Obscaenus: The Trials of Aizen Sōsuke

♠:: Part 1: Sentenced, Beheaded, Survived

Note: this chapter contains scenes of beheading. Discretion is advised.

CENTRAL 46, inner sanctum

"Aizen Sōsuke!" the presiding judge hissed his name as though it were some obscenity not for use in everyday polite discussion, "For the atrocities you have committed against this hall, Soul Society at large, the world of the living and in light of your Hollowfication experiments, we sentence you to death by beheading!"

A roar echoed through the chamber as the various members of the congregation voiced their approval –– death was too good for him; he deserved to be killed 46 times over, a vile monster...

For a few moments the traitor stood in silence, allowed them their moment of frenzy until he lifted his head to regard them. They fell silent.

A smirk spread slowly over his lips, "Ho... how amusing, did you fools fail to listen to Urahara Kisuke's report? I cannot be killed by the likes of you..." in fact, he could not be killed by anyone. If Kurosaki Ichigo couldn't muster it with that transcendent power he had acquired –– the strength of a God –– what hope did these lowly ants have?

Once more the hall was filled with a chorus, some berating him while others took to arguing with him; in the end the presiding judge ordered that he be taken away and prepared for his execution. Two attendants came and took him by the arms, pulled him out of the sanctum that he had once stained with the blood of their predecessors.

As they pulled him, Aizen maintained his broad smile: he would enjoy watching their disappointment as it spread over their faces in deep fissures...

&& ~ 1 day later

CENTRAL 46, Execution hall

The arrangements were meticulous: the Kidō corp were present, channeling all manner of stifling incantations to keep him at bay, while he was clad in all manner of special restraints –– wrists encased in reiatsu-suppressing stocks fashioned from Sekkiseki ('Spirit Reducing Stone') and similar devices around his ankles and throat.

The lengths they took to protect themselves were profoundly amusing; it seemed he still terrified them. It brought a smile to his lips as he was led down a long hallway to the site of his execution. It was to be conducted in private in the bowels of Central 46, as much as they wanted a public execution it was deemed safer this way: he could affect less people here.

"Aizen Sōsuke," the executioner's face was hidden behind a black cowl, "By order of Central 46 I will end your life, if you have any last regrets you should make your peace with them now."

He was pushed on to his knees in front of a block by two attendants while the hulking cowled man stood to the side with a hefty naginata in hand. A smile thinned Aizen's lips, "Regrets? No... I have none," he spoke clearly so that the members of Central 46 who were loitoring nearby could hear him, "The only thing worthy of pity that I see right now, are these worthless sacks of stagnant stupidity who stand here and think they have the right to judge me."

The congregation bristled, before one among them with more mouth than mind stepped forward and started to shout, "YOU!! YOU INSOLENT MONSTER! BEHEAD HIM SLOWLY! LET HIM FEEL PAIN!! HE DESERVES TO SUFFER FOR ALL HE HAS PUT US THROUGH!"

"Hmh," Aizen's bronzed eyes narrowed and his smile darkened, "My... that's hardly a becoming thing to say, aren't you supposed to be an impartial worm... oh... wait, that's right, you're all nothing more than puppets dancing to the tunes of your paymasters aren't you..."

That was enough to throw the rest into a state of outrage, they all began to shout and heckle, but all the traitor did in reply was chuckle and direct his gaze to the executioner, "Swiftly or slowly, it doesn't matter, your blade will not affect me..."

With a slight hiss of annoyance, the headsman hefted up his weighty weapon and muttered, "There truly is no redemption for beasts such as you..." and then he brought the blade down, so that it partially-sliced the traitor's neck; not enough to sever his windpipe but enough that it should have started to slice into his spine. The restraint around his throat shattered on impact.

A slight hiss escaped his lips as a searing pain shot through him; blood warmed the back of his neck and started to weep against the block. It throbbed, red hot, through his nerves and caused his breath to hitch ever so slightly; annoyingly.

"Tsk," he clicked his tongue and lifted is head as much as the solid blade would allow; regarded Central 46 with a smirk, "Oh.... you look so crestfallen. Did you hope I would scream like your predecessors did as I gutted them?" once more a chorus of outrage filled the air.

But even as they started to shout, their voices died as they saw the skin around the blade trying to heal itself; they looked horrified as the bloodied edge of the weapon was pushed up by the bone and muscles restoring; as good as new.

"My... it seems you have failed," there was nothing but mocking in Aizen's words and smile, "How pathetic you are –– you cannot even arrange an execution properly..."

"JUST CUT HIS DAMNED HEAD OFF!" bellowed the presiding judge, "GET RID OF THIS MONSTER IMMEDIATELY! PUT HIM DOWN!"

And the blade came down with as much force as the executioner could muster, he roared as he brought the bloodied edge down for a second chop. Aizen's head hit the floor and rolled in a vivid splash of crimson. For a moment his eyes looked up into his skull, before their gaze locked on the members of Central 46 in front of him. They looked down, horrified and sickened, some of them covering their mouths and looking away; pallid and almost green.

Then, the severed head's lips parted and he spoke in a voice that was wet with the blood that stained his lips, "Hadō no nanajuuhachi Zangerin," a blade of Kidō, given shape by his reiatsu, lashed out and sliced the presiding judge across the throat.

"HUURKKKGGHH!!!" with a distressed gurgle, the wizened old man clutched the gash and fell back; his colleagues began to scream and scatter away from him, some of their robes covered in his blood. And while they panicked, the stump of Aizen's neck glowed with the same vivid indigo light that had surrounded his rent flesh when Gin tried to kill him.

His head reformed on his shoulders in a glimmer of ultraviolet light. With blase languidity he sat up, a slight groan on his lips as he craned his neck from left to right; bones cracking audibly in the hall that had now fallen deathly silent. Once more he regarded Central 46, with a goading smile.

"It seems you cannot behead me. Now... what was that about killing me 46 times over? Perhaps you should be pleased if you are able to manage it even once..."

His voice was rich with pure arrogance.

They quickly had him detained and returned to his cell while they contemplated a more appropriate sentence.

––end (of part 1)