Chapter Nine: Rivalry's Flames 4/4

The last Hollow fell as Shisui stabbed it through the chest. As the beast dissolved, the Soul Reaper's Zanpakutō reverted back to its sealed state. He smiled as he approached the others, and Visaelya's blush actually intensified; he was surprisingly handsome, now that she had a chance to study his appearance as opposed to just his fighting abilities.

W-what's gotten into me?, she thought, I-I'm a noble! I shouldn't be ogling an officer l-like some common schoolgirl!

"Glad that's over with," he said, and Visaelya's already burning face became red-hot as he knelt next to her, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm… I'm all right," she said softly as her gaze met his, "Thanks to you…"

Shisui nodded. "Glad to hear it. Looks like Jiraiya did a good job with those bandages. I should've expected nothing less from one of the Legendary Sannin."

Visaelya blinked in confusion. "Sannin? I beg your pardon?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "It's a long story."

"We never actually met in person," said Shisui, "but I was a great admirer of you. When Captain Shihōin told me that you were in the Soul Society, I was shocked; I didn't think there was anyone out there that could kill someone like you."

Jiraiya gave him a weary smile. "Yeah, well… there's always someone younger and more powerful out there. I had a good run. That's more than many can say."

Shisui then turned to Itachi. There was a moment of silence as the two men looked at each other, and Visaelya felt as though the very air around them had thickened. Something told her that the two of them had been more than casual acquaintances in whatever past life they'd shared.

It was Itachi that broke the silence. "How long have you known that I was here?"

Shisui sighed. "Since the Academy entrance exams. I wanted to come and find you, but Captain Shihōin overruled me. She said I'd be a distraction and wanted to keep me as a little surprise for when you graduated. Still… I'm sorry."

Itachi shook his head. "No, she was right. I needed to focus on my training… even though I would've liked to know that you were here. I thought about it when I arrived, and even considered looking for you, but... well, you know how big this place is."

Shisui nodded. "Indeed, I do."

He then stepped forward, held out his hand and smiled. "It's good to see you again, Itachi."

Itachi returned his smile and shook his hand. "You too, Shisui. It's been a long time."

"Don't take this the wrong way," said Shisui, "but I'd hoped that it would be longer. As incredible as the Soul Society is, I wanted you to live longer before seeing it. I guess that wasn't to be."

"It's all right," Itachi replied, "I had my time, and I used it the best that I could… and I made sure that your death was not in vain."

Shisui sighed with relief. "So you stopped our clan, then. That's good."

Itachi nodded, but Visaelya didn't fail to notice the dark look in his eyes. "Yes… though it came at a high price."

Shisui closed his eyes for a moment. "It really came down to that, did it? Damn…"

"Believe me," said Itachi grimly, "it wasn't a task that I undertook lightly. Still… it had to be done."

Visaelya looked back and forth between the two of them. "What are you talking about?"

Shisui opened his eyes and looked at her. "Something that I had left undone before my passing. I'm afraid it's a personal matter."

Visaelya nodded. "I see. Forgive me for prying."

"It's all right," said Itachi, "We're still in the field, so now's hardly the time for us to be catching up."

"Agreed," said Rija, "We've got a job to do… and now one of us is wounded."

Visaelya looked down in shame. "I'm sorry… I thought I was stronger than this."

Shisui leaned down and put his hand on her shoulder. When she met his gaze again, she saw an encouraging smile on his face, and she felt herself begin to blush once more.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," he said, "You did well to hold out as long as you did. You should be proud; you show great promise. I think by the time graduation rolls around you'll be more than ready to join the ranks of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Visaelya slowly nodded. "Oh… thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied, "That being said, I think your part in this mission is over. Rija, take her back to the staging camp and see that the Squad Four relief team treats her immediately. I'll remain here with Itachi and Jiraiya to cover for you."

Rija smiled. "Understood, Shisui."

She knelt down and carefully picked up Visaelya. It was embarrassing to have to be carried like this, but she knew that it couldn't be helped this time; she certainly wouldn't be moving very quickly under her own power.

