I can hardly believe it. After the end of not only Bleach, but less than the Month of Fairy Tails final chapter...We've finally reached 1000 reviews. Over 1000 in fact. Its hard for me to just realize that this actually happened. I'm very proud that ive managed to get the story to this point, that ive managed to get this many reviews before the soul society arc was truly over with, but more than that...I'm thankful. I'm thankful to God for helping me to get this story idea out of my head and for once actually doing something about it, I'm thankful to Greatkingrat88 for writing this story in such a talented way that has helped us get this far, and to jcampbellohten for being our beta for so long, but above all, I'm thankful to you, the readers who managed to leave a review for us. Be it short, or long, positive or negative, I'm immensely grateful for all of them.
You guys have been amazing and such a source of inspiration for me. So, allow me to sincerely thank each and every single one of you who left a review.
But you're not here to read a huge thank you now are you? No, your here for the Tribunal that our heroes have ended up in. How will they be judged? Will they be pardoned? Will they have no choice but to run away? Well, there's only one way to find out.
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.
Orihime wasn't sure just where they were going, or why, but she followed the braided captain all the same. That morning, the captain had picked up Orihime from the hospital room she stayed in and cryptically asked her to come along, stating she needed her help. Although skeptical, and more than a little suspicious of the shinigami in general, Orihime had remembered that Erza only had good things to say about Unohana Retsu, and had complied. They had briskly marched out of the division and into the Seireitei, and Orihime had very quickly lost track of where she had come from or where they were going. Only when they approached a big, formal-looking building did she get a sense of where they were going. Huffing, she took a running step to keep pace with the captain.
"Are you in a hurry, Miss Captain, sir?" she said quizzically, figuring it was best to be polite.
"Not as such, no, although a bit of promptness is appropriate," Unohana said gently. "I am to preside over the tribunal in two hours' time, and the captain-commander would be cross with me if I were late."
"Oh," said Orihime. The thought of her mother, her friends, standing trial... she had never thought of what would happen once they got Rukia, but it made sense that the shinigami army people wouldn't like the idea of somebody breaking out their prisoners. Just what would happen... well, she could only hope.
"Don't worry," Unohana said, as if reading her mind. "If there was ever a time the captain-commander would show mercy, it is now. He's not normally a very kind man, but right now, he might not have a choice."
"Why did you want me to come with you, anyway?" said Orihime, keen to think about something else.
"You'll see in a second," said Unohana, as the two of them walked up the stairs of the very official-looking building. It was imposing, looking ancient and dignified, undercut somewhat by the colourful plastic bands put over its entrance, presumably to mark it as off-limits. A crime scene.
Without a thought, Unohana ripped the plastic markings aside and stepped in, Orihime following close behind. The inside was no less splendid than the outside, but there was something... something in the air, a rank smell writhing its way into her nostrils. She made a face.
"You'll need these," said Unohana, and handed her two little things that looked like ear plugs.
"Is it going to be loud?" Orihime said.
"For your nose," Unohana explained. "Just trust me on this. You'll want this, too."
She produced a simple face mask made of a simple fabric, handing it to Orihime, before strapping one over her own mouth. Still puzzled, Orihime complied, plugging her nose and putting the mask on.
"This way," said Unohana, and Orihime followed her as they walked further into the building. There was something thick in the air, and Orihime suspected she should be grateful for the protective gear. They turned a corner, walked through a decorated hall, and then there they were, moving through an impressive set of golden doors.
Despite the protections, Orihime gagged, and nearly sunk to her knees as they came inside, Unohana supporting her. On the floor, and on the observer's benches above, corpses were scattered, in an advanced state of decay. Brown, dry splatters of what had to be blood seemed to be everywhere.
"I am sorry to spring this on you," said Unohana, "but I feared you would say no if I told you what I would ask of you."
"It's okay, really," Orihime lied, croaking out the words. Her knees were still wobbly, and she was still leaned on Unohana's arm.
"You don't have to be here if you absolutely do not want to," said the doctor, "but if you feel able, I would like for you to try something. I even held off the medical teams who would normally collect the bodies."
Pale, Orihime nodded. She was grateful now; the stench of the dead was likely to fill the chamber.
