Chapter Twelve: Settling In 1/3

Author's Notes: Hey there! Short chapter this time, or at least, short by my standards. This one's a pretty casual one, and as the title indicates it's mostly just to show Itachi and Jiraiya getting accustomed to their new routines as active duty Soul Reapers, although it does take a turn for the serious at the end. Things will start to pick up soon enough, this is just the official shift from the Academy Arc to the next part of the story.

Enjoy!

Chapter Twelve: Settling In

Here it is, thought Itachi as he stood at the main entrance to the Squad Two barracks, My new home.

After the graduation ceremony, Itachi and his classmates had been given a brief window to change into their official Soul Reaper robes before being escorted to their assigned divisions. In Itachi and Visaelya's case, their escort had been a friendly face; none other than Shisui.

His old friend gave him a knowing smile. "You've been here before, but I bet it's different seeing it like this. After all, now you officially belong here!"

Itachi nodded. "I suppose it's still sinking in."

Visaelya smiled. "I know what you mean. It feels good, though. It's… liberating, being here now."

Shisui chuckled. "You might change your mind once our Captain starts putting you to work!"

Visaelya shook her head. "No. This is where I want to be. I'm ready for what comes next."

"Speaking of the Captain, where is she?" asked Itachi as he looked around.

"Meeting with an old friend of hers," Shisui replied, "She's got something special in mind for tonight's welcome party and it's taking her longer than she'd planned to put it all together, otherwise she'd be meeting us here at the gate. Don't worry; she'll give you all a proper greeting as head of the division soon enough."

"In the meantime, why don't I welcome them on the Captain's behalf?" came a new male voice, loud and bellicose and more than a little on the smug side.

I have a feeling I know who this is, thought Itachi, at least, I do if what Yoruichi's mentioned about him in the past is anything to go by…

His hunch appeared to be supported by the exasperated look on Shisui's face. "Oh, for the love of…"

Sure enough, approaching the gate was a man with a Lieutenant's badge tied to his upper right arm. He was tall and bulky, with brown hair that was a bit curly on top while framing his face in long and well-trimmed sideburns. His Soul Reaper robes had a purple collar, and everything about the guy's demeanor screamed 'smug rich prick' to Itachi.

Visaelya's eyes narrowed as she studied the man. "I'm beginning to see why Captain Shihōin was not keen to have him attending the recruitment exhibition… or any of our field missions for that matter."

Itachi couldn't argue with her there.

Strutting forward, the man brushed right past Shisui and puffed out his chest in what he must've surely thought was an intimidating pose but struck Itachi as more buffoonish than anything else. "I am Marenoshin Ōmaeda, Lieutenant of Squad Two! Welcome to our glorious division!"

Itachi had to suppress a smirk as he saw Shisui roll his eyes behind the Lieutenant. "Nice to see that you could take time away from your schedule to give us a warm reception, Ōmaeda."

Marenoshin put his hands on his hips as he looked over his shoulder. "That's Lieutenant Ōmaeda to you, Tenth Seat Uchiha! How many times to I have to tell you that before you get it right?"

Shisui brushed past him. "Too many for you to count. Anyway, pay attention; I need to introduce you to our newest officers. This is Sixteenth Seat Itachi Uchiha and Eighteenth Seat Visaelya Drakken."

Marenoshin smiled as he looked at Visaelya. "It's an honor to have a member of the esteemed Drakken Clan as a fellow officer. About time our division got some more noble blood in it. A pleasure to meet you, Lady Drakken."

"Charmed," Visaelya quipped dryly, "and that's Eighteenth Seat Drakken, Lieutenant; my position in the aristocracy has no bearing on my rank within Squad Two."

She's handling him well, the spirit of his Zanpakutō noted with more than a hint of amusement.

Of course, she is. His family's a small fish in the ocean compared to hers. Besides, if she were easily intimidated, she wouldn't be here right now.

The Lieutenant seemed a bit taken aback by her response, although he recovered quickly enough. "Oh, I see… very well, then. I look forward to working with you, Eighteenth Seat Drakken."

He then turned to Itachi. "Another Uchiha… Itachi, was it?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes. It's an honor to meet you, Lieutenant Ōmaeda. You more than live up to what I've heard about you."

