6/6

Yoruichi nodded. "Same here. I think back on it more often than you might imagine. One thing that really struck me was your complete lack of hesitation when that Hollow showed up. You stood your ground and fought unarmed alongside Jiraiya. Sure, Unohana and I had to bail you two out when more showed up, but you both made a damn good showing for yourselves. Still, I saw something that's stuck with me since then; you completely lacked any fear of death that night. For someone who had only just gotten to the Soul Society a couple weeks previously, I would've expected you to place greater value on your second chance at life… but you didn't. You were ready to die again… and I think I finally understand why."

She sighed. "I didn't put too much thought into it at the time; I was more focused on your performance in the entrance exams the next day, and after that on your development as a student. Looking back, though… well, I really should've paid more attention. I should've realized there was something more to you than just a cute guy who could handle himself in a fight. I suspected there was a story, but… well, I never thought it'd be one quite like this. The reason I'm willing to believe you, though, is because it clicks with what I saw that night over six years ago. You were willing to sacrifice your life so soon after getting another chance at it… because you didn't believe you deserved it in the first place. You didn't even think you should be in the Soul Society."

Itachi shook his head. "No… to this day, I still find myself wondering why I'm here instead of the pits of Hell. With all that I've done, it'd be a much more fitting final destination."

"I can see why you'd think that," Yoruichi conceded, "but you have no idea just how wrong you are."

Itachi's eyes widened ever so slightly, and his breath caught in his throat; he hadn't dared to get his hopes up, and yet…

"What… do you mean?" he hesitantly asked.

"I've seen a lot of killers in my time," she answered, "Comes with the territory. You get those that don't accept a shred of responsibility for their actions, those that deny that they did it despite the overwhelming evidence against them, those that might show some remorse but still try to find a way to shift the blame off of their shoulders… the list goes on. Seeing one that actually owns up to it, shows sincere regret and doesn't even attempt to shy away from the blame? That's rarer than you might think."

"I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at," said Itachi.

She put her hand on his shoulder, once again smiling. "What I'm getting at, Itachi, is that you're taking complete responsibility for your actions. You have the courage to face what you did head on and call yourself out for it in a way very few people do. That says a lot about you, whether you realize it or not."

Itachi shook his head. "Whether I accept responsibility for my actions or not, that doesn't change the fact that it was still mass murder. Coup plotters and civilians alike; I didn't discriminate, Yoruichi."

The Captain sighed. "No… you didn't. You said it yourself; you were thorough. If you had claimed that you were 'just following orders' when you carried out that massacre, there's no way that I'd let you get away with shaking off the blame like that. That wasn't it, though. You were given an impossible choice at an age where you should never have been put into such a position."

"My age is no defense," Itachi countered, "I knew full well what I was doing."

"That's not the point," Yoruichi shot back, "My point is that you were facing the absolute worst-case scenario regardless of the path you chose going forward. Did you make the right call? Honestly, I don't know. What I do know, though, is that you made the most difficult decision of your life out of love for your brother and the desire for peace. You did more than just kill your family; you sacrificed everything you'd known for the sake of preventing a coup that you believed would've set off a chain reaction culminating in a catastrophic war. You gave up your family, your personal honor and reputation, and the love of the little brother you cared so deeply for, because you believed it was the only way to salvage something good from what was a set of horrifically rigged circumstances."

She looked up for a moment before facing him again. "I think that's why you ended up here instead of Hell. The last thing your actions could be described as was selfish. Even if you believe arrogance played no small role in many of your decisions, you ultimately weren't acting out of self-interest. You were acting out of duty and love, trying to carve a path forward and find some form of light in an incredibly bleak and dark world. You were still searching for the right path when all you could see was wrong… and I believe that matters far more than you might think."

Yoruichi then stood up, gazing down at him for at least a few good seconds before continuing. "I can't offer you absolution. Believe me, I wish I could. I want nothing more than to wash away the guilt that you feel, especially since I can see just how badly it's consumed you over the years. There's only one person that can really do that, though; you. You have to learn to forgive yourself, Itachi, and that's not going to be easy. With all that you've done, the path of atonement is going to be a long one… but it's one that I'd love to help you find your way along."

Then she held out her hand, a warm smile gracing her face. "If there's one thing today has taught me more than anything else, it's this; you're a good man, Itachi. You may not believe it, but it's true. When I look at you, I see someone who's made terrible mistakes, ones that you might believe are beyond redemption… but they aren't. You deserve the right to move forward and reclaim your life from your past. You deserve the chance to build a new future for yourself in the Soul Society… and I'd be more than happy if the road to that future continued to go through Squad Two. You asked if you're still worthy of my trust as a member of my division? My answer is yes."

