Crows x Souls

"The village does have its dark side and its inconsistencies, but I'm still Konoha's Itachi Uchiha." — Itachi Uchiha. 

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Four figures stood before Itachi in one of the Onmistukidō secret layouts. The number of people who had direct entry into this place was less than ten, Itachi included. 

The four figures that stood before Itachi could be easily mistaken as statues as they've been standing completely still for over an hour now and yet neither of them have so much as twitched a muscle. Even their Reiatsu complemented their frozen state, tightly suppressed and almost nonexistent. 

The four individuals, Itachi's direct subordinates, each wore dull colored masks: a tiger, a snake, a demon and a fox. 

In a way, apart from a very few select people, these were the people Itachi trusted the most. Whether it was trust in their ability, trust in their capabilities, trust in their competence – none of it mattered. All that mattered was that they had Itachi's trust and with it came the urge for them not to fail it in any way. 

Like the previous heads of the Onmistukidō, the Stealth Corp was Itachi's to do as he wished. In a way it was his personal army, one that not even the Head Captain knows how they operate or even the size and reach of their operations. 

When he first inherited the Onmistukidō as a Lieutenant of the 2nd Division, he had been extremely reluctant to turn it into the same organization that turned him into what he was – what he had been. 

Power corrupts. He knew that more than most. 

Inheriting the same power and position that had fashioned him into a perfect weapon and discarded him into darkness and sickening regret, one that spanned over two lifetimes, and now being required to do the same to others. It wasn't a wonder why he had been conflicted. 

Tsukuyomi's words to his reluctance had been straight and direct: "You alone are responsible for what you do. The results of your actions from henceforth will reveal just how full you've grown."

That had been decades ago. He had long gotten over his distaste for it. 

Right now, his subordinates' presence barely registering in his mind, he went over a list of compiled reports over and over again. He had nothing pressing on his plate so he took his time, slowly going over every line of information one, three, five times – every stroke of ink permanently glued to his mind. 

His current focus was the Noble Families – one of the most touchy subjects in the whole of Soul Society. Even he had to be careful in how he went about investigating the history and ambitions of the present Noble Families. 

It was laughably easy how the Noble Families could get rid of a Captain with the right accusation. 

Now he wasn't against the idea of a ruling family/families superseding the control of the Soul Society. He strongly believed in a system of hierarchy in any form of gathering. And while he understood the complexities of power and varying results of it, he didn't aim to change it or, like the thoughts of an arrogant fool, resolve to usurp it. 

And while he wasn't against the concept of the Noble Families, that didn't mean he wouldn't try to stitch together their shady history. The complete control over the extent of information that had been released to the public about the Noble Families screamed foul play. 

Not only that, Aizen's aim for godhood came from information he had somehow gotten that concerned the Noble Families. 

The Research and Development Institute of the 12th Division. 

While it's inception was less than a hundred years old, the Research and Development Institute, after its formation by Kisuke Urahara, was tasked with banking past Shinigami data and research studies, technological and otherwise. The sector of it that banked all this information was joined with a sector of the Kidō Corps. 

It was either the Research Institute or Central 46. 

And now of all times there were internal stirrings in the Noble Families. Granted, It wasn't anything new as it happened at least once every century. 

He raised his head after a lengthy internal monologue that spanned over two hours and finally acknowledged the presence of the four before him. 

"The Kuchiki…" He started. 

The one with the tiger mask took a single step forward and replied. "They are striking at the wind. The ruse was set up for the other Noble Families, to make them wary and divert their attention into investigating their own clans, and also for you. They have no strong intention to take the brunt of whatever fall off might occur from this. They want you to test the waters for them since they are still wary of traitors in their midst, and also a slight suspicion that it is not only their Family that is involved."

The report was straight and concise. The Tiger went on to detail the stealthy movement of some of the Kuchiki private forces. 

After the Tiger, the Snake and the Fox came forward and presented their reports which were mostly centered on suspicious movements in the Rukongai. 

In the end, Itachi concluded on one major truth. The Shihōin and Tsunayashiro Families were silent. 

The Feng and Hua Clans of the Shihōin though have been vigilant as of late. 

On the side of the Tsunayashiro Family however, there was completely nothing. No upheaval, no panic, no tense atmosphere. It was as if they were removed from the whole thing. 

Making the outline of a decision concerning the Noble Families and filing it away for now, he turned towards the last individual that had yet to say anything and was standing a step behind the other three. 

