Chapter Three: Entrance Exams 1/2

Author's Notes: So, you know how I said I was going to wait a while before posting more chapters? Yeah, kind of changed my mind, wanted to get another one out there.

Since this chapter introduces Yoruichi's bodyguard and future Squad Two Captain, a quick note on the name. When I first started reading the Bleach manga, the name was written as Soi Fon. I know that Suì-Fēng is considered the canon way to write it now, but I'm not going with that. I'm going with Soi-Fon, so if you don't like it, too bad.

Enjoy!

Chapter Three: Entrance Exams

The next day…

It wasn't hard for Itachi to find his way to the western edge of the Seireitei. Even with the incomprehensibly vast nature of the Soul Society, its governing heart and the seat of its guardians were impossible to miss. A circular city within yet distinctly separate from the sprawling Rukon District, it was still large enough to utterly dwarf every Shinobi Village that Itachi had ever laid eyes upon. Although it appeared to be open, from what Itachi had learned there was an enormous wall hidden in a different dimension that could descend at the moment someone attempted unauthorized entry. Even though he could currently only see the outskirts of the Seireitei and the large hill at the heart of it, Itachi could not fail to notice how much sturdier and cleaner the walls and buildings within that region were when compared to those of the Rukon District. It all appeared so much more orderly and secure, and it was yet another sign of the broad gap Itachi had discerned between the privileged and the poor of the Soul Society.

It would seem that all religions who preached of a utopian afterlife were wrong, he mused as he strode towards his destination, I know that this is not Hell, but it would seem to be far from a perfect Heaven, either.

The morning sun was just beginning to creep over the horizon as Itachi approached the Seireitei. He had left early enough as it was, but even then, he'd had to move at a very brisk pace in order to arrive on schedule. In fact, he'd departed so early that he was gone before the shopkeeper had even gotten out of bed. Itachi had felt bad about leaving without saying goodbye in person; after all the old man had done for him it seemed rude to slip out without a word like that. He hoped that the note he'd left for the proprietor before his departure would suffice and that the old man would not take offense at the manner of his leaving.

He spotted Jiraiya up ahead, but his attention was quickly drawn away from the Sannin and towards the being the sage was conversing with. It was an absolute giant of a man, so much so that he was taller than any house Itachi had ever seen in the Hidden Leaf Village. He wore a black robe with a white sash that reminded Itachi of what he'd seen Unohana wearing the night before, only this one lacked a haori. It also only covered up to the right shoulder of the giant's torso; the left side of his chest was exposed, while the shoulder and upper arm were covered in thick armor. His black hair was tied in a pony tail that fell down to his waist, while his sideburns continued all the way down to his neck and were long enough to be tied in small tuffs at the end. Capping off the ensemble was a red hat with yellow tassels. Itachi could detect a set of faint outlines on the giant's robe, and after a moment he realized that the titan of a man was concealing two incredibly large axes within his uniform.

Remain calm, he told himself as he walked forward, and do nothing that might provoke a confrontation. In my current state, I doubt one would end well for me…

As he got closer he saw that Jiraiya appeared quite relaxed in the presence of the colossal, and he recalled Yoruichi's words from the night before.

"The Gatekeeper's Jidanbō Ikkanzaka. Don't let his size give you the wrong impression; he's actually a pretty nice guy once you get to know him."

The two men turned to face him as he came forward, and Jiraiya gave him a nod. "Morning, Itachi. I thought for sure you'd beat me here."

"I'm not late, am I?" he asked.

Jiraiya shook his head. "You're good. Haven't spotted anyone that might be Yoruichi's subordinate yet, and she did say she wanted us here at sunrise, so as far as I can tell we're right on time."

Itachi turned to the Gatekeeper. "You must be Jidanbō Ikkanzaka."

The giant nodded. "I am. Captain Shihōin told me to expect the two of you. You're not planning on starting any trouble, are you?"

Itachi shook his head. "No. You have my word on that."

Jiraiya smiled. "Mine as well. Don't worry, Jidanbō; we wouldn't do anything to make your job difficult."

Itachi was surprised to see the Gatekeeper offer a friendly smile in return. "That's good to hear. Captain Shihōin seemed pretty excited about the two of you coming to take the Academy entrance exams. I guess you two must be pretty special."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, I suppose that's one way to put it. By the way, there was another Captain that we met last night; Unohana. Did she swing by here by any chance?"