"You boys take care of yourselves," said Rija, "We'll see you back at camp!"

Before Visaelya could bid farewell the world around her became a blur as the Fifteenth Seat began the series of Flash Steps that would take them both back to the staging camp. Even so, the face of her savior remained perfectly clear in her mind's eye.

Shisui Uchiha…

…thank you.

….

Once Rija and Visaelya disappeared, Itachi turned to Shisui. Since it was just the two of them and Jiraiya now, his old friend appeared more willing to let his guard down. He gave Itachi a smile, and the former Shinobi almost felt like he was back in Konoha.

Strange how a simple gesture can take one back to memories of better times, he thought, I certainly won't complain, though.

"I really wanted to give you the grand tour of the Seireitei once Captain Shihōin told me that she'd found you," said Shisui, "This place is incredible, Itachi! Forget the Rukon District; the Seireitei alone puts our old village to shame several times over!"

Itachi nodded. "I'd like to explore it at length sometime, but as a student I'm confined to the Academy grounds most of the time. I have seen some of it, though. It's truly a fascinating place."

Jiraiya smiled. "It's impressive, but… well, you know what they say; you can't beat the comforts of home."

Shisui chuckled. "I know what you mean. I still find myself thinking of the Hidden Leaf Village from time to time. Still, that's no longer our home, no matter what our sense of nostalgia may say to the contrary."

"Good point," said Jiraiya.

Shisui turned to Itachi again, and the dark look in his eyes did not bode well. "I didn't want to go into too much detail in front of the others, but… how much does Jiraiya know about our clan?"

"I told him the truth," Itachi replied, "All of it. What they were planning, what we had planned in response… and what ultimately happened."

Shisui sighed, although now he looked a little nervous. "I see. Since my plan failed, I've got a pretty good idea as to what you had to do. Still… what happened to Sasuke? Did you have to…?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. That was the deal I struck with Danzō; the rest of the clan for Sasuke's life. I upheld my end of the bargain, and I took steps to make sure that he upheld his."

Shisui nodded, his apprehension replaced by pity. "I'm sure you did. I know you would do anything for your little brother. Sasuke, though… he must've hated you. There's no way that you could've told him the truth, after all."

"That's what I told myself for the longest time," Itachi admitted, "However, looking back on it all… it would have been better to tell him what really happened. He deserved the truth, not a lie. At least I got the chance to correct that mistake, although it came only after our final fight."

"The soul fracture incident, right?" asked Shisui, "Captain Shihōin told me about what happened, although she doesn't know about the world that you and I are from. Whoever performed the Resurrection Jutsu on you must've lost control at some point, otherwise I doubt they would've given you the chance to find Sasuke of your own will."

Itachi nodded. "That's correct. Before the Jutsu wore off, I was able to impart the truth to him. It was the least I could do after all that I put him through. It didn't change what I had done, but… I think it at least closed the circle, if you will."

Shisui smiled. "Sometimes, that's all we can do."

Jiraiya nodded. "Agreed. Now that we're all here, we have a chance to make a difference on a larger scale than we ever thought was possible. We can take the pain and loss that we experienced in life and use that to guide us going forward. We can avoid the mistakes of our past, if we have the wisdom to recognize them."

Itachi concurred. "Yes, although I for one have a long way to go on that front. There's still so much to learn about the Soul Society, not to mention my own power."

Jiraiya smiled. "Well, I'm in the same boat, so no pressure there."

"You've both come quite a long way as it is," said Shisui, "Captain Shihōin's showed me your test scores; you're both dominating the Academy rankings. There's quite a bit of buzz going around about the two of you, and for good reason."

"That wasn't my intention," said Itachi, "I've no desire to draw attention to myself."

Shisui smirked. "Maybe, but you've done that just the same… especially with regards to Captain Shihōin. Whenever the subject of the Academy comes up, your name's the first word out of her mouth."

Itachi nodded. "I'm honored that she thinks so highly of me. After she saved my life, devoting myself to my studies was the least that I could do."

"Well, it's certainly paid off," Shisui replied, "She can't wait to recruit you, and I'm right there with you. After all, I know what you're capable of even more than she does!"

