Author's Note: My goal to upload this chapter before April was obviously not realistic since it's been six months since the last update. I am extremely sorry for that. Life and school always seem to prevent me from writing. Despite that, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. It's not filled with Ichihime (I promise I will deliver that next chapter), but the details surrounding Masaki's death are made more clear. Also, before I sign off with my usual saying, I just wanted to address the recent chapters in Bleach and the leaps of development for both our couple and the characters involved. I have no idea where Kubo's taking the story, but it's exciting to say the least. Without further delay, please read, review - and most importantly - enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They all belong respectfully to Tite Kubo, the creator of the manga.
Chapter 22 – A Spectacle to Remember
The days of being a prisoner under the Imperial Regime were a far better upgrade in Ichigo's book. At least in his new holding cell, he had a cot to sleep on as well as other necessities at his disposal. Even though his new corridors were more comfortable than his previous lodgings, the accused was still unable to sleep easy. His universe had been in a state of upheaval since the moment he turned against Orihime and attacked her in front of everyone. No matter how one looked at his position, he had his back against the wall.
His words were not going to be viewed as of high importance due to his economic standing in society. Ichigo's father had warned him of the discrimination he would undoubtedly face from the people of the court, since all of them would be members of highly-respected families and of wealthy backgrounds. In other words, Ichigo Kurosaki did not stand a chance. As cruel as it sounded, Isshin had emotionally prepared Ichigo for the possibility of an execution. The mere thought of the act was enough to cause the teenager to break out into a cold sweat. For his own sake, as well as for Orihime's, he hoped that outcome would not be his ultimate undoing.
As he laid on his bed, staring up at the cracked concrete ceiling, an unexpected noise caused the seventeen-year-old to stir from his thoughts. With no sense of urgency, Ichigo simply glanced over at the entrance of his holding area. From where he rested in his dark corner of the room, he saw no signs of life nor a figure before him. The other prisoners were in their own separate cell blocks and from what he could gather—were most likely the source of the unexplained noise. Retracting back to his original position, Ichigo returned to his private domain of needlessly worrying about his impending Judgement Day.
However, the sound from moments ago reappeared in an instant. The noise was metal hitting metal and on this occasion, it lasted much longer than the first time when it made its presence known. Unsure of what to do, Ichigo sprung from off his bed and hesitantly shifted his feet inch by inch to the front of his cell. The clanging was not very loud, and therefore, the sound did not capture the attention of the various inmates Ichigo had been rooming with since his arrival.
With each step he grew closer, the orange-haired peasant debated his next course of action. He didn't have anything to defend himself with against the unknown entity. At the same time, it did not seem threatening. In fact, he wouldn't be embarrassed to admit that due to his inability to sleep, his mind could be playing tricks on him.
In the end, it was not Ichigo who made the first move. Instead, a voice from the appeared from out of thin air.
"Hey, kid. Don't freak out. You'll draw unneeded attention over here," a faintly recognizable voice announced his unforeseeable presence.
"Who's there?" Ichigo hissed through his teeth as his eyes darted from side to side, trying to identify where the person was in the dungeon with him.
In one quick second, as Ichigo's eyes settled to regain focus, he was given quite a shock when the head of man suddenly floated in front of his cell door.
"What the hell?!" the peasant boy bellowed from the surprise.
"Calm down," the individual advised Isshin's son as he cautiously glanced around, "You know who I am, right?"
When Ichigo recovered his composure after the initial fright, he studied the person and his facial features. His dirty blonde hair looked like it had been uncombed for several days and his unshaven beard added a homelessness vibe to his appearance. However, one attribute which vividly stuck out to Ichigo was the older man's emerald eyes. He had encountered his eyes once before through a mask at a party held in honor of the late Sora Inoue. It was at that moment when the man's identity finally came to light.
"Urahara?" Orihime's other half sputtered out in confusion as he moved to the front of his cell again, "Where's…where's the rest of your body?!"
The aristocrat dropped his head and examined the rest of his nonexistent figure, "I can explain."
"This isn't real, is it?" Ichigo asked the question more for the sake of his own sanity.
Yoruichi's fiancé met the teenager's distressed expression with an encouraging smile, "It is very much real, Kurosaki-san. It's a new experiment I've been working on for a few months. The device allows my cloak the ability to become invisible to the outside world. Although, unfortunately, it still needs some improvements. Once I show myself to the person I want to be seen by, my entire body and face should be made available to you. Nevertheless, it appears I have to tweak it some."
"That's great and all, but what exactly are you doing here in the capital?" Ichigo impatiently desired answers for the scientist's sudden manifestation.
Urahara's floating head shifted closer to Ichigo's holding area and oddly winked at him, "I thought it would be obvious to you. I guess I gave you more credit than you deserved."
"Spit it out," the accused rapist grinded out angrily as his patience began to thin.
The intelligent man pouted his lips in a childish manner, "You certainly are your father's child. Anyway, I'm here for your trial. I'll be taking the stand in your defense and hopefully, free you of this mess."
If Ichigo had to take an approximated guess, it would be that Urahara Kisuke had been called to the palace not on the behalf of his incarceration, but because of Isshin. The two used to be colleagues many years ago, and while Ichigo never was told of their collaborations, the teenager knew the past between the men was complicated. At one point or another, there were probably old debts which needed to be repaid and the engaged aristocrat was finally taking responsibility for them.
"While I am no doubt grateful for your help, do you know what you're getting yourself into? I'm not exactly in the best position to be receiving any forms of handouts," Ichigo tiredly professed as he walked back over to his bed.
The other man furrowed his eyebrows together after hearing the hopelessness in the teenager's voice, "I don't think it's you who understands, Kurosaki-san. Your father has tried for countless years to protect the truth about me from you, but in the end, his efforts were futile."