Jidanbō nodded. "Yeah, last night with Captain Shihōin. I like her; whenever I get hurt, she always patches me right up. Last time she even gave me candy! She can be pretty scary when she's angry, though, so don't do anything to make her mad."

Jiraiya smirked. "Did she happen to say anything about yours truly?"

Jidanbō's brow furrowed in thought. "That depends… are you the white hedgehog buffoon?"

Jiraiya's head slumped. "White… hedgehog… buffoon? That's what she's calling me?"

Jidanbō grinned. "Well, it was Captain Shihōin that said it first, but Captain Unohana laughed and said it too. Pretty funny, right? Can I call you that, Jiraiya?"

"Please don't," the Sannin groaned.

Jidanbō chuckled. "Okay, but only because you were polite."

"You had better stay polite," said a new voice, sharp and clearly female, "I will not have you reflect poorly on Lady Yoruichi in even the slightest manner!"

There was a brief flicker in the air before a slender woman appeared in front of the three of them. Her shoulder-length black hair perfectly matched her solid black uniform, and there was a fierce light in her gray eyes as she evaluated Itachi and Jiraiya. Itachi noticed that she wore a wakizashi horizontally across her back, just like Yoruichi had the night before only with a yellow hilt instead. Unlike Yoruichi, her uniform was not backless or sleeveless, but instead it was much more conservative, covering everything except her hands, neck and face.

Jidanbō's eyes widened at her sudden appearance. "Miss Soi-Fon! Forgive me; I didn't see you approach!"

"No matter," Soi-Fon replied dismissively, her gaze still fixed on Itachi and Jiraiya, "You're the candidates Lady Yoruichi spoke of this morning."

Itachi gave her a polite bow. "My name is Itachi Uchiha."

Jiraiya grinned as he looked her up and down. "I'm Jiraiya. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss…"

She folded her arms. "I am Soi-Fon, member of Squad Two and the Executive Militia, as well as the head of Lady Yoruichi's personal guard. Address me as Miss Soi-Fon or not at all, do you understand?"

The no-nonsense type, I see, Itachi mused, I wonder how that plays with her Captain. Yoruichi seemed pretty relaxed last night, even when she was fighting the Hollows. I can't picture her subordinate here acting so casual about such a skirmish based on first impression…

"Yes, Miss Soi-Fon," said Itachi, not wanting to make a fuss.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes. "Well, I see someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Are you always so high-strung, little lady?"

Her response was a death glare, one which only intensified as Jiraiya seemed to simply laugh it off. Itachi simply stood to the side, not sure how to respond to this unusual and slightly amusing situation.

"Call me 'little lady' again," she said with a dark edge in her tone, "and I will rip your testicles off and feed them to you."

Jiraiya's eyes widened, but he didn't actually seem intimidated by her threat; more amused than anything else if the smirk on his face was anything to go by. "Touchy, aren't you? All right, all right, there's no need for that kind of language, Miss Soi-Fon. I think we just got off on the wrong foot."

Soi-Fon sighed. "I don't know what Lady Yoruichi sees in the likes of you. Personally recruiting candidates for the Academy entrance exams is beneath her. If I had been present when you two had met her I would've sent you packing."

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, it wasn't just her; Unohana was along for the ride, and I don't know how things would turn out for you if you'd argued with her. I doubt it would've ended well for you, though."

"That's Captain Unohana to you!" Soi-Fon snapped, although at the same time she did seem to recoil ever so slightly at that name.

It would seem that the Soul Society's healer has a reputation for more than just her medical abilities, Itachi thought, and judging from Soi-Fon's reaction, it is not entirely that of an angel. I wonder what the story is behind that…

The black-haired woman then turned and motioned for the two of them to follow. "We've wasted enough time as it. Come with me; the entrance examinations are due to begin soon. I was instructed by Lady Yoruichi to bring to the Academy on time, and I will not fail any mission that she gives me!"

"Well, you heard her," said Jiraiya as he gave the Gatekeeper a friendly wave, "See you around, Jidanbō."

Itachi nodded. "Farewell."

The giant smiled. "Good luck with the exams! Come back and visit sometime!"