Marenoshin grinned. "Finally, an Uchiha that can show some respect! I think you and I will get along just fine!"

How long until he figures out that you weren't complimenting him?

My bet is about a hundred years.

If we're gambling here, then I'll wager seventy.

What does the winner get?

The right to say 'I told you so'?

Good enough for me.

"Are you here to show us to our new quarters?" asked Itachi.

"Actually, that's my job," said Shisui, "Hey, Ōmaeda, isn't it about time for you to give out the final orders to the Patrol Corps for this evening's rotation?"

The Lieutenant's eyes widened, and Itachi couldn't help but notice the smirk that appeared on Shisui's face. "Oh, you're right! I'd better get going! Please don't tell the Captain that I almost forgot!"

Shisui grinned. "My lips are sealed."

The Lieutenant vanished with a Flash Step while the Tenth Seat turned back to Itachi and the other new recruits. "Sorry about that. You all weren't supposed to meet him until later."

Visaelya sighed. "No offense, Shisui, but our Lieutenant almost makes me ashamed of being a noble. His bearing was atrocious!"

"Is he always like that?" asked Itachi.

Shisui shrugged. "To varying degrees. He's not all that bad once you get used to him. Turns out he's actually a pretty competent administrator when his head isn't shoved up his own ass, and he does a decent job at running the Patrol Corps. His pride could stand to be taken down a few pegs, but if he were completely unsuited for this job then the Captain would've found a way to give him the boot by now. He can be a bit much to deal with sometimes, but he does have his part to play in making sure the division functions smoothly."

Visaelya looked skeptical. "Well… I suppose I'll believe it when I see it."

Shisui smiled. "Try to play nice; you are going to be colleagues from here on out, after all. If he steps out of bounds, just tell Kisuke or the Captain and they'll sort it out. Anyway, come on; time to get you all properly acquainted with your new home."

He led the group into the barracks, stopping occasionally to introduce them to officers they passed along the way. Since Itachi had been here a year ago when he'd been drafted along with Jiraiya and Visaelya for the barrow expedition he already had a good idea as to the layout, but it was still nice to have his old friend giving them a more detailed tour.

After showing them to their quarters and giving them a little bit of time to make whatever personal adjustments to them that they felt were necessary, Shisui picked up right where they'd left off. In addition to everything that they had seen on their tour a year ago, the Tenth Seat expanded upon the facilities that were specific to Squad Two and the Stealth Force. There was an arsenal building that housed many weapons which would not have looked all that out of place in the hands of Shinobi, and Shisui assured them that they would get the chance to lay claim to some of them to augment their fighting abilities once they'd put in some work. Itachi could feel the traces of spirit energy emanating from kunai and shurikens that were hung on the wall, and he was looking forward to getting a chance to practice with them.

There were several interrogation chambers and holding cells concentrated in one building, and they were even shown the entrance to the notorious Nest of Maggots prison since it was on the Second Division's grounds. It was a suitably imposing sight, surrounded by a wide moat and wall, and accessible only by a wooden bridge. There was just one entrance; a cold steel door in the side of a rock wall. Itachi felt it was rather fitting.

It makes no grandiose statements about itself. It makes its purpose clear in a very blunt manner.

A pity that weapons are forbidden. I wouldn't mind the chance to take the measure of some of the scum they've got locked away in there.

I'm afraid you'll have to satisfy yourself with the Hollows and criminals that we'll be fighting out in the field.

I'm sure I'll manage.

It was already rather late in the afternoon when the tour had started thanks to the graduation ceremony and the trek through the Seireitei to get to the barracks, and the sun had crept lower and lower in the sky as they continued looking around the facilities. Itachi soon realized that this wasn't just Shisui giving them a chance to acclimate to their new environment; he was playing for time.

Visaelya leaned over to whisper in Itachi's ear: it seemed that she had caught on as well. "Do you think he's stalling for the Captain so she can get her big welcoming party ready for us?"

"That'd be my guess," Itachi replied.

"It'd be a good one," Shisui cut in, smirking at the two of them, "Right on the money, in fact."

Visaelya blushed. "I didn't realize you were listening… forgive me I sounded accusatory."

Shisui laughed. "It's all right, Visaelya! Like I said, you're completely right. The Captain's got something special planned, and she wanted me to buy her enough time to get it ready for you. Don't worry; you won't have to wait much longer."

