In this chapter, Ichigo and Rukia are going to have a fair trial. Really, there's not going to be any foul play. I promise!
Oh, and Luffy and his friends are going to train...if they just waltz into Soul Society things won't end well for them. If their luck is bad enough they'll end up being used as test subjects for Mayuri Kurotsuchi. You may know him if you're a Bleach fan, but this is the first time he's actually going to appear in the fanfic. A lot of characters are going to appear in this little arc in fact.
And yes, Tite Kubo did introduce a lot of characters in the Soul Society Arc. It made it so much harder for him to develop writer's block apparently. Of course, that was what Rumiko Takahashi did earlier.
Also, the Straw Hat Pirates are going to escape from the whale. And yes, that arc was rather short. It was only two episodes long, I believe. But I suppose it makes writing easier.
Chapter 14: A "Fair" Trial
After arriving in Soul Society, Byakuya and Renji immediately took Rukia and Ichigo to stand trial. They had a lot to answer for, so it was a good idea to get started with the trial and presumable sentencing.
"This is terrible..." remarked Ichigo. Who would have thought that they would be in danger of receiving capital punishment? He was under the impression that he abided the law...though admittedly he did get busted for speeding once. Those legal speed limits were sneaky.
"At least we'll have a fair trial..." stated Rukia. Surely Central 46 would be reasonable, right?
Immediately, Ichigo and Rukia entered the courtroom.
Suddenly, they noticed a rather interesting sight.
On the jury were no less than a dozen Quincy. Not only that, but their prosecutor was Gin Ichimaru, Rukia's least-favorite person in the world. Apparently he was going to enjoy the trial, because he had a wide smile on his face.
Of course, Gin Ichimaru almost always had a wide smile on his face. Was he using petroleum jelly or something?
"Someone's been a bad girl..." remarked Gin Ichimaru.
Rukia Kuchiki began to sweat profusely.
Apparently, the jury weren't too fond of Shinigami, because they were scowling at them.
And for some strange reason, his eyes were always shut. It was a miracle that he was able to see...unlike his pal Tosen.
Not only that, but the judge was Mayuri Kurotsuchi, Soul Society's mad scientist. Why he was currently a judge, Rukia had no idea. Apparently he liked the white wig and gavel that came with it.
As for their attorney...he was a monkey. How he got a job as an attorney was anyone's guess. His employer must be bananas.
"Ooh ooh aah aah!" exclaimed the monkey attorney.
"Ah crap..." said Rukia.
Meanwhile...
As it turned out, Kisuke Urahara was currently training our five protagonists to help them get through Soul Society in one piece. They did not take too kindly to intruders.
"How are we doing with the training?" asked Orihime. This was a really good workout, to say the very least. Who would have thought that helping Kisuke's assistants would help them hone their powers?
"Pretty good..." answered Kisuke. However, it would still be some time before the portal was ready, though admittedly he was making fairly decent progress. The more time Luffy and his friends had to rescue Rukia and Ichigo, the better.
She had to admit, she was surprised how strong she had become. Of course, it helped that Luffy had helped her realize her true potential as a member of his crew.
She was glad that they had gotten to know each other. Personally she was a bit surprised how alike they were considering that they were from two different worlds. But maybe that was just the way things were.
Uryu had in fact been fairly strong to begin with...but after some training he had become stronger as well. Though admittedly he normally did not like Shinigami, Kisuke didn't seem so bad.
Of course, technically he wasn't a Shinigami anymore. He had retired a long time ago.
"I hope that we can save Ichigo in time..." said Nami. She didn't know what she was going to do if Ichigo ended up being executed. And to think Rukia's life was on the line as well.
"We still have time, so keep your shirt on...even if you're unbelievably sexy." stated Kisuke.
"Alright..." answered the Shinigami. If she wanted to save Ichigo, it was probably best to remain focused. Still, she felt rather guilty for getting him into that situation. He only wanted to protect her from the vicious Hollows.
If saving Ichigo meant making it up to him, then she was willing to enter Soul Society and save him along with Rukia.
Personally she wondered what was waiting for them once they arrived at Soul Society. Was it like the human world? Or was it another place entirely? Though admittedly she had sent several Pluses there, she had never bothered asking them what it was like on the other side.
Apparently, she was going to find out soon.
Meanwhile...
"I don't understand...where are Central 46?" asked Rukia. The courtroom was conspicuously empty.
"They decided to take a day off. You'd be surprised how stressful it can be. They have to handle the worst criminals in all of Soul Society..." noted Gin Ichimaru.
