Amber and Aquamarine 13

"If you see your allies losing, that's your chance. Don't step between them. Take the enemy down from behind. And if the enemy is so strong you can't even do that, then just watch your ally be killed. That's what it means to be Onmitsukidō." Soi Fon

A/N: Thanking time! My Reviewers: Mr. Kurosaki09, Zangetsu50 and –'cleodaze'-! Yay! There were adding's to Favorite-Lists! the eville pie, O.O ogihcI-Ichigo -.- and luckieselene! Thankies! Story-Alert! morrizz!

A/N2: Sorry but this is the last chapter. And as much as I wish to make Rukia evil (Mr. Kurosaki09 suggested this) it won't happen simply because I don't have a freakin' single idea how to include this into the plot. So I will just continue like I've planned although I'm pretty sure everybody will hate the end because. Just because. It's just a stupid idea of ending this but I couldn't think of something better and will 'bably never think of something better. Aisumimasen, guys.

A/N3: And – yes – the chapter title is German, I know that. It's my native language, so what? And you can be sure it's grammatically right to 100% 'cause this is really one of the most simple things somebody could write :D

Jūsan: Das Erbarmen des Königs

I broke our embrace after a few minutes and grabbed Rukia by her left wrist dragging her away.

"I-Ichigo? What's this sudden hurry for?"

"Rukia, you don't think they won't care for me being alive again, do you? They will hunt me down again and this time I have to be prepared for this!"

"How d'you mean t-?"

"I have to be able to scotch all their arguments down at once! I have to see Urahara-san NOW!"

"But don't you think they're already on their way?"

"No, for an ex-Grim Reaper there is a short time given to him. In about an hour one of my former colleagues will arrive and drag me in front of the tribunal."

"Tribunal?"

"Yeah, then, Rukia, I've to face the Devil and the Spirit King. I will be judged by Hell and Heaven."

~*~

"Guys, I know there are questions but – please – keep them till later 'cause I don't have time for answering!"

I shouted this the moment I entered the Urahara Shōten. To my utter amazement not only the guys living in the shop were there – no, Inoue, Ishida and Chad were there as well.

And all of them were gaping at me.

I scowled: "Like I said: Keep the questions till later."

"But… how…?"

A vein appeared at my left temple and my right eye twitched dangerously. I grabbed Renji at the collar and snarled in a voice full of venom: "Eeeeeeh? Didn't you hear me, Pineapple Head? I said: KEEP. THE. FRIGGIN'. QUESTIONS. TILL. LATER! I've to face the freakin' tribunal and don't have the time to answer your babbling!"

"What?"

That was it!

"Again a question! Don't you ever learn your lessons, Pineapple?!" With that said I threw him into the wall. Hell, I missed this.

I calmed my breathing and temper a little bit down and faced Urahara-san without another glance at the baboon: "Well, do you have an idea how I can at least convince the Spirit King? If they can't come to a conclusion I'm free."

Hat 'n' Clogs shook his head and hid his face behind his stupid fan: "Well, well, I think I've an idea, Kurosaki-san, but first I would like an explanation 'cause my idea only works if you did what I think you did."

I sighed defeated and sat down Indian style: "Well, where to start…"

[Insert explanation here]

"Well, I amaze myself again and again! I KNEW you did it this way!"

I hit him in the face: "If you know the rules it's easy to guess, stupid!"

He straightened himself up and tried to clean his nose from the blood: "My, my, Hell made you violent, Kurosaki-san."

"Whatever. Just tell me what to do…" I mumbled under my breath making Rukia giggle.

"Eeh? Did I just hear the great Kuchiki giggle? What's happening? The worlds' end?"

"Shut up, Strawberry!" she cried and slapped me on the head. OK, I didn't really miss this…

"Well, I don't know if this will work but it's worth a try…"

~*~

"Argon."

"Ichigo… why?"

"I'm not fitting the position as Death, is all."

"Kuchiki Rukia. You have to come along."

"What? Why?" I growled stepping between the Grim Reaper and my petite counterpart.

