Itachi Rebirth: A Shinigami Tale

"Wait who is that?!" Hanataro asked, confused about what is going on.

"No...but I've heard that name before. That's Shihouin Yoruichi...the ex commander of the onmitsukido and the ex general of the executive militia…" Rukia replied in awe of what was going on.

"Shihouin Yoruichi, I haven't seen your face in a while. It's been a hundred years since your disappearance. Everyone thought you had died." Byakuya commented, regaining his composure.

"Yoruichi...move aside I have to defeat him!" Ichigo said, raising his zanpakuto again. Yoruichi turned her neck and looked back at Ichigo.

"Defeat him? By yourself? Idiot!" Yoruichi said as she vanished and reappeared in front of Ichigo, jabbing him through the torso with her hand.

"What are you doing...Yoruichi…" Ichigo gasped before collapsing forward. Yoruichi catches him and mounts him over her shoulder.

"It's a drug isn't it? You released a strong tranquilizer into his body. You're trying to save him, Yoruichi." Ukitake commented.

"I won't allow it." Byakuya interrupted. "I won't allow for that shinigami or for you to leave freely."

"Oh? When did you learn to talk big Byakuya? You never did win against me in tag." Yoruichi smiled back.

"Should we try again…?" Byakuya replied. The two of them suddenly disappeared, with their vague afterimages appearing in different spots on the bridge. As Yoruichi's foot touched the ground, Byakuya suddenly appeared behind her.

"You can't escape me with that level of shunpo." Byakuya commented. Byakuya raised his blade in the air, ready to cut down as Yoruichi turned around. Byakuya's eyes widened as Itachi suddenly appeared in front of him. 'Was Uchiha always this fast?' Byakuya thought to himself as he stared at Itachi who was standing in front of him.

'Genjutsu: Sharingan.' Itachi's eyes met Byakuya's and Byakuya's zanpakuto dropped out of his hand onto the ground. Byakuya himself shortly followed and collapsed onto the ground.

"Hmph. I could have escaped that Itachi." Yoruichi commented. "But thanks. It still would have been a hassle to get away from him while holding Ichigo."

"Miss Shihouin I do not doubt your skill. You are renowned as the flash goddess after all. I only intervened so as to not take any unnecessary risks." Itachi replied. "However, it would be best if you left now. Captain Kuchiki has powerful reiatsu and will recover soon."

"You don't have to be so formal with me, Itachi. We'll most likely meet again. I'll leave things here to you to clean up." Yoruichi smiled and left. Itachi turned back around to see Byakuya who was just now getting back up.

"What did you do to me?" Byakuya questioned, holding his head with one hand.

"I calmed you down, Captain Kuchiki. The invaders can't be killed yet, especially since they may have information regarding the murder of Captain Aizen." Itachi replied. Byakuya remained silent for a moment before turning his back and walking away.

"Where are you going Byakuya?!" Ukitake yelled, confused about his behavior.

"I've lost interest." Byakuya responded, before vanishing from sight.

"There he goes...doing whatever he wants." Ukitake scratched his head, confused.

Itachi walked across the bridge over to Rukia, who had an empty look on her face.

"Kuchiki you alright?" Itachi asked. Suddenly, Rukia falls over but Itachi manages to catch her.

'She must have been struggling to stay up with Captain Kuchiki's spiritual pressure out like that.'

"Sentaro, Kiyone come out!" Ukitake suddenly yelled. Two figures leap out from under the bridge and land in front of Ukitake.

"You called, Captain?" Both of them responded simultaneously.

"So you did come after all? How long were you here?" Ukitake asked.

"I'm very very sorry, but I respect Captain too much and couldn't help but follow you!" Sentaro yelled out.

"Captain I feel exactly the same way...no I respect Captain even more!" Kiyone retorted, not wanting to be outdone by Sentaro. The two of them started to bicker but Ukitake calmed them down.

"Kiyone, please contact the fourth division. We have someone here who is wounded. And Sentaro, take Kuchiki back into the prison." Ukitake ordered.

"Yes sir!" The two of them replied before splitting up. Sentaro approached Itachi and Itachi handed Rukia over to him. As Itachi passed Rukia over to him, Sentaro looked Itachi in the eyes.

"We're definitely going to get Kuchiki out of here right?!" Sentaro asked.

