the strange occurrences out in the wilderness of the Land of Fire were moving in the direction of their hometown. Hidden Leaf Village scouts were trying to figure just what was going on, but the fragmented intelligence had been downright baffling. Border sentries had reported no hints of an incursion; the first sign of trouble had been when trees and dirt within the Land of Fire's borders started flying into the air for seemingly no apparent reason. Detonations were heard, but there were no obvious targets within their vicinity. For all that the Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village could tell, it looked like someone was bombing nature itself for no discernible reason.

Although his aid had not been formally requested by the Hokage, Sasuke knew that was because Naruto was still trying with his advisors to sort through the various reports and figure out just what was actually going on. Additional scouting teams had already been dispatched, and Sasuke had decided to lend his own considerable ocular prowess to the endeavor. What he had not expected, though perhaps should have, was the dogged insistence of Sakura and Sarada that they go with him.

"This is still our family night," Sakura argued as both she and Sarada geared up, "We'll simply be fighting as a family instead of relaxing."

Sasuke had been tempted to resist their entreaties, but the looks in both of their eyes had been all he needed to know that trying to stop them would be futile. Instead, he'd simply requested that they allow him to take point so that he could best identify the source of the threat and direct them to engage. Of course, by the time the trio had actually arrived, whatever said threat had been was already dealt with…

…by the very last person Sasuke had expected to see tonight.

"Itachi…" said Sasuke softly, his mind struggling to think of something else to say.

His older brother's smile broadened. "Not just me, Sasuke."

That was when another familiar face came forward, one that Sasuke hadn't seen in even longer than that of his older brother. "Sasuke!"

If the proverbial cat had gotten Sasuke's tongue at the sight of Itachi, the pernicious feline damn near ran off with it as Mikoto barreled right into him and threw her arms around him. His honed instincts failed him for a moment before awkwardly bringing his right arm up to return his mother's embrace, only able to imagine just what Sakura and Sarada might be thinking as they watched him hug what looked like thin air to them.

As if both his older brother and mother weren't enough, Sasuke heard a familiar chuckle from behind Mikoto and Itachi. "Well, well, look at that… you sure grew, Sasuke."

Only dimly aware of the voice as Mikoto came perilously close to chocking him in her fierce embrace while tears of joy streamed down her face, Sasuke still immediately recognized it as none other than that of Shisui. Sure enough, as he strained his neck to look over his mother's shoulder, he saw his older brother's best friend strolling forward, dressed in the same black robes as Itachi and Mikoto. He stopped just a short distance away, still far enough back to allow the two brothers a moment with their mother.

Five other black-robed figures were with them, as was a sixth in blue and white robes. The last one, along with one of the black-robbed individuals, were likewise familiar faces to Sasuke; none other than Neji Hyūga and Jiraiya. The two of them simply stood off to the rear, seemingly content to let this unexpected Uchiha Clan reunion play out without their interference.

Mikoto took one arm off of Sasuke, but only so she could turn to Itachi and wave him forward. "Itachi, what are you waiting for? Get over here!"

Itachi did not argue. Still smiling, he came up to Mikoto and Sasuke, and the boys' mother took them both into a fierce embrace. Fresh tears fell down Mikoto's face, but her smile was the biggest that Sasuke had ever seen from her.

"My boys…" she choked out, "My sons…"

"Mother…" Sasuke finally said, feeling his throat constrict as he tried to hold himself together.

Perhaps he would have, were it not for Itachi leaning forward just enough so that his forehead pressed with Sasuke's. Meeting his older brother's gaze, Sasuke was amazed to see the moisture building up in the corners of Itachi's gaze. Sasuke's mind flashed back to the horrific night that had forever sundered their family…

…and to the tears he now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he'd seen his older brother shed before he'd fled into exile.

And then the very last words that Itachi had said to him sixteen years ago echoed in his head.

"You don't ever have to forgive me… and whatever you do from here on out, know this…"

"No matter what, I will love you always."

With that, the dam broke, and the brothers wept openly in the embrace of their mother.

….

You know that this sort of contact is completely against regulations, Inazuma On'na pointed out to Yoruichi.

I do. Your point?

Your report's going to require some rather selective editing in order to keep yourself and your subordinates out of trouble. Will Soi-Fon be willing to go along with it?

Glancing at her bodyguard, Yoruichi smiled as she saw Soi-Fon silently standing back and watching as Mikoto hugged her sons while what she assumed were Sasuke's wife and daughter looked on in puzzlement. Rather than snapping at Mikoto that she was breaking protocol, Soi-Fon simply observed with a very small smile on her face. She was happy for her friend, protocol be damned, and that was all Yoruichi needed to see.

She won't be a problem.

"How much time can you give them?" asked Jiraiya quietly as he approached her, "I think we both know that they need this."

"All the Hollows have been dealt with, right?" Yoruichi queried.

Jiraiya nodded. "We made sure there weren't any stragglers. Besides, with Kisuke's heavy-hitting spell sending the Gillians packing, I don't think those beasts will be eager to poke their noses around here again anytime soon."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Yoruichi replied, "I didn't set an exact timeframe for this mission, which means we can afford to linger for a while. Not indefinitely, but enough for a good chat or two… and not just for our resident Uchihas."

Jiraiya chuckled. "You already know where I'm going with this, don't you?"

Yoruichi smirked. "No need to beat around the bush. You've got someone you want to check in on, and I'm assuming they're in the Leaf Village. Can you make it there and back before sunrise?"

"From where we're at and with Flash Step? Easily," Jiraiya confirmed before looking over his shoulder, "Mind if I bring Neji along? With how he met his end, I imagine he's got people of his own he wants to make sure are doing okay."

"Of course," Yoruichi confirmed, "Feel free to make contact with whoever you wish, but try to be at least somewhat discreet about it. The last thing we need is for the Hidden Leaf Village to begin panicking about ghosts or something like that."

"We'll be careful," Jiraiya reassured her before smiling, "and Yoruichi? Thank you. I don't think you realize just how much this truly means for us. For all of us."

She turned her gaze towards Itachi, her heart practically melting as she saw him, his brother and mother all wiping joyful tears from their faces. "Perhaps, but I think I've got a pretty good idea. You'd best be off, Jiraiya. You and Neji need to make the most of this. Consider that an order."

Jiraiya respectfully inclined his head as his smile grew. "Yes, ma'am."

As Jiraiya went over to Neji before the two of the Flash Stepped away, Yoruichi saw Kisuke limp over to her. "Holding up okay?"

"I think so," Kisuke replied, "although I wouldn't mind being able to sit down for a bit."

"Go right ahead," Yoruichi told him as she leaned back against a tree while watching Sasuke introduce his wife and daughter to his mother and older brother, "We've got plenty of time."

….

Having sat down alongside both his mother and Shisui atop a tree that had been felled by the earlier battle, Itachi's smile never left his face as he and Sasuke looked at each other. His younger brother, along with Sakura and Sarada, had picked a trio of large rocks that had been tossed into the clearing by Deidara's explosives as their seats, and the two groups had engaged in a patient back-and-forth. Recounting events of the past sixteen years in as brief a summation as possible to get each other up to speed was a surprisingly difficult task, especially for Itachi; there was so much that he wanted to share with Sasuke regarding the Soul Society, but at the same time he was just as eager to learn all that his little brother had been through since they'd last seen each other. Combine that with Mikoto and Shisui having their own questions, and it proved to be quite the tricky balancing act.

One thing that had struck Itachi throughout the exchange, though, was just how quiet Sakura and Sarada had been. Sure, they'd exchanged pleasantries and added their own bits to the conversation if prompted, but mother and daughter were both clearly feeling rather awkward. Itachi could hardly blame for that; from their perspective, they were simply sitting next to Sasuke while disembodied voices came from a fallen tree. Neither of them really knew where to look except in a general direction, and Itachi was certain that that wasn't the only thing bothering them. His past deeds were very much the elephant in the room, and they would need to be addressed.

"You've certainly kept yourself busy," Itachi noted as Sasuke wrapped up a tale regarding one of his many far-reaching journeys.

Sasuke nodded. "So have you. I'd hoped you could at least find peace after undoing the reanimation jutsu, but it seems the afterlife is much busier than I'd imagined."

Itachi had to chuckle at that. "It is, though that's hardly a bad thing."

"Being a Soul Reaper definitely keeps you occupied," Shisui added, "I think we've actually got more on our plates now than we ever had back when we were alive, and that's really saying something."

"Even so, we always manage to make time for friends and family," Mikoto chimed in as she put her arm around Itachi while smiling at her youngest son, "Sasuke, you have no idea how often we've wondered how you were doing, and how tempting it was to come out here sooner. I'm so sorry that it took us this long. You've never been far from my thoughts, or those of Itachi, I can promise you that."

"It's alright," Sasuke reassured them, "It sounds like you all take your new duties quite seriously. Given my own responsibilities, I can definitely understand that."

"Maybe a bit too much…" Sarada murmured softly as she looked at the ground, her expression somewhat glum.

Sasuke gave a heavy sigh. "It's true. That's why I'm trying to spend more time in the Leaf Village now."

Sakura gave her daughter an encouraging smile. "Sarada, we've all been over this. Your father agreed to limit his travels in the future and make sure to stay with us more often. He's doing his best."

Sarada nodded and looked up, giving both her mother and father a small smile in return. "I know. I just wish the Hokage didn't have to rely on you as much as he does."

"Naruto's trying to let me have more time with you," Sasuke replied, "Given how he's been trying to make time for his own family while balancing the duties that come with being Hokage, he understands our situation better than you might think."

An image of Jiraiya's past apprentice flashed through Itachi's mind, and picturing the boy in the Hokage's hat and robes was an amusing bit of distraction. "It's still somewhat strange to think of Naruto Uzumaki as Hokage… and yet, somehow it's not surprising in the least. Jiraiya will be proud when he sees him. I know I am. At the very end, he was the one I trusted to help you when I was gone… and I owe him a great debt for coming through for you. Please, pass on my thanks to him the next time you see him."

Sasuke nodded, though there was a sudden hint of unease in his expression. "I will."

Mikoto leaned forward, clearly picking up on what Itachi had just seen. "Sasuke, what's the matter?"

Her youngest son's eyes widened slightly, and then Sasuke turned to Itachi. "It's… complicated."

"What isn't complicated when it comes to us Uchiha?" Shisui quipped.

"Shisui!" Mikoto hissed, "Take this seriously."

Shisui sheepishly bowed his head. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," said Itachi, his gaze focused on Sasuke, "Sasuke, what is it?"

Sasuke took a deep breath. "About Naruto… after the war, he told everyone about how you acted to undo the reanimation jutsu when you were brought back. It raised quite a few questions."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "What else did he reveal?"

"That was it," Sasuke answered, "The truth about what happened when… well, you know when… that remains a closely guarded secret."

Itachi sighed with relief. "That's good."

"Is it?" Sasuke asked, confliction clear in his eyes, "Brother, I know what you wanted, and what you still want, but even so…"

"Sasuke…" Sakura said softly as she put a hand on his shoulder.

She then looked at Itachi, or at least the space his voice was coming from, and he immediately realized what it meant. "Sakura… you know, don't you?"

Sakura said nothing, but that didn't matter. The subtle tension in her jaw and the way her eyes narrowed ever so slightly was all the answer that Itachi needed.

Sarada, by contrast, blinked in obvious confusion. "What's he talking about?"

"Something that you're not yet ready for," Sasuke answered, though in Itachi's eye he seemed less than sure of what he was saying.

Sakura solemnly nodded in agreement. "It's better this way."

Sasuke looked at Itachi, his doubts clear for all to see. "I'm sure you feel the same way, brother, yet… it doesn't feel fair. Even after what Naruto told everyone, your name…"

"Still remains largely synonymous with murder and treason, I'd imagine," Itachi calmly finished for him, "That's as it should be. The reasons behind the act do not change the reality of the act itself. I'm fine with the people of the Shinobi World despising me, Sasuke. Truth be told, I wish Naruto hadn't revealed what he did, though I can appreciate the intention behind it. I know he meant well, and from what you've told me it appears that the damage done was minimal, but it was still a greater risk than I'm comfortable with. As you said, it raised questions, and for the time being I believe it is best that said questions remain shrouded in shadow."