"I've dedicated my life to easing pain and mending injuries," said Unohana, and gently took a few steps forward, pulling Orihime along with her, "but the greatest thing I, or any physician, could dream of would be to be obsolete- to live in a world where nobody got hurt, where nobody needed us. As a doctor, I can only mend what is already broken. But, what you can do... what I saw you do on that hill, that treads ever so slightly on that dream. It is an incredible, godlike power. I would like for you to try to use it."
"Wh-what do you mean?" Orihime said, taking a deep breath. She tried very hard not to look up, not to look further than the floor right ahead of her, but death was everywhere around her.
"These men and women were murdered over two weeks ago. I want you to use that power of yours. Heal them."
"Are you serious?" Orihime said, paling. "I am not- I'm not some kind of god who can bring back the dead!"
"You brought young Hinamori back from the dead not long ago," said Unohana, "but if you're too uncomfortable..."
"N-no, I'll... I'll try," Orihime said weakly, taking another deep breath and mustering her resolve. Erza wouldn't back down.
"Very good," said Unohana, and nodded. "Try that man, then." She pointed at a corpse splayed out two feet from them, an old man lying on his back with his hands clutching a gut wound, eyes open and his mouth twisted in a still, never-ending look of pain.
Taking another deep breath, Orihime kneeled by the corpse.
"Souten Kisshun," she said, forcing her voice to be stable. The orange shimmer manifested as her little fairies did their work, encompassing the dead man's form. The process always drained a little out of her; she didn't know just how her powers worked, but it didn't come for free. It made sense, she supposed.
Here, although sickened by the macabre sight around her, it was calmer than it had been up on the hill, and she took her time shaping the dome properly, before letting her energy into it. For a moment, nothing happened; then, the gray, decaying skin of the old man began to freshen, gain a little more colour. His injury closed up, along with the cut in his robes, and his face gained a peaceful look. His eyes, which had been glassy and rotting, regained their lustre. Within a minute, he looked like he was just sleeping.
But, he lay still.
"I-I think that's all I can do," Orihime said uncertainly.
"Very well," Unohana said, and nodded. "Let it go, then."
Orihime let the aura subside, sealing her powers once more. Unohana kneeled by the corpse, next to Orihime, and placed her fingers on its neck to take its pulse. After a few seconds she leaned down, placing her ear over its chest, then its mouth, and Orihime recognised it as a basic life-sign check.
"Still quite dead."
"I-I did my best," Orihime said. "I tried-"
"You did very well. You've been brave, Inoue," said Unohana reassuringly. "It was a long shot, but... I had to know if it worked or not."
"Well, why didn't it?"
"It did."
Orihime frowned. "No, it didn't. He's still dead."
"Your powers worked," Unohana explained, "in the way they do work. They restored his form. But as I suspected, although your power can shape matter, it cannot create spiritual energy out of thin air. Hinamori Momo was very recently deceased, and I suspect you could have achieved the same result even after a day or two, because reiatsu takes a while to disperse... but this man's energy has long since been absorbed by the Soul Society itself. Your powers are incredible, but they have their limits. Make use of that knowledge."
Orihime nodded, forgetting momentarily about the rancid carnage around her. Her powers... they were something else. Knowing this made her feel like she knew herself better.
"I do apologize," Unohana continued. "It is a terrible sight for a young girl to have to see."
"I'm fine," Orihime said, trying to sound chipper.
"Quite the trooper, just like your mother," Unohana said. "Let's go outside, shall we?"
"...Yes, let's," Orihime said. When all was said and done, she couldn't say she was keen to stay in this place any longer than she had to.
It was a hard thing, standing before the judgemental gaze of Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryuusai, knowing her fate hung in the balance, but although she trembled inside, although her gut was churning and adrenaline ran through her system, Erza felt a sense of... relief. It would finally be done with. She would finally be heard and judged fairly- well, as fair as the Gotei could be, at least. Her involuntary exile had always been a regret, a wound time had never truly healed, not just because of the loss of her friends but because it had felt wrong to be forced to leave on such terms. No matter what would come, she would at least have closure.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the accused," said Unohana, taking a step forward, "this tribunal is now in session. All accused of treason are present today, excepting Shihoin Yoruichi, who is not yet well enough to attend. As neither I nor the captain-commander have legal training, or the time to spare for a full procedure, today's judgment will be somewhat... informal."
She looked out over them all, a solemn, serious look on her face. She wasn't very tall, Erza thought, but somehow she seemed to tower over them all. Her hands were clasped, and she looked more intimidating than even the old commander himself, without even having to try.
