Chapter Eight: Konsō 1/2

Author's Notes: Okay, time to get another chapter out there. Not much to say right now since I don't want to spoil what lies ahead.

Enjoy!

Chapter Eight: Konsō

147 years before Rukia Kuchiki's arrival in Karakura Town

He sat in the middle of a broad and circular stone. The stone was itself in the middle of a pond, and there were four paths of smaller stepping stones that led to this large one, all of them coming together to form an X-shape. A thin layer of mist permeated the area, while the sky above was overcast and gave every appearance of impending rainfall. Reeds popped up sporadically from the pond, and the croaking of frogs and toads provided a rather soothing ambiance to this mystical realm.

I suppose such a place is rather fitting for my inner world, Jiraiya mused with a smirk, although I'd much rather prefer a bathhouse… and for the spirit of my Zanpakutō to be a woman as curvy and lovely as Tsunade. Oh, well. We play with the cards that fate deals us and try to make the most of them.

The spirit of his Zanpakutō may not have been a beautiful woman, but that didn't mean that it wasn't a fascinating being. Jiraiya hadn't known what to expect when his Zanpakutō had awakened about a year ago, yet the figure that stood before him now wasn't as alien to him as he thought it might be. It might not have been human, but there was a certain familiarity to it.

The figure that sat across from him was a large crimson toad. Broad and strong, with a stern edge in its fierce yellow eyes, it was at least twice as tall as the average human, and it was clad head to foot in red and white samurai armor. Slung across its back was a thick steel club lined with rows of spikes, and Jiraiya could testify firsthand to how much those buggers hurt when they dug into his skin.

Jiraiya stood up and drew his sword. His Zanpakutō's outward appearance hadn't changed all that much since it had awakened. The blade remained the same length, and the guard was still circular as well, but the handle-wrapping had turned red, and the guard was now white. He still hadn't learned his Zanpakutō's name, but he didn't feel bad about that; Itachi still hadn't learned the name of his Zanpakutō, after all, and the spirit of his sword had awoken years before Jiraiya's had.

"All right," he said as he loosened up his shoulders, "You ready for another go at it?"

The toad-warrior across from him stood up and nodded as it brandished its sinister club. "Of course."

Jiraiya smirked. "In that case, let's have at it!"

He rushed forward and thrust out his blade, but his amphibian opponent easily swatted the sword aside with the club. Then the toad charged forward, nailing Jiraiya with its armored shoulder and sending him sprawling backwards. The Legendary Sannin was quick to recover, though; in an instant he was back on his feet and charging right back into the fight. This time he leapt over his opponent, and as he came down behind the toad he lashed out with his sword. The toad whirled around and made a broad swing with his club, but Jiraiya ducked beneath the strike and swiftly countered. His blade made contact with his opponent, but it simply slid along the armor and did no visible damage.

Jiraiya chuckled as he backflipped to dodge his foe's return strike. "You're lucky you've got that plating on you. That could've left an ugly wound otherwise."

"The victor in a battle is the last one standing," his adversary replied as he made a series of powerful swings with his spiked club, "You know this better than most. I may be slower than you, but my armor makes me tougher."

Jiraiya smiled as he ducked and weaved to avoid getting hit. "Good. It'd be no fun if the spirit of my Zanpakutō was a pushover!"

The toad-warrior gave him a confident smirk. "Indeed."

Jiraiya rolled to the side to dodge a particularly vicious overhand strike before thrusting forward. Once again, his sword glanced off the toad's armor, but Jiraiya had been expecting that. He let his momentum continue to carry him forward and lunged for the toad's legs, trying to tackle his opponent. Unfortunately, the toad simply leapt into the air, and Jiraiya was forced to scramble backwards to avoid getting crushed by the armored amphibian as it came back down.

"Phew," said Jiraiya as he brought his sword up, "That was close!"

"Do not rest easy just yet!" the toad-warrior roared as he lunged at him.

Jiraiya sidestepped as his opponent brought his spiked club down hard. Bits of rock flew up from where the weapon had hit the stone they were fighting on, and Jiraiya got a few small cuts for his trouble. It wasn't anything serious, though, and he wasted no time in his counterattack. He surged forward, bringing his sword up and swinging at the toad-warrior's exposed chin. Unfortunately, his foe responded by planting an armored boot right in his gut, kicking Jiraiya right off the central stone and into the pond.