She then gave him a wink and gestured with the fingers of her outstretched hand. "What do you say, Itachi? I can't say for sure what twists and turns your road to atonement's going to take, but I can say for sure that I want to help you make the trip. A friendly nudge or two to help you keep moving forward, a shoulder to lean on when things get rough… I'll give you that and a good deal more. In return, all I want is for you to keep pushing yourself. Grow stronger, rise through my division, and show the Soul Society what the best of the Uchiha Clan is capable of when they've transcended the Curse of Hatred. Come out from the shadows of your clan and your past. Squad Two might take you through darkness, but there'll be light as well. It's there, and all you have to do is chase it. I'll do all I can to make sure you hit the ground running. You're not going to let something as petty as that Uchiha pride stand in the way, are you? You're a better man than that; I know it."

In that moment, as he stared up with her, Itachi was utterly captivated by what he saw. That confidence radiating in her eyes, the complete openness and acceptance emanating from her, the firm belief in her gaze that he could rise to the challenge she'd set for him…

…it was beautiful.

She was beautiful…

…and only now was he able to fully appreciate it.

Your move, the spirit of his Zanpakutō gently nudged him.

Yes… and there's only one move to make.

Reaching out, he accepter her hand. She pulled him to his feet with strength that belied her slender figure, but it wasn't enough to just get him standing again. He found himself in her embrace a moment later, and despite his shock it only took him a few seconds to return it.

"You can do this, Itachi," she whispered in his ear, "I don't know how long it'll take, and I don't know where you'll go before it's over, but I've got your back every step of the way. If you ever need anything, you know where to find me. My door will always be open to you."

He smiled, relishing this closeness with her. "Thank you, Yoruichi."

The two of them released each other a few moments later, and rather reluctantly on Itachi's part. He could've stayed like that with her for so much longer… and the look in her eyes told him that she might not have minded, either. Still, the outside world beckoned. Itachi had long lost track of how much time they'd spent down here, but he was sure that their absence had definitely been noticed by their comrades in Squad Two.

"The rest of the day's yours to do with as you please," said Yoruichi, "I expect you to be ready for duty tomorrow bright and early. Can I count on you, Itachi?"

His response was confident and immediate. "Yes."

"Good," she replied, "Let's get back to barracks. I don't know about you, but all that talking's got me feeling hungry. We've gotta be way past lunch time by now."

"My apologies," he said, "I didn't mean for this to go on for so long."

Yoruichi shook her head and gave him a friendly smirk. "Don't worry about. A story like that is more than worthy of my time. Let's move, Itachi!"

As he followed her out of the secret training ground, Itachi couldn't help but notice a subtle lightness in his step. It wasn't just because the sleeping draught she'd given him the night before had finally run its course. Somehow, if only just a little bit, the darkness that had permeated his soul for so long seemed to have receded.

How much further could he push it back?

As far as you have the will to. Your future is yours, and you have the means to seize it.

All thanks to her.

And to me as well.

You trying to say something?

Come visit me before calling it a day. You'll see what I mean.

….

As Itachi walked through his inner world, he didn't notice any overt changes. The crimson moon and stars still shone in the clear sky above, bloodred flames flickered in their stone lanterns; it remained as eerie now as it had been during his last visit. Itachi was beginning to wonder if the spirt of his Zanpakutō had been toying with him earlier when she'd requested that he visit. She wasn't the type to call him over just for conversation; if she wanted to chat, she could do that with him anytime he wanted. After all, she had unfettered access to his head.

What is she playing at?

He spotted her up ahead, sitting atop her rock and waiting for him. That was when Itachi noticed what had changed. Her black sword was drawn and held idly at her side, and as he got closer, he saw that the gap running down the center of the blade was filled with crimson flames. In fact, a steady stream of crimson flames was emanating from the gap and flowing into the sky, and as Itachi's eyes narrowed he realized that these flames were actually taking on the form of birds as they took off from the sword. Just a few seconds had passed, but already scores of these 'birds' were fluttering about above the spirit of his Zanpakutō, and that number was growing quite rapidly.

No… not just any birds.

Crows.

Having worked so closely with crows when he was still alive, the shape of the flame 'birds' was unmistakable to Itachi. Sure, the fact that they were crimson was a stark contrast to the crows that Itachi was used to, along with the notion of them being made of flame instead of flesh and blood birds, but when had anything about his inner world made any sort of sense? It certainly didn't follow the rules of the material world, that was for damn sure.