"As the matter of your guilt is not in question, and as not one of you has bothered denying the charges of treason, sedition, unlawful rebellion and whatever else we call disloyalty, we will not bother with gathering evidence. Instead, you will each be called forward to speak, make your case if you so please. The commander will hear your words, and I will ask you questions if I deem it necessary. Captain-Commander Yamamoto will call each of your names, and you will step forward and speak. All who are not called will hold their tongue, or lose their chance to speak. Is this understood?"
There was a chorus of affirmatives, murmurs of 'yes,' or even nods, and only Erza raised her voice to say, 'yes' loudly and clearly.
Unohana nodded, and turned to Yamamoto. The captain-commander, who was seated in his throne-like chair, had his hands clasped around his cane. He looked very, very old, aged and worn, Erza thought. Had he always looked that way?
"Ukitake Juushirou and Kyouraku Shunsui, step forth," the old man commanded, his voice ringing out with authority. His two prodigies promptly stepped forward, both looking solemn and serious. "Captain Unohana, proceed."
Unohana nodded, giving the old man a nod.
"Ukitake Juushirou and Kyouraku Shunsui," she began, "as your crimes are equal, you will both be heard together."
Kyouraku looked like he might utter some smart remark, but simply nodded. Ukitake looked her in the eyes.
"Unlike the others," said Unohana, "you did not rebel out of loyalty to an old comrade, nor did you do so out of obligation to the prisoner in question. On your own volition, you turned against the Gotei to the point of treason. Do you admit to this?"
"We do," Ukitake said firmly, holding his head high, and Erza could not help but admire him, "and we did so knowing full well what the consequences would be."
"What did you expect would come of this?" said Unohana. "Did you expect Kuchiki Rukia would be saved? Not condemned? Why did you rebel?"
"Let me, Jushirou," said Kyouraku mildly, and raised his head.
"By all means," said Ukitake.
"Old man," said Kyouraku, "I told you already why, and that hasn't changed. What the Central Forty-Six did- what Aizen did- was wrong and illegal. I joke around, I act like a lazy bum, but at the end of the day, what you built here in the Gotei, it matters. You obeyed because that's what the captain-commander does when the forty-six call, but it was wrong all the same. Your hand was forced, and you'd have been a murderer if it happened. That's all it was. I couldn't stand by and let it happen. I'm loyal to you, sensei, to my grave, and that means being loyal to the man you always were. You've done grim things in your time, but you've never been a murderer or a butcher. Now was not a good time to start."
He took a deep breath, and sighed.
"...That was it, really," he murmured. "Damn it, I'd kill for a drink right now..."
"Ukitake Juushirou, have you anything to add?" said Unohana.
"Not a word, senpai," said Ukitake, and shook his head. "Kyouraku put it better than me, anyhow. If we have to be judged for this, so be it."
Unohana nodded. "Ukitake Juushirou and Kyouraku Shunsui have been heard, and will step back. Abarai Renji, step forth."
The two stepped back, and Renji stepped forward, trying to seem defiant.
"Abarai Renji, what say you to the charge of treason?"
"Guilty," he said stubbornly. "Guilty as sin, that's for sure." He paused, and Erza could practically hear the gears turning in his head; he had never been the greatest public speaker.
"I don't got a lot to say," he said at last, "only that I shoulda tried to save Rukia from the start. It took my old sensei to snap me out of it, and she was right all along. Rukia didn't deserve it, and we was all fools for not seeing it. If I get the axe for it, it'll be worth it. She's safe."
"You have nothing further?"
"Nope," said Renji, gritting his teeth.
"Then step back," Unohana instructed him. "Rodrigo Sentry, step forth."
Rod stepped forward, looking expressionless. Whatever state of mind he was in, he masked it well, seeming to tackle the situation the way he'd tackle a mission: dispassionately and with tranquillity of mind.
"Rodrigo Sentry, how do you answer the charge of treason? You are not only an officer of the Gotei Thirteen, but second-in-command to intelligence, making your betrayal even more dire. What say you?"
Rod breathed in, then with a steady voice said, "I planned behind all your backs for years. Nobody noticed a thing, 'cause I'm good at my job."
Soifon shot him a glare, and Erza a look. He didn't have to say that.