Itachi couldn't help but smile as he thought back on all the sparring matches they'd had in their old life. "Indeed, you do. I'm afraid some of that capability is gone, though… as I'm sure you're well aware of."

Shisui grinned, and there was a knowing look in his eyes that gave Itachi pause. "You mean the Sharingan? I wouldn't be so hasty, if I were you."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? The Sharingan does not activate after death; I tried to do so when I arrived here. It's gone, Shisui… and after the arrogance its power inspired in our clan, I don't think that's a bad thing."

Shisui nodded. "Oh, I get where you're coming from. However, I think you'll find that you're mistaken with regards to the status of the Sharingan in the afterlife."

His old friend closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again Itachi was stunned. Crimson irises, three black tomoe orbiting the pupil…

…it was the real deal.

"I'll be damned," muttered Jiraiya.

"How is this possible?" asked Itachi.

"When I first arrived, it was gone, just like yours," said Shisui, "I figured it wasn't something that we took with us when we died, and like you I actually didn't mind that too much. I joined the Academy and began my training as a Soul Reaper, and for a while that was all that I was focused on. Eventually I went out to the field, though, and one of my comrades got into trouble. I unlocked my Shikai that day… and the Sharingan. It was thanks to both that I was able to save them. Since then I've worked in secret to restore it to its full power, minus the Mangekyou. Not even the Captain knows about my Sharingan, and I plan to keep it that way for as long as I can."

"Probably for the best," said Itachi, "So it was awakened by your desire to protect someone? That sounds familiar."

Shisui smiled. "Indeed. It's not all that different from when we were alive. Your Sharingan's not gone, Itachi; it's just dormant. Give it time, and like your Shikai, you'll unlock the true power of your eyes soon enough."

Itachi's brow furrowed in thought. "If that's true, then we may have a problem. You and I are hardly the only members of the Uchiha Clan to have passed on over the years, after all. The Sharingan made us formidable in life, to the point that you and I had to turn against our own family to thwart their ambitions. The Soul Society is vast, but…"

"You fear that our clan may be working to rebuild itself in the afterlife," Shisui finished for him, "I've made a few excursions into the Rukon District to look for signs of them, but I haven't found any."

Itachi sighed. "That doesn't mean that they aren't out there… and plenty of them would have reason to hold a grudge, given what I did to them."

"Death may have changed their perspective," Jiraiya pointed out, "Even if the Uchiha Clan did reconstitute itself in the Soul Society, I have a hard time believing that it'd be able to take on the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

Shisui nodded. "I'm with you there. Hopefully they'll have moved on from the ambitions they had in life. That would be best for everyone."

"Agreed," said Itachi somberly.

Shisui smiled again. "In the meantime, we've got more pressing concerns on our hands. The mission's not over yet, and since Rija's taking Visaelya back to the staging camp, that means we've still got a point to hold. You guys still have some fight left in you?"

Jiraiya grinned. "Plenty!"

Itachi nodded. "Same here."

"Good," said Shisui, "We'll stay here until Captain Shihōin gives us the all clear. Good to be working with you again, Itachi."

Itachi couldn't help but smile. "Likewise, Shisui."

….

"Take this!" yelled Yoruichi as she kicked a Hollow right in the gut.

The blow sent the beast flying, and it knocked over three of its allies in the process. A single Flash Step was all it took for Yoruichi to pounce on them, and a few swift slashes from her Zanpakutō tore them all to shreds. She could sense another Hollow coming at her from behind, but she wasn't worried; she knew that her bodyguard had it in her sights.

Her faith was proven right a moment later as Soi-Fon intercepted the beast. Suzumebachi's twin stings were administered with blinding speed right to the Hollow's chest, and the monster began to succumb to the lethal poison seconds later.

She's getting even better with that technique, she thought with a smile, I can't wait to see just how much further she can refine it!

Putting some space between herself and the enemy, Yoruichi took a moment to assess the situation. From what she could see, it appeared that the surviving Hollows were attempting to fall back deeper into the cave. Their lines of retreat to the surface had been mostly cut off, apart from the group that her Tenth Seat had pursued earlier, and their numbers were definitely dwindling.