"What is this?" he asked as he stopped before the spirt of his sword, gesturing at the flock of fiery creatures that flew around her.

She smiled. "Evolution. Your confession today accomplished more than simply informing your dear Captain about your past misdeeds. It was a necessary step forward, one that was long overdue. Now you stand on the precipice of the next step."

Itachi shook his head. "I don't understand."

The woman clothed in black flames giggled. "I'm not surprised. Ask me my name."

Itachi was a bit taken aback; he'd grown accustomed to her shrugging and rolling her eyes whenever he'd asked her over the past few years. Why this sudden invitation?

He obliged her, and once again he couldn't make out the answer. However, that didn't mean the question had been in vain. He could discern her voice, even if he couldn't tell what exactly she'd said. The mysterious blurring of the air over her mouth had lessened slightly as well, not enough for a clean lip reading, but still noticeable nonetheless.

There was silence for a good long moment before he spoke again. "What does this mean?"

She held out her hands in an all-encompassing gesture. "It means that the next step in your journey lies before you… and the power to pursue it lies within your grasp. Your Captain's faith in you is not misplaced. Soon, you will be able to truly begin wielding my power… and the Soul Society will be in for quite a shock when that day comes, I promise you that!"

Itachi allowed himself a small smile. "I see. What should I do in the meantime? This might be progress, but I still can't make out your name just yet."

She smirked as she slid off the rock and stood before him, raising her black sword as fresh birds of crimson flame continued to take to the sky. "Well, don't sit around idly, that's for damn sure. The drug your Captain gave you the night before has completed its passage through your body, as I'm sure you're well aware. She might've given you the rest of the day off, but I have other ideas."

Itachi chuckled as he drew his blade. "I see. Very well, then. Let's go."

….

A few weeks later…

As far as Rukon Districts went, South 28 was quite pleasant. Despite being so deep in the Wandering Soul City, the district was notable for actually having a considerable amount of space reserved for agricultural activity. Rice was the main product, but various fruits were also grown there in considerable quantity, and there were even ranches set aside for cows, pigs, goats, and more besides. Given the demand for quality food inside the Seireitei, South 28's products were considered a high priority resource, so naturally the district was included in Squad Two's patrols. Patrolling South 28 was Itachi's current assignment, and he was enjoying the chance to explore a district that he'd never seen before.

Yoruichi had only begun giving him Rukon District patrols about a week ago, and so far, they'd all been in districts with low numbers. Itachi knew that this was intentional on his Captain's part; she was clearly easing him into his new area of responsibility by giving him relatively safe districts to start with. He suspected that this would go on for at least a couple more weeks before she'd start sending him into the riskier districts. He didn't mind the slow start; working the calmer interior districts gave him a chance to focus on his and Shisui's project of tracking down other members of the Uchiha Clan in the Soul Society. They hadn't had much luck so far, but given the sheer size of the Rukon District that was to be expected.

Shisui's been searching for over a decade now, Itachi mused, and he still hasn't found any trace of them. This hunt of ours is likely to go on for a very long time…

Finding the clan was one thing, but what the two of them would do if and when they encountered their kinsmen was another altogether. Their first priority, naturally, would be to determine if they still held onto the old ambition and resentment that had led the Uchiha Clan down its dark path the last time. Itachi hoped that the perspective the afterlife had granted him would likewise have an impact on other members of the clan and that they would abandon their old grudges with their deaths, but he wanted to prepare for the worst. He and Shisui were well aware of what the clan was capable of, and his old friend had proven that it was possible for an Uchiha to regain the Sharingan in death. If others had as well, and enough of them had gathered together to reconstitute the clan, there was no telling what they might plan.

At least he now had a powerful ally apart from Shisui and Jiraiya who understood what a potential threat the clan was. Yoruichi hadn't asked him any follow-up questions in the weeks since their conversation, but she was no fool; Itachi was certain that she knew he was using these relatively easy patrols to search for signs of the clan. Now that she was fully aware of his history and what the Uchiha had attempted in the past, it would be all the easier for him and Shisui to inform her if they encountered a reborn clan, and she would have the knowledge necessary to formulate a strategy for Squad Two and the Stealth Force. Hopefully they could keep any potential tensions from spiraling out of control. Head Captain Yamamoto wasn't Hiruzen Sarutobi; the venerable Soul Reaper had been willing to wipe out the populations of entire islands in the distant past in order to end a civil war. Purging an upstart clan, even one with the power of the Sharingan, would be an all too easy decision for him to make.

