Chapter 59 - Anchoring Souls

"And one day, when you have the same eyes as I, come before me!" — Itachi Uchiha.

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Yoruichi groaned as she struggled to stand up amidst the intense throbbing in her head that felt as if someone ripped it out and shoved something inside it.

"Where… am… I?– ARRRKH!" She lost her balance and fell to the ground, twitching violently and gripping her head hard as she remembered what felt like weeks of fighting and dying suddenly being compressed to a fraction of a moment.

"Illusions?" She couldn't believe it. This went above the realm of simple illusions, less the ability of a Shikai. She didn't even know when she got inside the illusion. "Damn you, Itachi!"

She managed to get up but that was with a lot of effort and she was still struggling with every step, feeling the phantom pains of getting stabbed through and burned.

"How far did I go? Nnrgh-" She grabbed her head harder, the desire of falling over coming strong on her. 'This Reiatsu… WHAT THE HELL?!'

She pushed herself with gritted teeth and went towards the direction that was billowing with Reiatsu – Itachi's Reiatsu.

When she arrived, what she saw greatly surprised her but not so much as it shocked her.

'Bankai?!'

She saw Itachi standing in a daze, holding a blade of black and white, while wearing a black robe with red clouds on it. The robes looked as if they were made of black flames while the red clouds felt as if they were actually moving around the robe yet at the same time they weren't. On his forehead was a headband with the struck-through symbol of the Hidden Leaf depicting his identity as a rogue ninja.

Itachi nodded and opened his eyes, taking in his new appearance with a surprised look on his face.

He eventually smiled, startling Yoruichi as he did so, because while he despised all the members of the Akatsuki, it however represented a vital part of his identity.

Yoruichi finally found her voice after staring for a few seconds. "Is that… Bankai?"

"Shikai."

"I – Wait, what?" She gasped, disbelief evidently visible on her face after Itachi confirmed what she just heard. "But that's not possible. You already have a Shikai, unless…"

Itachi nodded. "It was a partial release. I only unlocked one of its parts." He made a show of showing Yoruichi the crystal clear part of his sword. "That's Tsukuyomi, and this," now showing the black part, "is Amaterasu."

His Reiatsu finally settled down and he canceled his transformation causing the robe and headband to blow away like smoke while his single blade separated into two, dark gloom black and crystal-like white, which he held in both hands.

"A Dual Zanpakutō–" Yoruichi muttered and the vertigo finally took over her senses, causing her to fall but Itachi held her by her shoulders.

"Let's call it off for today. You need rest." Yoruichi didn't say anything in objection when she saw how serious he looked, a very rare look for him.

He carried her on his back and started running towards the 4th Division.

"Your Zanpakutō… Is it an illusion and fire type?" She groaned when he didn't reply and knew that was an automatic yes.

"Is there a problem?"

She groaned louder into his ears. "I just don't want to deal with Central 46 about this. In the history of the Gotei 13, only two people are Dual Zanpakutō wielders; Kyōraku and Ukitake, and they almost had theirs sealed when it happened."

Itachi's eyes narrowed a bit at the mention of a seal and Yoruichi felt it and quickly assuage any budding worries.

"I said almost, right? You don't have to worry about it and as long as your Zanpakutō doesn't threaten the Soul Society or the lives of other Shinigami, you're good." She paused.

"That illusion. What was it?"

"…"

"Fine."

They exchanged no other words until they got to the 4th Division and Itachi took her in without anyone aware of their arrival.

He had barely laid her down in an empty room and was about to look for Captain Unohana or her Lieutenant when the door opened and both of them walked in.

"I felt someone sneaking in. Didn't expect it to be you." She said and paused upon seeing the person lying weakly on the bed. "This is definitely a surprise."

"Captain Yoruichi!" The tall white-haired Lieutenant gasped.

"Hey there, Isane, Unohana." Yoruichi waved weakly.

"What happened?" Unohana asked calmly as she walked over and examined Yoruichi.

"We fought." Itachi replied.

"But she doesn't look hurt enough to be this weak." Unohana pointed out and looked at Itachi with a pause before nodding. "Side effects of an illusion, and a particular strong/mentally destabilizing one, I presume?"

