Chapter Five: Student Life 1/2

Author's Notes: All right, time to put another chapter up. A few of you have been asking me about whether or not Itachi's resurrection via Edo Tensei would come up at all in this fic, and my answer to that is yes. Specifically, it'll come up towards the end of this chapter, and the next few after will deal with the repercussions. You'll see what I mean soon enough.

Enjoy!

Chapter Five: Student Life

A few months later…

"So, is this the right answer?" asked a rather busty red-haired girl named Julia.

Leaning over the table, Itachi checked his classmate's work before nodding. "Yes, that's it. Excellent work."

Julia smiled. "Oh, thank you! The only reason I got it was because you helped me earlier, though. You're the best, Itachi!"

"Itachi!" chirped the slender raven-haired girl next to Julia, who if Itachi recalled correctly was called Misako, "Can you check mine now, please?"

"No, he needs to check mine!" cried an athletic blonde named Maria.

"No, mine!" protested a lithe brunette named Anya.

How did I get to be so popular?, he mused, I didn't ask these girls to study with me, yet here they are all the same…

'Here' in this case was the main student library of Shin'ō Academy. Itachi had developed a habit of coming here after his daily classes to do his required readings and written homework because it was so much more spacious and comfortable than his tiny room at the dorms. He loved the place; the various books and scrolls were so neatly organized, and there was so much material to choose from. It was also much quieter than the dorms, although that was subject to change whenever his female classmates found him… which was becoming more and more common as of late.

"Calm down," he said, "This is a library, not the common room at the dorm. I'll check all of your answers, I promise."

Reviewing their papers, he found their work to be satisfactory. It really wasn't surprising; they were all in the advanced track with him and Jiraiya, so their wits were plenty sharp. In fact, Itachi had come to suspect that none of them really needed his help with their homework at all; they were just looking for an excuse to spend time with him.

True to his word, he had worked hard from day one to excel in his classes and thereby validate the faith that Yoruichi had shown in him. It hadn't taken long at all for his efforts to become noticed by both his instructors and his fellow classmates, and before Itachi knew it his name was at the top of the first-year student charts. He hadn't been looking to make a name for himself as a star pupil, but he had inadvertently done so just the same. With the diligence and drive that he brought to his studies, his rise had been swift, and Itachi wasn't about to stop pushing himself now.

I've learned so much in just a few short months, he thought, I truly have taken my first steps into a larger world…

The first official day of the new school year alone had been an eye-opening experience. Just like Yoruichi had told him, none other than Head Captain Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto had given the keynote speech at the opening ceremony. It was an address that Itachi would not forget anytime soon; never had he witnessed a man of such age that spoke with such gravitas. The Head Captain had by no means been flaunting his power, but even Itachi, untrained as he was in the arts of detecting and controlling spirit energy, could tell that the bald, heavily scarred and long-bearded man possessed strength beyond comprehension. No Kage that Itachi had ever met could come close to the level of sheer power that he suspected the aged Soul Reaper was suppressing; he imagined that even the mightiest of the Akatsuki would've been hard pressed to stand against him.

As impressive as the Head Captain and his address to the student body had been, even that took second place in Itachi's mind to the fact that he, Jiraiya, and all the other students were presented with Zanpakutō on their very first day at the Academy. From what Itachi understood, the blades that he and his classmates had been given were technically known as Asauchi. These were nameless Zanpakutō that the students were to train with until their own unique blades awakened, but they were still instructed to treat the Asauchi as if they were genuine Zanpakutō. What that meant was gradually becoming clear as their classes progressed, but Itachi knew that he still had a long way to go before all his questions concerning the blades of the Soul Reapers would be answered.

On the whole, the classes he was taking along with the rest of the students in the advanced track were quite fascinating. The first class of the day was known simply as Spirit Arts, and this was primarily focused on teaching the students to properly harness and control their spirit energy, although it also covered other general Soul Reaper activities such as performing the Konsō, or Soul Burial. After that came a combined course on the geography and the history of the Soul Society and how it interacted with the Realms of the Living, and Itachi had already proven himself to be the most detailed notetaker in that class. His reasoning was simple; he wanted to learn as much as he could about this new world he found himself in as quickly as possible, and thus he treated the class like a vital intelligence gathering mission similar what he might have undertaken during his time as a Shinobi. Following that was an introductory course on the nature of Hollows, and this was another class where Itachi was keen to maintain his diligence and gather as much knowledge as possible about the beasts that he would inevitably wind up facing upon graduation.

