The Death and Life of Erza Scarlet

by Goshinzilla

Death is only the beginning. Erza learns that much at the tower of heaven. But the afterlife, it turns out, isn't much better than life, with all its flaws. As she becomes a shinigami, Erza seeks to make a better world- but Aizen has the same idea... (ErzaXMomo)

56. We Are Fairy Tail

Before we begin, I have some words from the writer, Greatkingrat88.

"Well... here we finally are. This is the last chapter of the Soul Society arc. We finally wrap up something we've been building up to for years, and it's... awesome. You have no idea, guys- no idea for how much of everything that's happened has been planned out, refined, hammered out and then changed around until it was finally put to paper- well, electronic document- and published here on FF. It's been a long, really cool road and I've grown much, in no small part thanks to you guys. To each and every one of you who contributed, whether you left a review or just had a read: thank you. It's deeply appreciated.

This marks the end of the Soul Society arc. From here on out, the story will gradually become less formulaic, less of a standard-retelling-but-with-Erza-in-it. We have some major twists coming up ahead, and although the core aspects of the story will remain- Aizen will be a threat all the same, there will be a huge battle for the fate of the Soul Society, etc- I can promise you that we've got some interesting ideas to come. Stay tuned for so much more- for hammering out some details we didn't cover yet, and for the bigger changes as well.

Oh, and don't worry- Ichigo's inner hollow will still be a thing, and so will the awesome characters Kubo introduced in the arrancar arc.

For now, enjoy this final chapter!"

Well shit, I don't think I have anything else to add. Well you heard the man, on with the show!

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.

---

Erza was sat cross-legged on her hospital bed. She had been confined to these quarters in terms that were, although subtle enough, not uncertain. Unohana had told her that she wanted to keep an eye on her to make sure that she recovered properly, and that it would be distressing if she went missing- which Erza was very sure meant 'stay here, or else'. This being Unohana, she had no interest in finding out what 'else' was. And even then... even then she still wanted to be judged, no matter the outcome. As hard as it was to wait, to face them all after her bold proclamation of treason, she couldn't bear having to go on the run again, this... thing forever unsettled.

She had been allowed a new shihakusho, at least, although an armed guard was stationed at the door. For her protection, of course.

At the moment she was alone except for Orihime, whom she had called on specifically for more reasons than one. With all that had been going on, she had nearly forgotten to be concerned over her daughter, and it made her feel a little ashamed. It didn't help that she'd called on her mostly for selfish reasons.

"Did you need something, Erza?" Orihime said innocently. They had said their greetings already, and Orihime had seemed perfectly fine, despite some very unsubtle probings by Erza.

"I... yes," Erza said hesitantly. "I need... healing."

"I thought you had recovered? I hear Miss Unohana is really good at what she does. Did they miss something?"

"It's, er, not that," Erza muttered. "Something, er, something went... wrong. On the hill, I mean. When I fought Aizen. Could use a fixer-upper. I'm okay, um. Mostly. But, er..."

She was lying, and she had always been bad at lying. Orihime had no idea that she had lost her powers, that the magic that sustained her was all but drained, that she felt like she was drowning, that she would soon be a soul like any other...

She hadn't wanted to burden the girl. Orihime was still so young. She didn't need the pressure, not after all she had been through.

"Erza?" Orihime said quizzically.

Damn it! Why was it so much easier to run to her death than to just... speak up?

"Um," Erza said hesitantly, "well, the thing is... er..."

For a few seconds she thought of further excuses, further lies, or just to tell Orihime to do it and that's that. She would obey, Erza knew. She would help, and if Erza told her not to worry, not to ask questions, she'd comply.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes, it is," murmured Erza irritably. "The thing is..."

She took a deep breath. No lying. She had had enough lying to last her a lifetime. She had kept her past from her daughter, from everyone she had gotten to know in exile. Untruth was toxic, Erza thought, and it wasn't for her.

"I've lost my powers," she said, pushing the words out like she was forcing a boulder uphill, "back at the hill. Aizen... he severed my soul chain."

"Soul chain?" Orihime said, blinking.

"Think of it as a... thingamabob," Erza said, groaning inwardly, "a thing that every shinigami needs to access their powers. Something else... something from my old life stepped in to pick up the slack, but it's fading fast. When that's gone, I'm going to be weak. Useless. All my abilities, all my strength... it'll all be a memory. I won't be able to protect anyone anymore. I'll be... useless."

"So, you need me," said Orihime, all cheer drained from her face. The severity of the situation seemed to have hit her. "And there's nothing Miss Unohana can do?"

Erza shook her head. "It's not a medical problem, as far as I can tell. It's possible that Urahara could do something, but I'm not sure. You... you can work miracles, Orihime. I need you."

"Oh, wow," Orihime said, seeming stunned.

"I know that puts a lot on your shoulders," said Erza firmly, "and I didn't mean for it to be that way. But I'm telling you this because I believe you can handle it. Right now, you're my only hope."

An uncertain look passed Orihime's face, but it rapidly shifted into a look of confidence and determination.

"Sure," she said, nodding. "I'll be your Obi-Wan, and no mistake."

"Huh?"

"Your only hope. Although, I think I'll skip the beard and robes. Not my style."

Confused, Erza moved on. "If it doesn't work... um, well, then it doesn't, and you can't blame yourself."

"I'm not going to fail," Orihime said determinedly. "I can bring back people from the dead so long as there's energy to work with. You're not dead. Lots easier."

She sat herself down cross-legged opposed Erza, and held her arms up.

"Souten Kisshun," she said. The little sprites moved with lightning speed, and within a second, the orange barrier erected around Erza.

"Now, this time, I'll need you to be still," Orihime said, and Erza felt a pang of guilt. She remembered it; she hadn't been too kind the last time, back on that hill.

"...Sure," she said, and nodded.

"And quiet."

"Ye- mm," Erza shut herself up, and nodded.

She felt that sinking feeling, a dreadful sense of hope, uncertainty, and despair all mixing together to form one hell of a lump in her gut. She felt her energy being affected, like every particle in her body was stirring at the same time.

"It's strange," Orihime said, her brows furrowing. Gone was the carefree, cheery, perpetually dazzled look she usually carried; her face was a mask of profound concentration. It made her look like somebody else entirely.

"What is?" Erza said. Her body tingled, a shiver ran down her spine, and she felt a jolt of fear run through her.

"I've... never focused this much before," Orihime said, "but after what I did earlier... it all feels different. I can feel it. I can feel your... well, your everything. It's like you're made up of little building blocks."

"Technically, that's true for everyone."

"Shush," Orihime said the word with an unusual kind of authority, and Erza fell quiet. "I haven't controlled it like this before. But... it feels like there are a few building blocks out of order. I'm going to try and put them back together."

Suddenly, a jolt of energy ran through Erza's body, and her back arched under the pressure, entirely involuntarily.

"Are- are you okay?" Orihime said, sounding distressed.

"Keep going!" Erza croaked. "I can feel it- god, I can feel it!"

It was like coming up for air after being underwater for too long. Just above her she could see the metaphorical surface, almost within her grasp.

"O-kay..." Orihime said. She slowly moved her palms about over the orange barrier, slowly and deliberately, as if feeling it out for the first time. "Like this... no, not like this, like this..."

Then, nothing. Erza's back relaxed, and she fell back to a normal sitting position. She felt nothing: no power, no anything. A bitter, desperate sensation sprung through her body, and she struggled not to show her disappointment.

"It's- it's okay," she said, knowing full well she was lying. "You did your best-"

Then, everything went blank for a second. When Erza came to, which could have been hours, minutes, or just a second for all she knew, power was radiating, pulsating from her, vibrating.

"See, I knew I could get it right." Orihime beamed. "I think you're all set now-"

There was a discharge of power, cracking the orange barrier, shredding the bed linens, and knocking Orihime off the bed. The girl let out a surprised yelp, but Erza barely noticed it. Like a waterfall, like a bursting dam, her power surged back into her fully, all at once. She cramped, barely having any control of her body. Rapidly, every ounce of her power began to flow back, filling her up completely. It hurt, but at the same time it was deeply relieving. So much power, so much that she had taken for granted...

...And amongst all of it, she could hear Tetsu no Tama screaming...

After a minute, she stopped cramping, slowly regaining control of her body. She took a few deep breaths, and made a fist. Slowly, she raised her hand. She was lying on the bed, she noticed, staring up into the ceiling. Carefully she raised herself into a sitting position. Tentatively, she flexed her hand, opening and closing it again and again. She could feel it, feel the power flowing back...

"Orihime?" she said, finally remembering her daughter.

"I'm- I'm fine!" Orihime insisted, getting off the floor and brushing herself off. "You took me by surprise there."

"It... must have been all the power coming back at once," said Erza, realizing she was stating the obvious. "Sorry, I didn't know."

"It's fine!" Orihime said cheerily, sitting herself down on the bedside. "It was kind of awesome, actually. I did that. I mean, holy cow."

"Yes," Erza said and nodded. "Yes, you did. You're amazing, Orihime."

"Aww," said Orihime, blushing. "I mean, I literally do work miracles, but... well, actually, yes, I'm pretty amazing." She grinned, sounding bubbly, and Erza smiled back.

They were quiet for a while, just staring at each other. Knowing she might well ruin the moment, Erza finally said, "Look, Orihime..."

"Ye-ess?" her daughter said happily.

"I, er, um, well," Erza stuttered, "I, uh, I wanted to say sorry."

"What for?"

"Well, um, back on the hill. I, uh, I was pretty harsh."

"Oh, that?" Orihime said, sounding like she only just now remembered. "I mean, you were, but, um... I mean, she's something special to you, right? That Momo."

Erza nodded.

"You love her a lot. You thought she was dead. So, um..."

"Well... yeah..." Erza muttered. "She was, uh, one of my best friends. Is. So..."

"What she's trying to say," said a voice from the doorway, "is that if there's ever a time to be a bit harsh, it's when your friends and family are dying."

It was Lisanna, leaning on a cane. She had put up a tough act the other day during the tribunal, but like Erza, she was not fully healed.

"Miss Strauss!" Orihime said cheerily.