Coughing up water as he tried to catch his breath, Jiraiya scrambled back onto the large stone. "Man… that one really knocked the wind out of me! You've got a mean kick, you know that?"

"Armor serves for more than just defense," the toad-warrior replied, "It can amplify the impact behind our hand-to-hand blows. You should be well aware of this."

"Believe me, I am," Jiraiya groaned as he rubbed his stomach, "So… one more?"

The toad-warrior shook his head as he put his club away. "That is enough for now."

Jiraiya chuckled as he sheathed his sword. "That's a shame. I was enjoying myself there."

The armored toad smirked. "Indeed. If nothing else, you have proven yourself to be a spirited fighter. It makes me all the more regretful of the fact that you cannot yet hear my name; I am most eager to see what you can do with my power."

"Well, you're the one who told me to give it time, right?" Jiraiya pointed out, "It'll happen when it happens. It's best to just go with the flow in matters such as this."

The toad nodded. "Quite so. You are surprisingly wise, considering you are the purveyor of such juvenile novels."

Jiraiya folded his arms. "Hey, I'll have you know that my novels are top sellers! I've already published three installments of the Lovers' Strategies series since I came to the Soul Society, and I'm well on my way to getting number four out there. I'm a real hit in the literary circles of the Seireitei!"

"Then cease your training and become a full-time novelist if you are so proud of peddling adolescent romance tales," huffed the toad.

Jiraiya grinned. "There's no reason why I can't do both. I'm a man of many talents, after all!"

The toad scowled. "You should devote yourself completely to your training. Such frivolous distractions will impede your journey to unlock your full potential."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "You know, I always heard that the spirits of our Zanpakutō are supposed to reflect aspects of ourselves, but I gotta say, you're not sounding a whole lot like me right now."

"Not as you may see yourself, perhaps," the toad replied, "but my role in this realm is to be a taskmaster, something that you have knowledge of. I do not have to go about it in the same way as you did with training your students, though; I may reflect aspects of you, but I am most certainly not you."

Jiraiya chuckled. "On that, we agree. Still, I'll do this my way. Seeing as how you were born from me, you really should've seen that coming."

The toad sighed. "I suppose so. We will continue this at another time, though; you have spent enough of your morning here, I think."

Jiraiya nodded as his eyes slowly began to widen. "Yeah. Come to think of it… I'm probably running late, actually! Crap, class is gonna start any minute now, if it hasn't already! Itachi's never gonna let me hear the end of it if I'm late again!"

….

Itachi suppressed a smirk as Jiraiya sat down next to him. "In by the skin of your cheeks. You're cutting it close today, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Morning Jinzen ran a little longer than normal. It's easy to lose track of time in there."

Itachi certainly couldn't argue with that sentiment; he knew from firsthand experience how time seemed to lose meaning when he was training with the spirit of his Zanpakutō. "How did it go?"

"I'll be sore for a little while," Jiraiya replied as he rubbed his stomach, "Whatever that armored toad's name is, his kicks pack a real wallop."

Neither of our Zanpakutō seem to be the types that believe in gradually easing into our training, Itachi mused as he recalled his most recent sparring sessions with the female spirit of his blade, Their modus operandi seems to be to beat our lessons into us… quite literally. Then again, I can't argue with their effectiveness…

Everyone in the Academy knew that Itachi and Jiraiya had awakened their Zanpakutō, but many of them didn't seem to truly realize the full implications of that. Now in their third year of training to become Soul Reapers, the two former Shinobi were actually taking lessons from not only the same instructors as the rest of their classmates, but from the spirits of their swords as well. As a result, their growth as students had accelerated exponentially. Such rapid success and development had naturally made them the talk of the Academy, and while some were in awe of their abilities, others were envious. It was to be expected, and while Jiraiya seemed to roll with it well enough, Itachi wasn't exactly a fan of the extra scrutiny.

You don't mind it when said scrutiny comes from Yoruichi, though, don't you?

What are you getting at?

Itachi could picture the spirit of his Zanpakutō shaking her head in both amusement and ridicule. I swear, you truly are hopeless when it comes to women…

The best course of action when she got like this was to ignore her, so that's exactly what Itachi did. He didn't have time to be trading verbal barbs with his Zanpakutō today; there were much more important items on the agenda.