The other academic classes were rather tame in comparison, focusing on more mundane topics such as writing and mathematics. According to the instructors, courses such as these were meant more to make sure that aspiring Soul Reapers had a good fundamental knowledge base, and that they would gradually be reduced in number and duration as their studies advanced. They weren't held every day, but spaced out across the week so as not to put too much work on them on top of their already intensive combat training.

It was in the early afternoon following the lunch break that said combat training began in earnest. The first class focused on Zanjutsu, and that was naturally the one that was the most looked forward to amongst the bulk of the students. Although the course was focused primarily on fighting with the blade, there were also lectures on how to properly bond and meditate with one's Zanpakutō, and these were absolutely vital to awakening one's personal weapon. Following the swordsmanship course came Hakuda training, which was in turn followed by classes in Kidō and Hohō. It was in these combat courses that Itachi was truly able to begin applying the Shinobi skills of his past life, and the results had rapidly become clear; apart from Jiraiya, none of his fellow students could match him when the time came for sparring bouts.

In addition to their core courses, the students of the advanced track had been given the choice of enrolling in elective classes as well. While not required for graduation, the student counselors had noted that having elective courses on their transcripts made graduates more attractive for potential officer positions when the time came to join one of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and certain Captains were apparently very keen on particular courses. Itachi's mind had immediately gone to Yoruichi, but it was difficult for him to imagine what sort of elective courses she looked for in candidates for Squad Two. Since it was only his first semester, Itachi had decided to go light on the electives for now and had chosen only one; an advanced civics course that covered the politics of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, the Central Forty-Six, and the five greatest of the noble clans.

The student schedule and pace of education was far more grueling than what Itachi had experienced at the Shinobi Academy. Although classes were only held five days a week, the typical school day lasted roughly nine hours, and there was plenty of material to cover. The weekends were naturally valuable rest days, but even then Itachi refused to let up in his training, allowing himself only a few brief breaks before pressing his nose back to the grindstone.

With the manner in which he pushed himself combined with the gifts that his experience as a Shinobi provided, out of all the first-year students it was only Jiraiya that could keep pace with Itachi. Even then, it had soon become clear that the Legendary Sannin was taking a rather different approach to his education than Itachi was. While the sage got excellent marks, his was a much more relaxed presence in class. He was jovial, boisterous, and even willing to play the fool despite his keen intellect. Most of the time he wasn't outright disruptive, but based on the laughs of the students and the groans of the teachers it was clear that Jiraiya was determined to play the same role as class clown that he had been famous for during his own time at the Shinobi Academy and under the tutelage of the Third Hokage. Jiraiya was clearly embracing his return to life as a student and taking as much fun and amusement from it as he could, and Itachi sometimes found himself envying just how carefree the Sannin seemed. Of course, his laid-back attitude did not in the least conceal from Itachi the fact that the sage was still watching him carefully, although none of the other students or teachers seemed to notice.

Nor should they, thought Itachi, Jiraiya's an experienced Shinobi; covert surveillance is something he's well-versed in.

"So, Itachi," said Maria, "Do you got any plans for the weekend?"

"Training and studying," he replied.

"Again?" pouted Julia, "You always say that, Itachi!"

"Because it's the truth," said Itachi calmly, "I still have much to learn, and I want to build up my knowledge and skills as quickly as possible."

"But you're already at the top of the class," said Misako, "You don't need to work all the time!"

"She's right, Itachi," said Anya with a smile, "Don't you ever take a break?"

"Yes," he said, "and what I do in my off time is my business."

"Well, you should include us in your off time this weekend," said Maria, "We found this great teahouse not too far from the campus, and we want you to come with us Saturday."

"Come on, it'll be fun!" said Julia with a wink, "What do you say, Itachi?"

Itachi shook his head. "I'm sorry. I really do appreciate the invitation, but I'm afraid that I already have plans."

Misako sighed. "Darn it. Here I thought we had something that was right up your alley."

"You can't say no to us forever, Itachi," said Anya with a smirk, "Sooner or later we'll find something that'll get you to break out of your routine. We'll make sure that you really enjoy yourself!"

"Well, if he's turning you down, I can take his place!" said a familiar male voice.

Itachi didn't need to turn around to know that Jiraiya was behind him. He had a feeling he knew why the sage was really here, and it wasn't concerning the girls that had ostensibly approached Itachi for help with their studies.

It didn't take long for said girls to fall into their normal routine of rejection, starting with Maria. "No way, Jiraiya. Don't think that we've forgotten about last weekend!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Jiraiya protested, although his tone didn't exactly sound innocent.

