Well guys, we're we are, with another chapter. I don't really have much to say this time around. I just hope you all enjoy it. Please give us your thoughts in the form of a review.

Thanks once again to Greatkingrat88 (for writing) and jcampbellohten (for being our Beta)

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and Shounen jump. Fairy tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and weekly shounen magazine. I own NOTHING. This is all just for fun.

She flitted her eyelids, the light stinging and blinding her. Erza blinked rapidly, and as she began to wake, she felt the pain. The ache of injury after injury, familiar but never welcome, acceptable but detestable.

She felt... odd. She had... lost her powers? But she still felt... strong.

Then, through the haze, that middle ground of consciousness where awareness was just out of her grasp, it suddenly came flooding back. Aizen. Lisanna. Momo. Momo! Momo, he had hurt Momo! And Lisanna- dear God, she had hurt Lisanna!

She sat up abruptly, the light still stinging her eyes a little, only for her head to run into something. Although she didn't hit herself very hard, the pain and exhaustion was enough for Erza to fall down on her back again. She blinked, the world finally becoming clear again.

"Lay still, please."

The voice was familiar, and relief washed over Erza as she saw Orihime, quite unhurt, working her magic, an orange barrier surrounding Erza. The worst of her injuries were closing up already, and she was, if not well, then at least considerably better off than before.

But physical wellness meant nothing to Erza. In her mind, she saw it. She saw Momo, her empty, lifeless eyes, her face trapped in perpetual shock and horror...

Erza balled her fist, and with one decisive slam, she broke the orange barrier surrounding her and sat up. Orihime let out a loud squeak and fell over on her back, surprised and a little hurt. Erza paid her no mind. A great dread rising in her chest, she stood up and looked around, orienting herself. She stood where she had fallen, which meant Momo and Lisanna weren't far. For some reason, Momo occupied her mind more than anyone. Lisanna was a warrior- she could handle herself, but Momo, she had been used and betrayed...

Erza could see her small frame lying on the ground, Unohana Retsu bent down on one knee over her. Momo looked tiny, fragile, so weak and helpless, and Erza took a step forward. There was a screech of protest through her body, and pain shot out from a number of places. She had evidently not finished healing. She didn't care. One step at a time, paying the pain no mind, she stepped forward. The horror continued to grow in her chest as she came closer.

She can't be dead she can't be dead she can't be dead she can't be dead please she can't be dead-

She lay on the ground, perfectly still, and Erza tried to collect herself. She finally stood in front of her friend's still body, not knowing what to do, not knowing what to say. She stared down at Momo, not daring to look at her face. She gave Unohana a look, and words were superfluous. The captain of Fourth gave her a tired look, sighed, and shook her head. With one gentle motion, she closed Momo's eyes, and put a piece of white cloth over her face.

"No," Erza breathed. "No, no, no, no..."

"I am sorry," Unohana said simply, and stood up. "There were so many injured, and so little time."

"No. NO!" Erza snarled. "No, damn you! You're the doctor! You're the best there is! Why the hell didn't you save her?!"

"She was gone when I found her," Unohana said, and though her face was serene, there was no doubting the regret in her voice, "after I saved Captain Kuchiki from bleeding out. She was already lost to us."

"I- I'm sorry," Isane whimpered, having walked up from the side. "I- I should have done something, I should have tried-"

"Because of you, Lisanna Strauss is still alive," Unohana said firmly. "You did what you could. What anyone should."

"NO!" Erza snarled defiantly. "No, it isn't over! She can't be gone!"

Unohana shook her head. "My condolences."

Erza felt tears welling up. No, no, no! Not again! Not after all of this!

A desperate hope came into her mind. Her mind renewed with purpose, she turned her head and shouted, roared,

"ORIHIME! GET OVER HERE, NOW!"

The girl obliged, looking nervous, even scared. Erza looked fearsome, still bloodied, and entirely beside herself.

"Heal her," Erza demanded as Orihime came to her side, pointing directly at Momo's dead body. "Fix her. Now."

"I- I- I don't know," Orihime stuttered, quite shocked. It was one thing to see Erza beaten down, but somebody already dead? Killed? That was a lot to ask.

"I've never... I've never done anything like that before."

"You can and you will," Erza said, iron in her voice.' "Now get down there and use your talents. Fix her!"

"But..."

"I wasn't making a suggestion!" Erza snapped. "Do it!"

Giving Erza an anxious look, Orihime got down on her knees.

"Souten Kisshun," she murmured, holding her hands out. Presently, the orange sphere enveloped Momo, covering her from head to toe.

"I don't know what you think you'll be able to achieve," Unohana said quietly, "but she is beyond any healing technique. The dead cannot be brought back to life."

Ignoring her, Erza said, "Is it working?"

"I'm trying," Orihime said defensively, taking a deep breath. "Please, let me focus."

Erza nodded. Fair enough.

For a while, nothing seemed to happen. Momo's bruises and injuries began to close up, sure enough, but she remained still, remained motionless.

"I told you," Unohana said, her brows furrowed with interest, observing the process carefully, "she can't be helped. I understand your pain, but you can't keep doing this. It isn't healthy-"

"You shut up!" Erza snarled, and grabbed the captain by the hem of her coat, pulling her close, staring into her eyes furiously. Such a brazen act of aggression is something nobody in their right mind would even have dreamed of doing to Unohana Retsu, most feared of all, but Erza was not in her right mind. She was beyond reason, her state of mind in shambles.

"Just you watch," she said, her voice trembling. "Orihime is going to make her better. She will."

"Erza," Unohana said softly, putting a hand on Erza's shoulder, "I'm so sorry-"

"Hey!" Orihime cried, and Erza's head snapped toward her daughter immediately. There was a twitch in Momo's foot, a small but noticeable movement. Erza's heart leaped with joy.