Yoruichi had been right about him, Itachi reflected as Soi-Fon led them through the winding roads of the Seireitei; the western Gatekeeper really was much friendlier than his initial appearance might suggest. Regardless of the way things went with the entrance exams, Itachi resolved to stop by and visit the giant from time to time. After all, a being charged with guarding one of the entrances to the Seireitei undoubtedly had some fascinating stories about the place and how he had ascended to his rank, and Itachi wanted to learn all that he could about the heart of the Soul Society.

In the meantime, there was a matter that Itachi wanted to get cleared up. "Excuse me, Miss Soi-Fon?"

"What is it?" asked Soi-Fon, not even bothering to look over her shoulder at him.

"If you don't mind me asking," said Itachi, "why did you refer to your Captain with the title of 'Lady'? Is that typical for female Captains, or is there something else to it?"

Now Soi-Fon turned to face him, her eyes wide with shock. "You mean you seriously don't know?"

"There's a lot we don't know," said Jiraiya, "We only arrived in the Soul Society a few weeks ago, after all."

Soi-Fon sighed, although Itachi was relieved to see that she didn't appear irritated like before. Her expression softened, and as she spoke Itachi could detect a very distinct note of pride in her voice.

"Lady Yoruichi is not only one of the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads," she said, "but she is also the princess of the Tenshiheisōban, more commonly known as the Shihōin Clan, one of the Five Great Noble Houses of the Seireitei. Not only is she of the highest blood, but her combat abilities are amongst the greatest in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. She is not just the Captain of Squad Two, but also the Commander-in-Chief of the Stealth Force and Corps Commander of both the Corrections Corps and the Executive Militia. She can fight in open battle or strike from the shadows, but either way no foe can hope to stand against her!"

Itachi nodded, recalling with perfect clarity her effortless trouncing of the two Hollows she had faced off with the night before. "I see. I witnessed her in action myself when we met; her abilities were truly outstanding."

He saw what looked like the faintest hint of a smile appear on Soi-Fon face, and Itachi took careful note of it; apparently praising Yoruichi was a possible path to getting on her good side, and the former Shinobi was more than willing to take advantage of it.

"Indeed, they are," she replied, with more than a hint of wistfulness in her voice, "and it is my privilege to be her bodyguard. I have dedicated my life to Lady Yoruichi's protection, and I would not have it any other way. I'll never be as strong as her, but it is my dream to improve my skills so that I may continue to prove worthy of serving her."

Jiraiya smiled warmly. "That's an admirable goal. You truly are devoted to the Captain, aren't you? She's lucky to have such a driven and dedicated protector."

Much to Itachi's surprise he actually saw Soi-Fon blush slightly at Jiraiya's praise. "I-I'm simply doing my duty!"

"It is commendable all the same," said Itachi, meeting her gaze, "I owe your Captain my life; without the intervention of her and Captain Unohana, I have no doubt that Jiraiya and I would not be standing here. I wish to find some way to repay the debt I owe to her, and if becoming a Soul Reaper means that I may have the chance to serve in her squad and help her as you do, then that is a path that I would like to pursue."

He saw Soi-Fon's eyes narrow as she considered his words. "Lady Yoruichi told me about your encounter, and how you and your companion were able to defeat a Hollow despite being unarmed and untrained in the Soul Reaper fighting arts. From what she described, it would seem that you two have a great deal of potential. If that is the case and you are able to make it through the Academy, then there is always the chance that you could be recruited into either Squad Two or the Stealth Force. However, neither group is a forgiving one to its members. Lady Yoruichi is kind, but we are still expected to perform our duties with the utmost dedication. If you join our ranks, you must be prepared to be pushed far harder than you ever were at the Academy."

Itachi nodded. "I understand."

"As do I," said Jiraiya, his tone completely serious.

He was surprised to see her smirk. "Maybe, just maybe… you two might have what it takes. Lady Yoruichi must believe that you do, otherwise she would not have asked the two of you to enroll. I will try to set aside my personal assumptions and give you the chance to prove that her faith in you is not misplaced."

"That's all that we can ask," said Jiraiya with a grin.

"Are we almost there?" asked Itachi, "We've been walking for quite some time, now."

Soi-Fon nodded as she pointed up ahead. "It's just around that corner."

