I copied Urahara's movements, my body thankfully practically on autopilot, as Yamamoto spoke on from beside us. Stating the rules, the system in place, a few laws...

Things I was expected to know and yet that still had to be said. For formality's sake or something.

The trial was pretty simple and usually only actually required a single a captain to oversee.

The first step involved sticking my sword into the ground and... Using my reiatsu to do something with it... Thankfully Aizen was here to help with that! Though he was oddly quiet. Then a captain generally smothered the victim and accused in reiatsu and forced them to tell the truth by... Speaking to their Zanpakutō spirits?

Communicating with their souls.

That.

Apparently souls can't lie.

The rules were that we each took a turn to ask a question and the jury, the captains in this scenario, decided who was right... Or something. Yamamoto himself would only intervene near the end, assuming no one had died by then.

Mostly to gather as much information as he could before he asked his own questions.

Either that or the old man secretly hoped they solved themselves first.

Problem here was, there wasn't a captain barring Yamamoto that could actually keep my reiatsu in check. And he had no intention of putting in so much effort for something as trivial as treason.

And well, Urahara Kisuke wasn't exactly trustworthy. You never know which captains are in his pocket.

No wait... That's me...

"Oh! I forgot to say this but..." Urahara immediately spoke up the moment Yamamoto finished speaking, just as the Shinigami captains barring Kenpachi Zaraki moved towards their positions. In unison.

I ignored the way three captains suddenly leapt behind me, their swords drawn and held out in front of them as they stopped a few feet behind, faced towards me. Hitsugaya Toshiro and Kanami Tosen flanked Kuchiki Byakuya. To my right a few feet away stood Yamamoto a serene look on his face. To my left just as far, stood Komamura, his helmet hid whatever expression he had. While ahead of me stood Urahara Kisuke. Ukitake and Ichimaru flanked Shunsui just behind him.

"I've got a few witnesses coming aswell, the first one should here soon..."

I raised an eyebrow at the sudden exclamation, the trial had been seconds away from starting.

"Why so surprised?" Urahara grinned opposite me. "It's not every day I get a chance like this..." He remarked somewhat eagerly.

It didn't take long before I realised this just might be a little more difficult then I'd thought.

I held in the sense of dread that had suddenly filled me/Aizen as I smiled warmly towards one prison-clothed Kuchiki Rukia.

She was surrounded by what looked like Soi-fon's ninja cops?

Said captain just happened to be walking towards us now, just ahead of the small Anbu squad.

"Face up Lieutenant Kuchiki," I stated suddenly, winking at the resigned looking girl and promptly earning everyone's attention.

To my own surprise, my words seemed to have struck a chord with her as she stiffened and slowly raised her head.

"Don't worry, everything is going to be alright," I stated, somewhat instinctively, as I kept the smile on my face, my hand automatically moving as it ruffled her hair the moment she passed by me before she took her position in the centre, right between the two blades pinned into the ground.

"Captain Aizen." My, presumably main, ally-

You are correct.

- suddenly cut in, a steel edge to his voice.

"Focus your attention on the current trial at hand." Kuchiki Byakuya all but ordered me not to interfere.

And I could practically see the sudden haze of depression that filled his wife's sister at the words. The way the small light that had briefly appeared completely disappeared.

So naturally, I turned towards my assumed biggest supporter and Kindly stated-

"Forgive me for thinking that giving the death sentence to a lieutenant class Shinigami over a damn human is a stupid-ass idea. Even Hollows aren't that stupid! Hell, killing our only Allies alone is bad enough..."

The honesty's already kicked in?

And with that, Byakuya gave me a single look over before he promptly moved and took up a place beside Ichimaru Gin.

Urahara Kisuke atleast had the sense not to gloat over it.

Shunsui on the other hand found it rather amusing.

"Ohh... Down to two already and the trial hasn't even started-"

Though unfortunately for him, Ukitake evidently agreed with me as he suddenly decided to switch aswell.

Either that or he just wanted to spite Byakuya.

Still, that put us back to where we started...

Wait... Down to two?

Hang on, if I run out of captains I lose!?

I quickly focused my attention back to Urahara Kisuke. Intent on starting the trial, though even I couldn't help blinking the moment I saw Gin's suddenly pale face.

And Shunsui's... Hurt one?

"Please begin the trial," Yamamoto suddenly declared, an irritated look to his face as he stared at me.

Hitsugaya oddly enough, seemed to have a hint of triumph in his eyes.

What the hell was going- '

Oh Rukia's crying... Damn... Whoops?

"Thank you," She whispered quietly as she fixed her expression, her resolve tightening as she turned towards Urahara Kisuke.

The man kept a passive expression on his face, his smile no longer in sight.

...

"Aizen Sosuke," Urahara started, the passive expression on his face unchanging. "Have you, at any point today, kidnapped and/or removed, in anyway, Miss Kuchiki from her cell?" He drawled. Almost bored with the question itself. Though I could see Byakuya's eyes narrow the slightest.

Rukia herself seemed rather overwhelmed with the number of captains in the room.