"Corpses are known to do that," Unohana said, "to spasm a little. Don't let yourself get carried away by false hope."

But then Momo's arm trembled as well, the fingers on her left arm twitching a little, before slowly making a fist. Orihime's face was a mask of dedicated concentration, small beads of sweat trailing down her forehead.

"Keep at it!" Erza said, a strong sense of urgency in her voice, desperate like a starved animal.

Momo's hand rose into the air, slowly but surely, and reached for the cloth on her face. With a sudden motion, she jerked it off, and slowly propped herself up on one elbow, blinking.

"Erza?" she said, looking at her friend. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Erza wanted to scream, to shout with joy, to jump and cry, but she restrained herself. An indescribable sense of relief passed through her, and a lump in her chest the size of the Grand Canyon began to dissolve.

"Just stay still," Erza mumbled. "You were hurt. But don't worry, we're fixing you."

"Oh. Okay," Momo said, remaining still. She looked at her fingers. "That's weird. I feel... I don't hurt at all. But I was... I was cut down... by Captain Aizen..."

"Hinamori," Unohana said sharply, "how are you feeling?"

"I'm- I'm fine," Momo muttered, sounding a bit lightheaded. "A bit weak, but fine."

Orihime let out a groan through gritted teeth, and finally the orange barrier cracked, dispelling. She tumbled back, clearly exhausted, and Erza just barely caught her.

"That, um, that..." she said, taking a deep breath. "That was... something else. But I think it worked."

"Thank you, Orihime," Erza said, looking down on her daughter, beaming with pride. "Thank you so much."

"I think I need to lie down now," Orihime said. She took a deep breath. "There was... a lot to do with her. Like, more than I ever did before."

"That's fine," Erza said, nodding eagerly. "You rest as much as you need."

With the barrier broken, Unohana urgently kneeled by Momo again.

"I told you, I'm fine," Momo insisted. Unohana ignored her, giving her a thorough check. With a look of disbelief, she placed two fingers on Momo's neck.

"A healthy pulse," she mumbled. "Body temperatures going back to normal. Injuries... there aren't even scar tissues left. Even the hole in the uniform is sealed." She shot Orihime a look. "You've got some useful skills, young lady."

"I'm fine," Momo said again. "I just need to rest a bit. Then I can help..."

"You are going right to the fourth division," Unohana said strictly, "and that goes for you too, Scarlet. As soon as we can arrange it. No arguments."

Too tired and too relieved to argue, Erza simply nodded. Right now, she didn't have the energy to think about tomorrow. Momo was alive. So were her friends. So was Rukia, too. As insane as it was to think, their mission had succeeded. What would come next was uncertain, but compared to how things had looked not an hour ago, it was a world of difference.

"Just this once," Erza whispered to herself, "just this once, everybody lives."

In Ukitake's personal chambers- not even his office, but his personal room- the four of them gathered, the eldest of Gotei's leadership. They had convened in this manner many times, when matters needed urgent discussion without being hindered by ignorance or bureaucracy, but it had been decades since they last needed to. Not since the quincy wars had there been such urgency. The Gotei had enjoyed peace for so long- peace that they now knew to have been a lie.

Unohana Retsu was the last to join them, having been the most urgently busy of them all, overseeing the recovery of the officers fallen in battle. Normally, Yamamoto might have insisted she leave that to her vice-captain, but under the circumstances, they could not afford to lose any more loyal captains no matter what.

"Report," Yamamoto said gruffly. It was apparent to both Shunsui and Ukitake next to him that although he was rarely in a good mood to begin with, he was not to be trifled with at this time. "How many dead?"

"None, thankfully," Unohana said quietly. "By whatever stroke of luck, Aizen does not seem to have cared to properly assassinate any of our remaining captains. Zaraki Kenpachi, Hitsugaya Toushirou and Komamura Sajin are wounded but stable. Kuchiki Byakuya... he was a challenge, but he will live. We also have in our custody Shihoin Yoruichi, badly injured but in stable condition."

"It seems unbelievable," Ukitake said breathlessly. "Thank goodness, of course, but I would never have expected a man like Aizen Sousuke to let so many of us live, not when he had such power over us. He must be very confident in his victory."

"Or very arrogant," Shunsui said, sitting leaned forward in a wicker chair.

Aizen Sousuke, the traitor. The reality of it was still sinking in. He had been a model leader, a captain above reproach, a competent and beloved leader as well as a respected warrior. He had been considered to be the best of them, and only Ukitake had enjoyed more popularity with the troops. In many ways, he had been a symbol of what a shinigami should be, and here they were. Aizen Sousuke had shown his true colours, and he had been like nothing any of them had expected.

"The traitors?" Yamamoto said, ignoring his pupils.

"Secured in the division. Everyone that could be charged with treason has had their energy dampened. At any rate, almost all of them are too injured to go anywhere," Unohana explained. "The list of traitors is... alarmingly long, actually."

"Erza Scarlet," Yamamoto said gruffly. "To think she inspired such loyalty where I could not."

Recognizing his sensei's self-deprecating tone, Shunsui cut in quickly. "Pardon her, old man."

"You have not been pardoned yourself, and you dare ask this of me?" Yamamoto said irritably. "You were not drawn by loyalty, nor deceived by Aizen Sousuke. You two turned against me on your own volition. Do not think I have forgotten your insolence and insubordination!"

Shunsui knew the old man was shocked and angry, as well as he concealed it, but he pushed his luck still.

"Think about it, old man," he said urgently. "Right now, the news is spreading across all of the Gotei. We've been had. The best of us has been revealed to be a snake, and all of us have been used, deceived, manipulated. We've gained an enemy unlike any we have seen in centuries, and lost three captains in the process. We've been used, made fools of, and who knows what plans Aizen has for us in the future?"