As they rounded the bend they came to a stop, and Itachi saw Soi-Fon smile. "There it is; Shin'ō Academy. Seeing it like this really takes me back…"

Itachi hadn't known what to expect, but it wasn't this. His only experience with learning institutions was his time spent at the Academy at the base of the Hokage Mountain in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and while that had been a large facility it was absolutely dwarfed by Shin'ō Academy. In a way, it appeared to be a miniature version of the Seireitei itself, but even then, its sheer size made it seem like something more akin to an actual town than simply a school. The front entrance was a traditional and pristine white wall and gate, but beyond was a truly expansive campus. An enormous multiple-story building held central prominence, but even from their position just outside the entrance Itachi could tell that it wasn't the only structure involved in the educational institution; there were several smaller annexes and other facilities that seemed to be part of the overall operation. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it might be like inside.

Jiraiya whistled next to him. "Boy, they sure do know how to make 'em big in the Soul Society, don't they?"

"How large is the student body?" asked Itachi.

"Several thousand at any given time," Soi-Fon replied, "and that's not counting the instructors and support staff. Shin'ō Academy is nearly two-thousand years old, and it's gone through several renovations and upgrades in its time. It would seem that the list of prospective enrollees for this year alone is quite a long one."

Itachi could see that quite clearly; theirs was hardly the only group outside the main entrance at the moment. He could spot several people wearing the uniforms of full-fledged Soul Reapers, but there were many more who were dressed not too differently from him and Jiraiya. It was impossible to get an accurate count at the moment, and even then, it would not be a complete picture of the candidates for enrollment since that wouldn't be including those who had already entered the campus grounds. In addition to those who wished to enroll this year, Itachi could spot scattered groups of people who wore robes similar to those of actual Soul Reapers, but in this case based on their body language he guessed to be actual student uniforms; blue and white shihakushō for males, red and white for females.

As he studied the crowd he became aware of Soi-Fon's gaze lingering on him. This wasn't quite the same intense scrutiny she had given him and Jiraiya before. In fact, she seemed more curious than anything else.

"Is something wrong?" he asked after a moment.

Soi-Fon blinked before responding. "Your last name… it's Uchiha, yes?"

Itachi nodded, wondering what she was getting at. "That's correct. Have you heard it before?"

Soi-Fon's only response was to peer closer at him for a moment before turning away and walking towards the gate. "If you manage to graduate, I'll answer that question. Come with me; we're running out of time."

Itachi looked at Jiraiya who simply shrugged before following Soi-Fon. With nothing better to do, Itachi fell in behind them. After passing through the gate and the front courtyard, they went inside the main building. It was even more crowded in there than it had been on the outer plaza, and it took them a few minutes to work their way through the throngs of people to what appeared to be their destination; a very large meal hall. Several lines of enrollees stretched across it, and at the far end Itachi spotted several desks set up with what appeared to be Academy faculty sitting behind them.

"Pick a line and get registered," said Soi-Fon, "Don't worry about being late; it's only when the doors to this hall close that the cutoff for tardy applicants goes into effect. Once they're shut, anyone who's not in here will have to wait until next year to take another shot at the entrance exams. As long as you're in one of the lines in this hall, you'll be guaranteed a spot in the first phase of the exams."

"Understood," said Itachi, "Thank you."

"Yeah," said Jiraiya, "It would've been hard to get here without a guide. We owe you one."

"Hardly," Soi-Fon replied, "I was simply carrying out Lady Yoruichi's instructions. This is as far as I go. Best of luck, Itachi... and to you as well, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya smirked. "Can we boost my chances of success with a little kiss? Just a peck on the cheek will do!"

Soi-Fon was positively seething. "You know what? I take it back. Itachi, I wish you good luck. Jiraiya, I hope you wash out in the first phase and then get stung by a swarm of angry hornets!"

Itachi shook his head as he watched Soi-Fon leave the room. "You have a way with women, you know that?"

Jiraiya chuckled. "Well, of course I do! I was a successful romance novelist when I was still alive, after all. Oh, maybe I should pick the pen back up again! I bet there's a serious market for the Make-Out Paradise series in the Soul Society!"

"Is it possible to get into legal trouble for plagiarizing your own work when you're in the afterlife?" asked Itachi as he and Jiraiya got into line.

Jiraiya's brow furrowed. "Hmmm, you might be onto something there. I might need to start a new series; if any of these people read my books when they were alive then they'll be hungry for something fresh. Guess I'll have to start storyboarding later; I'm sure there's plenty of material out there just waiting to be put to print."