"It's Lisanna," said Lisanna. "Now, I'm sorry if I walked in on some special moment, but if Isane catches me not recovering properly- whatever the hell that means- then it'll be hell to pay, and you never know when she'll find out. That woman has a face like some small, cute, fluffy animal, but she's stubborn as a mule when it comes to doctor business." She made a face, and Orihime giggled.

"It's... fine," Erza said. "Actually... I just wanted to say, um..."

"Oh, come on," Lisanna said.

"I led you into a battle you couldn't win, and-"

"Shut up," Lisanna said promptly. "I don't want to hear it, and that's that. I don't want any apologies, 'cause there's nothing to apologise for. I've been a soldier longer than you, Erza, and I knew what I was getting into."

Erza opened her mouth, then shut it. It hadn't occurred to her in her guilt that neither of them would care for apologies.

"Now, the whole business of being run through, I could live without," Lisanna said with a grimace, "but that wasn't your fault- no, don't give me that look, it wasn't. It's just one of those things that... happen. It's a bitch, but that's life."

She stared at Erza, who stared back. Finally, Erza muttered, "...You haven't been a soldier for that much longer..."

Lisanna laughed. "I'll be your senpai till the day I die, Erza. Deal with it."

Erza chuckled, then broke into a laugh of her own. Orihime joined them, and the room echoed with laughter for a little while. Finally, after a good minute or so, it died down, and Lisanna wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, a smile on her face.

"Hell, it's actually over..." she muttered.

"Not yet," said Erza.

"So," said Orihime, cutting off the two of them before the joy of the moment could drain away, "I could, um, I could actually fix that... being stabbed thing for you. If you want."

"That voodoo you used on Momo?" said Lisanna. "Heard you could work miracles."

"Mm-hmm," Orihime said, nodding enthusiastically. "The injuries, I can make them all go away. I can even take the scars off."

"Well... thanks, but no thanks," Lisanna said. "Don't take it the wrong way, but I like my scars. They remind me of what mistakes I shouldn't make again. I'll heal the normal way. If I collapse, I'll let you know."

"Okay, then," said Orihime, seeming to have taken no offence.

"Look," said Lisanna, "I just wanted to say that we've got your back. All of us. If the commander decides to toss you into jail or execute you, we won't let that happen."

"What, with the old man breathing down your neck? After you were just pardoned?" said Erza, raising an eyebrow. "I wouldn't try my luck. He might just decide that one pardon is more than enough."

Lisanna shook her head. "Doesn't matter to me. If you need, we'll get you out of here tonight."

"...No, thanks," Erza said with a smile. "I'm done running away from this. The truth is out."

"Mm-hmm!" Orihime said affirmatively. "And now, they can't help but acknowledge that you're a hero. You'll be, like, a captain for sure."

"...I'm not sure about that," Erza said hesitantly.

"I was thinking more like a superhero," Orihime explained, "like, 'Captain Crimson, ghost samurai of JUSTICE'!"

"...Captain Crimson?" Erza said weakly.

"Well, if you have a better idea, I'm all ears," Orihime said, rolling her eyes, "but it totally fits. Your name is Scarlet, so of course you'd be Captain Crimson."

"Why would I take a name that reveals my secret identity?"

"Don't question comic book logic!" Orihime said firmly.

"...Okay," Erza said, laughing and nodding, "Captain Crimson it is."

"And her sidekick, Lieutenant Silver," Orihime said, and nodded toward Lisanna.

"Like hell I'll be a sidekick," Lisanna muttered. "Anyway, I think I hear Isane. Best get going." She turned around, and shot Erza a look. "We've got your back. You can't be coming back and just leaving us again, you hear?"

"I'll try," said Erza.

What would come next? She had no idea. But truthfully, as much as she despised the Gotei, she had good friends here. Family. Coming back... what a thought it was.

---

She didn't have to wait long. The same evening, she was informed that the next day, her fate would be decided. Yamamoto had his mind set on expedience, it seemed, which was understandable enough. Unohana had called it a hearing, not a trial, which sounded promising... or it might just mean that they intended to hear her out, then throw her in jail and then throw away the key.

Regardless, Erza remained resolute. She was ready the same morning, waiting outside the hall alongside the teens and Yoruichi. Each one of them would be covered there, it seemed. It made sense. It was practical, after all. Just outside the doors were most of everyone else involved, everyone who had been on trial before, and some who hadn't- like Kira or Hisagi, for example.

Erza put on a brave face. Whatever may come, she couldn't act the way she felt. She had led the kids there, she was their leader, and she had to act like it.

"Scared shitless?" said Ichigo frankly.

"Concerned," said Erza diplomatically.

"Yeah, me too," Ichigo said and shrugged, "but given how much everyone else got away with..."

"Yes," Erza said, nodding, "maybe we'll-"

They were interrupted by a small shinigami, who had made her way through the crowd with a bit of difficulty. Erza recognised her right away.

"Rukia," she said, "the uniform fits you."

"Well, oh, this thing," Rukia said dismissively, patting her shihakusho, "I got fully reinstated. Cleared. Should be back to normal any day now."

"So..." said Ichigo, giving her a funny look.

It was strange, after all that had happened; Rukia moving about, back in uniform, like everything was right, like she hadn't almost been executed mere days ago. Out of those white prisoner's robes, back in uniform, sword at her side, looking just like she had when she had first saved Ichigo: to both Ichigo and Erza, it felt like an eternity ago that they had seen her like this.

"Yes..." said Rukia awkwardly, and Erza resisted the urge to sigh. A hearing just ahead of her, to decide all their fates, and a bit of social awkwardness to come before it? It was such a laughable problem.

"Look," she started, determined to not let it get weird.

"Thank you!" Rukia burst out, her voice loud, almost aggressive. "I just, I wanted to say thank you. To the both of you. For everything.

"I had given up. I was ready to die. But, you two... you didn't. And it's because of you that I'm not dead. So... thank you."

"Well, what can I say, except you're welcome?" said Ichigo, shrugging and grinning at her. He sounded jocular, but even Erza could tell he was deflecting, that he felt more than he cared to show.

"It's nothing. I'd have done it for anyone," said Erza.

"You really would, wouldn't you?" said Rukia. "You're crazy. You're both crazy. And... I'm so glad that you are."

"Let's not, um, get all emotional..." muttered Ichigo.

"It's okay to be," said Erza, her voice trembling a little. Despite the ominous feeling of being judged so soon, her fate uncertain, she still felt uplifted. Elated. Happy. If she got executed after this, then at least she'd die knowing she'd lived according to the way of Fairy Tail. She'd know she had succeeded, against all the odds, together with her friends. Her family.

"S-so... yeah. Thanks," Rukia muttered, sounding just as awkward as Ichigo.

Rather than add to it, Erza pulled the both of them into a strong bear hug, tears at the edge of her eyes.

"Can't... breathe..." Ichigo croaked. "I lived through all of that, and this is how I go..."

Rukia said nothing, and leaned into Erza. After a while- and after giving Ichigo an extra squeeze, just because- Erza let go.

"You're welcome," she said quietly, and smiled happily, savoring the moment.

"Not to, uh, rain on your parade, but... the doors opened," said Ichigo, gesturing toward them with his thumb.

"Let's go, then," Erza said, and nodded. "I'm ready."

---

Kyouraku Shunsui fanned himself with his hat. It wasn't particularly hot, but things were tense, and he felt the metaphorical heat.

They were gathered not in the imposing, grand chamber of the Captain's Assembly, which was meant to convey grandeur, dignity, and power, but in a much smaller room. Although, being 'much smaller' than the main hall didn't say much; this room was plenty large, albeit far better furnished, with chairs for everyone. The room was chiefly used for private discussions by Gotei leadership, and had seldom involved more than a handful of people. The day's turnout was, in fact, unprecedented. Excepting twelfth division's captain, it seemed every remaining captain and vice-captain had torn themselves from their surely busy schedules- even Kuchiki Byakuya, who still looked pale, no doubt still in recovery- to be here, this morning, to see the judgment of Erza Scarlet.

She was the main event, of course, but as she entered, Shunsui counted her ryoka followers coming in close behind, including the elusive- and still just as beautiful- Shihoin Yoruichi.

It was with some relief that he viewed them from the safety of the pardoned and the un-accused. He had never expected the old man to execute them all, not with Aizen's grand spectacle, not with an upcoming war, but you never knew. The old man was about as soft as granite bedrock, and his decision to spare them punishment had been entirely tactical, Shunsui was sure of it. Soifon, that daft girl, had nearly given him a heart attack with the stunt she had pulled. He could recognise a good gamble when he saw one, but it had been entirely unnecessary. Even the possibility of his old master turning on them was a thought that made him want to empty his bladder, for Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryuusai was a rock, a warrior of unprecedented power the likes of which the worlds had never seen and likely never would see again.

Erza and her companions took a stand in the middle of the room, the woman staring defiantly forward, and Shunsui couldn't help but admire her spirit.

"How do you suppose it will go?" Ukitake whispered, sitting next to his best friend.

"Pardon, I bet," said Shunsui neutrally, keeping his gaze fixed at the defiant amazon, "just so long as she doesn't screw up too badly."

"Even with her self-admitted treason?"

"Information on Aizen and his resources is non-existent right now. The smallest idea of what he's got would be like striking gold, and what she's got- if she's telling the truth- is a gold mine. Our sensei is stubborn, but he's not so stubborn he won't take advantage of that."

"He might just throw her in prison and have her tortured."

"He could, certainly," Shunsui nodded, "but I doubt it. I spoke to him beforehand... and hopefully he listened. Mark my words, it'll be a pardon. Eyes close on her, but a pardon."

"Want to bet?"

Shunsui wanted to answer, but at that moment, Yamamoto himself entered the chamber, and as one each captain and vice-captain stood up, even the unruly Zaraki Kenpachi.

The venerable captain-commander sat down in a magnificent chair, tall and oaken, and made a gesture with his hand. All the officers sat down again.