The clan would have no idea what they'd be up against with him, Itachi thought, his sparring match with the old warrior running through his mind, That enormous power, millennia of experience, and the willingness to go as far as he did two thousand years ago with Nur-Andunaya… he'd put them down far more quickly than I did, that's for sure.

He brushed his concerns about the Head Captain from his mind. With the way all of his previous patrols this week had gone, the odds of him encountering any signs of the Uchiha Clan today were slim to none. Even if South 28 was considered to be a safe district, it still wouldn't do for him to be distracted. It wasn't just Hollows or people from the Shinobi World that he had to keep an eye out for; he had to be mindful of the rest of the district's inhabitants. Troublemakers weren't all that common in lower-numbered districts, but they weren't entirely unheard of either.

He was currently positioned on one of the rooftops overlooking the district's central marketplace. Dusk was approaching, but even so there was still plenty of activity below. Farmers sold their wares and purchased new equipment, local artisans attempted to draw customers to their stalls, the scent of freshly cooked meat wafted through the air, and the clamor hundreds of people going about their business was ever-present. All in all, it was a rather pleasant scene, reminding Itachi of the more peaceful parts of life in the Hidden Leaf Village, albeit on a much larger scale.

Perhaps I'll come back here sometime when I'm off duty, he mused as he looked around, I can think of worse places to spend an afternoon.

One of the nice things about being a full-fledged Soul Reaper was that he had an official stipend now. The student allowances from the Academy had been nice, but the pay he got now that he was on active duty was substantially more, and that wasn't even taking into account the fact that he was an officer. Itachi hadn't become a Soul Reaper for the financial benefits, but it was always good to have a little more cash available. His quarters back at the Squad Two barracks were quite modest as was befitting his relatively low rank, but there was still room for a few personal belongings to spruce it up a bit.

He was idly scanning the stalls below in search of potential items to come back and purchase later when he sensed something unusual. Turning towards the southeast, he closed his eyes and focused until he narrowed it down. It was a faint bit of spiritual pressure, likely from one of the residents of the district. That wasn't odd in and of itself; Itachi had occasionally picked up on traces of spirit energy from souls in the Rukon District who had higher than average amounts of power, perhaps enough to mark them as potential candidates for the Academy. What was unusual here was that the energy he sensed actually felt familiar, but for the life of him Itachi couldn't figure out why. The closest he could get to describing the sensation was that it felt like something he had lost long ago, yet even than that wasn't nearly enough to help him narrow it down.

He was about to go investigate when he felt a handful of additional presences make themselves known, and this time there was no doubt in his mind as to what they were. Raising his gaze towards the sky, he saw three purple-black rifts appear and heard a set of familiar blood-curdling, primal screams.

Hollows.

"So much for an easy patrol," he muttered.

Why they'd appeared so far into the Rukon District was a puzzle he'd have to figure out later. As the people in the market below dropped everything they'd been doing just moments ago and began fleeing in terror, Itachi was already Flash Stepping his way across the rooftops towards the threat. It didn't escape his attention that the threat was to the southeast, the same direction he'd felt that unusual presence just seconds earlier.

To his knowledge, he was the only Soul Reaper currently patrolling in this area. Since South 28 was far into the interior of the Rukon District, it was certainly possible that reinforcements would show up soon, but Itachi couldn't afford to wait. Every second that passed was one that the Hollows could prey upon the residents of the district, and he was determined to stop them. He was little more than a blur to any observers below as he zipped over the rooftops, his training in the art of Shunpo serving him well.

The trio of Hollows had landed in a clearing up ahead. Studying the beasts as he rapidly approached, Itachi determined that they were standard Hollows, not unlike those he'd fought during his time as a student or the night he'd met Yoruichi. This would be as good an opportunity as any to see just how far his skills had come, and it would be his first official action against the main enemy of the Soul Society since his graduation.

Unfortunately for Itachi, the Hollows weren't the only beings currently in the clearing. Several houses were nearby, and their occupants were still trying to evacuate the area. The three Hollows were heading straight towards them, intent on making these residents their first meal of the night. Itachi moved as fast as he could, but even then, he still feared that he wouldn't make it in time.