"You do that," said Itachi dryly, wondering how the Legendary Sannin could think of writing a new book at a time like this.

Completing the registration process didn't take as long as Itachi had initially feared. The lines moved quite quickly considering their size, and once the two of them got to the front they were each given a sheet of paper and asked only to write their names and the district that they had resided in before coming to the Seireitei. After that there was nothing to do but wait, so both Itachi and Jiraiya took advantage of several tables with refreshments on them set up on the other side of the hall.

"So," said Jiraiya after a while, "how many do you count so far?"

Scanning the hall, Itachi quickly came up with a rough amount. "Two thousand, give or take a hundred or so."

Jiraiya nodded. "Same here. Looks like your eyes are still sharp even without the Sharingan."

"So it would seem," said Itachi before noting new activity where they had first come in, "It looks like that number should stay that way; they just shut the doors."

Jiraiya stretched before sitting down and leaning back against the wall. "In that case, we might as well kick back and wait for our lovely proctor."

That's right, Itachi recalled as he joined Jiraiya, Yoruichi's overseeing our exams. Is this something she does every year, or does she rotate with the other Captains? I should ask her once I get the chance.

The lines gradually dwindled down before disappearing entirely about twenty minutes later. Ten minutes later one of the doors to the meal hall opened again, and none other than the lady of the hour walked in; Yoruichi. Save for the addition of a white sleeved haori, her outfit was the same as the night before, and Itachi once again could not help but admire her athletic form. She spotted Itachi and Jiraiya almost immediately, but apart from giving them a smile and a wink she did not acknowledge them.

"All right, listen up everyone!" she shouted, "I'm Yoruichi Shihōin, Captain of Squad Two and the proctor for this year's Shin'ō Academy entrance exams."

She then gave the crowd a sly grin. "And believe me when I tell you that you're going to wish you'd gotten anyone but me by the time we're through!"

I wonder if she's serious or bluffing, Itachi mused, more than a little humored by the nervous expressions that were popping up on the faces of applicants across the hall, I suppose we'll find out soon enough…

She then pointed to the door behind her. "Now, first order of business; I want you all to head out that way and hang a right. Auditorium A-1 will be down the hall a little way on the left side. Phase One will take place in there. Get moving, people!"

As the crowd began to move, Itachi carefully studied the face of his proctor. The little smirk she wore as she watched the applicants file out the door told him that she was definitely enjoying the effect her earlier warning was having on the crowd. She clearly was the kind of person who enjoyed a little bit of teasing, and if she wanted to play head-games with the applicants then Itachi was more than ready to roll with it.

"An auditorium, huh?" said Jiraiya as they followed the crowd, "Guess they're getting the written portion out of the way first."

"Just like the Chūnin Exams," said Itachi, "I wonder what sort of rules apply here."

Jiraiya chuckled. "We'll find out soon enough. Man, this really takes me back now that you bring up the Chūnin Exams. That… well, I guess that was literally a lifetime ago now, wasn't it?"

"I see you're having no problem picking up afterlife humor," said Itachi.

"Humor is the spice of life," Jiraiya replied with a smirk, "You Uchihas could certainly do with a little more of it."

"I won't deny it," said Itachi, seemingly taking Jiraiya by surprise with that remark, "If our clan had learned to loosen up a little more, perhaps its downfall could've been avoided. I suppose we'll never know now."

Jiraiya seemed to be regarding him carefully as they entered the auditorium. He undoubtedly had questions regarding what had really happened to the Uchiha Clan, but much to Itachi's relief the Sannin apparently felt that now was hardly the time or the place to press the issue. The two former Shinobi found seats in the middle of the hall and waited patiently for everyone else to file in. Once all the applicants were seated he saw Yoruichi take her place at the head of the auditorium, while on both sides of the room Itachi several academy faculty members.

Yoruichi cleared her through before addressing the applicants. "All right, listen carefully, because I'm only going to go over this once! As you've likely guessed by now, Phase One of the exam is the written portion. This is not an academic test. That being said, there is a scoring criterion, and if you can't meet it then you're out."