The scientist's words echoed in Ichigo's ears. From what he could gather, the man was clearly someone who was not only from his father's past, but as well as from his very own. Ever since the peculiar individual and he met at the Masquerade Ball, there had always been a feeling in the back of Ichigo's mind that he knew Urahara from somewhere once before that day. Not to mention, Isshin's behavior during their unplanned reunion was definitely out of character—even for his father. He did not want Ichigo or Kisuke to interact at all during the royal event. His reasoning was never quite clear, but by his visitor's own admission, Isshin had tried to hide the subject of Urahara from him all together.
As he sprawled his body out over his bed, Ichigo's eyes stared up at the ceiling once again.
"My old man…and you," he articulated slowly as the gears in his head worked in motion in search for an explanation, "What exactly is your relationship with each other?"
"All of your questions will be answered at a later time," Urahara offered in hope Isshin's offspring would be content with that answer.
The scientist's answer did not please Ichigo and he let out an audible annoyed sound from his mouth. Even though the scientist was there to show his support, Ichigo still felt he wasn't receiving the complete truth. He was honestly exhausted from trying to keep track of all the information he had received from his lawyer and his father. On top of them, he now had to worry about whether or not Kisuke would be a reliable source to prove his innocence. The man was an interesting character—that much could be undoubtedly said of him.
Rolling over on his side to look at the wall, Ichigo's back now faced Urahara. The blonde-haired character remained at the foot of the teenager's cell, quietly observing him from afar. It was clear to see that Isshin's son was frustrated with his situation. He had been a prisoner for over two weeks and for an adolescent who never had a run-in with the law, his current living arrangements and generally poor treatment were something that the troubled youth was not used to enduring on a normal basis.
From what the engaged-to-be-married man could gather from Isshin's previous conversations with him, Ichigo was a responsible older brother to his sisters. When his mother passed away following a tragic accident he believed he caused, Orihime's significant other stepped up as a male figure in the girls' lives when their father traveled away for business. As soon as he became of age, he dropped out of school and took up a job at a blacksmith's.
The teenager had been living a normal life up until Isshin had forced him to attend the Masquerade Ball, where he danced with the Princess of the Karakura Kingdom. Without any fault of his own, Ichigo was approached by two suspicious men with whom he had never met before and was asked to participate in the tournament for Orihime's hand in marriage. Through this small, but decisive interaction, Ichigo's world would be changed forever.
Overall, Urahara was not proposing he could perform miracles—but he was going to try for the sake of two destined individuals who deserved to have a fulfilling life together. He had committed a horrible crime by giving away his formula to Aizen and Gin. In the end, Ichigo and Orihime had to pay for his own cowardice. Consequently, the men's actions were unforgivable and Urahara was not going to tolerate their negligence any longer.
"You have every right to be disappointed in your father and me," the man with the wavy blonde hair stated, "We're supposed to be the adults, but I ran away because I too, had something I wanted to protect."
Ichigo remained silent, although he was mildly appreciative of the scientist's attempt at consoling him. Although he was uncomfortable to admit it, hearing Urahara speak from his heart was oddly refreshing. His father's associate may be a person he can never truly fully grasp, but it certainly would not hurt to allow him to offer his assistance.
"Anyway," Kisuke sighed with remorse, "You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow. Make sure to get plenty of rest, although I'm sure your head is spinning in a million directions."
Glancing towards Ichigo one last time, Urahara picked up his hood and pulled it over his head. As he turned on his feet to walk out of the dungeon unnoticed by the guards, the engaged aristocrat picked up a faint voice from the corner of the dank chamber.
"Thanks for what you said," Kurosaki said in a drowsy manner of speech.
After all, it was the least he could do for the Prince following his travels.
When the morning sun shined through his closed bedroom curtains, Isshin's heart was immediately filled with dread. It was the day of Ichigo' trial and many thoughts were occupying every corner and inch of his mind. He had tried to gather all of the valuable pieces to help Ichigo along the way, but ultimately, it was Emperor Kuchiki's decision that would have the final say on whether Ichigo would live or die.
The mere idea that he could watch his son perish right before his eyes did not offer Isshin any sense of relief. In fact, it only intensified his nerves even more than before. Unable to muster the stomach to eat a proper meal, the father of three washed himself up in the sink and put on his best suit that Urahara had lent him since he did not own any formal attire in the suitcase he had brought with him from home. Never in his lifetime did it once cross his mind that his Ichigo would be put on the stand for raping a person of high-standing in society.
Then again, Ichigo was not the one to blame for the mess. The names of those responsible were not known to many. However, there was no doubt they were going to be exposed regardless of the family name they were born into.
As Isshin was resting, a knock was heard from outside in the hallway. Rising up from the bed, the doctor straightened out his coat jacket and stepped towards the door. When he opened it, he met the exhausted eyes of one Mr. Urahara Kisuke.
"Almost thought you weren't going to show up," Isshin scoffed as he looked at his clock watch. The trial was set to begin in twenty minutes.
"Sorry," Urahara apologized as he walked into the bright room, "I was hitting the bottle with Yoruichi last night."
Isshin whirled around and shot the scientist a disgusted glare, "You're not drunk, are you?"
The aristocrat took it upon himself to sit on the edge of Isshin's bed, "Not drunk, just slightly hungover."
"Come on, Kisuke!" the widowed husband exasperated, "You need to be fully coherent for the sake of my son. His life is on the line here!"
The man hung his head in his hands as he listened to his old colleague's understandable concerns. He was being irresponsible once again. The day was stressful enough, and he was only adding more anxiety onto the doctor's shoulders. It was not fair to the parent who was risking everything for Ichigo to have a partner who was partially inebriated.
"Is Yoruichi as drunk as you are?" Isshin's terse voice broke through Urahara's pounding headache.
"No, I lied," he sheepishly admitted, "I wasn't drinking with her. I snuck a bottle into the room and drank it all before she returned from dinner."
