Chapter Five: Student Life 2/2

Aside from the obvious rules behind the free challenge matches such as the prohibition of killing or severely injuring one's opponent, there was a layer of unspoken etiquette and protocol that the students were expected to observe. Winning the free challenge fights was a way to stake out one's position in class and advance their social status, but calling out students that everyone knew were weaker than the challenger was frowned upon. Itachi and Jiraiya had only ever challenged each other, and they had stopped issuing those challenges quite some time ago once Instructor Kato has decided to simply pair them up permanently for the assigned sparring matches. Other students had attempted to ascend the informal hierarchy by challenging either Itachi or Jiraiya, but the two former Shinobi had taken down so many challengers since classes had begun that now no one would call them out. The students would only challenge each other, but there was no explicit rule stating that; theoretically, anyone in the hall at the time of the free challenge fights could be called out.

For the past few weeks now, Itachi had begun considering whether or not to call out Instructor Kato. At this point, he suspected that he had a decent chance at winning such a fight, and he imagined that Jiraiya felt the same way. However, he had never crossed that line because he did not wish for their teacher to lose the respect of his students. Kato was not just an instructor, after all; he was also a former Soul Reaper, and Itachi did believe in showing a measure of due deference to one who had put in his time on the front lines in the struggle against the Hollows. Nevertheless, the temptation was always there, but today it had been eclipsed by another desire…

…one that was fueled by the presence of the other veteran Soul Reaper in the room today.

Itachi was under no illusions; there wasn't a ghost of a chance that he could win if he made this move. That wasn't the point, however. It wasn't about victory or defeat now; it was about truly understanding how far his skills had grown…

…and how far he still had to go.

As he and Jiraiya joined the circle, he heard the sage chuckle. "Oh, man. You're really going to do it, aren't you?"

"Nice to see that your powers of observation remain sharp," Itachi replied as Instructor Kato stepped into the middle of the circle, "Yes, I am."

Jiraiya grinned. "And here I am, without any popcorn. What a shame. This is going to be fun!"

"All right, students!" called Instructor Kato, "You all know the drill. Who will be the first to issue a challenge today?"

Before anyone else could make a move, Itachi stepped forward. A collective murmur went through the students of the advanced track, and a few broke out into cold sweats at what Itachi imagined was the thought of going up against him.

You can all rest easy, he thought, I don't plan on challenging any of you today.

He looked past his classmates and made eye contact with the woman who had saved his life just a few months ago. "I challenge Captain Yoruichi."

Every student with the exception of Jiraiya gasped. Even Instructor Kato was unable to maintain his composure; the teacher's face paled as he struggled to comprehend what Itachi had just done.

"Now, now, Itachi," he said, "No one here doubts your gifts in Hakuda, but this… this is…"

"My decision," Itachi finished firmly for him.

Instructor Kato turned to the lady of the hour, as it were. "Captain Shihōin, you don't have to humor him…"

Yoruichi held up her hand and grinned as she kept her gaze locked with Itachi's. "I don't have to, true… but I want to. Actually… I was hoping this would happen."

Instructor Kato's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "What? I… I don't understand!"

"Don't worry," Yoruichi replied as she stepped forward, shedding her white haori and revealing that same black sleeveless and backless uniform that she'd worn the night they'd first met, "You don't have to. You do have to step back, however. Otherwise… well, it'd be a shame for you to get in the way and ruin my fun, don't you think?"

The teacher had no response for that other than to move back as far as he could. The rest of the students followed until Itachi and Yoruichi had almost the entire hall available for their fight.

Good, he thought as he saw the hungry look in her eyes, I have a feeling I'm going to need it.

"I knew you were a bold one," she said as the two of them squared off, "On the very night we first met, you had the guts to go up against a Hollow unarmed and untrained. I'm glad to see that student life hasn't dulled that side of you."

Itachi nodded. "Thank you."