Yes.

I blinked at Aizen's sudden answer.

"No, I did not move Miss Kuchiki from her prison cell, nor did I kidnap her," I tested the words, technically true given Gremmy was the one who moved/kidnapped her. The thing about this trial was that, if you were calm and collected, you actually could cheat it in a way. As long as you gave a truthful answer, ie your own soul believed it, you could say anything. The trick, I think, is to get under the other persons skin, if they're not as calm, like Aizen-

Careful.

They end up blurting the first truth out immediately.

Urahara evidently wanted to start off light.

I raised an eyebrow at Yamamoto and Komamura, the two nodded their heads the slightest, accepting my answer, before turning back to Urahara. The man's expression hadn't changed the slightest at my answer.

From the Jury, Gin Ichimaru had a strained smile on his face, Shunsui was fully frowning and Byakuya was indifferent.

"Urahara Kisuke," I started off, the real trick here was to make the question as precise as possible. "Don't worry... This is a yes or no question," I remarked, an amused look to my face. He briefly narrowed his eyes at me before fixing his expression.

"Did you or did you not hide the stone of devastating power known as the Hogyoku inside Kuchiki Rukia's Gigai with the hopes of turning her into a human, stripping her of her shinigami abilities permanently?" I questioned calmly. A deadpan look to my face.

...

The first reaction, oddly enough, came from behind me. From the least expected person no less.

Kanami Tosen tried and failed to hide the sudden snort as he faked a cough.

Urahara Kisuke blinked a couple of times at the sudden question, his brow furrowing in the process. Behind him I could see Gin's grimace worsen as Byakuya Kuchiki glared at him from behind. Shunsui on the other hand had an utterly unreadable look on his face.

"No, I did not hide the Hogyoku inside a Gigai,"

Wait... What?

He hid it in her soul,

Ah. My bad.

Even still, as I took a look around, his answer evidently didn't seem to help all that much for some reason. I could still feel the reiatsu building up behind me, from one Ukitake Jushiro.

Rukia had a shell-shocked look on her face as she stared at Urahara Kisuke.

"Where did-"

"It's Kisuke's turn," Shunsui's voice quickly interrupted me surprising me somewhat. I'd expected Urahara to speak up.

"Right, of course..." I nodded, a serene smile on my face.

Urahara's impassive face quickly took my focus as he started speaking.

"Where is the Hogyoku?"

Huaco Mundo

Wait really-

Focus!

My smile didn't budge as I immediately responded. "I have absolutely no idea,"

His expression cracked the moment I'd finished speaking. "That's not possi-" Kisuke quickly started on another question before freezing up as soon as the brief wash of killing intent filled the room.

I feel like Ukitake might be a tad biased now.

I tilted my head the slightest as I stared at Urahara's panicked expression. "Where did you hide the Hogyoku you created, Urahara Kisuke?"

...

The tense silence that followed my question, oddly enough, filled me with glee. Well, filled Aizen with glee. Just ahead of me I could see Urahara clenching and unclenching one of his hands. His eyes locked into mine, refusing to meet anyone else's.

"Answer the question," Ukitake followed on from behind me.

Urahara took in a deep breath before damning himself entirely.

"In Kuchiki Rukia's soul-"

I quickly raised my hand, attempting to stop the no doubt pissed off Ukita- And there's a super sharp blade right next to my hand!

"Jushiro," Yamamoto chose to speak up at the sudden movement, his own glare forcing the man back into his position.

Just ahead of me I can make out the turmoil filling each of the captains behind Urahara Kisuke.

All for no doubt different reasons.

Rukia on the other hand simply had her gaze locked to the ground, her expression hidden. Her shoulders however were no longer slumped, her very presence radiated fury.

Urahara tentatively looked around the room, his eyes roaming around Ukitake's position before he started speaking again.

"Did you or did you not remove the Hogyoku from Kuchiki Rukia?" Urahara's voice had lost a vast amount of it's edge, the man careful not to set anything off.

I didn't- Aizen's answer was immediately followed by a sense of dread from him.

I kept my expression clear as I answered. "Yes, I did," I answered indifferently. I could see a myriad of different expressions filter through the captains in front of me and before any of them even had a chance to say anything I added on further.
"But considering Miss Kuchiki had been on the throes of death last time, I'd hardly been left with any other choice,"

I could see, clear as day, the moment Urahara processed all the words as anger filled his face.

"Enough with that-" He'd started speaking, likely about to go on another rant before he was once again quickly quietened by the Captain-commander.

"I've got a different question for you this time," I continued on, as serious an expression I can manage on my face. Evidently my change in tone had set everyone on edge. Even Rukia who'd been under a spell of anger just moments before had seemed to cool down as she turned towards me.

"Tell me, Kisuke. If you were given the choice... Between helping Sereitei or getting rid of me... Between saving the future, or destroying me,"

I could practically see the moment his facade shattered, a cold steel look replacing it entirely as Urahara Kisuke directed every bit of anger and fury he held for me at that very moment.

Guess he didn't see this one coming either.

"What would you choose?"

...

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