"Tengu…"

The Tengu took a measured step forward and spoke in a muffled and even tone. 

"Six assassinations. Lieutenant Soi Fon and Fifth Seat Marechiyo Ōmaeda were the targets. Hisana from the Kuchiki was one. Ganju of the Shiba was one. The wife of the patriarch of the Kasumioji was one. The last one suicided before reaching his target. I barred his paths. None were cleared."

Itachi only gave a noncommittal nod at the information. He noted instantly that all the targets were persons of importance, connected in one way or another to the head of the targeted Noble Families. 

"Snake," Itachi called out while idly tapping the table with his finger. "Relay with the Kuchiki. Let them act as they please."

Receiving the silent dismissal, Snake was gone in the next second. 

He couldn't possibly hope to halt their actions. If he acted too strongly, and that was entirely subjective, his actions could be construed in myriad ways with the least accusation being collusion with the traitor group. 

The most he could do was fence around whatever schemes and actions they took. And at the end of this fiasco, he would be the one doing the cleanup. And the main reason for his nonexistent weight in dealing with the Noble Families was because he was not from any of the Noble Families or their vassals. 

If it had been Yoruichi and Soi Fon, they wouldn't face half the resistance he was met with at each turn. 

'But I'm used to dealing with their bunch. Maneuvering around whatever they are up to won't be a problem.'

"Tiger and Fox. Lieutenant Shiba will be returning to his family as soon as possible. Even if mostly inactive when compared to the other Noble Families, they are not as ignorant as they appear. Find out what they know and keep an eye on any action they take."

He picked up an open scroll, spared it a casual glance and rolled it close. He threw the scroll to the Fox. 

"The Kasumioji are the outlier here. Shihōin, Kuchiki and Shiba – two of them are mostly removed from any type of conflict and infighting. Kuchiki on the other hand, due to their recent uprooting, and I use that word loosely, it pushed them in the clear. Next to nothing is known about the Tsunayashiro, which makes them an unknown and also separates them from the rest of the Noble Families."

He stood up from his chair and picked up his Captain's haori and draped it over his body. 

They turned and followed from behind after he walked past them. 

"Send urgent word to the Eagle. He and his trackers are on a time limit." 

Tiger and Fox were gone as soon as his last words fell, leaving only the Tengu silently walking behind their Captain. 

"The timing couldn't be more worse." He said with a small frown. Inwardly he was more irritated by how limited he was in how direct he could act. Because he knew that at the end of it all, the Noble Families will point them, the Captains, at their enemies and make them solve it the moment it gets out of what they can handle. Nobles were infuriating like that. 

"The assassinations: they are likely not to make any other attempt given how this one ended. It means that they'll likely try something else, which will make their actions all the more visible. If you see a chance, take it." 

They stepped out of an unassuming tree, Itachi continuing his casual walk while Tengu flittered into the shadows. 

Itachi continued speaking, as if having a conversation with himself. "The Noble Families did something, or it's those rising against them that did or found something that is rattling them this much. The fact that they were all attacked in some way and the attacks being close to the various Clan Heads can mean that it might not be just a tactical approach but one backed by negative feelings. Resentment perhaps. But the question remains 'why?'."

Itachi sighed loudly this time. "I would rather not deal with this right now, but alas I must."

He took a branching turn, straying him further from the 2nd Division. "I will speak with Yūshirō Shihōin. There is a small chance that we are being intentionally led on. Do your best to avoid any form of contact or confrontation with anyone from any of the Noble Families. Leave that to the others."

A single leaf fell behind Itachi. He was finally alone. 

Thinking about whatever it was that was brewing within the Noble Families, Itachi felt a bit uneasy. Not the feeling of danger, but one that unsettled him nonetheless. 

'Soi Fon will have to deal with her Clan, same with Marechiyo. The Clan Elders might know something, but that depends on whether or not they'll share what they know with those two. Soi Fon will wring out whatever answers they have out of their mouth if she has to. Marechiyo on the other hand – I doubt he has the slightest idea of what is happening.'

He looked at the sun up in the sky, using his hands to shield its sharp rays from his eyes. 

Aizen was still out there. The Visored were still waiting for the invitation from the Gotei 13. Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi, with a piece of the Hōgyoku in their possession, were still an outlier in this whole thing. Starrk and Lilynette were in the World of the Living, sheltered by none other than Kisuke Urahara. And now this. 

With everything coming to a head, Itachi couldn't help but feel like something was a bit off. 

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