Julia pounced. "Liar! Do you really expect us to believe that that wasn't you sneaking around the baths?"

Misako folded her arms. "Pervert!"

"Now, now," said Jiraiya as he raised his arms, "I can assure you that there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for my actions!"

"If you say 'research' again, I swear I'm going to deck you!" Anya growled.

Itachi sighed. "Please refrain from that. This is the library, after all."

"What do you want, Jiraiya?" asked Maria.

Jiraiya smiled. "Oh, I'm just here for a chat with my pal Itachi… unless you lovely ladies have something more interesting planned!"

"Not with you," said Julia as she and her friends gathered their belongings, "We'll see you around, Itachi."

"Let us know if you change your mind about Saturday!" chirped Misako.

"You know where to find us!" said Anya with a wink.

Jiraiya chuckled and sat down as the girls left. "Turned them down again, eh? Why? From what I can tell, there's not a bad one in the bunch!"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "As I told them, I have plans. It wasn't anything against them."

Jiraiya shook his head. "I know, but even so, you're starting to worry me. It's good that you've got a solid training regimen going even outside our classes, but all work and no play won't do you any favors."

"I make time for recreation," Itachi countered as he reached for a particular book, "Even I need a chance to rest and unwind, after all."

Jiraiya sighed. "Look, as a novelist, I've got no beef with you curling up with a book in some quiet corner of the courtyard as a form of relaxation, but seriously; you have got to get a social life, Itachi."

"I have one," Itachi quipped dryly, "It's called you attempting to badger me into joining you on one of your 'research expeditions' to the ladies' bath, and me sitting back and watching as the girls slap you senseless after they catch you. Truly, I could not ask for better entertainment."

Jiraiya laughed. "All right, I guess I walked into that one! It's a good thing none of them are as strong as Tsunade, otherwise I'd really be in trouble!"

"Indeed," said Itachi as a flipped a page in his book.

Jiraiya smiled. "Okay, be honest; if it was Yoruichi extending an invitation to that teahouse the girls mentioned earlier, would you say yes?"

Itachi nodded casually. "Of course. I could learn far more from her than the girls from earlier."

Jiraiya's smile became a knowing smirk. "Oh, really? You'd go along with her purely because she has more to offer from an intellectual standpoint?"

"She's a Captain," said Itachi, "That alone makes her a fascinating woman."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure."

"What are you getting at, Jiraiya?" asked Itachi, although in the back of his mind there was the suspicion that he already knew the answer to that.

After a moment Jiraiya shook his head. "Forget it. If you want to keep fooling yourself, so be it."

"Good," said Itachi, "That means I can get back to the research that the girls interrupted earlier."

Jiraiya leaned over to check the book's title. "Comprehending the Web of Worlds… you know we already covered that in class, right?"

"We went over it, yes," Itachi replied, "but our instructors can only cover so much in a lecture, and there is far more that I seek to learn about these interconnected worlds than what the teachers have to offer."

With as little as Itachi knew about the afterlife, every lesson seemed to offer a fresh eye-opener. However, one of the biggest by far had been introduced early on in the semester when they'd sat through their first lecture on what the instructor had referred to as the Web of Worlds. It had completely shattered the conceptions Itachi had previously held regarding the world that he had lived in, and it was his first real glimpse into just how vast the Realms of the Living truly were.

The reason that they were referred to as the Realms of the Living was simple; there was more than one. Far more than one. Itachi had been stunned to find out that the world he had lived and died in was in fact just one small thread in a truly monumental tapestry. At the very heart of this vast multitude of worlds was the Soul Society, and every other Realm of the Living was connected to it. Soul Reapers were dispatched across the Web of Worlds to cleanse them of Hollows and guide lost souls to the afterlife, but due to the sheer number of realms involved most received little more than a few token Soul Reaper visits each. In fact, the Shinobi World was actually considered one of the smaller and less important ones; the bulk of the Soul Society's forces were concentrated on a single world whose living population dwarfed that of the Shinobi World and most of the other ones. It had gone a long way towards explaining to Itachi not only why the Rukon District and the Soul Society itself was so vast, but also why he had encountered no one else from the Shinobi World apart from Jiraiya; the odds of such a meeting occurring were incredibly small.

Perhaps that's not such a bad thing, he mused, I can't imagine an encounter with a member of my clan going well given what I did to them…

"Well," said Jiraiya, dragging Itachi out of his thoughts, "as long as you're in a reading mood, I was hoping you could go over this for me."

Itachi raised an eyebrow as he read the title of the manuscript Jiraiya dropped in front of him. "Lovers' Strategies, Book One: Oasis of Desire… so you're really going through with it, then."