"Of course we are." Itachi replied. Sentaro gave Itachi a look of determination before carrying Rukia back into the prison.

"Umm..uh…" Hanataro tried to speak but the words wouldn't come out of his mouth.

"You're trying to ask "Why are you helping us?" Ukitake responded. "Of course I'd help. As Uchiha mentioned earlier, Aizen was murdered and you may be sources of information or suspects. So I can't let you die here. Furthermore, you tried to rescue a member of my division. For that, we couldn't just watch that man die."

Ukitake looked back at Itachi. Without a word, Itachi nodded and the two of them vanished from the bridge.

Later that night, Itachi spent most of his time in the office with Ukitake, who was feeling much better. As they sat in the office, a hell buŧŧerfly flew in with a message. Ukitake and Itachi both looked at each other, confused.

"Why would the execution be pushed to tomorrow?!" Itachi asked. "This doesn't make sense at all. I've seen Central 46 make questionable decisions but this is unreasonable. There has to be something else going on."

"You're right...something is definitely off. And now we are pressed for time even more." Ukitake commented.

"Well whatever is going on, getting Kuchiki out of there is our priority." Itachi said. Ukitake nodded in agreement.

"It appears we need to take more drastic measures since this is happening. I have just the plan for that. Sentaro! Kiyone!" Ukitake called out. The two third seats quickly arrive in the office.

"What is the plan Captain?" Itachi asked.

"We are going to stop the execution. Follow me, I'll explain the details on the way." Ukitake said as he walked out of the office with Itachi, Sentaro, and Kiyone all behind him.

The group ran across Seireitei before stopping at a remote area with older buildings. The group approached a door with the Shihouin symbol on it.

"You three wait out here. Only I know how to undo the seal." Ukitake ordered. The three of them stood guard while Ukitake entered alone. They waited in silence for hours, with the sun rising and Ukitake still not emerging from the strange room. The group continued waiting for several more hours when they suddenly felt a massive reiatsu coming from Sokyoku hill.

"This is bad! The execution is starting!" Sentaro yelled.

"You don't have to yell! We can all hear you!" Kiyone yelled back.

"Both of you…" Itachi gave the two third seats an agitated look and they immediately quieted down. "Captain, how are things looking in there?"

"Sorry to make you wait this long." Ukitake said as he walked out of the room. "We have been left with no choice. This is the only way."

Itachi looked at the strange contraption Ukitake was holding. It was a tall, shield-like item with a long cord connected to it. 'So this our plan against the Sokyoku?'

"Let's go and destroy the Sokyoku!" Ukitake declared.

"Yes sir!" All three of them responded in unison as they all vanished from their spots.

The group ran through Seireitei with urgency. As they neared the hill, they could feel the massive reiatsu being released. Itachi stared at the hill with his sharingan and could make out a massive bird shaped reiatsu forming in front of Rukia. 'Are we not going to make it in time? I should separate from them for now and try to block that thing with my Susanoo-' Itachi's thoughts are cut off as he notices another familiar reiatsu scaling the hill. 'Is that...Kurosaki Ichigo?'

"Captain, I'm going ahead. I'll see what I can do to stall it." Itachi said as he sped up and vanished without waiting for a response from Ukitake.

On the Sokyoku Hill

Rukia was slowly raised up on the stand held by support beams. The kido corps stood surrounding the Sokyoku, which was encircled by thick ropes wrapped around the halberd, piercing into the ground. As the execution began, the Kido Corp unsealed the ropes surrounding the Halberd, causing them to unwind and fly off the hill.

As the Sōkyoku activates, emitting an immense amount of flames, it rises into the air, pointing towards the victim, who is held before it by support beams. The flames, enveloping the halberd, reveal its true form; a massive, phoenix-like entity.

Rukia watched as the phoenix rose. Numerous thoughts appeared in her head. She thought back to when she met Renji. She thought back to when she was adopted by the Kuchiki clan, the guidance provided to her by Kaien, the time spent with Itachi mentoring her, and Ichigo's rescue.

She closed her eyes and readied herself for the execution. 'Thank you.' She thought, ȧssuming it was her last moments.

However, the attack she was expecting did not arrive, Instead what stood in front of her was a figure surrounded by an ethereal skeleton.