By the time the tour came to an end, the late afternoon had given way to early evening. The sun had all but vanished, while a crescent moon and the first stars of the night were beginning to take its place. Shisui seemed to take that as his cue, because he suddenly led them towards the main training yard of the barracks.

When they got there, Itachi saw that the rest of Squad Two's officers had been assembled, and at the front of the pack was Yoruichi, Soi-Fon, and Kisuke. The Captain gave Itachi a wink before addressing the group as a whole.

"Hope you all enjoyed the tour!" she said with a grin, "Welcome to Squad Two, everyone! I'm Yoruichi Shihōin, your Captain and, for tonight at least, your party host! I'm pretty sure you all had your fill of formalities and pageantry at the graduation ceremony earlier, so why don't we just kick off the festivities right here and now?"

It was at that moment that Itachi heard something he hadn't had the pleasure of hearing in quite some time coming from behind him and his fellow recruits; the telltale hissing and fizzing of a fireworks fuse being lit. He turned around just in time to catch sight of a shell flying out of one of several dozen assembled tubes at the other end of the training yard, followed by a brilliant orange and yellow pyrotechnic flower bursting into bloom in the night sky.

While the gazes of his comrades lingered on the explosion, Itachi had already shifted his focus back to the source. Standing in the middle of all the mortar tubes almost like a priestess in the midst of a ritual was a rather striking woman. Her height was about average, but that was the only thing that was typical about her. She looked to be about in her mid-twenties or so, but Itachi knew that appearances could be deceiving in the Soul Society and was reasonably certain that she was older than what first glance might suggest. Her figure was athletic and toned, with a very prominent bosom being held back by a red robe that still exposed more than a fair share of cleavage. Her right arm appeared to have been amputated just above where the elbow would've been, and white bandages covered the rest, but it didn't detract in the least from her attractiveness. The left arm had a strange black tattoo on it; Itachi couldn't begin to guess at the meaning behind it. Her red robe was backless, and while a white skirt fell down to about her knees her midriff was exposed, and Itachi caught more than a few of his fellow male recruits openly ogling her. The fading light of the opening fireworks burst illuminated her long and messy black hair, and her green eyes were ablaze with excitement. Itachi caught sight of a sword with red handle-wrapping sheathed and strapped to her back, although given the woman's appearance he wasn't sure if it was a Zanpakutō or not. Her attire certainly didn't fit with that of a typical Soul Reaper, but at the same time Itachi could still sense her considerable spiritual energy.

Soul Reaper or not, she's not to be trifled with, he thought, I wonder what her story is… and why do I feel like I should know her?

She grinned as she called out to her host. "Hey, Yoruichi! You gonna introduce me or what?"

Yoruichi laughed. "I wanted to give you the chance to make your big entrance first!"

The woman smirked. "Well, I don't know if I'd call that last one 'big'; it's a pretty modest party popper compared to the rest of the artillery I brought out for tonight!"

"You'll get the chance to light off every last one of them before the night's through," Yoruichi replied, "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Kūkaku Shiba, an old of mine and the pyrotechnic terror of the Soul Society!"

Shiba, thought Itachi, I thought she seemed familiar; her spirit energy feels similar to that of Squad Ten's Third Seat.

Next to him, he saw Visaelya's eyes widen. "The Kūkaku Shiba?"

Itachi was a bit puzzled by her reaction; he'd never heard the name before, but Visaelya clearly had. "Something I should know?"

"Well… there's a reason Captain Shihōin called her a pyrotechnic terror," said Visaelya, "I heard that she almost burnt down her family's estate with one of her… experiments."

"I heard that, Miss Drakken!" Kūkaku barked, although the smile on her face seemed to indicate that she wasn't all that offended, "It's not nice to whisper about someone right in front of them. I thought a daughter of the dragons' blood was supposed to be above that!"

Visaelya's face paled slightly. "I'm sorry!"

Is she really so fearsome?

I think we both know the answer to that. I can feel her spirit energy just as well as you can, after all.

Kūkaku stepped forward, glancing at Itachi and Visaelya before looking past them towards Yoruichi. "Interesting bunch of recruits you got this year! You sure they're up for the wringer you're going to put them through?"