Jiraiya grinned. "Yup. You know, I kind of got lucky when I died; the last book of the Make-Out Tactics series ended on a note that could be considered a proper ending for the saga as a whole. Now that I'm in the afterlife, a fresh new series is just what's needed!"

"And you seem to have gotten a good start on it," said Itachi as he rifled through the pages, "This is enough to fill a light-novel already."

Jiraiya nodded. "That's because it is a light-novel, or at least it will be. I've got my first draft done, but I wanted to have a third party look it over and help me edit it before publishing."

"And I'm your go-to option?" asked Itachi, "I suppose I should be flattered if one of the Legendary Sannin wants me to help him get his new book off the ground, but the romantic-comedy genre isn't something I have a whole lot of experience with. You may find me to be a poor editor for something like this."

"Doesn't matter," said Jiraiya, "Just look it over and get back to me on it, all right?"

Itachi nodded. "Very well, then. I'll start tonight."

Jiraiya smiled. "Excellent. I'm looking forward to your input."

….

A few days later…

"Not bad," said Itachi as he passed the manuscript to Jiraiya.

It was the brief break between their Zanjutsu and Hakuda classes, and the two of them were out in the hallway with their fellow students in the advanced track waiting to be called in by the instructor. There was a considerable air of excitement among the students; the teacher had mentioned the day before that there would be a guest observing the class today, and while the instructor hadn't gone into much detail regarding their identity he had let slip that the observer was an officer in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Itachi's mind had immediately gone to Yoruichi, and even though he had absolutely no proof that she was today's observer, there was a feeling in his gut that he couldn't dismiss out of hand.

Whoever it is, I'll still perform to the best of my abilities, he thought, Even if it isn't her, word of a good showing on my part could get back to her. Either way, it can only help my post-graduation placement prospects.

"You really think so?" asked Jiraiya, dragging Itachi out of his musings.

He nodded. "Overall it seems good. I just marked a few grammar and spelling errors that I noticed. Like I told you before, though, I may not be the best person for editing a story like this."

Jiraiya shook his head and smiled as he put the manuscript away. "Don't worry about it. If all goes well, I should have the first copies in print a few weeks from now!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "You already have a publisher lined up?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Yup! Remember Lieutenant Mashiro from the meet-and-greet after the exams?"

"Hard to forget," said Itachi, "It's not every day that a girl tries to lick me, after all. What about her?"

"You've got a subscription to the Seireitei News Magazine, right?" asked Jiraiya.

Itachi nodded. "Yes, and I do remember that Squad Nine publishes it. What's that have to do with your new novel?"

"I sent in a letter to the newspaper office asking if they also handled novel publishing," Jiraiya replied, "Turns out they do, although it's not their main source of income. Having both the Squad Nine Captain and Lieutenant at that little gathering of ours after the exams were over is already paying off; I've got a meeting set up with Mashiro this weekend to pitch my book."

"Impressive," said Itachi, "Your networking skills are quite sharp."

"Of course, they are!" said Jiraiya with a smile, "That's an essential intelligence gathering skill, after all; you should know that."

Itachi nodded. "True enough. Best of luck with the meeting."

"Thanks," Jiraiya replied, "If it all pans out, I might just have you help me with editing the second volume, too."

"I make no promises," said Itachi.

It was at that moment that the instructor called them into the room. Unlike the lecture halls devoted to the more academic aspects of their education, the rooms devoted to their combat training were wide open. There were no desks or chairs, just space for drills and sparring. It didn't take long for Itachi to spot the guest observer, and when she met his gaze she gave him a friendly smile; it was Yoruichi.

Next to him, Jiraiya gave him a friendly nudge with his elbow. "Someone's happy to see you."

Itachi wouldn't give Jiraiya the satisfaction of a response, but that didn't change the fact that the feeling was mutual; it was good to see Yoruichi again. He didn't return her smile, but he did give her a nod of recognition, and that seemed to be enough for her.

Their instructor, a man with a receding gray hairline named Akifumi Kato, addressed the class. "Students, I'd like you to meet a very special guest. This is Captain Yoruichi Shihōin of Squad Two. She will be observing your drills and sparring matches today."

Yoruichi smiled and waved at the students. "Good to see you all again! Don't mind me; just go through your class as usual and act like I'm not even here."

Right, Itachi mused, I doubt any of us will be able to do that… and she knows it.

"Now," said Instructor Kato, "let's begin our warmup exercises."