Yoruichi smirked. "Save the thanks until after you've shown me what you're really capable of. I intend to enjoy myself here, so you'd better not disappoint me!"

Itachi dropped into a ready stance, his gaze never leaving Yoruichi's. "I'll give you everything I've got."

The grin on Yoruichi's face was downright predatory now. "Good. Kato! We're waiting on you!"

The teacher jumped before stepping forward and raising his right hand. "Are you ready?"

Itachi and Yoruichi nodded, but they didn't spare Instructor Kato so much as a glance; their eyes remained locked on each other.

"Very well, then," he said, "Three…two…one…begin!"

Yoruichi pounced, and she was on Itachi like a bolt of lightning.

….

It wasn't a full Flash Step; Yoruichi had no intention of going all out against a student, even one as gifted as Itachi had proven himself to be. Still, the speed of her charge was nothing to be sneezed at, and Itachi was barely able to duck in time to avoid her opening punch. From there she immediately went on the offensive, going after him with a ferocious barrage of jabs, with the occasional kick and knee thrown in for good measure. To his credit, though, Itachi kept his arms up in a guard position, and thus he was able to block the strikes that he couldn't outright evade. Yoruichi wasn't about to let up here, though; she wanted to push him to his absolute limit and then some.

And Itachi was up to the challenge. As she pressed her assault, Yoruichi was impressed with how Itachi kept his cool even when under pressure from no less than a Captain like herself. That glint of focused intensity never left his eyes, and she could sense him looking for the slightest opening even when under such a withering barrage. Even when assailed by a foe as powerful as her, he remained calm and collected. There wasn't a hint of panic anywhere about him; he held mastery over his emotions, which was no small feat under these particular circumstances.

A slight shift in his stance was enough to tell Yoruichi that Itachi was ready to counter, and it came a moment later. As she threw a hard right punch she saw Itachi bend his left arm ever so slightly to alter the angle of his block. When her blow grazed his arm, he made his move with a swift right jab. Of course, Yoruichi was ready for it and proceeded to catch his fist in the palm of her hand. However, Itachi's response was immediate and fluid; he twisted his body and leapt back before she could get a solid grip on him. She was still able to retake the initiative, but she still marveled at his reaction speed.

His reflexes are incredible, she thought as she cut loose with a rapid-fire sequence of punches and kicks, I've never seen a student move as intuitively as he does! And this is just after a few short months of Hakuda training…

It wasn't just his speed and instincts that impressed her. His footwork was top-notch, and despite how hard she was pressing him he wasn't anywhere close to being knocked off balance. Every move, no matter how small, was with purpose. He fought with precision and efficiency, spending only the energy that was needed, no more and no less.

He was an absolute natural at Hakuda, and it only made Yoruichi all the more determined to get him into Squad Two the instant he graduated.

His stance shifted again ever so slightly, but this time it wasn't a counter that he had in mind. As Yoruichi made a high kick, Itachi dropped low and rolled to the side. He was back on his feet a second later, but he didn't attack; instead he backflipped to give himself some breathing room. Yoruichi wondered what he was playing at; he had to know that she could close the distance in the blink of an eye, even without Shunpo.

And that was when he became naught but a flicker on the wind before disappearing entirely.

Even as her eyes widened in shock, that didn't stop Yoruichi from whirling around and blocking the blow she knew was coming. Sure enough, she caught Itachi's punch, causing him to twist and leap away again, but that didn't lessen her amazement at what had just happened.

He'd performed a flawless Flash Step.

I don't believe it, she thought even as she went on the attack again, Even in the advanced track, they should only be just going over the basics of Shunpo in his Hohō classes right about now… and he still pulled it off! Itachi…

…you're a goddamn genius!