She nodded at the staff assembled on both sides of the hall, who quickly began passing out exam sheets and pens. "Make sure to write your names clearly at the top of the front page. Answer each question truthfully and to the best of your ability, and you will make it through the first phase. As long as you are being honest with both the test and yourself, there is no wrong answer. However, leaving any questions unanswered is unacceptable, and you will be disqualified from enrollment if we review your test and found that you skipped one or two. Peeking at another applicant's test or attempting to collaborate with a fellow applicant will be grounds for immediate disqualification, as will lying on any of the questions, no matter how great or small the deception may be."

A devious smirk came to her face. "And trust me; I will know if you're lying."

She's not bluffing here, thought Itachi as he studied the look in her eyes, which means she has some way to ferret out deception among the applicants. What sort of method could that be?

Yoruichi glanced back at the clock on the wall before turning to the applicants again. "From my mark, you will have two hours to complete the test. Once it is complete, simply bring your copy forward and put it in one of the baskets on the desk. After that you will return to the meal hall and wait for Phase One to reach its conclusion. Anyone who's disqualified will be escorted by one of the staff to the front gate of Shin'o Academy. There are no appeals, so if we boot you you'll just have to try your luck again next year."

The pens and test sheets made it down to Itachi and Jiraiya, and Itachi saw the Sannin's eyes widen ever so slightly as his fingers touched his pen. Itachi found out why a moment later when he received his pen; there was a very slight tingling sensation in his fingertips at the moment of initial contact. It would be easy to write it off as pre-test jitters, but paper examinations hadn't particularly phased Itachi in the past. His eyes narrowed as he carefully considered the writing utensil before turning back to Yoruichi. Her gaze met his, and the knowing light in her eyes was enough to convince Itachi that it wasn't a simple case of excitement or nervousness that had elicited the earlier sensation in his fingers. These weren't normal writing tools that had been given to them; there was something about them that Itachi suspected was explicitly linked to this test.

He closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated solely on where his fingertips met the pen. For a few seconds he felt nothing, but then that slight tingle made itself known for just the briefest of moments. In that split second Itachi realized that it was more than just his skin that was touching the pen; a tiny bit of his spirit energy had leaked out and made contact with it as well.

Opening his eyes again and glancing to the right, he saw Jiraiya carefully regarding his writing utensil. He looked briefly at Itachi before returning his gaze to the front of the room with a small smirk on his face. Whatever game Yoruichi was playing with this test, the Sannin had clearly decided to go along for the ride.

As will I, he thought, I've come this far, after all.

He saw Yoruichi look over her shoulder at the clock on the wall again. "All right, then. Your test begins in five… four… three… two… one… go!"

After writing his name at the top of the first page, Itachi decided to forgo answering the questions right away and instead skim through the test as whole. Roughly the first page consisted of entirely trivial questions; favorite foods, hobbies, whether the applicant was an early bird or a night owl, and other small matters. However, after that the questions became much more serious, delving deep into the beliefs and philosophies of the applicant and how they might respond to particular situations. Itachi quickly began to comprehend what Yoruichi had meant when she had said that this wasn't a typical academic quiz.

They're having each of us build a psychological profile of ourselves, he realized, I can definitely understand why she emphasized honesty earlier. Still, how would they enforce it on a paper quiz? There's no way that they could already know the background of every single applicant; Jiraiya and I can't be the only ones who are here by little more than virtue of a chance encounter with a Soul Reaper, after all.

He went back to the first page and was about to start answering the questions when he heard a student cry out. "What the hell?"

Every applicant in the auditorium turned towards the source and found a young man standing up. That wasn't the attention grabber, though; it was the fact that his paper had suddenly ignited in a burst of crimson flames.

At the front of the room he saw Yoruichi shaking her head, very much the picture of a disappointed teacher. "Really? You couldn't even make it past the first page without fudging something? That's just sad, kid."

"You're wrong!" the applicant protested, although just from how pale his face was and how high his voice had become Itachi could tell that he was full of crap, "You… you can't prove anything!"

Yoruichi smirked. "I have all the proof I need. It's right there in those flames. You were warned, kid. You have no one to blame but yourself."

"H-how the h-hell…" the applicant stammered as he looked frantically back and forth between his burning test and the proctor.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "If you can't figure it out, then you won't be ready to join our ranks for at least a hundred years. Get him out of here."