Despite his comrade's confession, Isshin was hurt by the fact that the man he had entrusted his faith in, was struggling to fight against his hangover. As nervous as he was, Kisuke made a mistake by calming himself with alcohol. Having a glass before bed was understandable, but drinking the entire bottle alone was careless on his behalf.
With the trial quickly approaching, the doctor was having second thoughts as to whether or not it would be wise to have Urahara take the stand and defend Ichigo. His son could not be put into an even worse position than before. If the scientist said something slightly questionable, it would be all over for the teenager. The intoxicated individual's whole purpose for being at the Imperial Palace was to aid Ichigo and in turn, have the Royal Family pardon the boy of his crimes.
Would having Urahara only cause more harm than good?
"We have to leave now if we want to get there on time," Isshin muttered as walked into the bathroom and glanced over himself for anything that appeared out of place.
"Am I still allowed to come?" the scientist inquired.
The father of three reappeared in the bedroom and suddenly stood over Urahara.
"If I think you're unable to handle it, I'm pulling you out of there. We don't want to draw any attention to ourselves! Deal?" Isshin begged as he stuck out his hand.
Urahara chuckled, but took the extended hand, "I promise I won't do anything stupid."
With Rangiku on one side of her arm and Tatsuki on the other, Orihime was escorted by Rukia to the courtroom inside the Imperial Palace. As they approached the area, the noise level escalated and grew even more boisterous with each step they took. When the group of women turned the corner, the source of all the commotion became evident. At least fifty people—all dressed in expensive clothing—were standing outside two heavily guarded doors. The strangers were all talking amongst themselves, and in loud volumes.
Even though everyone was preoccupied with their own conversation, as soon as Orihime started to walk past the individuals, the space the Princess and her council shared with the others grew uncomfortably quiet. The sudden silence made Orihime aware of the people she hesitantly made eye contact with in the hall. The extravagantly dressed men and women were aristocrats. They had traveled near and far to witness the spectacle that was Ichigo—the peasant boy accused of raping a woman in the royal hierarchy. It was rare for such a thing to happen in their social circle. Members of respected families and streets rats simply did not fraternize. Consequently, the events that unfolded were something tragic and those within high-class society were intrigued.
Unable to ignore their stares as they walked along the corridor, Sora's sister observed the women move closer to each other and whisper behind their intricately designed fans. As for the men, many shook their heads in disgust, almost as to say what a shame for what happened. No Prince would want to marry someone who had been violated by another man.
Regardless of their own personal beliefs, none of their opinions mattered to her. The only person that her heart belonged to was Ichigo Kurosaki. They could say all they wanted about her behind her back for falling in love with someone who did not come from the same background as her. However, the one aspect which would probably baffle the entire country of Japan the most was the fact that she was willing to be in a relationship with the man who brutally attacked her.
For that reason alone, it was all the more vital for Orihime to speak her truth at the trial, no matter how tainted her image would become after today.
When the crowd of aristocratic families lowered their voices, everyone allowed room for the Princess and her council to move to the front. The guards at the door remained positioned and unpassable for the time being.
Before saying anything to the guards, Rukia turned around and connected gazes with the anxious maiden.
"Are you ready, Inoue-sama?" the raven-haired woman politely asked.
Even if she felt her heart beating uncontrollably, Orihime was not going to allow her thoughts to convince her to stop and pursue other options. Her emotions were the key to getting Ichigo freed from the Imperial Palace's regime. If she did not speak out and attest to how kind the peasant boy was to her prior to the incident—or the fact that she still loved him dearly—the teenager would not live to see the next day.
Orihime needed Ichigo to live and be by her side forever. Furthermore, she wanted to build a life together with him and if he died, the Princess was not sure if she could ever forgive herself for putting an end to someone's life—much less the life of the man she loved.
Realizing she was stalling her answer, Rangiku's niece confidently nodded back in response to Rukia's question.
With the Princess' permission to proceed forward, Rukia turned back to the guards and commanded, "Please allow Princess Orihime Inoue of the Karakura Kingdom entry into the courtroom."
"As you wish," one of the guards dictated with authority.
The doors were pushed open slowly as the group silently waited to enter the uncharted territory. When the courtroom came into view after being concealed from the inquiring outsiders, the overwhelming sight Orihime witnessed caused her to stumble backwards slightly.
She never imagined she would instantly want to turn and run at the mere scene before her. Ahead of the Princess, there were several pews on both sides of the room. There was even seating above on a partial second floor. As she struggled to absorb her new surroundings, it was arguably hard to overlook the swarms of people that occupied the pews from every corner. In the aristocrat's mind, the trial would be a small gathering of the individuals who were involved, as well as their respectful lawyers, friends, and family. The thought that the trial could be a public hearing for anyone in the kingdom never once occurred to her during the preparation stages. Since the matter was so private, the royal assumed it would be handled with the proper care and understanding.
However, any morals of the kind seemed to be thrown out the window in that moment. Her story was going to be heard by countless people with whom she had never met and the idea momentarily scared her.
It frightened the Princess not for her sake, but rather for Ichigo and his well-being. By having aristocrats present at the trial, it would more than likely complicate things in the process. No one was going to allow a peasant to go unpunished—that much could be said.
"We should take a seat, Inoue-sama," Rukia softly suggested to the future Queen.
Returning back to the present situation after her intense inner reflection, Orihime forced a smile to reassure herself and commented hastily, "Of course. Please, lead the way."
Without wasting additional time, the petite woman stepped in front of the Princess and scanned the crowd of faces for one in particular. Ichigo's father had said he would be arriving early so he could practice his statements before court, along with Dr. Urahara Kisuke.
The pews in front of the court were flooded with people she did not recognize. As Rukia guided the group of women through the massive crowd of occupants wanting to be a part of the historic trial, she glanced back and forth for the doctors. Unable to spot them, the aristocrat began to ponder if something had gone awry with Ichigo. Otherwise, she could not conjure up a definitive explanation for Isshin's absence.