"I'll find out starting tomorrow," Yoruichi answered with a smile, "Tonight's not the time to worry about that, though. After all, it's a party, and you're the entertainment, Kūkaku!"

Kūkaku chuckled. "Fair enough. Time for me to get to work!"

She whipped out a quartet of shells with surprising grace, depositing each into their respective tubes with showman's flair. Each fuse was lit in short order, and a series of 'thuds' sounded as the shells soared up from their tubes before bursting moments later into a veritable rainbow of dazzling radiance.

"There's more than just fireworks on offer tonight!" Yoruichi called out.

Itachi and the rest of the recruits turned back towards her, only to find that she and her fellow officers had stepped aside to reveal a full spread of food. Fish and eel were being grilled, there were rice balls aplenty, beef pots were steaming, and there was plenty of everything to go around.

"Don't hold yourselves back on my account," the Captain ordered with a grin, "Dig in!"

Visaelya smiled at Itachi. "Well, who are we to say no to our new Captain?"

Itachi nodded. "You're right. Besides, I don't think we've had a chance to eat since before the ceremony."

Visaelya's stomach gave a growl that was audible even over the fireworks, causing her to blush with embarrassment. "Yes… best we address that quickly."

Itachi let her take the lead. As the recruits went to fill their plates, he saw several Soul Reapers come out of the barracks carrying picnic blankets which they quickly spread out over the training yard. Soon everyone was dished up and dispersed across the training yard, fresh recruits mingling with officers and unseated Soul Reapers alike. For his part, Itachi waited until most of the others had taken their seats; there was someone in particular that he was hoping to dine with this evening.

Sure enough, he saw that Yoruichi was sitting with Kisuke and Soi-Fon, but there appeared to be room for one or two more on the red blanket that they'd claimed. Seeing that Visaelya had already joined Shisui and Rija, he made his way over to the Captain and her inner circle.

"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked as he approached.

Yoruichi grinned. "Are you kidding? I was about to drag you over here myself!"

"We were hoping to have a chance to chat a bit before you started your new duties," said Kisuke.

Soi-Fon gave him a nod and a smile. "You're the highest ranking of our new officers; you've earned the spot we've saved for you."

"Thank you," said Itachi as he settled in.

They spent a few minutes munching away before Yoruichi nodded at their evening entertainment. "So, what do you think of Kūkaku?"

Itachi glanced over at the fiery woman as she sent another series of shells racing into the sky. "She seems rather… energetic."

Kisuke chuckled as fresh blossoms of multicolored fire burst overhead. "That's a bit of an understatement!"

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "Sometimes it's hard to remember that she's actually a noble, what with the way she acts and all."

Yoruichi smirked. "The aristocratic lifestyle and Kūkaku were never going to fit well together. She's too much of a livewire for it."

"Visaelya told me that she almost burnt down her family's estate," said Itachi, "Is that true?"

Yoruichi laughed. "Oh, yes, and I'm never letting her live that down!"

"We did try to warn her that her experimental mixture was too volatile," said Kisuke.

Yoruichi nodded. "Yeah, but that was never going to stop her from trying it out. She could've at least picked a spot other than the Shiba estate's courtyard, though."

"I take it her family wasn't thrilled about her foray into pyrotechnics," said Itachi dryly.

"That's putting it mildly," Soi-Fon quipped.

"They tried to get her into the Thirteen Court Guard Squads as a way of instilling discipline," said Kisuke, "She actually wound up in the same training class as me, Yoruichi, and Tessai."

Yoruichi gave a wistful sigh. "Those were some crazy times, weren't they? You know, sometimes I'm amazed that the four of us actually made it through the Academy with all the shenanigans we got up to!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "So, she was once a Soul Reaper, then?"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Not quite. She actually went into the Kidō Corps with Tessai. She has a real knack for spellcasting, especially when it comes to attack spells. I'd say she was actually the strongest in the whole Corps apart from Tessai."

Itachi couldn't help but note the past tense there. "So, what happened?"

"She was reckless," said Soi-Fon, "Excessively so."

Kisuke chuckled. "That's one way to put it. She was a powerhouse out in the field, but back at the base she got restless quite easily. Formalities and paperwork didn't really sit well with her, and she never lost her taste for fireworks, even though that had been the whole reason why her family had enrolled her in the Academy to being with. Her knowledge of Kidō combined with her ever-growing pyrotechnic expertise drove her to undertake riskier and riskier experiments, all for the sake of a bigger and more colorful boom!"