"Was bound to come up, anyway," he said with a shrug, without even looking at Erza. "Yeah, I've been on her side ever since she got kicked out. It was me who helped her run, even. I think I outrank most of you here in terms of turning coats."
"You willingly admit to this treason?" said Unohana.
"Didn't stutter, did I?" he said stubbornly. "Yes I do, 'cause you were all wrong. But even if you had been right, I'd still have done it. I'm still alive today because of her. I was once so deep in despair I nearly took my own life, and she stopped me. Made me turn it around. That matters more than anything. If I'd died doin' this, I'd have considered it adequate payment. It's not that I'm disloyal- it's just that I'm loyal to somebody else first."
"Are you finished?" said Unohana, her eyes narrowing.
"Mostly," he said with a shrug, "except I think you lot ought to think about it. Aizen pulled the wool over your eyes for so long, and when the order came to execute somebody over nothing, we didn't even flinch. I'm no ideologue, but it seems to me that when we live in a society that can do that, something ain't right. The one you chased as a traitor was the one that was right, and you was the one that was wrong, and it took a goddamned show-off Prima Donna asshole blasting his treason loud as a megaphone for you to notice."
He shrugged again.
"Hang me if you need to. I got nothing else."
Without waiting to be dismissed, he turned around and fell in line.
"Lisanna Strauss," Unohana said without flinching, "step forward."
Promptly, Lisanna obeyed.
"What say you to the charge of treason? You assaulted Captain Kurotsuchi, and aided a known traitor, going against the Gotei."
Lisanna defiantly stared into Unohana's eyes. "I'm unique," she began, taking a deep breath, "because I'm the only one accused who knows the traitor in question from life. We both came from another world, another place. How it came to be, I do not know. But I do know this.
"When I died, I was but a child. I remembered the values that my guild- my family- taught me about friendship, about sacrifice, about loyalty, about a belief in doing right no matter what, about believing in the best of worlds while preparing for the worst. It was an optimistic world view. The Soul Society hardened me. The Rukongai was no picnic, and becoming a shinigami exposed me to all kinds of brutality. I've seen many fellow soldiers die in the line of duty. I've seen many souls die because we were too late, or too careless, or too callous. I became a terminator, and I hunted hollows day and night. Life in those squads... it made me hard. I forgot the old Lisanna Strauss of Fairy Tail. I forgot where I came from. But Erza did not. Erza retained the same spirit, despite the intense hardships she had to go through. I always admired that in her. Erza reminded me of a time when life was simpler. Of values I would love to believe in, but often found myself doubting. It was because of this I didn't hesitate. When she came back, I knew I had to help her, no matter the cost. I stayed loyal to my own principles- just like the captains of Eighth and Thirteenth. I've no regrets. As for Kurotsuchi, he's a monster and you all know it. My only regret is that he lived."
For a moment a tiny smile passed Unohana's face as Lisanna said her last remark, but her face almost immediately became blank again.
"Have you been heard?"
"I have," Lisanna said emphatically.
"Then, step aside."
Lisanna obeyed, falling in line with the others.
"Zaraki Kenpachi, step forth."
The huge, muscular frame of Kenpachi made its way forward, the man looking amused more than anything else.
"Y'all know these shitty cuffs don't do shit, right?" he said with a grin. "Them chains might hold down the pissants around me, but all I need to do is flex my muscles..."
"Zaraki Kenpachi, what say you to the charge of treason?" Unohana said, ignoring his provocation.
"Well, shit, I ain't got no grand speech like that girl," he said, and shrugged. "I was just bein' me. Didn't seem to bother you all none before. Fer a good fight there's nothing I won't do. If you think that's treason, you didn't pay attention when you hired me."
Unohana gave him a look, and Erza could swear she rolled her eyes.
"Have you been heard?"
"Uh? Yeah, sure. Also, fuck that Aizen bastard. He's a no-good kido-usin' brat," said Kenpachi, still grinning widely. Demonstratively flexing his arms against his cuffs, he stepped back in line.
"Hinamori Momo," said Unohana, "step forth."
Bravely, looking perky and strangely up-beat for such a grim setting, Momo stepped forward.
"What say you to the charge of treason?"
"Extremely guilty," said Momo.
"I take it you have more to say than that?" said Unohana mildly.