Deciding to end the search for the time being, the caretaker turned around only to have a large hand grab her by the arm. Instantly, Rukia whirled her body to the side to face the unknown assailant only to let out a sigh of relief.
"Kurosaki-san, Kisuke-sama," the petite woman announced softly.
"Good to see you," the widowed father smiled grimly, "We apologize for not getting to you quicker. As you can see, the trial is quite the turn-out."
When the man finished speaking, Urahara poked his head out behind him and darkly noted, "Let's hope they're not expecting to see something as bloody as an execution."
The comment immediately earned him a swift elbow nudge to the stomach by Isshin. Without looking away from Rukia, Ichigo's father turned his attention to Orihime, who was standing silently behind her caretaker.
"Inoue-sama," Isshin greeted her, "It's been a while since we last saw each other."
"Yes," the maiden blushed, remembering the day fondly on the ship, "Yes, it has been."
"Please, take a seat," the blonde medical physician interrupted as the courtroom began to quiet down some. The trial was on the verge of starting. The four women all squeezed into the bench, with the Princess taking a seat beside Isshin.
"How's Ichigo?" Orihime felt the need to ask.
"He's a wreck," the father admitted, taking on a serious facade, "We tried to prepare him the best that we could."
"Thank you for all that you have done for us," Inoue earnestly told him.
Before Isshin could formulate the words he wanted to convey to the aristocrat, the courtroom bailiff sauntered out from a door closest to where the group was sitting and commanded in a bored tone, "Emperor Byakuya Kuchiki, Prime Minister Genryusai Yamamoto, and Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyoraku will be arriving in approximately one minute. Everyone, for now, please rise."
Every individual stood from their creaky seats and silently waited for something to happen next. Despite the already present tenseness, the air in the room was very muggy as a direct result of the amount of people crowded together. The summer heat was certainly not taking any mercy upon the nearly hundred members of society who had gathered to salivate at the sight of a seventeen-year-old criminal be punished for his mistakes.
The ludicrousness of the situation simply baffled Orihime.
Not long after they were instructed to stand in place, the sound of doors swinging open echoed throughout the quiet room. Immediately, heads turned in the direction of the commotion.
The bailiff from before spoke once again in his unpleasing voice as three men entered the courtroom, "Welcoming Emperor Byakuya Kuchiki, Prime Minister Genryusai Yamamoto, and Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyoraku."
The only person Princess Inoue was able to clearly identify from the trio was Rukia's brother, Byakuya. The other two men were unknown to her. Nevertheless, her eyes remained focused on the significant figures of power as they walked down the empty aisle and pushed past the waist-high door apart of the barrier that opened into the well where the legal proceedings would take place. The leader of Japan wandered over to the raised desk and took his position in front of the courtroom. Meanwhile, the other two men had taken up the empty chairs that were to the side of where Byakuya was situated. Once the trio sat accordingly to their rankings, the bailiff stepped out into the center of the room and yelled, "You may now be seated."
When everyone had taken their seats from before, Rukia's brother glanced up from the desk and folded his hands together.
"We have all gathered here today for the trial of Ichigo Kurosaki versus the People of Japan. In order to have a fair assessment, both sides will present their argument. Consequently, when all the information has been accounted for, the final decision regarding Kurosaki's punishment will be made without fail by myself and my colleagues," the stoic man informed the general public.
Having finished the brief speech, the Emperor's eyes darted to the side of where the bailiff was standing guard.
"Please, bring in the criminal Ichigo Kurosaki," Byakuya commanded from his station.
Without speaking a word, the husky legal officer exited the room through the door he had entered in a few moments prior to the trial starting.
A minute later after his silent departure, the bailiff appeared in the doorway. However, this time, he had another person with him.
As soon as she spotted the orange hair on top of his head, Orihime's heart immediately dropped to her stomach.
It had been a number of days since she last laid eyes upon him. His emergence into the room was a sight she had not been expecting. The clothes he wore on his body were unkempt and he did not have any shoes on his feet. His normally spiky hair had become flattened from the humidity of the summer air. Furthermore, his face appeared more withdrawn, for his skin was pulled back tighter against his prominent cheek bones.
"Oh, Ichigo," the Princess thought to herself, "What's happened to you since we were together last?"
The bailiff dragged the teenager by the arm and led him to the table that was placed only an arms-length away from where Orihime and the others sat. Since Ichigo's hands were cuffed together, the man pulled out the chair for him and pushed the peasant into it.
"Hey!" Isshin warned, partially rising from the bench, "Take it easy!"
The bailiff whipped his head around and sneered at the father, "Shut your damn mouth!"
From his other side, Urahara chimed in behind his fan with a whisper, "Relax, Kurosaki-san. You're making a scene."
The doctor reluctantly sunk back into his seat, but his eyes did not leave the bailiff as un-cuffed Ichigo and he returned back to his post alongside Byakuya.
"Toshiro Hitsugaya, the lawyer who will be representing Ichigo Kurosaki today, may now enter the courtroom," the Emperor asserted in his monotone voice.
Shortly after, the familiar sound of the doors opening rung in everyone's ears. Consequently, footsteps were heard as the person moved down to the well. Unable to help herself, Orihime's eyes drifted over to the figure who had walked inside the barred area and moved over to the table where Ichigo was seated.
The man was short, but quite lean in his physique. He wore a tailored grey suit for the occasion. In addition, despite his young appearance, his hair was as white as snow. It reminded her of Ukitake Jushiro, with whom she had been introduced upon her arrival. Despite his unusual hair color, the other unique characteristic that was noticeable to the Princess was his aquamarine eyes. Truthfully, they were very beautiful and hard to look away from.
"Good afternoon, Your Royal Majesty," the lawyer greeted as he placed his bag on the table.