Sarada looked at her mother and father in utter bafflement. "I don't understand… what happened back then?"

"A monstrous act of bloodshed, Sarada," said Itachi as the girl's face swung in roughly his direction, his heart pained by the time he could've spent with his niece had so much not gone wrong, "The truth of my deeds as you understand them is not wrong. Motives aside, the crime remains as bad as you've no doubt heard. Suffice to say that your uncle's example is not one that you should follow… though I wish it were otherwise. I wish… well, there is much that I wish… even more now that I have met you."

He turned to face Sasuke's family as a whole, though his focus was primarily on his brother. "I have no right to ask anything of you, especially not after I caused you so much pain and suffering. Nevertheless, there is a request I would make."

"Name it," Sasuke replied without hesitation.

Itachi smiled. "I told Deidara during our fight tonight that we deserved to be forgotten, and I meant it. Let my name fade into the past, Sasuke, until it vanishes altogether. In dishonor and disgrace, it won't be hard, even after what Naruto revealed. One act of heroism during the Fourth Shinobi World War does not balance out the blood soaking my ledger. In this new era, the world has the chance to be better than the one that I walked my dark path in. Let the Shinobi World leave the worst shadows of its past behind… and that very much includes me, Sasuke."

Sasuke vehemently shook his head. "I can't… that's not fair, brother. Not to me, and definitely not to you."

"I lost the right to fairness a long time ago," Itachi countered, "You and I both know that. The world needs to move forward… and so do you."

"You might believe that," Sakura interjected firmly, "but Sasuke doesn't. After how you manipulated him back then, regardless of the reasons for it, shouldn't his opinion on this matter more than yours?"

Itachi's eyes widened slightly, and he turned to regard her with renewed interest. His smile grew just a little bit as he took her in. She couldn't see him, but her gaze still met his, perhaps unwittingly or otherwise. Hers were the eyes of a woman standing up for the one she loved, completely unafraid of ruffling feathers or potential repercussions. Her devotion to her family was unequivocal, and Itachi was glad that she had been the one Sasuke'd married.

"You're right," Itachi conceded, "Ultimately, Sasuke, whether you would grant my request or not is your decision, and yours alone. For so long, I acted as though you had no agency in any matter, that your path needed to be the one that I dictated. That was just one of many mistakes that I made, and one that I refuse to make any longer. Whatever you decide in the end, know that I will respect your decision."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to smile, both at his wife and older brother. "I know why you're really asking this of me, Itachi… but I can't honor your request. Not entirely. I won't be like Naruto and spread the word far and wide, but I'll still hold onto the truth…"

He then looked at his daughter. "… and perhaps, when the time is right, share it with those who have the right to know."

Sarada looked hopeful for a second before realization set in. "Well… as long as I can learn it at some point. Even so… if you think it's best for now, Papa, then that's enough for me."

Itachi had to wonder about that. As he studied the girl, he discerned that her desire to honor her father's wish was genuine, but there was still a curiosity in her gaze that would not be easily slaked. She would continue to hunger for the truth, and perhaps seek it out on her own.

Perhaps she'll find it, Itachi mused as he evaluated her, though it would be better if she learns directly from Sasuke. That being said, how she ultimately comes by the knowledge is not something I should have a part in. I no longer have the right to influence the affairs of this world.

Sasuke turned back to Itachi. "You might want our world to forget you, Itachi… but I won't. I never will."

Itachi inclined his head, with warmth spreading through his chest. "While I might wish for memory of me to fade from the Shinobi World, if it must linger… then I'm happy that it will be with you, Sasuke."

"As am I," Mikoto chimed in as she put her arm around him, "Sasuke, no matter how you live your life from here on out, know that you will always be in our hearts."

Sasuke nodded, his breath momentarily catching in his throat as he looked at his brother and mother. "And you will be in mine."

Mikoto then smiled. "Now, I say that's quite enough of dredging up unpleasant memories, wouldn't you? I don't know about you and Shisui, Itachi, but I want to hear more about what my daughter-in-law and granddaughter have been getting up to!"

Shisui laughed. "I wouldn't mind that! Sasuke, with all the trouble it sounds like you've been getting yourself into, I bet Sakura and Sarada beat you senseless for making them worry."

Sarada's eyes widened in shock. "What? I could never beat Papa!"

Sakura giggled. "Neither could I, though sometimes I'm tempted! As the village's chief medical Shinobi, I'd at least be able to heal him after giving him a good whack… but I'd still rather avoid that."

With that, Itachi leaned back and let his mother take over the conversation. Sasuke did the same with regards to his wife and daughter, and the two brothers simply sat and smiled as they allowed the family reunion's course to progress without either of them guiding it.

….

Having greatly enjoyed standing back and watching as Itachi caught up with his younger brother and got to know both his sister-in-law and niece, Yoruichi was momentarily troubled when she then saw him stand up and politely excuse himself from the group. He looked around for a moment before he saw her, and she pushed herself off from the tree she'd been leaning against as he approached.

"Everything okay?" she asked, her casual tone masking her worry.

Her concerns eased up when Itachi nodded and gave her a small smile after glancing back over his shoulder at Mikoto. "Yes. I just wanted to give my mother the chance to converse with the newest member of our family without me looming in the background."

Following Itachi's gaze, Yoruichi saw that Mikoto had left the log she'd been sitting on and was now kneeling in front of Sarada, her hand on her granddaughter's knee and a beaming smile on her face. While the girl did seem understandably awkward being so close to someone that she could not actually see, her unease quickly faded as Mikoto began to pepper her with the sort of questions that Yoruichi was well accustomed to being asked by her own mother.

Some things truly are universal, she thought as she watched Sarada emphatically shake her head in embarrassment when Mikoto asked if she had a boyfriend, and that's hardly a bad thing.

"Awfully kind of you," Yoruichi said after a moment, "although I don't think your mother would've minded you sticking around."

Itachi shook his head. "No, I'm sure she wouldn't, but the shadow I cast over our family is impossible to ignore even now. She's at peace with it, but Sasuke's new family is another matter. Me stepping back for a bit should lighten the mood considerably. Besides, we only have so much time before we'll need to head back, and as much as I've enjoyed seeing Sasuke and knowing that he's surrounded by people who love him even when I'm gone, I have something else that I'd like to do while we're in this world… and I'd like for it to be with you."

Yoruichi's eyes widened slightly. "Oh? What did you have in mind?"

"Jiraiya and Neji left the group quite some time ago," Itachi noted, "I'm assuming they've gone off to the Leaf Village?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Yup."

Itachi then smiled again. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about what it's become since I last saw it. Sasuke said it's doing well, and I don't doubt him, but I still want to see it with my own eyes. Would you come with me for that?"

Yoruichi smiled as well. "Of course, I would, Itachi… on one condition."

Itachi blinked in puzzlement. "A condition? What might that be?"

She reached up to caress his cheek, not caring in the least that they were within full view of her subordinates; they were smart enough to have picked up on what was going on between her and Itachi quite some time ago. "I want you to show me the village... with the exception of the old Uchiha grounds. From what I've overheard Sasuke saying tonight, it seems unlikely that your clan's former compound still stands, but even if it does, I don't want you going back there. Same with the Naka Shrine."

Now it was Itachi's turn for his eyes to widen. "How did you know I was thinking that?"

"Because I know you, Itachi," she replied softly, "Just as I know that your mother was right earlier; enough unpleasant memories have already been dredged up for one night. I'll go with you to the Leaf Village, but not to watch you continue to torture yourself with your past. You've done enough of that already. It may be a very long time before we're able to step foot in your old world again, and I would have the memories you make from this visit be happier than the ones that have haunted your dreams for so many years."

She was relieved to see Itachi nod, and the moonlight glimmered in onyx eyes that radiated affection and gratitude in equal parts. "In that case, I accept your condition. Yoruichi… thank you."

Yoruichi leaned forward to give him a quick peck on the cheek. "Anytime, Itachi. Now, why don't we get moving? I'm fast, and I know you can keep up, but we're going to need to hustle if we're going to make it there and back again while leaving you time for a fond farewell with your family."

Itachi nodded. "Of course. Seeing as this is my home turf, mind letting me lead the way this time?"

She took his hand in hers. "This time, Itachi."

The two of them looked to the northwest before becoming nothing more than blurs in the night.

….

Hard to believe it's still called the Hidden Leaf Village, Jiraiya mused as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop, I figured it had changed since my passing, but all this… it's no longer a village. It's a genuine city now.

Jiraiya had been quite taken aback upon first seeing just how much his hometown had changed. The village had been lively enough back when he'd resided there, and it had certainly grown over the years, but Jiraiya had never imagined it becoming what he was seeing now. Sure, he could still see plenty of structures that retained the classic stylings he'd been accustomed to, but now those were dwarfed by towering office buildings and apartment complexes. The urban sprawl had expanded to such an extent that it even went around and behind the Hokage Mountain, crowning its heights with large and rectangular buildings of metal and concrete that seemed to grasp at the starry sky beyond.

Speaking of the Hokage Mountain, Jiraiya hadn't been blind to the addition of two new faces. Both were well earned in his estimation. Seeing that Kakashi had become the next in line after Tsunade was reassuring; the Jōnin was solid leadership material as far as Jiraiya was concerned, and he doubtlessly would've done his best to ensure stability so that the Hidden Leaf Village could recover from the turbulent period that had seen so much death and destruction in the Shinobi World. Jiraiya was certain that Kakashi's cool-headed nature and hard-won wisdom had helped lay the foundation for much of the staggering urban growth that the Legendary Sannin was traversing now, and he found himself wandering if he should add visiting the famous Copy Ninja to his evening itinerary. He thought better of it; trying to track down someone in this city would be no small task even for him, and he was operating with a limited window of time already.

No, Jiraiya was only seeking out one man tonight, one that he suspected would be much easier to find than Kakashi. After all, that man's face was the most recent to be carved into Hokage Mountain, and with the Hidden Leaf Village on standby alert thanks to all the ruckus raised out in the woods by Deidara's pack, the Seventh Hokage would almost certainly be on duty in the iconic citadel where his predecessors had reigned.

He's probably frustrated beyond belief right now, Jiraiya thought as he pictured his last pupil sitting behind a desk taking reports and fielding counsel from various advisors, Naruto, I'm glad you finally got the title you wanted, but I wonder if you really thought through all that becoming Hokage would entail…

Knowing his former pupil, Jiraiya highly doubted it.

Luckily for Jiraiya, the Hokage Residence remained at the foot of the mountain, and with the emblem of the office holder illuminated by brilliant lights, it was impossible to miss. The building had gotten considerably larger since the last time Jiraiya had seen it, much like the Leaf Village itself. Sentries dotted the grounds, while others were hiding in the nearby foliage. This was one of those occasions where Jiraiya was actually thankful for his death; being a soul made infiltrating a heavily guarded compound like this much easier than it would've been if he was still bound to a physical body. Even with the modifications and expansions the Hokage Residence had undergone over the past several years, Jiraiya did not doubt for a moment that he would find his apprentice.

Working his way through the myriad hallways, it didn't take long at all for Jiraiya to find the Hokage's office. The complex was quite busy given the rather late hour, but that was to be expected given the disturbance caused by the clash with the Hollows. While there was an air of tension about the place, it did seem to be easing somewhat; with the battle now over, the Leaf Village's scouts were likely reporting back that all was quiet, though no doubt they would still be on guard for some time to come. Jiraiya was a bit wary despite the fact that he had so far proven to be invisible to all the Shinobi in the building. After all, there could still be a Shinobi with a strong affinity for spirit energy in the complex that might detect him. As a precaution, he worked to suppress his spiritual pressure as much as possible while he progressed through the building. So far, he hadn't run into any trouble, and he hoped that his luck would hold.

Coming down the final corridor, he saw that the door to the Hokage's office was open, with two Shinobi standing guard outside. Neither gave any indication of sensing him, so Jiraiya proceeded forward with confidence. Two voices were coming from the doorway, both male, and both familiar…

…one far more so than the other.

"It doesn't make any sense," the first one said, "Just a little while ago, we were getting reports of what sounded like explosions out in the wilderness, along with sightings of plants and earth getting thrown into the sky. There are also unconfirmed sightings of armed figures, possibly Shinobi. Now, though, the scouts are saying that it's silent out there. The ground's disturbed enough to show clear signs of a fight, but no clues as to who was fighting or why, and the combatants seem to have vanished into thin air."