Yoruichi shrugged. "Long story short, there was only so much that even Tessai could put up once he became the Grand Kidō Chief and Corps Commander. When one of her babies misfired rather spectacularly, it damn near took out the barracks in addition to claiming her right arm. The Head Captain and the Central Forty-Six threatened to come down hard, and the only way to avoid imprisonment was for Tessai to expel her. Fortunately, she didn't take it personally. Hell, they're still friends even now!"

"So she went into the fireworks business full-time, then," said Itachi as he watched her fire off another volley.

"Yup," said Yoruichi, "Her products are always in high demand; she's the best in her craft in all the Soul Society!"

Soi-Fon sighed. "She could've been so much more. If she'd actually applied herself to her training, she could've been head of the Kidō Corps herself someday, or at least the Vice-Kidō Chief."

Kisuke shook his head. "I don't think that really would've panned out long-term. Kūkaku's personality is as fiery as her products. Any rigidly structured environment like the Thirteen Court Guard Squads or the Kidō Corps would be a poor fit for her. It was only a matter of time before she left one way or the other."

"What's her place in the Shiba Clan?" asked Itachi, "How's she related to Squad Ten's Third Seat?"

"Isshin's actually her uncle, believe it or not," said Yoruichi, "He's the current heir to the family, so while the Shiba Clan might not necessarily be happy with Kūkaku's choices it's not the end of the world for them. She also has two brothers; an older one named Kaien and a younger one named Ganju."

"Speaking of Kaien," said Soi-Fon, "I heard a rumor that the Shiba Clan is going to have him enter the Academy within a year or so."

Kisuke nodded and glanced at Yoruichi. "I've heard that as well. Any truth to it?"

Yoruichi nodded. "Kūkaku brought it up when I was catching up with her earlier. If he's not with this year's entry class, he'll definitely be with next year's applicants."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "If he's Kūkaku's older brother and she's already been kicked out of the Kidō Corps, why hasn't he entered the Academy before now? If he's the eldest of the three siblings, wouldn't his family have enrolled him prior to her?"

"Normally, that would be the case," Yoruichi admitted, "However, Kūkaku became such a handful that they had to shuffle things around a bit. While they shipped her off to the Academy, they gave Kaien special attention with the finest tutors the family could afford. They want to be sure that he'll succeed so spectacularly that he'll become the new face of the Shiba Clan's next generation alongside Isshin, so they're taking their time to thoroughly prepare him for what's to come. They don't want another Kūkaku, although personally I think she turned out just fine."

Soi-Fon rolled her eyes. "With all due respect, you would say that, Lady Yoruichi."

Yoruichi laughed. "Well, she is my friend, after all!"

Kisuke smiled. "And a good one, at that. Sure, she's rambunctious, aggressive, and almost as volatile as her fireworks, but she's also fiercely loyal to those that are close to her. She values friendship and those she considers to be her real family more than noble titles, status and wealth. When the chips are down, she'll have your back."

Itachi nodded. "She sounds like quite a woman."

"You got that right," Yoruichi replied.

Her gaze went towards the sky as Kūkaku sent another volley racing into the night. A fresh rainbow of fiery blossoms bloomed above, yet Itachi found it hard to focus on the pyrotechnic artistry. The light from the exploding shells was dancing in Yoruichi's eyes, and when combined with the satisfied smile on her face it made for a sight that was far more entrancing than the fireworks.

Are you finally ready to start being honest with yourself?

The voice of the spirit of his Zanpakutō jolted him, although Itachi kept his reaction limited to just a few blinks. His eyes were still on Yoruichi, and he knew that his weapon had a point. The way he was looking at her now… how she had never been far from his mind since the night she'd saved his life… well, it was rather obvious.

He was attracted to her.

She was so unlike any woman that he'd met during his time in the Shinobi World. He'd met his share of beautiful and powerful Kunoichi to be sure, but none of them could hold a candle to her. He didn't know the full extent of her abilities, but from the few hints he'd witnessed over the past six years Itachi was sure that her true power would be nothing less than a marvel to behold. It wasn't just her strength and her looks that had drawn his gaze, though.