Byakuya acknowledged the man with a single look and returned his attention to the doors at the back of the room.
"Nanao Ise, the lead investigator for this case, will be representing the People of Japan. Please allow her entry to the courtroom," the Emperor drawled.
In the same process, the woman who Orihime had confided in about her attack, walked into the room with her head held high and a confident expression on her face. She was dressed in a different outfit than her normal attire the Princess was used to seeing back at the palace. For the trial, she wore a black sophisticated floor-length dress with a pair of lace gloves to match. Her hair was still pinned up as it always had been before.
"Always a pleasure, Kuchiki-sama," she stated with familiarity.
Once the investigator was comfortable and arranged her belongings, the Emperor picked up his gavel and swung it down.
"Now that everyone is here, let us begin," Byukuya announced.
"Before we discuss anything in detail about the rape of Orihime Inoue," Rukia's older sibling heavily sighed as he looked over the countless papers spread out before him, "Let's settle the matter regarding Shinji Hirako's death."
After he quickly skimmed over the report to remind his memory, the aristocrat fixed his ominous eyes over to Nanao's table.
"Detective Ise, what are your findings?" he gestured for her to offer an explanation.
The woman pushed out her chair from under the desk and gathered the items she had separated from the main pile of information.
"In my hands, I have the official autopsy report. Bailiff, will you please give this to His Royal Highness?"
The officer strolled over to take the folder from the investigator's hands. When he acquired it, he moved towards Byakuya and handed the paperwork to the Emperor. Without delaying, the aristocrat opened the folder and glided his finger down to the cause of death.
"What does it read?" Nanao inquired, although she already knew of the answer.
"The coroner declared that Shinji Hirako did not commit suicide," Kuchiki reiterated out loud. A collective gasp could be heard from the gallery.
The detective nodded her head several times, "Correct. It was originally thought that he killed himself since his body was found hanging from a rope tied to the ceiling fan."
"It states in the autopsy report that snake poison was found in his blood stream," the Emperor continued, becoming perplexed at this new information presented before him in the court.
The coroner's analysis of Shinji's body certainly rattled the aristocrats behind the lawyers. How could snake venom get into the Prince's body? He was in a palace during the time of his death, not outdoors, in the middle of a dessert. While there was a slight possibility of the warm-blooded mammal getting in through a crack in the wall, it seemed unlikely.
After the room had grown still from the whisperings, Nanao pushed the glasses on the bridge of her nose more upwards and exhaled before pressing forward with the trial.
"As a result of the evidence that was provided to us by the medical examiner, the circumstances surrounding Hirako-sama's death are even more suspicious than before. Especially, since it would make plausible sense for a fresh bite wound to be found somewhere on the man's body. However, the coroner discovered something else that raised questions."
When the detective paused, Byakuya took the opportunity to run his eyes over the handwritten notes left by the doctor. He quickly identified the important detail that Nanao was skirting around. The truth behind what unfolded in Shinji Hirako's bedroom that tragic night was far from over.
"Instead of a bite wound, the coroner wrote in his report that a needle mark was evident in Hirako-sama's arm. In addition, someone took extra precautions to make sure he did not get up and alarm the guards. Apparently, chloroform was also found in his system," the head of the investigation informed the nation's ruler with a haughty tone in her voice. From the edge of her vision, the woman snuck a glance to the table where Toshiro was sitting with his client. Since the evidence she was presenting was new information that no one had any knowledge to prior to the hearing, she was interested to know if anything struck a chord with Ichigo in particular.
By some chance, was he recalling back the memories of the murder in his head?
Although it was only for a brief moment, Nanao did not witness any form of a response from Ichigo. Truthfully, he appeared even more withdrawn from the entire ordeal than he did at the start of the trial. The waiting must be excruciating for him.
"Is there anything else you would like to add?" the powerful figure sitting at the elevated desk thundered from his seat above.
The intelligent woman straightened up in her spot and hastily articulated her final thoughts regarding Shinji Hirako's murder, "Sadly, this is all the information we have been able to gather. There were no hair or fingerprints left behind at the crime scene. We interviewed a number of suspects who were in the palace at the time, but we did not have enough evidence to charge anyone. The family has been notified and the funeral arrangements are being discussed as we speak."
The atmosphere grew somber following Detective Nanao's closure on the case. An innocent man's life had been robbed from him and the police had nothing to show for except for a body. Unfortunately, there was very little left that could be said.
The next phase of the proceedings were waiting to be set into motion and Byakuya was the only one who had the authority to make the call. He could sense the expectant eyes of the aristocrats and their families scrutinizing him from afar. Despite the fact that Ichigo Kurosaki was the one who was on trial, it was also a test of Byakuya's power based on what his final ruling will be. The aristocrats would want justice to be carried out against the peasant, regardless of the facts. If he did not fulfill his duties as ruler, they would see him as incompetent. Nevertheless, he could not ignore Princess Inoue and her request either. There was clearly something much more to the story and he needed to hear both sides in order to make a proper assessment.
The ensuing hours were not going to be pleasant, but then again, they never are meant to be in these situations.
"We will move along with the next case," the King ordered as he slammed the gavel, "Mr. Histugaya, please call your first witness."
Ichigo's lawyer did not waste any time interrogating Isshin when he approached the stand. The very first thing Toshiro requested of the tormented father was to state his relationship with the defendant. Once the man clarified that Ichigo was his first born child, it was then when the line of questioning truly began.
Immediately, Histugaya extracted from the head of the Kurosaki family the details surrounding his fated meeting with Urahara Kisuke. Upon being asked about their past interactions, Orihime visibly observed the demeanor of Isshin change very rapidly.
The doctor's shoulders dropped and he lowered his head to take a moment of reflection. The day was bound to come. Despite his best efforts to keep the past at bay, he could no longer keep up with the charade. The truth behind Masaki's death was about to be brought to light and Isshin was aware of the pain he would directly cause his son when all was revealed in court.