"I do," Momo said and nodded. "It's like Rod said before. She was right, all along. I know everyone thought I was crazy, believing in her all this time, but look how things turned out, eh? I always knew she wasn't a traitor. I always knew she would come back. And I was right. I have no regrets at all."
Erza's heart soared a little, although she couldn't help but wonder if it was healthy to be that dismissive of a court that could well end her life.
"Have you been heard?" said Unohana.
"I have been heard," Momo said with a happy nod.
"Then you are dismissed," said Unohana, and Momo obediently fell back in line.
"Matsumoto Rangiku, step forth."
Rangiku stepped up, looking nervous. She out of all people had been the least morally invested, and probably the least zealous.
"What say you to the charge of treason?"
"Er, well," Rangiku said, and licked her lips, "I don't think there's any point in saying 'not guilty', right?"
"How do you plead?" Unohana repeated.
"Fine, guilty," Rangiku muttered, running a hand through her hair. "God, what a mess..."
"You turned against the Gotei Thirteen and your own captain. For what reason?"
"I- I don't know," Rangiku said, stuttering a bit. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
She knew about Ichigo's past, Erza had gathered. Finding out about her captain's fate had been her reason. Yet she wouldn't say it, wouldn't give him up. Rangiku might not have been much like Erza herself, but Erza still had to respect her.
"You have nothing else to say?"
"Like I said, seemed like a good idea. Seemed right. I don't have any grand speeches. I'm sorry." Looking deflated, the busty vice-captain shrugged.
"If you have nothing else to add..."
Rangiku did not, and on her own volition, she stepped back.
"Erza Scarlet, step forth," said Unohana, and Erza nearly skipped forward, having waited for this moment. Eagerly she strode forth, standing face-to-face with the doctor.
"Erza Scarlet, some twenty years ago you were convicted of treason, escaped custody, and since then lived in exile. Not a week ago you led an invasion of the Seireitei, badly injuring several officers and committing multiple acts of terrorism. What say you?"
"Guilty," Erza said without hesitating.
"Then speak your peace," said Unohana, nodding back.
Erza took a deep breath. It was a mad thing to do, telling the truth, but she had to.
"I first met Aizen when I was an academy student. He was a kido teacher. I am sure that was when he first got his eyes on me. As I rose to the ranks of officer, we became close. Some of you may believe Aizen framed me, and he did- but there is much more to it than that."
This was it. She might well condemn herself here entirely, and everyone who followed with her.
"I was his willing accomplice."
There were some gasps running through the hall, and even the captain-commander raised an eyebrow.
"Like Lisanna said, I believed in a better world than this. He... exploited that. I became frustrated with the Soul Society as it was. I saw no potential for change. I saw no way of making the world a better place. He played on those frustrations, and not knowing who he was, trusting him, I fell for it completely. He promised a better tomorrow, at the expense of overthrowing the Gotei as it was, and I agreed. I became his subordinate, alongside Ichimaru and Tousen. We schemed and planned- well, he did the scheming, really- for the day when he would reveal himself. The day that you all just saw."
There was something deeply liberating about saying all of this. She was putting a bit of a slant on it, she knew; she hadn't nearly said just how much she despised the Gotei's status quo, or its cruelty and callousness, but she was already taking a big enough risk as it was. But even modified, telling the truth was uplifting. She had carried these secrets close to her chest for so long, for so many decades, and letting them out was like draining a boil.
"I saw a bleak and careless Soul Society, filled with ailing people getting no help. I was promised more. But with time, I started to see what kind of man Aizen was. I started to doubt him, too. When I confronted him, when I told him I wanted no part of his vision, he had me framed. I was to be locked up, kept in wait for when his vision had been realised. I escaped, I made a new life, but I always intended to come back. I always knew business had not been settled yet. I knew what he was, and I still came back, because you had a viper in your midst. In the end, I made no difference.
"No... that's not true. We did save Rukia's life, and that is difference enough. But Aizen could not be stopped, because his power was too great. So, hear me well, captain-commander: you are in for the war of your life. He has amassed hollows of great powers, and he intends to transform them for his own gain. He would see your Gotei burned down to the ground and remade in his image. He will stop at nothing to achieve what he has set out to do, and he is cunning, is powerful, and knows his enemies inside out, whereas we barely know his side at all."
"You have knowledge of his plans? Of his resources?"
It was Yamamoto who had spoken up, for the first time since the tribunal had begun.