"You think I should go out there, Shikamaru?" asked the second, not even trying to hide the hope that his advisor would give him the green light to do just that.

Jiraiya smiled; he knew that voice very well indeed.

Entering the room, he saw two men who had only been teenagers when Jiraiya had left their world. Both were behind the Hokage's desk, though only one actually sat at it. The one standing to the right of the Hokage's seat was easy to identify as Shikaku's progeny. Shikamaru wore his black hair in the same style as his old man, and he'd even grown a goatee in a manner reminiscent of Shikaku as well. Rather than the typical Leaf Village Shinobi flak jacket, though, he instead wore a long tan jacket over his dark grey body suit. His brow was furrowed in concentration, no doubt hard at work trying figure out just what to make of the most recent reports from the village's field scouts.

As for the man in the Hokage's seat…

…well, Jiraiya would've known him anywhere.

You really grew up…

…Naruto.

He'd grown, but there was no mistaking him for anyone else. Sure, he was taller now, and he'd updated his outfit. The orange jacket with black stripes on the sleeves and hem went well with his dark pants; a good stylish update while still keeping the base color that his apprentice had favored all those years ago. His right arm was completely rapped in bandages, and if Sasuke's missing limb earlier had been any indication, Jiraiya suspected that Naruto had likewise lost his real arm sometime during the Fourth Shinobi World War. He was curious as to what had gone into the new limb, but that was a trivial matter that he could pursue another time. For all he'd changed, so much of him remained the same. Those brilliant blue eyes, the blond hair that was admittedly better-trimmed now than it had been back in the day, those whisker-like facial markings; they all fit the pupil Jiraiya so fondly remembered.

As Jiraiya strode forward, Shikamaru firmly shot down the Seventh Hokage's earlier query. "Not a chance. There's still too much we don't understand about the situation. Besides, if it really is starting to quiet down, then having the Hokage himself take the field would be a gross misallocation of a vital strategic resource. It's better for you to remain in reserve just in case something goes wrong."

Naruto folded his arms and pouted. "Is that all I am now? 'A vital strategic resource'? Come on, Shikamaru! I just want to go out there and have a look!"

Shikamaru held his ground. "That's what the other Shinobi are for, Naruto. How many times do I have to tell you that you can't just rush out carelessly like you did in the past?"

Naruto grinned. "Even when you do, sometimes I still get out from under your thumb!"

Shikamaru groaned. "What a drag… look, let's at least wait for the next report, okay? I want to get at least some idea as to what we're dealing with here before you go off to Rasengan it in the face."

I should've known, Jiraiya mused as he moved behind the desk and stood opposite of Shikamaru by his apprentice, You can put the Hokage's hat on the kid, but you can't take the kid out of the Hokage.

Stretching out with his senses, Jiraiya could detect the same mixed chakra within Naruto as before; the Nine Tailed Fox remained inside him. Studying Naruto more closely, though, Jiraiya detected something different. Naruto's chakra and that of the Nine Tails seemed… harmonic. In the past, it had only been the seal that had kept the fox's chakra from overwhelming Naruto and taking over, with the beast always pushing at his boundaries and probing for weaknesses. Jiraiya no longer sensed that was the case, though. Their combined energy radiated almost as one entity, beyond anything Jiraiya had sensed from the boy back when he had been training him. Somehow, the boy had not merely tamed the Tailed Beast, but seemed to have actually reconciled with the fearsome fox…

…perhaps even befriended it.

Jiraiya certainly wouldn't put it past Naruto to pull of something as crazy as making one of the dangerous Tailed Beasts his new chum. The boy had always possessed an innate gift for drawing out the best in others, whether they be new friends or rivals. If he had done the same with the Nine Tailed Fox, then Naruto truly had surpassed not only his teacher and his mother, but plenty of the illustrious figures that had preceded them.

Kushina, Minato… wherever you two are in the Soul Society, I'll find you someday, he silently vowed, I'll tell you about what I'm sensing from your son now.

I think you both would be proud of him.

He slowly reached out and put his hand on Naruto's shoulder, while at the same time allowing just a hint of spirit energy to flow outwards. The Seventh Hokage's eyes widened as he looked directly at Jiraiya, and while the Legendary Sannin didn't think his old student could see him, it didn't matter. The astonished expression on Naruto's face was all Jiraiya needed to know that his last pupil could now sense him, and the young man almost certainly comprehended just who was in the room with him now.

"Pervy Sage?" Naruto murmured.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. "What was that, Naruto?"

Naruto's brow furrowed for a moment before he turned to his advisor. "Shikamaru… why don't you head out and rendezvous with the field scouts? It might be better if get to the scene and assess it for yourself. Maybe then you'll be able to make sense of what's really going on out there."

Shikamaru looked skeptical. "It might help, but… are you just trying to get me out of the room so you can sneak out there without me stopping you?"

Naruto smiled. "I'll stay in the village unless things get really bad, I promise! Come on, when have I ever gone back on my word?"

Shikamaru folded his arms, and his gaze momentarily lingered over the spot where Jiraiya was standing. Jiraiya wondered if the young man could actually see him; he wouldn't put it past the son of a Shinobi as sharp as Shikaku. However, Shikamaru quickly turned back to Naruto, and Jiraiya became confident that only the Hokage knew he was here.

"There should be more scouts on their way back as we speak," Shikamaru said, "I'll intercept them outside the village and learn what I can. If their reports don't satisfy me, I'll continue on to the scene of the disturbance."

Naruto grinned. "I'm counting on you, Shikamaru!"

"That's a real drag," Shikamaru sighed, though the smirk on his face suggested otherwise, "I'll get to the bottom of this, but you'd better hold to your word. If I find out you snuck out of the village while I'm away, I'll tell Hinata and Himawari that you're taking unnecessary risks again. You don't want to make me do that, do you?"

Naruto emphatically shook his head. "Nope, I do not!"

Jiraiya recognized the first name, though not the second. Of course, there was one very obvious conclusion to draw there, though he would wait for his former apprentice to give him confirmation. He watched as Shikamaru gave Naruto one last look before leaving the office and closing the door behind him.

Then Naruto stood and turned to face Jiraiya, or at least the spot that the Soul Reaper was standing in. "Pervy Sage… are you really here?"

Jiraiya grinned, and despite his excitement he worked to keep his voice low; it wouldn't do for the guards outside the room to hear a voice other than that of the Seventh Hokage and barge in to ruin the moment. "Been a long time, Naruto. You've really grown."

His former pupil stood still for a moment, clearly at a loss for words. Before Jiraiya could say anything, Naruto suddenly leapt forward and embraced him. It was a bit awkward since the Hokage couldn't actually see him, and his left arm damn near clobbered the Legendary Sannin right in the face, but Jiraiya was able to avoid taking more than a glancing blow. He readily hugged his old student, surprised to feel his throat actually clenching as his emotions threatened to overwhelm him.

Come on, keep it together, he told himself, Naruto will never let you hear the end of it if you actually break down and cry here. Neither will that grumpy old toad.

I heard that, the spirit of his Zanpakutō huffed, and you're lucky that I'm in a good mood right now.

"Jiraiya sensei," said Naruto, and the Soul Reaper realized that the young man was holding back waterworks as well, not to mention working quite hard to keep his voice down, "I've missed you! How… how are you here? You're… you're actually alive? Why can't I see you?"

"Well, here's the thing," Jiraiya replied as he patted the Shinobi on the back, "I'm still very much dead. That's part of the reason why you can't see me. As for why I'm here… well, it turns out being 'dead' is a lot more complicated than I'd ever imagined."

When Naruto finally released him, he had a puzzled look on his face that took Jiraiya back to so many of their old training sessions. "Wait… so you are dead… but you're able to be here and talk to me. How exactly does that work?"

"Why don't you sit down?" Jiraiya suggested as he leaned against the corner of the Hokage's desk, idly imagining the kind of chewing out that old Hiruzen would've given him for treating the furniture of the Leaf Village's leader in such a casual manner, "Explaining all that's going to be a bit tricky."

With as much brevity as he could manage for such a complicated topic, Jiraiya summed up what he had become following his end and what had transpired tonight out in the woods of the Land of Fire. Throughout, Naruto was practically bouncing up and down in the Hokage's seat with what was doubtlessly a plethora of questions, but to the young man's credit he restrained himself so that Jiraiya could finish his tale concisely.

Naruto smiled when Jiraiya wrapped up his account. "So, you're like a Shinobi of the afterlife now… or maybe a mix of Shinobi and samurai? Sounds like you haven't changed much at all, Jiraiya sensei!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "No, I suppose I haven't. I even picked up the writing again, believe it or not. Got a new series going, and it's quite the hit back in the Soul Society!"

Naruto gave him a devious grin. "Are you still getting in some quality 'research' time?"

Jiraiya had to laugh at that. "Yeah, you could say that!"

The two of them sat in contented silence for a moment before Jiraiya spoke again. "You said I haven't changed much, but look at you. Sure did hit a growth spurt or two at least. You're looking good, Naruto. The years have been kind to you."

Naruto nodded. "They have, and so have the people around me. My friends, my family, everyone who lives in the village… I wouldn't be who I am now without them."

"Who you are now," Jiraiya replied as he poked the Hokage's signature hat, "is someone that Minato and Kushina would be very proud of."

There was a hopeful look in Naruto's eyes. "Mon and Dad… have you seen them?"

Jiraiya sighed and shook his head. "Not yet, I'm afraid. The Soul Society is vast, Naruto, and souls from the Shinobi World aren't the only ones inhabiting it. Believe me, I've been trying to find Minato and Kushina, but it's like searching for two tiny needles in a huge haystack. I'm not planning on giving up, though. They're out there, somewhere, and when I find them, I'll be sure to tell them just what I've seen their son become."

Naruto smiled again. "I wish they could come here like you, but I understand if they can't leave the Soul Society. When you find them, tell them I love them… and that I wish they could meet the new members of the Uzumaki family."

Jiraiya put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I will. In the meantime, I'd certainly like to meet them! I heard Shikamaru mention Hinata earlier… that sweet little Hyūga Clan girl who always turned redder than a tomato whenever she saw you, right? I bet she's grown up into a real beauty since then, and she was already quite pretty the last time I saw her! Did you two finally do the deed, if you know what I mean?"

Naruto laughed in embarrassment, but the smile on his face remained and grew. "You could say that, Pervy Sage! Hinata and I… we're married now."

Jiraiya wrapped his arm around Naruto's neck and pulled him in while messing with the Hokage's hair with his other hand. "Hey, congratulations, kiddo! I knew you had it in ya!"

Naruto let out a wistful sigh as Jiraiya released him. "I wish you could've been at the wedding. It was incredible… one of the happiest days of my life."

"Glad to hear it," Jiraiya replied, "and it sounds like you've been busy since then. I heard Shikamaru mention a name earlier. Himawari… would she happen to be who I think she is?"

Naruto grinned. "If you mean my daughter, then yup! I've actually got two kids. Himawari's the youngest. Her older brother's name is Boruto. Himawari's real sweet, but Boruto… well, let's just say he's a handful. He's good at heart, but he's got a lot to learn and definitely has an attitude."

"Sounds familiar," Jiraiya remarked with a smirk.

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah… maybe a little. Not sure if he'd appreciate that, though."

Jiraiya could sense something more there. "You two having trouble?"

"A little bit," Naruto confessed, "Being the Hokage… as much as I love my family, this job does make it difficult to really spend quality time with them. Hinata understands, and Himawari's been really nice about it too, but it's different with Boruto. All the time I spend here instead of with my family's made him resentful of the Hokage title and everything that comes with it. We've been trying to work that out, though, and things have gotten better between us recently. I know I've still got a long way to go if I'm really going to be the father he needs, though."

Jiraiya patted him on the back. "Well, you're trying, aren't you? That's all that matters from where I'm sitting. Put your heart into connecting with him, and I think he'll come around. He must know that you love him just as much as you do your daughter and wife. Being the Hokage and a family man's a tough balancing act, but with all you've overcome in the past, I know that you can walk that line."