"I stumbled across Kisuke-san one day when I was walking through the woods. I did not approach him nor did I introduce myself upon my discovery of the barn he had been living in on the outskirts of town," the father shared.
Toshiro, in his fitted suit, nodded his head in understanding as he stood directly in front of Isshin, "At what point in time did you finally engage in a conversation with the man taking up residence in a barn near your village?"
"It would be approximately when my son was going to harm himself," the fifty-year-old grimly informed the court.
The words were vague, but the lawyer let the statement hang in the air for a few moments before initiating his next inquiry.
"Can you please enlighten us, Kurosaki-san?"
The father turned his head to the side, desiring to capture Ichigo's attention. His son was watching him from afar and his eyes expressed a mixture of confusion as well as anxiety. No matter what the outcome, it was better for the truth to be exposed. Ichigo did not deserve to live his life not knowing the role his father played in the formation of the alter ego he identified as Shirosaki.
Isshin parted his lips to speak, "When Ichigo was small, he'd experience tantrums on a regular basis. Of course, for a kid his age, outbursts are normal. However, Ichigo's were much more violent. He would scream his head-off, not out of pure selfishness to gain attention, but rather, because it seemed like he was in physical pain. Furthermore, he would never remember any of his tantrums when we asked him about it."
The short man turned his back to his witness and for the time being, faced the spectators. He shoved his hands into his pants' pockets and narrowed his ice-blue eyes at the crowd.
"You mentioned you were afraid Kurosaki-san might injure himself. What event ultimately led you to seek out Urahara Kisuke for help?"
The father sighed heavily, remembering the day with much disdain, "Ichigo had been playing outside by himself. He wasn't far from the house. I was inside, helping care for our infant daughters Yuzu and Karin. After a while, I decided to check up on him and make sure he hadn't run off somewhere. When I stepped out, I saw him huddled close to the ground—almost as if he was looking at something."
Without faltering, Toshiro went ahead and posed another question, "Did you find out what he was doing?"
The widowed husband nodded his head prior to responding, "Yes, I did. However, I did not inform Ichigo of my presence when I walked up from behind. I did not want to alarm him. As I got closer, I glanced over his shoulder and saw something I had never seen before in my life."
"What exactly did you see?"
Isshin shut his eyes only to open them a moment later. He was aware that what he was about to say would definitely impact Byakuya Kuchiki, Genryusai Yamamoto, and Shunsui Kyoraku's decision in some way regarding Ichigo's sentencing. Despite its potential damaging effects, the physician needed to persevere forward and be unafraid of the repercussions.
Most of all, his seventeen-year-old child was relying on him.
Not yet prepared to answer, the man readjusted his position in the uncomfortable seat. As he moved, the chair creaked and echoed off the walls of the soundless room. The aristocrats were waiting for any piece of information that would easily penalize Ichigo. Consequently, it made telling the story only that much more difficult.
"My son's hands had become unrecognizable. His skin had changed to a solid white color and his finger nails were black. The most terrifying feature of all was that his nails were sharp—like animal claws—and they had extended two inches in length. I immediately grabbed Ichigo to examine him, but as soon as I did, his hands returned to normal."
The lawyer returned to the table where his client was sitting, and leaned back against it. Folding his arms, the man reconnected gazes with Isshin and offered another question, "What happened after that event?"
Reflexively, the doctor's eyes were drawn to the scientist sitting behind his son in the pew.
"I asked Urahara Kisuke if there was anything he could do for my son even though he was a complete stranger to me," the fifty-year-old responded gruffly.
"And did he assist you?" Toshiro pressed the issue.
Isshin's expression darkened, momentarily struggling to maintain his composure. For years after their joint effort to give Ichigo a peaceful life, Masaki's husband was unable to erase Urahara from his memory. The college dropout had changed his family's life forever. Even after their dealings with each other, Isshin had plenty of days where he regretted ever asking for the man's help. Although he never voiced his qualms to Ichigo, he carried the burden with him whenever he saw his son's face.
Not wanting to delay the court proceedings, Isshin interrupted the silence with his thunderous voice, "Urahara Kisuke did assist me with Ichigo's dilemma."
When the words were said, Ichigo glanced over his shoulder and looked at the blonde doctor with a sense of betrayal. He had inquired in his cell exactly the nature of his father and the man's relationship with each other. However, he refused to break his vow of secrecy to Isshin.
Now the truth was out into the open, for everyone to know inside the over packed courtroom.
What truly had transpired for his father to stay silent all these years?
Toshiro pushed himself away from the table and turned his head down to the floor.
"How…," a brief pause was interjected, "did the doctor help with Ichigo's rare medical condition?"
The bearded man hesitated, unsure of what details would be viewed as unethical from the standpoints of fellow medical professionals. Nonetheless, it was his duty to confess his sins.
"Kisuke and I created a serum that kept Ichigo's other half at bay. It took numerous tries to perfect the formula, but we eventually got it down to an exact science," Isshin admitted distastefully.
Everything seemed to be looking up for his son when they made this remarkable discovery. Overtime, Ichigo's mood swings had become less and less. In addition, the father never saw the animal claws return following the treatment.
It all appeared rectified, until one day, Urahara approached him with disturbing news.
"This was obviously a scientific breakthrough for you, but why does it seem as though you've seen a ghost?" Toshiro asked with a glimmer of pity reflecting in his eyes for his client's parent.
The father of three had no choice but to go with the flow of the conversation. It needed to be said, he was well-aware of the fact. He only wished he could have said something sooner to Ichigo and in private.
"A month or two after we found the cure, Urahara dropped by my dwelling in the middle of the night. His face was drenched in his sweat and he had a black eye. I asked him what had happened and he said the country's military had broken into the barn where he was living."