The fact that he had needed a bit of space in order to accomplish it meant that his skills with the technique were still definitely in the development phase, but as far as Yoruichi was concerned that didn't detract in the least from what he'd just shown her. His progress with both Hakuda and Hohō were nothing short of phenomenal, and now she was seriously tempted to sit in on his Zanjutsu and Kidō classes in the very near future to see just what else he was capable of. She also knew that she would have some serious competition when the time came to get him into her division; at the rate his skills were progressing, every Captain in the Soul Society would be driving hard to get him into the ranks of their respective units by the time graduation rolled around. Hell, she wouldn't be surprised if even Head Captain Yamamoto got in on the action once the word started to spread!

She could tell that she wasn't the only one in the room that was impressed. Even as she continued her assault, she was keenly aware of the slack-jawed looks of stupefied awe on the faces of Itachi's classmates and his teacher. Even the smirk on Jiraiya's face had been wiped away, although from the way his brow was furrowed it was clear that he was intent on retaining his composure and studying every last detail of this fight.

And fight they did. Itachi might've been put onto the defensive once again, but Yoruichi could tell from the look of cold and sharp intensity in his eyes that he had no plans to yield just yet. Giving him a playful smile, she was more than willing to let this game of theirs continue. She knew that he was no fool; the thought of victory was the furthest thing from his mind in this contest. He sought to test himself against the best, and Yoruichi was happy to oblige him.

Now that he had proven himself capable of making at least one Flash Step in battle, Yoruichi felt that it was only fair to repay him in kind. She made one of her own, reappearing behind him. Had she been going all out she could've ended the fight right then and there with a swift blow to the back of his neck, but she allowed herself to slow just enough to give him the chance to whirl around and block her strike at the last possible moment. There was a knowing look in his eyes as their gazes met, and he gave her the slightest of nods in thanks for her generosity.

You've earned it, Itachi, she mused with satisfaction, Now show me what else you can do!

His answer was not long in coming. He dropped low and made a sweeping kick with his right leg. Yoruichi fluidly backflipped to avoid it, but it still gave Itachi the chance to move forward and being a new offensive. Punches, kicks, and the occasional knee and elbow flew forth in a furious yet efficient assault. Yoruichi was able to easily stay one step ahead of her sparring partner, but she was still willing to give silent praise to Itachi's technique and decided to let him keep his initiative for a little longer before seizing it for herself.

She was a Captain; she had other duties to attend to and could not linger here for the rest of the afternoon. Yoruichi was sorely tempted to do just that, however. With her talents for reading opponents and gauging their strength it was a simple matter for her to adjust her pace just enough so that Itachi could barely keep up with her. She was a teasing cat playing with an adventurous kitten, and she couldn't recall the last time she'd had so much fun in a training match.

I really don't want this to end, she thought wistfully as she blocked and evaded Itachi's strikes, Itachi… you really know how to show a woman a good time!

Unfortunately, it did come to an end. To make matters worse, it was not in a manner anywhere close to what she might've wished for.

It started when she saw Itachi's stance waver ever so slightly. At first, she thought it might be from exhaustion, but she quickly realized that wasn't the case. Something was wrong; she could sense his spiritual pressure fluctuating in minor but rapidly growing pulses. His fair skin was starting to pale, and she spotted a cold sweat begin to break out on his brow. The young man's footing became shaky, and a moment later he lost his balance outright and stumbled forward, falling right into Yoruichi's arms.

"Itachi!" she cried as she caught him and knelt down, resting his head on her knee, "What's wrong? Talk to me!"

His eyelids fluttered rapidly, and his breathing became shallow, but he was still able to meet her gaze for a brief moment. "Yoruichi…"

A second later he passed out.

"Itachi!" screamed one of the girls in the audience.

"What's wrong with him?" cried another.

"Captain Shihōin…" said Instructor Kato nervously.

Jiraiya came forward, and while his expression was grim, to his credit he was much calmer than either his classmates or his teacher. "We need to get him to the infirmary."

Yoruichi shook her head as she put her hand to Itachi's forehead. "No; this isn't some typical fainting spell. His spiritual pressure's all over the map, and he's already burning up! The Academy infirmary won't be able to help him!"

