Greed: Okay… this is almost the last chapter! I know, sad day. However, I've gotten fed up with this story. Every time I go to write it, I lose the story line. Even my notes don't seem to make sense anymore. Besides, Vanity and I have gotten another idea or two. Also, we're going to try something different. We were going to sit down and update this story every week or so, but it didn't work out. So, now we'll just write the damn story and finish it and then update it that way. It sounds a lot better than what we have been doing.

Vanity: Yes, well, we did try. However, it seemed life wished to take up most of our time. Stress and what not. On to the story now. Please tell us how you like it and if you would like more to the story or have a suggestion as to another chapter, just tell us. Soon, an alternate ending will be up for our other story, Sanitarium, as suggested by an enthusiastic reviewer.

Greed: So, read, enjoy, and review!

Vanity: And just so you know and are not confused, there are new captains taking the place of the ones that defected, seeing as I'm not going with the storyline of the present manga. They will not be named because Ichigo doesn't really know them. Also, they aren't really important, I just thought I would inform you of that little tidbit of information.

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Chapter 11… Mercy

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The 13 squads of Soul Society were in upheaval.

Ichigo Kurosaki was considered a hero to many of the shinigami, including some of the captains and lieutenants. And now he was sitting in front of the Head Captain and his Vice Captain.

"Do you have anything to say, Vizard?" Old Man Yamamoto asked of the redhead before him. Silence was his answer. "You are being tried for the attempted murder of Rukia Kuchiki, running from Soul Society, aiding the traitors we have been after for over a century, and harboring a hollow. I'll ask again, do you have anything to say?"

Two different eyes looked up at the old man. One was a chocolate brown and the other was amber swimming in a sea of black. His arms were bound behind his back and a collar was around his throat. No spiritual pressure leaked from the new adornment as it was made specifically for the substitute shinigami. "You ask if I have anything to say? I think you are asking the wrong person! What do you have to say for causing all of this? This is entirely your fault! None of this would have happened if you had just LEFT ME ALONE!" the teen shouted, anger and horror in his voice. The remaining captains looked at the boy in front of them. He was restrained by four of Soi Fon's men, each staying near him in case one of the Kidos binding him failed. There would be no mistakes with this boy. "None of this had to happen! Rukia would be okay! My hollow wouldn't have come out like that! Can you honestly live with yourselves thinking that you had no hand in what happened?" Ichigo continued. His eyes met with every Captain's eyes in that room. It was easy to see the regret in some of their eyes.

It upset Ichigo that these people were willing to be within the meeting area. Ukitake and Shunsui weren't present, and neither were Hitsugaya nor his lieutenant. The teenager didn't even see the soft spoken, yet scary Unohana. However, he understood up to a point. Really, it was only the unmasked Komamura and Byakuya that showed any really emotion, the latter hiding it very well. The captains taking the place of those that had defected during the Aizen fiasco weren't people that Ichigo could really peg, seeing as he didn't really know them.

"Ignorant child," the Head Captain spoke and commanded all attention. "You do not deserve to judge me. All I wish for is the safety of the human world and this world. If I judge that something is a danger that danger must be dealt with. We have in our custody all but three of the Vizards you were with along with Renji Abarai, ex-Vice-Captain of the 6th squad. Rukia Kuchiki is being looked after by Unohana, but will be detained once she is healed. I suggest you rein in any less than savory thoughts before your sentence is extended. By the looks of things, you are more of a danger now then you have ever been, lacking in even the tiniest bit of control."

The boy was at a loss for words. It was his fault that the Vizards had been captured. It was even his fault that Rukia and Renji were in trouble. But it was their fault that everything had fallen apart. "I had perfect control before you saw fit to strap some strange devise on my wrist and left me to run from the swords of your shinigami! I am only 17 and yet you set your men after me like wolves and I had to fend for myself. Why do you think I would just come here of my own free will to face certain death when I have saved and befriended so many here? I am not some criminal that you should have to lock away or put down like a rabid dog."

"Enough!" the head captain shouted. "Detain the Vizard. We'll have his trial in thirty days."

…

Shinji moved through the streets of a strange town and slowly let his spiritual pressure leak out of his body. If Kisuke was here like he guessed, the strange blond would come running.