---

"Let me begin," said Yamamoto, his voice carrying across the chamber authoritatively, "by stating that this is no formal legal procedure. This is a hearing, and I will take counsel from those who will offer it. Today, we decide the fate of these ryoka. This needs to be handled expediently and without interference, so I expect this to be settled within hours at the most. We have much to do, and no time to waste on procedure.

"Normally, such a council would be held privately, but in light of recent events I have decided to include all of our remaining leadership. There will be no sense of cloak and dagger, no sense that decisions are made for you in secret."

No, just made for you to your faces, thought Erza.

"We shall start simply," Yamamoto continued. "Shihoin Yoruichi?"

"Yes?" said Yoruichi. She looked well, all things considered; she had recovered almost completely. She met the commander's gaze without flinching.

"A century ago, you joined Urahara Kisuke in treason against the Gotei Thirteen, making yourself an accomplice to unspeakable, heretical acts of science. What is your account of those events? Keep it brief."

"Aizen did it," Yoruichi said frankly. "Kisuke got framed and your people weren't willing to give him a chance, so I saved him and ran away." She shrugged. "That's it, really. I could tell you the details of what happened, but Kisuke would know them better than me. We're not innocent. Nobody is. But we weren't to blame then and there."

Yamamoto looked at her, stone-faced. "Have you proof of this?"

"Now you ask for proof," Yoruichi scoffed. "A hundred years ago, your Central Forty-Six couldn't wait to put him in prison and throw away the key, but now?" She shook her head irritably. "No, I do not have proof. Aizen's powers work like that. Don't ask me to bring what isn't there."

Yamamoto nodded slowly. "The investigation of the events of that time will be re-opened. Until that time, know that the Gotei Thirteen has no malicious intent toward yourself or Urahara Kisuke. In fact, I would like for you to take a message for him when the proceedings are over."

"...Oh," said Yoruichi. She blinked, clearly not having expected that response. "I mean, well, sure. I can do that, I suppose."

"I consider this matter settled. At this time, both of your aid will be required in the upcoming conflict. While you no doubt harbour some antipathy toward the Gotei itself, know that we are not enemies."

"...Okay."

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Yamamoto said, moving right along, "Kurosaki Masaki. Ishida Uryuu. Arisawa Tatsuki. Inoue Orihime. Sado Yasutora. Each one of you are mere humans with little stake in our affairs. Yet you ravaged our home, no doubt aiding Aizen Sousuke's plans indirectly. You did so, why?"

"You know damn well why, old man," said Ichigo, and several captains flinched at his disrespectful tone. "Rukia needed us. Erza needed us. So, we did what we had to do."

"Too right," said Tatsuki enthusiastically.

"Alone and outnumbered, with no idea of what you were up against," said Yamamoto, "yes, you certainly displayed bravery. Foolish and brash, but brave nonetheless. Normally, you would be imprisoned for your actions. However, today I'd like to offer you a choice. Pledge yourselves to aid the Gotei Thirteen in the upcoming fight, and your transgressions will be forgotten. What say you?"

Ichigo looked defiant, but shot an uncertain glance toward Erza. Orihime looked hesitant, as did Tatsuki. Uryuu grimaced. Chad was as stoic as ever.

"I'll not let you make them your thralls, Yamamoto," said Erza staunchly.

The old man shot her a long glance, and Erza flinched. Being stared at by the likes of him, a titan, as near a god as a mortal soul would ever come close to, was a thing to frighten damned near anyone.

"You are not being asked. Be silent," he said. Erza opened her mouth, but thought better of it.

"I will be candid," said the commander, once again turning his gaze to the teenagers, "as is the point of this meeting. We have a reputation to preserve. We have soldiers whose morale has never been lower, troublesome noble houses that already now are making themselves difficult. We have Rukongai fiefdoms, land owners and warlords who heed our call, all of whom would look to disunion as a sign of weakness. Our power is singular, but right now, we can scarcely afford to devote resources to keeping our own in line. When I ask you to pledge yourselves to aid us, therefore, it is not a matter of recruiting you into war. It is a matter of appearance. Publicly pledge yourselves to our cause, and we will make the proclamation that we are allies, two forces with shared goals and beliefs, who quickly reconciled after the vile traitor Aizen revealed himself."

"It's a PR stunt?" Ichigo said, sounding surprised.

"If that is what it is called among the living," said Yamamoto. "Regardless, you will be reserves at most. Our seasoned fighters ill need untrained, green humans with some measure of power getting in their way. So, what say you?"

"So..." Tatsuki cut in, "after that, we're free to go? No strings attached?"

"Do not count on it," Uryuu said cynically.

Yamamoto nodded. "You have my word. Normally, as I may have mentioned, swift punishment would have been the norm. You are fortunate that your freedom coincides with our own goals."

"Aunt Erza?" Ichigo said.

"Well..."

Erza thought. The Gotei could be cruel and merciless, but she had never known Yamamoto to cheat or deceive his opponents. If he was your enemy, you would know it when you died by the hands of the Gotei's enforcers.

"Do it."

"You sure?" said Tatsuki.

"You're out of options. I can't say I trust them, but... it's as good an offer as you'll get."

"If Erza says so, then I'm okay," Orihime said spiritedly.

There was a quick exchange of words among the five of them, until finally Ichigo said, "You got a deal, old man."

"So be it, then," said Yamamoto with a nod. "A proclamation shall be made presently. After that, you are free to go."

The teens seemed in good spirits, but dared not voice their elation. Yamamoto turned his gaze, finally, on Erza.

"You present the most challenging case of all, Scarlet," he said gruffly. "During the tribunal, I was willing to extend that pardon to you as well- until you revealed your past affiliation with that snake. Why should I let you live?"

Erza stared back at him, meeting his judgmental gaze with some effort. He had seemed old last time, shocked by the betrayal, but today he was as fearsome as ever.

"I don't think anything I have to say would convince you," she started, keeping her voice level, hoping the strain in it wasn't too noticeable, "and after all this time, I don't care to lie anymore. Do as you will."

"You will not speak in your defense?" said Yamamoto, a hint of curiosity in his aged voice.

"I will not," Erza said stubbornly, shaking her head. "From where you stand, captain-commander, I have committed treason most vile. My only worth is as a source of information. I could tell you why you are wrong- but I do not think you would ever listen. So, lock me up and throw away the key. Execute me if you must. But whatever you aim to do, be done with it."

She wasn't even sure what she was doing. Part of her felt like she was trying some mad gamble, like some particularly high-stakes game of hardball. Part of her felt like just being defiant. Part of her felt like she was just giving up. She could do much better, she knew, but somehow she didn't want to.

"It is easy to talk proudly and with vigour on the stand," said Yamamoto slowly, "yet I wonder if you would feel as strongly after a few years in prison. Would you not regret speaking for yourself?"

"I am sure I would," said Erza, balling her fists. "Life is full of regrets. You're not living it right if there aren't any. But consider this, Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryuusai: I have seen my friends die before my very eyes. I have endured horror and death in the line of duty. I have suffered the pain of exile, lost my friends all over again. Compared to that, mere incarceration is not frightening."

The old man gave her a long, scrutinizing stare. What was his game? Why did he hesitate?

Finally, he let out a noise, somewhere in between a sigh and an irritated rumble, and said, "You are a difficult character, Erza Scarlet. You have spine- rather too much of it, which is a rare problem to have.

"You put me in a difficult position. I would rather you had spoken in your defense. You seem eloquent enough when called upon. Yet, here you stand, refusing to defend your actions."

"Why?" said Erza stiffly.

Yamamoto took a deep breath. "Erza Scarlet, you stand upon the precipice of doom. Valuable intelligence or not, I cannot allow such defiance to go uncontested. Not only are you traitorous, seditious, rebellious, but you appear unashamed of it, even proud. Such brazen defiance forces me to consider the ultimate punishment."

So, that was it, then. Behind her, the teenagers gasped, crying out their dissent, their angry protests. Erza heard it and felt some shred of happiness. Nevertheless, it weighed on her. She was going to die now. Her fate had been decided. She hung her head. So... well, she had known this might happen all along. She could not let herself be filled with regret. No, if this was the price to pay...

"Like hell you will."

The voice was firm, calm and controlled but deeply angry. Unmistakably, it was Lisanna Strauss, stepping up beside Erza.

"What are you doing?!" Erza demanded, her gloom replaced by desperate concern for her old friend. Lisanna couldn't throw it all away like this!

Ignoring her, Lisanna continued. "Erza Scarlet is my oldest friend. She did no wrong. If she is to die, captain-commander, then I ask- no, I demand that I die with her. We came from the same place. She did no wrong. I stand with Erza Scarlet, with all that means. I am Fairy Tail!"

Huffing, Momo followed suit right after her. Standing herself next to Erza, she said, "She's right! You can't do this to her. After all she did, you just... you just can't. I stand with her. I am Fairy Tail, too!"

"Stop it, the both of you!" Erza snapped. "Don't throw your lives away for me. Do you think I'm happy about that? Do you think I want you all to die along with me?!"

"It ain't about what you want, sensei," said Renji, marching himself up to stand beside her. "It's about what's right. I stand with you. I am Fairy Tail."

To Erza's surprise, Isane was next in line, marching up with long, nervous steps, before shooting her captain a guilty look.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "but, um, I am Fairy Tail, too."

"Isane…" Erza whispered.

"Me, I'm Fairy Whale too, an' all that shit." It was Kenpachi's baritone, rumbling across the room as he stood himself behind Erza.

"You?" Erza said incredulously.

"Ya still owe me a fight," he said with a shrug.

Following close behind was Rangiku, a look on her face like she couldn't believe she was doing this, and in her tow was Rod, who was grinning.

"I am Fairy Tail!" he said loudly. "Shit, I'm not one for cheesy proclamations like those, but what the hell."

"Yes, yes, me too," Rangiku muttered. "You're crazy and you'll get us all killed, Erza Scarlet."

"Then stand back," said Erza, and despite her distress, a smile crept onto her face.

"I'm standing just fine here," said Rangiku. "Didn't like those chairs, anyway."

To everyone's surprise, the dour, serious Hisagi stepped up next. Behind him came Kira, looking brow-beaten, his teeth gritted.