"Then who can?" asked Jiraiya.

Yoruichi's answer was immediate. "Captain Unohana."

Without another word, she gently lifted Itachi off the ground. Carefully cradling him in her arms, she disappeared from the training hall with the young man a moment later. Flash Stepping like she never had before, she raced for the Squad Four barracks.

Hang in there, Itachi, she thought as she glanced down at him, I don't know what's happening to you right now, but I am not going to let it take you!

I will save you!

….

As soon as Yoruichi brought Itachi inside, Unohana wasted no time in getting to work. "Lieutenant Yamada, anchor him to the bed! Now!"

Seinosuke Yamada, the raven-haired and black-eyed second-in-command of Squad Four, nodded before beginning a Kidō incantation, yellow energy already crackling in his palm. "Hold, ye lord of mask and bone, to be cleansed of all impurity! Grasp penance in bonds of light! Bakudō 30: Shitotsu Sansen!"

Using the energy in his right hand, the Lieutenant drew an inverted triangle in the air. From each point of the triangle grew three pins of yellow energy, and a second later those pins flew forth and slammed into Itachi, one hitting each shoulder and the third his lower torso.

Yoruichi's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing? Unohana!"

"Calm down, Captain Shihōin," said Unohana firmly, "I give you my word that Itachi shall not be harmed. I have seen this before, albeit rarely; swift action is required to mitigate the worst of it. Please, stand back."

Yoruichi nodded, taking a moment to regain her composure. "Of course, Unohana. My apologies."

Unohana gave her a gentle smile. "It's quite all right. Do not fear; I will not let the Soul Society be robbed of such a gifted potential Soul Reaper as Itachi."

Returning her gaze to her patient, she stepped forward and motioned for her Lieutenant to step back. Holding out her arms over Itachi, she began an incantation of her own.

"Be still, heart of bird and dragon," she chanted, "May rest be upon you, oh wandering spirits of the mountains. Turn your gaze inward, and find your tranquility. Goyōgai!"

A translucent yellow prism of spirit energy enveloped Itachi. As this was a barrier using her own power, Unohana's hands were able to pass through it, and she laid them upon Itachi's brow. Sea-green energy enveloped them as she began to call upon her gifts in the path of Kaidō to begin what she knew would only be first of many healing sessions to come.

"It's as I feared," she said as the soothing energy continued to course from her hands to her patient, "Itachi is suffering from a soul fracture."

Yoruichi's eyes widened. "Wait a minute… you mean that…?"

Unohana nodded as she continued her work. "It would seem that someone within the world that Itachi is from has a form of resurrection technique at their disposal. Such a thing is hardly ever seen, but at the same time it is not entirely unheard of."

Yoruichi folded her arms. "Hold on a second. I thought that most resurrection techniques that have been recorded by the Soul Society have to be applied almost immediately after someone's death. Itachi's been in the Soul Society for months now!"

"That is correct," Unohana replied, "and that is why the soul fracture is occurring. Had whatever technique is being utilized now been unleashed within a day or so of his arrival, his entire soul would've gone back to the world from whence he came. However, as you so astutely put it, that was not the case here. Due to the extensive amount of time that has transpired since his death, Itachi's soul has already acclimated to the Soul Society. That is why the revival technique that was used in his world only took a portion of his soul; the rest remains bound to the Soul Society."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed. "Maybe, but… how do we keep it that way? From what little I've heard about soul fractures, once it happens…"

"It is incredibly difficult to keep the portion that remains in the Soul Society from splintering further," Unohana finished for her, "That is why I had Lieutenant Yamada bind him to the bed, and it is also the reason for my use of Goyōgai; it is imperative that we do all that is possible to preserve the half of his soul that remains here. If it is not protected and monitored, it could deteriorate to the point that we lose him entirely. As long as he remains within the Squad Four barracks, I can watch over him and make sure that his rest is peaceful and that his soul has a chance to recover."