"Your propensity for the obvious is astonishing, Shunsui," Yamamoto snapped, "so I will be charitable enough to assume you have a point."

"I do, sensei," Shunsui said quickly, taking care to call the old man by the more respectful teacher's epithet. "This is obviously going to have a massively negative impact on morale. We are still shinigami. We still have jobs to do, the balance between worlds to keep, and our troops will not fare well if they are uncertain, shaken by doubt and fear."

"And pardoning the traitor Scarlet will help?" Yamamoto rumbled.

"Actually... think about it, sensei," Ukitake mumbled, catching on to Shunsui's idea. "Exiled all this time, always holding on to what she knew to be true, coming back to fight the evil lurking inside the heart of the Gotei... it's a compelling story."

"Exactly," Shunsui said, nodding with a grin. "When things look grim, give people a hero to believe in."

"Just what do you suggest?" Yamamoto said, and although it sounded impassive, Shunsui knew he had the old man's attention.

"Pardon her and bump her up to captain. Fifth, actually, just to show where we stand. Where they had a traitor, they will now have a hero. Pardon everyone else, across the board. Promote anyone else that's fit for the position- I hear young Abarai has a bankai now, for example. Fill the gaps left. Show the brave men and women in our service that we may be bruised, but we are not beaten. Show them that the Gotei endures, that it's bigger than any one of us. Show them that the loss of three captains can be replaced."

Shunsui spoke quickly, hoping very much that his old teacher would agree.

"You ask me to forgive treason," Yamamoto said slowly, "not once, but over and over. You ask me to answer rebellion not with a purge, but with open arms and rewards."

"With all due respect, sensei," said Ukitake, "you are running out of options. You just lost three captains. What you face now is a threat greater than any you've ever seen since the foundation period. Three captains, one with tremendous power, allied to Hueco Mundo itself. Can you imagine how fearsome an enemy the hollows would be under an ambitious leader capable of uniting them for a single purpose? It would be our Armageddon, our Ragnarök. It could be the end of days for the Gotei, and I do not say that lightly. Yes, sensei, you could purge your ranks of all traitors, but that would mean facing the coming conflict without Zaraki Kenpachi, without half of our vice-captains. It would mean facing Aizen Sousuke... without us. Are you willing to do that, sensei?"

"I would like to add," said Unohana, "that I would be a little cross if you decided to undo all the hard work I just put into saving all of these people. Like I said, the list is long. Right now, do you want to preside over a dozen executions?"

There was an earnest look to Ukitake's face, and although Shunsui knew Ukitake's model behaviour had always appealed to the old man, he felt a sinking feeling. The old man was nothing if not principled, and exactly the kind of person to put honour over reason. The law was the law, as far as he was concerned. He took a deep breath.

"...I will make no decision yet. Your transgressions are neither forgotten nor forgiven, but for now, we will focus on what to do next."

Shunsui nodded. "Good. Let's do that, then. Consider this, sensei: the Central Forty-Six are all dead. In their absence, you have full authority, and only the Soul King himself could override any order you give. When division zero begins their vetting process, and who knows when that will be, it'll take years and years to refill every position. So use it. Make any decision you need to without hesitation, without the need for bureaucracy or discussion. Begin recruiting more soldiers. Begin fortifying the Seireitei. Probe the twelfth for any research that could be useful to us. You've got all the power in the world now, sir- so use it."

For a moment, Yamamoto fell quiet, and it occurred to Shunsui that the fact might not yet have occurred to him. It was a terrible burden, he knew, one he would never ask for. This much power, this much responsibility...

"I will take your suggestions under consideration," he said, nodding sagely. "For now, go run each of your divisions. We need the impression of stability. In that respect, I am in agreement."

"And the traitors, sensei?" Shunsui insisted.

"There will be a tribunal," Yamamoto said after a short pause. "When they are recovered, I will decide each of their fates, along with yours. Until that time, I expect model behaviour from the both of you. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," Ukitake and Shunsui said as one. The danger seemed to have passed for now, although it was far from over.

Erza was vaguely aware of the world around her, although she couldn't be sure when and how she had gotten where she was. She was in a hospital bed, under a white sheet pulled up to her chest. She wasn't quite awake, but not unconscious either. In this semi-dream state, she reasoned that she had to be at the fourth division.

Focusing her mind, she began to force herself awake. It had to be some sort of drug, some sort of painkiller- as far advanced as medical kido was, conventional medicine was by no means ruled out of the equation. Unohana preferred to let the body heal on its own, Erza knew.

She blinked, and the world, which had been a vague, strange place with no focus, began to take shape around her. She could see her bed, and beyond it as well now. A small plastic tube was connected to her wrist, feeding a solution into her vein at regular intervals.

She felt the ache in her body, where she had been cut before...

It came back to her. Aizen Sousuke. Momo. Lisanna. The others...

Yes, she remembered now. She had gone with Unohana, and then... then things became a bit blurry.

She shifted her position a little, trying to prop herself up some, and felt the hurt. It was distant and dulled, but still there. She groaned, and sighed.

"I would lie still if I were you."

The quiet voice was Isane's. The vice-captain had sat by the door, watching over them all, and had gently walked up to Erza when she saw Erza was lucid again.

"The others," Erza murmured, "they're..."

"Everyone is going to be fine," Isane reassured her. "Nobody died, and we're very lucky in that regard. But, you have a long way to go, relatively speaking. You were badly hurt, and you lost a lot of blood."

To Hell with it, then. She had earned a rest. Weakly, she nodded. She looked around the room. In the bed next to her lay Lisanna, her eyes closed, breathing evenly. Momo lay still further down, looking more bored than anything else. Then there was Masaki, Ichigo, Rod, Renji, all of them wounded and quiet.

All alive. It was a wondrous thing.