"We were all so sure," he said, looking Erza in the eye, "dead sure. That you were a traitor, that we were all right and you wrong."

"You don't have to," Erza insisted.

"Yes," he said, balling his fists, "I do. Captain-commander, I am Fairy Tail."

"And so am I," said Kira, his voice ringing loud and defiant. "Sensei, I'm sorry. I... I never believed..."

"It's not your fault," Erza said firmly.

"My lord Yamamoto," said Komamura, "I will not stand with anyone but yourself, but I can vouch for the character of this woman. She fights with honour."

"If you are quite finished?" Yamamoto rumbled, discontent apparent in his voice.

"Seems like yer up shit creek, old man," said Kenpachi gleefully. "Ya gotta axe us all if you axe her."

"So it seems," Yamamoto said, sounding irritable, "and if you young fools had waited but a second before you interjected with that absurd display of loyalty, you would have heard what I meant to say."

"You said ultimate punishment," Erza shot back. "Does that mean something besides execution?"

"I said I considered it," Yamamoto said calmly, having regained his composure, "not that I meant to do so ultimately. Now it seems most of my remaining officers would prefer open revolt!"

"Sensei, if you'd allow it?" Kyouraku said smoothly, stepping up.

"By all means," Yamamoto grumbled.

"As we agreed then, sensei," Kyouraku nodded, and turned toward Erza. "Miss Scarlet. I understand you aren't feeling particularly... charitable at the moment."

"What are you playing at?" Erza demanded.

The captain sighed. "I'll make it simple. No ambiguity, no insinuations, no tapping around before getting to the point-"

"So, get to the point."

"Right. We would like it very much if you were to accept the position as captain of Fifth Division. Full pardon included. Swear allegiance to the Gotei Thirteen and join forces with us against Aizen Sousuke. All will be forgotten. You'll get a nice office, the pay is pretty nice, and you should see the benefits-"

"What."

Erza felt like she had been hit by a bucket of ice-cold water. Out of all things she had expected today, this offer would have been the last on her mind. A captaincy? In the Gotei?

"You heard me," Kyouraku said, smiling uncertainly. "There is an empty seat and you'd fill it nicely-"

"Are you that desperate for a win right now?" Erza sneered. "Have you gone mad, all of you?"

"I feel like it should be one of us saying that," Kyouraku said mildly.

"You cannot be serious!"

"We are," Yamamoto said firmly.

"Just like we mentioned before," Kyouraku said smoothly, "we have appearances to keep. The fact that you are exceptionally powerful, and no mistake on that part, I felt it myself- that, along with the narrative, makes you an ideal candidate."

"Narrative?" Erza's eyes narrowed.

"Think about it, my dear," said Kyouraku with a grin. "The bold hero uncovers a plot to destroy the Gotei, but the villain Aizen frames her and she is forced into exile. But she never loses track of who she is, and vows to one day come back and fight him. Then, one day an old friend is in danger and she risks it all, against all possible odds, to save the girl and confront the evil man who ruined her... it's a powerful tale, is it not?"

"You want to use my story as propaganda?" Erza said incredulously.

"Not mere propaganda," Kyouraku said. "The best of stories are the ones that are really true. Aren't they? Sure, we might... tastefully dramatize it, but nothing we'd say would be false per se."

Erza gave him a hard glare, steely enough to almost match Yamamoto himself. She took a deep breath.

"Aizen was right."

The words came out, half a shout and half an impassioned statement, and it resonated through the chamber. For a moment, it was silent enough that one could have heard a pin drop.

"Aizen was right," Erza repeated. "He is an evil, deceptive monster and he must be stopped at all costs, but he was right. I wasn't deceived into joining him. I did so of my own free will, because the Gotei is fundamentally unfair."

She turned her eye to Yamamoto, and some small part of her knew that she had stepped off the edge of a cliff and there was no turning back.

"Your organization has the means to protect the Rukongai, to end the tyranny of the warlords, to let them grow and prosper. You could recruit tens of thousands to bring order and prosperity to all the Soul Society. Instead you leave them to their fate, caring for nothing but your precious balance of worlds when you could do so much more. You tolerate the privilege and corruption of the noble classes. You sanction the horrors of amoral science the likes of which any living person would recognize as evil. You hire murderers and thugs to do your bidding. You assassinate anyone who might pose a threat to you. Your justice system is a joke. Your world is broken, stagnant, built on misery and tyranny, and it needs to change. In this, Aizen was right. I've probably damned myself in saying this, but I will not lie anymore!"

Again things fell deathly silent, the old commander staring down on her. The first to break the silence was Kyouraku, who had put his face in his hands, and groaned out through his teeth, "She was doing so well... Hell, she was doing so, so well..."

All eyes were fixed on Erza. Several of the captains and vice-captains gaped. The sheer audacity of what she had just said, having dared to speak so directly to the captain-commander, to challenge his rule, what his society had built... it would be no wonder if he sprung from his chair and annihilated her with a single blow.

Erza forced herself to take long, rhythmic breaths. In the moment she had felt right, very right, but as the seconds passed she realized what she had just done. She had angered the most powerful shinigami in existence. She had told the oldest member of the Gotei Thirteen, the man who might as well be the Gotei itself, that the Gotei was a terrible and unjust place.

It was true, of course, but that would be little consolation when she was killed for it. She only hoped the commander would honour his deal regarding her friends.

Slowly, Yamamoto stood up, and Erza flinched again. He opened his eyes wide, and looked her in the eye. Erza felt a pang of terror; his reiatsu was fluctuating, rising, and it was like staring down a hurricane, like standing right in front of a tsunami.

He slammed his cane into the floor, and great cracks appeared. A gust of wind flew through the room, and not one of the people present could fail to sense the change in his mood.

"Erza Scarlet," he began, "you truly are audacious."

He took a step forward, and the cane dissolved in a flash of fire, revealing the impressive length of his zanpakutou, safely sheathed. Erza trembled, fought to breathe steadily. She wasn't afraid of dying, she had told herself, but facing her fate like this, facing the titan of fire, it was impossible not to be intimidated.

Yamamoto stopped two feet away from her. He pulled his sword out of its sheath, holding it up into the air with one arm as if ready to strike. Erza balled her fists, waiting for the inevitable. She would die standing up, facing her executioner. She would not run, and she would not suffer the indignity of a futile escape.

"Insolent. Bold. Disrespectful," said the old man. "These all describe you perfectly, Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail. When you began to speak, assaulting my beloved Gotei with your words, my first desire was to surge from my seat and strike you down where you stood."

Erza just breathed, and looked him in the eye. His face was dispassionate, but his eyes were alive, awake, piercing.

"Yet, I did not. I have not killed you yet, Erza Scarlet, even though I am well within my rights to do so."

"Get on with it, then!" Erza spat, stuttering her words a little.

"Tell me, Scarlet, do you think I have not heard what you said before? That what I built is flawed, unjust, wrong?"

"I'd be surprised if anyone dared," Erza said, her voice trembling a little. What was the old man playing at?

"Never so boldly, I will admit, but I have heard it before. I know well our power. I know well our capacity to help. Yet I do not, because it is not my place to be anybody's messiah. I was charged by the Soul King to keep the flow of souls steady, and without it, all three worlds would collapse and all spiritual matter would die. That is the obvious justification, and I could tell it as simply as that. But, that would not satisfy you."

"If you see a man hanging off a cliff," said Erza, her voice straining to keep steady, "is it right to just keep walking when you could pull him up, save his life? You don't have to. You didn't put him there. But I believe, captain-commander, that you have a moral obligation to help. If nobody else will, then you should."

He gave her a long stare.

"A thousand years ago, this place was naught but anarchy," he said, seeming to ignore her statement, "but then rose the warlord Yamamoto. With this Ryuujin Jakka," he said, raising the blade to come level with her head, "I conquered first my neighbours, then their neighbours, then one after another I brought each house to heel. I crushed every enemy in my path. I lost good men, I saw the horrors of war, but I never stopped. Finally, I brought peace to these lands, and the Soul King saw what I had done and deemed it good. He charged me with becoming something more than yet another warlord. He saw potential in me. Yet, upon accepting this charge, upon receiving a vision grander than any man before me had ever seen, I found that conquest was the easiest part of it all. Organizing an army, supplying them with food and water, logistics, strategy, tactics, leadership: all of these paled in comparison to the burden of rule.

"Conquest, Erza Scarlet, was easy. To rule over tens of thousands, to manage every aspect of a society, to bargain and negotiate and bring together old foes through diplomacy, that was the hardest thing of all. A ruler does not rule alone, but through the power of those beneath him. Although I could quell any rebellion if I so wished, the mere existence of rebellion is a sign of a weak, incompetent ruler. To placate the masses, to meet the needs of the many, to meet every challenge and make your lands stable, that is a challenge unlike any other. Yet, I did so. For a thousand years I did so. And to ensure my power was not too supreme, to ensure a mediating body of justice, so was the Central Forty-Six formed. What I built has worked. For a millennium, it has worked.
"It is easy to see injustice and cry foul. It is easy to speak radical ideas of justice. It is easy to think of another way to run affairs. Harder yet, Erza Scarlet, it is to actually rule. Could you do as I have done for a thousand years, I wonder? Could you ensure peace, placate nobility, enforce the law, keep the military strong, all the while maintaining the very fabric of existence?"

His words were not spoken very loudly, but they carried an impact as if they had boomed across the room. At that moment Erza realised what she had, on some level, known as a fact all along: Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryuusai had carried the burden of leadership for a thousand years, and never yet faltered. But still...

"And yet you still look the other way when the likes of Kurotsuchi and Zaraki spit on anything resembling honour," she dared. The edge of his zanpakutou was close, and a simple movement of his hand would take off her head, but she refused to back down.

Yamamoto made a fist, and a look of anger passed his face, however briefly.

"Think not that I gladly sanctioned these things," he said. "I know well what we have done. But my authority in this matter, like so many others... was superseded. The Forty-Six decided, and I obeyed. Such is my place. Such is the order of the Gotei, enduring and everlasting."

"Now who speaks grand words to justify themselves?"