Yoruichi sighed with relief. "That's good to hear. I'm glad I was able to make it here as quickly as I did."

Unohana smiled while continuing to apply her Kaidō to Itachi. "As am I. However, I am afraid that it is only within my power now to sustain Itachi's soul. There is only one way to fully heal Itachi's soul; the portion that went back to the Realm of the Living that he is from must return here."

Yoruichi's brow furrowed. "Which means he'll have to die again in the world that he originally came from. Whoever did this to him has no idea what kind of cruelty they've just inflicted upon him."

"Indeed," said Unohana somberly, "That is why resurrection techniques are forbidden within the Soul Society; to attempt to reverse the flow of souls ultimately does more harm than good, no matter what the reasons behind the effort may be."

"How long do you think he'll be like this?" asked Yoruichi, unable to hide the concern in her eyes as she gazed at Itachi.

Unohana shook her head. "It is difficult to say. Cases of soul fracturing are incredibly rare, so the body of medical knowledge regarding them is unfortunately quite limited. However, from what little information I have studied of this phenomenon, I believe that the amount of time a resurrection can endure may be proportional to how long the person revived was initially dead. Since Itachi was in the Soul Society for a few months before this revival technique was utilized, it is possible that it will come undone within a relatively short amount of time. Unfortunately, this is little more than conjecture; I can offer no real timeframe. He could linger in this state for months… or even years."

Yoruichi nodded, and Unohana was heartened to see the light of determination in her eyes. "I understand. Please, do all you can for him. Keep him safe until he can rejoin us."

"You seem quite confident that he will," said Unohana.

Yoruichi smiled. "I was sparring with him when he collapsed. Unohana… you have no idea how far he's come since that night we saw him and Jiraiya take on that Hollow. He's strong, and he has so much potential within him. He'll make it through this. Call it a gut feeling."

Unohana nodded. "Your feelings have more often than not been right in the past, so I see no reason to doubt them now. Rest assured that I will do everything within my power to care for him. As soon as the two halves of his soul are reunited and he wakes up, you will be the first person I send a Hell Butterfly to."

Yoruichi bowed. "Thank you, Captain Unohana."

She stepped forward, and Unohana saw her hand hover just over the surface of the barrier. "Rest up, Itachi. I'm willing to bet you'll have quite a bit of catching up to do with your classmates once you come to. I'll help you get back on track when the time comes."

Yoruichi then headed for the door. "I'll try to swing by periodically to check in on him. Thanks again."

Unohana nodded. "You are most welcome, Yoruichi."

The door shut behind her, but as Unohana turned back to her patient she could not help but notice that her Lieutenant was looking back and forth between the door and Itachi. There was a puzzled look in his eyes.

"Is something bothering you, Lieutenant Yamada?" she asked.

"Well," her subordinate began, "Captain Shihōin… she seemed awfully concerned about our patient. Isn't he just a student? No matter how gifted he may be, she seems to be considerably more invested in him than a Captain should."

Unohana smiled. "That may be, but I don't think that's any concern of ours. Return to your duties, Lieutenant."

Yamada nodded. "Yes, Captain!"

It is interesting, though, she mused, I wonder…

She shook her head as she returned her attention fully to Itachi. She would have time to ponder her fellow Captain's behavior at a later date. For now, she had a patient to attend to, and she was determined to give him the very best care that she was capable of providing.

….

The first thing he felt was the sensation of a cold and hard cobblestone pathway on his back. Faint rumbles of thunder and the whisper of the wind were in his ears. As Itachi struggled to open his eyes, he was confronted by the sight of storm clouds in the sky above. However, they were not normal storm clouds; they all seemed to have a hint of crimson to them, and the occasional flash of lighting in the distance was the same color.

"Where am I?" he murmured as he climbed to his feet.