"It's a good thing that you made it in on time today," he told Jiraiya, "Our instructor would be rather upset if you missed our live Konsō exercise."

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Wait, that's today? Man, I forgot all about that!"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

It was at that moment that the instructor walked into the classroom. Much to Itachi's surprise, he wasn't alone; in fact, he had none other than Yoruichi and Soi-Fon with him.

Jiraiya grinned and nudged Itachi with his elbow. "Well, well... look who's here to see you!"

"You don't know that's what she's here for," Itachi replied a bit too forcefully.

Jiraiya chuckled. "Maybe, but don't lie to me; you're happy to see her."

That he was, although he wouldn't give Jiraiya the satisfaction of openly admitting it. It had been quite some time since Itachi had last seen Yoruichi, so any chance he had to meet her again was a most welcome one. He knew that as much as she was interested in the progression of his training, her duties as the Captain of Squad Two came first, so it was only natural that those responsibilities preclude her from visiting often. As pleased as Itachi was to see her again, though, he did have to wonder why she was here. It probably wasn't hard for someone in her position to find out about their scheduled field trip to one of the Realms of the Living for the live Konsō exercise, but was that really something a Captain would take an interest in?

He got his answer a moment later when the instructor addressed the class. "Good morning, students. As I'm sure you're all well aware, today is our class's big excursion to the Realm of the Living known as Terra. In preparation for our Konsō exercise, I asked Captain Shihōin if the Second Division would perform some advanced reconnaissance in order for us to find a suitable site with plenty of souls for you all to practice on. I am pleased to announce that she has found just such a location!"

Of course, Itachi realized, Squad Two members commonly act as advanced scouts in field operations in addition to handling more traditional front-line roles. Yoruichi's division would be a natural for helping us find an ideal location for the Konsō exercise.

Yoruichi stepped forward. "Good morning, everyone. My bodyguard and I just returned from Terra; my Third Seat is there with a team securing the site. The place we'll be taking you to was the site of a recent battle, so it's not going to be pleasant. Most of the Hollows that are drawn to such large-scale engagements have already been exterminated, but there may be a few still wandering the area. That's why Squad Two will be there in force while you're conducting your Konsō exercise. Focus only on completing your task and making sure that the souls of the fallen pass on, and we'll keep the Hollows off your back."

"While we're down there, you are to follow the orders that any member of Squad Two gives you," said Soi-Fon, "We all have plenty of field experience, so trust that we know what's best for your safety in such a situation."

Yoruichi folded her arms. "We may be protecting you down there, but you still need to keep your guard up. Battlefields, even ones where the fighting's recently ceased, can be confusing and disorienting places. There is always the possibility of Hollows using the debris or piles of corpses for concealment, so tread cautiously. If you see anything suspicious, call out to one of us immediately."

The instructor came forward to address the class. "You are all students of the advanced track, which is why such a location has been chosen for your Konsō exercise. It is more dangerous than what students in the normal track would be assigned to, but that is because our expectations of you are higher and we have confidence in your abilities. Remember your training, be mindful of the instructions of Captain Shihōin and her subordinates, and I have no doubt that you will succeed in your task!"

Yoruichi smiled, and Itachi felt his heartbeat increase ever so slightly as she locked eyes with him. "Well, you heard the man. Let's get to it!"

….

I've seen my share of battlefields, thought Itachi as he surveyed the carnage and ruin, but this… this feels more like the floor of a charnel-house. Did all of these men really have to die here?

According to what Yoruichi had told the students on the way here, the battle that had just concluded had been fought between the forces of no less than four empires; the British, French and Ottoman Empires against the Russian Empire. None of these were nations that Itachi was familiar with, but that was hardly a surprise. After all, this was the first time that he and Jiraiya had been to the Realm of the Living known as Terra.

The battle had taken place just south of a river, and from what Itachi had learned, it had involved a total of over 90,000 men. Yoruichi had not told them who had won, and from the perspective of Soul Reapers that was really irrelevant. Their purpose was to contend with the aftermath of such a battle and guide all the lost souls that resulted from such bloody and tragic engagements onward to the Soul Society.

Next to him, he saw Jiraiya shaking his head as he looked at a group of corpses. "What a waste…"

Itachi nodded solemnly. "Agreed."