"I think we've got them on the ropes!" said Kisuke with a grin as he sliced a beast clean in half.

Yoruichi nodded. "Keep up the pressure! Let's end this here!"

With a Flash Step, she was back into the fray. Her Zanpakutō danced through the air, slashing one Hollow's throat and stabbing another through the torso in the blink of an eye. Soi-Fon was right beside her, and yet another Hollow fell to her lethal twin stings.

Squad Two's top fighters weren't the only ones carving into the enemy. Squad Ten was fighting just as fiercely, and clan rivalries aside, Yoruichi would freely admit that Rhaegon was giving a good accounting for himself. Her fellow Captain didn't look remotely tired, and in fact appeared to be slaughtering any Hollow unfortunate enough to cross his path with contemptuous ease. The same went for his Lieutenant and the rest of his top officers, all of whom were making steady headway through the horde of monsters.

Kisuke smirked as he stared down another charging group of Hollows. "Sing, Benihime!"

Once again, a wave of blood-red energy flew forth as he swung his Zanpakutō. The fearsome attack ripped apart the Hollows, and Kisuke immediately charged into the gap created by the dissolving beasts. One monster after another fell to his blade, and Yoruichi swiftly moved to join him. With her watching his back and Soi-Fon watching hers, the three of them mauled anything unfortunate enough to get in their way.

As she stabbed a Hollow through the back of the head, Yoruichi saw Kisuke's eyes narrow. Following his gaze, she saw that he was focused on a Hollow at the far end of the cave. There was nothing that particularly set it apart from its fellows at first glance, but Yoruichi was sure that her Third Seat had a good reason for singling it out.

"That one's about to bolt," he said as he stabbed another beast through the chest.

"Deeper into the caves?" she asked while slicing a monster's arm off.

Kisuke shook his head. "No, it's about to summon a Garganta."

"Does how it runs away really matter?" Soi-Fon argued while plunging her stinger blade into a Hollow's back, "Either way, if it retreats, then it'll come back later on! We need to kill it now!"

Yoruichi was inclined to agree with her bodyguard, but she knew that look in Kisuke's eyes. The gears in his mind were spinning; he wanted something from this particular Hollow.

"I'll be right back," he said before vanishing in a Flash Step.

The horde of Hollows had thinned out enough that a skilled practitioner of Shunpo could easily traverse the cavern, and Kisuke did precisely that. As Yoruichi took down another beast, she saw Kisuke reappear a little way off to the side of his target. His sudden appearance startled the monster, and sure enough, the space behind it began to shift. It soon opened like a mouth, and a swirling black mass was revealed by the rift.

He was right about it fleeing via Garganta, she thought as she decapitated another Hollow, Kisuke, what are you playing at?

Her Third Seat's eyes narrowed, and to Yoruichi it appeared that he was studying the Garganta itself rather than the Hollow that had created it. For a moment she thought that he might actually let the beast escape through it, but her fears were put to rest when he surged forward in the blink of an eye and thrust Benihime through the back of the Hollow's head. The Garganta collapsed, and the monster dissolved a moment later.

A Flash Step took Yoruichi over to him, and as she casually struck down another Hollow she addressed her Third Seat. "Mind telling me what that was about? You almost let it get away."

"I wanted to study the Garganta a bit," Kisuke replied as he effortlessly sliced another beast in half, "That was rather informative."

Yoruichi smirked while stabbing a third monster in the throat. "Oh, really? And what exactly are you going to do with that information?"

Kisuke smiled. "Well, if everything else goes my way, something fun!"

Yoruichi laughed; Kisuke's idea of 'fun' could be rather unorthodox at times, to put it mildly. "I bet! Well, just don't do anything crazier than usual, okay?"

Kisuke grinned. "No promises!"

Together they dived back into the fray. The remaining Hollows were in a state of full-blown panic now as the Soul Reapers moved to finish them off. The beasts fought frantically as they tried to escape, whether by going deeper into the cave or opening more Gargantas, but the net was closing in. Neither Squad Two or Ten had any intention of letting a single Hollow slip through their fingers, and both divisions were pressing their assault as they sensed that the battle was entering its home stretch.