The first third or so of the class was relatively uneventful as Itachi, Jiraiya, and the other students followed their teacher through their drills. It was the normal routine; the real excitement would come once Instructor Kato began pairing up students for sparring matches. Given Itachi and Jiraiya's advanced skills, the teacher had long since ceased pairing them up with anyone other than each other; the former Akatsuki member and the Legendary Sannin were the only students in the advanced track capable of matching each other in a fight.

Itachi could feel Yoruichi's gaze lingering on him as he went through the drills, and when the time came for the sparring matches the excitement in her eyes was palpable. He couldn't blame her; he was actually rather eager to show her just how far his skills in Hakuda had advanced, and he couldn't ask for a better opponent to demonstrate his abilities against than Jiraiya.

"All right," said the sage with a smirk as the two of them squared off in their little section of the hall, "Don't think that I'll go easy on you just because she's watching."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Itachi replied as he dropped into an opening stance, "Ready when you are."

Jiraiya made the first move, lunging forward with a hard right hook straight out of the gate. Itachi ducked beneath the blow and struck back with a quick left jab, but Jiraiya had already brought his arm up to counter. Itachi had planned for that, though, and was already dropping low to make a sweeping kick. However, Jiraiya was ready for it, and he swiftly backflipped to evade the strike.

The move only bought the sage a brief moment of respite, for Itachi surged forward to take the initiative. He pressed hard with a series of swift and surgical punches and kicks, doing all he could to mix up his attacks and keep his opponent off balance. That was much easier said than done; Jiraiya was one of the most formidable hand-to-hand fighters Itachi had ever gone up against, and his years of experience exceeded those of the slayer of the Uchiha Clan. It would only be a matter of time before the Sannin was able to counter and regain the initiative, and Itachi was already bracing for it.

That moment came a few seconds later when Jiraiya grabbed Itachi's right leg mid-kick. Itachi was able to twist free of the sage's grip and leap backwards to regroup, but it was all the opening Jiraiya needed. Now it was Itachi that was on the defensive, and while he held a slight speed advantage over his opponent that was offset by the power behind Jiraiya's blows and the utter relentlessness of his assault. He was hard pressed to block and dodge the sage's attacks, and his onyx-eyes darted this way and that as he searched for even the tiniest of opportunities to turn things around.

A few moments later he found his chance and took it. There was the lightest of gaps between one of Jiraiya's punches and a kick, and Itachi used it to get in a quick jab at the sage's lower torso. Jiraiya was able to twist his body to bleed off most of the force behind the attack, but in doing so he ceded the initiative back to Itachi, who immediately went on the offensive.

As the two veteran Shinobi went back and forth between attack and defense, Itachi was keenly aware of Yoruichi studying his every move. Unfortunately, there was no way that he could shift his focus towards her even the slightest to gauge her reaction to his technique; the tiniest bit of distraction would be all Jiraiya needed to decisively end the fight. All Itachi could do was keep his gaze firmly on his opponent and fight with every ounce of skill that he could muster. It was as intense as all of his previous sparring matches with the sage had been, but at the same time Itachi could not deny the sense of exhilaration he felt as the fight went on. Here he was, going toe-to-toe with the man who had been one of the Third Hokage's greatest students, and holding his own to boot.

It was a shame that it was only in the afterlife that an intense yet friendly sparring match like this between the two of them was possible.

Yes, friendly. As strange as it might've been to imagine, the dynamics between the Legendary Sannin and the bane of the Uchiha Clan had shifted somewhat over the few months since their fight with the Hollow. While Itachi knew that Jiraiya was still watching him like a hawk for the slightest hint that he might become a threat to their fellow students and the Soul Society as a whole, that had not stopped him from treating Itachi like a colleague since they had enrolled in the Academy. It was an utterly surreal situation, one that Itachi was still trying to wrap his head around.

He lost track of time as their sparring match continued, with neither one of them able to land a decisive blow. The two of them almost jumped when they heard their teacher address them.

"Itachi, Jiraiya!" barked Instructor Kato, "Halt!"

The two of them broke off and took a moment to catch their breath before turning towards their teacher. The rest of their classmates had already ceased their matches and were beginning to form a broad circle. That meant only one thing; the assigned sparring matches were over.

Now the free challenge fights would begin.

The sparring portion of their Hakuda classes was always broken up into two halves. The first half was the assigned sparring, where Instructor Kato would try to match up students according to their skill levels to make sure that his pupils were facing off against someone that they were on roughly equal footing with. After that came the free challenge fights where, as the name implied, students were free to call out any of their classmates for a match.