Strange uniforms clad the twisted and mangled bodies, while cold and dead hands tightly clutched strange weapons, but a battlefield was still a battlefield, and even if this one had more mangled and rotting cadavers lying about than many that Itachi had been to in his time, it was still the type of scene that he was used to and thus could maintain his composure. The same went for Jiraiya; while the Legendary Sannin might lament that so many men had met their cruel ends in a place like this, Itachi knew that the former student of the Third Hokage remained alert and ready for anything that they might face here today.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for most of their fellow classmates. While life in the Soul Society prior to entering the Academy and the Seireitei in general wasn't exactly a picnic, it quickly became clear to Itachi that his fellow students had never experienced so much carnage and death in one place before. Even though the battle itself was over, there was still plenty of horror to be found in the aftermath. The stench of decay and rot could be overwhelming to one who was not accustomed to it, and Itachi could already spot more than a few queasy-looking students.

"By the Soul King…" he heard one mutter.

"I think I'm gonna hurl," groaned another.

"Why did they do this?" asked a third who sounded close to tears, "Why did they all have to kill each other like this? What… what was the point?"

"When empires play their games, their rulers don't care about the pieces that are consumed on the board," said Yoruichi grimly as she stepped forward, "The lives of their subjects mean little to them, save for what ground they can gain on the battlefield before they're cut down. Believe me, you will see plenty of this once you become a Soul Reaper. That is why we're bringing you here now; you are students of the advanced track, so it's better if you come to terms with the true nature of our work sooner rather than later."

"Never forget this," said Soi-Fon, giving the assembled students a cold glare, "The foundation of the role that Soul Reapers play is death. We may guide souls onward and protect them from Hollows, but the fundamental truth is that our sacred duties exist in the first place because everyone, whether high-born or low, is doomed to die."

Yoruichi nodded. "Many lives end peacefully enough, and in those cases the hands of Soul Reapers are normally not needed to bring the spirits of the dead home to the Soul Society. However, all too often, lives are cut short through violence, plague, nature's wrath, and more. It is much harder for a soul to pass on to the Soul Society on their own under such circumstances. The suddenness of death, the sheer sense of randomness and the purely arbitrary nature inherent in the demise, can shock the soul and cause it to lose its way. They wander the Realms of the Living in despair, cursing their fates… and eventually cursing all who are with them. That is why we must find them before they become Hollows in the anguish, or before a Hollow is drawn to their despair and feeds upon them."

"And we need to do it quickly," a new voice rang out, "We've got a lot of souls to attend to today!"

Itachi and Jiraiya turned around to see a tall and lean Soul Reaper approaching them. His complexion was a little on the pale side, and his messy light blond hair only served to accentuate that attribute. That was sharply contrasted, however, by his grey eyes, which had an edge to them that Itachi couldn't quite determine the true nature of. Was it simply the seriousness that came with where they currently found themselves, or was there more to it? That being said, he did seem to be relatively at ease with their present location, or at least didn't seem to be overly bothered by the fact that one couldn't take two steps without kicking a corpse. The Zanpakutō at his side had black hilt-wrapping and an oval-shaped tsuba with a snowflake designed embedded upon it, and from the way his hand hovered almost casually over the weapon's handle Itachi guessed that he was quite proficient with it.

The man seemed to take in the group of students at a glance, but his gaze lingered on Itachi and Jiraiya. He was clearly evaluating them, although to what end Itachi couldn't say. After a moment the man shrugged and smiled as he came up to Yoruichi.

"So, is this everyone?" he asked, "They should be enough, but we've got a lot of ground to cover."

Yoruichi nodded. "Indeed. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Kisuke Urahara, my Third Seat. He's also the Corps Commander of the Detention Unit, so if any of you boys and girls get on the wrong side of the law within the Seireitei, he'll probably end up paying you a visit… and you won't like it."

Several of the assembled students looked at Kisuke nervously. The class as a whole seemed even more on edge now that it had been before, so Yoruichi suddenly grinning and patting Kisuke on the back had a rather jarring effect on them.

"Come on, guys, lighten up!" she said, "Relax, Kisuke's a good guy! He's an old friend of mine, and he's pretty fun to hang out with off duty! He'll be helping me watch over you all today. Trust me, you're in good hands."