"I do," Erza said, and nodded, "but I'm not asking to trade them for my life. I'm a traitor all the same, even if I was framed. But ask yourself this, commander: why did so many of your kind turn so easily against you because I asked? Why did my voice weigh more heavily than duty or tradition?"
Yamamoto did not answer, so she continued.
"It is because they knew they were asked to do wrong, captain-commander. In my life, in my afterlife, I have always chosen right over law whenever I can. That's the Fairy Tail way, the way my guild taught me. They did the same. Your courts did something deeply wrong, and it wasn't questioned. We rebelled, but we did so with our consciences intact. At what point does a traitor become a rebel, a freedom fighter? How cruel must a government be before somebody puts their foot down and says, 'no'? You know the answer already, Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryuusai- because I have shown you."
Yamamoto said nothing, staring down on her inscrutably.
"That was... quite a testimony," said Unohana, her brows furrowed. "Was there anything else you would like to add?"
Erza shook her head. "A lot, but we'd be here all day. It's as good as it will get. I'm ready to be judged."
Without waiting for dismissal, she fell back in line with her fellow traitors.
Unohana nodded slowly. "We have heard the words of each traitor accused. As there is nothing else left, we shall proceed to judgment-"
"Wait," Soifon said, stepping forward. "There is one left."
"This is most irregular, captain," said Yamamoto, "and now is no time for follies."
"There are no follies, captain-commander," Soifon said, her voice loud and firm. "I wish to stand among the accused."
"Bite your tongue, girl," Yamamoto said irritably. "This is no time for-"
"I had knowledge of the traitors' whereabouts for at least four days, and failed to report it," Soifon said adamantly, "which under Gotei law is a first-class criminal offence."
"Explain," Yamamoto demanded.
"I tracked down the traitor Shihoin Yoruichi to a cave in the outskirts of the Seireitei," said Soifon, "and although I found both her and the ryoka there, I let myself be convinced not to give up her position. On the promise- the unreliable promise of a traitor- that she would give herself up, I let them be. That is treason enough, commander."
"You admit this willingly?"
"I do," Soifon said firmly.
"Then stand with the accused and be heard."
Soifon nodded, and stood before Unohana.
"Unlike those behind me," she began, "I will make no excuses for my behaviour. If I had caught one of my subordinates doing that, I would have sent them to the Maggots' Nest for the rest of their lives. I allowed a personal matter to cloud my judgment, despite the course of action being crystal clear. There is no excuse.
"I despise the traitors behind me. Excuses is all I have heard from each and every one of them. Fine words of loyalty and righteousness, each one explaining away disloyalty. Duty is not a fancy or a whim. It is not some polite suggestion. Duty is the iron wall upon which our organization is built. We are not allowed to choose which parts of our orders we do or do not want to follow. Whether the Gotei Thirteen was wrong or not was inconsequential- it is the duty of each and every one of us to obey an order whether we agree with it or not. No, I despise the people behind me, and I despise myself for succumbing to it."
"Zealously spoken, captain," Unohana said, "but I hope it leads somewhere?"
"It does, Captain Unohana," said Soifon, nodding. "Yes, with that said, I will take this time not to plead for myself or make excuses, but to advise the captain-commander as his head of intelligence."
"You would advise me, as a self-confessed traitor?" said Yamamoto.
"I have not yet been fired from my position, sir," said Soifon defiantly.
"Proceed, then," the old man said.
Soifon nodded. "It is well known to anyone who leads that just as a set of principles and rules are essential to running an organisation, so is the need for practicality. Here in the Gotei, we absolutely hold to the notion that obedience to our creed is essential and uncompromising, that we are justified and right, that those who break our rules must be punished.
"Yet at the same time, we also make exceptions. In the Stealth Force, we hold that murderers and traitors must die, and thieves be imprisoned. Yet, if a thief will give us the right information, he can buy his way out of justice. This seems contradictory to the notion of justice- justice, without which we would just be well-dressed thugs. Is justice something you can barter with? Obviously, yes. When I spare a thief to catch a murderer, I weigh the importance of the crime of murder against theft, and decide which one matters more. Knowing this, criminals are more inclined to cooperate with us in our investigations. It is clear that we have principles, principles that at least on paper are unyielding- but in reality are anything but. Such is the way the Stealth Force, and all the Gotei, has always operated. I absolutely believe in the Gotei Thirteen, captain-commander, and in the values for which it stands, but at the same time I compromise. We all compromise when it comes down to it, because absolute adherence to principle is not viable in reality. This is never clearer than in intelligence work, where right and wrong is often muddled."
