Outside, a mob had gathered. They threw rocks, fruit, and other miscellanious items at Yuma as they jeered and wished for her death.
She couldn't blame them, and kept her head down as she moved through the crowd. The guards made no attempt to protect her, but she couldn't blame them either. The only one's trying were Temari and Kankuro, who shouted at the offenders and deflected what they could, with Temari occasionally barking angrily at the guards.
Once inside the building, Yuma sighed at the relief of silence. She was led down a few halls until Kankuro and Temari jogged ahead to walk in front of them, and two serving nin opened the heavy looking double doors to where her fate will be decided.
"Yuma!" a shocked, enraged, familiar voice shouted. Yuma looked up in shock, and saw Naruto tanding with his palms pressed against the table. He trembled with rage as he looked at the state of her: freshly bruised from the crowd outside, the entire right side of her face sporting a rather hideous scar, and her right eye, the color of the iris had changed, looking shattered as the usual rusty red took the right side, but the demonice molten red dominated the left, as the demon inside her had struggled to repair the damage along side the Suna medic nins. The demon that still hasn't spoken to her since she'd regained her memories....
But now wasn't the time, Yuma wasn't prepared, or expecting, to see her team here. Sakura sat on Naruto's left, tears in her eyes and her hands covering her mouth in horror. Kakashi sat on Naruto's other side, clear rage in his visible eye, but he kept himself seated and quiet. No one else was here, which was simultaneously saddening, and relieving for Yuma. She wanted to see Shika again too, and Ibiki, especially if this could be her last chance to say goodbye...
But before she could say anything, she was being moved to the front of the room and turned to face Gaara and the Suna Council, a collection of 12 old men, all regarding her with stern expressions.
"Yuma Vex," Gaara started, but Yuma, unsure of how to intervene, raised her hand and he paused. "Yes."
"I, uh, Prefer Hatake, Panda-chan," she muttered, unable to look over to her team.
"Of course," Gaara nodded in understanding as a few of the council members scoffed at her lack of professionalism by using the nickname. "Yuma Hatake, you are sentence to the murder of 87 Sunagakure nin-"
"And the kidnapping of the Kazekage," one of the elders cut in harshly, and Gaara sent a sharp look to the old man.
"Thank you, Sajo," he said coldly, not sounding especially grateful at all. He turned his seafoam eyes back to Yuma, who met his gaze steadily. "I will give you time to plead your case before decisions are made as to your... fate."
"I understand," Yuma nodded. She regarded the whole table of council members before her, making eye contact with each one. Most stared at her with distain, others with caution, a few with intrigue.
He won't stop until I'm either dead or back under his control....
She recalled her recent conversation with Temari. Her eyes moved to her feet. "I did kill those nin," she stated first, waiting for some sort of response. When there was none, she continued. "I didn't have to. My part in the mission was simply to assure we wouldn't be followed. Whether they wound up dead or alive in the end, was entirely my decision." She wasn't helping her case, she knew that. But as much as she wanted to go home, she wanted her family to be safe as well, even if her dying was what it took.
"I do not expect forgiveness," she stated. "What I did... What I did can not be forgiven. I know this. No matter the state of mind I held, it was no excuse... I'm responsible."
She made the mistake of glancing at her team, and regretted it instantly. Naruto was being vizibly held in his seat, practically shuddering with the urge to yell. Sakura was sobbing quietly, and Kakashi was gazing at her sadly, pleading for her to say something to convince the council to relinquish their death sentence, to let her go home.
She tore her eyes away, felt them begin to burn as a knot form in her throat. "I-I..." she found herself looking at Temari, who smiled encouragingly. Kankuro gave a slight thumbs up from beside his sister. Yuma looked to Gaara, hoping the cold collectiveness he held would give her the strength to do what needed done for the sake of her friends in the Akatsuki, and the family she had in Konaha. The family that sat here, waiting for her... but instead his gaze held instruction: don't give up.
"I regret my decision," she choked, cursing her weakness. "Those men and women, they didn't deserve to die. Not protecting their homes, their families." She felt tears burning her eyes, and saw a few council members recoil slightly as the crimson red began to carve harsh lines down her cheeks, evidently not having been informed of the rare trait she held. "I understand, I would do anything to protect my family as well. But... this isn't about me, not really." She took a deep breath. "I wish I'd had the insight to spare them, a simple incapacitation would've sufficed, would have been ideal in the situation. It would have ensured their ability to eventually return home, to continue their lives with a hint of normality-"
"This seems out of character for you," Sajo, the councilman from earlier, interrupted. He'd been regarding her with a hateful chill in his gaze since she'd entered the room, and seemed the most intent to have her put down. "We've heard of and seen what you're capable of. Stories of your time before Konaha, from your home village. We've seen how merciless you were during the chunnin exams-"
"Shall I remind you, Sajo," another councilman interrupted him, regarding him with somewhat of a cold expression. "That the fight of the Chunnin exams was initiated by us? This girl had every right to protect her home."