"Ah, you're awake, woman."

Opposite of her, covered in bandages but seeming unaffected, was Zaraki Kenpachi. As he spoke he sat up in the bed, grinning.

"Damned pansy kido, am I right?" he said, and shrugged. A little blood seeped through his bandages, but he didn't seem to care. "No wonder you was on the run with a bastard like that against you."

"Captain Zaraki, lie down!" Isane insisted, hurrying over to the formidable captain, fussing over his bandages.

"Piss off," Kenpachi said dismissively. "This ain't nearly the worst I had. I could get out of this bed right now, if you fussin' pipsqueaks weren't so damned sensitive."

"Zaraki Kenpachi, you will lie down this instant, or I will go fetch Captain Unohana!" Isane said firmly, and although the man was injured, Erza still had to admire her spirit. In the hospital, her domain, Isane had the spine she needed.

"Yeah... whatever," Kenpachi muttered. Refusing to bow down immediately, he stayed upright for a few seconds, before slowly sinking back to his sickbed, leaving Isane to hastily mend the wounds that had opened up.

"Still, woman, ya owe me one," Kenpachi said, sounding cheery despite being so rebuked, "an' I do mean a proper fight."

Right. She had promised that.

"We'll see," Erza said evasively. "With my luck, I'll probably end up locked in the Maggots' Nest for good."

"I'll break ya out," Kenpachi said dismissively. "I'll nurse ya back to full health if I have to. A fight like that..."

Erza wasn't sure if it was just a trick of the light, or just the way his blanket arranged itself, but she thought she could see a bulge around his groin.

"You back off her," said Ichigo, from a few beds further down, sitting up. Although he wasn't as badly injured as the two of them, Isane immediately walked toward his bed, irritably chastising him. "You think you can just demand fights from people?"

"I'll take you too, dipshit," Kenpachi said merrily. "Bring out yer worst. Bring out that monster ya got inside, make it interestin'."

"You shut up!" Ichigo started.

"Mister Kurosaki," Isane began indignantly, "you will lie down this instant!"

"I'm fine," Ichigo protested.

"You listen to the doctor's orders, young man!" Masaki insisted from her bed, and Ichigo shrunk down, muttering something indistinct.

"Yeah, listen to yer mom, milksop," Kenpachi snorted.

"Hey!" Ichigo started. "You're in way worse shape than me, and don't think I won't kick your ass!"

"Bring it!"

"Settle down, please."

The voice was gentle, smooth, and although it wasn't loud it cut through the room like a shout. It was the kind of voice that was used to being obeyed, and God help you if you didn't. It was Unohana Retsu.

Immediately, the two fell quiet, both grumbling a little. With practiced ease, Unohana went up to Kenpachi and began changing his bandages.

"Captain, I'm sorry," Isane mumbled. "They're just so..."

"You've done well, Isane," Unohana said mildly. "For now, go take a break. I've got this under control."

"Y-yes, captain," Isane said, and after shooting her patients an uncertain glance she obeyed, exiting the room.

"You really are quite a handful, Zaraki," said Unohana, mildly chiding him as she did her work.

"And a half," Kenpachi said proudly. "Hell, what do you expect, getting me cooped up in this boring-ass room?"

"Be nice," Unohana said, avoiding an argument. After finishing his bandages she did a round across the room, checking up on each of her patients, making adjustments and taking measures wherever she saw fit, making simple small talk along the way. Last in line was Erza, and it felt a little... bizarre. It was familiar, almost nostalgic. She had been here before. Not literally, in this room- although it could very well be- but it was common enough back in the day for her to wind up here at Fourth, and she had been treated by the gentle, feared doctor many times before. And here she was, twenty years later...

"So, um," she said tamely, "is everything okay?"

"You are a curious case," Unohana said, reviewing her chart. "Tell me, can you access your reiatsu at all?"

"Uh?" said Erza. She had completely forgotten- Aizen had cut her soul link, severing her powers, but still there she was...

She reached inside herself, feeling a familiar, almost forgotten presence. Magic.

"What the hell?" she said, mystified.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," said Unohana, scribbling down a note.

"I... I can't feel Tetsu no Tama," Erza said, feeling her heart sink as she realized it. "He's... he's gone..."

It was like missing an arm. The zanpakutou, the spirit she had come to know so well for so long...

"I can't be sure just what happened," said Unohana, "but it seems your reiatsu output has been reduced to a minimum. What's strange is that some other, unknown force is sustaining you instead."

"It's... it's from my, uh, home. Back when I was alive," Erza muttered, still feeling shocked.

Unohana nodded. "Well, whatever it is, it's rapidly degenerating. I estimate two days at most before it runs out. At that point, you will be as weak as before."

Erza breathed in sharply. The memory of the weakness she had felt, the despair... she wanted very badly not to have to go back to that.

"If I were you, I would hope that daughter of yours could help. Otherwise, I am not sure what to do."

"Yes, Orihime..." Erza muttered. There was that, after all. She could only hope the girl was capable. What limits there were to Orihime's abilities, she had never really known.

"Which brings me to my second query. Your daughter. What she did on that hill."

"It's... something else," Erza said, not wanting to say more than she had to.

"What she did went well beyond simple healing," said Unohana, and there was something sharp and focused in her voice, "it was rather more like... some sort of space-time reversal. Whatever ability she has, it breaks the known laws of physics."

"Uh-huh," Erza said, hoping the topic would be done with soon.

"That considered, I would like to borrow her help. With your consent, of course. I would like to test her ability."

"Test?" Erza said suspiciously.

"I am not Kurotsuchi," Unohana said reassuringly, "but there is something I would very much like to try. You have my word that the twelfth division will know nothing of my results."

"Well, it's not like I could stop you..." Erza muttered.