"I suppose..." answered Ichigo. Still, it was rather inconvenient that they weren't there to judge them today. What were they all doing? Were they participating in a golf tournament?
"Ooh aah ooh aah!" exclaimed the attorney. He was hungry.
"What's that? You want a banana?" asked Gin Ichimaru.
The monkey attorney nodded.
"I think I see one right outside the courtroom..." stated the Squad 3 captain.
Immediately, the attorney went outside to get his banana.
However, much to his surprise, there did not appear to be a banana. Where was it?
Suddenly, Gin Ichimaru locked the door to the courtroom, leaving the monkey attorney trapped outside.
Confused, the monkey attorney scratched his head. Where was the banana? He was hungry.
"Our attorney!" bellowed Ichigo.
"This is going to be a hard court case..." stated Rukia.
"Now then...let's present the evidence, shall we?" asked Gin Ichimaru.
Immediately, Gin Ichimaru pulled out a television set and put a video in.
A few seconds later, Rukia appeared on the screen, waving at the audience.
"Hi! My name is Rukia Kuchiki! I'm a complete and utter psycho! I eat bunny rabbits for fun!" bellowed Rukia.
Immediately, Rukia picked up a baby rabbit (who was completely terrified) and bit off his head.
"Aah! Those are sweet and succulent juices! I feel just like a ferret!" bellowed the Shinigami, the rabbit's blood splattered all over her face.
"That's ridiculous! I love bunny rabbits!" exclaimed Rukia. Why else would she incorporate them in her drawings?
"You love eating them!" retorted Gin Ichimaru.
Rukia sweatdropped.
"What should I do today? Hmm, I think I see someone approaching..." stated the fake Rukia.
As it turned out, it was Ichigo Kurosaki.
"Hmm...I heard all about him...he murdered several people in a spectacularly gruesome fashion! He's also an arsonist who burns down orphanages! And I heard that he ate his own dog for lunch! Let's give him shinigami powers, shall we?" asked Rukia.
Immediately, Rukia picked up her sword and thrust it in Ichigo's chest.
"Hahahaha! Now that I have Shinigami powers I will use it to bring pain and suffering to the world!" bellowed Ichigo.
Quickly, lightning began to fill the sky.
"I would never do that!" screeched the real Ichigo.
"Of course you would! You're a dangerous psychopath with a long history of violence. You even killed your own mother!" bellowed Gin Ichimaru.
"I did not!" exclaimed Ichigo.
"If it weren't for you, she would still be alive...do you deny it?" asked the Soul Reaper.
"No..." answered the Soul Reaper.
"Then you're guilty!" bellowed Gin Ichimaru.
Ichigo Kurosaki remained onscreen, cutting people's heads off left and right with his katana.
"I think I see the legendary pirate queen Nami up ahead...she's pillaged hundreds of ships and slaughtered thousands of marines...not to mention that she tortured a Shinigami to death...I'll give her my Shinigami powers!" bellowed Ichigo.
Immediately, Ichigo stuck his sword through Nami's chest.
"Nami is not like that!" exclaimed the teenage boy.
"But she's a pirate!" retorted Gin Ichimaru.
"True..." answered Ichigo truthfully. Maybe giving Nami powers wasn't such a good idea.
The video then cut to Rukia Kuchiki, who was currently relaxing on a bus stop.
She was examining her watch.
"Oh dear...it appears that I've been away from Soul Society for a century...oh well! Another century it is!" exclaimed Rukia.
"I have not been away from Soul Society for that long!" bellowed the real Rukia. Surely Soul Society would have arrested her before then.
"Tick tock, tick tock!" shouted Gin Ichimaru. It looked like someone needed to keep better track of time.
Shortly afterward, he shut off the TV.
"Well, that was all the evidence. Personally I think that it was a bit...overwhelming, wouldn't you say?" asked the man.
The jury nodded. Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki were really horrible people.
A few minutes later, they came to a decision.
"What's the verdict?" asked Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
"We find the defendants guilty as Yoruichi when she went streaking through Soul Society!" exclaimed one of the Quincies.
"That was the best day of my life...too bad Tosen wasn't there to see it...get it? He wasn't there to see it? Hahaha!" laughed Gin Ichimaru.
"Alright then. Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki, you have been sentenced to death!" exclaimed the mad scientist.
Immediately, Mayuri Kurotsuchi let out a wicked cackle.
"I wonder what the execution method is going to be..." stated Ichigo.