"Not my point, Joseki," Sajo snapped. "My point is: from everything we've heard and witnessed, this girl has held no remorse for her murders. Why start now?"
Before anyone could continue, Yuma cut in. "As Joseki pointed out a moment ago, I held no remorse for the killing during the Chunnin exams because I was defending my home, and family... the family though, I admittedly failed." She felt more tears fall as she recalled Gramps. He died because of her failure. "In my home village, it was full of demented, cruel, terrible people who raised me for slaughter, with less consideration that cattle would receive. I stand by my decision to wipe them from the earth, and will continue to stand by that. I haven't killed anyone who hadn't deserved it... up to now at least."
"And who are you to decide who 'deserves it'?" Sajo growled, clearly not happy with her explanations.
"Who are you to be such a dick?" Yuma retorted, unable to contain herself as rage burned in her blood. As he began to seethe, and a few other councilmen scoffed and choked down chuckles respectively, she suddenly remembered why exactly she was here. A thought crossed her mind, and her eyes widened. "Were... one of them... they were your family, weren't they?"
Sajo was stunned for a moment. He grit his teeth and glared at her. "My... my son..." he spat hatefully.
"I'm sorry," Yuma whispered, eyes wide as her guilt only grew. "I... understand why you're so driven for my death, now." Her head fell, shoulders slumped. "I've already said I don't expect forgiveness. I don't know how exactly I could make it up to your village, and the families I've ruined. All I can say is... if me dying is the only way to help you heal, then so be it."
"No," Sakura gasped.
"Yuma!" Naruto screamed, evidently no longer able to be kept under control. "You can't just... give up! What do you expect us to do?!"
"Naruto-" Kakashi began half heartedly, and as Yuma looked their way, she saw Naruto slap her guardian's hand away.
"If you aren't going to say anything, I will," he snarled. "What the hell are we supposed to tell everyone?! Ibiki? I thought you wanted to work with him again Yuma! And what about Shikamaru?! Pakkun? Everyone?!"
"Naruto, STOP!" Yuma barked, and the tone she held made Naruto paused. "You fucking idiot! Don't you get it? I DO want to go home. I DO want to see everyone again! WHY THE HELL WOULD I WANT TO LEAVE AGAIN?!" she was left gasping for breath. SHe raised her cuffed hands and wiped the crimson tears away, smearing it across her cheeks in a not at all flattering manner. "But this is my mistake. I have to answer for it. This is all my fault..." she met his gaze regretfully. "And I'm sorry you all have to be affected by it, but... maybe you'll be better off with out me anyway..."
"No," Gaara interrupted, surprising everyone with the stern told he held, glaring Yuma down. "I've given you time to speak, Yuma. I've allowed your team to interrupt out of respect, as I failed to keep you safe after taking you away. Now, however, I'll be putting in my piece, and everyone is to remain silent while I do." Yuma expected his pointed look to be directed at Naruto, but instead it was trained on Sajo, who seems to have fallen silent anyway since Yuma accepted death as an attempt at apology.
"You may have helped coordinate my disappearance, but you obviously didn't know who I was in the act, considering your clear regret and surprise when we met for your arrest. I'm not as quick to disregard the killing of my people, however, but what I will say is this... No matter who here is for or against your freedom, your regret is genuine, you have not deflected the blame, made no excuses, and even offered your life as an attempt to repent for the actions that brought you here. Our options are this: You die, we follow your action in tearing you away from your friends and family. No one is happy, as your death will not return our lost ones to us. Or... you can live. Return home to the village we hold as an ally, protect your home, and family. Be the best ninja you can be, and work towards making up your crimes to the dead, rather than trying to satisfy the ones left behind." He paused, looked at her, then looked to the councilmen. "This trial is complete. Everyone except the councilmen and myself are to wait outside while a decision is made and, just as a precaution," he looked back at Yuma, eyes grim. "Say your goodbyes, just in case..."
Yuma met his gaze, and nodded. "Okay, Panda-chan." But her eyes said, 'Thank you.'