"Oh, no you don't!" yelled Yoruichi as she sliced up a Hollow that had been trying to open a Garganta.

"Time to finish them off!" cried Soi-Fon as she struck down another beast that had been attempting to flee.

Yoruichi couldn't agree more. Unleashing the speed that she was so renowned for, she became naught but a blur of death. Her Zanpakutō was little more than the faintest of silver streaks in the air as she cut down none Hollow after another. Her foes didn't even see their own demise coming, and she wasn't about to give any of them the chance to fight back. She was precise, she was efficient, she was swift, and she was utterly lethal. No one could keep up with her, least of all the garden variety Hollows that she striking down in rapid succession.

As always, the Hollows fought on to the bitter end. It wasn't Soul Reaper policy to take the beasts alive, and Yoruichi wasn't aware of any instances of Hollows surrendering. If the beasts could not flee, then they would fight; there was no middle ground with them. They were primal, tenacious, and vicious, but none of that would do them any good this day.

Looks like there were no Menos among them, she thought idly as she carved up yet another foe, I imagine we would've found them by now, otherwise. Small favors…

Soon it was just a handful of beasts left, and then not even that. One by one they fell, until there was just a single Hollow remaining. The monster lunged at Rhaegon in a last, defiant attempt at a strike, but Squad Ten's Captain simply sidestepped the creature's attack before cutting it down.

Yoruichi sighed with relief as she surveyed the area to make sure that there were no stragglers. "Looks like it's finally over."

"Agreed," said Soi-Fon as she deactivated her Shikai and sheathed her blade, "Are you all right, Lady Yoruichi?"

Yoruichi smiled. "Of course. See? Not a scratch on me!"

Soi-Fon nodded and smiled in return. "Thank goodness."

"That wasn't too bad," said Kisuke as he looked around, "This lot wasn't much to write home about. Still, at least I got a little bit out of it."

Soi-Fon scowled. "Are you referring to that bit of stupidity where you almost let that Hollow escape through its Garganta? What the hell was that about? You were sloppy, Third Seat Urahara!"

Yoruichi put a hand on her shoulder. "That's enough, Soi-Fon. I know it doesn't make sense to you, but Kisuke had his reasons. Let it go, all right?"

Soi-Fon nodded, but not before shooting one last glare at Kisuke. "Fine."

"We should check up on the others," said Kisuke as he sheathed his blade, "The three of us might be fine, but we could still have some wounded to take care of."

Yoruichi nodded. "Agreed. I want both of you to fan out and round up the others. Once everyone's accounted for, let's get back to the surface."

"Understood," Kisuke and Soi-Fon answered in unison.

….

"…and the next thing I knew, I'd gotten a face-full of the Captain's boobs!" said Shisui with a laugh.

Itachi shook his head but could not suppress a smirk. "I can't believe it… I know I heard Captain Muguruma mention after the entrance exams that she could Flash Step out of her clothes, but still…"

Jiraiya grinned. "Shisui, you lucky son of a bitch!"

Shisui gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it…"

"What possessed her to do such a thing in the first place?" asked Itachi.

Shisui smiled. "I was a newly seated officer, still learning the ropes. I might've been a bit too serious for my own good, so Captain Shihōin decided I needed a little teasing to loosen me up."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Too serious? You?"

Shisui shrugged. "What can I say? I took the second chance this afterlife offers to heart, but now that I look back on it, I think I was trying to change too much of who I was. I thought that, since this was essentially a new life, that I should try to be a new person. That wound up working against me though; my technique started to suffer because I wasn't allowing myself to get into a flow that came naturally to me. The Captain saw that and decided to address it. I'm glad that she did, but… well, I'm not sure if that particular method was necessary."

"Indeed," said Itachi, "I never realized that she was such a… liberated woman."

"She's definitely not as stiff as some of the other officers that you'll find in the Soul Society," Shisui replied, "Still, she does have a sense of decorum and propriety when it's appropriate. She is the heir to one of the Five Great Noble Houses, after all."