"We've got lots of execution methods...lethal injection, electrocution, giant flaming phoenix of doom..." explained Rukia. It'd be easier to list what execution methods they didn't have in Soul Society.
"You have been sentenced to be roundhouse kicked by Chuck Norris!" bellowed Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
"Oh hell no..." said Ichigo.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi banged the gavel, making the sentence official and condemning Rukia and Ichigo.
Immediately, Byakuya and Renji picked up Ichigo and Rukia took them to a prison cell.
"Have fun in paradise...though I doubt you're going there..." said Renji. Personally he was surprised that Rukia would do such a horrible thing. Those poor bunny rabbits.
"Are you sure making us share the same prison cell is such a good idea?" asked Ichigo.
"Mayuri Kurotsuchi was looking forward to a double execution..." stated Byakuya. They would probably save money that way...
Rukia shrugged. She just hoped that she and Ichigo could have some privacy.
"Once again, I'm sorry I got you into this...because of me we're both going to die..." stated Rukia.
"At least we have a month before the execution..." said Ichigo. Granted, they weren't sure what exactly they were going to do in a month since they were locked inside a prison cell...but at least they weren't going to be executed immediately.
"It's going to be an awfully long month..." noted the teenage girl.
"They sure make it a long wait..." acknowledged the Shinigami. He was under the impression that Mayuri Kurotsuchi wanted them to be executed on the spot. But apparently even he followed tradition.
"Life was good while it lasted..." thought Rukia. In a month from now, her soul would be trapped in Hueco Mundo. Chuck Norris's roundhouse kick was so lethal that it completely disintegrated the person's body.
Apparently, it wasn't so surprising that he had been chosen to be an executioner...though she was a bit surprised that Mayuri Kurotsuchi never accepted the job. It seemed like the perfect thing for him.
But maybe he was busy with his experiments in his laboratory. That was where he usually was. Maybe that was why he wanted to be judge rather than executioner.
Rukia sighed. It looked like they were going to have to wait until the execution. Maybe if they were lucky somebody would rescue them or someone would overturn the decision...but perhaps that was simply wishful thinking.
Personally she wondered who was going to miss her when she was gone. Perhaps Renji would...even if he was one of the Shinigami that had arrested her along with Ichigo.
Ichigo wondered if he was going to see his mother again, since she was deceased. Surely she was waiting for him on the other side, right?
At Mayuri Kurotsuchi's laboratory...
Mayuri Kurotsuchi was absolutely delighted. He was going to get to see a double execution! He couldn't wait to tell Nemu the good news. Of course, he was going to have to wait a month...but he thought that it would be worth the wait.
Besides, he would be able to perform experiments until then.
Immediately, Mayuri entered his laboratory. It was time to get back to work. And boy, did he love his job.
"Nemu, I'm home!" bellowed Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
Immediately, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's assistant greeted Mayuri.
"Greetings, master. How did the trial go? I will admit that this was the first time you tried being a judge instead of a scientist...did you adapt to the change well?" asked Nemu.
"As a matter of fact, I did! I got to sentence two people to death! It was spectacular! Now they're going to die! Now if only I could experiment on their corpses...well, I guess I'll just have to help myself to what's left of them after Chuck Norris performs his roundhouse kick..." stated Mayuri.
"Chuck Norris's going to be the executioner? Sheesh..." said Mayuri's lieutenant.
"Here! I'm going to show you a video tape so that you'll know just how successful I was at being a judge!" exclaimed the scientist.
"Alright. Let's watch it..." stated Nemu.
Immediately, Mayuri pulled out a television set. He then stuck a video inside and turned on the TV.
Sure enough, the events of Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Soul Society began to play.
"My favorite part was when Gin Ichimaru showed the evidence against the two! As soon as I saw it, I knew that they were going to be executed for sure!" bellowed Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Gin Ichimaru was a surprisingly good prosecutor, to say the very least. Of course, his attorney didn't provide much competition.
"I don't know, Mayuri...I think that somebody rigged the trial..." answered Nemu.
"What makes you say that?" questioned the Soul Society captain.
"Since when do we have Quincy on our jury? And why was the attorney a monkey? I didn't even know that we had a monkey Shinigami..." asked the experiment.
"Nonsense! Who would want to spend time tampering with jury trials?" questioned Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
Meanwhile...
"Is everything going according to plan?" asked a female Shinigami.
As it turned out, Gin Ichimaru had decided to pay another Shinigami a visit after the events of the trial. He had in fact visited another Shinigami by the name of Rangiku...but he could never get her to go on a date with him. Apparently she thought he was creepy...which could be said for everyone else in Soul Society aside from Mayuri Kurotsuchi himself.