She was a capable and respected leader. She was intelligent and vested with great authority, yet at the same time she was quite friendly, even playful. She was a beacon of vitality the likes of which Itachi had never seen before, shining even in the shadows that the division and Stealth Force that she commanded called home. Had she been born in the Shinobi World, Itachi was sure that she would've become a truly fearsome Jōnin. In fact, it wasn't too hard to think of her as one right now; Squad Two and the Stealth Force seemed to be about as close to Shinobi as the Soul Society could get. He could easily have seen her as a colleague in his past life, and she was officially one now since he'd finally graduated from the Academy.

Skill, strength, brains, looks, energy and warmth… she had it all. More than that, she'd used it to help him. Sure, she'd been nudging him towards her division in the process and had seen him as a valuable recruit, but that didn't change the fact that she'd more than once lent a hand to him when he'd desperately needed it. She hadn't just saved his life; she'd helped him find his footing in a strange and vast afterlife, and had given him the aid he'd needed to find the beginnings of a new path to go down, one that could potentially allow him to do the sort of good that he'd truly wanted to do so back when he was alive.

He'd been given a second chance, and he owed it all to her. In light of that, his attraction towards her was perfectly natural.

So why had it taken so long for him acknowledge what had been obvious for quite some time?

There was a somber answer to that. It even had a name attached to it.

Izumi Uchiha.

She was the first girl that he'd felt anything approaching romantic affection towards… and the last, at least while he'd been alive. There was a very good reason for that, too; she had been his first victim the night he wiped out their clan. In light of that, it was hardly a wonder that he'd been so reluctant to see how his feelings for the woman that was now his commanding officer had been slowly evolving over the years.

Let it go, whispered the spirit of his Zanpakutō in a surprisingly soft and gentle manner, You've been chained to that night for far too long now.

Those are chains that I'm fully deserving of. What I did was beyond any form of redemption, regardless of the motives behind it.

And yet you came to the Soul Society when you passed on, not Hell. Why do you suppose that is?

I doubt it'd be the first time there was a mistake like that in the afterlife.

Please: you just got through six years of learning about the Soul Society. You know how the sorting of souls works just as well as the rest of your classmates do. If you truly were the monster that you believe yourself to be, you would not be here… and I'm sure that a part of you other than me knows it. You're just afraid to recognize it.

Why would that be?

You fear forgiveness. The chains that bind you to that night are a sentence that has become your cornerstone. It's defined you all these years. If you moved beyond it, you would become someone new. You're afraid because you don't know who the new you might be. You shouldn't be; the past six years alone should've given you a glimpse at who you have the potential to become, and I can tell you that that's a man you should not be afraid of. You have earned the right to become him.

It's too soon…

No. You've tortured yourself for far too long. Your family didn't want this for you. Neither did Izumi.

Easy for you to say. You weren't there when I killed them.

I am a part of your soul. Your memories are mine, so I very much was there; you simply did not posses the knowledge required to recognize me at the time. With your parents, you delivered the quickest end you could. As for Izumi, you went to even greater lengths to ensure that she did not suffer. She felt no pain; she passed on in peace, and that was a blessing only you could grant her.

Part of him knew that the spirit of his Zanpakutō was right, but that still didn't change that what he'd done was still murder. He didn't deserve to be let off the hook that easily.

There are others out there that are far more deserving of blame than you. You were given an impossible choice, and I'm not the only one who recognizes that. You already told Jiraiya, after all, and he clearly hasn't shunned you for it.

The situation might not have been of my making, but the actions I took to resolve it were mine. Regardless of the choice, I allowed myself to become the instrument of their destruction.

To save your village, your country, and the Shinobi World from what would've been an utterly devastating conflict. Your clan made its bed with their ambition and resentment; you and Shisui were the only ones to recognize their folly, and you did what had to be done in order to rectify it. If Jiraiya could recognize that after a lifetime of distrusting you, then don't you think that others could as well?

"Hey, Itachi? You okay?"

Itachi's eyes widened slightly as he realized that he'd been staring at Yoruichi the whole time he'd been having his mental conversation with the spirit of his Zanpakutō. The Captain didn't seem to be uncomfortable about it; rather, she looked genuinely worried about him. Kisuke and Soi-Fon were looking at him as well, and Itachi could only imagine what they were thinking.