Urahara had left subtle clues at the Shoten about his whereabouts should he need to be found by Ichigo or Isshin. It wasn't two hard to piece together if you really knew the guy. He left little trinkets in odd places from three different places. He was bound to be in one of them. And, knowing how strange the shop owner was when he was a captain, Shinji guessed the tackiest place possible was his destination. So, here they were, Kensei, Rose and Shinji, standing in Kyoto, Japan. Kisuke had probably wanted to see Nijo Castle, the foolish twat.

Hopefully, the lightly leaked spiritual pressure wouldn't alert any wondering shinigami. It would most like feel like a very low level hollow if they didn't pay much attention to it. There were always bigger fish to fry.

Kensei tensed as he caught a movement on his side of the small group. "Company," he whispered to his companions.

"Ah! Shinji-san! So good to see you again. It's been, what? A hundred years or so?"

"Give or take a decade, you lunatic," Shinji snapped before reining himself in. "We have a serious problem. Ichigo and the others have been captured along with two shinigami that were helping the kid. Both of them were lieutenants. I need to get them out of Seireitei. They could be sentenced to death for evading Soul Society for over a century."

"Then you are in luck, Shinji-san. I have a few helpers in my new shop that are more than willing to help out. Follow me," Urahara said as he flared out his fan to cover his face.

When they arrived at the new shop, Shinji wasn't surprised that it looked exactly like the old one. He was surprised, however, when he saw some people he would never expect in the formal area of the shop, sipping on tea. Hitsugaya and his lieutenant were seated at the table along with Yoruichi and Isshin.

Two shinigami were in the presence of three Vizards and were not attacking. It had to be a trick or a miracle.

"What is going on, Urahara," Hitsugaya questioned the bubbly ex-captain. "Who are these men?"

"They're like Ichigo. Vizards. You're too young to remember what happened 110 years ago in Seireitei, but they were hunted down as criminals for their accidental hollow powers. Just like Ichigo is being hunted now. You came to me to help Ichigo, correct?" he asked, though he didn't wait for an answer as he continued. "Well, they have friends that were captured alongside of the young substitute soul reaper. I'm sure you saw a few of them." The frost headed captain nodded. "These men wish to help Ichigo and their friends. Just like you wish to help Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Shinigami want to help a Vizard?" Shinji asked suspiciously. "Why would you wish to do that?"

Hitsugaya huffed out an annoyed breath. "Kurosaki has helped us on many occasions. Why wouldn't we wish to help him?"

The tiny captain's lieutenant spoke up after him. "Besides, we aren't the only ones that wish to help. Once Soi Fon realized that Yoruichi wanted to help Ichigo, she instantly came aboard. Captains Ukitake and Shunsui are making sure that Ichigo isn't sentenced too early so that we have time to get to them. Byakuya has a debt to Ichigo, so we got his help, even if it is just minor interference for the extraction. Rukia and Renji should have waited to make contact, but we have Kenpachi to convince. Our main problems will be Mayuri, Komamura and the three new captains. Unohana did not wish to be pulled into any civil war, though she wished to help those that are injured, no matter the side." Hitsugaya looked almost shocked at his bubbly lieutenant's speech.

"Thank you for putting that so eloquently, Matsumoto," frost head stated coldly after recovering from his shock. "It is as she has said. We have many people that wish to aid us within Soul Society. I'm sure they will not be averse to rescuing a few more people. We need to get Renji and Rukia too. I suppose you will need a few others with you so that you can get your people more easily. Mayuri is supposedly watching over them. You'll need people with you that won't be subdued by those bracelets the man has developed."

Shinji nodded in agreement. He had watched how those devises affected everyone with hollow powers. They were quick to incapacitate and cripple. "We'll need just three more people. If they can help us keep those devises off of us, we'll be good."

"Then I suppose we have ourselves the beginning of a plan," Urahara piped up.

…

Vanity: So, we stopped this here because we have just planned for two more chapters. Yes, two more. And that is it. The second chapter will be more of an epilogue rather than a full length chapter (though our chapters are rather short anyway).

Greed: We'd like you to review with your thoughts, please. But no flames. We'll burn you back so bad it'll feel like a cannon ball knocked you through three walls.

Vanity: Stop being so crude. Anyway, the next chapter should be up next week. Though, no promises. We haven't had much luck in updating this story on time.