"What was the reason for their intrusion?"
"They had been tracking Urahara ever since he ran off with his father's money and started his laboratory in the woods. Consequently, they had been keeping an eye on him and knew of the experiments he had been involved with—my son included. The military informed the Emperor of Urahara's activities and it marked the beginning of the end for our friendship," the widowed husband disclosed.
After the military was mentioned, Byakuya subtly glanced to his right where his councilmen were sitting. Although the incident had occurred over nine years ago, Shunsui and Yamamoto had served a different Emperor—his father—at that time. Therefore, he had very little knowledge of the event Isshin Kurosaki was discussing in court.
"Why did this effect the both of you, if they originally wanted Kisuke-sama?" the lawyer pushed forward.
Before answering, Isshin lifted a handkerchief to his forehead and dappled at the beads of sweat that had begun to form above his eyebrows.
"The military wanted Urahara to create a lethal weapon that would ultimately defeat Japan's enemies. After all, he was the scientist. Unfortunately, the timeline they gave him was too short and he panicked. He came to me and asked if he could perform some tests on Ichigo—to find out exactly the structure of his DNA. In the end, since I've worked with him in the past, I did not think that his request seemed unreasonable," Isshin verbalized what had developed from the night in question.
Toshiro listened with curiosity, despite the fact that he had already heard this testimony a few times prior to that afternoon. Once again, he pressed for more answers.
"Did Masaki know of this arrangement?"
"Absolutely not."
"So then, after you granted permission for your son to be used as a test subject, what happened next?"
"I'd take Ichigo to the barn and I would watch Urahara inject needles into his body. He was attempting to make a replica of Ichigo's evil counterpart—Shirosaki. Nothing more ever became of it, until one day, the after-effects of a serum he was testing on Ichigo never completely wore off," the medical expert confessed.
The day was forever etched into his head. He could never forget it.
Stepping more closely to the stand, Histugaya put his hands behind his back and fixed his gaze with the father.
"Please tell the court what ensued," the short lawyer prompted gently.
Isshin wearily looked in the direction of where his son was sitting, the boy's upper torso hunched over the table with his hands folded. His attention was fully devoted to his father. He was practically hanging on to every word Isshin spoke.
"I had left our dwelling to run a few errands for my wife. I was away for less than an hour. When I returned, I could hear the twins wailing their heads off from inside. I immediately dropped everything and ran into our home. I followed the girls' cries into their bedroom and it was at that moment when I made the gruesome discovery," the man painfully recollected the day of his wife's passing.
Ichigo's lawyer patiently waited for Isshin to carry on with his story, knowing it was a sore chapter in the Kurosaki's lives. No matter the circumstances surrounding Masaki's death, Toshiro had a mission to serve and bring justice to his client. The story of his mother's death was vital to his case. It needed to be shared—regardless of the emotions it invoked for the family.
"I stood in the doorframe because I was unsure of what I was seeing with my eyes. There was…blood…everywhere. The girls were in their cribs, perfectly untouched by the chaos. In the middle of the room, Ichigo was kneeling in front of my wife's lifeless body. I couldn't judge from my position what mental state my son was in, so I had no other choice but to examine him for myself," Isshin elaborated.
The picture was as clear as ever in his head. It was practically as if he was reliving the nightmare all over again. Masaki's body had been sprawled about the floor with her blood-drenched hair covering half of her face. Her mouth was slanted open, almost as though she had tried to say a final word before she drifted off into an eternal slumber. Within the vicinity, Ichigo's small self was hovered over her and Isshin approached him very slowly. His hands were coated in blood, several spots of the red fluid were painted on his face. The father called out to his child by uttering his first name, but the name itself agitated the young boy.
"When I took my son by the shoulders to question him about what happened, he laughed at me. It was the most chilling thing and his laughter sounded distorted. I screamed at him to answer me," Isshin asserted to Toshiro.
Looking towards Yamamoto and Shunsei, the lawyer asked without meeting Isshin's watering eyes, "Did Ichigo say anything after you snapped?"
The doctor bobbed his head up and down, biting on his lower lip as it began to quiver from his tears, "My son was no longer my son. He had resorted back to the demon Urahara and I had eradicated—or at least controlled—and it was frightening. I wanted to know directly who I was speaking with and after the entity snorted at me, it replied Shirosaki."
When the demon announced its presence, Isshin immediately needed to make a plan then and there. He could not risk leaving the girls with the demented mind of Shirosaki. Consequently, without warning, he pulled a blanket hanging over the side of one of the cribs and threw it over Ichigo's head. As soon as he had done so, a shrill of anger escaped from the small child's body. He was clearly not pleased with the sudden development. Before he could escape, Isshin grabbed him by the waist and hurled him off the floor. Without wasting time, the father hurried to the kitchen, where a door was configured in the pavement. Once he unlatched the lock, he carefully navigated his large body down the tiny stepladder and placed his thrashing son onto the cold cellar ground.
Before anything else could be done to Isshin without harm to Ichigo, the doctor hurried up the pullout ladder and shut the cellar door. He locked it and placed the key on the table. From there, the distraught father rushed to his children's room and picked the screaming babies up in his arms.
"I had Ichigo in the cellar, but I didn't want to leave the girls alone in the house with him. To be on the safe side, I left the house with them and knocked on our neighbor's door. The sun was just beginning to set, but I knew there was a good chance she would be home. Thankfully, she opened the door and I left the girls in her care," Isshin had momentarily collected himself.
The courtroom was silent. People may have been rowdy from the beginning, but it eventually had quieted down. However, the moment Isshin began to talk about his deceased wife's passing, no one dared to make a false move or utter a sound. It was so incredibly tragic and many of the nobles were left unsure about what to think.
With little persuasion from Toshiro to continue on, Isshin rolled back his shoulders to release the sudden pressure he felt he had built up from sitting in the hard wooden chair for so long. Nonetheless, he trudged along with the difficult story.