"Sorry," he said as he quickly looked down, grabbing a drink as he hastily composed himself. "I was… preoccupied."

Kisuke chuckled. "Zanpakutō talking your ear off again?"

"Something like that," Itachi replied before taking a sip.

Soi-Fon's eyes narrowed. "You can't allow yourself to get distracted like that. You're an officer of Squad Two now, which means that you must be vigilant at all times."

"Hey," Yoruichi cut in as she put her hand on her bodyguard's shoulder, "Ease up on him a bit, all right? It's his first night in his new division after graduation; it's only natural for Itachi to have a lot on his mind."

Soi-Fon sighed. "If that's what you wish, Lady Yoruichi."

She turned her attention back to Itachi, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the surprisingly gentle smile on her face. "Anything you want to get off your chest?"

As a matter of fact, I can think of a few things.

Not here. Not now.

Then when?

That was a good question, and it was one that Itachi didn't have an answer for.

He shook his head, although his refusal was surprisingly hesitant. "It's… nothing."

The Captain's eyes narrowed slightly; she clearly wasn't buying it. "Are you sure? I don't mind breaking away from the festivities for a few minutes if you want to talk."

Her offer was much more tempting than Itachi had anticipated, but he forced himself to decline. "Thank you, but… it's all right. After all, this is a party for all of Squad Two; it'd be wrong for me to distract you from it."

"I don't consider helping my subordinates to be a distraction, Itachi," Yoruichi replied.

Itachi couldn't help but give her a small smile. "That's very kind of you. Perhaps another time… I might take you up on that."

She stared at him for a good long moment, but in the end, she didn't press the issue. "All right, then. I keep an open-door policy, so if you change your mind, just let me know."

Itachi nodded. "I will."

With that, her gaze and those of Kisuke and Soi-Fon returned to the sky as Kūkaku sent yet another volley soaring into the night. Itachi's eventually followed, but it lingered for a moment on Yoruichi.

If he told her the truth, what would she say?

Of all the divisions in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, hers was as close in duties and responsibilities to those of Shinobi as one could possibly get. As the commander of such a unit, there was the distinct possibility that she might understand what he had done more than any other Captain in the Soul Society.

Perhaps… one day…

….

The next day…

His head throbbing with a hangover that felt bigger than the likeness of Tsunade carved into Hokage Rock, Jiraiya groaned as he worked his way back to something resembling consciousness. Rubbing his eyes and his forehead as he sat up, he looked around to survey the damage from the previous evening's festivities.

"Oh, man…" he murmured, "How hard did we party last night?"

He was in the middle of the training yard of Squad Eight's barracks, and he wasn't the only one; it seemed like most of the division was there in varying states of sobriety or lack thereof. Cups and sake bottles were strewn everywhere, with a sizeable collection surrounding Jiraiya alone. He tried to recall what exactly had gone down, but all he got for his efforts was a fresh headache.

Amusingly enough, at the center of the mess and apparently still out cold was none other than Captain Kyōraku. Jiraiya vaguely recalled trying to go head to head with his new commanding officer the night before, but Squad Eight's leader was perhaps the most formidable opponent in a drinking game that Jiraiya had ever encountered. He imagined that the man would certainly have given Tsunade a run for her money if the two of them ever met in the Realms of the Living.

When she does pass on, and if I'm able to find her, I should introduce the two of them, he mused, Then again, I'm not sure if Squad Eight has enough booze for the kind of drinking contest that would likely ensue…

He cautiously struggled to his feet and was about to go over to check on the Captain when he saw Lisa march on over, hands on her hips and scowling at her passed-out commander. She stood over him for a moment before delivering a swift kick to the man's ribs, causing Jiraiya to wince in sympathy.

Apparently, the Lieutenant's kick was enough to break through the Captain's drunken haze, because he groaned in pain before sitting up to rub the point of impact. "Lisa… was that really necessary?"

She folded her arms. "Yes, it was. You don't get to spend the day out cold and leave orientation to me, Captain. Get up!"

Jiraiya chuckled as he walked over. "Captain, are you sure that you're the one who runs this division? It looks like the Lieutenant's the one that wears the pants around here!"

Kyōraku smiled as the division's newest officer approached. "Ah, good morning, Jiraiya! You here to give me a hand?"