"I've been meaning to ask about that," said Jiraiya, "Since her family's so powerful, does that mean Squad Two gets preferential treatment? It sure seems like she gets away with quite a bit."

Shisui shook his head. "It's not quite that simple. Yes, it's true that her family's pretty high up in the Soul Society; the head of the Stealth Force is a position that always goes to a member of the Shihōin clan, and the same goes for the rank of Captain for Squad Two. They may both be hereditary offices for her family, but there's no denying that she's more than earned her rank. Her abilities and strength are recognized throughout the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and she consistently produces excellent results in missions that fall under her purview. She may be a bit more easy-going than other Captains, but she's also effective enough to get away with it. We're consistently in the Head Captain's good graces thanks to her, and as a result we tend to get entrusted with more than our share of special assignments that require top tier Soul Reapers to successfully complete. They're not just a sign of her position; they're genuinely challenging missions that keep us on our toes."

Itachi nodded. "I see. How do you like it in her division?"

Shisui smiled. "It's great. Honestly, I think it's the perfect one for guys like us. Its structure and mission profile are about as close as we could find to what we were used to as Shinobi. Hell, I think the Captain runs things better than a lot of the old Jōnin or Hokage. They could learn a thing or two from Squad Two!"

"High praise," said Jiraiya, "Sounds like we've got quite a treat to look forward to come graduation. Of course, that's assuming we're lucky enough to get picked for your division."

Shisui grinned. "Please, you two are shoo-ins for sure! I'm sure some of the other Captains will make offers to you, but if you ask me, you couldn't do better than Squad Two. Then again, after a few years as part of the division now I might be a little biased."

"I should hope so," said a familiar female voice, "I put a lot of work into making sure my subordinates feel welcome in my squad!"

The three men turned to see Yoruichi approaching them. She was flanked by Soi-Fon and Kisuke, and none of them seemed any worse for the wear.

"Captain Shihōin," Shisui greeted her, "I take it the operation's concluded, then?"

Yoruichi nodded. "All the Hollows that we could find have been eliminated."

"No thanks to someone almost letting one get away," said Soi-Fon as she shot a glare at Kisuke.

Kisuke smiled. "Hey, now, there's no need for that kind of attitude! I still took it down, remember?"

Soi-Fon folded her arms. "That's not the point!"

Shisui raised an eyebrow. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about," said Yoruichi as she looked around, "Where are Rija and Captain Drakken's niece?"

"By now, they should be back at the staging camp," Shisui replied, "The girl was wounded, so I ordered Rija to get her to the Squad Four relief team."

Yoruichi's eyes narrowed in concern. "Is she all right?"

Shisui nodded. "Her wounds didn't look too bad, and Jiraiya did a good job of binding them in the field. Once Squad Four's finished with her she should be good as new, although she might still end up with a scar or two."

Yoruichi smiled with relief. "Sounds like things went about as well as they could have up here, then. Glad to hear it."

"How did the fighting down in the caves go?" asked Itachi.

Yoruichi shrugged. "Well enough. The Hollows are gone, and apart from a few wounded we didn't suffer any real casualties."

"We still need to check in with the rest of the interceptor teams," Soi-Fon pointed out.

"Hopefully they'll be all right," said Kisuke, "I think the only group of Hollows that managed to make a break for the surface was the one that Shisui chased."

"If any of the other teams needed help, I imagine they would've sent a messenger or something by now," said Jiraiya.

Shisui nodded. "You're probably right. Still, we do need to make sure that they're all accounted for."

"The three of us will take care of that," said Yoruichi, "Shisui, I want you to go back to the staging camp with Itachi and Jiraiya, okay?"

"Understood, Captain," Shisui replied.

Yoruichi then turned to Itachi and gave him a soft smile. "I'm sorry that I kept Shisui hidden from you. From what he's told me, it sounds like you two were close friends in the past. I wanted to keep him as a little surprise for when you finally joined my unit, not to mention make sure that you were focused on your studies, but… well, now that I think about it, it all strikes me as selfish. I shouldn't have been playing a game like that with the two of you, especially given how far you've come since you started at the Academy; I think you could've kept making progress even with the knowledge that an old friend was out there, and it actually might've served as further motivation. Please, forgive me."