This particular Shinigami was known as Sakura Kaguya. She was dressed in a Shinigami outfit...that was bright pink and had the picture of a cherry blossom on it. It also showed off some of her cleavage. Instead of a katana she wielded a scythe. She also had pink hair similar to Yachiru and had red eyes. She had a fairly slender body build.
"Yes...I persuaded the Quincy to give Rukia a guilty verdict...which wasn't very hard at all. I have to admit, serving as prosecutor was awfully fun..." stated Gin Ichimaru.
"I'm a bit surprised that you got a monkey to be the attorney..." acknowledged Sakura.
"That was easy. I just gave him the banana and he immediately volunteered for the job." answered the sadist.
"Mm-hmm...but don't forget my role in the plan...I brainwashed the Central 46 to take a day off so that I could replace them with Mayuri Kurotsuchi...he was thrilled to handle the sentencing in the trial, to say the very least. I also made sure that the jury would be completely and utterly biased..." said Sakura.
"For that, I thank you...wait a minute! You're not in the Bleach manga!" exclaimed Gin.
"I'm not?" asked the Shinigami.
"No, you are not! I can't find you in the Bleach manga anywhere!" bellowed the man, flipping through the pages.
"Oh...I must be an original character..." stated Sakura.
"That explains a lot..." answered Gin Ichimaru. Apparently Ohfortheloveofpete thought it would be boring to just copy the Soul Society Arc down to every single episode, so he created Sakura Kaguya for his own purposes.
"Time for Stage 2 of the plan...isn't Tosen going to handle it?" asked the female Soul Reaper.
"I believe so, yes..." stated the white-haired sadist.
Sakura smiled wickedly.
Meanwhile...
"This is fun!" exclaimed Yuzu, bouncing on the insides of Laboon. It was like using a giant trampoline.
"I'm surprised that we can breathe in here..." questioned Karin. Then again, the giant whale did have a blowhole like all the other whales.
"I want out of here...this is grossing me out..." complained Sanji.
"Me too..." answered Zoro. Unfortunately, they had no idea how they were going to escape from the whale's stomach. He doubted that he could simply cut through the whale's skin with his sword, since it appeared to be awfully resilient.
They had to admit, it was awfully spacious...but what were they expecting from such an enormous whale?
"Do you think anyone else got swallowed in here?" questioned Usopp.
"Either way, we need to look for a way out..." stated Sanji.
Immediately, they began to explore the insides of the whale. There certainly were a lot of fish inside.
"Have you seen my son?" asked a nearby clownfish.
"I think I cooked him as one of my meals..." answered Sanji.
"Noooo!" bellowed the clownfish.
"Oh wait...that was a pufferfish..." stated the chef.
"Phew!" exclaimed the fish.
"I don't mind being trapped down here! This is fun!" bellowed Yuzu.
"Not for me. I want out." stated Karin.
"Are you looking for a way to escape?" asked an old man.
"Who are you? Did the whale swallow you too?" inquired Usopp.
"I'm the whale's caretaker, actually..." stated Crocus. Scrubbing the whale's tongue was awfully unpleasant, but it had to be done.
"You're looking after him? Can you ask him to let us out?" questioned Zoro.
"I can do that...but before you do so can you help me with something? I think that someone is plotting to kill the whale..." answered the old man.
"They are?" inquired Sanji.
"Yes..." stated Crocus.
"Oh no! Why would they want to do such a thing?" asked Yuzu.
"Maybe they want oil?" inquired Karin.
"Possibly..." answered the man.
"We have to stop them! Where are they?" questioned Ichigo's younger sister.
"They're probably deeper inside the whale..." stated Crocus.
"We had better look for them then..." acknowledged Karin.
Immediately, the six of them went looking for the whale hunters. Hopefully they could stop them before it was too late. The only thing worse than being trapped inside a living whale was being trapped inside a dead whale.
Guess what! I lied about the fair trial! And there appears to be some sort of conspiracy...you probably already know where this is going if you've seen the original Soul Society...but as you can see by my OC I like to make my own twist to things.
In the next chapter, the Straw Hat Pirates are going to actually escape from the whale. I don't think that they can go on many adventures while they're stuck in there.
Oh, and Nami and her friends are going to arrive in Soul Society. Of course, getting in was the easy part. Now they have to deal with the Shinigami that want to witness Rukia and Ichigo's execution.