"It looks like your Lieutenant's got that covered," Jiraiya replied, "At least, if by 'hand' you mean a good foot to the chest."

"You're lucky that I didn't administer the same treatment to you, Jiraiya," Lisa scolded him, "There's nothing wrong with cutting loose, but both of you seriously overdid it last night, and I'm not going to clean all this up by myself."

Kyōraku nodded as he stood up. "All right, I suppose that's fair enough. Lisa, do me a favor and go round up everyone. We made this mess as a division, and we'll clean it up the same way."

"Very well, then," she said, "Just as long as you pull your weight."

Kyōraku laughed. "Hey, where's the trust? I'll do my part, Captain's honor!"

As Lisa headed off to rouse the rest of the division, she was quickly replaced by Nanao entering the training yard. "Good morning, Captain! Oh, you're up too, Jiraiya! How are you feeling?"

Jiraiya grimaced; the little girl's high-pitched voice wasn't exactly what his throbbing head needed at the moment. "I've… been better."

Nanao giggled. "You were really funny last night! Maybe next time you shouldn't drink so much, though."

Jiraiya forced a smile. "I think you're right, Nanao."

The rest of the division came out from their quarters a few minutes later, and the next hour or so was spent cleaning up the remnants of the prior evening's festivities. Once they were done, most went off to take care of whatever their assigned duties were for the day, with the exception being Jiraiya.

I don't think the Captain ever got around to assigning me specific duties, he mused, or if he did, I'm having a really hard time remembering them right about now…

Fortunately, both the Captain and the Lieutenant were still in the courtyard. More intriguingly, both of them seemed to be waiting on Jiraiya. With nothing better to do, Jiraiya headed their way.

Kyōraku smiled as he approached. "How's the hangover?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "I could ask you the same thing!"

The Captain rubbed his forehead. "Man, don't remind me. This thing's going to take all day to go away!"

"I can't say you don't deserve it, Captain," Lisa deadpanned, "Last night was a bit much even by your standards."

Kyōraku gave her a wink. "Is that so? My mind might be a bit hazy right now, but I do seem to recall you enjoying yourself as well."

Much to his surprise, Jiraiya actually saw the Lieutenant blush at that, at least a little. "Well… it's important to unwind once in a while. Besides, since we were welcoming new recruits, I felt it was acceptable to let my hair down."

Jiraiya smiled as bits and pieces of the prior evening began to form a somewhat cohesive picture in his mind. "You actually had some fun last night, didn't you? Knocked back a few drinks yourself, eh?"

"I drink in moderation," she replied, "Last night… well, I only had one or two more than my usual."

Kyōraku grinned. "Only one or two more?"

Her response was to kick him in the shins. "Only one or two more.".

Kyōraku laughed even as he rubbed the point of impact. "If you say so."

"Now that we've got that settled, what comes next?" asked Jiraiya, "I believe I heard the Lieutenant mention something about orientation earlier."

Kyōraku nodded, although the way he was looking at Jiraiya suggested that it was a secondary concern at the moment. "That'll come soon enough. In the meantime, now that we're at least on our feet, I'd like a chance to evaluate you, Jiraiya."

The sage raised an eyebrow. "An evaluation? Weren't the Academy finals enough?"

"I saw your scores, and they were definitely impressive," Kyōraku replied, "However, a list of grades and instructor remarks only go so far. I want a better idea as to what you're currently capable of."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "What did you have in mind?"

The Captain turned to his Lieutenant. "Lisa, why don't you go a round with him?"

Lisa raised her eyebrow. "Captain? Are you sure about this?"

Kyōraku nodded. "Of course. A practical demonstration's the best way to gauge a new officer's skills."

"Very well, then," said the Lieutenant before turning to Jiraiya, "Hangover or not, you'd best prepare yourself."

Jiraiya shrugged. "Well, we don't always get to choose when we fight, so I guess this'll be some good practice. Any ground rules?"

"Anything goes as long as there's no permanent damage," said Kyōraku, "Lisa, try not to take him down too quickly. It's not much of an evaluation if you knock him out in a single hit."

"I'll exercise appropriate restraint, Captain," Lisa replied, taking a few steps back before placing her hand on the hilt of her Zanpakutō.