Kisuke smiled. "It's nice to meet all of you. Sorry it had to be under these particular circumstances, but you can't ask for a better place for a large-scale Konsō exercise than a fresh battlefield. The best part is that by the time you're done here, you'll be used to the smell of rotting corpses!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "This one's a real card, isn't he?"

"That's one way to put it," Itachi muttered.

"Before we get started, we need to know as much about what we're dealing with here as possible," said Yoruichi, folding her arms as her expression became serious, "Kisuke, what's on our plate today? Do you have a casualty figure for me yet?"

"Total? Best guess is about nine thousand," Kisuke replied, "They're scattered about the area, but it won't be too hard to find them. When we got here, we caught several Hollows munching on them, but we cleared them out quickly enough. There are plenty of souls left for everyone to get multiple opportunities for Konsō practice as long as they're willing to put in some legwork."

Yoruichi nodded. "Good. We'll get everyone split up into groups and under the supervision of active duty Soul Reapers. After that, we'll start tracking the souls down."

"We need to stay sharp," said Kisuke, "I've already caught one Hollow today hiding under corpses trying to ambush us, and there could be a few more still out there. I've got people sweeping the area to make sure we're secure, but we can't be too careful."

"Agreed," said Yoruichi as she turned back to the students, "All right, boys and girls, you heard him! This isn't a fun day-trip to the market; the battle may be over, but danger could still be lurking just out of sight. Stay on your toes and listen to whatever the Soul Reaper assigned to your group tells you, and you'll make it through today in one piece. Let's get to work!"

….

"So," said Kisuke with a smile, "are you two ready to do this?"

Jiraiya nodded. "You bet."

"Let's get going," said Itachi.

As the two top students in the advanced track, Itachi and Jiraiya had been assigned to a 'group' that was actually just the two of them with Yoruichi's Third Seat acting as their escort. Itachi had been slightly disappointed that the Captain of Squad Two herself wasn't taking that role instead, but he supposed that there was only so much favor that she could show him before drawing unwanted attention.

As the three of them began their walk through the field of rotting corpses and broken weapons, Itachi kept one eye on his surroundings and the other on Kisuke. He was surprised that the head of the Detention Unit was participating in a field operation when his official responsibility was supposed to be managing prisoners. Then again, Yoruichi wouldn't have given him this assignment without good reason.

She must be confident in his abilities, he thought, I wonder what he's capable of…

"I've heard quite a bit about the two of you," said Kisuke, "Especially you, Itachi. It's rare for Yoruichi to pay special attention to a student, but you seem to have caught her eye."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You're on a first-name basis with her?"

Kisuke nodded. "Yup. Didn't you hear her earlier? We're old friends. Besides, she's never really been one for formalities if she can avoid them."

"So we've noticed," Jiraiya replied, "Sounds like you're the same way."

Kisuke smiled. "That's right. Hope that doesn't bother the two of you."

Itachi shrugged. "Not particularly."

Kisuke's eyes narrowed as he once again studied Itachi. "I gotta say, I'm looking forward to seeing what you're capable of. It's not every day that Yoruichi decides to spar with a student, after all. You must really have some potential."

"I'll show you what I can do soon enough," said Itachi.

Kisuke then gestured to Itachi and Jiraiya's Zanpakutō. "By the way, how are things coming along with your swords? It's almost unheard of for students to awaken the spirits of their Zanpakutō so early."

"Well, we can both access our inner worlds easily enough," said Jiraiya, "Learning their names, on the other hand… well, that's not going so well."

"Neither of us can hear them when they say their names," Itachi admitted, "Lip-reading doesn't work either; there's some kind of distortion around their mouths that prevents it from being effective."

Kisuke nodded. "I know what that's like. Feels like a lifetime ago, but I was in your shoes once. Just keep at it and give it time. Based on how quickly the two of you have progressed so far, I imagine you two will unlock your Shikai far quicker than most Soul Reapers do. You'll have to let me know once you pull it off. It'll be fun to see what happens when that day comes."

Indeed, thought Itachi, but on the day that I unlock my Shikai, the first person I want to bear witness to it is Yoruichi.

Why am I not surprised?

She deserves to see it. It'll be a sign that the faith she has put in me has been rewarded.

The spirit of his Zanpakutō chuckled. You can't lie to me, Itachi. You're just looking forward to a chance to show off your skills to her. There's nothing wrong with that, mind you, but it'd be nice if you'd be just a little more honest with yourself.