"When I got back to the dwelling, I had to make a quick decision that I never thought I would be forced to make…," Ichigo's father trailed off.
"Can you please elabortate?" Histugaya requested.
A heavy feeling encompassed Isshin's entire body, he had never told a soul what he was about to reveal. If Ichigo didn't already have hatred in his soul for his father for allowing him to be tested on, he certainly would now.
"I couldn't just leave her there! I had to do something!" Masaki's husband raised his voice, straining to remain level-headed.
Toshiro understood that Isshin had traveled back in time, to the exact day and his emotions were beginning to peak. He needed to keep the medical physician talking. There was not much left to be said, yet the information was valuable.
"I…wrapped her body in a blanket after I cleaned the blood off of her and changed her clothes. By the time I was finished, the sky was dark. I had a wheel barrel in the toolshed and carefully placed her into it, along with a shovel."
"What occurred after that?"
Without realizing it, Isshin swallowed another lump in his throat before he spoke again, "I went through the woods by our home because I knew of a secret pathway that people would take to get to the cemetery since it was located at the top of a hill. Eventually, I reached the surrounding area of the cemetery."
The resting place for the deceased had always been eerily silent, but it made Isshin especially more uneasy considering he was sneaking into the cemetery in the middle of the night. Not only did the atmosphere heighten Isshin's nerves, but he was also the only living soul around within a two mile radius.
"Once I found an entrance, I headed inside the cemetery and scavenged for a place I could respectfully bury my wife," the head of the Kurosaki family managed to utter for the courtroom.
Following the reveal of the burial, the lawyer cross-examined the widowed man with a rather cold-hearted question, "Did you bury your wife's body out of fear of what would happen to Ichigo if word got out about his condition? Or did you do it because of how much you loved Masaki and that was the least she deserved?"
In the doctor's heart, he knew what his wife would have wanted. She would have urged Isshin to protect their family, no matter the consequences. The people she adored most in life were her children. Her unwavering devotion to their children is unfortunately what Isshin believed led to her tragic death. When Ichigo was overpowered by Shirosaki, the demon likely aimed to attack the twins first since they were defenseless against his power. At the time of the transformation, Masaki may have already been in the room with the babies. Consequently, as any mother would, she protected Yuzu and Karin from their big brother. In the end, it was his beloved who paid with her life to save her children.
The man's damp eyes momentarily withheld from formulating the tears he felt were on the verge of release. He had to persevere and not allow the courtroom full of scrutinizing aristocrats to get the best of him.
The doctor straightened his posture and stared directly into the turquoise eyes of Toshiro Histugaya, prepared to give his honest opinion on the lawyer's question.
"My wife deserved the world—not only just a respectful departing. She wanted nothing but the best for our children. Therefore, I did what I had to do for the sake of Ichigo's life. In my mind, Masaki would have wanted me to protect Ichigo," the middle-aged father testified to the courtroom.
With his feelings out in the open for everyone to ridicule him for his actions, Isshin's gaze deterred from Toshiro. Instinctively, his eyes were back to focusing on Ichigo. His oldest child appeared a bit lost for words. Of course, the teenager's reaction was only natural—despite the heartbreaking reason behind his confusion. He had lived most of his life believing that he was responsible for his mother's death. However, Isshin had admitted to a room full of strangers that it was his fault for Masaki's death—not his son—because he gave permission to a skeptical "doctor" to perform tests on Ichigo. If he never agreed to Urahara's terms, Isshin's wife would still be alive today.
As his line of questioning began to draw to a close, the time for Toshiro to ask the most important question of all had arrived.
Before he lost the momentum he had built up for this exact moment, Histugaya inquired a bit too hastily, "Do you believe that your son, Ichigo Kurosaki, is capable of rape?"
Not daring to break his focus from Ichigo, Isshin shook his head and contested, "My son is not a rapist. He would never desire to bring harm to someone he loves."
With the final question spoken, Toshiro released an audible sigh of relief and retreated back to the side of Ichigo at the table.
"Thank you, Mr. Kurosaki. I have no further questions, Your Royal Highness," the stunted man announced as he took up a place in his empty chair.
"Very well. Nanao-san, do you wish to ask Isshin Kurosaki any lingering questions?" the country's ruler offered.
The detective pushed up the glasses on the ridge of his nose as a smile broadened across her rosy lips, "No, Your Royal Highness. There were no misunderstandings that I wish to clear up."
Rukia's brother picked up his gavel laying by his hand and slammed it down twice on the block.
"Mr. Kurosaki, the court thanks you for your time. You may now step down," the aristocrat concluded the testimony.
Isshin rose from his seat and was immediately greeted by the bailiff from before who had mishandled Ichigo's transfer. The rude officer did not touch the doctor, but he did make sure to stand behind him as Isshin walked to the bar that separated the gallery from the criminal, judges, lawyers, and witnesses. Although, before the father of three passed through the door, he stopped in front of Ichigo.
His son lifted his head and met the eyes of the man who spoke on his behalf.
"You may not believe me and you have every right not to, but I want you to know that I am sorry for what I did. You are my son and I love you," Isshin confessed with a slight quiver evident in his deep voice.
"I forgive you, old man," Ichigo declared as the circles of his eyes shook with notable apprehension, "Don't make it seem as though this is the end for us."
The guard started to nudge Isshin with his stick, indicating it was time to wrap up the discussion.
"Trust me," Isshin advised the teenager as he stepped away from the table with a wink, "I won't let that happen."
Once his father disappeared from his sight, Ichigo's attention hazily drifted to Byakuya at the front of the room.
The emperor glanced down at the papers on his desk before he reached for his gavel once more.
"The court calls Urahara Kisuke to the stand!"
The gavel was brought down and the whispers in the courtroom heightened with curiosity.