Naruto smiled again, noticeably relaxing. "Thanks, Pervy Sage. You have no idea how many times I wanted to ask you for advice about my family over the years, or about being the Hokage. I wish you could stay and become another one of my advisors, but it sounds like you've got new responsibilities now. Being a Soul Reaper… it sounds pretty challenging."

Jiraiya shrugged. "It has its ups and downs, just like being a Shinobi did. And yeah, it does mean that I won't be able to remain in this Realm of the Living for long. I am on a mission, after all, although that's pretty much wrapped up now. You won't have to worry about any further Hollow threats tonight. The village is safe, Naruto. So is your family."

Naruto inclined his head. "Thank you, Pervy Sage."

The Seventh Hokage was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "Speaking of my family… would you like to see them?"

Jiraiya smiled. "I definitely would! Even so, you can't exactly break away right now, can you? You did tell Shikamaru that you'd stay put, if I remember right."

Naruto's grin became devious. "I promised him that I wouldn't leave the village, Jiraiya Sensei. My family's still in the village."

Jiraiya laughed. "Ah, you really are grown up now! The old you wouldn't have exploited that loophole, or at least would've needed someone else to point it out to him."

"I've learned a lot over the years," Naruto replied as he stood up, "Well, Jiraiya Sensei? Want to go see my home and family?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Lead the way, Naruto."

….

Having split off from Jiraiya almost as soon as the two Soul Reapers had crossed over the outer wall of the Hidden Leaf Village, Neji had initially been somewhat at a loss as to how he might conduct his search. Sure, there were still just enough recognizable buildings and landmarks in the new incarnation of his old home that he could roughly navigate the area, he would readily admit that the vastly expanded scale of the Leaf Village and dense urban growth were throwing him for a loop. It was entirely possible that the place he now sought as one possible location where some dear old friends could be had either closed down or relocated over the years. If that was indeed the place, then it would be tricky to track down his former teammates without a lucky break or two.

Luck, however, appeared to be on Neji's side this night. After perching atop a particularly tall building in an effort to get his bearings, his gaze had fallen upon a familiar building. It was a humble little restaurant, one that he and the rest of Team Guy had frequented during their time together. Dinner was the most common meal that they would take there, and Neji wanted to see if those he'd left behind were still following old habits.

Based on the number of sentries currently manning the perimeter, the Leaf Village is currently only in a state of standby alert, he thought, which makes sense considering that the fight with the Hollows was pretty far out and there were no obvious signs of incursion by more recognizable threats like foreign Shinobi. Standby alert means that Shinobi have to be prepared for action, but apart from that they can still go about their business provided they're able to drop everything else and deploy should the need arise.

From the look of things, even the standby alert was beginning to lift. Shinobi were still patrolling the streets and on watch, but their demeanor had shifted noticeably since Neji had begun exploring the expanded Hidden Leaf Village. They were starting to relax more, no longer eyeing every shadow with suspicion or casting nervous glances towards the wall enclosing the city. Likely word was already filtering in that all had gone quiet out in the field now. The battle with the Hollows had certainly ended long enough ago by now for that, and Neji expected an all-clear signal to be given soon enough.

In any case, he wasn't concerned about the vigilant Shinobi. So far, none had shown any signs of detecting him, either visually or otherwise. Free to focus on his task, he peered from the ledge and activated the Byakugan. Focusing on the restaurant, Neji smiled as he perceived the chakra of three familiar figures sitting around a table.

"Just as I'd hoped…" he murmured softly, his heartbeat picking up slightly, "Well, I've come this far… might as well see it through."

It only took him a single Flash Step to get from his perch to the restaurant's entrance. Waiting for a few inebriated patrons to stumble out, Neji cautiously poked his head inside. When no one turned towards the entrance or gave any other hint of noticing him, he stepped inside and proceeded towards a table…

…one that he hadn't sat at in sixteen long years.

It was occupied by a most welcome trio, though there was something of a shakeup to the old order. Two of them sat at their usual places, but the third could not due to the fact that he was in a wheelchair. Instead, he had parked himself at the head of the table, and he still looked as cheerful as ever.

No handicap could ever dampen your spirit, could it…

…Guy Sensei?

His right leg was in a cast, but apart from that and the wheelchair, Might Guy appeared to be no worse for wear. Hell, his left leg still had that familiar orange wrap around it, and Neji had no doubt whatsoever that training weights were still inside it. His red Leaf Village Shinobi forehead protector was still worn around his waist like a belt, and the bulk of his attire remained all green. Neji did note that he'd swapped out the old Leaf Village flak jacket for what appeared to be a more streamlined model, one that he'd spotted many other Shinobi patrolling the streets and perimeter wearing as well. It was interesting to see both old and new fashion trends embodied in his former teacher, especially when the rest of him hadn't changed at all. That familiar bowl cut and thick black eyebrows that Rock Lee had so fervently emulated remained, and his face was as energetic and optimistic as ever. Neji couldn't perceive so much as a wrinkle on Guy's visage, and he wondered why he'd expected otherwise. Clearly, the man still maintained his legendary training regimen despite whatever injury he'd suffered since Neji had passed, and it was obviously helping him age very gracefully.

Meanwhile, sitting in their usual spots at the table were the other two members of the old Team Guy. On the right, Rock Lee was digging into his plate with the same unabashed zeal that he'd always given his training, absolutely wolfing down everything in sight. Neji had to smirk as he watched; sixteen years later, and Rock seemed as little changed as Guy. Sure, he was taller now, and his already quite athletic frame appeared to have built up even more muscle since the last time Neji had seen him, but apart from that he was still very much the same green-clad earnest young man that had worked so hard to catch up to the now Soul Reaper in-training observing him. As ever, he looked almost like a young clone of Guy, right down to emulating his sensei's haircut and fashion statement.

The woman sitting across from him seemed rather apprehensive, though Neji supposed that wasn't out of the ordinary for Tenten. Her gaze often flickered towards the door, doubtlessly expecting a Shinobi to come bolting in and summon them for action. Despite her worry, she looked quite well in Neji's eyes. Her hair was still tied up in the same twin bun style, though he noticed that her bangs were now allowed to fall free and cover her foreheat. Twin red tassels dangled from her ears, and Neji thought that they went quite nicely with the white high-collared qipao dress's pink flame pattern and the maroon obi tying it. She ate in a much more reserved and elegant manner than her old teammate, and in fact she seemed to have touched rather little of her food.

"Are we sure this is okay?" she asked, "I mean, it's one thing to keep our scheduled get-together, but while the village is on standby alert? It feels like we're being a bit too lax about this."

"It's fine," Guy reassured her, "This restaurant is close enough to the front of the village that you can get out and deploy in a hurry if you're summoned."

"Guy Sensei's right, Tenten," Lee chimed in after swallowing a hefty mouthful of food, "Besides, right now Shikamaru's scouts are still trying to assess the situation out there. We're combat specialists, so he and the Hokage won't call for us until the threat's been properly defined."

"If the situation was truly urgent, you know that you'd both have already been ordered to deploy," said Guy, "Since that hasn't happened yet, it's important for both of you to eat up while you can just in case that changes."

Tenten sighed. "I guess so. I wish I could be as relaxed as you two were about all of this."

She then glanced at the spot next to her. It was empty, but there was still a plate on the table. A few assorted morsels were on it, though no one had touched it. Neji nearly gasped as he put two and two together; it was meant for him. Not literally, of course, but symbolically.

"Neji would be out there," she said after a moment, "With his Byakugan, he'd probably be working with the scouts trying to identify the threat."

A nostalgic smile graced Guy's face as he followed Tenten's gaze. "Without a doubt."

"He'd probably have already dealt with the threat himself," Lee added, grinning even as he continued to wolf down his dinner, "and he'd make it look easy. Then I'd have to train even harder so I could top his performance next time!"

Guy laughed merrily. "You'd train harder regardless, Lee! That's just the kind of Shinobi you are!"

Neji actually had to stifle a chuckle at that. For all that they'd grown, his old team truly hadn't changed a bit. He was sorely tempted to reveal himself, but they weren't the only patrons in the restaurant, and Neji didn't want to cause a scene. Pondering his course of action for a moment, he then moved over to the table. Stepping carefully to avoid disturbing any of them, he settled into the empty seat besides Tenten.

How kind of them to reserve it for me, he thought with a small smile, I suppose they believe I'm here in spirit… and tonight, at least, that's truer than any of them realize.

That smile grew slightly as he leaned back and watched in contented silence while they continued their banter and meal. He wouldn't stay for too long; there was someone else that he wanted to check up on before the night was through. His gaze lingered on Tenten, his mind flashing back to the countless training sessions they'd shared all those years ago. She'd respected his prowess, and the feeling was mutual. As far as Neji was concerned, Tenten had never really gotten the credit that she deserved. Her talents with Shinobi tools and weapons were second to none, and she was a stalwart comrade and friend. Neji had overshadowed her in life, as had Lee and Guy, yet she'd never complained about that. She hadn't resented any of them, and instead had simply redoubled her own training so that she could support them to the best of her abilities out in the field.

She was a good Shinobi, a good friend… and a good woman. Reliable, dedicated, kind and caring. Even when Neji had voiced disparaging remarks in his younger days regarding women as Shinobi, Tenten had taken those harsh words and used them to fuel her own determined training. More importantly, she hadn't held them against Neji even though, as he looked back, he knew that she had every right to. She'd stood by him as a companion and teammate, loyal to the end.

Perhaps they could've been something more had fate been kinder, or if Neji had paid just a bit more attention to her feelings and appreciated her true worth. Maybe they still could… though he supposed that potential future would be a very long way off. Another time, another life… or, in this case, an afterlife.

I'll have to watch out for her in the Soul Society, he told himself as he gazed upon her with warmth flowing from his heart, although hopefully she won't make her appearance there for a very long time to come.

….

Having followed Naruto from the Hokage Residence, Jiraiya found himself standing before a surprisingly simple two-story dwelling. In a style more fitting classing Leaf Village architecture rather than the newer designs that dominated much of the cityscape, the house had the same gently curving sides and gradual slanting roof as many older dwellings Jiraiya had seen in the past, with a rectangular section jutting out from one side. Lights were on inside, and while Jiraiya could see movement through some of the windows it was difficult to make out any distinctive figures.

"They should all be home right now," said Naruto, "Hinata's probably almost done cooking dinner. Himawari's not a Shinobi yet, and her classes are already done for today, so she'll be around here. As for Boruto, Team 7's not on any official missions right now, and Shikamaru didn't want any of the younger Genin getting involved with the current situation unless things got desperate. He should be home."

Jiraiya nodded. "It'll be nice to see them. No need to introduce me, though. If it was just Hinata, I might say otherwise, but I don't think your kids would be able to keep something like me coming back to the Leaf Village as a ghost a secret."

Naruto sighed. "Yeah, you're probably right about that. I'd really like for them to meet you, but I guess it wouldn't be a good idea right now."

"Discretion would be for the best," said a new voice, "I'm sure Hinata would appreciate that."

Jiraiya turned and caught sight of Neji coming down the road. "Hey, good timing! Where'd you run off too earlier?"

"Went to make sure some old friends were staying out of trouble," the Soul Reaper in-training replied, "They're doing fine, so I wanted to check up on my cousin before heading back to rejoin the others."

Naruto looked around wildly, his eyes widening in recognition. "Neji? Is that you?"

Neji smirked as he approached Jiraiya and the Seventh Hokage. "Yes, it is. I saw your face on the mountain, Naruto. Looks like you finally made good on that dream of yours. Congratulations."

Naruto reached out and fumbled around clumsily for a moment before his hand finally found Neji's shoulder. Before Neji could react, Naruto embraced him. Neji stiffened for a moment in surprise, but he relaxed a second later.

"Not quite the welcome I was expecting," he said awkwardly.

"Oh, sorry," Naruto replied as he released him, "I guess you never were the hugger-type, huh?"

"No," Neji confirmed, though the small smile on his face suggested he at least appreciated the gesture, "but I suppose I should've anticipated something along those lines from you given how our last encounter went."