There was a flare of heat from the blade, and Erza wondered if she had finally taken one step too far.

"...In light of recent events," said Yamamoto after a pause, "it seems apparent to me that our institution should welcome some manner of change. Our ideals are enduring- vital, even- but they are not immune to criticism. I offer you again, Erza Scarlet, the chance to join the Gotei Thirteen as a captain. Nay, I challenge you- be a force for the kind of change you want to see. See what leadership will do to your ambitions. See if you can save every poor, lost soul in the Rukongai."

He slowly retracted his blade, sheathing it, and Erza stood speechless.

"I would add," said Yamamoto, "that the Central Forty-Six are dead. Until they are replaced, I am the final authority here. Impress me, and you may well be given leeway. We've ignored worse across the years than a few radical beliefs."

To... to rejoin the Gotei. The idea was staggering. With the power and wage of a captain, with the influence that came with it, she could do a lot of good. She could do so, so much if only she tried. To rejoin the Gotei...

To stand with the dispassionate murderers who thought nothing of the suffering of the people, who suppressed freedom and condoned immoral actions so long as it served their purpose to do so.

To stand with her friends, her family so long lost.

To make her path with the establishment that she had rejected, that had rejected her.

To stand against Aizen, with comrades in arms.

To change this establishment for the better.

To fail to change the system because it was fundamentally broken.

"I..." she said, not sure what to think. "I, uh... can I, um, think... about it?"

"I would have you answer by nightfall," said Yamamoto sagely. "Regardless, it is my wish to see you as an ally in the coming war. We can ill afford more enemies."

"I, uh, I'll let you know," Erza murmured, feeling numb. She took a step back, and as the commander fell silent, she was surrounded by her friends. Renji was the first to speak up.

"...'Aizen was right,' sis?" He sounded in-between confused and incredulous. "I... I thought you were guilty all this time, and then I believed you weren't, and now this?"

"I don't expect you to understand," Erza said, staring into his confused eyes. He was starting to look angry, she noticed, and she couldn't blame him.

"I do," said Lisanna quickly. "I don't necessarily agree, but you can't tell me she's wrong about what she just said. I know where she's coming from, and where she and I came from, backing murderers and psychopaths would have been out of the question."

"But... it's the Gotei," Renji muttered, not sure if he wanted to even take that discussion.

"So, that was it, huh?" Ichigo said, as Lisanna and Renji spoke to themselves. "Hell of a story."

"I've lied to you all," Erza mumbled, hanging her head.

"Oh, cut it out," Tatsuki said cheerily. "We figured you had baggage. Most people do. To us, you're not a liar."

"Too right," Ichigo said with a grin. "Besides, you didn't have to tell us anything. What you went through... that can't have been a picnic."

"It was... difficult," Erza said, shaking her head as she made the understatement of the century.

"You're still Erza to us," Orihime said warmly. Momo shot Erza an encouraging smile, and Erza felt elated. Although guilty, although plainly confessed to it, her friends seemed to take it in stride.

"Silence!" Yamamoto rumbled, thumping the sheath of his zanpakutou into the floor. Immediately the well-wishes, consolations, and arguments fell silent. The commander's presence demanded obedience, and obey they did.

"The hearing is not yet concluded," he continued, "so pay attention!"

As one, the officers present stood to attention, and Erza could see even Ichigo straightening up.

Yamamoto gave them all a long look, and Erza was grateful he was in a merciful mood this day.

"I have been led to understand that two officers have revealed the capacity for bankai."

Erza could see Renji shift nervously.

"Abarai Renji and Lisanna Strauss."

"Well, go on, step forward," Kyouraku urged them. "He won't bite."

Reluctantly, Renji stepped forward, following Lisanna's more decisive gait.

"Is it true as they say?" demanded Yamamoto.

"Aye, sir," Lisanna said firmly. "Although, I would have preferred not to make it public. It is as of yet... imperfect."

"It's, uh, true, but I only got it less than a week ago," Renji said nervously.

"It is our wish," said the commander, "that you two fill the spaces left vacant by the treasonous curs Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname."

Renji gaped, and Erza sympathised. He was no more ready for it than she had been.

"Are- are you serious, captain-commander?" Renji blurted out, forgetting to speak respectfully, his voice sounding shrill and aggressive.

"Take it easy, son," Kyouraku said with a smile. "Like we've been saying all along, we've got stability to maintain. You're both senior officers, both vice-captains with leadership experience. You have the bankai, you've got knowledge of how to run a division, and we've got divisions that will be lost and in need of leadership."

"Sir," said Lisanna, looking directly at the commander, "I take it this is not a request?"

"Indeed," said Yamamoto. "It is the will of your captain-commander that you both assume these positions. Abarai is to assume command of Third Division, and you are to assume command of Ninth."

"You gotta be kiddin' me..." Renji muttered, paling.

"I'd have preferred to continue serving under Captain Ukitake," said Lisanna slowly, sounding like she was thinking it through, "but right now, what we want doesn't matter, does it?"

"So it is," said Yamamoto.

"I am needed. We are needed," Lisanna said and nodded, "and, well, it's an order. If we fail?"

"You will not."

There was a finality to the commander's words, an unmistakable, rock-solid declaration that this would be, this would come to pass and nothing else.

"Calm down, Renji," Lisanna said with a smile. "We'll just have to do our best."

"Sure, sure," Renji said distractedly. "I mean, uh, that's a great honour. A dream come true. Far as a shinigami can come, right?"

Yamamoto nodded. "Well spoken, young one. I expect to see you both in proper uniform by the end of the day, organizing your new divisions. You will cooperate with vice-captains Kira and Hisagi until you find your bearings. The paperwork will be sorted when there is time, but right now, we need leaders. On my word, on my command, I hereby elevate you both to the rank of captain. Will you serve?"

"Y-yes, sir," Renji muttered.

"I solemnly swear," Lisanna said with a nod.

The commander grunted with approval.

"The ceremony can be held later. As soon as this council is dismissed, get to work."

He looked across the room, on all of his officers, on the ryoka and the former traitors.

"I shall speak plainly one last time, before calling this hearing closed," he said, placing both arms on the hilt of his sword, holding it before him like a cane, "so listen well.

"We may each one of us die in the war to come. This treason shall go down in history as the single greatest event we've ever faced. Greater than the quincy war by far, greater than any warlord or seditious plot ever conceived. We face a foe of tremendous power and intellect, allied to the worst of our sworn enemies, monsters of inconceivable and unnatural power. Mayhap we will stand victorious, not a single life lost, our foe subdued, but I will not expect it. War comes, young ones, and for many of you, war- true war- is an alien concept. It cannot be understood without being lived through. War comes, and unless we are absurdly lucky, it will claim many of us. I have seen captains come and go across a thousand years, and soon, I may well see my remaining officers culled, their numbers cut in half or worse. Winter has come, and you must all steel yourselves, or you will be burned to cinders in the furnace of war.

"But, make no mistake: we will come out triumphant. We will destroy Aizen Sousuke and his blasphemous gaggle of hollows. We will bring each traitor to justice. No matter the cost, victory will be ours, and the Gotei Thirteen will endure!"

He fell quiet, leaving the room dead silent. Each one of them felt the impact of his words, some more than others. Sure, they had all known, on some level, that a conflict was inevitable. But a war to claim lives? It was reality, and the commander's words had driven it home without fail.

"Dismissed!" Yamamoto snapped, thumping the sheath of his blade into the floor again. "There is much to do yet, and if we are to butcher those accursed traitors, it will not do to stand here complacent. To your posts!"

In the hustle and bustle of officers hastily scurrying away to do their duty as commanded, Erza snuck out. She needed to be by herself.

---

Soifon's days were normally busy, but the last few had been particularly hectic. In between lecturing her vice-captain for his treacherous ways while trying to ignore the fact that she had failed tremendously herself, launching a massive investigation concerning Aizen's treason, interrogating everyone who had ever interacted with him and gathering every piece of data available, conducting a thorough review of their security systems, and on top of that analyzing every step of their military response to Erza Scarlet's invasion and the spectacular failure to respond appropriately, she had worked herself and everyone under her to the bone; all that considered, she was working as hard as she possibly could. Like her subordinates, she hadn't slept for at least fifty hours now, sustaining herself mostly on her reiatsu and coffee.

Yet when she sensed that energy, she immediately paused, her work ceasing. In the gardens was Lady Yoruichi; Soifon could sense her clear as day. No doubt she had meant for her to sense it; if the Lady had wanted not to be found, she would not have been found.

Hastily dropping a stack of papers on her beleaguered vice-captain, she hurried away. Every thought of duty, of hard work and pressing concerns, was shoved aside. She was there for a reason. She wanted to talk to Soifon. And if she wanted to talk, then Soifon would talk to her.

Part of Soifon felt irritated with herself. Like an abused dog running to its master, after all they had been through?

She quashed that part, too.

She found the Lady sitting by the Second Division gardens, by the pond, just next to a majestic cherry tree that had stood there since Soifon was a child. She was leaned against its trunk, looking quite relaxed, her arms crossed over her chest.

Soifon stood to attention some two yards off, keeping quiet. She would have liked to think she was making Lady Yoruichi speak first, that she was putting on some sort of power play, but the truth was that she had no idea what to say. That time in the hospital had brought her great relief, learning that her mentor at least hadn't willingly abandoned her, but it had been over a century all the same, and Soifon found she had no idea what to say.

"Well, this place looks exactly the same as I remember," Yoruichi said, her tone jocular. "I'm surprised you kept it."

The meaning was clear, of course. This place had been special to them back then. This was where they had gazed at the stars at night. Her mentor had loved this place, or so Soifon had thought, at least.

"It is the duty of a captain to maintain all parts of her division," Soifon said stiffly. She wanted to say more than some duty-bound platitude, but what?

"Right, right," Yoruichi said, and nodded. "Well..."

"Yes?"

There was a pause between the two. Soifon felt on edge, feeling a stir in her stomach like a thousand little bugs, but kept a stoic front nonetheless. Let her speak, then.

"...I've come to honour our agreement, after all," Yoruichi said after a while, just before the silence could get awkward. Her words were slow and measured, like they had been forced out of her mouth.