I don't have time for this.

Indeed. It would seem that you have more pressing matters to attend to.

Looking ahead, Itachi saw that she was quite right. There was a soldier wearing a red jacket wandering aimlessly, and from how Itachi could see through him he could tell that it was a soul. Of course, the severed Chain of Fate coming out of their chest was a pretty big hint, too.

"That didn't take long," said Jiraiya.

"Your first catch of the day, so to speak," said Kisuke with a smirk, "So, who wants this one?"

Itachi stepped forward. "I'll handle it."

It took a moment for the soul of the dead soldier to notice Itachi's approach. The man froze in shock for a moment when he saw the Soul Reaper-in-training coming towards him before stumbling backwards, his legs quaking in terror.

"What the bloody hell are you?" the man cried out, "What manner of ghost has come to haunt me? Stay back, devil!"

Itachi shook his head in remorse. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that you're the ghost, not I. This is no longer your world; it is time for you to move on to the next one."

"Y-you're wrong!" the soldier stammered, "I-I'm not dead! I… I…"

Itachi sighed. "You must move past this denial. Look down at your chest; the Chain of Fate is proof enough that your mortal flesh has failed you. I know that this is hard to hear, but you are one of the dead, now."

The soul sank to his knees in despair. "No… I… I can't be… dead. I… I have a wife… a daughter and a son… they need me! I cannot leave them! Oh, why did fate curse me and drag me off to this damnable war? This is all wrong!"

Itachi knelt next to the soul and put his hand on his shoulder. "For what little it's worth, I agree with you completely. War is the very worst of mankind's curses, and one that it inflicts upon itself all too frequently. All men must die, but they should not be torn from life so cruelly as you and the others who fell on this battlefield have been."

The soul of the soldier began to openly weep. "Sarah, my love… I'm so sorry. I've abandoned you and our children… I've failed our family! Michael… Irene… I must return to them!"

The man then looked up at Itachi, a frantic and desperate light in his eyes. "Please, you must let me see them one last time! I… I just want to tell them that I love them! You… you're some sort of angel, aren't you? You must have the power to grant me this last request!"

Itachi shook his head. "I'm afraid I am no angel, nor do I have the power to grant your final request, regardless of how much I may sympathize with it. Your time in the world that they live in is over, now… but that does not necessarily mean that you will be parted from them forever."

"What do you mean?" asked the soldier, his voice cracking with fear and despair.

"I am a Soul Reaper," said Itachi, "It is my duty to help those who are no longer among the living pass on to the Soul Society; the realm of departed souls. Someday… and may it be long in the future, after your wife and children have lived full and healthy lives… you may meet them there."

"May?" the man croaked, "I may meet them there one day? Should it not be guaranteed? Is that not the promise of Heaven, that all who have loved ones in this life should eventually be reunited with them in the next?"

"The Soul Society is vast beyond your comprehension," Itachi replied solemnly, "I'm afraid it may be quite different from the 'Heaven' of the faith you held in life. That is why I will not make a promise that I cannot guarantee will be kept. Even when the rest of your family passes on to the Soul Society, it may be a long time indeed before they are finally reunited with you."

The soldier closed his eyes. "Then they are truly lost to me forever."

Itachi shook his head. "That is not for certain. What is certain, though, is that if you remain in this world, you will eventually become a threat to all others in it… including your family."

The soul's face paled. "How? I do not understand?"

"Surely you saw them, no?" Itachi asked, "Beasts with white masks that roamed the battlefield after you fell?"

The soul nodded nervously. "Yes… demons unlike any I believed existed. I ran and hid while… while they devoured others. It was terrifying!"

Itachi nodded. "I'm sure it was. If you do not pass on now, it will be your fate to either be devoured like those others… or worse. The longer you linger in this world, the greater the chance you will have of truly succumbing to anger and despair at your fate. When that happens… you will become one of them."

The soul shook his head. "No… that… that cannot be right!"

"I know it's hard to believe," said Itachi grimly, "but it is the truth. Those beasts are called Hollows, and they are born from souls who remain in the Realm of the Living for too long after they have died. Regret and sorrow from your demise will eventually turn you into one of them, and then all that will be left is your desire to feast upon the souls of others… including your family."