Naruto looked down, his earlier elation replaced with remorse. "Right… about that… Neji, I'm…"

"You don't need to apologize for what happened in the war," Neji calmly interrupted, "I made my choice, Naruto, and I'm at peace with it. If I wasn't, then I wouldn't be able to speak to you in the manner that I am now. It was death on my own terms, and one that protected both you and Hinata. That's enough for me."

Naruto took a deep breath before smiling again. "If you're okay with it, then I guess I can accept it, too. At least you're looking good… well, you sound good, I guess. Can't see you or Jiraiya Sensei… though Kurama says he can sense you."

It took Jiraiya a moment to realize who Naruto was referring to. "Kurama… you mean the Nine Tailed Fox?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah. Oh, that's right; you never learned his name, did you?"

Jiraiya shook his head before looking at Neji. "No, he was always just Nine Tails to me. What about you, Neji?"

Neji shrugged. "It was the same for me and everyone else, I think."

Naruto sighed. "You know, if people had bothered to try to learn their names before and treat them with respect, a lot of trouble probably could've been avoided. Killer B actually raps with Gyūki, though I don't think Gyūki's a big fan of his songs."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "Gyūki?"

"That's the Eight Tailed Ox," Naruto explained, "Although he's more like part ox, part octopus. Don't let his weird looks fool you, though. He's actually a pretty nice guy."

"A Tailed Beast in the form of an ox-octopus hybrid is a 'nice guy'? Just when I thought today couldn't get any stranger…" Neji muttered.

"You're telling me," Jiraiya murmured before turning back to Naruto, "I'd heard that the First Hokage had divided up the Tailed Beasts among the great nations of the Shinobi World as a means to create a balance of power and theoretically prevent another war. That didn't really work out, obviously, but I wonder what might have happened had he and the other Shinobi of his day tried opening dialogue with the Tailed Beasts instead of just sealing them and treating them as bargaining chips. Might have to run that one by Itachi over our next tea session. You and Kurama… things are good with you two?"

Naruto grinned. "Never better! He can be a bit grouchy sometimes, but that's normal for him."

Something else Naruto had said earlier stuck in Jiraiya's mind. "You said that Kurama can sense us, right? If that's true, why didn't he tell you when I first entered your office?"

Naruto blinked. "Good point… oh, he says that he wanted to enjoy my surprise when you revealed yourself. Sometimes he can be a trickster like that. His sense of humor usually involves him laughing at me for something stupid."

Before either Jiraiya or Neji could respond to that, the front door of Naruto's home opened, and a soft female voice floated on the evening air. "Naruto, you're home early!"

The three of them turned to see a lovely woman coming down the front steps. It took a good few seconds for Jiraiya to realize that this was Hinata; he scarcely recognized her from the frightfully shy young thing he remembered her as. She'd definitely gotten hit by a good growth spurt or two, presenting the image of a lithe yet fit woman who carried herself with a gentle confidence and grace. Her raven hair was worn at a decent length, falling almost to where her neck met her shoulders, and as ever it contrasted well with her pale face and eyes. She'd changed up her wardrobe quite noticeably since before, now wearing a light purple short-sleeved coat over a long-sleeved white shirt, while light brown shorts and long open-toed boots clad her legs and feet. The smile on her face was positively sublime, and it only grew as she and her husband embraced.

"Hey, Hinata!" said Naruto as he held her for a moment before releasing her, "Are Himawari and Boruto here? They doing okay?"

Hinata nodded. "They're both in the living room right now. Boruto keeps wanting to leave and see what the disturbance is, and it's getting hard to keep him here. Himawari's snuggled up with one of her dolls. I know she's staying up because she's worried about you, but she really needs to go to sleep soon."

Naruto sighed. "You're right. Would it help if I came inside for a bit?"

"I think so," Hinata replied, though she looked concerned. "but, Naruto… why are you here right now? Shouldn't you still be at the Hokage Residence?"

Naruto smiled. "Oh, I'll head back there soon. The disturbance out beyond the village is actually resolved now, so I'll just need to complete a bit of paperwork before I can come home tonight for good. I just wanted to take a quick break and check in on you first!"

Hinata seemed relieved, though her expression did have a slightly puzzled feel to it. "Oh… well, I'm glad you could come home for a bit. Although… were you talking to someone out here earlier? I thought I heard your voice just a little bit ago."

Naruto blinked several times before chuckling nervously. "Oh, that? I, uhm… I was just thinking out loud! Guess I was being a little louder than I thought…"

Hinata looked a little skeptical. "Is that so?"

She looked around, though Jiraiya didn't see the tell-tale bulging veins around her eyes that would've indicated use of the Byakugan. Even so, for just a moment, her gaze seemed to linger on Jiraiya and Neji. She couldn't possibly see either them…

…could she?

Jiraiya glanced at Neji, and he saw his eyes narrow slightly as he studied his cousin. Then Hinata's gaze went back to her husband, and she smiled again.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with that," she said, "Though you should be a little quieter about it at this time of night. There are people trying to sleep in this neighborhood, after all."

Naruto laughed in relief. "Yeah, sorry about that! I'll try to keep it down next time."

Hinata then took his hand and led him towards the front door. "Come on, let's go see the children. You paying a quick visit will help them both relax a bit. Maybe I'll be able to get Himawari to go to bed after that."

The Hokage and his wife stepped inside, with Jiraiya and Neji both slipping through the doorway behind them. Hinata let the door remain open for a bit longer than necessary… almost as if she was expecting Naruto to have company. Once again, the Legendary Sannin had to wonder just what she could really sense at the moment. She gave no overt signs of detecting him and Neji, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that she was aware of something.

Still, she didn't say anything, so Jiraiya and Neji followed her and Naruto silently into the main living area of the house. It was surprisingly well appointed, not to mention quite clean. Jiraiya sure as hell couldn't picture his old pupil doing much in the way of housework; the tidy interior simply had to be Hinata's handiwork.

"Boruto, Himawari! Guess who came home to check up on you?" Hinata announced.

A young black-haired girl with bright blue eyes clutching a plushie perked up on the couch. She beamed when she saw Naruto, her smile further enhanced by the familiar whisker-like markings on her cheeks. Dressed in a long-sleeved yellow sweater with the hem of a white shirt peeking out while a pink skirt rimmed her waste, she practically leapt from the couch and rushed to embrace Naruto.

"Daddy!" Himawari Uzumaki cried out joyfully, "You're safe!"

"Of course, he's safe," came a young male voice from behind her, "It's not like he was out in the middle of the action."

The source was, of course, Naruto's son. Studying the boy, Jiraiya could definitely see the family resemblance, at least superficially. That messy blond hair, those brilliant blue eyes, the whisker markings on each cheek; if those weren't classic Naruto, then the Legendary Sannin didn't know what was. The similarities ended there, though. Rather than share his father's penchant for orange, Boruto Uzumaki had apparently made black his color of choice, at least if his jacket and pants were anything to go by. Said jacket was unzipped to reveal a plain white shirt underneath, while the familiar Leaf Village headband was still on his head despite him being off duty and at home. Unlike his little sister, he was in no rush to greet Naruto, instead continuing to lounge on the couch with an air of nonchalance.

Naruto wasn't wrong about the kid having an attitude, Jiraiya mused, Boruto might look like his father, but to call him a chip off the old block probably wouldn't be accurate. Definitely some tension there…

Even so, as Jiraiya continued to observe the boy, he noticed that his posture seemed to relax while Naruto reassured Himawari that everything was fine. His eyes appeared to lighten up a bit, and his breathing came just a little easier. The boy had tried to hide it, but Jiraiya could see the truth; Boruto had been worried, just like his little sister.

Naruto laughed as he finally convinced Himawari to release him. "I wanted to go out there and check things out, but Shikamaru wouldn't let me! It's kind of a drag… oh, don't tell him I said that. I don't think he'd appreciate me stealing his catchphrase."

Boruto shrugged. "Whatever. So, what's going on out there? My team still hasn't gotten any mobilization orders. None of my year's Genin teams have. Does that mean things are under control?"

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, everything's gone quiet again. It should be calm for the rest of the night."

Boruto's shoulders slumped in somewhat exaggerated disappointment, though he also seemed relieved. "Oh… okay. Do we at least know what was out there?"

"Shikamaru's still trying to figure that out with the scouts," Naruto answered, "Maybe we'll have a better idea in a few hours. Whatever it was, though, it's no longer going to be a problem for us."

"You're quite sure of that," Hinata noted with a smile, "That's good. Will you be able to stay for a while?"

"Just a little bit," said Naruto, "Remember, I still have to get back to the office before Shikamaru does so we can go over the final scout reports. He won't be happy when he finds out I came here, but he'll be even grumpier if he gets back and I'm not there waiting for him."

"But you're… the Hokage," Himawari pointed out as she tried and failed to stifle several yawns, "He can't be… grumpy with you. You get to be grumpy… with him. You're his boss."

Naruto laughed. "I wish that was how it worked! Sorry, but it's not exactly that simple."

"Speaking of grumpy," Hinata gently cut in as she took Himawari's hand, "I know a certain someone who's going to be awfully grumpy in the morning if she doesn't get a good night's rest. Come on, Himawari; it's bedtime."

"But… but Daddy's home now!" Himawari protested as yet another yawn slipped through despite her efforts to fight it.

Naruto leaned down and gently ruffled her hair. "Sorry, Himawari, but you heard your mom. It's time for you to sleep."

Himawari pouted, but her heavy eyelids betrayed her weariness. "Fine…"

"I'll tuck her in," said Hinata.

"We'll do it together," Naruto insisted while giving a covert nod to Jiraiya and Neji.

Hinata smiled before looking at her son. "Boruto, you can stay up for another hour, but no later than that. I'm sure Konohamaru is going to want you and your teammates up bright and early tomorrow."

Boruto sighed but didn't argue. "Alright, Mom."

Treading softly, Jiraiya and Neji followed Naruto and Hinata upstairs, the latter scooping up Himawari in her arms and resting the girl's head on her shoulder. While Jiraiya thought Himawari seemed a bit too old for that, he quickly saw that Naruto's daughter was already starting to lose her battle with encroaching sleep, struggling to keep her head up and her eyes open.

She knows her children so well, he thought with approval while studying Hinata, Naruto, you really found yourself a keeper with her. When I find Minato and Kushina, I'm going to tell them all about her.

The Soul Reaper and student waited silently outside Himawari's room as Naruto and Hinata put her to bed. Glancing over at Neji, he saw a very small smile on the former Shinobi's face as he gazed at the young girl. No doubt he was wondering about what might have been. Jiraiya could picture it now; Neji as the cool older cousin who would sometimes stop by to visit and dote on the children, likely favoring Himawari over Boruto all things considered. Jiraiya soon found himself trying to picture just who he might be to Naruto's family had things turned out differently. Minato had named him Naruto's godfather years ago, so what would that make him to the kids? Perhaps the fun and mischievous honorary uncle, always down to play tricks and have a bit of fun at their father's expense?

If only…

Looking on, he watched Naruto and Hinata bid Himawari goodnight before they slipped out of the room and closed the door. The couple returned to the living room, with the two former Shinobi following behind them.

"Must you really go back to the Hokage Residence?" asked Hinata.

Naruto gave her a weak smile. "Sorry, Hinata. I don't think I'll be there for too much longer tonight, but I do need to be present until we can officially report the disturbance as over. It'll probably just be a few more hours."

Hinata nodded. "I'll wait up for you, and I'll have a fresh bowl of ramen ready when you return."

Naruto grinned. "Thanks! You're the best!"

The couple kissed, and Jiraiya caught a groan coming from the couch. Glancing Boruto's way, he saw the youth rolling his eyes as he pointedly avoided looking at his parents. With a mischievous smirk, Jiraiya crept behind the couch. Looking at Neji, he saw the student Soul Reaper shake his head; he didn't want trouble, but Jiraiya just couldn't help himself. In the blink of an eye, he ran his hand through Boruto's hair, thoroughly messing it up before pulling back just as quickly.

It had the desired effect; the boy practically jumped off the couch, one hand on his head while the other was raised to fend off his invisible attacker. "Hey! Who did that?"

Hinata blinked in confusion. "Who did what?"

"Someone just touched me!" Boruto snapped as he looked frantically around the room.

Hinata shook her head. "There's no one else here, Boruto."

"I know there is!" he persisted, though he couldn't keep a hint of doubt from creeping into his voice, "Himawari, where are you hiding?"