Patting himself down, he didn't find any sign of injury. His sword was at his side, and his student robes did not appear to be damaged. Looking around, he found himself in a world unlike any that he had ever seen before.

In addition to the oddly colored storm clouds and flashes of lightning in the sky, there appeared to be a faint red light that was mostly obscured by said clouds. For a moment Itachi thought it might be the sun, but after a few seconds he realized that it was actually the moon. What surrounded him on the ground was no less strange than the alien sky. While the pathway that he was on looked like many others that he had seen both in the Shinobi World and the Soul Society, the long rows of stone lanterns that flanked it on either side each housed an eerie blood-red flame. Beyond the lanterns were trees as far as the eye could see, twisted and withered without a single leaf on them, and the color of the bark looked uncomfortably similar to that of dried blood.

This is not the Soul Society, he thought, and it certainly isn't the world I inhabited while I was still alive. So what is this place?

With no other landmarks in sight, Itachi decided that the simplest course of action for the time being would be to follow the path before him. After several minutes of doing so he spotted what looked like a large rock jutting out of the path in the distance. Picking up his pace, he peered closer and spotted what looked like a person sitting atop the stone outcropping.

As he drew near he was able to identify the figure… or at least, to a certain extent. He had no idea who they actually were, but he could at least tell that it was a woman.

A woman unlike any that he had ever seen before.

Her midnight hair flowed well past her waist, its lustrous sheen amplified by what little crimson moonlight managed to filter through the clouds above. Her eyes were scarlet gems, and as they cast their gaze upon Itachi he could see a piercing light in them. Her pale skin was a sharp contrast to the tattered black robe she wore. At least, Itachi thought it was a robe at first, but upon closer inspection he realized that it was not one in the traditional sense. What he had assumed was normal fabric appeared to be something else. For a moment Itachi thought it was feathers, but then his eyes widened as he saw it flicker and ripple, and he began comprehend what it really was.

The black flames of Amaterasu.

As he came to a stop at the foot of the rock, the woman stretched out her arms, gesturing to the strange land that surrounded them. "What do you think of my realm, Itachi Uchiha? Actually, I suppose our realm would be a better way to put it."

Itachi looked around for someone else, only for the woman to shake her head. "It's just you and I here, Itachi. No more, and no less."

"You have me at a disadvantage, miss…" he said.

The woman's lips moved, but Itachi could not hear what she said. After a moment she repeated herself, but again Itachi heard naught but silence. Even lip-reading was to no avail; a strange flicker of light obscured Itachi's gaze just enough so that he could not grasp enough detail to tell what she was saying.

A few seconds later the woman shook her head. "I should've expected this. After all, this is only the first time we've met. Truth be told, we were not supposed to meet for quite some time to come, but certain circumstances forced my hand. Had I not acted in this manner, there is a good chance that we might never have had the chance to meet at all."

"What are you talking about?" asked Itachi as he looked around, "What is this place? Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "Surely you can figure that out. Consider your education carefully, Itachi. You may only be a few months into your term at the Academy, but you have already learned all you need to divine the nature of both myself and this realm."

His eyes narrowed as he studied her with great intensity. They had never met before, but now that he thought about it there were certain aspects of her appearance that were familiar. The black flames of Amaterasu that made up her clothing were obvious enough, but there were also her eyes; though they lacked the signature orbiting tomoe, her irises were the exact same shade of red as that of the Sharingan. There was also the fact that he had been unable to hear her name when she had uttered it, and some mystical force had prevented him from divining it by lip-reading. That was all he needed for the pieces to fall into place.

"This is my inner world," he said, "and you are my Zanpakutō."

She gave him an approving nod. "Very good. That was much quicker than I had anticipated. I'm pleased to see that the soul fracture has not impacted your wits."

Itachi raised his eyebrow. "Soul fracture? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"The event that forced my early awakening," the woman replied, "Tell me, Itachi; what do you know about resurrection jutsus?"

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "That they're very rare… and very dangerous. They are also twisted, at least in the opinion of the majority."