"If and only if you and she both consent," Unohana said firmly. Despite her mistrust and doubts, Erza found herself believing in the captain. As feared as the woman was, she had never known Unohana Retsu to lie, deceive, or sacrifice ethics for science.

"Well... maybe."

"That's good enough," said Unohana with a nod. "I'll leave you to think on this."

Erza nodded back. Weary and weak, she sank back into her bed. What was going to become of her now?

She woke up to familiar surroundings, albeit not very. There was no mistaking the clean, pristine white of the fourth division's hospitals, but Yoruichi had not often been injured bad enough to merit hospital service, and fewer times still had she been treated outside the Shihoin manor.

She blinked, as the world faded into view and her consciousness into being. She was... alive.

Aizen Sousuke had run her through, severing her aorta with expert precision. It was a mortal wound that had robbed her of all strength, and by all rights should have had her bleed out within no more than half an hour. There was no way she would have survived that on her own. Yet there she was, alive and thinking, feeling only a small aching pain around her midsection, the unfamiliar sensation of anaesthetics having dulled her senses. She didn't like it; she had always been alert and having her senses weakened was uncomfortable- but she suspected it would be a good deal more uncomfortable without it.

She raised her head and looked around, her vision a little blurry. There was the pristine white of the wall, and a doorway, a roof... and a blur of white and black in the corner-

Her eyes widened as her vision stabilised, finally becoming clear.

"Soifon..." she said quietly.

Her former protegé, the angry, hurt captain of Second, sat expressionless in a chair, staring intently at her former mentor. Yoruichi got a sense that she had stared like so for some time.

Yoruichi stared back, and for a minute, the two simply looked at each other, neither seeming to know what to do or say next. The first to regain her composure, in the end, was Soifon, who nearly leaped to her feet with cat-like agility. She moved just like Yoruichi once had herself, she reflected, confident, aware and efficient...

Slowly, the little captain made her way to the bedside, her eyes never leaving Yoruichi. Feeling a little awkward, Yoruichi finally said, "So..."

This did nothing to alleviate any of the awkwardness, as her protegé said nothing, still staring down at her without an expression to be seen.

But... there was more there, Yoruichi was sure of it. After all this time, she still felt like she knew something about Soifon. The small tremble of a finger, the slightest flicker of her eyes, turning away her gaze for not a second, a breath slightly out of rhythm...

"You could have let me die," Yoruichi said, deciding to be blunt.

"Who says I saved you?" Soifon shot back, her voice level, neutral, well controlled.

"Logical inference, my dear Watson," Yoruichi said cheekily. "After all, who else would be patrolling the most strategically weak areas of Soukyoku hill except for the commander of the Stealth Force? Or was I spirited away by some kindly youkai?"

Soifon didn't answer, and her face hardened.

"You could have let me die," Yoruichi said, dropping the facetiousness of her tone, "and nobody would have blamed you for it. It would have been easy. You wouldn't even have had to do anything. Inaction would have killed me."

As cold as Soifon's face was, the slightest flinch revealed Yoruichi's suspicion to be true. After all, despite her hate, she had saved her old mentor, delivered her from the jaws of death.

z...I decided we weren't finished," Soifon said stubbornly at last. "I'm not so cold. I am not a murderer."

"Two lies at once," Yoruichi said, only half joking. "Cold murder is part of the job description. But... I won't tease you. You saved my life. Thank you."

Her words were heartfelt, sincere, and she only hoped they seemed as genuine as she felt.

Soifon looked away, and Yoruichi thought she saw her face redden for just a second.

"It was, urrm, it was..." Soifon paused for a moment, and took a deep breath. Quickly she said, "The secret is out, anyhow."

Yoruichi blinked. "What?"

"Aizen!" Soifon blurted out, in between furious and flustered. "Aizen Sousuke, the treasonous scum, has revealed himself as the vile, seditious snake that he is. He has ascended to Hueco Mundo, where he plots to overthrow the rightful rule of the captain-commander."

"...Oh," was all Yoruichi managed. She had never been entirely sure of Aizen's intentions, and announcing one's intentions to the world was the least logical route she could think of.

"The proclamation happened less than a day ago," Soifon continued, "and the news has spread throughout the Gotei."

Yoruichi nodded slowly. Aizen... there was no way he had done this to benefit herself and Kisuke, despite it being a welcome circumstance. He had to have done so for a reason, one she didn't even have the energy to ponder at the moment.

"It was him, wasn't it?" Soifon said eagerly. "Back then. When you... when you..."

"When I ran away," Yoruichi murmured, feeling guilt swell up in her chest.

"It was he who made that happen, wasn't it?" Soifon said, and there was an edge to her voice that told Yoruichi that she really, really wanted it to be true. Slowly, she nodded.

"I knew it!" Soifon said furiously. "I knew there had to be something behind that. He threatened you, didn't he? He forced you both into exile. Didn't he?"

Weak and desensitised from the drugs in her system, Yoruichi simply nodded. Soifon had had enough grief, and for now Yoruichi could give her at least this much. She wouldn't rob her of that happiness... not yet.

"I'll go tell the doctor in charge you're awake," Soifon said, nodding eagerly, and although her lips hadn't curved, she was as close to smiling as Yoruichi had ever seen her. Yoruichi nodded, and the little captain hurried out of her room.

It was settled... for the time being.

They had all been treated for the injuries they had taken, mostly in their clash with Hitsugaya Toushirou, and although the teenaged ryoka were grateful, none of them felt at ease. Tatsuki paced back and forth, whenever the attending nurse wouldn't see and give her a sharp reminder that she should be in bed. Uryu stared at the ceiling, deep in thought. Chad was as stoic as always, sitting still in his bed. Orihime, for her part, was fraught with worry, atypically nervous. Erza had been badly hurt, and Orihime had seen a side of her mother that she never had before. She knew this Aizen Sousuke was somebody Erza seemed to both hate and fear, but she had never really realized just what that meant. Maybe she couldn't, not until she saw it herself.