"Get to the point, Captain Soifon," said Yamamoto.
"Yes, sir. It is as the filthy traitor behind me said- you face the war of a lifetime. As your head of intelligence, I recommend that you pardon all traitors present. Compromise, allow them redemption, or you face a bleak future."
"You ask to be pardoned, standing where you are as a traitor?" Yamamoto said curiously.
"I ask no mercy for myself," Soifon said heatedly, "and had we the time, I would recommend that I was prosecuted to the full extent of the law, punished in accordance with my crime. I am not here with self-interest at heart. If I were, why would I even confess to this crime, when I was not even accused?"
Yamamoto stared her down.
"Continue," he said, after a long pause.
"My advice is that they all be pardoned, myself included, because they are strong, competent, powerful officers, experienced and with skill sets that will make each and every one of them a valuable military asset, and you will need each one to assure victory. That is my full opinion as a military advisor. Be advised, sir, that this decision will reflect on you as a leader. Either the Gotei's laws are uncompromising, eternal and inviolable, and each traitor should be punished to the full extent of the law- or exceptions can be made. As I already pointed out, we do make exceptions, and when viewed absolutely... if you can make any kind of exception even once, then you can make an exception for anything at any time, if only the circumstances are right. Better circumstances to make exceptions have never arisen, to the best of my knowledge."
Soifon fell quiet. She had spoken loudly, even passionately, and Erza could hear her breathe.
"Do you have anything left to add?" said Unohana at last.
"Only that if the captain-commander rules we be executed, every last one of us should be executed without exception. Either the laws are absolute, or they are not."
The captain-commander gave Soifon a long look.
"Stand with the accused, head of intelligence. I have made my decision. It is time you all face judgment."
Soifon nodded and complied. All of them stood in a line before the captain-commander, and Erza felt a lump in her stomach. Soon it would be over, finally done with, and although she hoped to come out on top, right then she wanted most of all to have it done. The wait was in many ways the worst part of all. No doubt most of the others felt the same.
Yamamoto stood up, leaned on his cane, and looked over the group of accused traitors.
"The law is a fine thing," he began, his voice rumbling across the room like a bear's growl. "Justice is a fine thing. It is the foundation that the Gotei is built upon. For a thousand years, these two things have been my guiding principles. My charge, given by the Soul King himself, was to run the Gotei Thirteen until my dying day. To regulate the flow of souls, to secure the balance of worlds, to thus keep the realms safe. I have done my best to live up to this command."
If there was emotion in his voice, Erza could not spot it, but she was sure this was something she had never heard before, not in all her time serving the Gotei. Whatever he might feel, the old man now spoke more of the Gotei and its history than she had ever known him to say.
"Law and justice are fine things, and under normal circumstances, I would not hesitate in enforcing them all. But before there was a common law, before there was a Central Forty-Six, before there was a Gotei Thirteen, there was I, Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryuusai, warlord, leader, general. You young fools know nothing of that time. Some of you, although I doubt many, may have read an account in a history book, but in this room only one person will properly remember what the world was like a thousand years ago."
He nodded toward Unohana. Of course; who else?
"Only I understand. Only I saw the futility of a world where law was not, where all we had were loose alliances between noble houses, each one equally cruel, vicious, fickle, and self-centered. I changed that world. I brought order. I kept to that order, because I and I alone know that the alternative was wanton cruelty, murder and petty political struggles. I took all military might from nobility, and took it for myself. The result was a thousand years of what was mostly peace, mostly stability, mostly order.
"Yet I remember all the same that for law and justice to exist, we must first have stability and order. A bandit will not stop to consider right or wrong before he robs. There must be a lawman to punish him, and a court to sentence him, and a prison to put him in until he has paid his penance. Before these things exist, to speak of law and justice is folly. Might and wisdom are the pillars upon which righteousness rests. It falls to me, therefore, to secure those pillars so that law and justice may continue to exist, that all we worked for does not fall into anarchy and chaos."
He paused, and Erza breathed in. She had never understood why the corruption of the Gotei had come to be, why it was tolerated. She didn't still, didn't condone it, but there was some perspective now, entering her mind. There was some... nuance.