That was when he saw a figure step out from the crowd, facing down the three Hollows alone. They wore a black cloak that didn't reveal much apart from a pair of black leggings that went up to just above the wearer's knees, followed by just a hint of fair skin. The legs combined with the slender arms that emerged from the cloak were enough to tell Itachi that the figure was female, but beyond that he could discern no further details. However, the figure then went into a stance that he immediately recognized; it was an opening form of standard Leaf Village taijutsu.

They have Shinobi training…

Training or not, Itachi knew it wouldn't be enough; his own unarmed first encounter with a Hollow was proof enough of that. Taijutsu might help the cloaked woman buy some time, but unless she demonstrated that strange burst of power Jiraiya had shown she wouldn't be able to land a killing strike. She had spirit energy, but from the irregular pulses Itachi could detect it clearly wasn't refined by formal training.

He leapt from the last rooftop and came down behind the trio of Hollows. Before the beasts were even aware of his presence, Itachi struck his opening blow. Rushing beneath the closest Hollow, he cut the legs out from under the monster, and as his foe fell, he then raised his blade and stabbed it through the neck. The Hollow immediately dissolved around Itachi, but he was already moving onto his next target.

The second Hollow had just enough time to turn towards Itachi and lash out with its claws, but the blow was clumsy and wild. Itachi effortlessly leapt over the attack and came down on the creature's upper back. He plunged his Zanpakutō into the back of the monster's neck, ending the creature's life with a single strike.

That was two Hollows down, but there was still one left, and that was the one closest to the cloaked woman. Itachi was impressed to see that she was holding her own. While he'd been dispatching the other two beasts, the third had moved to attack the woman, but so far its brute force attacks had failed to find their mark. She moved with lithe grace, rolling and flipping about to evade the Hollow's claws and teeth while striking back with kicks and punches where she found an opening. Unfortunately, her blows lacked the power needed to get through the Hollow's hide. She had the creature's attention solely on her, allowing the people she'd been with earlier to flee, but Itachi could already tell that this was just a delaying action.

It reminded him of that fateful night with Jiraiya, Yoruichi, and Unohana, but with a crucial difference; this time, the duty of rescuer was his, and he swiftly moved to carry it out. As the Hollow reared up and raised both its fists to bring down on the woman in what would surely be a fatal blow if it connected, Itachi moved in from the flank. Jumping into the air, he cut off the beast's left arm at the elbow before landing on its shoulder. The Hollow shrieked in pain and frantically swung its remaining arm, forcing Itachi to leap from his perch before he could strike the final blow. This was only a momentary setback, though. As soon as he hit the ground, he rushed forward. The creature made a desperate swipe with its claws, but before it could make contact Itachi had already thrust his sword into the monster's chest. It gave one last cry of pain and rage before becoming nothing more than dust on the evening wind.

Scanning the area, Itachi detected no further threats and sheathed his Zanpakutō. He then turned to the cloaked woman, who was looking right at him. The hood veiled her face in shadow, but from the way she carried herself it looked to Itachi as if she'd seen a ghost.

Well, technically speaking, you are a ghost.

Good point.

"Are you all right?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

For a good long moment, she didn't answer, regarding him in silent shock. When she finally did speak, though, it swiftly became his turn to be at a loss for words.

"Itachi… is that… is that really you?"

He couldn't suppress the gasp that followed even if he'd tried, nor could he keep his face from becoming nearly as pale as freshly fallen snow. He knew that voice.

And the last time he'd heard it…

…was on that fateful night fourteen years ago.

"Are you…" he said softly, his mind struggling to process what was happening, "Are you really…"

The woman standing before him took a step closer before raising her hands and pulling back her hood. Long raven hair fell freely, with straight bangs framing fair cheeks and onyx eyes…

…the same eyes that Itachi had inherited from her.

"Mother…" he whispered.

There was no mistaking it. It was really her.

Mikoto Uchiha.

Author's notes: Hey, I told you it was a long one! This is a chapter I've been looking forward to doing for a while, and I wanted to make sure I got it right. Of course, that's ultimately up to the readers, but the die's been cast. The story moves onward, and I'll try to get the next chapter out faster. No promises, though!

A quick word regarding Mikoto's marriage to Fugaku. In my run through the Naruto lore, I couldn't actually get confirmation if theirs was a match within the clan or if Mikoto came from outside it. Ultimately, I decided to have her be from within the clan, for reasons that will become clear later on.

Well, hope you liked the chapter! Please review, and I'll see you all next time!

P.S.

If you guys have questions regarding when a chapter will be released, just PM me instead of posting guest reviews repeatedly asking that. I promise I don't bite!