It had been shocking, even a little hurtful, when Erza had broken Orihime's barrier. The desperate demand in her voice when she had ordered Orihime- because it certainly had not been a request of any kind- and the bloodied, dirty face of hers, twisted with grief and anger...

All the same, Orihime was first of all worried for her foster mother. What had she had to go through all those years ago? What would happen to her now? Would she be all right?

Erza's past had always been something she held close to her chest. It had never been like some dark, forbidden secret, but she had never spoken of it, and Orihime had always had a sense she preferred it that way. She had never tried to pry. Erza was Erza, and that had always been enough.

Then there was the fact that although they were treated cordially enough, it was fairly obvious they were not here as guests; even Orihime had not missed that. Armed guards flanked the doors, and although they were not chained to their beds, that captain lady with the braids- Unohana, Orihime recalled- had visited them several times and made it clear enough that they should not leave their room, and as sure as Erza's cry at the hill had been an order, the captain's quiet instruction had been one, too. They were prisoners, after all, albeit under more pleasant circumstances.

She mentioned as much to Tatsuki, Orihime's voice quiet and subdued.

"Hey," said Tatsuki reassuringly, pausing her paces to move over to Orihime's bed, "don't worry, okay?"

"I honestly can't think of a better time to worry, actually," Orihime said dejectedly. "What if they decide to keep us here forever? We broke their laws... a lot."

"Look, I don't know entirely what's going on," Tatsuki said, and sat down beside Orihime, putting her arm on her friends' shoulder, "but it sounds to me like that Aizen guy just outed himself in a big way. If he's their enemy now, that means we've got that in common. They'll want to know what we know. They'll probably need allies. They're not going to lock us up and throw away the key, yeah?"

"I guess..." Orihime muttered.

"Besides, Erza would never let that happen."

"They've got her, too."

Tatsuki snorted. "So? She was the one who got screwed over by Aizen. She'll know more than anyone else. She's going to be a goldmine of information. If she wants to negotiate, she can ask for anything she wants."

"Maybe..."

"Actually," Uryu cut in quietly, "I agree with Arisawa. I have no faith in the shinigami's sense of humanity, but they've never been outright impractical. There is... hope, after all."

Orihime nodded. "I'm worried for her, though. She went through a lot."

"Good thing she has you, then," said Tatsuki encouragingly, "and us, too." She looked around the room and smiled.

"Look at us. We're all alive, and so is Erza, and so is Yoruichi, and Rukia too. We made it. We made it, and nobody died. We should be celebrating."

"I would remind you that you only just now ceased pacing, which you've done uninterrupted for hours now," Uryu said dryly.

"Shut up, nerd," Tatsuki said, her tone not unfriendly. "Orihime, chin up. The worst is behind us."

"You're right," Orihime said, her spirits rising a little. "Thanks."

"No worries," Tatsuki said, patting Orihime's arm affectionately. "What are friends for?"

Orihime took a deep breath. Everything was going to be okay- and if that meant making it okay, then so be it.

Life was funny. Kuchiki Rukia had gotten used to the idea of dying, had told herself she was ready to embrace it, only to realise she wasn't- and just when rescue had come, and hope had returned, she had had it taken from her by Aizen Sousuke. Now, against all expectation, she was alive.

She was unsure about her current legal status; her case was bound to be more than a little overshadowed at the moment, but for the time being she was walking free, once again getting used to the feeling of her shihakusho. The black uniform was reassuring, in a time when everything was uncertain. She was still reeling from the shock of the last few weeks.

Her powers were returning, too. With her restraints taken away, her reiatsu had naturally started to recover; it had been slow at first, but now at the third day after Aizen's public treachery, she felt her energy swell more and more. She couldn't yet sense her zanpakutou's spirit, but soon... soon enough, she would be back to who she had been before that fateful night when she had first met Kurosaki Ichigo.

All that was impactful enough, but even that was pushed out of her mind as she made her way through the Kuchiki mansion toward her brother's room. At his insistence, he had been moved there despite not being fully recovered. He had to have healed well for Captain Unohana to have approved it, but she was told he was still weak. He had summoned her, asked for her specifically, and Rukia could not refuse the head of the clan. She could not refuse her own brother.

She did not know how to feel. She knew Ichigo had some very strong feelings about brothers, but he came from another culture, with a whole other set of values. In the Gotei's noble culture, all belonged to their clan, and as far as Rukia was concerned, her brother had done little wrong. Her sentence had not been fair; that much she had begun to accept- Aizen's doing, she was told- but he had acted as the clan leader should. He had preserved the honour of the Kuchiki clan, even when a member of his family had been implicated. She, for her part, had disgraced the family name.

Would he berate her? Would he shame her? Would he exile her?

No- probably not that far. Aizen's treason, after all, had engineered that disgrace, and among the few silver linings to the current state of affairs was the fact that he was the perfect face-saver for a clan as prestigious as theirs.

Even so, she approached his chambers with trepidation. What would he have to say to her?

She took a deep breath, swallowed, and quietly opened the door. Her brother lay still, eyes closed, on a luxurious bed, the covers silken and purple. Trying her hardest not to make a sound, she kneeled before his bed, waiting for him to address her. He was asleep, it seemed, and she had no right to wake him, even before considering his wounds.

He had taken a near fatal injury for her, even when he was all but dead already. He had lost an arm in the process, although it seemed it had been reattached. This, she didn't understand. Why would he care that much?

She sat in silence for a few minutes, before her revered elder brother stirred, opening his eyes.

"How long have you sat there?" he asked.

"Not long, elder brother," Rukia said promptly. "I was summoned, and so I came."

