He knew that there was little in what he could change by coming here and 'intruding' on their trial that was very well underway. In fact, if there was not already an established punishment for the act of sharing a Zanpakutō spirit with another, then Itachi was sure that they would come up with one just to spite him.
They weren't being subtle in showing how little they thought of him, which was mostly due to the fact that they just didn't care if he saw the disdain in their faces.
They were a self righteous bunch, one that was fed with the history of an entire world. Briefly, just for a smidgen of a second, Itachi wondered if Aizen had been right in culling the former Central 46. It was a stray thought and it went just as soon as it came,
"You have no place here, Captain Uchiha." A man, one Itachi remembered distinctively as being from the Kuchiki Clan, said.
Itachi nodded. "I do not, but my student–"
"Is no longer your concern. He graduated from the Academy some months ago, as such the purview of his actions and crimes, should it be deemed necessary, will fall to his acting Captain, not you."
"I know. But you will not blame me for caring. These boys are close to me and I will vouch for their character that whatever crimes they are being accused of having committed to warrant such a response is false."
He was playing the ignorant game because better that than giving Central 46 another weapon to use against him. He could already feel the wave of disapproval from a lot of the council members just because he was speaking up against them.
If this was as taboo as he suspected it was then they wouldn't tell him that the trial was being held in the first place and instead would aim to suppress anything about it from leaking.
'This is becoming more complicated than I would like.' He thought grimly. There was a certain weight in the air that went further than whatever disapproval they felt for him.
He was stepping on a thin line by being here. A very thin line.
He knew how nobles acted, especially when it concerned taboo secrets. Right now he was sure that at least a quarter of them were considering to just kill him and be done with it.
He did not want to admit that he had bit more than he could chew because that would mean that he was entertaining the thought of compromise. Or regretting his interference in the first place.
"Captain Itachi Uchiha, whether or not you believe what you believe does not hold an iota of importance in this room. It is wholly unneeded and insulting." A man said.
He looked at Tōshirō who was doing his hardest not to look at him, as if he had lost hope of Itachi actually helping him. Itachi found that he hated that look.
He would not see this become a situation where he couldn't help his students. All it took was imagining Junpei in such a situation and whatever meaningless reservation that had been building up was immediately squashed.
He realized. He just needed to ensure the safety of his students. He didn't need to fight Central 46 for that.
"Forgive me," he said with a small bow of his head. "I am worried because of the fact that they are my students and also because they are also some of the most exceptional students I've seen in the last half century. I wouldn't want them to squander that potential because of something they did wrong."
"We understand, but as he said it is completely unneeded. Whatever verdict he receives is one that is deserved."
"I see." Itachi said. "I will be taking my leave then."
He saw the way Tōshirō's shoulders stiffened and that more than anything ached him.
He knew that trying to reason with Central 46 was a useless endeavor but him trying regardless was more evidence for him and Tōshirō.
He left and almost scoffed when he saw the terrible excuse of a tracker they put on him. It was almost insulting in the way they put up two Shinigami to try and stalk the Captain of the Onmistukidō. They were looking for something to help them put him in his place but Itachi wasn't so kindhearted.
Already a crow was confronting Kisuke Urahara – strong-arming the man – because Itachi was smart enough to realize that he would need his help if he wanted to save Tōshirō and Kusaka.
"What happened?" Yoruichi appeared beside him with her face set in unfamiliar worry. It was already rare enough for her to be anything outside of her peppy personality so catching her reflecting worry always came as a mild surprise.
"Central 46."
Yoruichi remained silent for a moment and Itachi could already tell what path the gears in her head were turning. "Those boys of yours?"
It didn't surprise him that she was already aware. If he came to know of it then it stood to chance that she did too. She was instead asking what happened after his intervention.
"Itachi whatever it is you're planning to do…" it started as a warning but instead changed into a plea.
"Why do you think I'm planning to do something?" he asked idly but she just replied with a straight look. "Right."
"I'm being serious here, Itachi. If you're being stupid then it won't end well."
"I know. And I'm not being stupid. Stupid would be whatever it is Kisuke Urahara is planning."
Her eyes widened and a curse left her mouth. "Of course that idiot would find a way to be involved." She mumbled under her breath.
"Well whatever it is, don't tell me." She said after a short while, which he understood given the sphere she was – "Unless you guys need some help."
Of course she would say that. There were a lot of things he'd come to expect from her but loyalty was easily the top one.
"So what about those two idiots that have been following us for some time now?"
"They are meant to keep an eye on me so that's what they'll do for now. And it also gives me a frame of reference for their tolerance of me." He said.
"You're playing it a little too close here, Itachi." Yoruichi warned in a very un-Yoruichi fashion.
"Not because I want to." He replied. "The situation forced my hand. I don't like it."
"Whatever you say." Yoruichi relented. "Are they going to follow us all the way?"
Itachi looked behind him, directly at where the two Shinigami were hiding behind, and shrugged his shoulders. "As long as they don't get called out, maybe."
"Fuck this." She grumbled and flash stepped away from him towards the two spooked Shinigami. Their panicked reaction a split second before being knocked out told him exactly how Yoruichi dealt with the problem.
"There. That's better." She appeared beside him once again while dusting her hand.
She definitely was the extremely willful sort, he mused. He looked back at where the bundle of bodies were stuffed and raised a brow at her.
"What? They were being a distraction and I don't like being followed, except when I want to." She crossed her hand with a frown and pursed lips. "So? What are you up to right now?" She asked, steering the conversation back to where it had been.
The sky was getting dark. A storm was brewing, he could feel it in the winds. He never liked the rain. A lot of things were forgotten in the rain.
"Nothing. For now." His hand caught a drop of rain. "Kisuke will take care of anything important. There's no need for me to do anything yet, or rather there's little I can do for the current situation."
Her shoulders dropped in part relief and part disappointment. She looked at him as if wanting to say something but sooner shook her head.
Instead she asked, "How long will all this take?"
"A day or two at most. I already know where they are keeping Kusaka so I'll speak with him tonight. He deserves to know what is going to happen to him." He pinched the place between his brows and let out a weary sigh.
Plans had a tendency of not working out and no amount of back-up planning would save it. Sometimes all you could do is go with the flow and try to make something out of everything wrong.
Whatever plans he had for the boys even with knowing how unlikely it was for it all to come to fruition were taken away by how soon they had been found out and now his only avenue was going with the only option he had: Kisuke's option.
It was not an ideal situation but at the very least it would ensure their lives.
Yoruichi was already gone by the time he turned to look at her. He wanted to ask what it was that she wanted to ask but seeing as she already left he decided to ask another time.
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