"Because she caused all this. Follow me you two. Now."

"Ichigo…"

"Don't worry. As always I'll get us out of this. You can't keep yourself self even with your life depending on it so it's my job to do so."

"Idiot" she whispered but it didn't sound like an insult…

~*~

Every tribunal was held in a dimension of its own, only existing for this single purpose – judging souls.

You couldn't really describe what this world was like.

It was a completely blank realm, without light, without darkness. Sounds didn't resonate in its depths but weren't swallowed either.

It was like a perfect balance of both Hell and Heaven.

The consummately place for a decision of Devil and Spirit King.

~*~

Rukia and I looked around but there was nobody around. Out of nowhere the Devils' voice began to speak.

"Well, Kurosaki Ichigo, I assume you know why you're here?"

Oh, I know why I was there, no doubt, but Rukia?

"Yeah, but I see no reason for Rukia being here at all!"

He chuckled evilly at my outburst.

"It's simple. It's all her fault so she will be judged as well."

I gritted my teeth: "Well, I for my part don't bear any sins anymore!"

"What?"

"I know your stupid rules! By becoming a non-existing being I was freed of all my faults! So quit this shit and let us go home!"

A new voice joined the conversation, the totally opposite of the Devils' voice.

"I'm afraid, Kurosaki Ichigo, that we can't let the Kuchiki girl leave. You may be free of sins but she isn't."

That was it!

"I'm vouching for Rukia!"

She jerked her head around: "What? Ichigo, you can't-!"

"I can, Rukia! And I damn will!"

"But-!"

"No 'but's Rukia. Let her leave! I will endure the punishments for all her faults!"

There was a torturing silence when they thought of my suggestion. Then…

"Then we may do"

"As you suggest, Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Kuchiki Rukia, you are allowed to leave now."

"B-!"

"Rukia. Leave. Now." I put special emphasis on every single word and finally she left but not without a last glance at me.

"You know what that decision of yours means, right?"

"Yes, King. It means purgatory without any chance of salvation."

~*~

"Kuchiki-san! What happened? You're totally hysterical!"

"It's… Ichigo… he… vouched for me… and now he's send back to purgatory… without any chance of salvation."

~*~

"Who says I wanted salvation, Rukia?"

I'd my arms wrapped around her waist and breathed the words in her left ear. She shivered, then tensed up and turned around in utter disbelieve.

"Ichigo? How?"

I smiled: "Well…"

~*~

"You're discharged, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Eh?

"Eh?"

"You were ready to endure purgatory just for Kuchiki Rukia's sake. I'll give you my credits for this."

"I didn't agree with this but it's not that I care that much about your fate either, Kurosaki. Just don't get in our way anymore. You gave us some amount of trouble."

I smirked: "Hopefully."

"Just get out of here already before I change my mind", snarled his voice, and then faded away.

~*~

"That's how it was."

"They gave you free just like that?"

"I don't really get this either…"

"Well, I'm just glad you're back, Ichigo."

"I'm glad, too."

I took her hand with my hands and kissed her long and slow on the lips ignoring the reactions our friends had.

~*~

"I'm not that happy with this decision of yours, King."

"I know but I couldn't stand the prospect of my nephew enduring purgatory because he vouched for the woman he loves, you understand that, right?"

"I guess I would've done the same. But if your nephew's children ever get in such a trouble I won't dismiss them so easily."

"I wouldn't expect something different, my dear pal."

"Whatever."

Sorry if they seem somehow not too serious but I think they would act this way: Urahara would be a jerk like always, Renji wouldn't get a thing, Rukia would slap Ichigo and Ichigo would be violent towards the stupid Renji.

Yeah, the end was stupid… but I liked the last part of the Devil and the King. I heard some theories about Ichigo being related to the King and since the Spirit King is part of the tribunal it was easy to get Ichigo out of this mess.

It ends with 13 chapters… my lucky number ;-} Seriously.

jūsan – thirteen

Das Erbarmen des Königs – German for 'The King's Mercy'