"So you did," Byakuya said, and nodded slowly. He looked tired, and Rukia realized he still had to be recuperating from blood loss. She sat quietly, waiting for him to speak.

"Do you know why you were called?" he said at last, after a long pause.

"I do not, elder brother."

"No, of course you do not. You couldn't possibly."

Rukia gave him a puzzled look, but kept quiet. Her brother stirred, trying to prop himself up on his elbows. He trembled with the effort, straining himself until he shook, but despite that, he fell onto his back with a loud grunt.

"Brother!" Rukia said, unable to contain her concern.

"Stand," he said, letting out a long sigh, taking several deep breaths, rugged and uneven. Fearing for his health, she obeyed.

"Brother, should I call the house doctor?" she said anxiously. "You are not well-"

"You will not," he said, a sharp edge to his voice, its stoic disposition undercut by the deep, ragged breaths he was forced to take. "I have words to speak, and I will not be tended to until they have been said. I have held them back long enough."

"...Yes, brother," Rukia said dejectedly, feeling nervous. But, what could she do? Directly defying the head of the household was out of the question.

"Go to my desk," he instructed her. "In a panel on the wall above it, I have a small storage space for safekeeping. Open it."

"Yes, brother," she said, and hurried to obey his order. She found the panel with a little bit of effort; it had obviously been protected by an advanced kido spell. Her brother muttered something, a password of some sort, and the panel snapped open. Reverently, Rukia slowly slid it open.

Inside were small stacks of paper, letters and documents- important correspondence, no doubt, and documents of significant value, like deeds to land ownership and old treatises. Further inside the small compartment was a small photo of some kind, lined in a simple black frame. This had to be a very personal space, one she had never seen or known of from before.

"Take out the photograph," her brother said. Like it was a delicate butterfly, Rukia reached in and lifted it out with both hands.

"I do not permit even my most trusted servants to touch it, even to clean it," Byakuya added. "Until now, nobody but myself has touched it."

A sense of dread filled Rukia as she lifted the picture out into the light. What sort of treasure was this, that her brother held in such high regard?

"Come," he said, and Rukia hurried to his side, feeling a knot in her stomach. What was this in her hands that he loved so?

"Look at it."

Rukia, trembling a little, held the picture up into the light, and took in a sharp breath.

"It's... it's me."

"Look closer."

Rukia looked again. The picture was a simple black-and-white photograph, faded with age, looking so much like Rukia herself. But as she looked closer, more carefully, she realised it was not her. The nose was a little longer, the face a little less sharply defined, her expression much softer than Rukia's own. In a dozen different ways, she was slightly different, yet at the same time so, so similar.

"Who is she?" she said breathlessly.

"Her name was Hisana," Byakuya said simply. Perhaps it was his weakness, but she thought she heard a quiver in his voice as he said her name.

"Hisana?"

Byakuya took a deep breath.

"A long time ago, when I was an impetuous young man, I met a woman who was brave and bold, yet delicate and elegant. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I fell in love, and despite my parents' wishes, I married her. My father and grandfather both chastised me, rebuked me, called it a youth's folly. Irresponsible. Reckless. Disrespectful. It was all of those things, but I loved her too much to care."

Rukia took a deep breath; she had forgotten to breathe. This was her brother's past, something he had never spoken to her about before.

"Her name was Hisana, and she was a commoner, as noble as mud by the roadside, but I didn't care. She loved me, and I loved her. I have never known happiness such as that which I did in the years we had together.

"But, she had a great regret. Life in the Rukongai can be harsh, and in her youth, she had been forced to leave behind her infant sister to survive. I know not what hell she had to have gone through to be forced that far, and I never asked. She was a kind and noble soul, and it was nothing she would ever have done lightly."

"A sister..." Rukia said, feeling emotion well up in her chest.

"Rukia," her brother said, and nodded, "a sister named Rukia."

"What happened to her?" Rukia insisted. It was rude to interrupt him, but she was past proper courtesy.

"She would often go searching the Rukongai to find her lost sister," Byakuya explained, something woeful inn his voice, "over and over, but to no avail. Eventually... she caught sick. Her constitution was not particularly powerful, and despite having the best of doctors, there was nothing that could be done."

He took a deep breath, as if to stabilise his voice, but even so, when he spoke there was a tremble in his words.

"She died not long after. She begged my forgiveness for her carelessness, but I could not care less. I was beside myself with grief. As I sat by her, watching her draw her last breaths, she asked one last favour of me: that I would continue her search, and take in her sister if I found her. I swore then, on my honour as a Kuchiki, that I would do so, that I would protect her sister Rukia to my dying day. This was the last request she ever made of me. She stopped breathing, and her eyes went dull. I..."

Byakuya stopped himself, and although no emotion could be discerned from his face itself, the way he breathed, the way he had balled his fists...

Rukia felt tears welling up, just at the edge of her eyes. All this time... all this time, he had carried this.

"My parents died not long after," he continued after a short pause, "and I never reconciled with them. They died, and because of my defiance, they left this place without being at peace with me. Upon their graves, I swore an oath that I would never again be reckless or selfish, that I would be an exemplar of the Gotei, of nobility itself, that I would break no law, that I would never exploit a rule to my benefit, that I would hold to this creed without fail, whether it was convenient for me or not. These two things, my beloved Hisana's grave and the grave of my parents, they shaped a young man into being the leader you see now."

"Brother..." Rukia said, her voice a whisper.

"For all the good it did me," he said bitterly, "because in the end, I broke my oath. I had sworn to protect you, and I could not. I was prepared to see you die, pigheadedly committed to my beliefs. When that order came... I knew I could not fulfil one oath without breaking the other. Regardless of my choice, regardless of the outcome, my honour, all that I am, would have been stained."

"You saved my life, brother," Rukia said, a tear finally trailing down her cheek.