Itachi wasn't used to see her act so serious, but all the same, he appreciated the sincerity of her apology. "It's all right. I understand why you did it, and it was important that I remained focused on my training. Our meeting like this today may not have been planned, but it was a pleasant surprise. Shisui's spoken quite highly of you; you've given him a place to belong in the Soul Society. Thank you… Yoruichi."

She seemed a bit surprised at his response, but she recovered quickly enough. "I see… you're quite welcome. I hope that I'll be able to do the same for you when you graduate and take your place in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads."

"Of that, I have no doubt," Itachi replied.

She gave a warm laugh, and the light in her golden eyes burned like a brilliant summer sun. "You know, you may play the tall, dark and handsome role, but you've got a kind heart where it counts. Don't lose that, no matter what life throws at you."

Itachi was surprised to feel his face warm ever so slightly at her words. Was he actually on the verge of blushing? That wasn't like him at all. What had brought that on?

He heard the spirit of his Zanpakutō sigh. Idiot…

Itachi ignored the voice in his head and simply gave Yoruichi a nod. "I'll try to remember that."

"Good," she replied, "Now get back to the staging camp. I think you've put in more than your share of hard work for one day. Shisui, keep an eye on things there until I return, you got that?"

Shisui smiled. "Yes, ma'am!"

Yoruichi nodded. "We'll catch up with you later, then. See ya!"

She disappeared into a Flash Step a moment later, followed by Kisuke and Soi-Fon. Itachi and Jiraiya turned to Shisui, who gestured in the general direction of the camp.

"Come on, let's get a move on," he said, "We can check up on Rija and Visaelya back at camp. After that… well, I guess we've got some catching up to do."

"I'm looking forward to it," said Itachi.

"Hope you don't mind if I join the two of you," said Jiraiya, "It has been awhile since I've had someone else from the Hidden Leaf besides Itachi to talk to, after all."

Shisui grinned. "Sure thing. Let's move!"

As the three of them took off in the first of several Flash Steps, Itachi felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The mission was not technically over until they returned to the Soul Society, but the tension was already beginning to fade. Here he was, side by side with an old friend that he'd lost long ago. Once again, he was struck by just how fascinating, how life-like, this afterlife of his truly was. In many ways, it was almost like he hadn't really died at all.

I hope that it is a long time until Sasuke makes his way to the Soul Society, he thought, but when he does… if he lets me… there's so much of this place that I want to show him. If I can do so with Shisui, so much the better. May I see you again someday, little brother…

…but not yet.

Not for many years to come.

Author's Notes: With regards to Rija Usorba, if you're a Zelda fan then it probably didn't take you long to realize that she was based off of Urbosa from Breath of the Wild. Couldn't help it, she's my favorite Champion and I was dying to find a way to include her in a story of mine, even if it was under a different name! As for Obran Dorel, he's based off of another fictional character that I love, although not one from a video game: his model was Oberyn Martell from 'A Song of Ice and Fire', also known on HBO as Game of Thrones. While we're on the subject of 'Game of Thrones', if you follow the series then the physical appearances of Captain Rhaegon Drakken and his niece, Visaelya, along with how their names are structured, probably rang a few bells. That's intentional; they're pretty much dead ringers for House Targaryen, minus the incest. Yeah, I felt that might've been a bridge too far.

This story draws elements and influences from a few grand fantasy epics. 'A Song of Ice and Fire' is definitely one of them, no denying that. There is one more, though, and its influence will be felt quite keenly in the next chapter. You'll find out what it is in due time.

On an unrelated note, Shisui's back! Yes, I know some of you said it would be cliché if it was him. Here's the thing; I'd planned on bringing him in from the beginning, and that wasn't going to change no matter what you guys said. If you don't like it, that's your deal. Don't take this personally, but I've got more important things to worry about.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review!