For his part, Naruto was clearly trying very hard not to laugh. "Boruto, it's just the three of us here, and Himawari's already in bed. Your mom and I just tucked her in!"

Hinata gave her son a gentle smile. "I think you need to go to bed now, Boruto. If you're imagining a ghost touching you, then you must be tired."

"But I know someone's here!" he argued.

"Sorry, but there isn't," Naruto replied, "If we had an intruder, Hinata would've already found them with her Byakugan."

"Naruto's right," said Hinata, "I haven't seen anyone sneak in."

The boy looked around the room one more time before his shoulders sagged in defeat. "Fine. I guess I'll go to my room then. Goodnight, Mom… Dad."

After Boruto left the living room, Naruto proceeded to the front door. Hinata bade him farewell, and the Seventh Hokage left his home, with Jiraiya and Neji close behind him.

After the trio were a good way down the street, Naruto shook his head. "Pervy Sage, did you have to do that?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Yup!"

Naruto looked like he might actually try to scold him for a moment, but he then smiled a second later. "Well, I guess it was pretty funny. Hinata won't appreciate it if she finds out, though."

"You're not going to tell her, though, right?" asked Jiraiya with a smirk, "You wouldn't rat out your old master, Naruto, would you?"

Naruto chuckled. "No, not over something like this!"

Neji sighed. "You just can't help yourself... like master, like pupil."

Jiraiya shrugged. "Hey, the kid needed some messing with. He's clearly a cocky little rascal. A little shakeup might just do him some good."

"I bet training from you would be even better," said Naruto, sounding almost hopeful, "You really can't stay?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "Wish I could, but this world is no longer ours. We're only visitors here now, Naruto, and we need to be moving on soon."

Naruto reluctantly nodded. "I was afraid of that. It was good seeing you again… or hearing you, at least."

Jiraiya gave his pupil a proud smile. "You've become a fine Hokage, Naruto. Knowing that the Leaf Village is in your hands will make returning to the Soul Society with peace of mind much easier."

"Take care of Hinata, Naruto," Neji added, "I'll find a way to make you pay if you break her heart."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Whoa, never thought I'd hear that from you, Neji!"

Neji smiled confidently. "Consider yourself warned."

Naruto nodded. "I will."

"One last thing," said Jiraiya, daring to get his hopes up, "Tsunade… is she in town?"

Naruto shook his head. "Sorry, Jiraiya Sensei. She just left a few days ago; off traveling the Land of Fire on another one of her gambling den tours. You know her."

Jiraiya chuckled to hide his disappointment. "Yeah, I sure do."

"I can at least pass a message on to her when she gets back if you want," Naruto offered, "She might think I'm crazy when I tell her I spoke to you, but I think she'd appreciate it just the same."

Jiraiya took a moment to think it over. "Tell her… tell her that I'm doing well. Oh, and that Dan sends his regards. He's up in the Soul Society too, and I know he wants her to take care of herself. He definitely wouldn't want her to rush to meet him, if you know what I mean."

Naruto nodded before turning to Jiraiya's companion, or at least roughly the spot where he stood. "Okay. What about you, Neji? Anything you want me to pass along to Hinata or the rest of your clan?"

Neji shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I've seen enough to know that Hinata's doing well, and with you leading the Leaf Village, I'm sure the rest of the Hyūga Clan is fairing fine."

"What about your old team?" Naruto pointed out.

Neji smiled. "I've already checked in on them. I didn't feel the need for words then, and I don't now. I'm content to wait until the time comes that we meet again in the afterlife, and I hope it doesn't come for many years yet."

Jiraiya stepped forward and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "The Leaf Village is in your hands now, Naruto. Protect it and your family with everything you've got. Don't worry about threats from the afterlife; there are guardians out there who will attend to those, and I'm not just referring to Soul Reapers."

"If your scouts report sightings of people in robes with strange badges on their arms, don't pursue them," Neji added, "They're on your side, and they will deal with whatever Hollows might try to attack the Leaf Village. If the situation becomes dire, then we will likely return."

"Only to deal with Hollows or other threats from the afterlife, though," Jiraiya emphasized, "For threats that come from the living, those will be your responsibility."

Naruto nodded before smiling again. "I understand. Thank you, both of you… for everything."

Jiraiya grinned. "Don't mention it. When the time finally comes for you to cross over into the Soul Society, look for us in the Seireitei. Whether or not you decide to become a Soul Reaper is your call, but at least come pay us a visit. I've made quite a few new friends, and I know they'd love to meet you."

….

I expected things to have changed, Itachi mused as he and Yoruichi strolled down the main walkway towards the Academy entrance, but even so… I suppose I wasn't ready for just how drastic that change might be.

As the facility expected to churn out the Land of Fire's next generation of Shinobi, the Hidden Leaf Village's Academy had always been considered one of the most important structures in Itachi's hometown, but the building he recalled bore little resemblance to the one he saw now. The old school seemed downright modest and quaint compared to the sprawling complex that he and Yoruichi were approaching. Itachi was actually reminded more of the Soul Society's Academy with this new school than the educational facility he had attended all those years ago, which made the large building and its various annexes and expanded training grounds seem almost as disorienting as the incredible urbanization and grown undergone by the Hidden Leaf Village itself.

To his right, Yoruichi gave him a knowing smile. "Not quite how you remember it?"

Itachi nodded as he led her off the main path and began strolling along the finely trimmed lawn. "You could say that. I spent less than a year at the Academy, so I wasn't quite as attached to it as many other Shinobi might have been, but even so… seeing it built up and modernized in such a manner… it's a bit jarring."

Similar thoughts had passed through his mind repeatedly as he'd shown Yoruichi around the modern Hidden Leaf Village itself. He'd meant to give her a tour of his hometown, but had quickly found his knowledge to be woefully out of date in light of all the changes that had been made over the years. Sure, old landmarks like the Hokage Mountain remained, but the surrounding landscape had been built over to such an extent that Itachi's memories of the village ultimately offered little more than a general guide. Not that he had planned on a comprehensive tour given the time constraints, but Itachi had still hoped to provide a more well-thought-out experience to Yoruichi than what he'd been able to give her.

Of course, true to form, Yoruichi gave no signs of holding that against him. Quite the contrary; she'd proven to be graciously understanding about Itachi's unexpected disorientation, and she'd happily gone with the flow as he wound up winging most of the tour. Whenever he'd been caught off guard by the drastic changes or found an old building rebuilt in a different location, Yoruichi had simply smiled and let Itachi absorb the differences between past and present, giving him the chance to sort through memory and reconcile it with what he was seeing now.

"It's an impressive facility," she remarked as the drew close enough to peer through the front windows and briefly observe a darkened and empty classroom, "If the Hidden Leaf Village is able to spend this much on its Academy, then that speaks volumes regarding its current level of prosperity."

"That's certainly true," Itachi concurred as they worked their way towards the left side of the massive building, "As an investment in the village's future, this one's quite substantial. I wonder… perhaps if I'd attended this institution in its current state rather than its past incarnation, I might've decided to stick around a bit longer rather than rush through my courses."

"Is that why you decided to go the full six years in the advanced track at Shin'ō Academy?" Yoruichi asked, "You were more enamored with that campus than the old Shinobi Academy?"

"The additional facilities and resources were definitely appealing," Itachi conceded, "though most of it stemmed from wanting to avoid mistakes that I made in my youth."

Yoruichi looked puzzled as they rounded the corner and began wandering around the rear of the Academy, taking in some of the exercise and sparring grounds. "What mistakes? You were a genius student, a prodigy. Normally, I'd say a kid at the age you were then should take more time with their studies, but you were definitely an exception."

"Academically and with regards to basic Shinobi techniques, I'd be inclined to agree," said Itachi as they walked towards one of the sparring grounds, "My mistakes were of a more personal nature. I was so eager to become a Shinobi so I could start down my path of bringing about a more peaceful world that I pretty much neglected forming bonds with my fellow students. Izumi was the sole exception, and even then, I bonded more with her outside the Academy than I did within it. Although it wasn't my intention, I wound up… isolated. Apart from Izumi, I didn't actually have any friends at school. Shisui had graduated well before I started attendance, and as for the Genin who were assigned to Team 2 with me after graduation, neither of them had been from my specific class."

The two of them sat on a bench at the edge of the field, with Yoruichi putting a hand on his shoulder. "I get what you're saying, but that isolation wasn't entirely your fault. Sure, maybe you should've made a little more effort to make friends, but from what you told me of your early years, I know the general suspicion of the Uchiha Clan following the Nine Tailed Fox's attack on the village followed you and Izumi into school. For all your gifts and talents in the Shinobi arts, you were at a distinct disadvantage socially. There was only so much you would've been able to do to counter that situation even with the best of effort, so don't go beating yourself up so harshly over it."

Itachi slowly nodded. "I'm trying. I think that's another reason why I rushed through my Shinobi studies… and why I was more willing to take my time with training to become a Soul Reaper. I was lauded for my prowess as a budding Shinobi, and my grades were perfect, but I knew the truth; I wasn't welcome at the village Academy. Not really. The teachers praised me, and I won the envy of my peers, but there was always an undercurrent of wariness thanks to the tensions between the village and the Uchiha Clan. By contrast, my time in Shin'ō Academy was practically a breath of fresh air."

Yoruichi gave him a soft smile. "It's because you were free. The Uchiha name didn't have the same meaning in the Soul Society that it does in the Shinobi World. You may have been haunted by your past, but the Academy student body and faculty knew nothing of it. The only exception was Jiraiya, and even then, he gave you the chance to show him that you were more than what he might have feared you to be."

"That he did," Itachi concurred, gradually smiling as well, "He had every right to be wary of me given my past actions, but he still allowed me to gain his trust on my own merits. In a way, it was the same with the Academy as a whole. You said it yourself; the Uchiha name didn't mean much in the Soul Society, or at least not the Seireitei. Thanks to that, I was able to actually find joy and fulfillment in my studies. They weren't just a stepping stone down a greater path like they were in this world. They were an opportunity for me to grow and truly experience what I'd missed out on as a Shinobi. My circle of friends in Shin'ō Academy was quite small, true enough, but it still felt more real than what I found in the Leaf Village Academy. My bonds with Jiraiya and Visaelya… they have the kind of depth and meaning that I'd only previously experienced with Izumi and Shisui. The only other Shinobi that comes close in that regard is Kisame, and ours was a… strange sort of comradeship, as it were."

"Well, given that you were undercover in the Akatsuki when you were partnered up with him, that's pretty understandable," Yoruichi pointed out, "You two might've worked together in the field, but you also had to be careful around him to avoid blowing your cover."

"True enough," Itachi conceded as he thought back on his time with Scourge of the Hidden Mist, "That being said… I think he ultimately understood why I was really in the Akatsuki. Despite his bloodthirsty nature, we actually had a bit in common. Specifically, we were both traitors to our respective villages. I had slaughtered my own kin, while he had killed his own comrades from the Village Hidden in the Mist. Betrayers recognize their own, I suppose."

"But your 'treason' was really a mission for the Leaf Village," Yoruichi argued, "Could Kisame say the same for his?"

Itachi considered it for a moment. "When I initially met him, I thought something similar. First impressions can be deceptive, though. As we spent more time working together on missions, I came to suspect that his 'treason' might actually have been something more akin to my own mission with regards to the Uchiha Clan. Every Shinobi Village has certain ninja that are more than just standard scouts, sentinels or foot soldiers. Certain Shinobi are considered vital strategic assets, whether it be for their unique abilities or valuable intelligence that they carry… and other Shinobi in turn are assigned to eliminate them should there be a risk of them falling into enemy hands. My theory was that Kisame might have been one of these counterintelligence Shinobi, and that the comrade killing he'd spoken of had actually been him fulfilling such a role. Perhaps he'd grown disillusioned with such work and killed his superiors in retaliation before turning on the Hidden Mist and joining the Akatsuki. I never got any confirmation on that, though, so consider what I just said to be merely personal speculation."

Yoruichi nodded. "Fair enough. What are the odds of us encountering him as a Hollow? Given who we just fought tonight, there's a distinct possibility that more of your old associates from the Akatsuki wound up in a similar state."