"There is plenty of reason for that opinion," said the woman, "That does not change the fact that such techniques still exist, and that one has been used on you. Had your death only been a day or so ago, it would've brought you back in your entirety. However, since you have been in the Soul Society for some time now…"

"My spirit had acclimated to the new environment, and so it split when the resurrection jutsu was performed," Itachi finished for, his mind already following the evidence and implications to their logical conclusions, "If that is the case and part of my soul has returned to the Shinobi World, it would stand to reason that the rest remains in the Soul Society. Why am I here, then, instead of the Seireitei?"

The woman nodded. "A good question. The answer is rather complicated."

Itachi looked around. "I don't see any other pressing matters to attend to here, so I have time for an explanation."

"Very well, then," said the woman, "To begin with, I believe that the part of your spirit that remains in the Soul Society is still in the Seireitei. When the soul fracture began, I awakened and opened your inner world so that I might attempt to anchor you and prevent you from being lost entirely. However, you were most fortunate to be sparring with the swiftest Soul Reaper in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads at the moment the fracture occurred; if my guess is correct, I believe Yoruichi has taken you to the Squad Four barracks. The portion of your spirit that remains in the Soul Society will be under the care of Captain Unohana and her subordinates until the resurrection jutsu comes undone and the pieces of your soul are reunited. However, your awareness, your consciousness, for the part of you that remains in the Soul Society, is now here."

"What about the part of my soul that went back to the Shinobi World?" asked Itachi, "Can you tell me what is happening there?"

The woman shook her head. "I'm afraid that's beyond my power. Once the pieces of your soul are reunited, the memories of the portion that went back to the living realm will merge into those that you already possess and will answer your questions. I do not reside with that portion of your soul, though, so I cannot see into the realm that it inhabits now."

Itachi nodded. "I understand. Do you at least have a sense of how long this may last?"

"No," the woman replied, "In that, I am as much in the dark as you are. That is why it is best that we do not spend this time sitting idly; I would hate for you to lose your sanity due to boredom before your spirit is whole again."

"That makes two of us," Itachi quipped, "So how do you propose that we pass the time? I didn't see a library or teahouse on my way over here."

The woman gave him a mischievous smile. "Oh, don't worry. I have something far more exciting in mind than books or tea."

She held out her right hand, and a pillar of black flames came forth. A moment later the flames dissipated, revealing a sword unlike any that Itachi had ever seen before. From handle to guard to blade, the weapon was almost entirely black. It was a straight sword, and on closer examination it wasn't a completely solid blade; there was a thin gap in the middle that ran from the base to the end, resulting in two points that were very close together. The handle and the guard were different from the traditional ones that Itachi was used to; the guard was ornately carved and looked like a pair of raven's wing pointed downward. Where the wings met was the only part of the weapon that wasn't black. There was a crimson eye set right in the middle, and it was the exact same shade of red as the iris of the Sharingan.

"You will take time to rest while you are here, Itachi," said the woman, "but when you are not resting, you will be training. You will be training with me for as long as you are here. Perhaps days, perhaps weeks, perhaps months, or perhaps years. It matters not. We will train together… and I shall forge you into a swordsman without equal."

The woman raised her blade in salute, an eager smile on her face. "Shall we begin?"

Itachi nodded as he drew his sword. "Ready when you are."

Her smile became a hungry grin. "Good."

Then she was on him like a demon from the deepest pits of Hell.

Author's Notes: Well, there you have it; the initial impact of Edo Tensei on Itachi's soul, and also the first meeting with the spirit of his Zanpakutō. Also, the way I've structured the Soul Society for this fic as a kind of 'hub afterlife', for want of a better term, was the method I decided would be best in order to facilitate the coexistence of the Bleach and Naruto universes. The Web of Worlds and the Realms of the Living will be explored in greater depth further along in the story.

Hope you liked the chapter! Please review!