While most of the applicants watched nervously as the washout was escorted from the hall, Itachi's gaze was focused elsewhere; the failure's exam. The crimson flames burnt themselves out a moment later, but there wasn't so much as a scorch-mark on the surface of the desk beneath. Itachi turned his attention back to his pen, pieces of the puzzle beginning to fall into place.

So this is the enforcement mechanism, he thought as he studied the pen in his hand, I don't know how, but it's somehow able to discern whether or not we're telling the truth based on the hints of spirit energy that it takes from us.

The flames had done more than just expose a liar; they had also given Itachi new insight into just how difficult this test would be. On the surface, telling the truth in what was essentially an elaborate personality quiz didn't sound all that hard, but it didn't take much effort for Itachi to see past that and find the true obstacle; the test-taker's internal biases. No matter how self-aware people claimed to be, it was only natural for most of them to have a positive view about themselves. To truly pass this test would require the ability to peel back misconceptions and biases that had been built up over the years and be willing to face up to one's flaws.

This was not just a psychological profile. It was an inquisition in which the subject was also his or her own interrogator.

Itachi took a deep breath before closing his eyes. An outside observer might think that he was meditating, and that wasn't too far from the mark. Before he could begin the test, he would have to mentally center himself. He would have to find the clarity of mind that was necessary for a proper and honest self-evaluation. Only then would he be ready for what lay ahead.

It's fortunate that we have two hours for this phase of the exams, he mused, I'm going to need them.

….

And another one's down, Yoruichi mentally hummed to herself, another one's down, another one bites the dust. Man, they're really dropping like flies. I'll have to thank Kisuke for the pens later. Every other year before now it's just been special paper that inks out when someone lies, but thanks to these little toys everyone who manages to pass Phase One under me will be whispering about it with fear long after it's over!

The pens or the paper used the years before would have no effect on fully-fledged Soul Reapers, but against the uninitiated it was a different story. Before someone underwent proper training, how their spirit energy was emitted depended in no small part on their emotional and mental state. Outbursts of anger, fear, joy, sorrow or other powerful feelings corresponded with stronger surges in spiritual pressure, but even much more subdued and controlled processes would trigger emissions and fluctuations. One of the subtlest of those fluctuations in spiritual pressure came when someone was lying. After learning how to truly control their spiritual pressure, the person in question could easily suppress those fluctuations entirely, but anyone who lacked that ability to regulate the energy within them was vulnerable.

That was what the pens were designed to do; exploit that vulnerability and turn deception against a liar. Of course, on the off chance that one of the applicants had already mastered proper regulation of their spiritual pressure the pens would be reduced to little more than normal writing utensils. However, it was a very small percentage of applicants that had that sort of innate ability or prior knowledge, and Yoruichi was relatively confident that no one in her batch of enrollees possessed that degree of skill.

Those who truly excel at this test aren't the ones who race forward and try to finish first, she thought with a smile as she studied the remaining applicants, Victory here requires patience and the capacity for true self-awareness… and it looks my two rookie Hollow-slayers from last night have precisely that!

While the rest of the enrollees had undergone something of a minor panic attack after the first student had been disqualified, Yoruichi had immediately picked up on how Itachi and Jiraiya both closed their eyes and retreated inwards once the flames had died down. They had intuitively grasped the true nature of the test, and they were clearly not about to charge in blindly. The raven-haired young man had spent a full twenty minutes in silent contemplation before picking up his pen again, while his white-haired companion had taken a little less than fifteen minutes to complete his inner preparations. However, now both were proceeding forward with boldness and resolve while many of their fellow examinees were faltering as the test went on.

There was a loud thud as one of the bulkier students slammed his fists into his desk when his test was suddenly covered in crimson flames. "This is bullshit! This is fucking bullshit!"

Yoruichi waved her finger. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? There's a time and place for that sort of language, and Phase One of the entrance exams isn't it. Come back next year."

"No!" the young man growled as he glared at her, "I demand a redo! I wasn't lying!"

"Maybe not consciously," said Yoruichi, "You were probably lying to yourself rather than the test, although it's really all the same as far as the exam's concerned. Now scram. You're making a scene."

"Do you know who you're messing with, lady?" the petulant applicant snarled, "My father…"

"Cannot help you here," Yoruichi finished for him firmly, her eyes narrowing, "Leave. Now."

The young man hocked a fat wad of spit onto his desk and gave her a look of utter contempt. "Or you'll do what, you uppity bitch?"