Itachi scratched his chin as he pondered the question. "That's difficult to say. When I was initially resurrected and encountered both Naruto and the host for the Eight Tailed Ox, the latter had Kisame's old sword Samehada in his possession, which was all I needed to know that Kisame had died; he would never have parted with that weapon willingly. Since I still haven't found out the manner in which he died, I have no way of knowing if he passed on in peace or became a Hollow. There's at least a chance that he's out there, but nothing is certain."

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well, if he is and we end up finding him, we'll deal with that when the time comes."

"I suppose we will," Itachi agreed, "The fact that he was someone I had formed a bond with really tells you all you need to know about my taste in friends back then. I'm glad I was able to find new ones in the Soul Society, both in the Academy and beyond it."

"That makes two of us," said Yoruichi, "The Academy is meant first and foremost to be a place where prospective Soul Reapers are educated and tested, but it serves a deeper purpose than that. It's supposed to be a place where bonds of comradery and friendship are forged, and students are meant to carry those bonds beyond their education and into their new roles upon graduation. Students are expected to work hard, yes, but also to enjoy their time there. I'm glad you were able to do that, and that you took the full six years to get the most out of it."

Itachi smiled. "Agreed. Speaking of which, I don't think I ever asked you about the time you spent at the Academy."

Yoruichi smirked. "Oh? You curious about what I got up to back in the day?"

Itachi inclined his head. "If you wouldn't mind indulging me."

A soft laugh slipped through her lips before she looked up at the night sky. "Oh, how could I resist? My student days were pretty fun, all things considered. Kisuke and Tessai were in the same class as me, though Tessai branched off due to his studies taking him on a path to membership in the Kidō Corps rather than the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and I had Stealth Force courses on top of my normal workload due to the expectations that came with being the heir of the Shihōin Clan. Even so, the three of us spent a lot of time together back then, and we raised all kinds of trouble for our classmates and the faculty!"

Itachi chuckled. "I can't say I'm surprised… though I have to imagine that raised some tension with your family. The princess of the Shihōin Clan being anything other than a model student? You should know better than I how Great Noble Houses feel about their image."

Yoruichi smirked. "You're not exactly wrong, but it was really only my father who got all worked up about it. Mom was willing to let things slide… probably because her mother had developed a similar reputation during her stint at the Academy. Since my grades were still top-notch, no real harm came of it. Both Mom and my grandparents were proud of me, especially when it came to my talents for Hakuda and Hohō; needless to say, those were my best subjects. Even Dad lightened up after a while, though he did make sure to stay on my case just to ensure that I didn't slack off in my studies."

Itachi thought back to the party where he'd first met Yoruichi's father. "A doting father must have a strict side, I suppose. I'm sure he meant well."

Yoruichi smiled. "I know he did. You should've seen him and Mom at the graduation ceremony. They were bragging about me to practically everyone in earshot. Actually got a bit embarrassing, to be honest!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You, getting embarrassed? I didn't think that was possible."

"Only because I'm much better at hiding it these days," Yoruichi replied, "Keep coming to family gatherings and spend enough time with my parents, though, and you just might catch me playing the role of awkward daughter… especially around my father. I'm his 'favorite little kitty', remember?"

Itachi smiled as he gently took her hand. "Well, I can understand his sentiment there."

Yoruichi's smile became softer, almost tender, and she leaned against Itachi, resting her head on his shoulder. "Of course, you can. I mean, there's a reason why he warmed up to you so quickly, after all."

"Only him?" Itachi asked in mock concern.

Yoruichi giggled before looking up and kissing him on the cheek. "No, not only him, silly! Mom, Yūshirō, my grandfather; they all think highly of you. So does my grandmother, though she still hasn't met you yet. I'm thinking that needs to change soon."

"I'd be all for that," Itachi replied, "although I seem to recall that she steers clear of the Seireitei. It seems that the only way the two of us will meet if I go to her."

"I wouldn't mind setting that up some time," Yoruichi suggested, "Think about it; a nice little trip down to my clan's Principality. You're all for seeing the world, aren't you? You've already been to the Soul Society's east, southeast and west, not to mention a bit of the north during your student days. I'd say you're overdue to experience the southwest."

"I certainly wouldn't say 'no' to the prospect," Itachi confirmed, "but setting up something like that might be difficult. I can't imagine the Head Captain letting you take an extended vacation, and a trip out to any of the Principalities isn't exactly a casual outing."

"You'd be surprised what old man Yamamoto will go along with," Yoruichi countered, "I haven't taken extended leave in quite some time, and I'm sure he'd be willing to accommodate such a request after all the work Squad Two's put in over the years. We're riding high in his estimation thanks to our successes in the wraith hunt, and that's capital we can spend to our benefit if we play our cards right. Besides, even someone as strict as the Head Captain knows that his senior officers need a vacation every now and then. Can't recall the last time he ever took one, though."

"He doesn't seem the type to take time off," Itachi noted, "Then again, with his responsibilities, I imagine it'd be difficult to get away for a bit even if he wanted to."

"True," Yoruichi conceded before looking at him in curiosity, "Did you ever go on any vacations back when you were a Shinobi?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Before or after I went into exile?"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Don't see why you need to separate between the two periods. Sure, officially you were deemed a traitor, but in secret you were still a Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village even during your time in the Akatsuki, right? You spent years with them. I know you were trying to gather intel from inside the group, but it couldn't have been all work all the time, right?"

Itachi took a moment to think it over. "When I was younger and still officially a Leaf Village Shinobi, there wasn't really time for family vacations. After the attack of the Nine Tailed Fox, so much of Father's time was spent coordinating the Uchiha Clan's efforts in rebuilding, and then in managing the clan and trying to keep discontent and suspicion from boiling over. I entered the Academy a couple years later and then became a full-time Shinobi, and Mother had her hands full with raising Sasuke. With all of that going on, family vacations of any sort just didn't happen."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "As for while I was with the Akatsuki, I spent most of my time either traveling the lands as part of our efforts to track down the various Jinchūriki, working within the organization to learn what I could about its true agenda, or trying to keep my progressing illness in check. Besides… after what I'd done with regards to the clan, I didn't really feel like I had the right to such things like 'vacations' anymore."

Yoruichi sighed. "I thought you might say that. Well, that settles it, then. When we get back, I'm going to figure out how to squeeze us in some serious time off. Not just a long weekend or even a full week, either. I mean an actual holiday. Extended travel, sightseeing, sampling exotic food; all the good stuff. If anyone needs it, it's you."

Itachi smiled. "I appreciate the thought, but you don't have to go to such lengths for my sake."

Yoruichi smirked. "Who says I'd be doing it for just you? I want to treat myself, too!"

The two of them shared a laugh before she spoke again. "It won't be right away. We've still got quite the workload on our hands. Might be a year or more before I'm able to line us up something good. Still, I'll get the two of us set up with a good trip one way or another. You can count on that."

"Just the two of us?" Itachi asked, "I imagine Soi-Fon might take exception to that as the head of your personal guard."

"I'll convince her otherwise," Yoruichi replied, "She's overdue for a little rest and relaxation herself, really. Not that she'll ever admit it, of course. I know she'll fight me on it for a while, but she'll come around eventually. Besides, I can always tell her that you'll be my bodyguard for our little excursion. Strictly speaking, it wouldn't be a lie; any subordinates accompanying a Captain on any sort of trip, on-duty or otherwise, can be considered that Captain's bodyguards."

"That's a nice little loophole to exploit," Itachi said as he shot her a smirk, "How very Shinobi of you."

"Glad you think so," Yoruichi purred in his ear.

There was a moment of silence as the two of them simply enjoyed each other's company, the mission and all other worries forgotten. Itachi supposed that this private little excursion could be thought of as a date, though it hardly seemed like a traditional one.

I don't think dates are supposed to take place out in the field, he mused as he rested his head against Yoruichi's, savoring the feeling and scent of her hair, but, then again, what would I know? Before Yoruichi, the closest I ever came to a date was with Izumi… and look how I repaid her for it.

He tried to shake such thoughts from his head; he knew that Yoruichi didn't want his mind going down that dark and well-tread path. Even so, being back in the village like this… despite the conscious effort to steer clear of the old Uchiha compound and any other location affiliated with his worst deeds, it was impossible to avoid the ghosts of his past here.

Despite his best efforts to hide where his mind had strayed, Yoruichi almost immediately sensed something amiss. "Hey, you okay?"

He needed a few seconds to put his head in order; he wasn't about to lie to her. "I… I'm not sure. Being back here… I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. We agreed to avoid my old home, and I'm grateful for you putting your foot down on that, but even so… for all that the village has grown and prospered since I left, and for all that it pleases me to see it in such a vibrant and healthy state… part of me feels wrong for coming back here. I wanted from the bottom of my heart to show you the Hidden Leaf Village, and I'm glad that I have, even if it's evolved well beyond what I remember. That being said… I almost feel like I'm trespassing on sacred ground. I don't know if that makes sense; I don't know how to put any of it into words, really."

"You don't have to," Yoruichi replied as she brought a hand up to caress his face, "As much I wanted you to have a pleasant stroll down memory lane tonight, I knew it wouldn't be that simple. Any happy memories you had in this place will always have the dark ones lurking at the edges, threatening to creep in."

Itachi slowly nodded. "I suppose that sums it up. When I confronted Deidara, I told him that we were both relics of a shameful past… and seeing the Leaf Village as it is now makes me realize that those words were truer than I'd initially thought. The new era has supplanted the old. The people have moved on, as well they should. Coming back here… I suppose I feel like I'm a lingering phantom from a bygone age. Not unlike the wraiths that we've been hunting, come to think of it."

"I don't think that I'd put it in such harsh terms," Yoruichi remarked, "but I believe I understand what you're getting at. Given what you had to do in the name of protecting the Leaf Village in the past, you feel that you don't have the right to enjoy the fruits of its growth and prosperity because of all the blood you had to shed in its name. Does that sound about right?"

Itachi pondered it for a few seconds. "I think so. My actions might have been for the sake of the village's peace along with protecting Sasuke, but it was more than just the ringleaders of the Uchiha Clan's coup plot that I slaughtered that horrific night. I slew the elderly, who wanted no part of the impending insurrection, who desired nothing more than to enjoy their retirement… and I slew children, who had no inkling of the plot, who were just as innocent as Sasuke. They were entirely blameless, and I still murdered them; there's no getting around that. It doesn't matter that my mission was to commit those deeds. Peace secured through the shedding of innocent blood might be an unfortunate fact of life in this world and others… but those who shed that blood have an obligation to seek penitence. Mine was exile followed by the eventual deathmatch between Sasuke and myself. Dying at the end of that duel, and then again after the two of us defeated Kabuto and undid the reanimation jutsu, was only one part of the sentence I placed upon myself. The exile was the other… and I believe it should still be enforced."

"For how long?" asked Yoruichi.

Itachi took a deep breath. "I can't say for certain. Perhaps someday after I've found more of the Uchiha Clan in the Soul Society, when I feel that I've truly closed the book on that ghastly affair... though what that might look like, I honestly don't know."

Yoruichi put a hand behind Itachi's neck and gently pushed him forward so that his forehead met hers. "If there's anything I can do to help you reach that point, you know that you only have to ask, right?"

Itachi gave her a small smile as he reached up and ran his palm slowly down her cheek. "I know… and thank you. That means more to me than I could ever adequately put into words."

They stayed like that for a minute or two before releasing each other, with Yoruichi being the first to stand. "If you really do feel like your exile from the Hidden Leaf Village still needs to be enforced, then perhaps we should leave. As much as I wanted to see your hometown, I only wanted to do so if it made you happy."

"And it has," Itachi reassured her as he rose, "I've seen with my own two eyes now that it's safe, and that's enough for me. Showing it to you, seeing its growth alongside you… that was the icing on the cake."

Yoruichi smiled and held out her hand. "Shall we move out, then? There's still some time for you to chat a bit more with your family before we have to return to the Soul Society."

Itachi nodded. "I'd like that. Let's go."

He took her hand, and together they became little more than black blurs in the night.

….

"Do you really have to leave so soon?" asked Sasuke.