"Our agreement?"

"Oh, you know... I promised I'd surrender myself back then, didn't I?"

The cave. Of course. But why...

"That is nothing you ought to concern yourself with, Lady Yoruichi," Soifon said firmly. "I expect the investigation will clear you of all charges. You are not under arrest, nor to be held under suspicion for criminal activities."

More professional platitudes. Damn it all, why couldn't she say... so much more? Her chest was bursting with emotion, bursting with things she wanted, needed to say, yet could not. She had been brought up to keep herself to herself, to serve, to observe duty first. How a servant felt was irrelevant, and although Soifon was no brow-beaten maid, she had never outgrown what her father had beaten into her in her most formative years.

"No, no, no..." Yoruichi muttered, and shook her head, her casual, relaxed tone dropping from her voice, "that's... that's not..." She groaned, and took a deep breath.

"Lady?"

"No, it wouldn't be that easy, would it?" Yoruichi muttered irritably. Seeing the look on Soifon's face, she added hastily in a more cordial tone, "We need to talk. Okay?"

"What is there to talk about, Lady Yoruichi?" Soifon said, cursing herself for her cowardice. There was a lot to talk about still. "You are cleared of the plot against you. You've explained that it was not your fault, and I believe you. No apologies are needed."

"Yes, they are!" Yoruichi said, and Soifon could not recall her ever having spoken with such anger in her voice. She flinched, a look of vulnerability breaking through her barrier of stoic indifference.

"Lady?"

"Yes, I do need to apologize," Yoruichi said firmly. "I need to apologize and then some, Soifon. I let you down, in more ways than I could count."

"I told you-"

"I could have come back for you," Yoruichi said, her hands dropping to her sides in balled fists, her voice a little strained, "and I didn't."

"You were fearful of Aizen Sousuke!"

"That is true," her mentor said, nodding, a mournful look on her face. "I did not lie when I said that. I was afraid of what he could do, what he would do to my loved ones. Kisuke was afraid, too, even though he didn't like admitting it. We were alone with everyone turned against us, and no way to get the truth back."

Her loved ones? Had the Lady been worried for her? Then... why this?

"I didn't lie. But even so, I didn't tell the full truth, either," Yoruichi continued. "I could have come back. I could have found my way back easily. I could have found you and asked you to come with me. I could at least have sent you a message. But I did none of those things. I ran away. I abandoned you."

The Lady spoke with a trembling voice, angry, Soifon realised, not with Soifon but with herself.

"Why do you say this?" Soifon said urgently, eager to calm her mentor. She had only just started getting used to the idea that it hadn't been so bad after all, and here she was, tearing at a wound that hadn't even started mending yet.

"Because it's the truth," Yoruichi insisted, "because I was selfish and cowardly. I could have come back for you and I didn't."

"Stop!" Soifon cried. "Stop saying that! It wasn't your fault-"

Yoruichi shook her head. "Even now you make excuses for me. I... this is why I never wanted a servant. The things we do to people here in the Gotei, never thinking twice..."

"You... never wanted a servant?" Soifon said, her voice trembling.

"No," Yoruichi said, "I loved watching you grow, and I loved training you, but I never wanted a servant or a bodyguard. I wanted you to be more than that. Your own. Somebody I could call a... friend."

Although that was better than having the worst of her fears confirmed, Soifon was still in emotional turmoil. "It's a servant's place-"

"To hell with that!" Yoruichi said angrily. "I wronged you badly, and here you are making excuses for me. Scarlet was right... this place is messed up."

"Lady Yoruichi..." Soifon said, not sure what to say.

"I want you to know, Soifon, that I don't believe I deserve to be forgiven by you," Yoruichi said gravely. "As selfish as I was, abandoning you, I never stopped feeling guilty. When I first ran... when I first ran, I planned on coming back. I missed you."

Soifon's heart skipped a beat.

"At first, it was just a matter of finding a place to hide and getting set up. I told myself I'd do that with Kisuke, and then come for you. Then we did that, and I told myself that... that I'd come for you a little later. When things had cooled down. Then months turned into years, and... I always put it off. Always made excuses. I kept telling myself that 'she'll be fine'."

Soifon was beside herself, and only the rigorous training she had been given since she was old enough to walk let her stay composed. To hear the Lady speak so ill of herself, it hurt, almost physically. Even more so the notion that she could have been with her all this time. Should she hate her? She knew she could not. She didn't know what to do or say, how to react.

"You never understood," Yoruichi continued. "I... I don't think you ever fully knew me."

That line alone hurt more than anything she had said so far.

"When things had settled down, I traveled the world. I saw the pyramids of Giza, the Mausoleum of Mausulos. I saw the coliseum of Rome and the Great Wall of China. I felt free, Soifon, for the first time in my entire life. You never knew, did you? You saw your fun-loving, caring mentor, but you never guessed that I never wanted that life, did you?"

"But... you were so good at it..." Soifon said lamely, feeling numb.

"Yes, I was good at it!" Yoruichi snapped. "Good at hunting people down, imprisoning them, having them tortured, or just assassinated! That was the path my parents chose for me, the only one I could walk, and I was good at it but I never wanted it, Soifon, and I never felt at ease with it. I was good at it, but... in a way, having to leave was the best thing that could have happened to it. You were my one regret. Did you ever guess that, Soifon?"

"No." Soifon felt her mind going blank.

"You never really knew me, not fully, not more than I let you. I... I wanted you to know one day. I wanted you to think for yourself, be freer, but... well, we know how that went, don't we?" Yoruichi shook her head ruefully. "I ran away, and the truth is I did it not just for Kisuke, but because I wanted to. My place was not here, and I don't think it ever will be. The truth is I hurt you because I was selfish and self-indulgent. The truth is that the woman you always saw, the wise and great Shihoin Yoruichi that you put on a pedestal, was never real. I'm not great and wonderful and infallible. I'm a selfish, stupid, terrible person-"

Yoruichi didn't even see her move. In the blink of an eye, Soifon had raised a hand and slapped her across the face. Yoruichi's eyes widened. Her former protégé was breathing heavily, and there were tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Shut up!" she demanded angrily, her voice shaking. "You shut up, Yoruichi! You're not a terrible person, and if anyone told me you were, I'd kill them!"

"Even after all this time..." Yoruichi said breathlessly, "even after what I did to you, you still care that much?"

"I hated you," Soifon said, anger boiling in her voice. "By the Soul King, how I hated you! But all along, I was just... sad and alone. I've never made friends with anyone, Lady Yoruichi, except you. Now you're back after all this time, and it wasn't your fault, and here you are saying it is?!"

"It was!" Yoruichi insisted. "I could have done so much more-"

"Could have, would have, should have," Soifon said angrily. "Guilt doesn't do anyone any good. Do you think this makes me feel any better, my lady? Do you think I want to stand here listening to you flagellate yourself? If you want to make things all right, then make them all right! If you were a recruit crying excuses like this, I'd have you flogged!"

"You still... you still want me in your life, then," Yoruichi whispered.

"Of course I do!" Soifon snapped. "It's all I've wanted since... since back then!"

Yoruichi took a deep breath, still trembling a little. "Then... yes. Okay. I'll make it right."

Soifon nodded angrily, a tear trailing down her cheek.

"On one condition," Yoruichi added hastily. "We get to know each other. For real. You get to know me, the real me and everything I am. And... and I get to know you, too."

Soifon nodded, and wiped her face with one of her sleeves. "Sure."

"No pedestals. I'm not a lady anymore. I'm not a goddess. I'm a person with my own flaws. If you can accept that... then we can be friends again."

"I'll try," Soifon said slowly, taking long, deep breaths. Losing her composure like this felt wrong, but then again, it also felt right. Here and now, clearing the air with her former mentor, it felt right.

"Then..."

"Then, um," Soifon said, stuttering a bit. She had spoken with such confidence a second ago, but she was stumbling now. A very large part of her was chastising her for daring to speak so boldly to the Right and Honourable Lady Shihoin, and it was hard to ignore. "I, uh... I should get back to work..." she muttered and halfway turned around, taking a step away. It was a pretty tame way of ending this, but she could think of nothing better.

"Wait," Yoruichi said, and hesitantly took a step forward. As if it were a command, Soifon turned to face her. "Before you go... if it's all right, that is."

Yoruichi walked up beside her, and gently, she wrapped her arms around Soifon.

"What are you doing?" Soifon muttered.

"It's a hug. You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that."

Relaxing herself, she leaned into her mentor's chest. Anyone else she would in all likelihood have killed, or at least broken an arm on. But here, with her mentor's arms around her, she allowed herself to relax, if only for a minute or so.

She still hurt. What had been done could not be undone. But... the lady had hurt too. It had never occurred to Soifon that maybe her pain had been shared. What had been done could not be undone, but the future could still be shaped. She could still have... something else. No more pain. No more anger or bitterness.

Reflecting on this, she closed her eyes, and finally put her own arms around her mentor. She didn't let go for quite some time.

---

There was something that felt right about sitting behind his desk again, thought Byakuya as he carefully began to work on a stack of papers. Although Captain Unohana had recommended that he still rest, Byakuya had insisted on going back to work. To Kuchiki Byakuya, life was duty, whether as a shinigami or as clan head, and to not perform one was an uncomfortable sensation. Bed-rest, when he knew he could stand and put his hands to use, was an obnoxious prospect.

He had made one concession as a courtesy to the good doctor: nothing physically straining for at least three weeks. This left him with organisational chores, delegating work, and of course, the inevitable mountain of paperwork that followed that vile, traitorous scum Aizen's defection.

This suited him well. Like all other aspects of captaincy, Byakuya excelled at delegation, organizing, and bureaucratic duties. He would not hold a sword for some time, which was sub-optimal, but at least he would not- perish the thought- sit idle.

It was in this state, content, diligently filling out one report after another, that Renji found him when he barged into Byakuya's office, wild-eyed and unkempt. He didn't even close the door behind him, which was poor etiquette even for somebody a bit rough around the edges like Renji. Deciding to ignore the insult, as he was in no state to get wound up, Byakuya simply gave him a look.