"And it took a most thorough beating before I saw reason. You will never speak of this to anyone, but... that insolent ryoka scum was right. I should never have accepted that sentence in the first place. Had I died, it would have been penance for my error."

"Don't say that!" Rukia burst out. "You dying, for me? What good would that do? You are our head! You're my revered elder brother!"

"Yet I would gladly have paid that price," he said calmly. "I swore two oaths. I did my very best to live my life right. Yet, in the end it was providence that saved us both, not my actions."

"We were deceived," Rukia insisted, "and that is not your fault!"

"I should have known better," he said stubbornly, "and for that... I beg your forgiveness."

"There's nothing to forgive," Rukia said equally stubbornly, in disbelief that her elder brother, the right and honourable Lord Kuchiki, would deign to apologise to her.

"So be it, then," he said, and nodded slowly, looking a little relieved. "I may not excuse myself for these actions, but at least you do. It is more than I deserve."

"No, it's not," Rukia said firmly.

Her heart was thumping, emotion racing through her. Anger, empathy, determination- that anxiety she had entered with had been blown away, replaced by a cocktail of sensations that no words could adequately describe. She had never believed her brother had cared. She had never believed she was much more than a burden. She had never believed she was... wanted. But now... now, the opposite seemed true.

Byakuya grunted. "Mayhap you had best call the physician after all," he said. He shifted uncomfortably. "I am in some... distress."

Catching a hint- or perhaps it was no hint at all- Rukia nodded, and hurried out the door, her confused heart even more helplessly lost than it had been when she had entered.

It took them only two days more to fully recover. Erza had put off the recovery of her powers, despite them rapidly draining. As far as Orihime knew, she had healed fully. Whatever may come, it could wait until after her fate had been decided. What use would a zanpakutou be if she rotted away in the Maggots' Nest?

Along with Lisanna, Renji, Rod, Rangiku, and Momo, she had been shackled on the third morning in preparation of the tribunal. Within hours, their fates would be decided forever.

"I'm surprised you didn't resist," Rod muttered, irritably fidgeting with an old cigarette butt. He was nervous, she could tell, although he hid it well.

"No," said Erza. "I wouldn't even if I could. It's time I faced my past."

"Wasn't that Aizen?" said Renji.

"That, too," said Erza, "but I was an officer once. Now that the truth is out..." She sighed and shook her head. "This is home. Or, it was, for a long time. I won't run from it. Come on- let's face that old bastard. Whatever may come, we'll be in it together."

"You make the prospect of execution or life in prison sound downright inspiring," said Rod dryly. "Still... nothing for it, I guess."

Together, the traitors were marched to the meeting hall of the captains, ready as they could be to face their doom.

It was a pitiful gathering, all things considered. The hall was as splendid as ever, but a thick gloom hung over them all; even Kyouraku Shunsui looked serious. Three captains were missing, and three more stood among the accused. Even Kenpachi had been shackled, and although Yamamoto's pupils had escaped that indignity, they too stood alongside the traitors, awaiting judgment.

With Kuchiki Byakuya still in recovery, and Kurotsuchi Mayuri typically absent, this left precious few captains standing at the commander's side. He sat on a throne-like chair, flanked by Soifon, Unohana Retsu, Komamura Sajin and Hitsugaya Toushirou, each accompanied by their vice-captains- except Hitsugaya, of course. Hisagi and Kira were both present as well, brow-beaten and sullen, hurt by the betrayal of their captains. They all stood upright, to attention, staring down their former comrades with stern faces.

"This tribunal is called to order," Yamamoto began solemnly, "under the authority of the Central Forty-Six, in whose absence I must judge you all as the final arbiter of Gotei law. Today we settle the fate of those who broke faith with the organisation which I have led for a thousand years. Today, each of your reasons shall be heard, and judgment meted. Know that your fates lie fully in my hand, that your living or dying is by my will, manifest as the will of the Soul King himself. Treat this court with respect, speak clearly, and display no mischief, lest your chance to be heard be stripped from you. Is this understood?"

There was a quiet chorus of 'yes' murmured from the accused, and Erza looked to the old man with trepidation. This was it.

"Very well, then. As captain-commander of the Gotei 13 and sole representative of the Soul King's order, I declare this tribunal to be in session. May you fear and respect its judgment and authority."

Wait a minute? What do you mean there's a trial?! Their supposed to, like, team up and stuff!

I'm well aware that's how things went in the original cannon, but lets not forget that the gotie does have several traitors to deal with, and not just the ones who went to huecco mundo. This kinda needs to be dealt with.

Its the next chapter from here on out, where things will truly begin to be much different than the original cannon. I've already left a few hints as to how, but I don't want to say them out right.

Oh, and for those of you who may be concerned about Orihime's healing powers being used as Deus Ex Machina in the future...Don't. The latest Bleach light novel (which ive found to be very informative.) has given us specifics on what limits her powers have. You'll all be finding out what those are very soon, but needless to say, don't worry about her being able to prevent any and all deaths.

Characters are GOING to die from here on out. This isn't going to be like most anime and manga where we can just wish them back to life, or they magically survive their wounds all the time. Their WILL be casualties on BOTH sides. I already even have a list, and yes, some of those characters ARE fan favorites. Not all of them are in the arrancar arc, their WILL be deaths.

Besides, I didn't use Orihime to save Momo JUST because she's my favorite character. I plan on doing a lot more with her, not just as a fighter, but as a character. There are a lot of responsibility's that come with power like this...and I want to explore them as well as her relationship with Erza.

But fear not Rukia fans. I know she hasn't been playing the biggest role in the story so far, but I do plan on using her more than I have. I think you'll all enjoy what I have planned.

But that's all I have for this time. Thanks for reading. Please let us know what you thought of the chapter in a review, it really means a lot.