Itachi nodded.

"Isane dear, lead the gentleman to a waiting room. I'll be with you in a minute."

Isane nodded and led Itachi to an otherwise empty room with the only thing in it being the small table in the middle.

Unohana came barely a minute later and sat across Itachi.

"Tea?" She offered.

"Thank you, but no."

The calm and homely aura she gave showed others what her true disposition was, as well as being the Captain of the Medical Division.

"I can sense that your Reiatsu went a level higher, and I'll also assume those swords strapped to your waist are yours. Am I right?" She said, pointing at the two blades on Itachi's hip.

In their dormant state, both looked like normal blades with red and black sheathes.

"Captain Unohana, does that mean that…"

Unohana nodded at Isane. "Yes. He's also a Dual Zanpakutō wielder like Shunsui and Jushirō." She then shook her head slowly at the rigid look on Itachi's face. "You're not in any trouble, 3rd Seat Itachi. It's just that I'm concerned about the nature of the illusion you used on Captain Yoruichi. Had it been someone under her level, a severe headache and mental trauma will be the least of their problems."

"I see. It was a rather desperate attack on my end, and not something I can do easily without worrying about backlashes." He said, briefly explaining the way Tsukuyomi worked – basically saying it was just a stronger illusion that let him control his opponent's perception to an extent.

He also wasn't lying about the backlash from using the Tsukuyomi genjutsu, a strictly Mangekyō technique. He was only saved from it because Amaterasu had taken control of it halfway.

Luckily, it turned out Yoruichi just needed some rest and he left after some idle chat with Captain Unohana. Basically it was her telling him he should visit either Shunsui or Jushirō for any insights they could give pertaining to his Zanpakutō.

'As if anyone could understand our nature better than you do. You do not need their counseling, Itachi.'

He agreed with the initial part of Amaterasu's sentence, but not with the latter and it seemed Tsukuyomi did too.

'To listen to the counsel of others is not always about helping yourself, but understanding their view of the world. Their words are like a mirror to the truth that is their soul.'

'I know that, Tsukuyomi.' Amaterasu scoffed and Itachi could imagine her flames burning irately. 'What I mean, Itachi, is that you're also a newborn soul; thus impressionable to the ideal of others you find admirable – even if you try to argue otherwise. Just know that the ideal you carry will influence the goal you achieve.'

Just like a flame, Amaterasu was fiery and intense, but also calm and warm. Fierce and dangerous, but at the same time soothing and protective.

If Tsukuyomi was the wise elder then Amaterasu was the passionate woman whose flames were warmth to those she protected and a blazing inferno to all who earned her ire.

'I understand what you're trying to say, Amaterasu, and I agree with both you and Tsukuyomi.' Itachi said.

Remembering how scathing Amaterasu was to him when they met and how Tsukuyomi was mostly observant of his choices, Itachi gained another understanding of the nature of what they were.

Amaterasu had said his ambition and goals fueled her flames while Tsukuyomi had acted as his mirror of truth since the beginning, letting Itachi know that the two of them were unshakable ideals of his soul. An anchor to keep him rooted to his path.

Honestly they felt more like his guardians and caretakers – parents if he were to be extreme.

"Tachi-tachi!"

He caught the pink missile that jumped at him with a smile, one that seemed to grow wider after staring at him for a second.

"I finally found you, squirt!" A shadow radiating pure battle intensity loomed behind him. "Oh? Your Reiatsu also grew stronger. That's it, you're fighting me whether you like it or not."

"Captain Zaraki–" Itachi stepped back and pulled Yachiru behind him to dodge the wild swing from a smiling Kenpachi.

"You almost cut her." He knew the extreme ways of Soul Society, especially that of the Eleventh where death was a normal occurrence, but–

"Kenny wasn't trying to cut me. He was trying to cut you Tachi-tachi." The girl laughed as she held his neck.

"Keep him still for me Yachiru. I'll cut him up very nicely." Kenpachi said and swung his sword at Itachi but Itachi simply faded away. "An illusion like last time."

"Kenny, over here!"

He laughed hard and took off in Yachiru's direction. "Good job, Yachiru!"

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