"Captain. Um," Renji said, stuttering. He looked around, back and forth, then finally closed the door behind him.

"I assume you had a reason to come in unannounced?" said Byakuya. His voice was even, but his vice-captain- or former vice-captain, that is- would know well what he meant.

"Uh... sorry," Renji mumbled. He took a breath, then burst out, "Look, captain, ya gotta... ya gotta talk to the captain-commander, okay?"

"I had noticed you had not yet donned your captain's haori," Byakuya noted. Indeed, Renji was quite unchanged, still with his sixth division's vice-captain badge on his arm, still in his regular shihakusho.

"I can't do it!" Renji snapped. "Sir, you gotta do something. I'm not... I'm not a captain. I can't be."

"You are a captain. Such was the order of venerable Yamamoto."

"But I'm not ready!"

Byakuya resisted the urge to sigh. So that was it, then.

"Look, captain," Renji said, seeming to force himself to calm, "would you have recommended me for captaincy a week ago? Two weeks ago? Even if I had a bankai then, would you?"

Byakuya gave him a scrutinizing look.

"I shall be honest with you. I would not have."

"See?" Renji said eagerly. "See, you agree with me!"

"I would not. Mayhap one day, a century or so from now, when you had grown far enough. You have the potential, but as you are now, I would not have. Not... with how things were two weeks ago.

"But times change, and so must we. It is a thought alien to me, but that is reality. Renji, you lack the experience and strength to reach the standard I would hold a captain to. Yet, this decision is not ours to question."

"Let them find somebody else!" Renji said desperately. "You need me here, captain, now more than ever!"

Byakuya stood up. "Life does not often give us the luxury of choice. Not in the Gotei. Especially not when we carry the burden of leadership."

He looked Renji in the eye.

"Renji, have I told you of what it takes to be a captain?"

"Sure," Renji mumbled. "You have to be brave, loyal, smart, skilled, and absolutely exceptional. Right?"

"It seems I must remind you."

He stepped out from behind his desk, ignoring a few aches from his still healing wounds, and stood right in front of his former vice-captain.

"A captain serves two primary purposes, Renji. The first and most practically important is to serve as the Gotei's strength of arm, its martial reach, its enforcers of the order for which we stand. To qualify for that, one must accomplish bankai, a feat which is completely extraordinary in itself. You have done so, have you not?"

"...Sure," Renji agreed, "but-"

"To serve as the Gotei's greatest enforcers is important enough," Byakuya continued, cutting Renji off, "but the more important purpose, as far as I am concerned, is to serve as an exemplar. A captain's role is not just to raise his fist to crush his enemies, but also to inspire the men and women under his command, to be that which they all aspire to be. To have the burden of responsibility, to know that every time you send a squad out on a mission, some may not come back. That sometimes, none come back at all. To know that your every decision reflects on the Gotei itself, contributes to whether it stands or falls. To know that your competence or lack thereof directly matters. That, Renji, is strength of character."

"So...?" Renji said quizzically.

"Your strength of arm has much growing left to do," Byakuya continued as if Renji had said nothing, "but it is not insufficient. In terms of raw strength and power alone, you are not far behind the likes of Captain Kurotsuchi or Captain Ukitake. Weaker captains have served, and served with distinction. Strength of character, Renji, I am assured that you have."

"I do?"

"Not long ago, you stood face-to-face with me, and lectured me like I was a child, and you the master. You stood in the face of the Gotei's authority, and demanded I join you there as well."

"Oh," Renji said embarrassedly, "that. Um..."

"The captain-commander has ruled that you and your companions were in the right, and so, I can only call that bravery," Byakuya said firmly. "You stood up for Rukia when I did not. It takes character to do so. You have what is needed, Renji, even if seems impossible. It will be a hard road, as is the path of a captain, but you will prosper. Such is the order of our commander."

"I..." Renji said, struggling to find the words. "Look, you agreed yourself, I wasn't fit. Not ready."

Byakuya stared at him sternly. It was shameful, even cowardly, this reluctance to step forward. He was tempted to say as much... but then again, shame still ate at his heart, and likely would for the rest of his life, and he would not be able to lecture his former vice-captain without feeling like a hypocrite. Instead, he decided to change tactics.

"When I was a young man, my parents died together," he said coolly, "and not long after, so did my grandfather, the head of our clan. I was a young man, trained from birth to become the successor, yet when the time came, I was sure I was not ready. I was sure my smallest mistake would undo all the hard work of my forebears.

"But no matter my personal feelings on the matter, there was no choice in the matter. Either I step forward and lead, as was proper, or the clan would be left to bickering old men who could agree on nothing. I stepped forward, fearful that my inexperience would ruin our clan, because there was no other choice. Because hundreds of people depended on me. Because I was needed. You, too, Renji, are needed. Third Division reels from the horror of learning that their captain was a traitor. Without strong leadership, they will fall behind. The Gotei needs each division at its best right now. Will you fail them when they need you?"

"But..."

"No buts!" Byakuya said sharply. "Your personal hesitations are meaningless. We are each and every one of us smaller than what we serve. We serve the thousand-year institution of the Gotei Thirteen, and its demands are harsh. We stand where we stand because our mettle has been tested, and judged appropriate to meet these demands. The captain-commander has judged you fit to lead. He sees something in you, the same as I do, that today must grow faster than before."

"You really think I can do this, huh?"

"Have you not been in battle, Renji? Have you not felt exhaustion grip you, yet still find that burst of energy when death threatens you? What each and every one of us can accomplish depends not only on our ambitions, but on the circumstances that force us forward."

"Cornered like a rat..." Renji muttered. "Brave. Loyal. Exceptional."

Byakuya nodded. "Such is the way of our captains."

"Some would say it's idealized, sir."

"Some are wrong," Byakuya said, and a bit of heat soaked through his dispassionate voice. "We serve the Gotei, and without ideals, the Gotei is nothing but well-dressed thuggery. We are more than that. You are more than that, Renji, and the world will soon know it."

"...I'm needed, huh?" Renji said, and groaned. "Well, I guess there's no turning back."

"There is not," Byakuya agreed. "You have the experience of running a division, and you will have the aid of a fine officer in doing so."

"Fine," Renji said resignedly. "Guess that's all there is to it."

"It is," Byakuya said, with a slight nod. "Now, go to Third Division and don your haori, Captain Abarai. The next time we meet, I expect to address you as a peer."

"Yes, sir- I mean, yes, Captain Kuchiki!" Renji said firmly.

As he exited the room, Byakuya carefully sat himself down again. The boy had potential, and might make a fine captain if the position didn't break him- or if he didn't die first in the coming war. Byakuya would not have pictured him there, not for a long time yet, but... times change.

And so must we.

---

Although by no means a teetotaler, Erza was not in the habit of consuming alcohol. For specific occasions she might have a drink or two, but she had never found the charm of inebriation. Yet, now she found herself seated in a bar. She was only dimly aware of where she was, not from the alcohol- she had only had a couple of drinks- but from the sheer chaos of her thoughts, the shaken state of her mind. Some bar catering to officers, judging by its general lack of seediness.

She had gotten more than a few looks on her way there; no doubt many of the shinigami had only days ago been on full alert looking for the vile, traitorous scum Erza Scarlet. Now, by the grace of the captain-commander, she was a free woman.

Free. What a strange concept. How quickly the world turned itself upside down. Her greatest hope going into the hearing had been that Ichigo, Masaki, and all the others she had dragged into this would be allowed to go free. That had come true.

She had, at best, expected them to jail her. Execution had been her most realistic expectation. There had been cause to hope for more, sure, but Erza had wanted to adjust her expectations. Giving herself false hope, when she was so ready to face the consequences...

And then that blasted old man had dropped that on her. It was insane!

Feeling another swell of impotent frustration pass through her head, she raised her hand. The bartender, probably aware of her fierce reputation, hastily poured another glass of saké. Erza downed it in one gulp. Alcohol didn't solve problems, she knew, but they could distract one from them, and Erza could use a distraction.

Out of all things, a place as a captain. The commander had to be desperate. It was true that she held information useful to them, but...

For over two decades, she had hurt. She had been severed from all her friends, with no prospect of seeing them again. She had nurtured resentments, against the Gotei as much as Aizen, because he was right, she had joined him for a reason...

Or, was he? Could she be sure it was her own thoughts and not Aizen's ideas, injected into her mind, manipulating her? He had driven her to do things she would not normally have done, had driven her to accept things she never should have accepted... was this hate really hers? Should she really judge them like so?

She shook her head, angry with herself for her doubt. No matter Aizen's influences, the sins of the Gotei were undeniable. She had seen them before Aizen, seen them under his influence, and seen them after that. This was an organization with only the pretense of morality, to mask its ruthlessness.

To be part of that establishment would be to go against her own set of morals. Wouldn't it?

But, to reject it... to reject it would mean giving up the chance of changing it for the better.

But, compromising was how one started down the path of amorality.

But, never compromising was how one started down the path of extremism.

Neither worked. She could join the Gotei and make a difference. With a captain's wage and influence, she could protect dozens of villages. She could send troops to keep order in several districts. It wouldn't solve the larger problem itself, but it would make life better for so many people.

But what happened if the commander disapproved? What if she was told not to, to stop? What choice would she have? The Gotei only tolerated insubordination for so long. Yamamoto had made promises, but although he was an honourable man, he might later reconsider. There was no guarantee she would be given that vaguely specified 'leeway'.

What good did her having the moral high ground do for the people suffering in the Rukongai?

What good would it be to join evil to make it less evil, when nobody else saw the problem, when nobody else wanted the change?

To join them and be part of the problem. To not join them, and never have the chance of making it better.

Erza groaned, made a fist, and slumped over the bar counter. She could hear the bartender pour another glass, and she felt grateful. There was no making sense of this. Worse still, no matter the choice she made, she had to choose, and soon, and no matter what she chose it would have serious consequences.

"Lady Erza Scarlet?"

The voice came from behind her, and Erza, mildly tipsy, spun around on her chair quickly enough that she nearly overbalanced.