The soul's eyes widened in horror. "No… by the Lord Almighty, no!"

"If you do not pass on to the Soul Society now, that will be your fate," said Itachi, "You must believe me. Surely, you do not wish to become a threat to those that you hold dear."

The soul shook his head, resignation finally sinking in. "No… I do not. Very well, then… let's get on with this."

Itachi drew his Zanpakutō, causing the man to jump in fright. In order to reassure the soul, Itachi lowered and then redirected the blade so that only the bottom of the hilt was facing the soul.

"Don't be afraid," he said, "Death is not the end. Far from it; it is only the beginning. One life has ended, but another is about to begin. Trust me; I've been down that road myself… and I still walk it today."

The soul looked surprised. "Wait a moment… do you mean…"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. I died, and when I was reborn into the Soul Society I was given the chance to start anew. I chose the calling of the Soul Reaper, to help bring souls like yours through to the other side so that you may begin the same journey as I did. Who can say where your path in the Soul Society will take you? If you have courage, strength… and a little something extra… you may find the life of a Soul Reaper calling for you. My role is only to set you on the path; once you arrive in the Soul Society, where your journey takes you is your decision."

He then tapped the hilt of his Zanpakutō against the soul's forehead. "Ride the wheel and be reborn anew. Farewell."

A brilliant blue light engulfed the soul before it dissolved into a stream of tiny flakes of energy. As the fallen soldier passed on into the next life, Itachi heard his voice on the wind.

"Thank you…"

He was a bit surprised to hear clapping behind him; he'd gotten so wrapped up in helping the soul of the fallen soldier find peace that he'd completely forgotten about Jiraiya and Kisuke. Both men were smiling when he turned around, the light of approval clear in their eyes.

"Well done," said Kisuke, "As far as beginners are concerned, that was about as good as you could get. That little benediction at the end was a nice touch."

Jiraiya nodded. "Do you mind if I steal that one? I think it's as good a sendoff to give a soul as any other."

"Do as you will," Itachi replied.

"You'll get a chance for it soon enough, Jiraiya" said Kisuke, "Let's get a move on. There are plenty of souls left here that need to be put to rest, and it's our job to find them all and send them on their way."

….

"Excellent work, Jiraiya," said Kisuke with a smile as the student completed the Konsō.

The Legendary Sannin nodded as the soul he'd just attended to vanished into a stream of brilliant blue-white light. "Thanks. That was surprisingly more satisfying than I imagined it would be."

"I know what you mean," said Itachi, "It may be one soul at a time for us, but it really does feel like we're making a difference with helping these fallen soldiers find rest."

"Well, for every one of them that we send along their way, that's one less Hollow for us to deal with," Kisuke replied, "Most students and fresh Soul Reapers tend to view Hollow slaying as our greatest purpose, but that's a rather short-sighted view. It's true that Hollows are a menace, but the reason they're created in the first place is because people have died with regrets and can't find their way to the Soul Society on their own. By being proactive in seeking out those souls and performing the Konsō, we not only protect those souls from Hollow attacks and keep them from becoming Hollows themselves, but we also indirectly protect our fellow Soul Reapers by making sure that they won't have as many Hollows to face in the future."

"There are far too many as it is," said Jiraiya grimly, "That's the impression I've gotten from our education so far, anyway."

Itachi nodded. "Indeed. Having a realm like Hueco Mundo to retreat to doesn't help matters."

Kisuke sighed. "Ah, yes; the Hollow World. The home of our enemies, and yet it's always been beyond our reach. It's sad to say that the same is not true the other way around… as the two of you found out the hard way."

Jiraiya chuckled; the memory of that fateful Hollow attack three years ago was never far from his mind. "You've got that right."

"Is Hueco Mundo truly beyond us?" asked Itachi as Kisuke continued to lead him and Jiraiya in search of more souls, "I have a hard time believing that no one's ever tried to create some means to get there."

Kisuke smiled. "Well, the only way we know for sure to get there is through a Garganta, which is something that only Hollows can create. That being said, there's no law stating that things have to stay that way."

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

"Studying Kidō theory is one of my many, many hobbies," said Kisuke, "and I've always wondered if it might be possible to use Kidō to replicate a Garganta."

Itachi's eyes widened. "Is that really within the realm of Kidō?"