"Ukitake. Kyouraku. Step forward."
On command, his two pupils stepped forth.
"You rose up against injustice. To do so was treasonous, yet your motives were virtuous. Given the illegal nature of that which you rebelled against, I see no reason to punish you. You are fully pardoned in the eyes of the Gotei."
There seemed to be a small breath of relief from the two, and they stepped aside, where Unohana unlocked their restraints.
"Zaraki Kenpachi."
"Sure, whatever," Kenpachi said, looking bored as he stepped forward.
"You are and always have been a brute, a stain on the good name of the Gotei."
"Thank you," Kenpachi said with a grin.
"Nevertheless you were accepted as a fearsome champion, a warrior without parallel, and one we can ill afford to lose. As you said, this behaviour is by no means unprecedented. You are pardoned."
"Good," Kenpachi said. He shrugged and flexed the muscles on his arms. The shackles burst, falling to the floor with a clang. "Now, can I go?"
Ignoring him, Yamamoto said, "Soifon."
"Yes, sir!" Soifon said, stepping forward, her eyes fixed on the floor. She kneeled, putting one knee to the floor.
"Although the offense you admitted to was treasonous, it was by far less severe than those of the others accused. Furthermore, I found your counsel sound. In my mind, you are a better commander than your predecessor, and your skills will be sorely needed in the time to come."
"Captain-commander..." said Soifon, taken aback.
"You are pardoned," Yamamoto said dismissively. Taking a hint, Soifon stepped aside.
"Now that my treacherous captains are dealt with," said Yamamoto, "in the interest of expedience, I will address all of you at once, save for Scarlet.
"You all betrayed the oaths of loyalty you swore. You are hereby given a chance to redeem yourselves. Know that although I pardon each one of you, your disloyalty has not been forgotten. Take this opportunity to, before the watchful eyes of the Soul King, show what you are truly made of. Not unlikely, many of us will die in the war to come. If you find redemption in death, I will consider your sins forgiven. If not, then know that I have a long memory. You are all pardoned!"
There was a murmur of relief among the remaining pardoned; joy from Momo, a heavy sigh from Renji, and a cheerful smirk from Lisanna. Most of all Rangiku seemed relieved, and Erza couldn't blame her.
"Silence!" Yamamoto said sharply, and humbled, they all fell quiet. "Erza Scarlet. Step forth."
Her heart pounding, Erza stepped forward. This was it.
"Unlike your comrades, you willingly betrayed the Gotei Thirteen, not out of bonds of loyalty or friendship, but out of rebellion for what it stands for, for decades on end. You confess to being an accomplice of our greatest enemy. As lenient as I have been today, you test my mercy to its fullest extent."
"I have my regrets, old man," said Erza, "but I did what I did for a reason. Judge me as you have to."
"Silence!" Yamamoto sneered. "This defiance of yours is exactly why you cannot be trusted. This is no discussion, no debate- you are a self-admitted traitor. If not for the fact that your knowledge of Aizen's wrongdoings make you valuable, I would be sorely tempted to execute you."
"If you have to," said Erza, and her heart skipped a beat. She was outwardly calm, but to die after all this...
Yamamoto gave her a long, scrutinizing stare, and to look into his eyes was like looking over the edge of a precipice.
"I cannot yet decide your fate, Erza Scarlet. For now, you will be detained at Fourth Division. A second hearing will be held when the immediate issues have been settled."
He turned his eyes to the remaining, recently pardoned officers.
"What are you all standing here for? You are officers of the Gotei Thirteen. Get to work! Man your posts. Lead your divisions. Guide your men. There will be much to do, and you will all be worked hard. Failure to live up to what is expected of you will be met with execution- I will not be merciful twice."
The harsh, ornery tone left no room for disagreement. Scattering like scraps of paper caught in the wind, they all hurried out. Momo paused to shoot Erza a look, before following the others, too. Erza sighed. Well... it was better than being executed right away, at least.
Well, seems like the officers of the Gotie 13 managed to get off lucky. However, Erza and Yoruichi, as well as the Ryoka arnt out of the woods yet! Yamamoto will be much less lenient with them to be sure.
Erza's fate, as well as everyone else's, will be determined next time.
I don't have much to add at the end this time around, but I do look forward to hear what all of you have to say about what just happened. Thanks for reading!