In front of her was a young man with stripy, brown hair, long enough that it fell down his shoulders. By the look of him, he was an officer, in uniform. On a good day he might have been called handsome, although he was rather gangly.

"What?" she demanded, realizing that she had snapped at the man. She would have apologized for her tone any other day, but right then she was lost, angry about it, and on the way to inebriation.

The young man shifted nervously. "I heard you were here, and I... I had hoped to catch you before you left."

Erza's hand went to the hilt of her sword. If some fool officer was stupid enough to start a fight, then let him.

"Hold on, hold on," he said quickly, holding his hands up. "I'm not here to start trouble."

"Then what?" Erza said irritably. She was in no mood for idle chatter.

"I... you don't recognise me, do you?"

Erza blinked, and gave him a closer look. Was there... something familiar about him? She couldn't quite place him.

"My name is Akamura Jinto," he said with a rueful smile, "and my house has wronged you greatly."

With that he fell down on both knees, eyes to the floor, one arm behind his back, one fist to the floor. Erza looked at him awkwardly. Akamura... Jinto?

"You?" she said incredulously. Akamura Jinto. The entitled, petty bully she had once taught when she was a teacher? The one whose father had nearly seen her thrown in prison?

"My late father, may he rest in peace, wronged you greatly, and in doing so, my entire house wronged you," Jinto muttered the words quickly; they sounded like a well-rehearsed speech, "and I most sincerely apologise. I humble myself before you, and may the Soul King strike me down if there is deceit in my heart."

Erza was not savvy to noble mannerisms, but she figured this had to be some sort of formal apology. Her irritability washed off her, replaced by a mixture of awkwardness and guilt.

"Stand up, will you," she muttered. "You don't have to kowtow like that..."

"Yes, I do!" Jinto said, stubbornly remaining bowed. "What was done to you by my late father was inexcusable. I can only beg your forgiveness, Lady."

Collecting herself, assuming the same authoritative tone of voice she used whenever she was teaching, Erza said, "Stand up, Akamura Jinto. Right now."

Reluctantly, he did as she asked, facing her, his eyes still turned toward the floor.

"Look me in the eye," she demanded. He obeyed, albeit slowly. Finally, Erza got a proper look at him.

Digging into memories of old, she finally started to recognize him. The face was the same, but the expression, mild and humble, was worlds apart from the cruel, petty, disrespectful boy she had put in his place so many decades ago. Maybe that's why I didn't recognize him, she thought.

"Er, will you accept this apology?" he said hopefully.

"Would you apologize to a known traitor?"

"Actually... the word is that you were framed all along, Lady."

Kyouraku... damned if they didn't work fast.

"Very well, then. I will not accept your apology," said Erza, and a dejected look passed the man's face. She then continued, "...because there is nothing to forgive. I will not hold a grudge against a son for the actions of his father."

She meant it. As terrible as Jinto had been, a child was only ever as good as their parents taught them to be.

"Oh," he said, looking relieved.

"Sit down," Erza said, her tone friendly, but nevertheless demanding. Obliging, Jinto sat down on the barstool next to her.

"You... are different," she said, after a pause.

Jinto smile, and chuckled awkwardly. "That's a polite way of putting it, sensei. I was... a terrible person back then."

"No..."

"I was," he insisted, "and don't deny it."

"All right," Erza said with a sigh, "you were. So, what changed?"

"Well... I never wanted you to be locked up like that. That was my father's demand. The way I was back then, I didn't want to hurt anyone. I just wanted to do whatever I wanted. It was bad, but... I wasn't that bad. Then, when I saw what Father did..."

He shook his head.

"Until you put me in my place, nobody had ever dared speak to me like that. I had always been coddled, always told I was better than everyone else. I had not been taught to be civil to anyone who was not noble like myself. I hated you at the time, sensei. I thought you were an evil-minded, vicious harpy who despised your betters, and I did for many years after the incident. But, then... a few years after I made officer, Father passed away."

"I'm sorry," Erza said. She had no pity for the man who had wanted her thrown in prison, but nevertheless, losing a parent had to sting.

Jinto shook his head. "Don't be. He was not a man worth mourning. When he was put in the ground, I... I realized I did not want to be like him. I thought to myself that when it's me, I want to be surrounded by people who loved me for who I was, not... petty noblemen who went there out of obligation even if they hated me. I thought long and hard, and I made a few realizations. Only one person had told my father what she thought of him, and that was you. Slowly, as I watched how far all your other students had come, I realized that... if you really were a harpy, why did everyone else think so fondly of you? So... I changed my mind. I decided that if I had been wrong, then I should mend my ways. I should be more like you."

Erza blinked. She had seen where this was going, but it was a bit surprising all the same.

"So, I changed. I stopped acting like I was special. I had made officer, but I hadn't gotten very far. So, I changed, I worked harder, and whenever my family scoffed at me for changing, I only tried harder. It paid off. I am eighth seat of Division Seven, now."

"Well done," Erza said appreciatively, feeling surprisingly pleased. Her student had tried hard and come far, and it was a sensation that had never failed to evoke a response in her.

"Captain Komamura works us hard, but he is a good man. He has promised me that with effort and with time, I may well climb further up. I have not reached the end of my potential, sensei, and it's because of you."

He gave her an earnest smile, and Erza felt her heart swell.

"So... I did all that?"

"And more," Jinto said, nodding eagerly. "It is a strange thing to say, but I feel like I owe you everything. I am head of my clan now, and I have decided to run it as fairly as I can. No petty competitions for status, just to run our affairs as necessary."

"That... this is unexpected," Erza murmured.

"It would be. I was terrible then. Sometimes I feel like I still am."

"You changed," Erza said firmly, "and that is what matters." She looked him in the eyes. "Have a drink with me. Tell me about your family."

"Eh? I mean, well, sure," Jinto said, sounding surprised. "I, uh... I married last year?"

"Well, that's great," Erza said, nodding her approval.

"We're expecting, actually. To think I'll actually raise a kid..."

"Well," said Erza, "go on, tell me more. What's the girl like?"

"An arranged marriage, actually, but we get along well. She's beautiful, actually..."

Time flew by as they spoke, like long lost, slightly awkward friends. One found answers in the unlikeliest of places sometimes.

---

It was twilight when a slightly drunk Erza barged into Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryuusai's office, wobbly on her feet but still determined. The old man was in conference with Kyouraku Shunsui, speaking quietly to themselves. The both of them looked up, surprised at her intrusion. Nevertheless, Yamamoto looked her in the eye as if nothing had happened, no breach of protocol, and said, "Well?"

"You still want me to be a captain?" Erza said, forcing her voice steady.

"That was the idea, yes," said Kyouraku.

Erza walked up to the commander's desk, and firmly planted both of her palms on it, leaning in closer.

"You'd really let me try and change this place? For the better?"

"Within the limits of a captain's powers," Yamamoto said reservedly, "which, of course, includes the rights to petition the Gotei's court system for amendments to law, or proposing new laws altogether. You may try and make things 'better' as much as you please, but you will do so in an orderly fashion.

Erza nodded. "Sounds fair, sure. I... I'll do it, then."

She stood up straight, and took a deep breath. She had taken the plunge, and she only hoped she wouldn't regret it later.

"Excellent!" Kyouraku said cheerily. "I believe we have a haori to spare, old man?"

"Your captain-commander certainly does," Yamamoto said sternly. "Erza Scarlet, as the sole supreme head of the Gotei Thirteen, I hereby sanction your role as captain of Fifth Division. The details, the swearing in and the paperwork, we'll handle later. For now, get to your division and get some sleep."

"I- I got a kid in the world of the living. A daughter. Orihime," Erza muttered. "Can't walk out on that."

"Work that out later," Shunsui said. "For now, you'll be busy with the division. Very busy. She can stay with a friend, right?"

Erza nodded. She could stay with the Kurosakis for the time being.

"It's settled, then," said the captain. He went to a chest by a wall in the room and from it produced a haori, which he held up with pride to display the character for 'five' on its back. Hesitantly, Erza took the piece of clothing in her hands.

"...I'll get to the division, then," she said after a short pause.

"Dismissed," Yamamoto said, and there was no mistaking his tone. Erza turned around, folding the haori over one of her arms, and walked out.

As she closed the door, Shunsui smirked. Sounding as pleased as he looked, he turned to his sensei.

"You know, old man, I am surprised you actually gave her the captaincy," he said, sounding curious. "I honestly expected you to execute her then and there when she said what she said."

"So I nearly did," Yamamoto said gruffly, "but it is true as I said. We need fighters, and we've tolerated worse."

"Still, she directly insulted the Gotei," Shunsui pointed out, "and you rarely tolerate that."

Yamamoto laced his fingers, and gave his insolent pupil a long stare.

"A wise man once said to keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. If she turns out to be a problem, we will know soon. Be assured that she will be under close scrutiny. If she is unfit, she will be disposed of. If that becomes necessary, I would rather she was within striking range than hidden far away from us. Like I said, we can ill afford more enemies."

Shunsui gave a whistle. "Figured you'd have a reason. It wouldn't be like you to go soft, old man."

"Besides," said Yamamoto, and shrugged, "she might just die in the war. We might even be lucky enough to find her useful."

"Or she'll spread her seditious ideology and turn the status quo around and against us."

"I'll die before that happens," Yamamoto said firmly, "and not before she and anyone else on her side dies with her, too."

"Well, I have no doubts about that," Shunsui said thoughtfully. "One thing is sure... the future is going to be very interesting with her here."

---

Well now, I do think this is one of our longer chapters. Appropriate given this is the arc finale, but still.

As Greatkingrat88 said earlier, this is where things will begin to change. Not everything per say, but if your expecting just a retelling of the arrancar arc with Erza added...Oh boy, your in for a shock!

Oh and just to make sure...No, Erza is NOT abandoning Orihime. Unlike some anime parents, Erza isn't going to just leave her daughter for the sake of "duty". I'm not going to do that to her character.

But, that's all for this chapter. I'd like to go and say so much more, but I'm afraid if I did, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from spoiling the whole thing! Cant have that now can we?

I eagerly await to see what you all think of this chapter in your reviews though, they mean a lot to us, even now.