Chapter Sixteen

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.