Itachi gave his little brother an apologetic smile as he watched their mother embrace her granddaughter, with Sakura watching in mild bemusement as, from her point of view, Sarada was seemingly lifted off the ground by an invisible entity. "Unfortunately, yes. Believe me, I'd love to stay longer and talk more, but our journey here wasn't for a social trip. We've eliminated the Hollows threatening the Leaf Village, and if any more were going to try their luck tonight they would've raised their ugly heads by now."

"But this was just one attack," Sasuke pressed, "There could be others, right? You told me once that you'll always be Itachi of the Hidden Leaf Village. Couldn't you… I don't know… convince your superiors in the afterlife to let you stay on as the Shinobi World's designated Soul Reaper or something like that?"

"Had we more manpower, perhaps," Itachi replied, "but the ranks of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads are spread thin between watching over both the Soul Society and the multitude of realms that make up the Web of Worlds. Believe it or not, the Shinobi World is quite a tiny one in the grand scheme of things. Worlds with high populations get first priority, while ones like yours tend to get the occasional check in, perhaps a resident officer if they're lucky. The only reason we were able to respond tonight to the incursion was because my Captain's taken an interest in this world and has had scouts from the Stealth Force keeping an eye on things. With my abilities and rank, I'm afraid that I'm something of a valued commodity for our superiors. That means me and my comrades in Squad Two get deployed on various missions regularly, and I have my own duties back in the Soul Society even when I'm not actively in the field. I'm sorry, Sasuke."

Sasuke sighed heavily, but he then gave Itachi a very small smile. "No, don't apologize. I'm just being selfish. After all this time, seeing you again… I just don't want it to end so soon."

Itachi put a hand on his little brother's shoulder. "For what it's worth, the Stealth Force will continue to watch this world. Should a major threat arise that their scouts and the local spiritually sensitive Shinobi cannot handle by themselves, Squad Two will almost certainly be called in. Given my expertise with this world, I'm a natural candidate for any important missions that will take place here. I'm still very much Itachi of the Hidden Leaf, Sasuke, but my responsibilities as a Soul Reaper encompass far more than merely our hometown."

Sasuke reluctantly nodded. "I know. I was just hoping you might be able to help us out. We've got a pretty big threat coming down the pipe."

"You're referring to the Ōtsutsuki Clan that you mentioned earlier, right?" Itachi asked.

"Yeah," Sasuke confirmed, "I know that we've faced down powerful opponents before, but… this one has me worried. I'd feel a lot better if we had you in our corner."

"I can understand your concern," Itachi replied, "From what little you were able to tell me before, they sound quite imposing. Celestial beings from beyond the planet we call home, out to consume the life energy of our world… it sounds like something out of a dark fable or nightmare. To think that they're real, and that the Sharingan, Rinnegan and Byakugan can all ultimately be traced back to them… I can only imagine the powers in their possession. You have an uphill fight ahead of you. Unfortunately, it's not a fight that I can intervene in. Soul Reapers are not supposed to get involved in the internal conflicts of the various Realms of the Living. The Ōtsutsuki Clan may be from beyond the Shinobi World, but they still exist ultimately within the sphere of the living, and their actions are concentrated against others within the Realms of the Living. That means they are not a threat that the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would deem within their jurisdiction to deal with. As long as their actions don't impact the balance of souls, that will remain the Soul Society's policy."

"I was afraid you'd say that," said Sasuke grimly, "We truly are on our own, then."

Itachi smiled. "You're never alone, Sasuke. You have your family, you have the Hidden Leaf Village and everyone in it, and even the other nations of the Shinobi World now from the sound of things. The Kages are all aware of the impending threat, right?"

Sasuke nodded. "They are. I've done my best to keep Naruto up to speed. When the Ōtsutsuki make their move in earnest, I know his power will be needed."

"I have no doubt of that," Itachi concurred, "Ultimately, I placed my faith in Naruto to save you when I could not. Seeing you here tonight, I know now beyond a shadow of a doubt that he lived up to that faith. For the safety of the Leaf Village against all future threats from the Realm of the Living, whether they come in the form of the Ōtsutsuki Clan or something else, I will place my faith in him again… and in you, Sasuke."

Sasuke smiled. "I won't let you down."

Start "Senya (Many Nights)"

Itachi stepped forward to embrace his younger brother, pulling him forward so that their foreheads met. "Your path is your own, Sasuke, as it was always meant to be. You could never let me down, and do not feel as though your actions must be taken with the purpose of living up to my expectations. Remember, no matter what happens…"

He met Sasuke's gaze, and his smile grew as he repeated the last words he'd spoken to his little brother sixteen years ago. "...I will love you always."

The two of them lingered for a long moment before releasing each other. Itachi's eyes turned to the east, where he saw the sky already shifting from the deep dark blue of night towards purple, deep red, and a hint of orange. Dawn wasn't far off now, and Itachi knew he had stayed long enough.

"It's time," he softly murmured.

While the rest of the Soul Reapers gathered around Yoruichi in preparation for the journey home, Itachi went over to Sakura and Sarada. Despite neither of them being able to see him with their eyes, both still sensed his approach and turned roughly in his direction.

Itachi knelt to put himself on Sarada's level and put a hand on her shoulder so she would know where to turn. "I'm sorry, my niece, but I must be going now."

She took a deep breath, looking equal parts nervous and regretful. "Do… do you have to? I… I wanted to talk to you some more. We barely got the chance to speak about the Uchiha Clan tonight. I want to learn more about my family... including you."

Itachi smiled as warmth filled his chest. "As I wish to learn more about you. I know that you have so many questions about your family and clan, and one day you will learn it all. As much as I might like to be the one to tell you, though, it is not my place. Well, not yet, at least. Live a long and fulfilling life, Sarada, one guided by your mother and father just as much as it is by your own determination. If, when the day finally comes that you pass from this world and you still have questions unanswered… then seek me out in the world that comes after this one. If you've taken after your father as much as I believe you have, then I have no doubt that you will find me eventually."

He then reached out and gave her a tender poke to the forehead. "But may that day not be for many long years yet to come. Farewell, Sarada Uchiha."

Standing again, he then turned to Sakura. "I know that I have no right to ask favors of you, not after what I put you and him through all those years ago, but please… take care of Sasuke."

Sakura firmly nodded, and Itachi thought that would be the end of it. Then her expression softened, and her smile reminded Itachi more than a bit of his mother.

"I will," she vowed, "You have my word on that. In return… take care of yourself, Itachi. I may not understand all that Soul Reapers do, but your new role is clearly just as dangerous as that of a Shinobi. I'll watch over Sasuke and do what I can to keep him healthy in this world… and beyond, when the time comes. Then, someday, we'll seek you out together… as a family."

Itachi inclined his head in respect, reassured that his dear brother would be in good hands. "I'll keep an eye out for the two of you, then… though I mean this in the best way possible when I say that I hope I do not see either of you up there for a very long time."

With the others having already said their farewells and Itachi now joining them, Yoruichi proceeded to summon the Senkaimon. Reality itself seemed to bend and twist around her Zanpakutō as she thrust it forward and turned it in a fashion similar to a key, and then a narrow line of brilliant pinkish-red light appeared. That light quickly spread to reveal a set of shoji which proceeded to slide open. Beyond them was a bright white light; the Soul Society beckoned for their return. A flock of Hell Butterflies flew forth, with each individual creature taking its place floating in front of a Soul Reaper.

With Kisuke taking point, the Soul Reapers began passing through the portal. Itachi allowed himself to linger at the back of the pack, with Yoruichi pausing as well to wait for him. Looking over his shoulder, he met the gaze of his little brother one last time and smiled.

"This," he said with a broad encompassing gesture from his left arm, "is your world now."

With that, he and Yoruichi passed through the Senkaimon. As the portal shut behind them, the first rays of dawn's light broke over the horizon…

…and Itachi Uchiha departed the Shinobi World once again.

End "Senya (Many Nights)"

Author's Notes: Ah, feels so good to have this one finally posted! I've been waiting a very long time to write this chapter, and you can't imagine how satisfying it is to have reached this point. It's one of the perks that comes with long-term story planning; when you hit a particularly juicy milestone in your plan, the taste is sweeter than fine wine.

Regarding the timing of this chapter's events, I'll keep it simple; since Sasuke still has his Rinnegan and Naruto still has Kurama, it's obviously before Boruto's Kawaki Arc. Beyond that, feel free to draw your own conclusions as to when specifically this is happening.

Now, I believe I promised you all a little something extra for this chapter. What might that be? Find out below.

Bonus scene!

Many months later…

Frigid gales and blinding sheets of snowflakes were hardly new in the north, but Gunnr had a hard time recalling when she'd last experienced winds of such intensity. The storm had grown so intense that she and Kara couldn't even fly, and instead had to make this last leg of their journey on foot. Their great wings were folded around them to act as shields against the biting gusts and to keep at least some of the snow out of their vision, but the Mistress of War could only note a very slight improvement on that front.

The deep north's always been treacherous, she thought, but a storm like this is something else entirely. An ill omen, to be sure.

"Can't be much further now," Kara noted, "Geirdriful's report indicated it was beyond the next ridge, right?"

"At the last confirmed sighting, yes," Gunnr confirmed, "And I can still sense it. This… creature… hasn't moved on."

Kara shook her head. "No, and it has company. You can feel it, can't you?"

Gunnr certainly could. Despite her hampered vision, her sense for spiritual pressure remained as sharp as ever. It was serving her well now, for she could feel the familiar and sinister energy of many Hollows up ahead, including more than a few Menos Grande. As she and Kara trudged on, their roars and shrieks soon became distinct from the howl of the wind…

…and that was when she heard it.

A sound that was from neither Hollow or wind, and in fact easily drowned out both.

It was something between a menacing snarl and a defiant roar, bestial in nature yet titanic in depth and gravity. Had she and Kara not been given advance warning by Geirdriful, Gunnr might have mistaken it for the bellow of a cold drake, though when it sounded again, she realized that its sound was definitely distinct from those made by the north's resident scaled behemoths. A chorus of screams and wails from the various Hollows rang out in reply, and the mystery being's counter was a thunderous growl of such intensity that Gunnr reflexively checked the sky for lightning, only to find nothing but a curtain of falling snow.

The two Valkyries crested the ridge a moment later, and though they couldn't make out any distinct figures in the plains beyond due to the storm, a series of crimson flashes combined with spikes in spiritual pressure were all they needed to know that the Menos Grande in the pack were firing of Ceros. From what Gunnr could sense, the monsters' only target was the strange new beast, and she expected some sort of pained cry from their target given just how many Ceros she could feel being unleashed.

Boy, was she wrong.

Instead, what she heard was a furious roar… and what she felt was a rapidly growing concentration of spirit energy in this strange new being. One that would put every Captain in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to shame… and every Valkyrie as well. A shiver went down Gunnr's spine, one that had nothing to do with the cold.

"Get down!" she shouted.

Kara had needed no such warning; she had thrown herself to the ground even before the first syllable had left Gunnr's lips. The two Valkyries took shelter behind the crest of the ridge, and it was a good thing that they did so, for a blast of truly apocalyptic proportions detonated mere moments later. Even sheltered by the hill, Gunnr felt the shockwave rattle her down to her very bones. Daring to peek upwards, she saw a brilliant glare as the fireball from the massive explosion continued to expand, and she sheltered herself with her wings. The heat of the blast washed over the two Valkyries, momentarily banishing the brutal chill of the deep north.

An eerie silence fell upon the land; even the winds of the storm subsided, as if in cowed reverence of the beast that had unleashed such a mighty attack. Even the snow had temporarily ceased, though that was mostly due to the flakes that had previously been falling getting outright vaporized by the blast. There were no howls or shrieks of Hollows anymore, and Gunnr couldn't sense any of the foul beasts. It was pretty obvious what had happened to them, and Gunnr knew that she and her comrade needed to act fast.

The Mistress of War and Lady of Wrath crawled forward together, only daring to peek over the hill. What they saw, standing in the center of a giant crater, was a creature unlike any either of them had ever seen. Large enough to dwarf even a cold drake, yet where the great titans of the north were typically clad in dark scales, this new beast instead was covered in fur.

Orange fur.

And where cold drakes only had a single tail…

…this ferocious canine had nine.

Author's Notes: And with that, I believe my work is done. Feel free to review, stay safe, and I'll see you all next time!